“You don’t need to apologize for being disinterested,” his Uncle Arthur said, and waited for instructions or further thoughts. It was as if they were communicating telepathically because every once and a while one would nod at the other and then grunt. However, last Darien checked, telepathy was not something the dragons could do with anyone but their wives.
“What I think is interesting, Darien, is how much attention you’re paying without even knowing it. What made you think this?” His father grabbed his notebook and looked through the different drawings. “Take this for example,” he pointed to one of the Inero lord speaking derogatory and rather embarrassing statements about himself. Ones Darien wish he’d never written, but he felt less awkwardness over the entire thing when he heard his father laugh at the picture.
“He rubbed me the wrong way,” Darien said. “He was kind of a jerk. He just, I don’t know, he doesn’t make any sense, and he’s arrogant and annoying.”
“I’m glad you agree.”
“You don’t like him either?” he asked quietly. “I thought you had to?”
“You’ll learn how to be kind without caring much for a person,” his father said. “You’re too funny. We’ll be called back out again soon, but I wanted to see how you were faring.”
“I’m fine,” Darien said. “Just really bored.”
“Aren’t we all,” Uncle Arthur said. “My lord we need to return now.”
Chapter Sixteen
Tai couldn’t remember when she had fallen asleep the night before. She just remembered being tired after her sight seeing adventures inside the complex. She didn’t eat, she knew that much, and when she looked at the clock and saw it was several hours later, and she was surprised to find she still didn’t feel hungry. Why was it still dark out though? It shouldn’t have been at that hour. It was almost noon wasn’t it?
“Tai?” Katelyn asked in a shaky whisper. “Are you awake?”
“Yeah,” she replied weakly and tried to sit herself up, but immediately stopped when her head started to throb wildly. “Ow, I think I need to go back to sleep.”
“You should eat something,” Katelyn whispered some more. “I made some soup. I know you might not be feeling it, but you really should eat. It’s been nearly a day.”
“A day?”
“Yes, you’ve been sleeping,” Katelyn continued. “It’s been just about a day. You slept through the daylight hours, and it’s just after dinner now.”
“No,” Tai didn’t believe it. “That’s not possible. I couldn’t have.” She still felt sleepy though. “Just a few more minutes and then I’ll be up, I promise.”
“No, not a few more minutes.” Katelyn gave her a hard shake the second Tai’s eyes began to droop again. “If you fall asleep again, I’m worried you might not wake up! Ashley is starting a bath for you. I don’t want to put you in the water. That makes the magic work faster, but it’ll also give you energy. At least if you’re awake we’ll know you’re still alive.”
“What are you so worried about?” Tai stared at Katelyn, greatly confused. “I haven’t been sleeping well. I’m just catching up. Honest. I feel fine. I’m not dying.”
“Call Darien.”
“I’m not going to. I don’t need to.”
“Call Darien. If you don’t, I will.”
“But I’m fine,” Tai insisted. “I’ll be fine after the bath.” She hoped so at least, but it took a lot more work to get her out of bed and into the bath than she had anticipated. Katelyn was right, the water was revitalizing but not without a cost. Horrible pain shot through her entire body, as if she were on fire from the inside out. So badly in fact that it blurred her vision and completely numbed the rest of her senses. The only thing she was aware of was screaming for Darien right before she passed out.
Chapter Seventeen
“I just can’t believe what’s happening there!” Brian continued going on his long tirade about the injustice the Inero people were suffering. “No one deserves to go through that. Why would they be punished?”
Darien looked at his father after he had glanced around the table at all of his brothers. His brothers didn’t seem to understand. His father could only offer him a weak smile, and this was enough to make Darien bite his tongue on the issue. The last thing he wanted was a political debate. It was not his business what the Inero lord did in his country. If he wanted to lead the nation into ruin, it was not Darien’s problem. He was grateful to feel his cellphone buzzing in his pocket.
He checked the caller ID and politely excused himself from the table. “It’s home. I’ll be right back.”
“Darien, you should come back. Tai is sick,” Katelyn said quietly after he picked up.
“What?” He frowned, confused. Tai had seemed fine when he left. She hadn’t mentioned anything about not feeling well. Unless she lied to him to save face, but that didn’t feel right to him. She had been fine, he was positive of it. He was torn between wanting to go home and take care of his wife, and staying put knowing she’d rather deal with it alone. He wasn’t sure which she’d want him to do. Why couldn’t she be more straightforward? How sick was she? A little? A lot? “The meetings just started today. She probably doesn’t want to see me, so I think I should stay if it’s just a cold.”
“I wouldn’t call you if it was a cold. She’s sick because she’s transitioning. Tai is becoming one of our kind.”
He almost dropped his phone in shock, but some how he managed to keep control over himself. “What do you mean she’s transitioning?” Not possible. How could she be transitioning so soon? It had only been a few days since their wedding. She didn’t like him. Did she care about him more than she let on? Something wasn’t lining up. This wasn’t normal. Maybe it was the strength of his magic that was speeding up the process of her becoming one of the dragon species.
