Authors: Sarah Brocious
He barely had to shift her weight to get the car door open. Gently she was settled in the passenger’s seat and he was buckling her in. He shuffled in the glove box and pulled out a pair of sunglasses. He slipped them on to shield her poor eyes.
He trailed a finger down the side of her face and kissed her. “It will take only a few minutes to get home.”
“More like ten,” she sighed.
“To get to your house,” he agreed. “I’m taking you to mine.” He closed the door softly and got in. They were on the road quickly and making their way to the massive Gregor mansion.
Raina found it hard to concentrate at all with the pain she felt but she did allow herself to remember the last time she was there. It was the day Nolan had been taken away from her! Not a good memory, but a vivid one!
“It’s why I like staying at your place,” he whispered.
Had she said her thoughts out loud?
“The last few days with our protective chaperones, I’ve had to.”
She gave him a small smile. “We will make good memories there.”
He smiled but didn’t say anything more until they arrived.
He quickly rounded the car and was lifting her out with ease. He hurried up the stairs and the front doors opened without hesitation.
“I am taking Raina to the living room Mae, please clear the pillows from the sofa.”
The woman rushed ahead without question and threw off the pillows.
Nolan laid Raina out, pulling her coat free from her body and set a pillow beneath her head. “Water please, Mae.”
Raina blinked at him in confusion. “Why am I hurting so badly this time?” She thought of her first encounter. She had been sound enough to make it in her car to Nolan’s all on her own! She had a hangover the next day but it was nothing like this. The other times had been bad too…especially the prison! That she had suffered on her own. But already Nolan had ministered to her and she was still hurting badly.
“She must have been really pissed about something.”
Nolan stood before her, hands on hips and shook his head. His hand went through his dark hair and rested on his neck, where he rubbed furiously. He struck quite a picture standing there. His dark blue suit fit him just right, even if it was a little wrinkled now from his care for her.
“You look very handsome in your suit,” she said softly.
He rolled his eyes and gave her a smile, pulling the jacket from his broad shoulders and getting rid of the tie. He sat next to her and brushed his thumb across her forehead, removing the sunglasses. Tenderly the tips of his fingers caressed the plains of her face.
“Close your eyes.” The order rumbled from his chest and she obeyed.
Raina felt his breath on her face as he leaned in closer and his touch became more intense, stronger. A warmth radiated from him and was soon flowing over her. She bit her lip as the ebb and flow of pain ran through her.
“Tell me if it’s too much,” he sighed. His voice was full of concentration.
Mae re-entered the room and set the water on the table beside the sofa. She left without a word and without even a nod from Nolan.
Nolan drew in a breath and one of his hands moved beneath Raina to support her spine. He sat her up slightly and his fingers trailed lightly down each column of her spine. His other hand weaved through her hair, grazing his fingers against her scalp and tugging her hair.
Raina sighed at the release she was feeling at his touch. The pain was in recession.
“Better?”
She nodded. “Getting there.”
Nolan made her sit all the way up. His hands cupped her face. “Tilt your head.” She obeyed. His thumb brushed down her neck and he applied just enough pressure at just the right points.
She sighed with pleasure.
“Is that good?”
“So good.”
“Other side.” He repeated his action and got the same reaction from her.
He chuckled, “Oh the things I could do to you with this gift.”
She blushed. “Nolan!”
He grinned. “We will enjoy it while we can…but once I’m mortal I will have to be more creative!”
She would have given him a smack if she had the strength. She blushed again instead.
Nolan rose to his feet and moved to sit behind her. He took the water from the table and helped her drink. When he was happy she had enough, he laid her back so that her head was now in his lap,
“Just close your eyes and relax, Aelan. I’m going to finish this pain off.” He began threading his long fingers through her golden hair. It was as much a pleasure to him as it was for her! They sat for a long while like this. The communion of his touch was enough.
“Don’t get mad at me,” he whispered. “But I need you to sleep for this next part, okay my love?”
Raina sighed. “If you insist!”
“It’s going to be a lovely nap,” he promised. “Go to sleep Aelan.” And she did.
When she woke up she was feeling almost one hundred percent. She was foggy from sleep though. “How long did I sleep?”
“About a half hour. It was a bad attack,” he said softly.
Raina was starting to feel her mind clear, and her tongue loosened up too. “She was pissed Nolan! So pissed.”
“Hmm?”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were free of her? That you no longer belonged to her?”
He chuckled, tugging a strand of her hair. “Because I’ve only ever belonged to you, Aelan.”
She liked his answer.
“I will admit it was good news but I didn’t want you to think that was why I asked you to marry me.”
She reached for one of the hands in her hair and pressed it to her lips. “What will she do when she finds out you want to be mortal again? What will happen if she comes after either of us…attacks us with her mind?”
Nolan sighed. “We always have Michael,” he teased.
Raina shook her head. “It would be better if she was just not around.” She bit her lip. She had never wanted anyone out of the picture more. “I hate thinking that for the rest of our lives we will have to be looking over our shoulder because Elenora Rivers is in love with you!” She pouted. “And damn when will this headache go away?”
Nolan leaned down and kissed her temple.
Raina felt like a small electric shock went through her and suddenly her pain was gone. She blinked up at him in surprise and wonder. “What? How did you? You were holding out on me!”
He laughed softly. “Maybe a little….full blast and I could hurt you. I was giving you small doses.”
She stared up at him; Elenora was completely forgotten. “When you healed yourself, like in the prison…did you give yourself the full dose?”
