Dragon Down (19 page)

The meeting seemed to break up and the man moved back the way he came and crawled back into bed undetected. Something he had heard was
troubling him. In truth much of what he heard alarmed him. Why would these people be dealing with the vampires and the fae? He didn’t know how or why he knew, but he knew this signaled trouble. He fell asleep trying to figure out what was bothering him.

The next morning things on his floor seemed to return to a more normal schedule. He didn
’t see the nurse or the doctor. However, he did receive all his meals and his door remained locked. Reflecting on the conversation he’d overheard, he wondered again about what put him off. He finally realized he still had no idea who he was. However, he intuitively knew he had experience with vampires. He certainly knew what vampires and fae were. Moreover, he knew the groups would not be sitting down for any discussions. Not unless, they were up to some type of illegal activity. Still, he didn’t know how this underwater city, which was home to at least two aquatic dragons figure in. He had no clue. Still, he knew it was the key to understanding the entire conundrum. The only thing he was certain of was he would again be spending his night searching for answers.

Chapter Twenty-one

I
continued to send my mind out into the astral plane searching for any trace of Traygen’s location.
Where are you Traygen?
It took me a few minutes and then I received a clear steady signal.
Yes! Gotcha, my elusive lover.
Unfortunately, as happy as I was to feel him near, I was troubled. I mean we were out in the God forsaken ocean miles from shore. Was it a faulty reading? No, it was too clear a signal. There had to be another explanation. Unfortunately, before I could give it any more thought Tokem streaked by and landed on the railing near me.

“Could you give me a little warning before you zoom past my face? You
’re just lucky this boat doesn’t have a fly swatter or we would be scrapping you off it.”

“Are you finished? I can wait
, but you will want to hear what I have to say. I have found something interesting.” Tokem smugly stood inspecting his nails. There was just the barest trace of a smile on his lips.

“You have five seconds to spit it out or I
’ll use you as bait to attract baby sharks. Okay, have it your way.”

“There is no need to get snippy. I just thought you would want to know that I found...”

“Found what,” Corbin asked.

I squeaked. What was
it with these damned vampires? “Corbin, darn you, I don’t know why you get such obvious glee from startling me.”

“Did you say Glee? That is my favorite show. I will be acquiring all the back episodes when I get to L.A.”

“Jeez, if you too can put a lid on it, I have news.”

“Okay, Tokem you have our attention out with it.”

“I was checking out the area east of us and I saw something floating on the surface. I dove down near the water to check it out. It doesn’t make any sense but, it looks like debris from a boat or maybe a plane. The pieces were pretty small but there was an oil slick. I didn’t check further because I wanted to let you know. Do you think it is important?”

“Tokem, can you give Corbin the approximate coordinates.
It may or may not mean anything, but we should check it out.”

Tokem gave the coordinates to Corbin and we got the boat turned around and headed in the direction that Tokem had found the debris field.
It took them about an hour to spot the debris and another half hour to tack into the middle of it.

“Lauren, what do you think caused this?”

“I’m not sure. Let’s see if we can find a bigger piece of debris and see if there is any writing or anything on any of it.”

“Tokem, can you see if you can find any bigger pieces and Corbin let
’s get the dingy. We can move that around more quickly than the boat.”

“Lauren, help me get the sails down and I
’ll throw out both anchors. That will keep the boat from going too far.”

Once they got the boat
’s sails down and the anchors out they hauled the dingy over the side. Then Corbin rowed while Lauren looked for anything that would help them identify the wreckage. Lauren pulled up a few pieces but there wasn’t anything to identify what they were looking at. After about forty minutes, Tokem whistled for them to check out something he’d found. Corbin turned the dingy around and rowed them toward the area Tokem was hovering over. We left Hans to watch the boat. It was easier than explaining.

“If you two can turn this big piece over
, there might be something on it,” Tokem offered.

They rowed alongside a rectangular piece of metal that was about three foot long and two feet wide. Lauren and Corbin reached
over and grabbed the piece turning it over.

