Liana looked to and fro. There was no mistake that Draco and Damian shared striking resemblance. The hair line, the jaw, even the way their eyebrows moved were similar. As Liana stared she could clearly see that the olive in their eye sparkled with the same hue.

"You can see it, can't you? " Draco pulled Liana closer as she looked up, puzzled as to what she aught to have seen.

"See what? You mean... " she was about the mention the unquestionable similarities but as usual she was cut short by him.

" The mark. The Dynasty Marking. You can see it right? " Liana had no clue what Draco was implying but she felt an urgent need to get away from his iron grip. The way his hands held her at the middle of her spine made a constant tingling sensation run around her core and belly. She looked up into his eye, one last time, in a attempt to correctly answer his question so he would let her go.

There was a distinct spiral in the iris, around which was wrapped a serpent like something. But it had, scales, and limbs and eyes that burnt like flames. It definitely looked like the shapes Liana had noticed in Damian's starry eyes as he gazed innocently at her for hours. She hadn't paid it much attention, thinking it might have just been a birth mark but now that Draco mentioned it, it didn't after all seem very random.

"The spiralling beast do you mean? " Liana just uttered these syllables when he exclaimed," I knew you could see it. " But instead of letting her go, Draco bent over, sniffing Liana at her collar bone. He traced her shoulder blades and neck with his nose, as she shuddered from the feel of his hot breath against her pale skin. He sniffed like a wild dog sniffing it's prey.

"What do you think you are doing? " Liana tried pushing once more as she tightened her grip around Damian.

" I knew you smelled different, " But before Liana could ask him anything more, Draco moved at lighting speed. He wrapped Liana and Damian in an invisible wing and flipped like a spining wheel. In what seemed like an instant they were standing on top of the highest tower in the city.

Liana grabbed tighter this time. She was extremely scared of heights.

" What on earth are we doing? " Liana grabbed around Draco's neck as he took Damian in the sky. He unwrapped his clothes as the baby hung mid air. But Liana was too scared to protest, let alone of any help she could be. But Draco seemed absolutely unfazed. He kept unwrapping the cloth around Damian till there was a silvery glimmer emitting.

A silvery cloud engulfing the little baby.

Liana panicked. "What exactly are you doing?Will you just let go of me? " she kept hitting Draco right at his chest. Though it would have been much easier for him to shove her off like a flee, he seemed to prefer to ignore her for the time being.

Draco kept his eyes fixed on Damian till he was completely shrouded in that silvery thing. He turned towards the dangling Liana after he was done and ripped her hands free.

Liana screamed in fright as Draco flashed his unholy smile.

" You wouldn't, " Liana looked at him with dread and dare as he rolled his eyes and smirked like he did.

" Didn't you ask me to let you go just a moment ago? " Draco looked into her eyes with glee.

" What did you do with Damian? " Liana asked, as it was no use reasoning.

Draco pulled Liana towards him again and shoved the silvery cloaked Damian in her side. She caught him promptly, trying to find his face and check for his breathing signs.

"You can still see him? You seem like a very interesting specimen indeed. " Draco whispered in Liana's ears as he looked for something across the horizon.

" You dare... " Liana was about to yell but he placed his hands inside her mouth. Liana gulped at the sudden impact as her teeth dug into his skin. It didn't seem as hard after all as it had appeared in the beginning.

"Ahhhmmmm! ... " Liana was still trying hard to protest , however Draco blew a strict, " SSHHHHHH, " in her ear that instantly made her regret.

" They are headed this way. Keep your volume down. " Draco instructed as his eyes morphed to a different shade and his eyebrows constricted into a deep frown.

"The Shadows. They are here. They had dispatched The Shadows to track Damian without my knowledge. That is the only reason I had to come down in this mortal world myself, " though Liana understood that Draco was trying to explain himself, she was unable to convey that she needed translation to make anything out of the explanation itself.

" It seems that they had the Shadows doing the rounds before this as well. But since they were not able to track you both down, I think I am sure about you as well. " He continued as he carefully retreated down the roof of the structure they were on. " But it's the Shadows we are dealing with, that too in the mortal world. It's better that his Aura stays hidden for awhile. " he said pointing at Damian, " as for you, you will be alright till I am by your side. "

They jump landed on the first floor of the top most storey in the structure which was perfectly deserted. Liana finally breathed as Draco pulled his hand out of her drooling maw.

"What are the Shadows? I thought you were a king? Why are we hiding here? What is that thing? " Liana instantly started bombarding with her question machine as she wiped her face and trailed him from behind.

He turned towards her with a jerk stop that almost sent her flying, but the table behind her made her stop. Draco placed both his hands on either side of the desk, as dust rose making her cough.

