The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven

by Jessica Miller

  “The tattoos are exotically beautiful just like you are. They’re a perfect touch to an already perfect girl.”

  “Tristan, I am far from perfect.”

  “To me you are the picture of perfection. My beautiful star,” he whispered, caressing my cheek. His eyes met mine and I could no longer hold back. I slid my hand behind his neck and pulled him down on top of me. I kissed him so hard I thought I might lose my breath. It felt so right. I never felt like I belonged anywhere, but there, with Tristan.

  His hands slid up my slides, slowly. It felt like the caress of a warm summer breeze tickling my skin. He glided his fingertips tenderly across my stomach, making me ache for more. The slow descend of my pants was a torturous play on his part and I knew he was doing it on purpose too. He wanted me to beg. I held my breath as he slid them off at a painstakingly slow rate.

  He started at the tips of my toes. His lips trailed up my legs, leaving tiny echoes of ecstasy in their wake. I pulled him up to my lips needing to feel him. Then I pushed him down and rolled over on top. I tore off his pants in one swift slip. I ran my hands up his chest and around his neck pulling him closer to me. I never wanted anybody more than I wanted him at that moment.

  He sat up and I wrapped my legs around him. He slipped his fingers in my hair, pulling me closer and deepening the kiss, his other hand pressing into my lower back. I could feel his emotions and how badly he wanted me as much as I wanted him. His hands started to roam up and down my back leaving the hairs on my skin to stand straight up. He unhooked my bra and softly pulled it forward, his eyes never leaving mine. Before I even heard the bra hit the floor he was pushing me down and climbing on top of me. I allowed him to explore every inch of my body and with every gentle caress I let out a tiny moan.

  He pulled the sheets back inviting me to join him. I brushed my hand across his check and he held it there, closing his eyes. I knew he was nervous, I could feel him shaking. “Shh, it’s okay,” I whispered, encouraging him to keep going.

  “I promise I’ll be gentle.” He kissed me then, taking away any pain I might have felt. His hips pressed against mine, I gripped the sheets, gasping. He moved slowly, steady, while his hand caressed my arms, sides, and face. I never thought I could ever feel something as powerful as this. He tangled his hand in my hair and pressed himself closer. I gripped his shoulders, feeling an explosion of pleasure. I was on a high and I never wanted to come down.

  I ran my hands through his hair and down his back, pressing him close to me, wanting to feel his skin against mine. It was like nothing I have ever experienced and I never wanted it to stop. I kissed him hard and I kissed him fierce. He shook and quivered and paused to catch his breath. When I thought I couldn’t take anymore my whole body exploded with a light from within. So bright it lit up the whole room and just as fast as it came it was gone.

  Tristan’s eyes fell upon me and he smiled. “You are the most amazing thing in my world.” I smiled as he laid his head on my chest to catch his breath. I couldn’t stop shivering. My whole body was quaking from the desire. “Are you cold?”

  “No,” I said breathless. I slid down so I was face to face with him. “This is what you do to me.” I placed his hand over my racing heart. He took mine and placed it over his. I smiled and rested my weak head against the pillow.

  Chapter 8

  “How do you feel?”

  “Amazing. I feel like I’m floating on air.”

  He smiled and lay back on the bed. I wrapped my arm around him and laid my head on his chest so I could listen to the beautiful sound of his heartbeat while he ran his fingers up and down my back as he sent me into a state of pure bliss. “Thanks for the shag, but I think I should be leaving now,” Tristan said, getting up.

  I smacked him and he laid back down laughing. “Ha-ha very funny.”

  “I’m scared to fall asleep,” he confessed.

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m afraid this is all a dream and when I wake up you’ll be gone.”

  I pulled back and looked into his eyes. “You’re not going to go crazy again are you? You need more blood?”

  “No Ella,” he said, pulling me back to him. “The only thing I’m crazy about is you. I just…I don’t know how to explain it.”

