“That is because I do not carry mine on my arm.” His voice was as hushed as hers and he wondered why they were speaking so low. But speaking quietly, softly made it seem like they were the only two people in the room. “Feel the back of my neck, little pixie and you will find it.”
Her hands had moved to his shoulders but at his words her fingers shifted to his shoulders before gliding underneath his hair until she touched the side of his neck. “Higher and more to the back,” he instructed, continuing to hold her gaze as her fingers explored. And he knew that she had found his own symbol by the jolt of electricity that ran through his body. When her eyes flared, she jerked her fingers away.
“What was that?” she demanded on a harsh whisper, holding herself very still as she frowned up at him.
Wyst felt another jolt move through him but knew it was from shock at her reaction. “Wait. You felt that?”
Pulling her fingers away, she twisted in his lap. “You betcha I did. Now what the freak was that?”
He didn’t know and was trying to logically think through why some wisp of a human female would have felt the reaction of a warrior’s wahrom. Or had she caused it with her touch?
And as his mind raced to make sense of it, Pam had twisted even further on him until she was half-hanging over his shoulder as she gathered and held his long hair away from his neck. Using her other hand, she yanked his collar down and he heard her gasp.
He knew what she saw since he’d also spent hours in his ‘tweens staring at his gift. Of course it had been hard to do because of its positioning. But by learning to use two mirrors and determining the best angle to view it in, he’d studied it closely.
It was a circle of blue steel, cut and polished so that the piece of circular metal held leaf-patterned cut-outs amid etched vines that gamboled over the polished surface.
To his mind, both then and now, he found it very, very beautiful. He wondered if Pam would think so as well.
Rykhan leaned closer but had his eyes on the receptionist. “What is your female doing? By the looks that horrible one is giving us from her behind her glass, I do not think she finds Pam’s position acceptable.”
Wyst gave a one-shoulder shrug since Pam was draped over the one on the right. “She wanted to see where my wahrom was located, since I do not carry it on my arm as you do.”
Either the petite woman had completed her research or because she’d heard her name, she turned back around and settled herself. Wyst wondered why she remained on his lap, but he was enjoying the contact. So much so he didn’t want to question her and have her move away.
After straightening her clothes, she glanced at Rykhan and then up at him. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No, little one,” Wyst was quick to assure her. “Did you see it?”
Her eyes widened and she glanced away from him before nodding.
“And did you like it, pixie?”
She nodded again and Wyst wondered at her silence. In the time he’d spent in her company, the short but curvaceous woman always had something to say and had never been shy about sharing it. “It’s amazingly beautiful,” she murmured after a lengthy pause. Her gaze came back to his. “But what I don’t get is how come your thingie is exactly like Granny’s necklace?”
Wyst wasn’t sure what she meant. That was until she reached to the neckline of her t-shirt and started pulling on a fine silver chain until a heavier piece caught on the edge of the fabric. He watched Pam’s small fingers disengage the piece carefully before she held it up to his face. “Why does it look just like this only in metal the color of my eyes?”
Wyst dragged his eyes from hers to what she held in her fingers and stiffened in his chair before glancing at Rykhan.
Why, indeed?
Chapter Three
“So what you’re telling me is that it can’t be removed?” Leah was scowling so hard at the doctor in front of her that she was giving herself a headache.
The doctor shook his head while his eyes drifted back to the x-rays that were being examined by two of his colleagues. It seemed that she wasn’t the only person on the face of the planet that couldn’t understand the metal on her arm.
“Not even with surgery,” one of the younger men answered as he also stared at the ghost images on the heavy film. “See how it’s anchored within the muscle?”
“Even when she flexed both her biceps and triceps brachia, the metal shifted as if to allow muscle action. Amazing!” The third doctor, one she’d been told was some kind of ortho-specialist, was the one who seemed most intrigued with what had made an overnight appearance on her body.
Leah hung her head and closed her eyes. “There’s nothing you can do?”
“But you aren’t in any pain, correct?” The doctor who’d performed the original examination glanced her way.
