Authors: Kylie James
Chapter
Two
Jamie raced home in the five o clock
traffic. It was hot as hell and she had no AC, so the only way to pretend to
cool the car was driving fast with the windows rolled down. By the time she
walked into the tiny apartment, sweat was everywhere. The cold air rushed
through her body and chill bumps formed all over her arms and torso. At some
point, she would have to get that fixed. It wasn’t that she was broke. She just
never took the time. Most of her life was running errands for others and
helping everyone else with their needs. Most of her friend’s lives were soccer
games, family feuds, and money juggling that she had yet to experience. But
right now, she needed a shower and rest. She kept the cell phone nearby just in
case he needed or forgot something. It never rang.
After a cool drench, Jamie laid flat on the
bed wrapped in only her towel. It was Friday night and that usually meant
girls’ night. One of her coworkers kept an open invite on Fridays, and everyone
was welcome to show up. It usually ended up being just a couple of close
friends and no one from the office but the two of them. The other woman, Susan,
was an acquaintance of them both that worked at the local Walmart. Jamie
decided to dress and crash, some food and fun talk with the girls was in order.
She stopped by the dollar store on the way and bought some chips, dip, and
soda. Her coworker Leah told her that it was not necessary, but she did it
anyway. It was always good to have extra munchies when you were chilling with
the girls.
“Slacker is here.” Leah had a sense of
humor that only her good friends could enjoy. Sarcastic, devilish, and with an
added touch of prude, you just didn’t find people like her very often. On the
flipside, she cared for others and would do everything she could to see a smile
and be that shoulder as needed.
“Yeah, yeah, the slacker is here. Where’s
your fridge?” Jamie smiled and hugged her good friend.
“It’s stocked, go over there, it hasn’t
moved, and I'm not getting you a plate.” Leah’s smile reminded her of a child
on Christmas, warm and inviting. She had been over plenty of times and knew
where everything in the kitchen was.
“Where’s the rest of the party?”
“Susan will be here after dinner with her
grandparents. I think that’s gonna be it.”
“That’s good enough. I brought extra to
munch on and I won’t hear otherwise.”
“Okay, okay, I’m not saying anything.” She
grabbed extra bowls and prepared the chips and dip. There were meatballs,
cocktails with two flavored vodkas, cheese dips, nachos, chips, in other words,
a complete veg out. By the time Susan arrived, the ladies were deep in the
drink and laughing out of control.
“Ok, you jerks started without me.” Susan
was short with dark long hair. Jamie could see why these two were such good
friends. Their attitudes mirrored each other and their smiles were the same.
Sometimes, Jamie felt a little on the outside, but she knew that was crazy.
They both had been there for her on many occasions and their friendship never
waned.
“So, you’re in charge while Gabriel is out?
Just letting you know. I am calling out every day for the next two weeks.” Leah
laughed and tapped the table lightly with her hand.
“That is something you would do. I'm so not
even going to talk to you for the next two weeks.” Jamie laughed along and
Susan joined in.
“So, what’s this I hear you are in charge?”
Susan popped a meatball and some cheese.
“While Gabriel is on vacation, I'm looking
after the office. He assured me I could do it.”
“Well, you go girl. You'll be great. Just
fire the slacker over here and everything will be fine.” Susan pointed at Leah
and the trio laughed loudly again. She couldn't even remember when they started
calling her that, but it was hilarious.
The ribbing went on for the rest of the
night. Jamie drove home around midnight and fell into her bed. Buzzed and
exhausted from fun, the night with the girls was just what she needed. Before
she passed out on the queen size bed, Leah sent a text. The friend wanted to
know she made it home in one piece.
Leah: Hey, you home yet or do I need to
come bail you out for DUI?
Jamie: Yeah, I’m home and I didn't drink
enough for a DUI. Had a great time, check in tomorrow. Night
Leah: Alright, night.