" Listen human, I have been paying you much more respect than I actually can. As you can see, there is a world here beyond your ignorant competence. Just stay close if you want to make out of this place. "

There was quick successions of tapping on the roof top followed by a few chilly winds. Even the hair strands on Liana's body, screamed in panic. It was like watching some horror show, holding your breath anticipating, but the difference was she was actually living inside it. Liana started having an emptiness growing inside her pit. Like something was sucking at her very core and it's made her weak at her knees.

" Steady! They can sense fear and pain. " Draco ordered, helping Liana recuperate.

The glass at the back shattered as Liana saw what she should not have seen.

A deformed face with bifurcated eyes. Made of thick dark smog, dripping as it crawled, inhumanely upside down, hanging from the wall. It jumped from one side , then it went to the next, but before Liana could move, it was standing against her breast.

She felt the cold sweat form on her forehead and under the nose.

It tilted itself in strange angles as above Liana's head it rose.

" Surrender! By your Majesty's Order! " Draco yelled.

But it kept staring Liana into her eye as she felt everything tighten from inside out. She turned her eyes to find her body slowly phase into solid stone. Despite that she looked at Draco desperately, asking him to hold Damian before he slipped from her hands and hit the ground.

But this time Liana caught something else in Draco's eyes.

He was looking in another direction, like someone waiting for a cue. But Liana was in no position to even turn to catch it's view.

"Now! " Draco barked as two consecutive jumps surrounded the Shadow in some kind of a net. It howled in pain as the two figures struggled to have it restrained. Draco walked nonchalantly towards it this time, filled with air and poise like he usually is, and robust.

He placed a hand on its mouth as it shrank. The two figures came in front of Liana's sight as they packed The Shadow up like some pile of dirty laundry.

"Nearly done... "

But Draco slammed the speaker at his back before he even uttered the rest of his words.

" What took you so long Calix?Did you find the ones issuing this order? "

Draco demanded as the lad looked up at him with timid but big eyes.

He was covered in steel, waist down like Draco was the first time she had clear view of him on that ground. The lad had fiery hair, reddish in hue very unlike Draco's white which was now short and cute.

" Ah! Did I just think this Dragon was cute! " Liana hit herself in her head and winked hard trying to shake what was in her mind.

" Oh! You. I had completely forgotten. Neutralise this one Raba, before we are found. " Draco looked at Liana as if disgusted with her winks and threw the instructions at the girl standing next to her.

She looked as badass as it could get. Liana kept staring as she blew her with a blast. The girl Raba, opened her perfectly sultry mouth as flame poured out from some mount. It warmly melted the solid entrapping Liana inside and she broke free and almost fell on her rescuer once again.

"Careful! " Raba smiled at Liana with the sweetest voice.

That was completely opposite to what she looked like. Her hair was tied in several tails unlike the boys and it appeared golden like, very much close to a blonde. Her frame was strapped in leather and steel but what set her apart from the two men were her hands, that appeared mechanical. They didn't just seem metalic but Liana could tell by the touch that they were actual steel.

" Is that our little prince? "She asked taking Damian in a little embrace.

" Let him be for a while. We still don't know how many more are lurking. "

They all nodded and then looked like they were getting ready to leave.

" Are you sure we should head back first?"

" How long do you plan to stay here? "

" It's better this way till we are able to detect the source of the defectors. I cannot risk what happened to happen again. "

Liana listened with concentration trying to understand what they were getting at, however Draco tucked her back under his arms as the other two leapt out of the open window frame.

" So? "

Liana finally asked when nothing came from Draco's end.

"So? So what? Don't you know where you live? Do you need help to even find your own home? How pathetic. "

Drack rolled his eyes like Liana had asked him an elementary question.

"Is he planning to come to my house? Is it for Damian. Can I even trust this man? It's improper to take someone to one's house on a first date.

Date? How did I even come with this word... Shit! shit! shit! There is something definitely wrong with the wordings in my brain. "

"Do you plan to stay here all night? " Draco's husky voice brought Liana back from her self reprimanding journey and she smiled the most awkward smile, and then moved slowly away from under his hands.

"Umm, may I ask if you were asking for my house so you could see Damian and me off? " She asked, knowing full well, it wasn't what he was talking about.

"See you off? I am going to live with you. You have my son and I need to be here too. We cannot set off to our kingdom right away. And isn't it obvious we would need a place to stay. Since he his already living with you, it's just going to be one more gracing your lowly residence. "

"Yeah, " Liana forced another smile, " Live with me, Yeah! And grace my lowly residence, " She looked at themselves and repeated, " Just the three of us. Under a single terrace. Alright. As you say your Majesty. I will lead the way. " She cursed under her breath so hard, she almost bit her tongue away. But Draco seemed to be quite impressed by the last few of her words. He nodded apparently quite pleased as she walked sulking in front, taking the lead.

Liana turned the tap off to sush the sound of the running water.

"Did you get the television on all by yourself? "

Liana peeped over from the kitchen sink as the sound from the Hall blasted her ear drums.

