by N M Thorn
She caught his icy gaze for a brief moment and averted her eyes, greeting him with a bow. “My lord, I didn’t summon you,” she seethed through clenched teeth. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”
Aidan smirked at her greeting. He could sense the fear in her, but also, he could sense the hatred and resentment. Expected.
“I would like to spend a few hours with Tessa,” replied Aidan simply. “For a few hours, I would like to take her outside the Guardians Headquarters. As a loyal and respectful member of the Guardians Order, I’m asking you to grant Tessa a short leave for the rest of the day today.” He was trying to sound sincere, but he couldn’t help it and the words “loyal and respectful” were overflowing with sarcasm.
“Of course, my lord,” grumbled Ms. Bonneville. “Let me send a guard to bring her over.”
Aidan checked his watch. It was almost 2:30 PM. “That won’t be necessary, Ms. Bonneville. Let Tessa finish her lessons. I’ll wait for her here, if you don’t mind.”
“As you wish. But do try to bring her back before midnight. The apprentices’ wing will be locked by that time… my lord.”
“I will,” promised Aidan, waving his hand at the Head Mage in a dismissive gesture. “That’ll be all. You may go now.”
“My lord,” hissed Ms. Bonneville, bowing. She pivoted on her high heels and marched out of the main hall, anger radiating around her like a stormy cloud. He followed her exit with his eyes, thinking that he gained a serious enemy in her, but somehow at this moment he couldn’t care less.
Aidan leaned on the wall, folding his arms over his chest. He sighed, checking his wristwatch again. He had to wait just thirty minutes, but the time was moving torturously slow. He closed his eyes, lowering his head to his chest.
It had been a long few days. They were trying to get everything ready for the possible attack on the city and go over their plan one more time with each member of their team. Even though they did everything they could and covered all possible options they could foresee, they both felt uneasy, driven by an eerie perception that there was something they didn’t account for. They felt that they were missing something, but none of them could point out what it was.
Submerged under the heavy burden of his thoughts and doubts, he didn’t notice how the time passed and the main hall got filled with people. He felt a soft touch to his elbow and opened his eyes. Tessa was standing in front of him. In her black apprentice’s uniform, she looked slim and delicate. She was gazing up at him, her bottomless brown eyes unobstructed by her long hair. She caught his gaze and a happy smile ignited warmth in the depth of her eyes. She was so breathtakingly beautiful that for one moment Aidan forgot everything that bothered him.
“Tessa…” he exhaled, not sure that he could take his eyes off her.
She didn’t say anything but took a step forward and encircled his waist with her arms, pressing her cheek to his chest. He hugged her, his fingers softly threading through the thick mane of her hair and softly kissed the top of her head.
“Aidan, why are you here?” she asked, pulling away from him. “Is everything okay?”
He smiled down at her, feeling slightly intoxicated by her gentle touch. “Why wouldn’t it be? All is good,” he lied, shame clenching his throat. Now he was lying to her. A while ago, she just thought that he lied to her and he almost lost her. But it was better to lose her than to endanger her life by telling her the truth.
“I don’t believe you,” she stated bluntly. “You’re a terrible liar, Aidan McGrath.”
He cupped her face with his hands and gently kissed her forehead. “Tessa, I missed you,” he said, hoping that he sounded sincere enough. After all, he did miss her every moment of every day. “I had to see you. I talked to the Head Mage, and she allowed me to take you out of the Guardians’ premises for an evening, so we could spend a few hours together.”
“She did?” asked Tessa, narrowing her eyes at him with suspicion.
“Of course, she did,” confirmed Aidan. “I would never jeopardize your position with the Guardians Order. Where would you like to go?”
She took a step back and gave him a quick once-over, disbelief still written all over her face. “Fine. Give me five minutes. I want to change into something more—um—city-appropriate.” She giggled and ran away.
Aidan gazed in the direction where she disappeared, thinking about these few hours that he would get to spend with her when he felt a light touch to his arm. He snapped his head to the side and saw Jamie, the young guard who was always helpful and kind to him.