  “I think I might have something that will help.” I got up and walked over to my suitcase and then returned to the bed handing Tristan my grandmother’s cross. “You should have this back.”

  “Ella that’s your –”

  “I want you to have it. A little something to remind you that this is real and I will still be here when you wake up.” I helped him put the necklace on and then I snuggled up next to him.

  “I wish I could describe the way you make me feel, but I don’t how to word it that you would understand.”

  “Your actions speak louder than words,” I smiled.

  “Can you read my mind?”

  “I can’t.”

  “Is something wrong?”

  “No. I just can’t get a good read. Your emotions are so overrun I can’t get a clear look. It’s like they’re all jumbled together. Plus the power is still new to me and I haven’t quite got a handle on it. This is the first time I actually allowed myself to use it.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “When I first received that power, it was so overwhelming I couldn’t handle it. Ms. Kraft bound my power by using a spell to block out everyone’s thoughts until I could control it. The spell just started to wear off when I arrived in Ireland.”

  “How exactly does it work?” he asked, curious.

  I thought for a moment. “I hear thoughts. It’s not like I hear everything, just what’s bothering the person at the moment.”

  “And this teacher of yours was trying to help you control the power?”

  “Yeah, she’s been trying to help me out with a lot of things.”

  “You really like this Ms. Kraft, don’t you?”

  “She’s one of my favorite teachers. I would love for you to meet her.” He just smiled and softly caressed my cheek. I closed my eyes, enveloped in the feel of his fingers on my skin. He started to place gentle kisses on my forehead, nose, and then lips. “I think I know what you mean about putting this feeling into words. I feel like I’m in a dream,” I said and then I remembered something. I never really put much thought into it at first, mostly because I thought Tristan was talking gibberish.

  “Tristan?”

  “Yes,” he mumbled, as he continued to place his lips tenderly along my neck.

  “Earlier tonight, when you said you envision me in white when you dream about me, what did you mean?”

  “Just that,” he stopped. “Every time I dreamed about you were wearing white.”

  “Tell me about them, the dreams,” I said, needing to know more.

  “Seriously?” I nodded. “Well they started shortly after I left, but I remember them as if I had them yesterday. There was one where we were on the beach and I was rubbing suntan lotion on you,” he said, smiling at the memory. I recalled having a similar dream. “Then there was one where we were in my grandmother’s garden. You had on this white strapless dress and were looking so incredibly beautiful. I was telling you the legend of the fairies.”

  “They can hear the bluebells chiming,” I said, sitting up.

  “You know the legend?”

  “No,” I shook my head confused. “Tristan, was one of these dreams on a cliff?” He nodded, unsure of where I was going with this. “And the last one, we were back at the hotel in Vermont?”

  He sat up and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “I placed a violet right here, behind your ear. But you already know that, don’t you,” he smiled.

  “Tristan, how is that possible?”

  “When I bit you, you were able to see inside my head. That’s how you know about the dreams.”

  “No, I only felt your emotions. I didn’t see anything.”

  “What are you saying Ella?”

  “I don�
�t know. It doesn’t make sense, but I had the same dreams.”

  “Maybe something similar, but not the same?” he said, looking at me funny.

  “No Tristan, the same. When you said you envisioned me in white it triggered something. Every dream I was wearing white and I never understood why? Or how I was dreaming about being in your grandmother’s garden when I was never there before? And the last dream…when I said goodbye…” I looked down not wanting to think about it.

  “The dream when you came to me and told me you had to leave…you had to move on. I thought you meant your next life, that you couldn’t stay and it was your time to go. It broke my heart to let you go, but I thought I had to,” he said.

  I watched a tear fall down his cheek. I swiped it away with my thumb. “No Tristan. I thought I needed to let go of you, of this fantasy that I created. I thought it was the only way I could get on with my life, but I was wrong. I never wanted to leave you, but I thought I had to.” He pressed his forehead to mine and I inhaled his sweet minty scent. “What does this mean? How are we able to have the exact same dream?” I asked puzzled.