Jamie changed into something more
comfortable and eased into the 750 count sheets and soft blanket. It was the
perfect end to a perfect night. In the background, thunder rolled through the
sky and a quiet rain was on the way. Jamie closed her eyes and drifted into a
deep sleep.
Chapter
Three
Gabriel arrived at the cabin and unpacked
the car. The council would be there later in the week, and he had to have a plan.
For now, he would try to relax before Ash arrived. Things would be intense
between them, so he had to prepare. A soak in the hot tub seemed just right. He
moved along the wood floor and into the oversized bedroom. The master garden
tub was perfect for what he had in mind. A long soak gave him time to meditate
and unwind.
Gabriel slid underneath the soft calming
bubbles. The scent of shea butter and cocoa filled the room. He never really
shared that bubble baths were a thing for him. Many of his dates never made it
to that level. After the third week, they would disappear or simply make that
uncomfortable call. The handsome exec was used to it, and it didn’t bother him,
until now. He shifted about in a warm blanket of froths.
I have to find a
mate by next week and seal my destiny in four weeks. I am screwed.
Just
then, another candidate crossed his mind. The dark haired Adonis opened his
eyes at the thought.
Why not? She is definitely available and knows the
majority of what I do. I will have to explain the rest at a later date, but
still.
Gabriel bathed and dried quickly. This new idea, a plan formed and
seemed to take the shape of what he needed. Now, he just had to get her to the
cabin and explain some of the plan.
Later that day when Ash arrived, the plan
seemed greatly flawed.
“Oh yeah, how do you explain that you are
the leader of an ancient group of dragon shape shifters and you need a bride to
fulfill your destiny in order to remain legit.” Ash’s sarcasm wasn't welcome.
“I have to tell her at some point. She
can't go into this blind. Besides, it has to be done, you said it yourself.”
Gabriel paced about the room while Ash shook his head.
“I know, but I was hoping that you weren’t
going to tell her up front. You're really out of touch when it comes to the
ladies.” Ash stood and paced the floor as well.
“Okay, what if I just say we have an
arrangement, and that she can back out at after five weeks. I hire her to play
bride, and that way, I don’t have to tell it all upfront. She gets paid
handsomely and can move on if she hates me.” Gabriel stood tall with a look of
complete satisfaction. Ash nodded and agreed to the plan.
“You have to get her here and fast.” Ash
was right. Gabriel had to move quickly. The most important part of the plan was
the secrecy; the next piece of creating the perfect ruse was tricky.
Gabriel was about to call Jamie with his
offer when someone knocked on the door. Ash moved to answer. After a glance
through the peephole, he knew it was trouble.
“It’s Balthar.” Ash’s voice dropped. He
undid the latch and let the man in.
Balthar strolled in like he owned the
place. Tall, with long dark dreads and mysterious gray eyes, he reveled in the
idea of assuming control over Gabriel’s clan.
“I won’t stay long, just wanted to see how things
were going. I heard that you had not wed. May I?”
Gabriel nodded and the tall muscular man
took a seat. He wore dark work boots and baggy jeans. His Henley shirt lay open
in a sensual V at his neck. With dark smooth skin and a wicked smile of his own,
it was truly wall to wall handsome in the room.
“You do know I will assume your clan if you
can't follow through. I have no problem with that. I also have no problem with
exerting the ancient rule before time. There can’t be two kings in a clan.”
“That rule was banished for a reason. The
new stipulation is that the loser be released from the clan and be banished as
well. A long drawn out battle wouldn't make things better.”
“True, but I do miss the old ways.” Balthar
picked at his long nails as if what was said made no consequence.
“Anyway, we won't have that problem. My
fiancé will be joining me midweek. She had to work.” Gabriel’s speech was news
to the competition.
“Well, seems I was misinformed. But I'm
glad. I hope that she works out.” The irritation of Gabriel’s admittance struck
the ancient one hard. It didn't show in his face, but other body language gave
him away. The way he moved quickly to remove himself from the room was a
giveaway. He didn't like the news and knew that he couldn't interfere in any
way.