“Jamie, hi,” he said, offering his hand for a handshake.
“Mr. McGrath, it’s nice to see you here again,” he said, shaking his hand. “Ms. Bonneville sent me here. She said to drive you and your friend anywhere you wish to go. I’m your driver and guard for the night, sir.”
“Thank you, Jamie,” replied Aidan. “Let’s wait for Tessa and then we can go.”
Jamie opened the back door of his car for them, and Aidan let Tessa in first. The young guard drove the car through the main gate and stopped.
“Where would you like to go, Mr. McGrath?” he asked, looking at him in the rearview mirror.
“Jamie, I don’t need a guard and I definitely don’t need a driver, as I’m sure you realized after my last stay here,” said Aidan, trying to sound calm and friendly.
“Yes, sir, I figured as much,” replied Jamie, chuckling. “I figured you were some powerful wizard, but it’s the order I received from Ms. Bonneville. I must follow my orders.”
“He’s not a wizard,” huffed Tessa, rolling her eyes, but Aidan put his hand on her shoulder and shook his head.
“Jamie, drive in any direction,” said Aidan. “I don’t care where you take us. I just want to spend time with Tessa.”
“Yes, sir.” Jamie turned the soft music on in the car and switched it to drive, turning right to the main road.
“Jamie, you’ve been honest and friendly so far and I want to repay you in kind,” continued Aidan as soon as they were far enough from the Guardians HQ. He whispered a spell and a hardly noticeable wave of air rushed through the car. The radio choked and fell silent. “If this car was bugged technically or magically, it no longer is. So, we can talk openly.”
“I don’t think it was bugged, sir,” said Jamie. Aidan noticed fear in the eyes of the young guard.
“Jamie, you don’t have to fear me,” he said calmly. “I swear you’re absolutely safe with me. I’m not a wizard, I’m a god. And something tells me that your role today is also not a guard and a driver.” Jamie shrunk behind the steering wheel, averting his gaze. “Did Ms. Bonneville send you with me to spy on me and report to her on all my moves? Please, be honest with me.”
Jamie parked the car on the side of the road and turned in the driver’s seat to face him. “I’m sorry, Mr. McGrath. I’m not a spy, but you’re right. Ms. Bonneville ordered me to report to her on every place you visit and everything you do. I have no choice. Besides, if I refused to do it, she would send someone else.”
“It’s okay, Jamie. Later on, tonight, you will take Tessa back to the Guardians HQ and you can honestly report to Ms. Bonneville everything you saw and every word we said. Except for this particular conversation, of course,” said Aidan peacefully. “I don’t want to put your job or your life at risk.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Jamie, his cheeks still flushed with embarrassment of his mission. “So, where can I take you?”
Aidan threw a quick glance at Tessa and a light smile quirked up his lips. “Take us to the Chicago Botanic Garden.”
“You know that it’ll be closed at five and it’s already past three,” said Jamie starting the car.
Aidan chuckled and winked. “That doesn’t bother me,” he replied, relaxing in the back seat. “I’ve heard that the Garden is beautiful after dark, when no one is there.”
Jamie parked the car in the parking lot of the Chicago Botanic Garden and walked around the car to open the do
or for Aidan.
“What would you like me to do while you’re enjoying the gardens, Mr. McGrath,” he asked without raising his eyes at Aidan, fidgeting with a leather bracelet on his left wrist. “I realize that you can teleport anywhere you wish from here, so just tell me what I should say when I’m back at the Guardians HQ.”
Aidan glanced at him, feeling bad for the young guard. Then he reached in his pocket, pulled out his wallet and found his credit card.
“Tessa, do me a favor,” he said, giving his credit card to her. “Can you please get us the tickets while I have a word with Jamie here?”
Tessa pulled away, pursing her lips. “I don’t need you to pay for my ticket, Aidan.”
“This one time, Tessa, please, just indulge me,” he said with a sigh. “You know I’m old school.”
“Yeah, old school, alright,” muttered Tessa as she turned around and marched away. “Like twenty-five hundred years old school.”
