His heart heavy in his chest for a past he could not change, he continued. “Talon’s truemate is here and he came back for her.” As did I, Draakar sent mind-to-mind to Maya. “Talon is also among a growing number on Akgon who have decided not to mate at all unless it is with their truemates. If Talon can find his lost brethren mate, then there is hope others can, too.”
“Well, what happens if you’re already bonded and your truemate shows up after the fact?” Sherri asked.
“Somebody dies,” Maya interjected.
Draakar sighed. “It has never happened in my time or our memories, so I do not know.” Looking directly at Maya again, Draakar stated emphatically, “But the bond between truemates is like nothing else. The pull is irrevocable. It is not something you can turn away from, ignore or be broken.”
“Does this have something to do with the problems on Akgon?” Darryl asked frowning.
“My advisors and I aren’t sure,” Draakar replied. “But I believe it does. I have come to believe only with a bonding of truemates are brethren able to access their full powers. Only with all of my powers will I be able to maintain the balance on Akgon, and only with the majority of the brethren with truemates can we hope to continue on Akgon.”
“Well, looks like you figured out how much you needed your truemates too late.”
Draakar’s eyes glowed, illuminating the area a pale green, letting Maya know her words had found its mark.
“It is never too late. Not time, distance, or death hath dominion over the bond between truemates.”
Not this time Dark One, not this time. You should have remembered that before you bonded with another.
He watched Maya walk to the darkest wall in the room and step right through it, even though no doorway stood there, and nothing indicated the wall wasn’t solid. Still Maya never paused. Her mind screamed at him she wanted out—now. Draakar could only hope she didn’t walk out of the castle and walk away from the brethren, from him as her thoughts told him she wanted to.
Chapter Thirteen
Draakar escorted Paul to the front door. He had to return to his wife.
“I’m sorry your wife twisted her ankle yesterday, but to be honest it could have also been the magicks at work. Especially as you say a root seemly sprung up from nowhere. Sometimes Mother Earth engineers things because you needed to come here alone.”
“Yeah, it sure stopped her from coming on the overnight hike we were supposed to take together with James. But she insisted I still go.” Paul shook his head. “And when I called to check on her last night she seemed fine and had plenty of company around at the inn.”
Draakar stopped at the door and turned to face Paul. He would return to America in a couple of days to start his part of the search for Draakar’s son and the betrayer.
“I honestly don’t know what to tell my wife,” Paul said, looking down on the tiled floor then raising his face to look at Draakar. “We’ve always been honest with each other. We’ve only been married for two years, but we’ve known each other since we were teenagers. She’s my best friend, and I’ve always loved her. How do I hide this from her? Do I even tell her what I am? What the children we’ve been talking about having someday could be?”
“Only you can answer those questions, Paul. If she loves you she will accept you. Humans have loved and accepted brethren as mates. Some were even truemates. You have not changed.” When Paul gave Draakar an incredulous expression, he smiled. “No you haven’t, not really. What you are now, you have always been; whoever you were before, you still are. It is just that you are so much more than you thought you were.”
Paul shook his head. “I understand what you’re saying. The question is, though, will she? Will she be able to accept all of this?” He ran his hand through his hair in nervous frustration.
“If you want, you may bring her here for dinner later tonight. Tell her I am a friend of James whom you met while camping on my land. I can read her mind when I meet her and tell you if she can be trusted with our secrets. I would go with you now but I must
remain here.” Draakar sighed. “If my powers were at their peak, I could have just tuned into her through your mind and read her but alas, my powers aren’t there yet.”
“I don’t know. That seems wrong somehow.”
“It’s your call. Bring her to dinner anyway. In fact, why don’t you both spend the last two days of your stay here? There is a pool out back and tennis courts.” As soon as the words left his mouth, the Earth rumbled. Anyone watching from the windows of the castle would have seen a section of forested land ripple into the ground and vanish. In place of trees a tennis court and a thirty-foot long infinity edge pool rose up from the ground.
Without pause, Draakar continued his conversation. He placed his hand on Paul’s shoulder and gave him an encouraging squeeze. “We all need to spend a couple more days together working on your skills. This will also give you an opportunity to see how she deals with it all. If you decide to tell her and she can’t accept it, I can also take those memories from her. Just let me know what you would like to do.”
“Thank you, my Lord.”
“No, Paul, just Draakar while we are here.”
“Okay, Draakar or is that Draak?” Paul grinned for a moment. Draakar could feel Paul’s anxiety relaxing a little at the thought of telling his wife about his dual heritage. “I’ll bring her back with me later tonight, at least for dinner. Thank you for thinking of it. I’ll talk to her about staying here and see what she says. Maybe after dinner I’ll have a better handle on what to do.”
“You don’t have much time.”
“What…what if you discover she’s not my truemate?”
“I may or may not be able to tell. I will be able to tell you if her answers are true as she believes, but I cannot read her heart, only her thoughts. When it comes to human emotions, the head doesn’t always speak for the heart. Frankly, as your own powers increase, you will be able to tell. In your heart you will know. Your powers will only increase to their fullest potential if yours is a true bonding.”