She shook her head and sighed. “No, I’m not in pain. I just want to know what it is and how to get it off.”
The youngest of the three stepped towards her with a small professional smile. “As we have been trying to explain, we’ve never seen anything like this before. And as far as we can tell, there is no way to remove it.”
“And since it’s not causing you any discomfort nor any other medical issues, then I would suggest you just learn to live with it,” the specialist finished, patting her knee before moving to the door. But with his hand on the doorknob, he stopped and looked at her over his shoulder. “If you change your mind about allowing me to write a paper on it…”
“I won’t,” Leah said firmly, scooting herself to the edge of the table and hopping down. “Since there’s nothing you fellows can do to help me, is it okay if I go home now?”
At their nod, Leah eased out the room and made her way back to the lobby after a nurse told her where Pam was. Pushing through the heavy door, Leah pulled her lightweight sweater tighter around her chest and waist as she looked around the small waiting room for her friend. While it held more people than it had when they’d arrived, it wasn’t a large space and Leah was surprised not to see Pam anywhere. Just as she’d decided to go look for her outside, Pam’s distinctive giggle caught her ear. She glanced at the two broad backs that were facing away from her and shook her head.
“Let me show you, Ryk,” Pam’s voice trilled and Leah saw a very feminine hand bunch the hair at one of the men’s necks and lift it. Rocked to her core, Leah slowly walked to where the group was seated, only just then realizing who the broad backs belonged to.
Leah took in the scene of Rykhan leaning his head to the side, his eyes following Pam’s finger as Wyst twisted his head away. But it was the way Pam was practically straddling Wyst’s thighs in the chair that had Leah’s eyebrows rising. “See that vine there? It’s on his right but on the necklace it’s on the left. But that’s the only difference I think.”
Leah cleared her throat after crossing her arms on her chest. All three of them seemed to be caught up in a major discussion whose subject had something to do with Wyst’s neck. And so deep were they in their conversation that her noise hadn’t even given them pause. “Excuse me?” she said finally and saw all three sets of eyes shoot to her.
“Leah!” Pam yelled and jumped up off Wyst’s lap to hug her friend. “How are you? What did the doctor’s say? Are you alright?”
Rykhan and Wyst had stood as well, towering over her much more than she remembered from the times previously. But she’d been wearing heels then instead of her favorite pair of flip-flops. As well as had been dressed for meeting gorgeous men instead of wearing a pair of pink sleep pants and a matching tank top. Thank god she’d put on a bra and grabbed her sweater before they’d left the house.
“There’s nothing they can do,” Leah muttered, patting her shorter friend on the back before jutting her chin at the two large bodies that were standing shoulder to shoulder. “What are they doing here?”
“I became worried when I could not reach you on your phone cell,” Rykhan said, his Caribbean-blue eyes searching her face. His face
held a look of deep concern which Leah thought was a strange reaction from a man she was casually dating.
“He means cellphone, I think,” Pam corrected.
Wyst added, “So I called Pam and she said you were seeing a physician.”
“Big mouth,” Leah muttered low but loud enough for her best friend to hear. “Well thank you for coming but I’ve got to go home now.” Turning away, she picked up her purse from its place on the floor and made as if to leave.
“Leah, wait!” Rykhan caught up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I think we need to talk.”
And at his touch, the metal on her arm seemed to increase in temperature as her insides began to unknot.
Ignoring those changes because she was sure it was only her imagination, Leah sighed and looked up at him. “I don’t think this is a good time, Rykhan. I’ll give you a call and we’ll get together later in the week, okay?”
“No, Leah,” Pam cut in. “I think you’re going to want to hear this.”
Wyst threw in his two cents as well. “It might even make you feel better.”
“Listen, folks.” Leah’s voice was a little more forceful than she’d intended it to be, but it couldn’t be helped. “I’m tired and I’m frustrated. And more than a little freaked out. Which means I’m not in the mood to socialize. So if you’ll excuse me and Pam, she can just drop me off at my place and then you all can go back to whatever it was that you were doing.”
