by Honor James
Dahlia felt the blood leave her face. “Who, what are you?” She began to back up, moving as fast as she possibly could toward the living room. If she could get her phone, she could call Davyn. If she could get out the French doors, she could run. She didn’t know to where, but it had to be better than being here with this whatever he was. “Your children?” That part just clicked. “Oh shit.” It suddenly hit her just who it was that she was trying to run from. Hell’s bells, she was so screwed.
“Now that’s better.” He grinned as he stepped into the house, and the door slammed shut behind him without either of them laying a hand to it. “Much more befitting my position in the world. I do so love the delicious scent of fear. And yes, you are ‘so screwed,’ Dahlia, because you and I are going to have a chat about how we’re going to ensure Davyn becomes the devilishly evil and vile Wraith that he should be.”
Shaking her head, she whispered, “You can never make him turn. He’s a good man.” She knew it for the truth that it was. “He walks in the light, not the darkness like you.” She breathed and could have sworn she scented sulfur, and that scared her even more.
“Oh but, my dear,” he whispered softly with an evil grin as he moved closer to her. “I won’t have to make him. He’ll just turn. After all, once the grief of what you did to yourself and your child hits him, he’ll welcome the darkness, the anger, the rage, and his Wraith will take him over until Davyn is no more than a killing machine, my killing machine.”
Shaking her head, she tried to deny his words, but it was true. If Davyn thought that she had willingly hurt their child or herself, he would be in a rage. “But he knows that I wouldn’t. He knows that I love him, and while this has all tossed me for one hell of a loop, he knows that I would never harm our child.” A child that was ultimately made from love.
“With the way he left here tonight…” He clicked his tongue. “Oh, my dear, lies are such sweet bliss to my ears. Davyn hasn’t got a clue which way is up and which is down. Especially since I took the liberty of intercepting your text message and sending it off into the ether. No, he’ll come home to find you a delightful pile of suicide, and then he’ll be mine.” If only he could manage it all before Gaia and her nosey self got there. The Goddess was close. He didn’t have a lot of time to work, but Chaos did so love a challenge.
“Now that isn’t a very nice way to think of me, is it?” Gaia asked as she stepped into the room. Looking to Dahlia, she asked, “Will you accept my help, child?” Free will being the bitch that she was, she had to ask. When Dahlia nodded rapidly and whispered the word yes, Gaia smiled. “Chaos, brother dear, seriously, you are stooping to all new lows here.”
“Not really, sister darling.” He smiled at her, moving closer to her. While they were complete opposites, he did still have a small, nearly miniscule feeling of caring for her. He didn’t like that tiny piece of softness at all, but no matter how much he strived to eradicate it, he couldn’t…yet. “I was bored and figured I’d have a wee bit of fun with Dahlia here. I do so hate being bored,” he told her with a pout on his face. Looking to Dahlia, he let the disguise of the delivery man slip away so his true self was revealed. “This is only a reprieve, darling Dahlia. Next time you won’t have any warning I’m there until it’s too late.” Snapping his fingers, he ensured he vanished in a blaze of light and dark, noxious smoke.
Dahlia looked at the spot where the evil thing had disappeared from and shook. When Gaia touched her, she screamed, couldn’t help it. Her tears were flowing, and she broke down sobbing there in the middle of the floor. Rocking back and forth with her hands covering her stomach protectively, she realized that there was no way she would ever be able to protect herself, protect her child from that…thing.
“No you can’t,” Gaia said softly to her. “But I can protect you until the child is born and then keep him or her safe until they are old enough to protect themselves.” Laying her hand gently over Dahlia’s heart, she smiled. “Chaos is an ass, but he’s always loved the theatrics. He has rules he has to live by, rules he’s learned how to bend and twist but cannot break. One of those is that he can not harm anyone under my protection, a safeguard our creator gave us.”
Dahlia nodded and looked up at the incredibly beautiful woman. “Rules. Right,” she whispered. “I need Davyn,” she blurted out and looked for her phone. “I need to make sure that he is all right. I have to know that he’s okay,” she whispered.
