by Mandi Oyster
Squeezing my hand, he said, “I’ll follow.” He brushed his lips over mine, then walked to his car.
My hand shook when I reached for my seatbelt. It took several tries before I finally heard it click into place. Three hours. A glance at Cody let me know he was as worried about the trip as I was. I took a deep breath, smiled at my parents, and backed out of the driveway, cranking the radio to drown out my thoughts.
Every movement, every cloud that passed over the sun, temporarily darkening the sky, made me clench the wheel tighter and glance at the passenger seat.
My fingers were stiff. My shoulders ached. My pulse pounded.
When we pulled into the dorm’s parking lot, Sarah was waiting for us. “Right on time,” she said as I stepped out. “I gather your trip was uneventful.”
“Nothing bad happened.” I flexed my fingers and stared at the mountains.
The power and beauty of nature rejuvenated me. The tension in my shoulders lessened. The snow-covered mountains rose to the clear blue sky. Fluffy white clouds drifted above them, casting their shadows over the flower-covered ground. Marmots sunned themselves from the safety of boulders. The air smelled fresh and clean, and there was a crispness to it that could not be found at lower elevations.
“It’s good to have you here.” Sarah patted my back. “It’ll be better for you to be away from your parents until your nightmares stop. It’s also probably best if they don’t get in Mavros’ way.”
Cody slid his arm over my shoulders. “That had me worried.”
“Me too.” I closed my eyes and tried to pull myself together. “The panther attacked me twice, and Mavros approached me three times. Sooner or later, he would’ve threatened my parents.”
“Hopefully, he’ll stay away from Bittersweet now that you’re here.” Sarah walked toward the dorm, jiggling her keys as she searched for the right one.
We followed behind her. I was glad to be back on campus. I’d faced two monsters here and walked away. I could do it again.
Sarah stuck the key in the lock. “I want the two of you to stay together, and don’t go out after dark unless Aurelia is with you.”
“I’ll do my best to keep Dacia safe.” Cody held the door open for us.
I strode in. “I’ll do my best to keep everyone safe without endangering myself in the process.”
“Let me know if you need anything.” Sarah stayed outside, looking over her shoulder toward her office. “I have a lot to catch up on before classes resume next week, so I’ll be spending most of my time in my office.”
“Thanks, Sarah. I appreciate you talking my parents into letting me come back.” I stepped outside and gave her a hug.
“Just stay safe. That will be thanks enough.” She smiled and hurried off.
Cody and I made several trips to our vehicles, carrying everything in. I unpacked a few things before deciding it didn’t all have to be done today.
“So whatcha wanna do?” Cody plopped down on the couch, throwing his arm over the back of it.
Sitting beside him, I said, “It’s getting late.” I rubbed his leg. The feel of his skin against mine helped soothe me. “The room is blessed, so if Aurelia’s right, Mavros can’t get in here.”
“So we stay.” Cody ran his fingers along my jaw, and I leaned into his touch. He stood, turning his back to me. “Movie?”
My eyebrows pinched together, and I stared at his back. His muscles were tense, his posture rigid. “Sure.”
Cody walked over to a box and pulled out the first movie he saw. He stuck it in the DVD player and sat in Cookie Monster.
What’d I do? I tilted my head and looked at him.
He ran his hand down his face. “I made a promise.” He folded his hands together and looked at the ground. “Can’t get carried away.”
“We won’t.” I rubbed my arms. “I’m not ready … not yet.”
He sat beside me, pulling me against him. “I am.” He brushed my hair back. “Won’t push you, though.”
Halfway through the movie, there was a knock on the door. “C—”
Cody clamped his hand over my mouth. “No invitations.” He walked to the door and looked through the peephole. Opening it, he said, “Hey, Aurelia.”
“Any luck?” I stood, facing them.
She stepped into the room and pulled the door closed. “No, the elders were in meetings and would not see me. I looked through the archives but found nothing. I will keep searching until they grant an audience with me.” She walked to the window and stared outside. “Arion would like to see you tonight. He will meet you here at dusk if that is okay with you.”
I lifted my shoulders. It would be dark soon, but Arion would keep me safe. “Yeah, I’d like to see him.”
Cody frowned at me. “You forgetting?” He turned to Aurelia. “Sarah doesn’t want us out late without you.”
“That seems reasonable.” Aurelia brushed imaginary lint off her navy blouse. “However, Dacia will be safe with Arion.”
i
Arion—a pegasus who owed his life to Aurelia—and I walked along the beach at Falcon Lake. Aurelia had already explained to him what was going on with Mavros, but he wanted to hear it from me. I didn’t mind retelling my story to him. He had a comforting presence that made me feel safe.
Stars filled the evening sky, and the moon reminded me of the Cheshire Cat’s smile, reflecting on the cascading waves. A cool breeze blew over Falcon Lake, and a shiver ran down my spine. Along with it came an ominous feeling.
I stopped walking and stared into the trees. “Arion, we need to leave now.”
“What is it?” His ears perked up, and I knew he was listening for some previously unheard sign of danger.
“Just a feeling,” I told him. “I think something bad is going to happen.”
“Climb on. I will get you out of here.”