“Tokem, good job. There is something on this. A logo maybe?
I can’t make it out. Corbin do you recognize it? Maybe it is from a vampire vessel.”

Corbin pulled the piece of metal closer so he could get a better view. “It isn
’t any vampire vessel. It looks like a logo or more accurately family crest.”

“Do you recognize it?”

“It looks familiar but, I am having a hard time remembering where I’ve seen it. Let me think about it while we look through this other stuff.”

They searched the rest of the area without finding anything else with an identifiable marking. Whatever happened to this vessel there had been an explosion. The pieces they found were small and most of them where charred
with jagged edges. Satisfied they’d found out all they could from the debris field, they rowed back to the ship. Once they got the dingy lashed down and the sails and anchors up, they got under way. There was an hour or two before sunset so they resumed their grid pattern. They didn’t find anything else. Once the sun set, they lowered the sails and set their watch schedule.

“Are you any closer to remembering where you saw that crest? It isn
’t human or from Traygen’s family. I would recognize those if I saw them. It isn’t intricate enough to be fae and besides most of their vessels are smaller.”

“Lauren, I just can
’t place it. Still, I know I’ve seen it. It will come to me.”

“Maybe if you sketch out the likeness it will trigger something.”

“It is worth a try. I’ll go get something to draw it on. Can you take the helm?”

“Sure I
’ve got it and could you make some coffee while you are down there. I get seasick if I am down there too long. Thanks.”

Corbin nodded and went below decks. When he returned he handed me a cup of coffee and then sat down to draw. When he was finished he passed around
the sketch for Tokem and me to see.

“What does that look like to you two,” he asked.

“It looks like a career in design is out for you Bat Boy.”

“Fine by me, I want to model it
, not draw it.”

“Let me see that while you two bicker.”

Lauren took the drawing from Corbin and looked at it. Turning in several different directions to see if that would help them figure it out. “It could be waves or....I don’t know.”

“
Lauren, that’s it. It is the symbol for the Nargon navy. Those are waves and that is a whale’s tail. See? Turn it to the left and now look. Do you see it?”

“I
’ll be damned. So, where have you seen the symbol?”

“The vampire courts unofficially do business with the Nargon
. We use them when we need something smuggled through countries we don’t have a trade agreement with. Traygen’s country does not allow us or the fae passage. Humans certainly don’t want drugs or prostitution rings entering across their borders.”

“So, what would the Nargon be doing out here?”

“They have underwater cities all over the area.”

“
Underwater cities? I’ve never heard of them. How does someone find them?”

“You don
’t, they find you if they want to make contact and then they meet their guests on the surface. They bring all their visitors down in specially made subs.”

“So, how do we get down there or find out if there is even a city near here? Since, I
’ve gotten my strongest signals from Traygen in this general vicinity. Maybe they had something to do with his disappearance.”

“
Lauren, slow down a minute, let’s take one thing at a time. The Nargon do not broadcast the coordinates for their bases. They find you if they want to make contact. Then they bring you in under the cover of darkness. So, unless you know someone with a submarine and a pretty good idea where to look, you might never find them.”

“Uhh, guys I think we
’ve got company. Something or someone surfaced off our starboard side about a quarter mile out. It could be a whale or a small submarine. I can’t be sure.”

“Tokem, head back where you saw it and see if you can spot it again. Lauren, help me get the anchors and sails up in case we need to make a run for.”

Corbin and I got to work and had both anchors hauled onboard and the sail almost up when Tokem shouted at us.

“It is headed our way and it is one and a half times the length of our boat. I don
’t think it is a sub. I think it is a whale or a supernatural. I mean, we are still pretty close to the Paradise Islands. Maybe that is what wrecked the other vessel.”

“Tokem, you keep an eye on it and we w
ill try to out run it. Lauren, take the wheel while I tie off the sails. Let’s see if we can out run it.”

