Authors: Corinne Davies
“Thank you, IxChel.” Obviously the older woman didn’t have a clue what Destiny was talking about, so she didn’t bother pursuing it. She looked at the stand behind the lounger she hadn’t noticed before. Three tall glasses sat around a pitcher. She poured herself a full glass and gulped it all down in one go. She felt like a dry husk she was so thirsty. The water was crystal clear and tasted lightly like clover sap. In short it was delicious. She poured herself another glass and sat down to eat.
There were three plates on the tray and when Destiny lifted the covers she didn’t recognize any of the dishes. Her mouth watered at the smells, but nothing looked familiar until she lifted the cover on the fourth dish, a pile of delicious ripe melon balls. She started with that since she recognized it. It was like a melon salad with a honey-and-mint dressing. It tasted divine and she quickly ate them all. Feeling braver she tried the next dish, which looked like spinach and pasta with chunks of what she thought might be cheese or tofu but tasted of spicy Italian sausage.
Another breeze floated through the window, making Destiny pause.
If this isn’t a dream, how did I make the pane of glass disappear when I touched it?
“Destiny, your bath is ready when you are.” IxChel came in through a door. “I added some healing minerals that should fix any lingering ailments you might be feeling.”
“Thank you, IxChel. You really didn’t have to go to so much work for me.” She meant it, too. No one had ever taken care of Destiny and she felt guilty this woman was rushing around fussing at her.
“It’s not a problem in the least. I want you to feel comfortable. As soon as you’re finished eating you can go on in. The water will stay warm. Leave the tray and I’ll clean it up later.”
This must be some sort of resort and the guys that attacked me must be the owners or something.
“I’ll try not to be too long.”
“I’ll let Rock and Jag know that you’re feeling better.”
Those names sounded somewhat familiar to Destiny, as if she’d heard them whispered in her dreams. “You don’t have to say anything to them. I won’t be in the bath long and then I’ll get out of your hair as quickly as possible.”
“Take your time, Destiny.” IxChel’s voice took on the tone of a grandmother who wasn’t willing to argue with a decision. “You haven’t done anything wrong and were treated abominably by those who should’ve known better.”
With that statement, IxChel turned and marched out of the room. Destiny wondered for a moment if she should leave now before she bumped into this Rock and Jag. She tried to remember what they looked like, but all she could envision were huge dark shadows. What did stick out in her memory was that she bagged one of them and sprayed the other with pepper spray. There is no way they would forgive her for that and would probably want to bring her up on charges of assault, even though it was obviously self-defense.
My pepper spray!
She patted frantically at her pockets and felt the small canister at the bottom of one of the front ones. She remembered dropping it, but she couldn’t have, unless one of them picked it up and gave it back to her? She looked around at the opulent surroundings. Of course, if they wanted revenge would they have brought her here? It didn’t make sense. Despite her initial thoughts of leaving right away, the thought of a nice warm bath and clean clothes was too much of a temptation. Bathrooms had locks on the doors and windows. She’d clean up quickly and then get the hell out of here before they found her.
* * * *
“I am ashamed of both of you,” IxChel announced as soon as she stepped into Rock and Jag’s room. She marched over to the large table where they both were sitting and glanced down at what they were working on before leveling a dark look at them both. A map of the area spread out in front of them as they tried to decide which areas needed the most resources. “You terrified that poor woman and then brought her here without any warning or permission.”
“She’s awake?” Rock felt a weight lift from his chest. He and Jag exchanged relieved smiles. They’d both spent the last four hours staring at charts and plans and not reading anything.
“You would know that if you’d been by her side waiting for her to awaken, as you should’ve been. She should’ve been welcomed with a
Cha’an
, a celebration, but you keep her hidden like a worthless toy. Your first contact with her was in fear and violence? You both were taught better than that!”
Rock heard the disappointment in the healer’s voice. No one knew he and Jag had sat by the woman’s bedside all night last night watching over her in case they needed to run for the healer again. No one could understand the heavy guilt that lay on their consciences because they’d frightened her so much. They were both exhausted today and not in the best of moods.
“This is the way it has to be for a while, IxChel. Rock and I discussed it.” Jag’s tone rang with annoyance at their actions being questioned. Rock felt the same way. They were the future Rulers of Lu’um and had to maintain the safety of all their people, not only one woman. “We’re pleased we found our
Atan
, but we can’t claim her yet, not with the instability of our borders. Raiders are finding holes in our patrols and we need to keep our people safe.”
“That is the way of the warriors,” IxChel countered. “She is blessed with two men so one is always there for her.”
“We both are needed and neither of us have the time to spare to court her. When the time is right we’ll make it up to her,” Rock replied.
“Your father would be ashamed of your behavior.”
Rock felt as though he’d been slapped but pushed those feelings down deep inside him. The reason they were facing the level of threats they were today was because his father never took security seriously. His focus had been on his wife, Rock’s mother, but that focus was what had cost them both their lives. The first time their world had been raided, his father and mother were killed before the forces could be rallied and the crack in their defense shield corrected.
Rock’s uncle was the one who raised him and taught him to be a warrior. They poured over the ancient writings and legends, searching for a way to fix what had been undone. Both of Jag’s parents had been killed in that raid, too, creating a deeper bond between the two of them. “You’re here to see to the welfare of our
Atan
,” he snapped at IxChel. Jag crossed his arms and moved next to Rock, both of them watching her pale under their combined glare. “If I want your council I will ask you for it.”