Draco looked at Liana with such an expression that was a mixture of disbelief with wonder.

"What does your question even mean? " Of course he sounded very offended.

" Oh! So you did switch it on by yourself. My bad. I thought you were some kind of an ancient Dad. I mean like from the books - 'Old, grumpy, rustic dragons, vicious and wild, eager to take over lands'... "

but yet again Liana was cut short as Draco jumped over the couch and was beside her even before her eyelids could move up half a milimeter.

"I don't no about the rest but they did get the vicious part correct, " He pulled her close with one hand behind her waist as she lifted both her dirty hands, still inside the washing gloves.

"and if you so insist, we can check about the authenticity about the Wild, title, " his lips curled up in such an unholy suggestive manner, Liana almost chocked on her own saliva and coughed, as she moved away.

"Did you just try to flirt with me? " She actually asked looking at him from behind the cabinet.

He laughed , twirling around, as if it was the best amusement.

"Well, if you are so capable, I guess you could atleast try being a little sensitive as well. The reason I asked if you switched on the television was because you have kept it on at full blast. And if you remember, there is a baby sleeping just next room. Turning the volume down wouldn't hurt your ego or sentiment. "

Liana blinked as Draco stared at her with what seemed like an expressionless avatar.

" You are right. "

He leaped back on the couch with the remote in his hand.

" Did he just admit I was right? "

Liana just turned around, slowly walking back to the kitchen, contemplating.

"Come here. Look. "

She had to turn immediately back after his sudden command.

Draco had the news on.

The anchor read about -

Strange occurrences across the city. Thunder clouds sighted at odd locations followed by severe lighting strike and property damage. A total of ten lives lost till count and several others missing.

Liana turned towards Draco, her brows lifted up.

" Are those the Shadows? "

Draco simply nodded as he browsed on. The incidents were everywhere, however none were able to say anything specific about it anyway.

" What are those things? "

Liana wondered aloud, looking again back at the screen. There was another footage of a building being ripped apart as the 'thunder cloud' hovered away.

" Those are our hunting dog. They can be very usefull in warfare. "

" But then if you are their King, aren't they supposed to have listened to you back there? "

Liana was clearly mentioning about the incident back at the top storey where Raba and Calix had to intervene for the Shadow to be retracted. Liana seemed to have noticed how it had clearly disobeyed Draco, back there.

" They don't have a working brain. They act upon what's fed inside their head. They would not be deterred unless they are once again held back. They have been our deadly offense against the most fierce of enemies."

Liana could tell if he detested of actually cared about those beasts.

"It must be someone from amongst my top closest men, who mobilised them here. And I can't leave unless we can surely tell. "

"Tell what? Your men mobilised something that's killing people in this world. And you goa round calling yourself mighty, sitting in the couch, loking at some news. "

Liana's voice was very different this time and even Draco understood.

He turned towards her and said,

"that is precisely the reason we haven't yet left, "

he was of course referring to Damian and himself.

" There is something big going behind my back in my kingdom. I can't possibly take my son back and put him in harm's way once again. I can't even leave him alone back here with these Shadows everywhere. But if I show myself right now, whoever is behind all this would surely know Damian is also nearby. For me keeping him safe is for the time being ,the top most priority.

At least till we have a lead as to who is behind all these. " He added with a paused.

At that moment Liana found he wasn't as invincible after all as he had seemed.

"You said 'in harm's way once more'.Tell me, did something happen to Damian before this. "

Draco looked at her as if she had stabbed him in the spleen.

" You sure have a lot of guts for a human. Do you think the Dragon Lord is here to discuss his state affairs with a earthling? I just shared a little bit about what Damian is already up against since you have been taking his care. Consider it a favour and don't dare to cross your sphere. "

Liana smiled. She was glad Draco was back to himself again. But she wasn't thick enough to atleast get the fact that her Damian has been facing hardships since his birthing.

" Ahhh! Correct. I still need to do the sink load of dish. "

Liana stood up and streched, her hands soggy, still under those washing gloves.

" You can skip it, "

Draco declared out of the blue as he swished his hands facing towards her kitchen.

Liana, had to almost hold the table's edge as she watched her dishes bathing themselves in the sink pool, drying in the towel then dancing their way back to their shelves, and she felt her knees were almost out of power.

" Keep that closed, " Draco banged her lower jaw shut as she had her mouth wide open, taking a full grasp.

She jingled behind Draco who switched off the television and walked towards the terrace door.

" You could have done that all along. But you kept sitting with your snout. "

" Are you complaining? "

Draco turned around with yet another swift jerk.

" I can put them back just like they were, with every single spot. "

" No! No! No!I was just going to thank you"

Liana turned immediately around, quickly changing her mood.

" You can take the living room couch or sleep in the spare bed beside Damian. I will get going first to my room. "

She bowed and ran on her toes back inside as Draco stood at the door watching her fool around.