Authors: Sarah Brocious
His heart pounded in his ribs. “Then come. We will go get reacquainted.” He lifted her hand steadily to his lips.
She nodded, noticing he no longer trembled. She recalled the devastation that had been there in his face moments ago. “You are okay?”
His silvers softened. “I’ve dreaded this day. I’ve been scared to death of its coming.”
“You…you don’t seem scared anymore.”
He shrugged. “The only thing I feared was…you wouldn’t forgive me,” he breathed out. “And that scared the hell out of me!” He took her face in his hands. “I thought you would hear his name and nothing else would matter…not even me.”
She shook her head and growled deep in her throat. “After what you have told me…I have no desire for him. And you’re right; it would have been too much before.”
“And it’s not now?” His thumb gently rubbed her cheek.
“I have you, Nolan. I’m no longer saddened over a lost love!”
He sighed, kissed her quickly, and then grabbed her hand. “Let’s get this over with then.”
Raina swallowed, lacing her fingers through his. She felt a bit of the fear subside in herself. She was glad she had a healer by her side.
They moved up the stairs and toward the door. They passed a dumfounded Elenora, and continued down the hall.
They came to stand before a door that Raina recognized as Joseph’s study. She didn’t actually hear voices until they were right upon it. And sure enough, she recognized David’s baritone. Her fingers shook. She felt Nolan increase the pressure with his own fingers.
“You are mine. You remember that, Aelan. He cannot hurt you, and he will never have you again.”
Raina looked up into the eyes she trusted, and saw the uncertainty flicker there. Did he truly believe she could be swayed by David now? “I know,” she whispered. Lifting up on her tip toes, she wrapped her arms about his neck and held to him. “You remember who you belong to as well, Mr. Gregor.” She kissed the underside of his jaw.
He squeezed her sides tenderly. “Hmm, right Elenora.”
He got a sharp jab in the ribs, but they both shared a smile.
“Ready?”
She gave a nod.
Nolan knocked sharply on the door, surprised there were no servants attending to it. There was sudden silence from behind the wooden frame. Nolan and Raina exchanged a look, and waited a moment, before Nolan knocked again.
“Yes?” Joseph’s voice was unsure, apprehensive.
“It’s Nolan,” he answered, his own voice unwavering.
It was quiet again, and then, just as quick as the silence had set in, Joseph was opening the door wide. He looked solemnly to Nolan, and then to Raina. His eyes widened. “You do not want to bring her in,” he said gently. “She…he is…”
“She knows.” Nolan’s fingers twitched around hers.
“Let me take her to another room,” Joseph insisted.
“No, I’m staying,” she said softly.
Joseph laid his eyes on Raina, and then nodded. “You are sure little one?”
Raina straightened her shoulders. “I’m ok Joseph,” she assured him. Her blue eyes met his without flinching. “I’m here with Nolan. For Nolan,” she whispered.
Joseph gave a nod, and stepped aside for them to enter.
When he did, Raina noted there was a guard right inside the door. She tried to remember last time if Joseph had a guard duty. She couldn’t recall.
“Come on in then,” Joseph invited.
Raina hesitated just briefly.
Nolan’s silver eyes met her wide blues, and she felt a calm sweep over her. She gave him a smile.
“Aelan?”
She nodded. She was okay.
He lead her through the entrance. His hand was possessive around her fingers. He would defend her to the death…though he doubted it would come to that today. No, today she would need his support, his strength. He felt her tremble, and step into his side, as they cleared the door frame.
Raina bit down hard on the inside of her cheek, as she met the stare of a familiar face. David! Her heart rapped a hard beat against her chest. It was that same face she had grown to love, had longed to see again all those years! But the eyes were all wrong. They were no longer the blues she remembered, light and kind. These eyes were vividly glacial, cold and hard… orbs in a hardened face.
That initial excitement at seeing him ebbed away. Yes, this was David, but it was not her David.
The blues flowed over her from head to foot. There was a silence in the room, as the two regarded each other. Surprise flitted over the hardened planes of David’s face. Indeed Raina appeared now in his immortal eyes differently. His memory of her had been that of his mortal sight. In these new eyes she was warm, bright…breathtaking. He had seen few mortals who appeared as such.
Raina tensed, as he stepped forward. She flinched at the hand lifted to her cheek.
“No wonder you have tried to keep her to yourself, Nolan. She is exquisite!” David’s voice was soft, but there was a hard edge beneath those words.
