Promise ss-1

by Kristie Cook

  "I…destroyed them," he admitted quietly.

  "Tristan! How could you? Why? "

  "I was angry at myself and decided I didn't want them anymore. I wouldn't need a dream home…without you to share it with."

  A long carving knife of shame pierced all the way through my heart and then twisted around inside my chest.

  "I'm sorry !" I cried, throwing my arms around him. "I'm sorry I doubted you. I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry…"

  "You had every right…."

  "No, I didn't! How could I doubt your love? I knew it all along and I was just mad, acting like a child. And I hurt you…."

  "You were hurt first. I hurt you. I should have been more upfront with you. I deserved it."

  "But it wasn't you! I know that now. All you did was what was best for them…and you loved me. I'm just so sorry I was too proud and bullheaded to realize it sooner. I almost lost you," I whispered miserably.

  "But you didn't," he whispered back. "And now you know you love me and trust me fully."

  I nodded. He wiped the tears from my cheeks.

  "So, we're good." He smiled warmly and I nodded again. "Then let's get past this and look forward, okay?"

  I nodded a third time. He picked me up in a tight hug. I gave him a long kiss, hoping the depth of my love for him would flow through it. But I didn't know if that was even possible. My love was so much more.

  "We'll do the next one together— our dream home," he promised as we continued up the stairs hand-in-hand.

  * * *

  As we headed home from dinner that evening, Tristan drove the motorcycle right past the cottage to the dead-end at the beach.

  "Come on. We have just enough time to watch the sun set," he said.

  The sun already hovered half-way behind the water and we sat in silence as it finished its descent.

  "Listen," Tristan finally said, "we'll need to go soon, but before we do, I need to tell you something."

  Somberness and foreboding filled his tone. My stomach tightened automatically.

  "Why do I have this feeling I won't like what happens tonight?" I asked.

  "I think, in the end, you'll be fine. First, though, there will be some surprises."

  " More surprises? How much more can there be ?" I moaned and threw my head into his lap. I laid there curled up, my head resting on his legs. "I don't know that I can take any more."

  "So you don't want to know all these big secrets you haven't been allowed to know before? You don't want to know who you are?"

  I shot up and stared at him. " Seriously ?"

  He looked at me thoughtfully. "Yes, I think you'll be learning quite a bit tonight. I don't see how it can be kept from you any longer. There's too much at risk. So…I want you to know, no matter what you hear, regardless of how…shocking…it is, I absolutely, unconditionally, undeniably love you. No matter what. I've known it all since before you were born and knew what I was getting into, okay? And I would've told you already, but, like their plan for us, it wasn't my place. Do you understand?"

  I narrowed my eyes. "Um, no . Was that supposed to make sense?"

  He chuckled. "I guess it probably doesn't right now. Come here."

  He pulled me sideways onto his lap and held me close, brushing his lips across my cheek. He murmured into my ear, "I love you, no matter what. You are everything to me and nothing will come between us as long as I can help it. We are together forever."

  "I can understand that." I found his lips with mine. He suddenly stopped kissing me, though, and cocked his head, then closed his eyes and let out a sigh.

  "They're ready for us."

  "How do you know? And who's 'they'?" I asked as we headed back to the bike. "I thought it was just my mom."

  "You'll see in about three minutes."

  Three minutes later we walked into Mom's cottage. I stopped in the archway between the foyer and the living room, surprised to see all the people there—Mom, a woman who looked just like her and two men. I sensed extreme goodness from all of them as they looked at Tristan and me and smiled approvingly.

  The lady who looked nearly like Mom's twin, dressed for a ball in a white, shimmery gown, rose gracefully from Mom's usual chair. She had all the same features as Mom and looked to be in her late twenties, but, somehow, seemed much older. "Hello, Alexis, I am your grandmother."

  I jumped at the "sound." Because she hadn't spoken. Her lips didn't move! I'd heard it in my head, not with my ears. There were a couple snickers. Tristan squeezed my hand.

  "Mother, she wasn't ready for that," Mom said.

