Survival, a YA Paranormal Romance (The Guardians of Vesturon Series, Book #1)

by A.M. Hargrove

  “Are you trying to destroy that thing?”

  “Just getting rid of some frustrations.”

  He grabbed a towel to wipe the dripping sweat from his face.

  “Talk?”

  “Nothing to say.”

  “Look, Xarrid, I am sorry for not telling you about all of this. The only reason I went to Therron was because he is the next in line. If I am stripped of rank, it is Therron who has to take over, and he needed to be prepared for that.”

  Rayn walked up to Xarrid, and faced him eye to eye.

  “I get that! I really do. What I do not get is the why part. Why are you doing this? I know you feel responsible for her in some outlandish way. But you are destroying this family and everything we have here.” His fury was palpable.

  “Xarrid, I do not expect you to understand this, but in some, impossibly strange way we have connected. It is not just attraction or pity or even responsibility. She is inside of me, in my heart, my mind, my soul. Every waking minute. Bloody hell, Xarrid, even in my dreams she is ever present. For weeks and weeks, this tormented me. I wanted to walk away from it all, leave and never return to her. You know the story. I did not make this decision without thought or in haste, and I am not asking you to like it. If it bothers you so much I will not even ask for your support or for you to be there when I pledge myself to her before all the others. I would only ask this and that is that you treat her with respect.” Rayn reached out to put his hand on Xarrid’s shoulder.

  Xarrid backed away from him, shaking his head. He could see the pain in Rayn’s eyes, the pain that stemmed from him not understanding, not accepting, and from the conflict Rayn had endured. Yet, Xarrid could not accept this. This was the destruction of something so monumental that it was inconceivable.

  “I am sorry, my liege. I cannot do that. I cannot respect her for what has transpired between all of us. It would be best if I would not be present here.” He bowed and quickly left the room, leaving Rayn to face his misery alone.

  He remained alone in the gym for some time, but was keenly aware of when Xarrid left the house. Eventually Therron came down and found him.

  “He left. Said it would be better if he were not here. He has gone out on patrol and said he did not know when he would be back. I am sorry, Rayn. He will not allow himself to understand this,” Therron said with regret.

  Rayn just nodded, despair in his eyes. “I am sorry too, Therron. But it does not change a thing for me.” Rayn stood up. “Are Rykerian and Tesslar back?” At Therron’s nod, he continued, “What about Sharra?”

  “She is here too.”

  “Can you gather everyone in the den? We need to talk.”

  Therron left the gym, hoping to have everyone else there by the time Rayn came up.

  When Rayn entered the den, they were all stretched out in the chairs and sofas. They all stood as he sauntered in.

  “Thank you for coming here. I know you all are aware how Xarrid feels about my situation with Maddie,” he began. “I am sorrier than I can say. Therron told me he has spoken to you, and I just wanted to add a few things. Please hear me out, and after I am finished, I will answer any questions you may have.”

  He wanted them to know how things stood between himself and Maddie and told them he was going to pledge his protection to her when their father arrived. He also requested their presence. He let them know about Maddie’s refusal to unite with him, her commitment to him and her request for more time.

  The silence was unnerving. Rayn had never seen his family so quiet. Suddenly, everyone began speaking at once. Then silence, and then laughter, of all things.

  Rayn finally urged Rykerian to start. He explained that they had discussed the ramifications of everything and they all realized, with the exception of Xarrid, that this was out of even Rayn’s hands. His loyalty to his family, Vesturon, and the Guardians had always come first for him, and this, in no way, was something he would ignore.

  “We know you would never forsake us and that you do this with honor in your heart.”

  The entire family placed their hands over their hearts, and in unison, they promised in the Ancient Tongue, “Brother of ours, we will stand at your back and protect you always. If this female is worthy of your love and honor, she, too will have our protection.”

  Therron continued, “And, Rayn, we will take care of her with the utmost respect if you are separated from her.”