Nodding, Gaia took her hand and wrapped an arm around her. “Let’s get you settled while I wait for him to get somewhere I can retrieve him from without causing someone a heart attack,” she suggested. Leading Dahlia to the sofa, she helped the woman sit and got her a glass of water. “Small sips, daughter.”
Dahlia took the water gratefully and took small sips of it. “Thank you,” she whispered finally. “For this. For saving me. For ensuring that my child and I will have a life to live. Thank you,” she murmured. “Will Davyn be all right? Chaos won’t be able to get to him, will he?”
“No, Chaos can not approach him directly while he walks the path of the light. Only when a Wraith steps over to the darkness that is a part of their nature and embraces it, that’s when he may approach them directly. Until such a time, he can only influence their lives from the periphery,” Gaia said and tipped her head, staring at a spot to the side. “He’s going to the little gentleman’s room. One moment,” she said and then Davyn was there in the room with them. “You can only have him for a few minutes, Dahlia. He will need to return so that they do not think he’s been abducted.”
Dahlia looked up at Davyn, and as soon as he was fully materialized she ran into his arms. Hugging him tightly, she sobbed, leaving it to Gaia to explain.
“Chaos paid her a visit.” The Goddess spoke softly. “He was going to make it look as if she had committed suicide to kill herself and your child so that you would turn to the darkness, turn to him.”
“And I never would,” Dahlia whispered and looked up at Davyn. “I love you, Davyn. No, our child wasn’t conceived in the normal way, but there is no set rule as to how a child can be created by those that love each other. I would never, ever leave you. Not willingly. Know that. Always know that please,” she whispered.
“Of course I know that, baby.” He frowned as he hugged her close to him. He’d been going to the bathroom. He’d had to pee and now he was pretty sure he wouldn’t have to for a while now. Squeezing her closer to him, he rocked her back and forth. “Is she safe from him, Gaia?” he asked, having known instantly who the too-gorgeous female was the moment he’d seen her.
“She’s under my protection for now, as is your child. They are both safe and in my care. He can’t break the rules now that I’ve offered her my protection,” Gaia assured the good doctor. “I would suggest that you perhaps speak to your bosses to see about cutting your days down by one or two. I think that in the coming days your bond-mate will need you.” Dahlia was very obviously distraught. “Chaos ensured that her last glimpse of him was in his true form.” The knowing the Goddess had, knowing that Davyn would understand the true fear that would be born from that image.
“Thank you very much, Gaia,” he said softly to her. Stroking his hand up and down her back lightly, Davyn kissed Dahlia on the cheek. “I hate to ask you this, Goddess, but could you remain with my bond-mate while I see about getting some time off?” He had to return to the hospital so he could get his vehicle and his items.
“Of course,” Gaia stated and smiled. “I will ensure that she is cared for while you see about getting some time off. She and I will cook.” She rubbed her hands together happily. “Something that I don’t often get to do unless I am in disguise at the diner, but that’s a story for another time.”
Lifting a brow at that oddity, he smiled. “Thank you very much, Goddess,” he said softly. Squeezing his bond-mate, he pulled back a little. “You need to let me go, my love. I will finish up and come home as soon as I possibly can.”
Taking a deep breath, Dahlia nodded and
looked up at him. “I do love you, Davyn. I want this child. Yes, it was so very hard to understand, but no matter how we created our child, he or she is our own little miracle, and I want them, very much so.”
“Of course our little one is a miracle, just like his or her mother,” he said softly. Pressing a kiss to her lips, he breathed her in slowly. “I love you, Dahlia,” he whispered. “But I need to go back and arrange for time so I can stay with you.”
“All right. You go and do what you need to do, and we will be here waiting. Hurry home?” She hated to sound so needy, but she was scared shitless and didn’t care to admit it. That…thing had been horrific and had been the stuff of true nightmares. It was an image that she would never, ever shake, and she hated that, a great deal.
“Chaos did it on purpose,” he whispered softly to her as he cupped her face. “He does it to ensure that people fear him, and that fear helps to feed his powers. He’s a giant, spoiled brat of a kid that should have had his ass paddled more. Sorry, Gaia.” He offered her a sincere apology. It was the truth he’d spoken, but she was Chaos’s sister after all.