  "Sorry, dear," my grandmother said aloud. Her real voice, like her telepathic one, was smooth and luxurious, like velvet, with a foreign accent I couldn't place. It seemed familiar, though. I heard it in my head again. " You are just as beautiful as they have told me. Just wait until the Ang'dora. You will be magnificent. "

  I stood there awkwardly, forcing a smile on the outside while internally freaking out. My grandmother's a telepathic !

  She held her hand out to me. I didn't move. Tristan gave me a little nudge and whispered, "It's okay."

  Without letting go of his hand, I took the two steps over to her. She clasped my other hand in both of hers and closed her eyes. Silence filled the room as everyone watched. I had no idea what she did, but a warm, pleasurable sensation washed over me. She smiled and then opened her eyes.

  "Yes, magnificent," she said aloud. She looked at Mom. "She is amazing, Sophia."

  Mom beamed. "I told you. Probably the best in many, many centuries?"

  "Yes, I think you are correct." My grandmother sat back down. Her body moved with the majesty and grace of a lead ballerina. She belonged in a palace, not in our little cottage.

  "Alexis, this is your grandmother, Katerina. You can call her Rina," Mom said. She held her hand first toward a tall, broad man with hair in cornrows standing perfectly erect behind Rina, then at the man sitting next to her on the couch. "That is Solomon and this is Stefan."

  Stefan barely looked at me. Although he radiated goodness, the way he hid his eyes behind his dark, curly hair gave me the impression he felt guilty about something. I wondered what it was. He seemed vaguely familiar but I didn't know why. I couldn't remember ever meeting him, but I knew his name from just the day before. He'd spoken to Tristan recently, from what I heard on the speaker phone. I now placed Rina's voice—she'd been the woman on the phone.

  "These are some of the Amadis council members," Mom continued. "Our family line has always led the Amadis, with advice and guidance from the council."

  Owen popped his head in the door then and called, "All's clear."

  "Thank you, Owen," Rina said. "Please continue your watch."

  I threw Mom a look.

  "Yes, Owen is part of the Amadis, but he's not on the council. He's a protector." She smiled. "He's your protector."

  Chapter 19

  My protector —as in bodyguard? Why do I need a protector? And am I the only one in the dark here? I must have stiffened because Tristan stepped behind me and circled his arm around my waist. "Relax, my love."

  He pulled me over to the loveseat. We hardly ever used it—there were never more than three people in the room—and it sat in the corner, out of the way. Someone had pulled it slightly forward and now, as we sat down, it felt like the focal point of the room as everyone scrutinized us.

  "My darling, Alexis," Rina said, "you are probably wondering what we are all doing here?"

  I felt like a child in the principal's office, not because I'd misbehaved, but because something was wrong that the adults needed to explain. I took a deep breath and nodded. "That'd be a good start."

  "Our primary concern is your immediate safety," she said, "but for you to understand our discussions, you must be better informed. At our direction, Sophia and Tristan have only told you what you needed to know. However, recent events have shown you deserve to know more now, rather than waiting for the Ang'dora .

  "We are the Amadis. All of
us, including Owen, are part of the Amadis society. Solomon and Stefan are members of the council. You, your mother, myself and Tristan, too, are direct descendents of the original Amadis family bloodline. Women in our direct bloodline have ruled the Amadis since its beginning over two millennia ago. I have been the matriarch for over a half-century. At some point in the future, Sophia will inherit it from me and then you from her. There was a time when we thought our existence was all but extinct, until you miraculously arrived. You are full of such promise and I am convinced the Ang'dora will bring you powers unseen since our earliest leaders."

  I felt my eyes grow wider with every sentence Rina spoke. She paused now, not only so she could take a breath herself, but so I could have a moment to process it. It was already too much. Royalty? Unseen powers? Me?! Tristan squeezed my hand and I felt myself slightly relax. I hadn't realized I'd become so tense.

  Mom excused herself to get us all a glass of wine. I didn't know if that was such a good idea for me, but I did know I could really use it.

  "Can I ask a question?" I asked while we waited for Mom. Rina nodded. "Actually, two. What, exactly, are the Amadis? And why are the Daemoni our enemies?"