  What remained unsaid was they would be willing to do this in the event of Rayn’s return to, and imprisonment on, Vesturon.

  “I will never be able to repay you for this oath, and I thank you for that.”

  The remainder of the discussion centered on what would most likely happen when their father arrived and how Therron would assume Rayn’s role as Leader.

  “I need to head back upstairs. I left Maddie up there to shower. I am sure she is wondering what happened to me,” he said as he headed out the room.

  Chapter 12

  Rayn entered the bedroom quietly. It was silent, and the draperies were drawn. He correctly assumed Maddie was asleep. The gigantic bed dwarfed her, and his lips turned up in a smile to see her curled up in a tight ball. What in the name of the Deity was she wearing? It looked like...ha! She had on his formal Ceremonial Gown!

  I wonder why she put that on?

  Rayn leaned over her and started whispering words of love in her ear. She slowly opened her eyes and flashed him a heart-stopping smile.

  Utterly beautiful. Like the soft glow of the morning sun. She has captured my heart and soul.

  “Wake up, Sunshine!”

  “Mmm. That was a great nap. How long have I been asleep?” She stretched her long slender legs out from under her.

  “Only a few hours.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  She hopped off the bed and ran to the windows, pushed open the curtains to see the sun setting.

  “I must’ve been exhausted. I don’t ever take naps like that.”

  “Your body is still mending. That can cause fatigue.”

  “I suppose so.”

  “Er, Maddie, what are you wearing?”

  She glanced down and remembered that she had rummaged through Rayn’s closet in search of something to wear. She grabbed both sides of the gown and said, “Oh, I hope you don’t mind, but I borrowed this. And, I sort of tore up your closet a bit. I was looking for something to wear, but you know, you’re really huge. I couldn’t find anything that fit. I mean I couldn’t find anything that would even stay on.”

  “Why did you need to borrow clothes?”

  “Well, duh. Maybe it’s because I don’t have any. I left home without packing anything,” she reminded him.

  “Oh, forgive me! I did not even think of that. How thoughtless of me.”

  “I didn’t even think of it either until I got out of the shower. I was hoping Sharra could help me here.”

  When he finished telling her what she had chosen to wear, and the significance of it, she nearly collapsed. Rayn roared with laughter, promising her he was not in the least upset about it. After all, she did the robe much more justice than he ever could. She danced over to him, put her arms around his neck and gave him a loud smacking kiss on the cheek.

  As he snagged her around her waist with one arm, he reached for the phone with the other. “Zanna, can you find Sharra and have her meet me in her room in fifteen minutes.”

  As he pulled Maddie up against him he said, “We’re going to rectify your clothing problem.” Then, he kissed her.

  As soon as he started it, they both realized their mistake. The heat quickly consumed them, engulfing them in desire. Rayn was the one to break the connection.

  “You taste…”

  “We shouldn’t…”

  “Of honey that…”

  “Start that…”

  “I’ve never had before.”

  “When we know we cannot finish.”

  Maddie inhaled a shaky breath and told Rayn, “You go
first.”

  “I was saying that we shouldn’t start what we cannot finish, but I forgot myself when I kissed you. And you?”

  “I was commenting on how you taste, like honey. It is the sweetest most wonderful taste when I kiss you.”

  “Maddie, I can’t begin to describe what you taste like to me. It is delightful.”

  “Rayn, maybe I shouldn’t stay in your room. It’s not exactly proper, is it? And it might pose a difficult situation for us.” She didn’t want to cause any more problems for this family.

  “It is not proper, but I am not spending one possible moment away from you. You can have your privacy here. I can use the guest bathroom across the hall, if you are uncomfortable about sharing this one. But we are sleeping together in that bed, fully clothed of course. I will not break my vow of celibacy until after we are united Maddie, and your virtue will be protected. But I will not be apart from you.”

  “And your family? What will they think?”