From the blinks of surprise the three faces held, Leah knew her point had been received. Maybe a little too well.
“Now you listen to me!” Pam whispered fiercely, going up onto her tiptoes to point a finger at Leah’s face. “You got me up at the butt-crack of dawn, scared the shit out of me to boot and made me wait around for hours, all without a drop of caffeine!”
Uh-oh. In her distress over her new body jewelry, Leah had completely forgotten how Pam could barely function without her morning ration of extra strong coffee. Amends needed to be made and fast. “We can stop at Cleo’s before you drop me off. My treat.”
Leah’s shorter friend pulled back her finger but Leah could still tell Pam was pissed as hell. “That’d be a start. But you are going to listen to what Rykhan and Wyst have to say!”
Leah was starting to get a little ticked off herself at the way Pam was ordering her around after everything she’d been through that morning. “Fine! Only not here. Anywhere but freaking here, okay?”
Turning away from the group and stomping towards the doors, she stopped and twisted back over her shoulder. “But I need a shower and breakfast first!”
Rykhan quickly came to her side and pushed open the door. Leah didn’t even glance at him as she stormed passed but was well aware of the whispers between Wyst and Pam who followed. Spotting Pam’s SUV, Leah made a beeline for it, unconcerned if Rykhan kept up with her long strides.
And was kind of surprised when she stopped and glanced behind her to see all of them were again looking at her with worry in their eyes. Huffing as she adjusted the purse-strap on her shoulder she frowned at them. “What?”
“Erm, Wyst and I decided that Ryk will take you back to your place and I’ll go with Wyst on his motorcycle.” Pam seemed hesitant to explain her latest scheme. “We’ll pick up coffee and breakfast on the way.”
Leah couldn’t believe what was coming out of her best friend’s mouth. “So I’m just supposed to make Rykhan wait as I take a shower and then you two will join us later? And somehow the promise of you bringing coffee and breakfast is supposed to make me feel better about everything because you’ve spent a couple of hours flirting with each other in an urgent care waiting room while I was losing my ever loving mind?” She was almost but not quite screeching at the end of her speech, but damn! Pam’s choice of activities was too much to be believed!
Pam glanced up at Wyst, and Leah couldn’t help but wonder at their newfound unity.
“Your suggestion has upset her,” Rykhan blamed, crossing his massive arms over his chest and surprising the woman now standing open-mouthed by his side. “What would make you feel better, Leah?”
“Oh, ah,” she stammered, more than a little out of her depth and a little bit ashamed at creating such a scene. Especially when Rykhan was being so solicitous of her feelings. “Can you guys give Pam and me an hour? Then we can meet someplace and talk.”
“Easily done,” Rykhan rumbled giving her a small grin. “I will phone you in an hour and we can decide our destination then.”
Taking in a deep breath, Leah felt a smile of relief cross her face. She liked that he was so willing to be flexible and seemed to understand her need to process both her morning and his unasked for, unexpected appearance.
“Good! Now that we’ve got that settled, can we get this show on the road?” Pam cried, throwing up her hands. “I’m going through withdrawal here and am in desperate need of coffee, people!”
Leah glanced at Rykhan and silently mouthed, ‘thank you’ before climbing into the car. She felt the warmth of his responding smile deep within her, taking away some of the stronger emotions of her morning.
....*
And Leah felt even better when she and Pam climbed back into the car a little more than an hour later. The coffee, food and shower had gone a long way in calming her almost to even accepting the presence of the band on her arm.
She’d spent several minutes in the bathroom looking at it in the mirror and replaying all the different tests and the doctor’s reactions to it before deciding the bracelet really was very pretty in a badass sort of way. The physicians had used several instruments to try and find any opening in the links or between her skin and the metal, but they had been just as unsuccessful as she and Pam were earlier.
They’d even tried to get a scraping of it, explaining that perhaps if they knew the composite of the metal, then they could determine the best way to remove it. But instead of obtaining a shaving, their scalpels had broken each and every time the attempt was made. The x-rays had been their last resort.