“Interesting young lady,” mumbled Jamie, following Tessa as she disappeared inside a building.
“You have no idea,” replied Aidan, chuckling. “Just don’t call her lady if you want to keep your teeth. Listen, Jamie, I don’t want you to have any problems with the Head Mage, so I’m going to tell you the truth and you can do with it whatever you want.”
“Thank you, Mr. McGrath,” said the guard, finally raising his eyes.
“However, before I say anything else, there is something I must do and you’re not going to like it. So, brace yourself,” said Aidan.
Moving quickly, he seized the young guard’s shoulder and pressed his right hand to his chest, locking his glowing eyes with his. Jamie gasped as Aidan’s power invaded his soul. A few seconds later, Aidan released him. The young guard didn’t lie to him. His soul was pure. It was a soul of an honest and loyal man. Jamie wasn’t quite pureblood human. Aidan could sense traces of magical energy in him. He was a wizard, but his magic was weak and undeveloped, and Aidan had to wonder if Jamie even knew about its existence.
“What… did you do… to me?” panted Jamie, pressing his hand to his heart.
“I’m sorry, Jamie,” said Aidan. “I had to be sure that you were honest. I read your soul. It’s one of my powers as a god.”
“I felt like you were… scanning my insides,” mumbled Jamie, slowly catching his breath.
“I was and now I know that I can trust you,” continued Aidan. “Anyway, the only reason I am here today is because I love Tessa and I want to spend a few hours with her alone, without any witnesses. Do you know what I mean?”
“Yes, sir, I understand.”
“There are no other agendas. Just that. I want to spend time with the woman I love,” added Aidan. “We’re going to go inside the gardens and walk a little. Then I will teleport her anywhere she wishes to go. I promise that I’m not going to leave the great Chicago area and we’ll meet you right here before midnight. You can do anything you want in the meantime.”
“I have to stay here, Mr. McGrath,” said Jamie. “I’m sure Ms. Bonneville is going to check the GPS in my car. So, if I’m going to tell her that you were here all this time, I have to stay here all this time.”
“Okay, then I don’t like it. I don’t want you to sit here alone in your car. With everything that’s been going on lately, it’s not safe.” Aidan reached in his pocket and pulled a small notebook and pen. He wrote an address of a hotel and tore a page out, giving it to Jamie. “While we’re in the garden, drive to this hotel and rent two rooms—one for us and one for yourself. I’ll let them know to expect you there, so they’ll charge my card for everything. Leave the key for me at the front desk. Use the second room, order yourself a nice dinner and relax. I’ll meet you at 11:30 PM in the lobby of the hotel.”
“Thank you, sir, I’ll see you later at the hotel lobby,” said Jamie, taking the note and hiding it in his pocket. Aidan noticed notes of surprise in his voice and had to wonder what the Head Mage told the young guard about him.
Aidan found Tessa inside the building and they entered the gardens. For a short while they were walking in silence. Tessa wrapped her arm around his waist, leaning into his side and he draped his arm around her shoulders, enjoying their closeness. After a little while, Tessa pulled him toward one of the benches and sat down, gesturing at him to join her.
“What are we doing here, Aidan?” she asked, gazing up into his eyes. “Why did you bring me to this place? You’re not telling me something and it makes me sick with worry.”
“Tessa, I just wanted to spend some time with you,” Aidan started to say, but she shook her head frowning.
“Aidan, I’m not a child.” She leaned forward, resting her bent elbows on her knees, staring down at her boots. “Something is going on. I feel something… I don’t understand and I didn’t have anyone to ask because Ms. Bonneville sent Missi away on assignment. But I feel something… something evil. I don’t know what it is, but it’s coming.” She bit her lip, turning her head to glance at Aidan. “I’m sure that this… evil thing… whatever it is, is the reason you’re here today. You came to say goodbye. You’re planning to fight it and you’re not sure that you can win this fight. Am I right?”
“You can feel it?” asked Aidan, a cold wave of fear spreading through his body.
Tessa nodded and leaned back, resting her head on his shoulder. “Aidan, can you tell me what’s going on? Please. Not knowing is a lot worse.”