Raina felt the once familiar touch of him, but instead of warming her as it once had…it now repulsed her, angered her. “Do not touch me.” Her voice was cold, so unlike her, but she meant it. Her teeth were clenched, her fingers a vice around Nolan’s.
David’s eyes widened slightly, and he smiled. “Okay, okay,” he chuckled.
Raina was taken by the smile, only because it was so familiar. Her heart lurched, and that feeling of what might have been washed over her.
“I suppose you have questions,” he said softly.
Raina’s heart was pounding now. Did she want to know anything now? Would it even matter?
“We’re in the middle of a meeting,” Richard growled. “Little to do with the mortal, and much to do with the “healer” with her.” His dark eyes were boring through Raina.
David sighed, and let his gaze slide over her one more time. “What a pity. If I’d know you would be this appealing with my new sight, I may have made different choices.”
Raina backed into Nolan’s side. Her free hand curled into the fabric of his shirt. Words meant to be a compliment only hurt. David had never been one for vanity…or so she had thought. The look in his eyes told her Nolan was right. Some are just very good at hiding what they have inside of them.
Nolan’s arm curved around her.
Yes, this is where she belonged, beside Nolan. Raina felt his warmth seep into her.
Richard muttered an oath, and then turned his gaze to Nolan. “If I didn’t know your strength was so much better with her around I’d be rid of her. It’s annoying to have such a little thing making fellow immortals weak minded.” He glared at David. “You know you made the right choice! She’d have turned you into the sop she has made Thanatos. He had such promise!”
Raina tensed, but Nolan’s gentle fingers traced her spine to calm her. He knew she would fight for her friend, unwisely so. This was not about Thanatos now…the words were only meant to get her ire.
A small shudder ran through Raina. The fire trails of those fingers quieted her anger. The healing magic in him flowed easily against her skin. She blushed and glanced up at him. She saw the warning in his eyes, and she accepted it, relaxing into his side more, and dropping the fight that was welling up in her.
David noted the motion with raised eyebrows. “So you have taken your job seriously, Nolan? I asked you to protect her, not seduce her.” The blue eyes iced over. An ugly anger settled into his frown.
Raina frowned back. “You did not want me!” She couldn’t help the words from rushing out. “You …tossed me aside for your own gain! You do not have a say in who seduces me! And for your information, it is I who went after him!”
Nolan bit his lip against a grin
David growled. “You? You do not have it in you, Raina…docile, shy, Raina.” He scoffed.
“I guess it takes the right one to raise such a passion then. I barely questioned it…saw what I wanted and went after it. Nolan was noble…I on the other hand cannot say the same!”
David felt the bite of her insult.
“This is true, well the going after part. Raina, you are noble. There is nothing wrong with making your mind up about what you, want…what you love,” Joseph chuckled. He did not hide his smile. “Nolan was just doing his job…but who can resist the likes of our Raina?” He chuckled. “Do not underestimate her, David. She too has changed.” He motioned for Nolan to take a seat with her.
Nolan obeyed, taking the couch, so he did not have to lose his contact with Raina. She willingly sat next to him.
“She’s managed to get a fleet of immortals on her side with barely a word.” Joseph’s luminous eyes gentled on her. “This makes you, Richard, a stupid… stupid man! I haven’t a clue why you have come to me. Asked me to hand them over….you think me stupid too, son?”
Richard scowled. “I am your son.”
“And I am your father. I raised you better than this.”
“You mean you will protect her against me? Do you know what I could do to you?”
Joseph shook his head. “You will not harm me.” Those eyes grew stormy, and the gentle face hardened. “If you know what is good for you, you will not harm me.” His eyes moved toward the guard, who was at alert.
Richard trembled a bit, but lifted his chin in defiance. “I am already dead according to the counts set against me! Our Sovereignty has made plans to do away with me. What more harm can I do by taking out an old man?”
“You do not know that they will sentence you to death.” Joseph argued.
“I tried to kill their favorite immortal! Their flavor of the month! I kidnapped his love, his catalyst! You think they do not intend for me to die?” He shouted.
Nolan was glancing about, obviously looking for Titus…Emmanuel, or Isaac. The lack of their presence was an elephant in the room.
David set a hand on Richards’s arm, to hold him at bay. “The difference is, Richard, in the way you die. Our Sovereignty can be gracious when giving this sentence. Or they can be cruel. Joseph is a good friend to them. Nolan is an important asset. Think carefully my friend.”
