by Megan Smith
Slipping off the cream dress coat she’d worn to ward off the autumn chill, she hung it up in the hall closet before moving through the house she’d put together with so much love. Lights flickered on as she moved gracefully through the downstairs rooms, reacquainting herself with the chintz, overstuffed furniture in the front room where it faced the white marble fireplace, the library with its polished mahogany shelves filled with leather-bound books, the small study’s delicate white furniture and wide windows looking out over the large back garden and, finally, the bright kitchen with marble counters and detailed cabinetry.
The house was elegant, warm and quirky-just as she was-and she loved every minute she spent there. Too often her job had her travelling the globe for weeks at a time, hunting down information, leads and those who would threaten the planet. Every time she stepped through the front door, her soul seemed to sigh in relief as it left the worries and stress behind on the front steps.
Stomach rumbling, she slipped off her shoes and let them lie negligently in the hallway as she went in search of something to eat. After so many months, she didn’t expect anything but stale crackers, but to her surprise, she found more evidence of those who loved her.
A large basket filled with all sorts of chocolate products, from raspberry dark chocolate cocoa to cream filled truffles sat on the island in the middle of the kitchen, accompanied by a note from Allandra that read “Eat lots of chocolate. There has never been a problem in history that chocolate can’t solve!”
Shaking her head with a smile, she popped one of the truffles in her mouth before opening up the refrigerator. Inside were several cartons holding some of her favorite comfort foods from her childhood. Another card revealed this one to be from her mother, who had dropped off the meal before heading back to Anconia. Along with the meal was a reminder to call if she needed help or just wanted an ear to listen.
Tears stung her eyes, the unexpected kindness greatly appreciated, and she carried both the meal and the basket into her front room where she lit a fire, turned on the viewing screen and curled up on the couch to drown her uncertainties in fattening foods and the smooth creaminess of chocolate.
With her stomach full and the fire crackling comfortingly, she nodded off, her arms curled around one of the velvet, tasseled pillows from the couch.
As her eyes drifted shut, the room around her became fuzzy and indistinct before disappearing completely. She blinked in surprise as her surroundings became clearer and revealed that she was now standing outside in the park.
It was dark, the trees indistinct looming shapes overhead, but her enhanced eyesight allowed her to see clearly as she picked out the empty park benches and the pond rippling in the gentle, cool evening breeze. The park was oddly quiet with all the people gone and there was a faint fuzziness at the edges of her vision.
She was clearly dreaming. One of her Gifts was dream navigating-the ability to travel through other’s dreams. Usually she controlled when and where she travelled, but occasionally she was unwittingly pulled into another’s dream-usually by someone with a strong connection to her.
She turned, sweeping the dark landscape around her, before slowly moving toward the pond. Grasping the iron railing surrounding it, she peered down at the gently rippling water and considered just who’s dream she was in-and why.
The answer came a moment later as all the nerve endings in her body stood up and the shiver of awareness that only came with him snaked down her spine.
Malek.
Turning slowly around, they stared at each other silently for a long time before she dragged in a breath and broke the tension building between them.
“You pulled me into a dream without asking” she pointed out, leaning back against the railing.
Wide shoulders shrugged. “Yes.”
Faint amusement flitted across her face at the simple answer. That was so like Malek, totally unapologetic for who he was and what he did. He answered to a different moral standard than she did and didn’t let it bother him in the least. There was no doubt in her mind that he didn’t see anything at all wrong with yanking her into his dream world without her permission.
The amusement faded as quickly as it came and her face grew serious as she looked at him.
“Why am I here, Malek?”
He shrugged again, hands thrust deep in his pockets as he studied her.
“You wouldn’t talk to me.”
She gave a sharp bark of laughter as she shook her head. “I’ve only been home for a few hours! You couldn’t wait until tomorrow?” she demanded.
“I’ve been waiting for three months” he answered quietly, “things are...different now and we need to discuss it.”