He pulled her closer, resting his cheek atop her head. “I can’t, my love. The less you know, the safer you’re going to be,” he whispered, feeling her hand squeezing into a fist on his lap.
“So, I was right,” she said, lifting her head, and pushed him away. “You came here because you’re afraid that you’re not going to survive the fight!”
He forced a laugh, trying to look relaxed, at ease. “Come on, Tess. I’m an immortal god, remember? Nothing can happen to me. I’ll be back. I had a few hours, and I wanted to see you. That’s all.”
“Gods can be killed,” Tessa said quietly. “I’m learning, Aidan. Now I know that some gods can kill gods.”
She got up and halted in front of him, placing her hands on his shoulders, pinning his back to the bench. He glanced up at her, not sure what to expect next. She leaned forward and kissed him, hungrily and desperately, her hands moving up his neck, grabbing his hair. Passion ignited within him, every inch of his body craving her, and his hands gripped at the bench. The wood cracked loudly, and Tessa pulled away. She took in his appearance and chuckled.
“Can you afford a hotel room, old man?” she asked, brushing her fingers over his unshaved cheek. “I don’t want you destroying public property here.”
“Tessa… no…” he said, his breath quickened as her hand traveled down his chest.
A soft laugh escaped her lips. She put her knee on the bench between his legs and leaned down, wrapping her arms around his neck. She ran her lips over his cheek to his mouth, forcing his lips apart. He could hear her heart thundering in her chest, beating in unison with his.
“Tessa…” he exhaled, panting as she finally allowed him to breathe.
“You want me, Aidan, admit it. You can’t fight it,” she whispered into his ear and the touch of her warm breath to his skin sent his world spinning. Her hand traveled south over the tight muscles of his abdomen, stopping between his legs. Aidan grunted, covering her hand with his to stop her.
“Tessa…”
“Hotel, Aidan. Now,” she ordered.
Aidan got up, lifting her in his arms. “Your wish is my command, my lady,” he said, cringing inwardly at how raspy his voice sounded. He teleported from the garden and manifested a moment later in the back of the Hilton Hotel.
The key to the room was waiting for him at the front desk. He smiled, in his mind thanking Jamie for renting the room. They took the elevator to the eighth floor. As soon as the elevator door closed behind them, Aidan pushed Tessa against the mirrored wall and kissed her. Her breath caught as she responded eage
rly to his kiss, and he smiled over her lips.
“I can play this game too.” He smiled gazing down at her foggy dark eyes, gently tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. The elevator stopped, and they made their way to their room.
The room wasn’t big with a queen-size bed taking most of the space. Tessa sat down on the bed and glanced up at Aidan, a dazed smile playing on her lips. For a moment, freezing fear gripped his heart, with merciless clarity reminding him what would happen if they lost the battle with Chaos. Ruled by the Lord of Chaos, the world would never be the same. Love, happiness, kindness, everything good that existed now would be destroyed. He would never see Tessa again.
“Aidan, what’s wrong?”
Tessa’s voice, filled with concern, brought him back. He took a step forward, dropping to his knees before her and hid his face in her lap. His arms wrapped around her waist and he froze, hardly breathing.
“Aidan, I understand you don’t want to tell me what’s going on,” said Tessa, her fingers slowly threading through his hair. “I can see that it’s something serious—”
“Tessa, please, don’t ask any questions,” he pleaded, lifting his head to see her. “I don’t want to talk about it. Tonight, I just want to be with you. We have but a few hours together, my love.”
She nodded, her eyes like two round mirrors reflecting his torment and despair. “I’m not going to ask any questions,” she whispered, leaning forward and gently kissing his forehead. She took the lapels of his jacket and pulled it off, gazing down at him. Then she slowly unbuttoned his shirt, exposing his chest. “Take your clothes off, Aidan.”
“Tessa, no. You don’t have to do it,” he said quietly, averting his gaze. “This is not why I’m here.”
“I know I don’t have to do it.” She shrugged. “You told me that my wish is your command, didn’t you?”