Draakar did not tell Paul what he now understood. If his wife were not his truemate, Paul would not be much use to the brethren on Akgon or Earth. His powers might not ever grow beyond what they were now, and as time progressed they could weaken. In fact, they would begin to lessen as soon as Draakar returned to Akgon. The brethren were weak already because not enough truemates had paired and he needed them strong.
But the decision belonged to Paul, and Draakar would honor Paul’s decision. Draakar like Valour, believed one of the reasons for their diminished powers stemmed from fewer true bondings amongst the brethren. Yet he could not force them to wait for their truemates when he had not. However, he’d spoken the truth when he told them at the Circle of Stones, hope existed because a growing number of the young on Akgon were not bonding, and hope for them dwelled here with the Earth brethren.
“I understand.” Paul took a deep breath. “Truemate or not, I do love her. What if I don’t want to know? It makes no difference to me.”
Draakar just stared at Paul. How should he answer his question? It had taken him a thousand years to finally understand it did make a difference. Each brethren must make the decision on his or her own. Just because mates chosen from necessity were not truemates didn’t mean love could not grow. It could and it did. He had loved Sierran. Not at first. He had been fond of her and eventually fondness had grown into love.
How could he not fall in love with her, after all she had done for him and the brethren? She had been a caring, compassionate and beautiful woman who had given him a son he loved. Yet, sometimes, the depths of his soul ached because it knew a different kind of love waited out there, and from time to time he felt its pull.
Only one could forever calm the fire raging within his dragon. A truemate, and Draakar knew she existed. Had known for a long time because his soul suffered with her each time she entered the world alone. He had just found Maya and already he understo
od the difference between love for a good woman and love of his woman. He tried to find the words to share some of his thoughts with Paul.
“I did not love Talon’s mother when we were first mated because she was not my truemate, and we both knew it. But she loved me and I grew to love her, and Talon was the result of our union. That was all I had or could have and I knew contentment.”
“Was it enough?”
“That is a question only you can answer, but I am here now.”
Paul glanced away then returned his gaze to Draakar’s. “I think I understand. You’re right; it’s a question only I can answer. I’ll see you later. Thank you, Draakar.”
Draakar clasped his shoulder again and they shook hands. He wished Paul luck. Standing at the open door, he watched as Ian drove the Benz back down the driveway to return Paul to the inn. He’d sensed the presence behind him for some time and finally turned around. His gaze immediately sought out the one who stood at the top of the balcony.
Maya looked at this man whom drew her like no other. Today he wore all black again, a favored color of choice for him: jeans, a long-sleeved silk shirt, untucked of course, with a Naru collar and black cowboy snakeskin boots with silver tips. He’d pulled his hair back and tied it at his nape with a leather thong. His features appeared sharper, more defined. If the man looked like a dark angel before, he looked like a dark god now. If he could get any more handsome, Maya didn’t want to see it. Green eyes glowed, daring her to deny him. She forced herself to ignore his looks and her strong attraction to him.
You never answered his question, Dark One. Was it enough?
No.
Maya maintained eye contact with Draakar, trying to decide his sincerity from a single word answer seemingly carrying so much. Finally, admitting to herself the truth behind the word, she inclined her head slightly in acknowledgement. Good. Maya turned and walked away.
Stop running away.
Don’t flatter yourself.
Forgive me, Maya.
Not today, maybe another.
I will not ask again. But it is time for you to hear it all
You do not need to ask for that which will not be given, and I already know all I need to know. You did not love her at first, but you love her now, your mate. Maya continued walking down the hallway toward her bedroom. Draakar materialized before her. His bulk and six-foot-four frame blocked her room’s closed doorway. She halted an arm’s length before him, clenching her hands in frustration. His nostrils flared, anger and hurt simmered within the depths of his flashing eyes. Raising her chin, Maya refused to let him intimidate her.
Loved her, Maya, loved her. She’s dead. Just before I arrived, she died giving the last of her life energy to Talon and to me so I could return here and try to right so many wrongs.
Wh-What?
Do not hate her, Maya. She was not trying to hurt you. I was not trying to hurt you, but we did not know if or when you would be born. The brethren needed me. They needed my strength, and they still do. As their leader, I had no choice. Our survival left me with no other option.
Maya wrapped her arms around her waist and shook her head, either in denial of his words or because she didn’t want to hear it, or maybe both.
Sierran was the strongest amongst the females. We grew up together. We were friends. She knew eventually our mating would destroy her. I did not know how much our bond weakened her until it was much too late. She hid it from me. I didn’t know until recently. Over time I drained her powers, taking the life energy she freely gave to help sustain me so I could sustain the brethren. This kind of draining does not happen between truemates because the bond sustains both; it works both ways. Truemates strengthen each other.
Maya inhaled sharply, unshed tears bright in her eyes. She held her hands up and covered her face. Oh God! I…I didn’t know! I didn’t know! She lowered her hands but wrapped them back around her waist. “I’m sorry, Draakar. Sorry for her, sorry for you, sorry for us. I understand now, but that understanding doesn’t change the pain I’ve had to endure because of your choices. Because I too had no choice then and I have none now. Please let me pass. I want to be alone. Both of your choices condemned me to that, so let me be, alone.”
