“Oh shit,” Lia whispered as she finally saw. “Alex. Alex, come here.”
Steady footsteps and then, “Darbster?”
She hated that nickname.
“We need to get them out of there.”
Alex walked into the room and a weight lifted from the bed. Dacea flicked his eyes up and caught Alex carrying Hailey out of the room. Her face was swollen and blotchy from sobbing. She didn’t say anything, just looked at him with the same lost expression as he had. Her lip quivered and she exhaled a shaky huff of a breath.
“Shhhh, Hailey. Let’s get you on the couch. Baby, can you get some tea started or something. They are in shock.”
Lia had been standing in the bedroom with Dacea. She left silently.
Dacea knew he would have to put her down soon. He knew that they needed to prepare her but he couldn’t let go just yet.
“Darby,” he whispered in her ear. “I’m going to miss the hell out of you.”
When Alex came back in, Dacea’s forehead was touching Darby’s. She was cold. Her body had gone stiff and she was heavy in his arms. He didn’t like that she was cold. The past few months as her body withered away, she had always been cold.
“Dacea, you need to let her go now.” Alex’s hand came down on his shoulder. The contact had him sucking in a breath. He was right, Dacea knew he was right. But he couldn’t put her down, not yet.
I don’t want to do this.
“Come on buddy.” Alex lifted Darby out of his arms and laid her back in bed. He covered her with the quilt and helped Dacea stand. Lia was back in the doorway. Her eyes red with tears.
“I’ll watch over her,” she promised.
He nodded. His voice was raw and he had to clear it to get the words out. “Thank you.”
Hailey was on the couch. She had a mug in her hand and was sipping its contents. When she saw him, tears began to flow again down her face. Dacea shrugged off Alex’s guiding hand and went to her. He wrapped her in his arms and let her cry. She clung to him, her fingers fisting his t-shirt. Dacea didn’t say anything because he had nothing consoling to say. He understood her pain, he felt it too.
Alex sat on the coffee table in front of them. Hailey had a few hiccupping breaths before pulling away from him. She didn’t go far. He sensed her need for him was as strong as he needed her. She laid her head in Dacea’s lap. He stroked her hair with one hand the other entwined with hers.
“How did this happen?” Alex asked, his elbow resting on his knees as he leaned forward.
“Lennox took her.”
Hailey turned in his lap and stared up at him with such concern. It warmed him. “Lennox is dead,” she said softly.
Dacea shook his head. “He came for her last night. I can smell him here. His scent has been long gone from these walls but I can smell him clearly again. He was here, he took her with him.”
Alex nodded in understanding. Hailey didn’t get it, not yet, but Alex did. He looked back at the room where Lia was. “Good. I know it sucks for the rest of us who loved her but that’s where she belonged all this time.”
Dacea knew that, but it still hurt like hell.
“What now?” Hailey asked. Her eyes were wide. So full of trust and fear and so much heartache.
Dacea leaned over and kissed her. “Now we take her home and give her a proper dragon burial.”
Chapter Eleven
Dak had gotten up and left, leaving Hailey with Alex. Today was supposed to be an exuberant day but instead had become one of misery. Of all the endings she could have imagined, sitting there with clammy reddened skin and puffy eyes while her friend’s body laid silently on her bed was not one of them.
“Where did he go?” she asked Alex.
“I’d imagine to start preparations.”
She nodded. Hailey had seen a lot of dragon funeral pyres over the winter. When the council had been attacking their dragons, Dacea made sure that every one of them who died was put to rest honorably and respectfully. Coincidentally, the first one she had ever seen had taken place right here at Darby’s cabin. It seemed like a lifetime ago.
“Should we help?”
“No,” he said with a shake of the head. “Let him do this. He needs it.”
An hour later he came back. Dak’s hair was wet with sweat. He had removed his shirt and parts of his bare chest were still sticky with it while others were caked in dried dirt. The sweatpants she had given him were once a black, but now a dusty brown. No hole should have made him that dirty. Had he been digging with his bare hands?
He wiped at his forehead and smudged a line of sweat soaked dirt across his head. “It’s ready.”
Alex stood and gripped him on the shoulder. “I think maybe you should shower first,” he said in a hushed tone. “She deserves as much.”
Dak looked down at himself, his hands splayed wide in the air in front of him. “Yeah, that's a good idea. I’ll be out in a minute.” With a fleeting look to Hailey, he turned down the hallway. His steps faltered outside of Darby’s door. Hailey began towards him but Alex stopped her with a hand on her arm.
“Just give him a minute.”
They waited. Dak never turned to look at them watching, but kept his eyes turned towards the room. It took him a minute but his chest rose and feel in a deep breath and the moment was broken.
After the bathroom door closed and the shower turned on, Alex let her go. “Now, you can go to him.” Hailey looked curiously up at Alex. “If it were me and I just dug the hole where my best friend was going to be burned to ashes, I’d need a little comfort right about now. I wouldn’t ask for it, but I’d still need it. Go.” He pushed her towards the hallway and shooed her along with his hands.
