The First Flame: And Beyond

Short ending, guys! Thank you for being here!!!

They arrived at Eon’s place and began packing. Eon wasn’t happy when Ran ripped the luggage from his hands. They bickered like an old couple about him working too hard, and old a hard kiss shut him up.

Eon settled into the room next to hers to spare Vrox some years of life, but a wall wouldn’t stop Ran from sneaking into his room for naughty adventures.

Eon couldn’t wipe his happy grin off his face. Ran teased him, although she had the same problem. She was happy- truly, purely, happy. Whatever flowed between her and Eon was an adventure she didn’t want to ever end.

That night, once Eon was sleeping soundly in his bed, Ran went outside to get a breath of fresh air. She spotted Kira sitting on the steps, so she called her name and sat beside her.

“You’re gotta get a cold, mom. Put on a sweater. Do you want me to get one for you?”

“You sound just like Vrox.”

“Grumpy?” Ran laughed.

“Yeah.”

“Are you guys doing okay?”

Kira smiled. “I’m proud of him. He has come a long way. The poor guy loves you girls to a fault. He lost so much that he couldn’t bear the thought of losing more.”

“I know. I love him back.” Ran hugged her. “And I love you. You’re amazing, mom.”

“Is there space for one more?” Nebula called out.

Kira waved her over.

“You guys really shouldn’t be alone in the dark. Dad and Jaxxon won’t like it.”

“We’ll be fine. Nebula will throw rocks if some crazy fucker tries to kidnap us..”

“I’m not a damn earth bender, Kira.”

Kira laughed. “Technically, you are. You manage to bend that brickhead Jaxxon.”

“And Vrox is smooth?”

“God, no. That one’s worse.”

Ran stood up. “I’m going to check on Eon and I’ll be right back.” She kissed Nebula’s cheek and then left.

“Do you miss being that young?” Nebula asked.

“What do you mean? I’ve still got it, baby. These hips are still twenty.”

Nebula snorted. “Calm down there. Don’t hurt yourself.”

Kira laughed and leaned her weight against Nebula’s side. “Sometimes I still can’t believe I’m here. Then, I look at the night sky. It’s so clear. Free of pollution, like a breath of fresh air. We couldn’t see stars from Earth’s sky.”

“I know,” Nebula replied. She pointed in a direction. “Earth is there, but it feels further than that. Ezron was surreal when I first teleported and ran into you and Vrox. Now? It feels like my memories of Earth are the odd ones.”

“Jesus, Nebs. We would have been extinct if it wasn’t for that teleportal.” She shuddered. “The girls would have never existed. We would have never met the guys.”

“What was the cause of the vanishing? Or who? Why are we here?” Nebula asked.

Throughout the many years of their friendship, they asked the same questions, and have yet to come up with answers.

“So many races were wiped clean of women. It’s frustrating that although we have all this power, we haven’t found out why,” Nebula said.

“I don’t know if I want to know why anymore,” Kira shuddered. “Maybe it’s better if that answer is kept a secret.”

Nebula scanned the skies. “One thing is for sure, though, we’re not the only creatures wondering this question right now.”

“You mean someone from The Federation?”

“No.”

“Oh,” Kira said. “From Earth? Tulis?”

“Further. There’s more out there. I know it. It’s like a feeling in my gut.”

Kira’s skin prickled. There was something creepy about staring at the night sky and not knowing what was staring back at you.

“Eon! Get back here!” Ran yelled somewhere in the background.

“Kira! What are you doing there alone?!” Vrox asked from downstairs.

“Nebula!” Jaxxon growled after him.

The mothers stood up and prepared to run.

They survived a vanishing, but they have yet to survive their crazy families.

Nebula took Kira’s hand and began running with her. Their men were coming after them. Eon appeared beside the women. He was running away from an angry Ran.

Kira yelped when she tripped. Nebula tried to help her up, but Vrox and Jaxxon were catching up fast. When eon tugged her up, they were off running.

“Hey! Shut the mothers up! I’m trying to sleep!” Kyros yelled from somewhere.

The trio kept running. “I sure would love a Vanishing right about now!” Nebula joked.

“Me too!” Eon said.

“Eon!” Ran howled. “I’m going to Vanish my foot up your ass!”

“The hell you will!” Vrox interjected. Even after many years of living among humans, he still struggled with sarcasm.

Ran laughed until her belly hurt, and the other women joined her.

It was an HONOR to write the Ezron series— from Kira, Nebula, Kyros, to Ran. Many of you were all reluctant to read this genre because you were used to my werewolf stories. Only a few of you tried this genre out. To those that have been following the storyline from the beginning, or to those of you who found it somewhere along the way, THANK YOU!

I will work on publishing The First She on paperback. In the meantime, I will close the Ezron chapter, and work on the Xulor chapter (Rider King). I have a lot of plans for this new planet that was also hit by a Vanishing. It would be a blessing to see you guys there! Rider King is up to chapter 6 and will start updating 3 times per week along with Alpha Adrian.