I turned to hoist myself onto his back, and the giant panther sprang. It grabbed Arion by the throat. My first impulse was to scream in terror and run, but I held my ground. Lightning bolts shot from my fingertips, hitting the beast in rapid succession. It turned its back on Arion and stalked toward me. Blood dripped from its fangs, and a fierce snarl tore through the night air.
The beast leaped forward. Its front paws landed on my shoulders, knocking me to the ground where I was pinned by the enormous cat. Its teeth grazed my throat.
As I awaited my death, the panther transformed. Human hands pressed down on my shoulders. Slowly, the beast became Mavros. His lips brushed my neck, and my body relaxed. My fear gave way to desire. I lifted my hand to brush it against his face.
Arion whimpered, and I focused on him. Blood stained his shimmering fur.
Mavros’ mouth moved against my ear, his breath sent shivers through my body. “We don’t have to be enemies, Dacia. Things could be different between us.”
My body urged me to succumb to him, but I fought the impulse. “You tried to kill my friend. How does that make us anything but enemies?”
“That wasn’t my fault.” His voice was flat, matter-of-fact. “How can I be blamed for my instincts? Panthers eat horses.”
“You’re not a panther,” I snarled through clenched teeth, “and Arion is not a horse!”
“Pegasus—” he skimmed the tip of his nose along my jaw, and my body shivered “—horse … they both taste the same.”
Frost coated the ground next to me. My breath fogged the night air. Then my body literally turned to ice.
Mavros threw himself off me and yelled, “Damn it, Dacia!” His handsome features turned hard and angry. At that moment, I was sure that if he could touch me, he’d kill me.
It took all I had to hold my fear at bay. I knew if I gave in to it, I wouldn’t be able to stay frozen. I walked to Arion, keeping Mavros in sight.
“Don’t. Touch. The. Horse. Dacia.” His voice was a harsh growl, causing me to tremble with fear.
“He is not a horse!” I threw my arms around Arion’s neck and teleported to Aurelia’s lair. Treasure-filled the cavern, but the only thing I cared about was Arion. His breaths were shallow. Blood still pulsed from his neck.
I held my hand over his shredded flesh and thought about life. When the flow of blood lessened, I called for Aurelia. I need your help. Arion is dying. Within seconds, Aurelia was at my side. We both concentrated our healing powers on Arion. When we finished, his breathing was harsh but steady.
Sitting back, I knocked down a stack of gold coins. They tinkled over each other as they tumbled to the ground. “I’m sorry I didn’t keep him safe.”
“This is not your fault.” Aurelia squeezed my shoulder. “It is mine. I should have gone with you.”
I didn’t agree with her, but now wasn’t the time to get into it. “I hope it’s okay I brought him here.” I didn’t know what she’d think of me coming to her lair uninvited. “I needed someplace we wouldn’t be seen.”
Her lips pulled back, and her pupils slitted. Then she shook her head. She must’ve been fighting some internal battle. “It was good thinking. What happened to him, though?”
“Mavros is the panther.” I held my head in my hands. “He snuck up on us and went straight for Arion’s jugular.”
“I wonder why he went after him, not you.”
“He said it was instinct.” I stared at the gold and jewels until they blurred. “But, I think he was getting him out of the way so I’d be alone with him. He called Arion a horse, and that infuriated me.” I ground my teeth together, feeling the ire build in me again. “I froze.”
“Dacia, fear—”
“No, Aurelia.” I shook my head. “I wasn’t scared. I turned into a giant ice cube.” I remembered Mavros’ body pressing against mine, his hard muscles, and gentle caresses.
Aurelia’s eyes widened. “You found one of his weaknesses. Ice. I should have guessed.”
My lungs filled to near bursting, and a smile spread across my face. “Yeah, I did.” With a way to fight him, maybe I could keep my friends safe. “Mavros was touching me when I did it. It burned him or hurt him somehow. He couldn’t come near me. I rushed over to Arion and teleported him here.”
“Thank you for saving his life.” Aurelia held her hand over her heart. “It means as much to me as if you had saved my own.”
“You’re welcome, Aurelia.” I stood up. “I should get back to Cody. He’s alone, and I don’t like it.”
She looked from me to Arion. “I am going to stay here tonight. He needs me more than you do.”
“Keep him safe.” I teleported back to my room and found Cody pacing the floor.
He rushed toward me. “So much blood.” He held me at arm’s length, scanning every inch of me.
I looked down and noticed for the first time that my shirt and arms were coated in Arion’s blood. “It’s not mine.”
His glance settled on mine. “Whose? You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
His fingers brushed my neck. “This yours?”
“Arion’s.” I remembered the panther’s fangs brushing my throat, then Mavros’ lips. My face flared with heat. “Let me wash this off, and I’ll tell you everything.”
I sat in Big Bird, not sure if Cody would want to be beside me. Staring at the lilac carpet, I replayed the evening’s events, trying not to leave out anything. “If Mavros is willing to hurt Arion, I’m afraid to leave you alone for even a minute.”
He knelt in front of me, lowering his head to look into my eyes. “Don’t worry ‘bout me. I’ll be all right.”