“See you at the crowning.” Gabriel’s smile
was a half smirk and half I'm laughing in your face. It was a good day.
Gabriel would call Jamie later that night
after he and Ash worked out the details. Gabriel found himself talking to voicemail.
He left a quick message and kept the phone turned on so he could answer.
Chapter
Four
Saturday morning at 11am, Jamie awoke with
a massive headache and a dry mouth. She really hadn't had that much to drink,
she thought while making her way to the bathroom. Once at the sink, she turned
on the cool water to splash on her face. She looked in the mirror and smiled,
it was a good night no matter how she awoke. She thought the knock was for her
neighbor, but it was her door.
Who the bloody hell is that?
When she
looked through the peephole, she found, to her surprise, a fidgety Gabriel.
“You don’t answer your phone? Oh God look
at you.” Gabriel smiled and moved past the woman.
With bed hair and morning breath, Jamie
felt exposed.
“Have a seat. Let me do something about
this.” Caught way off guard, she rushed to the bathroom and cleaned up.
Thoughts rambled about as she squeezed toothpaste in her mouth followed by the
brush. She thought coating her teeth with toothpaste would get rid of any alcohol
that lingered on her breath.
“It’s quite alright. You’re kinda cute
hungover.” Gabriel sat on the sofa and waited.
Jamie finished her routine and moved to
find her purse. Her phone, tucked under the wallet, showed one missed call,
Gabriel. She listened to the voicemail and pondered what was wrong. Thank
goodness she wore something decent to bed that night. She threw on a t shirt
and shorts brushing through her short mop. Not the best, but presentable.
“Oh God, I'm so sorry. You're here on your
vacation. What did I do wrong?” Heart pounding and fingers fidgeted as she
awaited his answer.
Gabriel regarded her as if they'd just met.
There was a delight in his eyes she wasn't used to. Usually, her outfits were
always office appropriate even on casual Fridays. It was strange for him to see
her like this.
“You're fine. You didn’t do anything wrong.
I need to spend the next two weeks with you. I mean to hire you as my paramour.
But to others, we will be affianced.” The look was serious. There was no
laughter or playfulness in the tone.
“Am I that hungover?” Jamie said to
herself. “Oh God, what was in that drink?”
“Well, you're hungover, but this is not a
fantasy of your drink. I need your help and I can explain it on the way back to
the cabin. Pack your things. We're going on a vacation.”
“Wait, wait, you can’t just come in here
and tell me I am going to play your girlfriend and make me pack. That’s not how
it goes. First of all, I need to know what I'm getting into here.” She sobered
quickly and made a good point.
“You know that I am quite secretive with my
life, past and family. Let’s just say, I have a very special place in my
family, and I have to find someone or lose my place. Now, I am paying you
$1,000 a day, please pack.”
“Cash or check?” She really could ask some
strange questions, she thought, but that amount of money had piqued her
interest.
“The first installments for the week are
already in your account. Direct deposit was last night around midnight.”
Jamie pulled up her account and sure enough
$7,000 extra appeared in the statement. She packed quickly. It wasn't going to
be too bad to pretend to be his for a couple of weeks. This was easy money, and
she had bills and debts to pay.
For the next five to six hours, Gabriel
explained what he could. Although he couldn't explain it all, he covered the
basics. By the time they were in the mountains, Jamie’s head swirled with the
idea of being a princess bride of sorts.
“So your family is from an ancient monarchy
out of Europe that I have never heard of, but you still practice the ways of
marriage to continue the bloodline or something?”
“Something like that. If I'm to remain the
leader of my clan.”
“So, you’re like the Highlander? Cool.”
“Yeah, something like that.”