“None taken,” Gaia said with a near laugh.
Dahlia nodded and touched her fingers to Davyn’s lips. “I love you, Davyn. Give me another kiss and then get out of here, darling. Go and arrange some time off so that you can be with us,” she teased. “When you get home I want your Wraith to reach out and touch our child that’s just forming to ensure that he or she is all right, please?”
Nodding, he kissed her slowly and gently wrapped his arms around her again to hold her close to him. “I love you,” he whispered as he drew back. “Never believe otherwise. You are my heart, my soul, and my everything.” Dropping a quick kiss to her mouth, Davyn backed up a little. “Gaia, could I get a return trip?”
With a nod, Gaia looked to Davyn. “I will put you back in the handicap stall. The door is locked there already, and since someone has just walked into the bathroom it will be for the best.” The woman smiled gracefully at Davyn. “Be careful, Davyn. Chaos is that petulant child still and will not be happy that I’ve given your bond-mate and child my protection.” With a wave Davyn was gone.
Throwing out a hand as he reappeared in the bathroom, he sucked a slow breath and let it out. Listening to the other male as he did his business and left, he eased out of the stall. Moving to the sinks, he washed his face and let out another breath. He had to be on guard. Chaos couldn’t sneak up on him like he had Dahlia, but he’d have to be fully aware at all times, no distractions. Which was a great theory until he heard the emergency page for him go out seconds before his hospital pager went berserk on his hip. “Son of a bitch,” he muttered, watching the display as the details flashed over it. Hitting the respond button, he quickly dried his face and hands. Digging out his phone, he sent Dahlia a text to let her know there was an emergency coming in and he would be delayed.
Chapter Eleven
Coming home had never felt as right as it did to him then. His woman was there, his bond-mate, his heart, his everything. She was there, pregnant with their first child and safe. Opening the door, he stepped in and stopped dead in his tracks. Sniffing slowly, he took a deeper breath of the aroma-rich air. Setting his medical bag aside, he shrugged out of his jacket and headed for the kitchen.
Stopping in the doorway, he smiled at the near destruction of his kitchen. It looked rather well used about then, and he didn’t care. Leaning against the door, he knew he should go and shower and change into regular clothes. He was on his fourth pair of scrubs from the hospital, thankful this pair was cleaner than the other three had been after each case had arrived at the hospital. Nodding to Gaia when she turned, he had to snicker at the smear of something on her cheek and the apron that said to “Kiss the Cook.” It looked very incongruous on the Goddess.
“And that, my darling, is my cue to leave,” Gaia said as she bent over and gave Dahlia a hug. “Your bond-mate is home, sweetheart. Be naughty,” she teased and tapped her finger on Dahlia’s nose, disappearing and the mess going with her.
Dahlia looked up in surprise at Davyn and grinned. “Hey, you. Go up and get showered. I will pull our food out of the oven, and we can share a meal now that Gaia took off and left the mess cleaned up for us.” That was nice at least.
Moving to her, he tugged her into his arms. “First things first,” he murmured. Lowering his head, he kissed her softly. “Hello, my love,” he whispered, lifting his head slowly. “You and Gaia were seriously busy from what I saw. What all did you make?” Davyn asked curiously.
Dahlia sighed and leaned against him. Grinning up at him, it took her a moment, but finally she said, “We baked a chicken casserole, homemade biscuits, and a pie. I seriously hope that you are hungry, because we made a great deal of food, honey.”
“Since I haven’t eaten for a number of hours, absolutely,” he commented quietly. “I’m starving.” he smiled down at her. He’d utilized the Wraith a lot that night and had burned up more than his normal amount of calories. He could easily eat a horse right then. “But let me go and shower and then I will come down and dine on all you and Gaia made up.” He smiled at her.
“Sounds good. That way I can get it on the table.” She touched her hand to his cheek and smiled. “Go, honey. Go and do what you need to, love. I will be waiting here for you. Would you like some wine with dinner, honey?” She couldn’t have it of course, but he could.