“As you wish.” She nodded her head slightly, then turned and stormed from the room with her chin held high. Rock watched her leave, trying to ignoring the guilt that ate at him. The moment the words left his mouth he regretted them. He’d known IxChel his entire life and knew she was right. So far, they’d been unsuccessful at planning anything today. He hadn’t been able to drag his thoughts from the woman for more than a moment or two knowing that she was lying in their bed. Her hair was a mass of silky curls and he’d sat next to her and played with the tips that lay across his pillow. Jag had sat on the other side with his hand cupping hers, his thumb stroking the back of her hand.
“Maybe we should go and see to her ourselves,” Jag commented, catching his attention. “I don’t want her to continue with her fear of us. The sooner she gets used to our ways the sooner we can get everything back to normal.”
Rock knew that his warrior brother was right. It made sense not to be there when she woke because of her fear, but they needed to make sure the woman was as comfortable as possible and at ease with her surroundings. They left the room and the pile of papers behind without a second thought.
A housekeeper was in their bedroom changing the sheets on the bed when they walked in, but the woman wasn’t there. Concern instantly rushed through Rock’s mind.
Did she run away?
“
Inlakech
,” the housekeeper greeted them both with a nod of her head.
He and Jag returned the traditional greeting and nodded back at her. “Where is the woman?” Jag asked.
She nodded toward the bathing room and then quickly finished what she was doing and left the room. As soon as the door closed quietly behind her, they headed for the door. Rock grabbed the handle and went to turn it when Jag grabbed his wrist. “Knock first.”
“Why would I knock? This is our home, our room.”
“Because she wouldn’t know that. All she’ll remember is being chased in the middle of a storm. I’ll wager she thinks she is still on Earth.”
“Good point.” Thankful for Jag’s intuitive nature, he held out his arm and Jag clasped it at the elbow. The moment the marks on their arms lined up, they glowed with an iridescence similar to the inside of a seashell. A deep need for the woman pulsed through Rock and by the gasp of Jag’s breath he knew he wasn’t the only one to feel it. The magical glow disappeared as fast as it appeared and they unclasped arms.
“I’ve a feeling this might not be as easy as we think.”
“It never is,” Rock replied, “but we don’t have a choice. Our duty is to our people as well as her. The greater threat is against our people at the moment. Our need for her will have to wait.” He turned and rapped heavily on the door, pausing for a moment before he opened it.
* * * *
This had to be the biggest bath Destiny had ever seen in her entire life. There was a soft ledge around the perimeter that supported her when she first got in. This was like no hot tub she’d ever been in before. It had to be at least fifteen feet across in the narrowest part. It was close to a kidney shape but curved in and around some exotic-looking plants. She’d gone under the water and tried to touch the bottom but hadn’t reached it yet. The water felt like silk and had a soft, chamomile-like scent. It was warm against her skin, but not so hot she risked becoming overheated.
In fact, the entire room felt like a beautiful desert oasis. Large plants she didn’t recognize grew around the one side of the pool. Big flowers in the most gorgeous jeweled tones dotted the dark green bush. She’d decided to ask the owner what kind of flowers these were because she wanted to try to grow them when she finally settled down. Across from the plants was a row of floor-to-ceiling windows that let the sunlight in and lit up the room. The humidity in the room had clouded them up and prevented her from seeing out them to the grounds beyond.
Destiny swam to the side and leaned against the soft edge. She didn’t know what kind of material they used to line the edges with, but it molded against her body when she leaned against it, supporting her as her legs floated in front. It was easy to pretend that she didn’t have a care in the world for a moment. She’d never felt so relaxed in her entire life. It was temping to ask if she could stay for one more night because she would love to soak in here for the next twenty-four hours. It would be beautiful in there at night with candles surrounding her, their gentle light creating soft shadows on the windows and walls.
A loud, hard knock at the heavy wooden door startled Destiny and she almost slipped off the edge. “Shit,” she muttered and dropped down lower in the water to hide her body as she peered over the edge.
I must’ve been in here longer than I thought
. “Sorry, I’ll be out in a moment. IxChel said I could soak for a little bit,” she called out.
“I said I’d be done in a moment!” she repeated as the door opened.
What’s wrong with these people? How rude.
A man stepped through the door and she froze. He was easily six and a half feet tall, with broad arms and very well-defined muscles. Worn blue jeans hugged his legs and cupped one of the best asses she’d ever seen on a man. He was wearing jeans with a vest-like shirt that draped across his body like silk but highlighted his muscles. There looked to be tattoos on his arms, or perhaps he’d been in a fire and they were burn scars. Her heart clenched thinking how painful that must’ve been.
She couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped her. He immediately turned toward her and her heart stuttered in shock. It was the same guy from the night before! She recognized the shade of blue his eyes were, but she hadn’t realized how gorgeous he was. Her brain had associated him with Leatherface but in the light of day proved her completely wrong. Even though he looked at her like a hunter who’d found his prey.
Most serial killers are good looking. That’s how they lull you into a false sense of security.
“What are you doing here?” It felt like her heart had leapt into her throat and was pounding against her windpipe. He didn’t say anything but did step farther into the room. A second man followed behind him. No less gorgeous and no smaller, the second man grinned when he saw her. His eyes were the color of emeralds. Fear flooded her system. She’d managed to defend herself from them last night, but she knew she wouldn’t get away again. She glanced at the window and then around to see if there was anything she could use to shatter the glass. If she couldn’t escape then someone would hear her scream for help.