Now that Rachel was taken care of I could focus on sating the pheromone driven need consuming me and Angela. Unable to tear myself away from the amazing sight of Angela reflected back at me in the mirrors I pushed us both to the edge and beyond one more time before moving to the nearby chaise lounge chair. Later we’d move to the couch, then maybe we’d try out the swing hanging in the far corner of the room. After that, I’d try to convince her to dance for me in front of all those mirrors.
Oh how I loved sex demons and their pheromones...
* * * * *
Chapter Thirty
Groaning, I stretched my aching body and realized I was alone in Rook’s bed again. And just like the last time I woke up here alone I had no idea how I got here. I remembered most of the night before, but at some point I must have passed out and been carried back here to sleep. Thinking a hot shower was just what I needed, I rolled out of bed and headed into the bathroom where I turned on all four massaging shower heads and stepped into the heated spray.
After letting the water work its magic I cleaned up and got dressed, then went in search of Rook. He wasn’t anywhere inside the apartment so I ventured out into the open space with all the cement pillars. The sun was low enough in the sky that Rook had lights turned on in the far corner where he was apparently painting. Moving in for a closer look I realized he was working with plaster and paint to create a tile similar to the ones I’d seen in the spa.
When I came up beside him he stepped back and we admired his work together. The background was grim, obviously the aftermath of an epic battle with scattered bones and scorched earth, bloody, broken bodies and fires burning everywhere. In the midst of all that destruction stood one man. The black dragon scales encasing his body were also covered in gore and in his hand he held a severed head. He seemed to be roaring to the sky and the look on his face could only be described as triumphant.
“Is that Dragon,” I asked.
Rook glanced at me and answered, “It is. This is how I remember that night in Solaria when he finally avenged his father and ended Travali’s miserable life.”
“And the painting in the spa, the one that Camila saw me touching, was that you?”
At the time I’d thought the warrior in that painting looked familiar but it wasn’t until the other morning when Rook’s face turned demonic that I realized it was him.
“Yes, that was one of the many battles we fought during The Great War.”
“Do you mind?” I gestured to the other paintings on display a short distance away.
“Not at all,” he said then went to a sink and cleaned up his hands.
Wandering from one painting to the next I noticed that all of Rook’s paintings depicted scenes from his life or the lives of the people around him. There was one that appeared to be Dragon and Serafina’s wedding, one of an enormous red and black dragon breathing fire in the middle of Mystique, a scene from outside The Gateway after the bombing, and a portrait of me, among others.
When I saw myself immortalized in paint and plaster I could hardly believe my eyes. The woman in the painting was me but it wasn’t, at least not how I saw myself. This woman was beautiful in a way I would never be. Her beauty came from an inner strength that was evident in the set of her jaw and the fierce gleam in her eyes. Even with her hair whipping wildly in the wind and storm clouds roiling above her she stood proud, determined, and ready to face the darkness closing in on her.
“You painted this?” I asked Rook without looking away from the painting.
He wrapped his arms around me from behind and I wasn’t startled in the slightest even though I hadn’t heard him approach me.
“Yes.”
“And the ones in the spa?”
“They’re mine as well.” He kissed the top of my head.
“They’re beautiful Rook; you’re an extremely talented artist. What was it Camila called these? Frescoes?”
“Yes, in the past many frescoes were painted directly on walls especially in churches and other public locations. I prefer to work here, alone, so I paint on tiles that can be easily moved when they’re finished.”
“Someday I’d like to see how these are made from start to finish, if you wouldn’t mind me watching you.”
“I’d like that too,” he said quietly. “I want to share every part of my life with you and this is something that has always been important to me. I started painting when I was very young. One of my trainers, Kalen, suggested I give it a try. He said it would be a good exercise in working quickly and accurately at the same time. It also gives me an outlet for emotions that might otherwise remain bottled up.”
Turning in his arms I said, “He sounds like a very wise man.”
“He is,” Rook replied, smiling fondly. “Kalen is one of our Elders but he doesn’t agree with the rest of them very often so he mainly keeps to himself. He arrived here earlier today because the Elders have summoned me to appear before them later tonight. Kalen will escort me to their chamber.”
My brows drew together and I asked, “Why do they want to see you.”
“I won’t know until I get there, but I was very careful not to break any of their laws so there shouldn’t be anything to worry about,” he told me, but the way his eye twitched let me know he wasn’t being completely honest. Before I could call him on it he said, “Rachel is no longer addicted to Oblivion.”
“Oh, thank God,” I sighed hugging him tighter.
I hadn’t forgotten about Rachel, I’d just been too afraid to ask if he’d been able to help her. I knew last night was likely our only chance to make things right for her and if it hadn’t worked, she would have been lost forever.
“Where is she?” I asked.
“She’s been given and apartment on the third floor.”