Emerald fire sparked from Draakar’s narrowed eyes; frustrated anger radiated off him in waves. He shook his head sharply. “No, Maya. You are not alone. Not anymore. I am here. Do not shut me out now. Give me a chance. Give us a chance to be what we always should have been.”
She hung her head unable to look at him. She refused to accept his words and what they could mean to her.
Ask me how she died.
You just told me.
Draakar stood unyielding before her. She could feel his gaze boring into her. His pain became hers.
Ask!
NO.
She died helping me open the portal that would send me back to you. Knowing it meant her death.
NO... NO...! Maya threw back her head and roared. All within the castle felt her pain, anger, and remorse.
Maya’s eyes flamed and her form shimmered and grew until it rose above him. For a moment, Draakar caught a glimpse of a bronze dragon with golden scales. As quickly as it started, the shimmering stopped. The form receded and a heavily breathing Maya bowed her head, this time in reluctant acceptance.
He understood how she felt like her very being was rent asunder. The hurt and betrayal surrounding her heart and soul like a solid block of ice cracked. The sound could be heard in the silence engulfing them both. They seemed to be poised on a precipice and only one way to freedom lay before them, a leap right over the edge.
A leap he also understood Maya might never be ready to take.
Draakar closed the distance between them, slowly raising his hand until it touched the side of her face. She didn’t kill him or even burn his hand as she lifted her head to stare at him with a fiery gaze. He took that as a good sign.
As he lowered his head toward her, she broke from his hold and disappeared, transporting herself behind the closed door of her room.
The late arrival at the Sperrin Inn stepped out of the hired car he had just arrived in and looked toward the northeastern end of the mountain. A brush of power carried on the wind came from that direction. Hazel eyes set in a handsome face widened in surprise. Silver lightning flashed within their depths.
Chapter Fourteen
Shocked, Maya glanced around, unsure how she had done it other than having an overwhelming desire to escape and being not at all afraid of using her magicks. Her blood still hummed with the residue of power.
I’m sorry, Dark One. I’m sorry, truly I am, but I…I need more time. I can’t do this. Not now. Maybe not ever. Perhaps when the threat to Earth is over you and I can have a conversation and come up with another option for the brethren.
Conversation is not what we both need. There are no other options for us. Somehow, I will give you more time. It cannot be much. We may not be able to wait until after the betrayer is stopped.
Feeling on somewhat surer ground, Maya opened her closed door to find Draakar leaning against the doorframe. It probably seemed cowardly for her to ‘talk’ to him from behind the door. It appeared cowardly to run, but a coward she wasn’t. “I won’t need much time,” she said. “Let’s focus on what has to be done right now. I’ll be back down in a little while. Will we meet in the library?”
“I think poolside. The others have discovered the tennis courts and pool and are on their way down there.”
“Shouldn’t we be concentrating on finding this betrayer?”
Draakar raised his hand as though to touch her, but then seemed to think better of doing that and instead crossed his arms over his chest. “We are. As I said, time is of importance. I must find him. The longer he’s loose the more of a danger he becomes, especially if he finds any awakened brethren. They will be the first he goes after. I must make sure you few are trained in the use of your powers, so some of you can train others. The pool and the tennis courts are to
help with your training.”
She surprised herself because not only did she not step back, but she wondered what his caress would have felt like. She mentally shook herself to get back on track, and not her emotional confusion when it came to him. “How?
“You all already know how to create things out of the magicks flowing through Mother Earth. Now you need to harness the power of manipulation.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?” Maya asked.
“Not at all. One is the creation of something out of what is apparently nothing. The other is the use of matter already there bent to your will. As with all things, some will be better at it than others. A few, no matter how much they practice, will never go much further than what they will accomplish in a couple of days. You will not be among that number. Go ahead and change then come down.”
Maya didn’t think she would be in the later group either. She was tired of having her guard up against the man before her all the time. She needed to act normal around him, as normal as they could be. “Too bad I didn’t bring a swimsuit,” she said, staying away from further confrontation about their relationship. “Oh, well I’ll play tennis then.”
“You don’t need a suit,” Draakar said with a grin. His breathing softened, and she could feel him relaxing. He made an effort to put her more at ease. He didn’t try to kiss her again. On the one hand she was thankful but another part of her…well, it wasn’t so sure.
“I’m not skinny dip— Oh, yeah I can create one.”
“No need. There is one waiting for you on the bed. Go ahead and change. When you are ready, come down.” His eyes drifted to her lips and his voice lowered an octave. He leaned in close enough for her to feel his warm breath against her face, but didn’t touch her. Then he whispered, “I’ll be waiting for you.”
A promise, at least she took it as one. Silently, she thanked him for not pushing her further. If he had kissed her like she knew he wanted to, any choice she might have had about accepting him completely into her life or not would be gone. She hadn’t been lying to him; she needed time to think about it all. Time to come to terms with the fact he had loved another woman…dragon…whatever!
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