Hailey couldn’t help herself from looking into the room. Lia sat with Darby on the bed. From here it only looked like she was sleeping, dreaming of happy things. Lia held her hand but wasn’t looking at her, she was staring out the window into the night. Hailey left them to their privacy and opened the door to the bathroom. Steam surrounded her. Dak’s filthy clothes were in a pile on the bathmat. She stepped over them and stripped from her own. Hailey folded hers and left them on the sink. Hailey pulled back the shower curtain and step in behind Dak. His arms were flexed tight, his hands braced on the wall. The water, just under scolding hot, beat down on him from above. He hadn’t seen or heard her come in. His head hung low between his outstretched arms.
She was hesitant to touch him. Between his posture and his closed off attitude, it was hard to tell if her touch would be welcome.
But she did. Alex was right, he needed someone.
Hailey laid her hand, flat and whole on his back. His muscles tensed for a moment then relaxed completely. She stepped into him, her hands wrapping around his stomach, her cheek resting against his back. One of his hands left the wall and touched hers. They stayed like that for a minute longer before he straightened and turned around in her arms. Dak held her so tightly she thought she might break. Then again, she was doing the same to him. They were holding each other up.
“Céile,” he said with so much unspoken emotion. “I’m so sorry.”
“No need to be sorry. This is where we belong. Not at home putting on a happy face.”
He nodded. His hands traveled her face, his finger tips brushing so softly against her cheekbones, eyes and lips. When her lips parted he kissed her gently.
“Come on,” he said. His forehead resting on hers. “Let’s finish this.”
*****
Lia had prepped Darby while he was in the shower putting himself back together. Hailey was a welcomed surprise. He helped her dress and then sent her out to get him some clean clothes from his closet. She did, also coming back with a blue shirt she had previously forgotten her. Her eyes were bright with the happiness of a simple pleasure.
“I thought I lost this one.”
Her smile gave his own heart something to be happy about. Hailey, his Hailey, was what he would use to move on from this and Darby knew that. She
knew that he had someone now. The realization was a warm one. Darby, always looking out for him.
He refused Alex’s offer to carry her out. Dacea wasn’t going to give up his last chance to hold her. He had chosen a spot in the forest that he knew she liked to go. There was nothing at all remarkable about the spot, but only a feeling she had when there. Dacea had also placed candles to light the path there. It had been done only to light their way but now as they walked together to give Darby her final rest, he found it to be a gothic kind of beauty. The way the lights flickered and swayed in the breeze illuminated the forest. Her mountain was alive tonight. It was alive and it was celebrating the life of one of their own.
He kissed her head and smiled. “I love you and it seems many other did too.”
At the shallow hole, he knelt and laid her softly in the dirt. She was at peace and that comforted him. As much as he didn’t want to lose her, he knew this to be what she had wanted and had been waiting for. “Be still,” he told her with one last touch.
Hailey, Lia and Alex waited behind him. He went to Hailey and entwined his fingers with hers. “Darby I’m going to make this short because I know you don’t like lengthy goodbyes.” Considering her spent the last six hours morning over her body, he’d say this goodbye was over the limit for her already.
“I figured it out earlier. Why you stayed as long as you did. You wanted to know I’d be taken care of. Well,” he looked at Hailey, “I am. I am being take care of and loved beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Go be with your Mate and tell Lennox I say hello. Then punch him in the arm for taking you from me.”
Hailey laid her head against his shoulder. “Good bye Darby. You were the sister I never had, nor wanted and I love you for it.”
Dacea felt lighter in the end. When he flicked a spark of fire from his fingertips onto her, he stopped mourning her and started to celebrate her as the rest of the forest was doing. She was beautiful soul and his time with her would live in his heart forever.
Chapter Twelve
Over the last week, Hailey had the opportunity to experience Dak in a wide variety stages of grief and emotions. He’d be fine, until he wasn’t. He hadn’t really laughed at all but his smiles were genuine. She’d catch him staring off into space then go into overdrive with work in the span of seconds. All in all, he was fighting a battle he couldn’t win.
Hailey’s heart was breaking for him.
But she was also ready to slap the shit out of him.
Every time she brought up rescheduling the Mating, he had an excuse as to why they couldn’t talk about it right then.
“Hold on Céile, I have to make a phone call to the Council.”
“Can we talk about this later? Silas is waiting for me.”
“Please, not now. I just can’t right not.”
Well, she was tired of waiting.
In her old cottage at the back of the property next to Dane’s, Hailey invited Lia, Alex, Dane and Silas. It was tricky getting everyone there without Dak’s knowledge and they only had a short window of time to get this done. Then again, he was out of it and probably wouldn’t notice.
The cottage had been packed up in the recent weeks and everything moved inside the big house. Dak had it turned back into a guest house but the other day he had mentioned about asking her father to move in. It had both surprised and intrigued her. Having him closer would be a change, for everyone. Dak was offering to give up their secret to him and allow him to live there only if she thought he could handle it.