Richard grimaced at the truth in his words. “If they get to pass my sentence,” Richard growled. He straightened his shoulders. “I could take what I want and I could leave.” His eyes rested on Raina. “How did you escape, little sun?” He glared at Nolan.
Nolan tensed.
“I believe you should ask your partner,” Raina whispered. “I’m sure he was informed.
Richard scoffed and motioned to David. “He knows as much as I do!”
“Not him,” she spoke calmly.
Richard met her gaze and even seemed to challenge her to continue. He wavered a little when she didn’t back down with her stare. “Tread lightly,” he murmured.
Raina noted they were still keeping up the farce about Emmanuel not being a part of this. What did they think? She had not remembered what happened to her?
Oh they knew she knew, and they were ready to keep her quiet.
Raina felt Nolan’s tension. He was ready to run.
She pressed a hand to his arm to still him. “We are safe,” she whispered. “We are in Josephs home.”
“And that means protection?” Richard shouted at her. “You are a silly mortal! The likes of you always base your protection where you feel comfort. Rest assured, little sun…you are no more safe here then you were in my prison! I am being tried for your attempted murder…that’s almost as bad as if I’d actually succeeded. Let me try to amend that!”
Joseph held up his hands. “You will not threaten her!” He crossed to Raina, took her hand and pulled her up. “Come, little one. I do not wish to see you upset. You will wait in the next room while we talk.”
Raina protested with her eyes.
“Come, please.” Joseph’s eyes implored her.
“I won’t leave Nolan,” she whispered. I just got him back! The cry inside, she knew Joseph could hear.
Nolan looked to Joseph, whom he trusted. He was putting both their lives in his hands now. “Raina, it’s okay. Go…I will see you in a moment!”
She blinked in surprise at him.
“Aelan,” he whispered. “Trust me.”
She sighed, looked at the other men, and her shoulders slumped. She would not dishonor Nolan by staying…and in essence, saying she didn’t trust him. “Fine,” she whispered.
Joseph tugged her hand, but she tugged it away. She leaned over Nolan, gripped his chin roughly, and planted a kiss on his startled mouth. She gentled the moment she felt its softness.
Nolan tugged on her blonde hair. “Aelan,” he breathed roughly. It didn’t matter where they were when she touched him. He always felt that pull of desire.
She smiled against his lips, knowing she’d shocked everyone in the room. “I love you, Nolan…I trust you…and I’m holding you to your word!” Her fingers brushed down his jaw. She liked how the grey eyes were smoky. She liked the frowny face he gave her, that was meant to mask the twitch of a smile that nearly broke out.
“Go,” he growled, tugging her hair again.
Raina felt the pleasure of the action, and she turned back to Joseph.
Joseph grinned and took her hand. He gave her a raised eyebrow, and coughed to hide his laugh. “This way, little one.”
He lead her out the door, allowing her one more glance at Nolan. She also cast a wary glance at the guard.
Joseph closed the door behind him. “Do not worry over Nolan,” he said briskly. He grabbed up her hand and began leading her down the hall.
“Joseph, why couldn’t I stay? Is it safe to leave Nolan in there all alone?”
“My guard is there.”
Raina frowned.
Joseph squeezed her hand. “He has the same gift as Richard.”
Raina sighed, and her tense muscles relaxed. “That still doesn’t answer why I could not remain in there!” She struggled to keep up with Joseph’s pace. He seemed to be anxious to get where he was going.
“I want to show you something.”
“I’ve seen the alligators,” she teased. “And as tempting as that is…I’d rather stay behind with Nolan.”
Joseph lifted a brow. “Did I ever tell you Jonathan entertained the idea of being a musician at one time?”
She frowned. “Joseph…”
“We created a room where he could practice day or night. Well, you know how sensitive the hearing of an immortal being can be.” He jerked his head toward the way they’d just come. The loud music was certain to drive me crazy!” They reached a doorway, and Joseph opened it, shoving her through. He entered behind her into the darkened room, shutting the door behind him.
Raina made out a set of drums in the darkness, but no more.
“I created a sound proof room for him to practice. And I am so happy I did.” He flipped on the lights. “If only for this purpose…” He turned her about.
Raina let out a cry of pleasure. “Thanatos!” She threw herself into his arms, and began to sob.
He drew in a deep breath, capturing her small frame. “I’ve been waiting, beautiful. You and Nolan took long enough.” He crushed her close, kissing the top of her head. He felt the still unfamiliar prick of tears. “Raina, I was so worried. Do you have any idea how hard it is for a protector to be away from the one he’s assigned to protect?”