We sailed away from the whale or whatever it was for several hours
. We kept moving until, Tokem confirmed he hadn’t spotted it in over an hour. Perhaps we outpaced it or perhaps it had driven us from its territory. There was really no way to know. I got some food and took over for Corbin so he could get some rest. Tokem kept up his periodic surveillance but, he did not report anything unusual. At some point, Corbin replaced me and I slept until the sun woke me.

“Lauren, it is about time you got up. Corbin has a plan and I think you should listen.
Hans has the helm. You know we’ll have to drop him off before long. There’s too much we can’t explain.”

“
You’re correct about Hans. Let me get some coffee and I’ll join you both on deck.” I darted briefly below decks and when was waiting.

“Hey, Corbin thank you for letting me sleep in. Tokem tells me that you have a plan.”

“Yes, I think I have a way to get a look at the Nargon city. My father said he would help us if he could. So, I thought I would contact him and see if he is aware of any activity in this area involving the Nargon. Then if he finds something I am going to ask him to front me a ride on a sub to make contact with the Nargon.”

“When do we go? I
’m ready.”

“Lauren, slow down
, first I need to make contact with my father and it will be quicker if I fly. You and Hans man the boat until I can get back or send you some help.”

“
Corbin, you can’t be serious. Do you need a transfusion? Low blood sugar is a treatable condition. There is no way I can sail this boat by myself.”

“Calm down
Hans can handle things until I can send help. I can reach my father very quickly and send someone back to help sail the boat until I return. In the meantime, I’ll take down the sails and throw out the aft anchor. You and Hans won’t move much and there isn’t anything out here.”

“What
if the whale or whatever it was comes back? I don’t want to end up like Jonah.”

“You won
’t, I’ll get someone out here before the White whale gets you or Hans needs relief.”

“You had better because I will get even
, if I have to drag myself out of the proverbial belly of the whale. When you get to L.A. the only fashion you will see is J.C. Penny’s.” That was a low blow. I could swear my vampire got visibly paler.

“You
wouldn’t,” he said, just before a loud pop transformed him into a small bat. He flew from sight and was gone.

“Couldn
’t you have transformed into a jet damn it?”

I stomped around the boat
’s perimeter for what seemed like hours checking to make sure that there were no supernaturals in the area. Hans and I watched and fortunately we saw no half row boats or draugs. The boat was swinging in a tight arc but it didn’t look like it was going anywhere. Tokem took to the air every half hour or so to make sure there was nothing heading our way. I was starting to imagine all the terrible ways I would torture Corbin when a pop near the boats stern made me jump.

“Lauren, my name is Lars and Corbin sent me to handle the boat until he returns.”

“Lars, thank you for your help, do you know if Corbin found anything out?”

“I don
’t know Lauren, he sent me straight away. He was headed into a meeting with his father when I left. I am sorry but, I can’t tell you anything.”

With that he turned and began checking out the boat.
I introduced him to Hans and together they pulled up the anchors and set the sails. Corbin would need to use glamour to erase Hans’ memories but for now there was no need. We were circling in a large circular pattern. I decide to try to contact Traygen and see if I could narrow our search area. After Lars went around our loop several times, I started to notice where the signal seemed to get stronger and he marked those spots on a map. At least I felt like I was doing something to find Traygen. The day dragged on until the sun finally set and still Corbin hadn’t returned. I ate dinner and settled in to try and get some sleep. It took me several hours to quiet mind enough to fall asleep. The sun woke me sometime later. It must still be morning because it wasn’t directly overhead. I looked around and saw Hans working the riggings and Lars at the helm. Tokem was nowhere to be found. I stumbled down to make myself some coffee, before I joined the guys up on deck.

“
Hans or Lars would you like me to take the helm for a while.”

“Lauren, if you would that would be a big help. I need to stretch and check the sails.
Hans grab some food and then we’ll swap.”

He handed me the wheel and went below deck.
Hans was working with the sails when Tokem flew in and landed on my shoulder.