  “Maybe it’s another power of yours.” I pulled back and looked at him not understanding. “I didn’t think it existed anymore, but it’s the only explanation.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Dream walking, it’s the ability to get inside another’s dreams. It’s an old, ancient power that hasn’t existed for years, and even back then very few were gifted with the power. I never knew anyone who possessed the power or even if it still exist.”

  “Then how do you know for sure? You said so yourself it doesn’t exist anymore.”

  “It’s the only other explanation. I wouldn’t have believed it possible if you didn’t already possess so much power, more than anyone. But you, it doesn’t surprise me.” He kissed my hand as if this was the greatest thing in the world.

  “Do you have that power?” He shook his head. “Then how would we have the same dream?”

  He tapped the side of my head with his finger. “Because you created it. It’s what your mind wanted to see.”

  “That doesn’t explain about your grandmother’s garden. I would have not been able to create that and I would not have worn white,” I said, eyeing him.

  “You raise a good question,” he said, scratching his chin.

  “You’re sure you’re not a dream…whatever?”

  “Walker…and no, I’m not.”

  “Then how do we know for sure I am one?”

  “It’s the only reasonable explanation,” he said, scratching his head, not quite convinced himself. “Or… it’s possible that we have that strong of a connection that we can visit each other in our dreams.”

  “Is that even possible?”

  “Ella, haven’t you learned by now anything is possible, especially when it comes to us.”

  “You’re right, but why? How come it only started after you were gone?”

  He sighed frustrated and scrubbed his hands down his face. “You’re not going to let this go are you?”

  “Hello, it’s me you’re talking to.”

  “Right, okay. This is what I believe. I think that when you healed me it created this connection, but we both thought we were dead so we had no idea.”

  “That would explain a lot. I mean I always had this feeling you were still here, but I just thought I was holding on to wishful thinking.”

  “I know what you mean. I felt it too,” he said and that was it. Knowing we had this soulful connection only brought us closer together. We made love for the second time that night and it was just as wonderful as the first.

  Afterwards, I lay across his chest while he gently stroked my hair until I fell asleep.

  I knew I was dreaming when I saw I was wearing the small black leather dress I wore earlier tonight. I was in the same bar we found Tristan and I was alone. I looked around the room and found him sitting at the bar, smiling back at me in the mirror. “Okay, now I know this was all you,” I said, pointing to the dress.

  He turned around and gave me the once over. “It is a really great dress,” he smiled cockily. I just rolled my eyes. “You don’t like it, change it.”

  “How?”

  He got up and walked over to me and held my hands tightly. “Close your eyes and just envision it.” So that’s what I did. I closed my eyes and imagined myself wearing jeans and a long sleeved shirt.

  When I opened up my eyes that’s exactly what I was wearing. “That’s much better.” He pouted. “What?” I asked.

  He closed his eyes and then opened them with a smile. I was now wearing a nice, white spring dress. When he saw my expression he changed it. “Would you prefer this?” I looked down to see I was wearing a barely there, white bikini. I let him know I wasn’t happy with his choice of outfit. “Okay, how about this?” Now he had me in some cheap, swanky, black lingerie.

  “You’re really loving this, aren’t you?”

  “Just a little,” he said, pinching his fingers slightly.

  “Okay, you wanna play? Have it your way.” I took a step back. I closed my eyes and envisioned Tristan wearing the same black lingerie he had put me in. When I opened my eyes I started to bust up laughing.

  “Very funny Ella,” he said, not amused.

  “What, you can dress me in trashy lingerie but when I do it to you?” He pulled me closer and kissed me. I pushed him back. “Sorry, but I’m not into guys who dress in drag.”

  “You were the one who dressed me. Should I be worried?”