  “Do not worry about them. They know how we feel toward each other and that I am going to pledge my protection to you. They have promised, well all of them except Xarrid that is,” a sad look came into his eyes, “have promised their support. Xarrid has left for patrol, and I do not know if he will be back before my father arrives. He is not exactly accepting our relationship right now.”

  He pulled her toward the door. “What? Where are we going?”

  “To Sharra’s room. As much as I love seeing you wear my garments, I imagine you will be more comfortable in clothing that fits you.”

  “What will she say about how I’m dressed?”

  “What does it matter? You are my female, and I approve of this!”

  His female, huh? That’s a little weird, she thought.

  “Please do not be offended by that term. On Vesturon, we use the word female over lady or girlfriend. We also think of our mates as ours, but not as possessions. We think of them as mates that we want to protect and honor. I hope when I refer to you as my female, you won’t be offended by that. And I apologize, but I heard your thoughts,” he finished with a lopsided grin.

  When Rayn explained it like that, Maddie had a better understanding of that term.

  They went up another flight of steps to where Sharra’s quarters were located. The halls were filled with priceless paintings and artifacts. Everything was meticulously kept and arranged. There were fresh flowers everywhere, and the ambiance was positively enchanting.

  Sharra greeted them at the door of her room, and Maddie was again struck by the beauty and elegance of this house. Her chamber was as magnificently appointed as Rayn’s but much more feminine. She had a beautiful black wrought iron bed that had tall posts on each corner with an overhead canopy. Draped over the entire frame was sheer white silk, giving her bed a dreamlike appearance. Like Rayn’s room, there were thick rugs scattered about and the walls were painted soft beige. She had a couch and two chairs in one corner, creating a lovely sitting area in front of the stone fireplace. Rayn took a seat in one of the chairs and flipped on the remote to the flat screen.

  “Maddie needs your help, Shar. She has nary a thing to wear—literally.”

  “Yeah, I’m sorry to bother you, Sharra, but when Rayn whisked me away, he didn’t tell me to pack a bag!”

  “That is not a problem, I am glad to help. Come.”

  As Rayn flipped on the Food Network, Sharra and Maddie went to her huge walk-in and dug through her closet in search of some clothing. Half an hour later, they both emerged with their arms loaded down.

  Sharra dumped her load into Rayn’s lap saying, “Just bring back what does not work, and we can always try other things. I can run down to Asheville and pick some clothing up for you too, if you want.”

  “Thanks!”

  They returned to Rayn’s room with their arms laden with clothing.

  “Come. I should like to give you the grand tour of the house, and I want to introduce you to Rykerian and Tesslar. You also need to meet Zanna and Peetar. They are going to spoil you to death.” He started pulling her toward the door.

  “Wait a minute! You don’t seriously think I am going down dressed like this! I don’t even have panties on. I’m wearing a pair of your gym shorts. See?” She lifted the robe up high enough for him to get of view of the shorts. They were drawn as tight as she could get them, and they still hung down to her knees.

  “Niiiicce! Is that not what you say here? You look a lot better in them than I do!” Rayn was at her side, arms around her, kissing her before she could blink an eye. He released her, took her chin in his hand, stepped back and whispered, “I definitely hate to think of being separated from you. I can barely stand to be around you and not touch you. We had better go downstairs,” Rayn decided, releasing his hold on her chin.

  “Give me a second so that I can change.” She went to the closet and dressed in some of the clothing Sharra had given her. She donned a pair of jeans that fit her like they were made for her. They were a bit too long, but thankfully, they were skinny legged so she could roll up the bottoms. Then, she put on a black shirt, made out of that strange fabric. She was growing very fond of that stuff. She slipped her feet into a pair of black ballet flats and tried to fix her hair, but it was not cooperating.

  She had taken that nap without drying it, and now it had a mind of its own. Too late now.

  When she emerged from the closet, she heard Rayn suck in his breath. She raised her brows in question, and he let out a long slow breath. “I have never seen you dressed as such, and you look beautiful.”