I pulled back ready to ask all kinds of questions but he put his finger over my lips and smiled. “Claire put her to sleep as soon as I brought her here from the past and the Oblivious version of her ceased to exist. We’ve been waiting for you to wake up so you could decide what to do about her memories. If you decide to let her keep her memories and tell her about our world she can live here at the resort and work for Serafina full-time once she graduates from high school in a few months.”
Moving away from him I bit my lip as I started pacing. “Is that what you think we should do?”
Leaning back against a table he crossed one ankle over the other and replied, “In my professional opinion, she will be safer if she knows the truth. We can start training her to defend herself against supernatural threats, and when she’s proved herself responsible enough, she can ask Dragon for permission to become a nightshifter if she so chooses.”
Coming to a stop I told him, “I’m going to wait and see what she has to say before I make any decisions.”
“A wise choice,” Rook commented and gestured towards his apartment. As we started heading in that direction he said, “Now that you’re awake, Dragon wants us to meet him and Serafina, along with Kalen and Claire in The Dragon’s Lair.”
“Um, Rook...”
He turned to see that I’d stopped after only a few steps. “What is it?”
“If Rachel is going to have her own apartment, where will I be staying?”
His lips curved with a knowing smile as silver stars filled his black eyes. How could silver or black, such cold colorless hues hold so much heat, burn with so much passion?
I licked my lips and he began walking back towards me, closing the distance between us slowly.
When he was only inches away he brushed his fingers down the side of my face. His voice when he answered my question was low, sensual, like a velvet caress that sent shivers up my spine. “With me.”
One hand went under my hair to the back of my head while the other wrapped around my waist. “In my home.”
He pulled me closer until I was surrounded by his heat and his lips were just a breath away from mine. “In my bed, every night for the rest of our lives.”
His sof
t lips brushed mine then pressed harder as his tongue tangled with mine and his arm brought me flush against his body. He was aroused, so hard and ready under those worn leather pants. All I had to do was say the word and he’d have us both gasping for breath in orgasmic pleasure.
But even as moist heat rushed to my loins, I knew my body needed a break after everything we’d done the night before. Withdrawing from the kiss I rested my forehead against his chest and tried to catch my breath.
Smoothing his hand over my hair Rook told me, “Claire left some herbal tea that she promised would take care of any aches and pains you might be feeling today.”
I looked up and smiled at him. “How do you always know what I need without me having to say a word?”
“When you care enough about someone it’s easy to see what they need,” he said, then added, “It also doesn’t hurt to have a psychic giving you advice once in a while.”
We both laughed, then we went inside to make some tea and get ready to meet the others at The Dragon’s Lair.
We didn’t talk any more about me moving in with him, but then we didn’t need to. I knew how he felt about me and I knew he wanted me to be his anai. The only thing standing in our way was me. Was I ready to give him the commitment he was asking for? When I tried to picture living even one day without him I knew there was only one answer to that question.
Tonight I would tell Rook what he already knew, but needed to hear me say. I would tell him how I feel and show him that I was through wasting time. After tonight nothing and no one would ever come between me and Rook again.
Chapter Thirty-One
When we arrived at The Dragon’s Lair we did the meet and greet thing then everyone sat down and we ordered our food.
Kalen was an attractive man who looked about my age with darkly tanned skin and shoulder length jet black hair. All through dinner he and Claire talked and laughed like old friends happy to see each other after a long time apart. More than once Dragon scowled at them but then Serafina drew his attention with a humorous comment or what I suspected was a wandering hand under the table.
After the dishes were cleared Kalen told Rook, “We’ll need to be on our way soon.”
Rook inclined his head and replied, “I’m ready when you are.”
“Would it be possible for me to go with you?” I asked.
Rook opened his mouth but before he could answer Claire said, “I think that would be a wonderful idea.”
Everyone at the table besides me and Serafina looked at her sharply but it was Kalen who spoke next. “You must understand that to many of our kind humans are lower beings hardly worth our notice. If you accompany us tonight, you will not be allowed to speak. No matter what you see or hear, you must not say a word. If you interrupt the proceedings in any way, Sa’jon will be punished severely.”
Proceedings? He made it sound like Rook would be on trial.
Looking from him to Rook I knew that whatever was happening tonight was a lot more serious than Rook had led me to believe.
Meeting Kalen’s eyes I said, “I understand, and I still want to be there.” Especially if Claire thought it was a wonderful idea. What did she know that the rest of us didn’t?
Kalen inclined his head then spoke to Rook in their native tongue. A few moments later we all said our goodbyes and Rook asked me to join him for a walk on the beach.
Once we were alone with only the torchlight and rolling surf nearby I rounded on him and demanded to know, “What aren’t you telling me Rook?”
He scrubbed his hands over his face then fell back onto a bench. “I’ve been accused of breaking our laws. I don’t know the specifics, but Adan is the one who made the accusation. He will be there tonight.”
My whole body shuddered at the thought of seeing Adan again.