It had taken some thinking, but Hailey believed he could. He used to read her and Josh bedtime stories. They were always fantastical. The Chronicles of Narnia, The Golden Compass, The Hobbit were all regulars. He had a thing for fantasy and she believed that would allow him to handle it all better than someone like her mother.
“Dane just got here,” Lia said popping her head in. Hailey nodded and closed her old bedroom door.
“So Hailey, what mischievous plans do you have for us today?” Silas asked from his seat at the table as she walked in.
“A mating. Specifically, my mating, to Dak. It needs to happen and he is being a giant Asshat and avoiding the topic at all costs.”
A few of them nodded, knowing exactly what she was talking about. She had asked Lia and Silas to bring up the topic as well to see what he would do. Dak avoided it or ignored it like they hadn’t asked every single time.
“So I want to plan it, something small and quick. I don’t want to tell him about it until he is literally standing there saying his vows.” Hailey laughed not putting it together sooner. “Kinda like what he had planned for me.”
“I approve,” Lia said automatically. “Darby would be kicking his butt right now for putting it off. That’s not what she wanted.”
Hailey looked around at everyone else and they all agreed, the faster they got him out of this funk, the better.
Lia enlisted the help of her sisters. The Muses had been a help to them before and once more came to the rescue. They were on the details of flowers, decorations, location and in two days, would prep her. Dane was to keep Dak distracted for the next two days. Alex was to get ordained online. And Silas was with Hailey helping doing everything else.
Dak had so much in his own head that keeping him oblivious to it all was entirely too easy. It actually pissed her off at times. Part of her wanted to be caught, that way they could do this right, do this together, but then she also liked the idea of a surprise. Mainly she was just excited to see his face.
Silas had cleared Dak’s schedule. He had taken the calls or meeting himself if they refused to reschedule. Most did find a new time not wanting to deal with him and his snarky attitude. Having a feared older brother came in handy sometimes. He also worked closely with Dane to screen his calls and keep him away from his email. Last thing they needed was Dak slipping off at the last minute to go deal with some red dragon thing.
Hailey had called the revised guest list. It was going to be very small and personable. Those in the house, the other Sept leaders and a few of the Council members they actually liked and her father would all be attending. They all knew the details of the cancellation and short notice on the new day and time. All of them understood and were very sweet about it. Of course, she also knew how to butter them all up so really, they never stood a chance.
The wedding was going to take place in the backyard. The Muses had done an outstanding job of it and Hailey was blown away by the beauty. It was simple, which is what she wanted, but not lacking elegance. White twinkle lights were the main staple, they covered the trees and lined the pathways. The yard seemed to glow in the early evening, by twilight it would look like stars. Some lace and ivory ribbons accented when needed and a dozen chairs had been sat out for the guests.
“You like?” Lia asked from behind her.
Hailey turned and pulled her friend into a hug. “I love. It’s perfect.”
“You look pretty perfect yourself. That was definitely the right dress.” Lia had her turn so she could get the full picture. “Chloe did a great job on your hair.”
“They all did a great job. Thank them again for me. You know they didn’t have to leave, right?”
She nodded and waved away her concern. “Yeah, they wanted too. They may be a nuisance to me but they know when to back off for other people, especially non family members.”
Silas and Alex came around the corner and stopped to take it all in. Alex beamed at Hailey and Lia giving two thumbs up while Silas just nodded.
“It doesn’t suck,” he finally said after a moment.
She was taking that as a win.
The guests all arrived at once. Dane was leading them back and Hailey scurried away so not to be seen. She was still a bride and still a woman. So she wanted all those eyes on her when she came down that aisle.
Silas was right behind her, blocking her from the guests and led her into the cottage. “You look beautiful,” he said full of sincerity when they were alone.
Hailey beamed at him. “Thank you. You look, like you always do. Perfectly put together.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“As you should. Now, where is my dad? I didn’t see him earlier.” She was peeking out the windows. The jittery feeling she had been pushing aside for two days was back and she let it consume her this time. They were happy jitters and ones she was going to ride high.
“He can’t come,” Silas said cautiously. Hailey turned from the window and frowned. Well, that sucked. “Apparently there was a dispute with your mother at the attorney’s office and he is being delayed.”
“She’s probably doing it on purpose,” Hailey grumbled but not really surprised.
“That is my assumption as well.”
James had been going to walk her down the aisle but plans change. On something like this, a surprise wedding on the fly, she had to just go with the flow. “Looks like you are up,” she told Silas while looking him over. “Think you can handle it? It’s a big responsibility after all.”
He raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Handle what?”
She raised her chin. “Walking me down the aisle.”
Silas smiled, truly smiled big and wholeheartedly. “I think I can do that.”
*****
Dacea put down his pen and rubbed his head. He’d been a jerk these past few days. He knew it yet somehow he couldn’t stop avoiding and dodging everyone. But it was Hailey that he felt the most remorse for. God, they were supposed to be on vacation right now. What did they call it? Honeymooning? Ireland to start and then to a small island in the Caribbean that Antonius, the head of Blue, owned. This was not supposed to be how they started off their life together.
The Hailey Holloway Complete Series Page 57
