Cursed by Diamonds (A Dance with Destiny Book 1) (14 page)

“I do not wish them to catch me unawares. And whilst sleeping, no less,” she told the horse.

After traveling many miles from Tamar Broden, Jenevier realized that if she didn’t find sleep soon, she’d fall off Epona’s back. Satisfied she was far enough from her home so as not to be found by her friends any time soon, she pulled back on the reins and brought the horse to a stop under a couple small winslet trees near a stream.

“Ahh… This looks perfect, girl.”

She patted the mare’s neck while she secured the reins.

“Wow, you are a truly beautiful horse. But you already know that, don’t you, girl?” She chuckled softly. “I have never seen your equal, Epona. As majestic a creature as I have ever known.”

The horse snorted in response.

Jenevier took out a bit of bread before untying the blanket and spreading it out on the soft grass. After she had eaten a few bites and drank some wine, she laid down for some long overdue rest.

Sleep fell upon her hard and fast. And with it, came the dreams.

Chapter 14

Dante

(DON-tay)

Dante broke their passionate kiss, pulling back to gaze upon her lovely face. He was entranced with the austere distinction of her fair ivory skin pressed against his sun-darkened abdomen. Mesmerized by how the soft moonlight seemed to blacken out his form while making hers glow all the brighter. He ran his finger down the edge of her face, just so he could clearly see the stark contrast between the two of them.

I am the night… She is the dawn.

He wanted to devour her, pull her so hard against him that only the color of their skin marked where they were two separate bodies.

“Do you truly think I could make you happy?” he whispered. “I would very much like the chance to try.”

Jenevier didn’t respond.

“Are you thinking about it?” He smiled teasingly down at her. “Or are you planning how best to dismiss me?”

She only gave him a faint smile. Admiring him, she ran her fingertips across his forehead and down the side of his face.

What an incredible man
, she thought.

She decided he was a gift, a blessed gift sent to her at the very moment she needed him. And
that
was what scared her. Trust had never been one of her stronger attributes, at least not where men were concerned. And
this
man… he terrified her. He was
too
perfect.

If you are a gift, Milord, from whence did you come? And to what end will you go?
She sighed, brushing the troublesome thoughts aside.

“It’s as if… someone looked into my mind and found you there,” she whispered softly. “Digging deep within me, they withdrew my ultimate desires—pieced together all the things that stir me, and made
you
. Created you… just for me.”

“Is that so?” He gave her a smirking sort of smile. “Well, then. Do you accept me?”

Hearing those four little words made something inside her click. Something or someone was in her head screaming,
Danger! Beware! Get away!

She pulled back, sitting up. “Wh-what did you say?”

“I said… Do you accept me? Is this what you want, Jenevier?”

He smiled playfully as he motioned toward his bare chest, moving ever closer to her. But she drew further away, startled, reaching blindly for her robe.

“A lovely wrapper does not guarantee a lovely gift, Milord. And I must admit, this has been one seriously strange day.” She slid off the bed. “My mind is spent, Dante. Perhaps it’s simply that the wine is getting to me. Apologies, but I feel I probably need rest more than I need company this night.”

Dante followed her into the kitchen. She was standing at the sink, looking out the window. He walked up behind her.

“I should be the one apologizing, Milady,” he whispered. “I moved too fast. Tried too hard. I have spooked you—caused your guard to go up.” Pulling back her long golden curls, he lightly kissed her bared shoulder. “I never meant for that to happen.”

She turned to him and spoke as honestly as she could. “I have tried to remember my life. No, wait. That sounds too strange. How can I put this?” She pressed against her temples. “My mind screams at me constantly of danger, caution, peril, deceit. I have tried desperately to recount
why
. Why all the warnings? And… where the hell are they coming from?” She slowly turned back to the window. “Alas, I cannot. All I can remember are the dreams, and only parts of them.”

Dante reached out to touch her, but she pulled away.

“I feel like this place, this paradise, this life—it isn’t all there is to me. I feel that what I am now, the woman you see before you—is not the whole of me. Nay, not even the smallest piece. But… the rest seems to be lost to me somehow. It’s as if my wits have been stolen.”