“I’ll worry. I can’t live without you.” I kissed his cheek.
He pulled me onto his lap and pressed his lips to mine. Our kiss deepened, becoming more passionate.
When he drew back, I couldn’t help but compare it to Mavros’ kisses. With Cody, I felt eternal love and passion. With Mavros, it was all about desire and control. As long as I could keep my head when I was around him, it was possible Mavros would never touch me again, let alone kiss me.
Cody and I curled up on the couch together and drifted off to sleep. My last coherent thought was whether or not Cody could keep my nightmares away again tonight.
Chapter 11
Sunrise, Sunset
Cody and I walk hand-in-hand along Falcon Lake. The waves wash over my bare feet. Sunset turns the clouds a soft pink. Within minutes the entire sky is ablaze with reds, oranges, pinks, and yellows. The sunset reflects on the surface of the lake. A crescent moon rises in the East. I stop walking to take it all in.
“This is beautiful,” I say in a soft whisper. “Sunset is my favorite time of day.”
“Sunrises are good.”
“Yeah, they just come a little too early for my liking.”
“Used to.” He stands behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Don’t sleep like you did. Saturdays in high school I’d call at noon, and you were sleeping.”
“I miss those days.” I fold my arms over his. “Sleeping ‘til noon was nice.”
He chuckles softly. “You’re up before me now.”
“Only because I’m too scared to sleep.” I gaze at the magnificent display Mother Nature is putting on, wishing I could get lost in it.
He rests his head on mine. “Why are you scared to sleep?” His voice turns silky.
My heart slams to a stop. The breath catches in my throat. No. How? Trapped in his embrace, I turn slowly, knowing I’m not going to like what I see.
Mavros’ dark eyes stare into mine. The heat of his body and the scorching intensity in his eyes burn all thoughts of Cody from my mind.
“Nightmares,” I answer.
“Dacia,” he says, not relinquishing his gaze on me, “I want you to promise me something.”
“Anything,” I answer in a husky voice. I’ll do anything to keep this beautiful man next to me.
“Promise you’ll never freeze yourself again when I’m around.”
The anger in his voice makes me recoil. I don’t want him to be angry with me. “I promise, Mavros.”
“Promise what?”
I cock my head to the side. Why’s he acting so weird?
He clutches my arms. “Tell me what you promise.”
“I promise, Mavros ...”
His grip tightens and excitement lights his eyes.
“… I will never freeze myself when you are around again.”
“Do you realize you cannot break a promise that you make to me?” He radiates smugness.
My eyebrows pinch together. “No, but why would I?”
He brushes the hair off my face. His fingers are tender now. “You’ll try, but you won’t be able to. Since this is a dream, if you wouldn’t have said my name, you might’ve found a way around it, but now you’re bound.”
“What do you mean this is a dream? Sometimes you don’t make any sense. Besides, I don’t want to break any promises that I make to you.” I snuggle against him. “I just want you to hold me and watch the sunset with me. It’s almost as beautiful as you are.”
Leaning forward, he kisses me on the forehead. “Dacia, my love, you amuse me sometimes.”
“I’m glad I make you happy.” I rest my head against his shoulder. His skin is so warm I can feel it burning through his black silk shirt. “Do you always wear black?”
“Yes.” He smiles. “It suits me.”
“Dark and mysterious,” I murmur, “or tall, dark, and handsome. They both suit you.”
“I need you to do something else for me.”
“Anything.”
His lips pull up in a smirk. “Forget what we were talking about. Forge
t the promise you made me.”
Chapter 12
Trapped By Fear
Morning was not my favorite time of the day, but waking up in Cody’s arms made it more enjoyable. I opened my eyes and found him watching me. “How’d ya sleep?”
“Pretty good, I had a weird dream, but it wasn’t a nightmare.” My eyebrows pinched together. Parts of the dream flitted away, and the harder I fought to remember, the more I lost. “I was standing on the beach with you. Then you turned into Mavros, but he didn’t try to hurt me or anything.”
Cody’s expression grew pained for an instant, but he quickly covered it up. I knew he didn’t like me dreaming about Mavros, and I understood that. “How’d you sleep?”
“Really well.” A soft smile spread across his face, making him look boyish. “Could get used to this. Sarah’ll let me stay ‘til this blows over.”
“Yeah, and afterward there’ll be another monster trying to kill me or something. You’ll always be watching over me, making sure I don’t sneak out or get hurt.”
He blew out a breath. “There’s always that.” Wrapping his arms around me, he drew me against him.
My arm throbbed under his grip. “Ouch.”
“What?” He jerked his hand back.
I tugged my sleeve up. A bruise in the shape of a hand wrapped around the top of my arm. I pulled my other sleeve up and found a matching bruise there. Closing my eyes, I tried to focus on the details of my dream, but it became foggier. “I don’t know where they’re from.” I lay down next to him, resting my head on his chest. The beat of his heart steadied me.
“You always remember.” He shook his head. “Even when they kill you.”
“But I don’t.” I tugged my hand through tangled curls, trying to remember, but nothing came to mind. I shook my head. “I need to find out how Arion is.” I needed to do something other than lie there thinking about what waited in the shadows for me.