She squeezed him tighter.
“Then those yoo-hoos showed up!” He paused, not sure how to proceed.
“She knows,” Joseph sighed, as if Thanatos had said something aloud to him.
“Raina…I’m so sorry we had to keep that from you,” he whispered.
Raina pulled back to look up into his face. “No, I understand. He’s not the same man.” She stepped back, wiping her face free of tears.
The green eyes drank her in. “I’m glad you’re safe beautiful! You took long enough to get here!”
She laughed at the agitation in his face. She had missed him!
He grinned. “Well, I got my hug in. Now I owe Nolan one giant ass whoopin’” He pulled her to him and let himself relax for the first time in a long time.
Chapter 15 Rehashing
The room was already darkening as the sun was setting outside. Raina didn’t bother to flip on the light. She no longer feared the dark as she had. She had found that sometimes the dark held the most wonderful things!
Raina cuddled closer to Turk. She pulled her fingers through the thick soft fur. She smiled when the dog gave a big yawn. "Am I boring you boy?" She scratched his ears and was rewarded with a lick on the hand. She felt comfort from his warm body as she lay on the bed in this unfamiliar bedroom. Joseph's place was nice but she was certainly missing her own home now.
She wished she could be in her own bed cuddling her own immortal. Her cheeks flushed. The thought of Nolan in that way was rather overwhelming. Especially since the thoughts had been so taboo weeks before. They were free now to be that way together. It made her a little nervous.
He had waited all this time. Would she be worth it?
She buried her face against the dogs back and pushed away her thoughts of unworthiness. That was the old Raina. She was the new.
The old Raina would be in severe depression by now over the events that this day had brought. David was alive. That was enough to drive any sane man or woman insane. But Raina was stronger now. Stronger than most people and she gave credit for that to Nolan.
"What did you think about seeing David?" She murmured against the dog’s fur. "The man you waited by the door for all of these years."
Turk answered with a wine in his throat and the nervous wag to his tail. He glanced up at her, and again his tail thumped anxiously at the mention of David’s name. He was trying to answer the best way he knew how.
"You weren't too impressed with that either were you?" Raina laughed nervously. "It's rather sad but in the same way a relief. It's sad because the person we both know… I mean, knew, is gone. It's as if he'd never existed. But it's a relief because if he had been the same man what would my choices of been? Could I have simply ignored his betrayal because he was the man I remembered? Could I have taken him back? And left Nolan?" She shook her head. "No, I couldn't have. As much as I have loved David…I love Nolan so much more." She smiled just at the mention of his name. Yeah, she had a pretty bad for the silver eyed sweetie.
She wondered now where he was. He'd been summoned when Our Sovereignty had arrived. They had been in meetings for a long time now. She wondered if she would have to be involved soon or if she would be allowed to have time to recover from the events.
She hadn’t even felt like going to see her alligators. They would be there in the morning.
She was startled by a knock at her door and she sat up. "Yes?"
Turk jumped off the bed and ran to the door. His tail was wagging lively and he was giving an anxious whine, but it was his happy anxious whine. He lay down in front of the door on his stomach, laying his head on his paws. He looked ready to pounce. Raina took comfort in his playful actions.
She heard a slight discussion outside of the door. She recognized one voice as Nolan's, which made her heart beat a little faster. The other voice belonged to Maxim. He was the immortal guard that Joseph had hired. He had been stationed outside of her door since she was ushered in here.
She wondered if that had been Joseph idea or her ever protective Nolan's. She had been okay with the idea since she knew Nolan would be with Our Sovereignty. Otherwise she would never allow that guard to leave his side. She worried over him and what those others might do to him. She worried more so for him than even for herself.
The door began to slowly open and she rushed over to the edge of the bed. Light puddled in from the hall behind the door. Her smile grew when he entered. He gave her that grin that melted her. When with that ever not affect her?
"Hello, Aelan," he spoke softly. He closed the door behind him and was quickly assaulted by Turk.
Raina allowed the puppy his moment. He had been without Nolan longer than she had. He had missed him!
She watched the interaction between the two with a happiness she hadn’t felt in a long while. If she weren’t so convinced of the dogs love, she would swear this was his true master. Impatiently she waited for her turn.
The silver eyes did eventually lift to hers. She could make them out even in the darkening room. He noted her stance of impatience, perched at the end of the bed. This made him chuckle.