She walked out onto the stone patio and breathed in the cool night air. Dante followed her, but stood at a distance. Running her hands along the rail of the banister, she gazed, unseeing, out into the darkness. He spoke not a word, only cautiously waited.

“My life is seemingly perfect, is it not?”

He didn’t answer and she didn’t want him to.

“Well, it is perfect. At least, most of the time. I have a lovely place to live—peaceful and serene. I am blessed with loving animals, beautiful nature, and quiet days. And at the same time… I am cursed with dreadful, dream-filled nights. Demons, darkness, and blood…
that’s
what fills my sleeping mind.” She sat down in the swing, sighing wearily. “Why do I not have friends, Dante?” She looked back up at him. “I believe I used to. Yet, I cannot remember. Not for certain. Perhaps I didn’t. Perhaps I have always been alone.”

“Perhaps you are simply
thinking
too much,” he mumbled.

“And perhaps I do not think enough. Perhaps I just
choose
to let the peaceful days roll by, one right after the next, simply because that’s all I want—peace. Perhaps I don’t want to think too hard upon it because I do not truly want to remember.”

She collapsed back onto the cushions, pulling her feet up under her. Dante looked at her for a moment… then started toward to her, to comfort her. She quickly stood up.

“I have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow. Please excuse me, Milord. I need to get some rest.”

“Busy day?” His eyes grew wide. “Tell me. What is it you have planned to do?”

Jenevier turned, carefully searching those haunting gray eyes—bells and warnings were ringing loud within her.

“In truth, I wish to be alone. I want to read. I want to change the whole house around. I don’t know, Dante. I need to
do
something.” She blew out an exasperated sigh. “I only wish I could remember what it was. I feel it was extremely important.”

He visibly relaxed at her answer. She wondered why.

“So… you are feeling the need to change, are you?”

She saw his blatant smirk and rolled her eyes. “I’m not actually feeling the need to change as much as
needing
to feel the need to.”

“What?” He chuckled. “Now
I
don’t understand.”

She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “I want the day alone for meditation. There’s an important answer lurking at the edge of my mind. I just need time to think; time to search out what is intentionally hiding from me.”

Dante seemed more than just a little surprised by her answer.
That
worried her as well.

“I’m hearing only feeble excuses,” he said. “You desire me, this I know. I want to be near you.” He grabbed her hands. “Jenevier, my love, you have taken me hostage. You have teased me mercilessly, irrecoverably captured my trembling heart, and tilted my world completely off its axis. Now… now you want to withdraw, to run away? Why are you doing this? You say that I cannot even see you for more than a day. How could you think that would even be possible me? Tell me. What are you trying to hide?”

His desperate reaction—combined with the strange vibes she was getting on the inside—was starting to make her angry. She crossed her arms, waiting for his retraction. None came. Dante only stiffened, focusing on something unseen in the distant darkness.

Jenevier sighed and looked away. She didn’t want to fight, not truly. She was actually beginning to care about this man. She may not remember much of her life, but she knew what she was now feeling was a rare thing indeed. Such emotions should never be ignored… or toyed with.

“Dante, I promise I am not
trying
to be rude. Forgive me. I am extremely grateful for your concern. I truly appreciate the wine. It was exactly what I needed. And…” She blushed slightly. “…I especially liked the intimate time we shared together this evening.”

When she gently placed her hands on his chest, he felt so tense, so stiff. At her tender touch, he turned his attention back to her. She smiled sweetly at him and he visibly relaxed, half smiling in return.

“I hope you understand, Dante. But… I’m not ready to take that next step. Not just yet. Not so soon.”

Tenderly brushing his silky hair back from his face, she tucked it behind his ear and stared into those mesmerizing eyes. He was so gorgeous. She loved touching him. It made her feel giddy, euphoric.

“Tell me, my unimaginably handsome protector.” She smiled, teasingly. “Why do you feel such a desperate need to have me so soon? Where is it you think I may run off to?”