“She’s only slept, won’t eat, and won’t hardly move. We gave her a bath and she screamed. It’s definitely the transition. She’s changing, and you need to come home now before things get worse.”
“I’ll be there soon.” He hung up and went straight back to his room without even bothering to tell his family. He left a brief note for his father and left. Darien’s magic was strong. If he pushed himself hard enough, he could be there in a couple of hours provided the weather conditions were right. He just hoped he would be fast enough.
Chapter Eighteen
When he stepped into his bedroom, he was petrified by what he saw, feeling scared and helpless because he didn’t know how to help her and if he didn’t do something soon he would lose her forever. She was sleeping, he could hear her breathing, but he could also smell how afraid and how close to death she really was. He slowly walked up to her. She wasn’t going to die on him. He would not allow it. She could throw a fit about him invading her space, but if it would keep her alive he’d do it.
Tai’s eyes slowly drifted open as he grew nearer to the bed. “Are you really there? Or am I hallucinating?”
“I’m here,” he whispered, but he wasn’t sure if she could hear him. He could barely hear himself. “I came home as soon as Katelyn told me.” He paused and knelt down by her bedside. “You look awful.”
“Gee,” she mumbled with a small grin. “Thanks a lot.”
“You know what I mean,” he said with a weak smile. “I mean, you look really sick and like you’re near death, and I hate it.” He shook his head. “I should have gone with my instincts, and waited to make love to you even though you thought you were ready. I should have thought everything through more. I didn’t want to do this to you. I didn’t want to hurt you. You’re so beautiful Tai. Inside and out. I couldn’t help myself.”
“I wanted you to…” she said softly. She swallowed slowly, weakly, and her mouth hung open for a moment as she started to speak again. It was obviously a lot of effort to do such a task. “I wanted you to be with me.”
“Tai, please don’t feel like you owe me some kind of an explanation right now. You don’t owe me anyt
hing.” He said. He reached out to grab her hand, but he hesitated and instead just let it hover over hers. He didn’t want to touch her. The transition was a huge mystery. His touch could make everything worse, but it also could make things better. At this point, he was willing to try anything to make her well again. Then again, Darien had a great deal of magic, and that may have changed the conditions for Tai’s.
“You need to rest and focus.” He said, and grabbed her hand with his. He felt his magic flow out of him and into her.
She gasped. “Focus? On?”
“Being well,” he choked out. He bowed his head low, not even able to look at her face anymore. He couldn’t stand seeing her in so much pain. It hurt him just as much, as if he could feel everything she was going through himself. “Stay with me. I can make you better if you’ll let me. I’ll make you happy. We don’t ever have to be something you don’t want to be, just don’t die.”
“I don’t…” Tai took in a deep, slow, breath. “…want to die.”
When he looked up at her again, he saw tears streaming out of her eyes - what little tears she could muster at least. She was probably dehydrated. Her entire body was shutting down and rejecting the parts of her which made her human, and without his help her body would never recover from them changing to the DNA of the dragon.
“Then I won’t let you die.” He gave her hand a squeeze and he felt a stronger surge of magic jolt through his body and into her and for the first time that evening she took in deep, full, breaths of air. She looked at him with large, hopeful, teary eyes.
“Me. I’m the cure.” He explained.
“I don’t-.” Understand.
He tried to find the words to explain his train of thought. “They say that when two people, um,” he bit his lip, “make love, that they become as one flesh - one spirit. The transition is you becoming like me, becoming one of my kind so we can some day, maybe, have children. Your body is replacing certain DNA blocks with my own so that we’re now the same species. You’re becoming a dragon. My magic might help this go easier.” He stared down at her, looking for some kind of reaction or understanding. The only thing he saw was how tired she was. “My brothers always told me their transitions were bad too, maybe even like this, but they said they stayed by their wives’ side. I think if there’s a way for me to give myself to you, that will help you.” I hope.
“You mean,” she began and once more had to finish through thought. You want to sleep with me again?
“I don’t care how it happens, I just want to help you,” he whispered. He put his other hand to her cheek and turned her face to look at his own. He felt another burst of magic go into her body. “This is enough. Just this is more than enough. Just tell me I can touch you.”
“You already are” she swallowed slowly.
“I need to touch you more. It doesn’t have to be like a lover’s touch, but just something more! I’ll save you even if you try to push me away, but it’ll be easier for us both if you let me.” He stared her in the eyes. “Please.”
Tai’s eyes wandered over him as if she were studying his every movement. After a long, and painful, moment of silence she finally nodded.
“You can lay by me,” she said with a bit more strength. “And you can touch me.”
A small sigh of relief escaped his lips and he eagerly went to his side of the bed. He crawled in and gazed down at her. “This might seem like a weird request, but can you strip down to as little clothing as you’re comfortable with?” He chewed on his lip, hoping she’d understand the logic behind the request. “It doesn’t have to be a lot, but skin to skin would be more effective.”
“Why do you want to save me so badly?” She sniffled softly. “You’ve admitted it yourself. I’m not nice to you. This would be an easy way out for both of us.”