  She was slender but had the right amount of curves in the right places. Her hair was wildly disarrayed, giving her that untamed look. She did not have on one iota of make-up, yet her cheeks were flushed and her lips were perfectly pink.

  Rayn put his hand under her chin and tilted her head up. “You are a female of unparalleled beauty, and you take my breath away, Maddie.” He gently touched her lips with his. When the brief kiss ended, he looked up and gently grasped a lock of her hair and brought it up to his face. “I adore these copper tresses of yours. They are like hand spun silk. I could not possibly ever grow tired of running my fingers through it. Now, shall we go downstairs before we get carried away up here?”

  He propelled her quickly toward the door, squelching his urge to grab her and throw her down on the bed and do unmentionable things to her that he should not be thinking about.

  Chapter 13

  The house was grand and positively magnificent. From the wrap around front porch, to the back terrace and its stone circular fireplace, it contained everything one could possibly desire. It was constructed of huge timbers and stacked stone. There were large windows everywhere, enabling one to enjoy the expansive views of its idyllic setting. It had a rustic elegance to it and was furnished expensively but comfortably. The sofas and chairs had “sit in me,” written all over them and their comfort was unmatched. Maddie had never seen a place so grand, yet cozy. She ran her hand along everything she saw, feeling the different textures and softness.

  Every so often, she would sneak a peek at Rayn, hoping he wouldn’t catch her. He was so handsome with his tawny skin and black hair.

  Maddie’s favorite place turned out to be the back terrace. There were sofas and chairs scattered around the fire pit, with blankets and throws in which one could cocoon themselves. But the view was unrivaled by anything she had ever seen. The terrace overlooked the mountains, and it faced west so one could sit by the fire and enjoy the beautiful sunset. The mountains seemed to be an arm’s length away, and the vivid hues that danced around them at the day’s end were majestic.

  Rayn led her through the house, room by room. He showed her where everything she might need could be found. Then he took her into the kitchen again and showed her where all the food and drinks were kept. About that time, Zanna and Peetar made an appearance, so Rayn introduced them to each other. They were smaller than the other Vesturions Maddie had seen. Grey haired with wrinkled up li
ttle faces, they were sharp minded and moved around as sprightly as little elves.

  Their love for the Yarristers was obvious. They were proud of all the siblings, and Maddie felt like she had known them for years. Maddie took an immediate liking to them.

  Rayn continued with his tour of the house for Maddie. On the lower level, there was a fully equipped gym with all sorts of cardio equipment and weight machines, as well as benches and racks of dumb bells. A flat screen TV was on the wall opposite from the treadmills and elliptical trainers, and there was an open area directly in front of it if one wanted to work out to a DVD. There was also a basketball court and an area where one could spar or kick box. After he had shown her the entire house, he took her back outside to explore the rest of the grounds. There was a massive garage that contained ten stalls. At first, Maddie thought it was a barn, until Rayn took her inside. She couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped from her lips.

  Maddie could not believe her eyes. Inside the garage was literally a treasure trove of vehicles.

  You’ve got to be kidding me, she thought.

  There was enough car power in here to…well she didn’t know exactly since she wasn’t much of a car aficionado, but she was smart enough to realize there was well over several million dollars worth of vehicles in here.

  “Good lord! Whose are these?” she asked.

  “Admittedly, fast cars are our weakness. We do not use cars on Vesturon, so this is one of our true Earthly pleasures,” he said sheepishly.

  “Alrighty then, who drives what?” She could not imagine anyone driving one of these. “What are they anyway? They are definitely foreign made.”

  “Well, we favor the Lamborghini’s. I have the grayish Reventon over there, and Rykerian drives the black Murcielago. Sharra has the red Gallardo, and I gave her the red Ferrari. It was mine before I got the Reventon. The Mercedes SLS AMG belongs to Tesslar. Xarrid does not care much about the sports cars, so he usually drives the Range Rover or the Escalade. Therron could not care less about the cars, so he drives whatever is available. Therron is the motorcycle lover.”