Rook noticed of course, but all he said was, “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to come with us. Kalen will do all he can to help me but there are four other Elders and a majority vote rules. If I am somehow found guilty I will be taken into custody immediately and you will be left in a demon realm without me. Not even Kalen will be able to guarantee your safety.”
“I will not let you face this alone Rook. Whatever I have to endure I want to be there for you.”
“You are the most stubborn woman I have ever met,” he told me, his eyes full of love and wonder.
Going down on my knees in front of him I said, “I’m not stubborn, I’m in love, and this is what you do for people you love. I will stand by your side tonight because I love you Rook, and I can’t imagine my life without you.”
He pulled me up into his lap and kissed me. It was a long passionate kiss full of love and the fear we both felt that this might be our last few moments together. When he drew back he breathed, “I love you Angela, with my heart and soul, I love you.”
“I love you Rook, and when we come home tonight, I want you to make me your anai.”
He brushed my hair back from my face and searched my eyes. “Are you sure?”
I nodded with tears running down my face. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life.”
He rested his forehead against mine and whispered something in his language.
“What did you say just now?”
He gave me a small smile. “I asked the Goddess to help us through this night so that all my dreams may finally come true.”
“Don’t worry Rook, I have a feeling she’s already looking out for us. Between her and Claire, I’m sure we’ll make it through whatever the Elders have up their sleeves.”
He kissed me again then rose to his feet and took my hand. “I hope you’re right Angela, because if you’re not, this is going to be a night neither one of us wants to remember.”
With that grim truth in the front of our minds we met up with Kalen and we all prepared to face the rest of the Elders and Adan. I knew it would be difficult to see him again, but my gut told me I had to be there. Something deep inside me knew that our future together depended on my being there tonight. I couldn’t explain the feeling, but as I’d learned since the night of The Gateway bombing, not everything could be explained. Sometimes you just had to believe and take a leap of faith.
* * * * *
Chapter Thirty-Two
“You saw what I did in Solaria,” I reminded Dragon. “What do you think a group of Elder time demons with unlimited access to the River of Time could be capable of?”
“I don’t care Rook,” he replied emphatically. “You are my Guardian, but more importantly you are family. Any threat to you is a threat to me and The United Clans. We will go to war if necessary, but we will not stand by and allow those corrupt sociopathic monsters to take you away from us.”
I shook my head knowing there was no point in arguing with him. “Fine, I won’t try to stand in your way, but if you’re going to be there anyway you could do me a favor and watch Angela’s back.”
“That goes without saying,” he said and extended his hand. We clasped forearms and he pulled me in for a one armed hug and a slap on my back.
When he released me we both stepped back and I bowed with my hand fisted over my heart. “It has been an honor to serve you My Lord.”
“None of that now boys,” Claire chided as she came in from the terrace followed by Kalen, Serafina and Angela. We were in Dragon’s living room where Kalen planned to open the portal to the Elder’s chamber. “That sounded an awful lot like an attempt at goodbye.”
Angela’s eyes were a little wide as she came to me and I wrapped my arms around her.
“I wasn’t saying goodbye,” I promised her. “I was just noting that so far it’s been a good journey, and if I have anything to say about it, there will be many more centuries before our travels together come to end.”
“Kalen, I’ve decided to accompany you this evening and possibly speak on Rook’s behalf if necessary,” Dragon announced.
Kalen inclined his head. “It would be a good idea for you to stay close to Angela. T
he proceedings will not be in English and I’m sure she would appreciate a translator. Normally whispering would be frowned upon, but as the Dragon King, I’m sure you’ll be able to get away with a little rude behavior.”
Dragon snorted. “I’ll get away with a lot more than that if that bunch of uppity time demons tries to railroad Rook for something he didn’t even do.”
“Let us hope it doesn’t come to that,” Kalen said, then asked, “Are we ready?”
“Just about,” I told him, then turned to Angela and placed a small silver ring in her hand. “I want you to have this.”
She examined the ring then looked up at me with her head tilted to the side and one eyebrow raised.
“If you say the words ‘there’s no place like home’ while wearing this ring a portal leading back to Myths and Legends will open up no matter where you are,” I explained.
She grinned and her blue eyes lit up with amusement. “There’s no place like home?”
I smiled back and asked, “It worked for Dorothy didn’t it?”
Shaking her head she slipped the ring on her finger.
“Now I want you to promise me something.” I cradled her head between my hands making sure she looked me in the eyes and knew how serious I was. “No matter what happens, if I go down you will think about your own safety and leave me behind.”
“I can’t make that promise Rook. It’s like you once told me, our fates have always been intertwined. There was never another choice for either of us, because only together will we ever be whole.”
I leaned in and kissed her, knowing she was right, but wishing there was a way to guarantee her safety. While our lips moved together I sent one last prayer to the Goddess asking her to watch over Angela if anything happened to me. When we broke apart I told Angela, “Stay close to Dragon and follow his lead.”
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