“Don’t talk like that. I meant it when I said I loved you,” he whispered, tenderly brushing her hair from her neck. “Nothing is going to make me stop.”
Tai frowned. Slowly, she began to pull open her nightshirt. Darien shifted uncomfortably. No matter how much he may have wanted to see her body naked, he didn’t feel like it was appropriate for him to look. He averted his eyes away, not wanting to see something he knew she’d rather not have him see, and then he noticed she had on a tank top on underneath her shirt. The nightshirt was all she removed, but it was enough. Slowly, he pulled off his own shirt and then his jeans so he could settle into a pair of sleep shorts. He caught Tai glancing over to him while he changed on the bed, and he could see her cheeks flush along with hearing a rush of different thoughts. Trying to be polite, he blocked them as best as he could and only caught a handful of words. Something told him he’d be blushing too if he knew what it all meant.
“I-.”
“Don’t say anything,” he said now, curling up next to her. He put his arms around her, holding her as close as he could, and buried his face into her shoulder. Hesitantly, he planted one simple kiss on her skin, and then closed his eyes. “I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry. Sleep. I won’t leave. I promise.”
“But I want to tell you in case-.”
“There is no in case. You’ll be fine now. I promise. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Darien sighed, feeling tired and drained from the magic pouring out of him and into her. “We can talk in the morning when we both feel better.”
“Both?”
“Sleep, Tai. It’ll help.”
Chapter Nineteen
Darien watched her eat with wide and surprised eyes. Normally, Tai would feel unsettled by this, but she didn’t mind it much then. Her sudden appetite impressed even her, and she felt like she could keep eating despite already having chowed on two pieces of toast, two pancakes, and a bowl of cereal. She owed it to him, and it was sweet. She knew he was afraid for her, and afraid of hurting her more. He kept thinking it at least, but he wouldn’t vocalize his concerns. There was so much she wanted to tell him, and so much she had learned about herself in those few short days he had been gone. How much did he already know though? If he was still prying into her thoughts, he was doing a good job of not responding to them.
“Want any more?” he asked as he offered her another pancake off the stack. She shook her head, still working on the remnants on her plate, and he took it instead. He was finally eating something. He looked tired, and she felt guilty for taking all of the energy from him. “And you’re sure you’re feeling better?”
“Yeah, I’m okay. How are you feeling?”
“I feel great.”
“You look awful,” she said with a smirk.
He rolled his eyes at her and took a bite. “I’m just a little tired, but it’s not a big deal.”
“Thank you,” she said quietly. “For helping me. Even if you didn’t have to. You probably shouldn’t have.”
“Why do you think that?” He asked in-between bites. “I thought this was all my fault, and I owed it to you.” He raised an eyebrow at her pointedly before continuing with his food.
Tai chewed on her lower lip. “About that,” she said softly. “I’m still not liking this situation Darien, but I can’t keep lying to myself about it either. That whole night was so unbelievable and so,” she blushed slightly as the memory of it all came to her once more, “oddly magical. All I know is I wanted it because I was scared I’d never get the opportunity again. I mean, this gorgeous guy…” She stopped herself and watched as his lips quirked in a smile, “he tells me he’s married to me? Guys don’t want to marry me, let alone date me. What I’m trying to say is it’s not all your fault it happened. I did kiss you even if I don’t feel the same way. I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and you should have used your better judgment, but I shouldn’t have tried to use you. I know you love me, or at least that you think you do, but I don’t feel the same way.”
“I know you don’t.” His brow furrowed and he sighed. “Tai, look, this isn’t what either of us wanted. It’s been just about a week so we’re still feeling fresh wounds. We have l
ots of time. We have our whole lives.”
“That’s the thing though, Darien! I can’t live my whole life here if it’s going to feel like this. I don’t have any kind of control here. I feel trapped and suffocated inside of these walls.” Why did she feel so guilty when she saw how crushed he was? “I don’t know how to handle this. I just wanted to say it isn’t all your fault, so don’t feel so guilty all the time.”
“I will anyway,” he said. “Give me until the end of the summer. If you’re still miserable, I’ll think of some way to get you home again.” He swallowed hard. “I don’t know how I would do it. It’d be hard, but I’d try if it was what you wanted.”
She smiled at him softly. “That’s really sweet of you to at least say you’ll try. I should be realistic here though. I’m not going to be allowed to go back and we both know it.”
“I’ll still try,” he insisted. “Give me until the end of the summer, that’s all I’m asking.”
Tai chewed on her lower lip for a moment and then let out a deep sigh. “I don’t have much of a choice now do I? I’m kind of at your mercy.”
Darien moved away from her and slowly got out of bed. He took his dirty plate with him as he made his way out of the room. His body was tense and when he glanced at her on his through the door she saw how angry he was. Really Tai? Mercy? Puh-lease. What kind of a person do you think I am? “You want control? Then you can decide if you’re going to stay or go. You’re my wife, not my prisoner.”
Chapter Twenty
Legend of the Oceina Dragon (The Dragons Saga) Page 8