He nodded. “And the night Richard attacked me. If I hadn’t both times then I wouldn’t have healed in time to accomplish what I needed. Both instances I was beaten pretty close…” He stopped and studied her face to measure her strength. “I was pretty close to death both times. The guard at the prison was also an Immortal Slayer.”
She shivered.
“It can depend on the circumstance how well my healing kicks in. We’ve just begun to scratch the surface of it.”
She tenderly kissed his fingers. “Does Michael have a full power mode?”
“He does.”
“So, when Maxim…you know…with you…Michael will have to be on full power?”
Nolan swallowed and gave a short nod.
“How do you get there?”
He closed his eyes and shrugged.
“Never tested?”
He shook his head.
Raina felt panic rise up in her. “We don’t have to rush it Nolan. We could wait until there has been more research. I know you are anxious! I am anxious too…for you.”
He brushed her hair back tenderly. “We won’t rush,” he agreed.
She smiled, happy with his answer. “And I know Our Sovereignty will be happy with more time with you. Maybe there are others you can teach! Their plan to heal mortals…to give back is so unselfish and beautiful!”
He smiled. “It is isn’t it?”
“Immortality isn’t all curses and evil,” she said softly. “They are taking their lot in life and making good.” She shrugged. “You should feel privileged you get to be a part of this. I am so proud you get to!”
Nolan cleared his throat. “Are you saying you think I should involve myself more, now that I’m still one of them?”
“And after you are mortal Nolan! Do you realize if you were a Dr…as a mortal…how easily you could infiltrate Healers into the medical field?” her mind was working quite clearly now.
His frowny face was in place, but he was listening.
“Did you think after you would leave the immortals behind?” Her eyes softened. “Thanatos, Joseph, Jonathan, Michael? Could you forget them?” She shook her head. “I can’t! They will still be a part of us, Nolan. We can be a part of this wonderful thing.”
He traced her brow absently as she spoke. “So my work will just begin once I am mortal, hmm?” He drew in a breath. “I’m not going to lie…I was hoping for a little bit of normal.”
Her blue eyes danced up at him. “You are anything but normal Nolan…mortal or immortal.”
He grinned.
“And now, as immortal, you could be doing so much for others.” She sat up completely pain free. She took his face in her hands. “You were a healer then and you are a healer now. You can’t run from it.” She smiled, shaking her head.
“Am I running?”
She nodded.
He sighed and pressed his forehead to hers.
“I believe it’s what you are meant to do, Nolan. What you’ve always been meant to do.” She pulled away a fraction so that she could see his face clearly. “It’s what your grandpa would want you to do.”
His eyes held hers for the longest moment. It was as if something in his mind clicked, and his face softened. “He would have been front line on this,” he whispered and shook his head. “All this time I was thinking I would be abusing my gift by using it! When this whole time I have been wasting it…hiding it!”
Raina shook her head. “No, you were just preparing for now. And you still have more preparing to do!” She lifted her shoulders. “You just have to be willing.”
The frowny face melted away and was replaced by a gorgeous smile. “You’re right and I am…willing.” He ran his fingers down the side of her face. “With you with me, I am willing to do anything Aelan…anything.”
She felt a bubble of joy rise up in her chest. She burst into laughter suddenly and collapsed against his chest in a fit of giggles.
Nolan lifted his brows and sat the woman in his lap back up. “What’s all this about you silly girl?”
She wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. “We may have to give some of the credit for this heart to heart to Elenora,” she giggled. “How sad is that?”
He growled and his jaw tensed. “She’s lucky I don’t kick her into next Sunday! She touches you again I may have to stand before Our Sovereignty for my actions.”
“No,” Raina said softly.
His brows lifted.
“As much as I detest her, harming her will hurt Joseph. He loves his granddaughter. We have to let her hang herself,” she sighed.
“Tender heart,” he whispered. “I love you.”
Raina felt the butterflies in her tummy.
He shook his head again and grabbed her up in his arms. His mouth fell on hers and he kissed her until neither of them could breathe.
“I’ve missed touching you,” she groaned when he did stop. “I’m glad we’ve had these stolen moments.”
He buried his face against her neck. “Me too, Aelan. I thank God in heaven every day for you. How can a man live so long without the wisdom of such a woman? How have I survived?” He crushed her closer. “You’ve been an inspiration to me today. I needed you!”
“I can’t take credit for the inspiration,” she laughed softly. “I swear it was those magic finger tips of yours. Clouds and cobwebs up there twenty minutes ago!” She leaned back and stared into his beautiful face. “You say I am your catalyst when it comes to your most powerful feats of healing?”
He nodded.
“Well, I think being around you is the catalyst for my inspirations.” She traced his brow with delicate care.
He grinned. “I think I like the sound of that.”
“It means just one thing Nolan Gregor.”
His brow lifted.
“We are…were…and always will be meant to be together.”
“I like the sound of that.” His voice lowered. He brushed his nose against hers.
She cuddled in closer.
“So, I have this big house…and it’s all mine,” he murmured. “There are lots of places to hide, to cuddle, to kiss, to…I don’t know….”
She laughed as one of his brows rose with devilish intent.
“Don’t laugh Aelan. You might hurt my feelings.” He nuzzled against the side of her throat. He squeezed her hips gently and kissed the exposed skin between her shoulder and neck.
She shivered. “Nolan?”
“Hmmm?”
“We shouldn’t be…shouldn’t we…”
“What should we be doing?” His voice was like silk and his warm breath on her skin was quite the distraction.