The perfect gentleman, he unloaded her bags
and led her inside. It was a tad bit cooler in the mountains, and she didn’t
have a lot of cool weather clothes. Gabriel held her close to keep the smallest
chills at bay. A familiar scent she knew but could not quite make out emanated
from his body. It was fresh and clean. There was an awkward feel to the
situation, she admitted that, but there was also an exhilaration that she could
not deny. Then, there was the money. Her head swam with what she could do with
the money.
He showed her to her room and went over the
contract briefly. It was a basic deal where they would get to know each other,
and in two weeks’ time, she could either commit fully or back away. If the
commitment were full, then they would honeymoon in Europe at his family’s castle.
She agreed and the courtship began. She didn't think he was serious, so it was
easy to agree to the trial.
He made arrangements at the office for the
next in line to take over. Questions swirled about and her friends sent
messages galore. She answered them in the only way she could. She lied. The
story spun for the office was an impromptu meeting with a new client that would
not take no for an answer. The business would bring major accounts to the firm
and even a promotion for Jamie. Everyone was excited and surprised and
suspected nothing. Her closest friends congratulated her and asked when she
would return. They wanted to celebrate as soon as possible. Jamie told them
that it would be a few weeks. That Gabriel insisted she take time off before starting
the new position.
With the pressure of work released, Gabriel
invited Jamie for a quick stroll around the grounds. He offered one of his
sweaters and a jacket if she needed. The sweater was fine, her blood ran hot at
the idea of playing girlfriend to the most beautiful man she had ever seen.
She hadn't allowed herself to think of him
in that way before now, but it was something she was being paid to do.
Gabriel pointed out the significance of the
history of the cabin and how his people used it for a safe house during the
wicked times of the earlier settlements. It was like getting a history and a
date all at once. Jamie pieced it all together and, with her many questions,
was able to understand the mysterious man she knew from the office.
“You speak of your people like they are
ancient beings. What era of time are we looking at? From what you've described,
it reminds me of the early ages of the world. Medieval even.”
Gabriel was impressed. He'd never met
anyone with a knowledge that stretched further than the 60s.
“What do you know of the Medieval era?”
“I'm a great fan of monster tales and
quests. I've watched just about all the history channel specials on dragons,
myths, witches, and wizards. I can’t get enough. From what you describe, your
family’s ways mirror those of the steep superstitions of that era. Why else
would they build such a sprawling cabin in such a remote land? Even its
architecture reminds me of something that should have a gargoyle posted
somewhere.”
Gabriel stopped short and stared at the
woman. There had been a gargoyle, but he had it removed many years ago. It had
been flown back to the castle. His intrigue grew as he thought more and more
that she may not be just a contract, but the one.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“No, I've just never met anyone like you.
May I kiss you?”
“Yes, you may kiss me.”
A gentle breeze blew across Jamie’s face
and soon Gabriel’s soft lips met hers. She felt his warmth and felt his hand on
the small of her back. She raised her arms to embrace him and took in the sweet
scent. Gabriel fought back a familiar urge. Just as he felt the heat rise, he
eased away.
“I know a great place for dinner.”
They walked hand in hand with more
conversation to follow. Over dinner at a quiet little restaurant on the edge of
town, even more discoveries unfolded. Gabriel learned that Jamie attended
private schools mostly and moved about with her family due to her father being
in the military. Her father had passed last year, he remembered the card and
the lovely arrangement he had made sure to send. She was not close with her
mother, so there wasn’t much communication there. She had no sisters or
brothers and enjoyed her existence. A few failed relationships here and there,
but who didn’t have those. Their scorecards mirrored one another and their
likes and dislikes did the same. Jamie often mentioned myths and legends that
she found fascinating. Gabriel’s eyes widened as he knew the truths behind the
legends. The man felt he would burst because he wanted to tell her so much.
After dinner, they retired to the cabin.
Gabriel poured wine and the two discussed the office and her hopes for the
future.