  I rolled my eyes and imagined him wearing a nice pair of slacks and a blue button down shirt. Then I changed myself back into the dress but made it pink. He looked at me funny. “What, you don’t like it? I know it’s not what you rather have me wear, but it’s more comfortable.”

  “Not that, here,” he said, touching my dress, and turning it white.

  “What is it with you and white?”

  “When I think of you I think of you as an angel. Someone who is pure and full of life. Your very essence is what –”

  “Okay seriously,” I said, stopping him there. “That sounds like one of your cheesy lines.”

  “Ella I am serious, dead serious. You have any idea what you mean to me?”

  “Tristan, I wish you would stop putting me up on this pedestal. I’m not that girl.”

  “To me you are,” he said, bending down to kiss me. “What do I have to do to convince you?”

  “First, let’s get out of here.”

  “We can go anywhere you want to go.”

  “I want to go back.” He creased his brows confused. “I mean I want to wake up. I don’t want to be with you in a dream when I can have the real thing.”

  “Then all you have to do is wake up,” he whispered softly in my ear.

  I blinked a few times and waited for my eyes to adjust. I was lying on my stomach and when I turned my head Tristan was lying on his side propped on his elbow, watching me. “Welcome back,” he said.

  “Why the dream?”

  “I was just testing it to see if we were right.”

  “How’d you know how to do all that?”

  “I’m a quick study,” he winked. He slid his hand over my back, sending tingles up and down my spine. The sheet was barely covering me. Most of my upper back was exposed, giving Tristan free reign to tease me. His hand slowly made it’s way down to my lower back, lightly pushing the sheet a little further and giving me goose bumps. His hand stopped short, just above my behind, teasing me. “What do I have to do to convince you of my undying affection?”

  “You can keep doing what you’re doing for starters,” I smiled. He slid his hand down a little more and then a little more, smiling. Then he smacked me really hard on my behind. “Hey,” I said, pushing him. He laughed thinking he was funny. I narrowed my eyes at him letting him know he wasn’t. To make up for it, he wrapped his arm around my waist, and pulled me closer to him, placing lingering kisses on my shoulder and neck.
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  “You know, you could always bite me. If you wanted to?” he suggested.

  “I don’t think that would be such a good idea.”

  “It’s the best way to convince you my feelings for you are real. If you bite me, you can get inside my head and see what I see, feel what I feel.”

  “Tristan, I have no doubt that your feelings for me are real. I just wish you wouldn’t hold me so high. Make me out to be this person I’m not.

  “Ella, when are you going to get it?” I shrugged. “I see I have no other choice. Okay, bite,” he said, titling his head and exposing his neck.

  “Tristan,” I said a little annoyed. “One, don’t act like you’re not dying for me to do it. When you were explaining things to me you seemed to leave out a lot of the effects it has on us.” I narrowed my eyes. “And two, I don’t think it’s a good idea considering you’re still weak from the lack of blood. You haven’t fed in a while and taking any from you would not be a good idea.”

  “You didn’t think I was too weak to rock your world…twice.”

  “Rock my world? O-Kay,” I said, trying to hide my smile.

  “Well, you know, I am kind of a legend. I even heard some say god.”

  I couldn’t hold back the laughter anymore. “Oh Tristan, how I’ve missed you.”

  “You know you can still bite without taking anything,” he said.

  “How?”

  “It takes a lot of concentration.”

  “I don’t think I can do that. You tend to be very distracting.”

  “Is it the gorgeous flowing locks?” he said, flipping his hair back. I had to stifle a laugh. “Or maybe my manly physique?” He flexed his bicep and winked. I covered my mouth to hide my giggle. “My charming personality…hey there,” he said, wagging his eyebrows at me. “No? I know what it is…” his eyes traveled down the sheet.

  “Well…it doesn’t hurt,” I said. He smiled and pounced on me making me squeal.

  “Really Ella, what is it? Besides my devastatingly handsome good looks,” he said, his cocky smile returning.