Well, that and the request by the specialist to study it further in order to submit a paper on it. But once the man explained that while she believed it had simply appeared overnight without her knowledge, he’d needed her to take a psychiatric evaluation first.
Leah knew she wasn’t crazy.
She just wanted the damn thing off.
“Are you sure you’re okay with us meeting with them in their backyard?” Pam asked as she weaved her car in and out of the small amount of daytime traffic on the 101 freeway. “I don’t think I could take two freak-outs in one day.”
Leah ran a hand over her still drying hair and looked at her friend with a rueful grin. “It seems to meet all my requirements.” Raising her hands she ticked a point on each finger of the demands she’d made. “It’s outside…”
“Good thing it’s finally starting to cool off or that little item would have had me objecting!”
“…with other people around…”
“Even if those ‘other people’ are the other warriors, the ones we haven’t met yet?”
Leah nodded. “And we can come and go when we please without a set schedule.”
Pam’s giggle had Leah turning to look at her friend. “You drive a hard bargain, honey.”
“I know I’m being a pain in the ass but I’m just not as trusting as you, Pam.” Which Leah knew to be the absolute truth. Her dating record was spotty at best, often finding herself discovering whatever guy she thought was a prince often turned out to be a lying, lazy player or a frog. So she knew her instincts were not good.
Especially when it came to men.
“Oh my god,” Pam breathed, driving through an open set of gates and staring up at the mansion in front of them. “Is this it?”
Leah checked the address Rykhan had texted and compared it with the numbers she’d seen on the stone pillar just to the right of the driveway. “I think so.”
“Holy cow,” Pam muttered, unbuckling her seatbelt while ba
rely even blinking as her eyes roamed over the very, very large home in front of them. “I knew they were suave and dressed nice, but damn! Are they rich too?”
Even Leah had to admit to being impressed. A lot of the people she knew who were well-to-do usually made a point of making others aware of their affluence straight away. But neither Rykhan nor Wyst had ever alluded to their financial status when they’d been out with them.
Climbing out of the car, Leah pulled up her jeans with a small hip wiggle and then checked to make sure that the sleeve of her lightweight t-shirt covered her new bicep bracelet. She’d considered dressing up a bit more but finally decided that she needed to be comfortable for whatever the men wanted to talk about in the meeting she’d been almost forced to attend.
As Pam came to stand beside her, Leah asked her again for a hint about what the subject of the meeting was about. “Like I said before, Leah, I don’t think I’d explain it right. And it’s just too damn important to get it wrong straight out of the gate. But it’s nothing to worry about and might help you get some answers.”
“Answers?” Pam hadn’t added on the last portion in her earlier responses!
Her friend smiled up at her before taking the lead on the steps. Just as she cleared the last one, the front door was opened by Wyst whose face was spread in a large smile. “Welcome!” Leah could see Rykhan was standing just behind and to the right of the other large man.
“Hi Wyst. Ryk,” Pam greeted.
“Won’t you come in?” Leah saw both men move back before Rykhan stepped forward again reaching to take her hand.
Rykhan led them into the house and down a long hall that was to the right of a massive staircase. Each room they passed seemed, at least to Leah, to be beautiful decorated and unbelievably tidy. But it felt more like a show-home than a place where people lived. There were no photos or any personal items on display, nothing to give a clue as to the people who actually inhabited the space.
Eventually, Rykhan led them outside to one of the most amazing backyards Leah had ever seen. Not only did it have a pool and a hot tub, but there were several patios on different levels, each with its own seating arrangement as well as a separate outdoor kitchen/bar-be-que area. It also had several outlying buildings that Rykhan explained were the garage, a workshop and a separate one-bedroom house. It was almost too much to take in all at once and Leah found she wasn’t paying much attention to where Rykhan was leading them until he stopped before a large table already set with glasses and what appeared to be a pitcher of iced tea and another of lemonade.
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