“I don’t know what's next. I failed the CPA
exam, but it’s all good. I'll survive. I enjoy the firm. It is a great place
and I have good friends there.”
“I didn’t know how much fun you were until
now. I am very happy about this arrangement. I hope we can move forward.” With
a sincere look and smile, he offered a toast. Jamie was tipsy again but lucid
enough to want to know more.
“So, two weeks. I have to say, two weeks,
to have sex, have an argument, make up sex, awkward moments and a botched date.
That is not a lot of time. I know you have followed the same pattern with the
women you've dated, but what happened to make you get so close to the end?”
Gabriel sipped from his glass and placed it
on the coffee table.
“Well, it looks like I have been choosing
the wrong women.” They both laughed then he looked more serious. “Most would
say that I have commitment issues. But the truth is. I didn’t think they would
understand, not like you have. They definitely didn’t have the history of
monster myths and legends like you do. I find that fascinating. And while I'm
at it, thank you for accepting.”
Gabriel looked at his phone, it was 11:30.
“Let’s get to bed. Tomorrow, we are going
to take a ride into the next town over. There is a festival of some sort going
on and I think you will like it.”
“What’s it about?”
“You’ll see. Come on up to bed.”
Gabriel kissed her one last time good night
and watched as she closed the door behind her. Tonight, they would sleep apart.
Jamie dozed off immediately. The cabin was
quiet, and every once in a while, she thought she heard Gabriel shuffle about
in the hall. The sound of his footsteps quieted and she assumed he was asleep.
Jamie sunk into the thousand count sheets
and warm comforter like a small child. The day was like none she had ever had
and she hoped there were more to come. Somewhere in the early morning hours,
long before sunrise, she drifted from sleep. She did that often. She figured
her brain just wanted to relive the previous day’s follies. But there was
something else, a loud swoop high above in the sky and a darkening in the
moon’s light led her to the balcony. At first, she didn’t see anything. Nothing
more than the trees and open lake were in view, but then, something else caught
her eye. Two orbs, bright golden orbs seemed to appear from the darkness and
within moments, the orbs ascended into the trees out of sight. Jamie rubbed her
eyes, and as she looked up, large wings, or wing like structures, blazed across
the night sky. She didn’t know what to think. Owl, large eagle, oversized
buzzard, too much wine and too many stories of myths and legends.
Either way, she ran back inside and closed
the French doors. Her heart pounded in her chest, and by the time she drifted
back to sleep, it was time to get up. Gabriel knocked lightly on the door.
“Morning. I have breakfast ready. I can
bring it to you.” There was no answer. He knocked lightly again, and this time,
eased the door open. A groggy and bleary-eyed Jamie slowly rose from the bed.
“Oh no, did I oversleep and we have plans?
Give me a minute.” Jamie stumbled as she moved towards the bathroom.
“Are you okay?” Gabriel’s concern was
evident.
“Yeah…” She stalled a bit. “I thought I saw
something last night, kinda spooked me. I went out on the balcony.”
Gabriel’s concerned turned to suspicion.
“What did you see?”
“Some large predator bird probably, dragon,
I don’t know. I had too much to drink within the last 24 hours. I'm sure it was
just my imagination.” Jamie walked into the bathroom and carried out her usual
rituals. She appeared fresh faced and dressed. The walk in closet was a
breezeway to the bathroom.
“Okay, you said breakfast. Hey, are you
alright?” Gabriel sat on the edge of the bed, a curious look on his face.
“Yeah, there are legends in this area of a
large winged something that prowls the night. There have been no casualties,
just sightings. It’s like bigfoot or something, just a legend.”
Intrigued by the story, Jamie couldn’t help
but add.
“All legends come from somewhere. Whatever
is out there, it has a story. Now, let’s eat.”
Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief. He
remembered seeing her through his golden orbs. The night did not provide the
proper cover. She had looked startled, but still curious. He would have to tell
her at some point, but it would have to wait.