“No, thank you. I limit my alcohol severely,” he told her with a smile. “Any loss of restraint on the Wraith can be dangerous for others. Especially a drunken Wraith.” He dropped a kiss to her lips gently. “I won’t be long, promise,” he whispered softly. Stepping back, Davyn left her in the kitchen and jogged up to their bedroom to shower and change. They had things to talk about. He knew that. He wasn’t delusional enough to think it was all gone because of Chaos and Gaia. No, he and Dahlia had their own issues to deal with, beyond the Gods in their lives.
Dahlia dropped into her chair when Davyn left and sighed. Rubbing her fingertips over her forehead and temples, she let out a breath, pulled one in, and whispered aloud to the silence. “I hope that you forgive me,” she whispered to her parents’ dead souls. She asked for their forgiveness, because even with all that she had been through she still loved the man upstairs, loved him and needed him. Wanted to be with him and wasn’t leaving.
Coming back down, he stopped in the shadows of the hall to watch her. She looked so torn and heartbroken. Walking on bare feet silently into the room, he crouched down before her and put a light hand on her knee. “I’m sorry, Dahlia,” he whispered softly. “I have so much to apologize to you for I honestly don’t know where to begin.”
Dahlia nodded and took in a deep breath. “Let’s just not make their loss be ours. Promise me we will somehow work through all of this and be able to figure out how to make our lives work before our child is born? I need to know that we will be able to stand together and not fall apart before he or she comes into this world.”
“I’m very willing to do anything you need me to do, love,” he whispered, leaning his forehead to her knees. Letting out a breath, he rubbed his hand up and down her calf. “I just don’t want to lose you, Dahlia. I don’t think I could survive that.” He’d let her go once because he’d honestly thought it was the right thing to do, but now she was in his heart and a part of his soul. He would become nothing but the Wraith without her in his world.
Running her fingers through his hair, she asked, “When will you be able to take some time off? Are you able to afford to take some time off?” She thought to ask. “I guess that I should have asked that question first.” She needed to know that he would be able to afford to take time off.
Smiling slightly, he closed his eyes. “Honey, I could afford to quit today and never work another day in my very considerably long lifetime and still be able to buy a new house every year, renovate it, and expend huge amounts of money on surprising and pleasing my mate. I own the house outright as well as
the land. I don’t even get taxed on it since it’s been mine for so long, and the bills are relatively small for running it. I have enough money that if you feel the need to go hog wild buying out mall after mall, high-end store after high-end store, I likely would never see a dent in it.” Lifting his head, he took her hand in his and kissed her fingers. “I have as much time off as I need. All the hospitals are giving me free rein for a time, and unless Talon needs me, I am now off work until further notice.”
“Well let’s hope that Talon won’t need you, because I do,” Dahlia muttered and rocked against him. “And I don’t need to spend your money, honey. All that I need is you. However, I am very thankful that I have you and you are keeping me and that you are willing to take time off from a job that you love.”
Shifting, he lifted her up and sat in the chair, settling her in his lap. “It’s not just a job for me,” he told her. “It helps to keep the peace between both halves. I use the Wraith for his main purpose, knowing others’ weaknesses, to help fix them up as best as modern medicine can. It helps me maintain a very and often strenuous balance. But I would also do absolutely anything for you, love, and I do mean anything. I love you with all my heart and soul, Dahlia. While our bonding was nowhere near what I’d always hoped for when I found my mate, I do love you with all I have.”
“Well it’s good that you do, and that your other half loves me as well, because I want to keep you for a time.” And she knew that the Wraith side of him loved her as well. She felt it all but brushing against her from time to time as if to seek her heat, her love.
“He does love you,” he commented with a smile. “Or perhaps a better term would be he’s heavily infatuated with you. He likes to reach out and brush against your beautiful soul. It helps us both with the knowledge that this isn’t a dream, that you’re really here with us.”
That had her smiling, and she leaned into him as she did so. “And it helps me to feel you holding me but to feel him as well. I know how weird that sounds, but it’s the truth. I feel the both of you when we are making love. I feel him watching over the both of us as we sleep. It’s like you are two different beings. Odd and strange, but I love it.”