She looked down at her hands and nodded. “Things are different,” she agreed before looking up at him fiercely, “you changed me! You tricked me and changed me without giving me any choice at all! Why did you do this? How did you do this?” she demanded in frustration, holding up her hand and calling forward the power inside her to create a crackle of energy on her fingers.
He was still for a moment before answering. “You wouldn’t come to me otherwise” he answered simply and Sophie stared at him, nonplussed by his answer.
There was a wealth of emotion behind that simple statement, a history and uncertainty they shared. For over a century they’d danced around each other, both of them feeling the intense pull between them, but neither knowing how to breach the problem of who they both were.
She had felt her own frustrations over the years, the tumult of emotions knowing he was her Seraphin and her enemy at the same time. No workable solution had ever presented itself, but she’d also known that eventually they would have to do something.
Malek, obviously, had tired of waiting and had taken things into his own hands.
“What exactly did you do?” she demanded.
“I tied you to me.”
Frustration bubbled up inside her and she pushed away from the railing to pace in agitation.
“Tied me to you-how?”
“We’re...connected. I can find you anywhere now, can speak to your mind no matter how far apart we are. You can’t run away any more.”
His answer was simple and vague at the same time, giving her hints but no real answers about what he’d done. There was a wealth of information left unsaid, but she could tell he was going to keep the details of those secrets close to him. For a moment she considered pushing it, but in the end decided to let it go for now.
They were both immortal and, since they were now ‘tied together’ somehow, there was plenty of time to wrestle Malek’s secrets out of him.
She glanced up to find him watching her, as though waiting for her to work something out. Her main concern lately had been dealing with the changes sweeping through her and she’d already expressed her unhappiness with his actions in that regard. What else was there?
“What?” she demanded finally after coming up with a blank, crossing her arms in front of her and lifting an eyebrow impatiently.
“We should talk about the price you agreed to” he answered casually and she frowned, not understanding what he meant.
“What price?”
“The medallion. When you invoked the spell within it, you agreed to its terms,” he paused and a feeling of dread crawled up Sophie’s spine at the hint of triumph sparking in his eyes, “you owe me a child, Sophie” he finished and she froze, staring at him.
“A child?” she repeated dumbly and he nodded, letting any hint of pretense go as he let satisfaction bloom across his face.
“The spell was quite clear in its wording” he reminded her with a slight smile, “and in it, you promised me a child. Your child.”
Sophie’s mouth worked soundlessly before she swallowed hard.
A child.
He wanted a child from her. A child.
Unbidden, an image of a young boy with his father’s dark eyes and her wide smile sprang to mind and an ache stronger than anything she’d ever known p
ulsed through her. The boy would be part of both of them, a link of love that couldn’t ever be broken.
Which, she realized with growing awareness, was just what Malek had intended.
He’d tied them together not just physically, but emotionally as well. The bargain she’d taken on was forged from magic and the only way to break it was for Malek to release her, something he had no intention of ever doing, given the lengths he’d gone to bring her here.
A child would be the final stitch that tied them together because she would never willingly hand over a child of hers and he knew it.
There was no better way to permanently lock her to him then for the two of them to share a child.
Shaking her head, she took a step back and willed herself to wake up, to leave the cool darkness of the dream. Her vision went fuzzy and then her eyes were snapping open and she was back on the couch, staring into the now-dead fire.
Breathing heavily, she sat up and wrapped her arms around her middle. Closing her eyes, she let the full truth of her new life sweep over her before forcing herself to admit the truth.
She should have been shocked, angry beyond reason at what Malek had done, what he expected of her.
But...she’s wasn’t.
Because buried deep within her soul was a strong part of her that wanted this. That wanted to hold his child-their child-in her arms with a desire that scared her with its intensity.
And if Malek had even an inkling of that desire within her, she was lost.
About the Author
MAGIC CAN BE FOUND everywhere-but especially in a romance. Forever changed after Megan found her first romance novel while browsing a small, local bookstore, her mind has been bubbling with stories of romance, magic and happily-ever-afters ever since. She hopes you’ll love the stories that have been a part of her for so long.
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