  Rina nodded again. "We are the protectors of souls. The Daemoni try to destroy human souls; we fight to save them. They are full of hatred; we are full of love. They are ruled by Hell; we are ruled by Heaven. They would like us to cease existing so they can rule the Earth. It is our job to prevent that from occurring. You will learn the whole story and know our full purpose, and yours specifically, one day, but not now. Is that enough?"

  I nodded reluctantly. It really wasn't enough—I'd hoped to get more—but I was too intimidated to push it.

  Rina continued where she'd left off. "As soon as we realized your righteous qualities and your strength, we had hope. We also knew our chances would be strengthened if you had a child—a daughter, of course—fathered by the most powerful male with Amadis blood. Tristan had just come to us, but we knew, even when he was not sure himself, he would become one of us. Most of us knew when you were just an infant that your souls were meant for each other. The Heavenly Host created you specifically for each other, the strongest connection two souls can have."

  She paused as Mom handed each of us a glass of wine.

  "There is only one problem with this Heavenly match," Rina continued. "The Daemoni would like to prevent it. Firstly, they still desire to have Tristan back. They promise him a kingdom, but we all know he would be under their rule. They believe him to be a possession. They have time and again tried to bring him back, using an assortment of tactics, from promises of greatness to violent force. Tristan refuses."

  I saw him nod out of the corner of my eye. I had almost pushed him back to them . I could never let that happen again. I squeezed his hand.

  "So, secondly, they seek revenge. If they cannot have their ultimate warrior, then they certainly do not want us to have him. They seek revenge against Tristan for betraying them and against the Amadis in general for taking him.

  "Thirdly, this match will result in our family's, and therefore our society's, continuance. The Daemoni would like to see us extinguished. Add to that, young Alexis, the fact that they have always targeted the youngest Amadis daughter and you can see we have a complex problem on our hands."

  Tension filled the room like a dense fog as we sipped our wine. Well, everyone else sipped. I drained mine, but didn't expect it to have much effect on me. Tristan put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close to him. That calmed me more than the wine did.

  "We need to consider this from both an immediate and a long-term perspective," Solomon said. His deep, seductive voice, with a foreign accent different than Rina's, matched his attractive, yet exotic face—nearly white skin but, somehow, with a dark undertone, and features that looked African or possibly Caribbean. "The Daemoni know about our plan for the two of you and that it is being executed. The question is what they will do about it."

  Stefan spoke next. Even his voice—smooth, clear, authoritative—sounded familiar, but I still couldn't place him. "Through our recognizance, we have heard them discuss four options and they are not yet decided whether to pursue any in the immediate future."

  "Explain the options so we can all understand," Rina said.

  Stefan spoke matter-of-factly. "First, they could try to kill Tristan."

  My heart jumped against my chest. I instinctively shifted my body in front of Tristan and put my arm across him in protection, shaking my head. As if I can do anything. Tristan pulled me back to him, his arms wrapped around me like a human straightjacket.

  "Relax and listen," he murmured.

  Stefan glanced at us briefly and continued. "They believe this could prevent another Amadis daughter and would give them their revenge for Tristan's betrayal. However, they are not fond of this idea. They still have hope in Tristan."

  Solomon shook his head, the long cornrows, some pulled back into a pony tail, swinging slightly. "They do not have the means to kill him."

  I relaxed with this statement and Tristan let go of me. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.

  "It would have to be an ambush. Lucas is the only one who might have a chance single-handedly, but they would not risk that," he said. He and Mom exchanged looks I didn't understand. He shrugged. "They've tried to kill me before. It is not my life we need to worry about."

  "Until there is a daughter, we need you," Solomon said harshly, but he followed with an exquisite smile of gleaming white teeth. I wasn't sure how to take him and, I thought, that's the impression he intended.

  "There are other options for offspring besides me," Tristan muttered. I threw him a dirty look.

  "Tristan, daughter or not, we are concerned for your life," Rina said. "But you are right. This is status quo. Go on, Stefan."

  Stefan said their next option was to kill me. "This would definitely prevent the bloodline from continuing and would give them revenge on Tristan by killing his mate. In their twisted way, they believe this could bring him back in remorse."