He relaxed a bit then, smiling down at her, returning her tender touch. She nearly swooned.

“Now, that’s much better.” She leaned in, lightly kissing his chest, running her hands up to lock her fingers behind his neck.

Dante wrapped his strong arms around her, gave her a little squeeze, and sweetly kissed the top of her head, nuzzling her curls.

“My mind is so foggy,” she whispered. “I only want to finish what it was I feel I started. Then, I will be free to focus only on you.”

“You are so peculiar, tiny lady.” He chuckled softly. “But I must return to you. I have no other choice. Not anymore, my love. You made certain of that. You have, with ease, glided into my life and stolen my contemptuous heart. That was no easy task, little maiden. Now, tell me. What shall I do with tomorrow? Shall I cry for you? Is that what you want?” He lifted her chin. “Do you wish me on my knees with tears upon my cheeks? Will that make you happy? If so, I will do thus daily. Anything to make you smile. Anything to make you see only me. Tell me, Jenevier. Am I truly so hard to love? No, wait. Don’t answer that. I have determined to take only what you will
freely
give me, my love, nothing more. My one desire is to love you, and to feel
your
love in return.”

When he held her close, she wanted to stay right there in his warm embrace, forever.

“Dante… my Guardian Angel,” she whispered.

As soon as the words slipped from her lips, an agonizing pain wrapped around her—consuming her troubled heart. She felt a dreadful panic creeping over her.

Pushing back from him, Jenevier tried to hide the increasingly anxious feeling that was quickly choking off her air.

“I have much to think on, Milord. I must sleep now. I will see you again… when God has prepared me.”

Dante rocked back on his heels as if all the breath had been knocked out of him. He was visibly shaken, which only compounded her growing confusion.

He gasped. “God? You know… God?”

“No. I don’t believe so.” She was shocked by her own words. “How does someone know God? I was filled with panic and the words fell out of my mouth, unheeded. I wasn’t thinking clearly. Remove troubled words from mind, Milord. Place them not upon your heart. I know not what I say. My wits have fled and left only confusion in their wake.”

Dante spoke not. He had grabbed her arms. Now he just held her, fiercely searching her terrified eyes.

Jenevier’s dread was escalating. She only wanted to get away from this horribly confusing situation. So—trying to lighten the tension—she smiled, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed his perfect cheek.

“Good night, sweet Prince. I shall see you on the morrow, then.” She swayed. Those words shook her as well.

Winking up at him, she quickly retreated into her home, leaving Dante standing on her porch, deep in thought.

She exhaled loudly. Her emotions were on fire, all of them.

By the gods! What the hell was that?

She had made her way through the kitchen before she heard the back door open and close. Turning toward the sound, she was startled to find Dante standing so close she almost bumped into him. She couldn’t read the look on his face. It was a mixture of lust, fear, panic, love, anger. When she opened her mouth to speak, he grabbed her, pulling her hard against him. He yanked her hair, jerking her head back so that she was left staring into his silvery gray eyes.

Holding her breath, fear fast replaced the panic she had felt earlier. Jenevier saw but a single wild glint in his eyes before his kiss fell hard upon her mouth, forcing her lips open and apart.

She fought against him at first. But soon, she was equally returning his fierce passion. This man consumed her wholly. She gave herself over to his touch as her resolve slowly vanished. She no longer wanted to fight against him, against his kiss, against his embrace. Now, she found herself desperately wanting to give in to his advances, to his desires.

Voices and warnings be damned!
she thought.

As soon as Dante felt her pleasing surrender, he gently pulled away, smiling. “Just a little something to remember me by, Milady.” He bowed slightly, then turned and left.

Jenevier was left standing alone in her kitchen, dazed.

How very curious… and frustrating. My days are becoming stranger than my nights.

She tried to shake off the smoldering passion now running through her mind. Pouring a glass of the dark, sweet wine, she downed it in one gulp, trying to calm her racing heart. But the intense desires Dante had awakened within her still had her stomach tied in knots.