  For some reason, I didn't have nearly as strong a reaction to my murder as I did to Tristan's.

  "They can only kill her if they are provoked. They must have justifiable reason," Rina said adamantly, lifting her chin.

  "Yes, according to ancient law, that is, ultimately, the only rights they have, but they could still try," Solomon said.

  "They know it would mean a major battle," Stefan said. "They are mostly concerned about fighting Sophia and Tristan, though—two Amadis daughters and their own warrior could be a major victory or a terrible defeat for them."

  I looked at Mom, sick at the thought of her fighting these monsters to protect me. She glanced at me, seemingly unconcerned until she saw my face.

  She came over to me, squatted in front of me to look me directly in the eye and said firmly, "Don't you worry about us. We are just discussing how the Daemoni see it. They will not get to us. We have the best and highest protection."

  I nodded, trying to look calm, but I shuddered anyway.

  "Let us take a moment for a breath," Rina said and then she looked at Tristan. He stood up, grabbed my hands and pulled me up. I wondered if she'd communicated telepathically.

  "Come on. Let's get some fresh air," he said, leading me through the kitchen and out the back door.

  The evening air still felt muggy and heavy against my skin, but I felt a sense of freedom as I drew it in. I smelled the humidity, combined with freshly mown grass, jasmine and magnolias from the neighbor's yard behind us. I took several cleansing breaths, trying to focus on steadying my pounding heart.

  "You okay?" Tristan asked after a few minutes. He leaned casually against the house as if we'd just been discussing what new toy to buy rather than our own demise.

  "Yeah, freakin' wonderful." I gave him a weak smile and walked over to him. I lifted my hands to the back of his neck, stretched up on my toes and tilted my head back. "Make me okay, please."

  He kisse
d me and a sense of calmness washed over me with his scent and taste and touch. I inhaled deeply for an extra dose.

  "Okay," I said.

  Mom handed me a glass of ice water as I returned to the loveseat. I emptied the glass, the icy liquid light and refreshing, washing away the thick, bitter coating the wine had left in my mouth and throat. I finally nodded at Rina, who'd been watching me expectantly.

  "Okay, Stefan, please proceed with the other options," she said.

  The third option, according to Stefan, was business as usual—the Daemoni would mostly leave me alone until they had Provocation. The way they all said "Provocation," I could hear the capital P, as in it must be official.

  "And that leads us to the fourth option," Stefan said. "They capture Alexis to bring Tristan to them, using her as bait. This appears to be the most dangerous option for us. They would not have Alexis's blood on their hands, so they do not see this as a violation. They also have a strong desire to have both Alexis and Tristan alive, but in their hands, seeing the same great potential we do, but working for them."

  Everyone in the room reacted to this statement. Solomon hissed. Mom and Rina gasped. Tristan swore under his breath. I didn't understand.

  "I thought their natural instinct is to kill me. How could they keep me alive?" I asked. "And why would they want to, once they had Tristan?"

  They all exchanged meaningful looks I didn't understand. Rina nodded at Mom and Mom sighed, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose. Tristan put his arms around me and whispered he loved me in my ear. Mom eventually came over to us and knelt on the floor in front of me, while everyone else stared at the floor. Something horrible was coming.

  "Honey, it's time you knew something about your…father," Mom said quietly.

  "You mean sperm donor," I corrected. "I don't have a father."

  Her eyes dropped to the floor and she spoke so quietly, it was barely more than a whisper. "The last time I met up with Tristan, he was with Lucas. After Tristan, Lucas was—is now—the Daemoni's most powerful warrior. They were on a mission to kill me, but not in their normal, direct manner. Tristan thought they should act like they wanted to leave the Daemoni, become close to me, build my trust and then go in for the kill. Tristan really did want to leave and I was able to help him and bring him to the Amadis. But…" Her voice wavered and a tear slid down her cheek. And then another. I couldn't remember if I'd ever seen Mom cry before. Her voice filled with grief and longing. "…But I couldn't help Lucas. I tried so hard, did everything I could. I thought loving him, giving myself completely to him would do it. No one could have ever guessed…I'd already changed over and no one had ever conceived…"