Authors: Kylie James
After breakfast, the two loaded into the
BMW and headed over to a Medieval festival that was the annual gala of the tiny
town of Cheshire. The festival was one of the most celebrated in the area, but
for Gabriel and Jamie, it was much more. Gabriel didn't mention that this was
to be the meet and greet for his new bride.
They arrived on time and were immediately
escorted to the town square. Many of the residents shook hands and took
pictures with the couple. It was as if Gabriel was a celebrity of sorts. Jamie,
of course, had many questions.
“What’s this all about? Do you know all
these people?”
Gabriel smiled and pulled her aside.
“There is something I must tell you. As a
matter of fact, there is a lot I need to tell you.”
“Gabriel, just the man I was looking for.”
Ash appeared from the crowd smiling wide and excited. “Is this the lucky lady?
Pleased to meet you, I am Ashingon Beneford, first hand to his majesty,
clansman, Gabriel Ilyar Alexander.” He secured her hand softly with a kiss.
The fanfare was a bit much, but it made her
feel special. “Okay, who is this?”
“This is Ash, the man I told you about. He
is my right hand and a bit over zealous. Ash, release my lady’s hand.”
“I've heard a lot about you, nice to meet
you.”
“I was just about to tell Ms. Oliver,
Jamie, about our connection with this place. My dear Jamie, my family is part of
the history of this town. This event holds a lot of significance. My family was
said to be the heroes here. A long time ago, a neighboring clan invaded and
attempted to take over, but my ancestors supposedly wielded the power of a
mighty dragon that banished the clan and kept them from returning. Me, being a
direct descendant, I am Dragon King for the day.”
Jamie held a surprised look and immediately
chimed in.
“Dragon King, awesome, so that’s why
there's all the fanfare and pictures. I want to see more.”
The men stared at each other and Ash was
first to speak.
“A trip to the library sounds like the
place to start. She needs to know.” Ash nodded in Gabriel’s direction.
“I need to know what?” Jamie looked back
and forth between the two.
“Come on. There’s something I must show
you. I wanted more time to tell you but.... Here it is. Today is not just a
festival. Today, I'm introducing the town to my bride-to-be. Also, the library
holds the history of what we discussed. But there is more.”
Jamie felt an apprehension. She felt
uneasy, but trusted Gabriel enough to let him follow through and explain. On
the way to the library, the trio stopped and talked with many of the
townspeople. The library was on the other side, and even though the town was
quite small, its library was magnificent. The structure resembled a cathedral.
Its walls and stained glass windows were kept in pristine condition at all
times. It was like stepping back in time.
“This is the original structure brought
over from England, piece by piece. It was originally a church, but over the
years, the history that lived within the walls was more fitting for a library.
You're going to see a lot of things, some disturbing. As you know, Medieval
Europe was not a nice place to be. I hope you are ready.”
“I know you have secrets, let’s get some of
them out. I need to know you.”
Once inside, the large doors closed behind
them and rows of tables and shelves of books welcomed them. Gabriel led Jamie
and Ash to a special room. A room that only those privy to such information
held a key.
“The real story is in here. I know we've
only had one day, but you must know it all in order to make your final
decision.”
Gabriel used a special key and the trio
entered the oval room. At first, the pictures that hung from the wall seemed
quite ordinary and then they didn’t. There it was. Gabriel’s clan and all of
its magnificence, death, destruction, and fanfare splayed across walls and
detailed in large volumes. She could tell they had been rebound over the years.
But it was clear there was much, much more.
“Please feel free to peruse whatever you
need, and I will be here to answer all your questions.”
Jamie began to stroll about the room. She
started with the pictures, and as she pointed, Gabriel offered answers.
“The War of the Elders 600 AD, The Taking
at Gnomes Glen 850 AD, The War of the Dragons 1450AD.”
The decadence of the Renaissance followed
and soon enlightenment and romanticism took hold. Jamie searched each shot, and
one thing was for sure, the clan thinned over the years. But there was
something else, an ancestor that looked very familiar.
“Who is this, a great, great, great, great,
great ancestor?” Silence filled the room as she approached the final shot. A
great black dragon with massive wings and gold eyes stood atop a mountain. The
mountain she knew, the creature as well.
“Oh my God. You have to tell me.” She
searched the last three pictures again. In each one, there was the ancestor and
the clan. In the final one, there was the clan and the dragon. She turned and
looked at her handsome Gabriel.
“Not an ancestor.” He stood tall and began
to speak. “To be a part of my clan is to be a part of something special. Ash
and I have worked together for centuries. In fact, you'll see his picture in
the books mostly. The sire’s first hand is usually not allowed in direct shots.
I think that's quite cruel as he has kept many secrets and seen me through many
things.”
Tears filled her eyes as she thought at
first that he was crazy. She eyed the door and wanted to run. There was no way
any of this was happening; her boss had paid her to play an elaborate practical
joke. It was the only explanation.
“Please don’t. I can assure you it is me.
The big volume on the table, it tells of a birthmark that only the shifters
have.” Gabriel wanted her to know it all and needed her to believe in him.
Jamie moved easily to the table. Gabriel
ordered Ash to step away and towards the back of the room.
Jamie lifted the volume from the table and
turned to the page. She began to read, and from there understood that only
those with the power of flight carried the mark of the flyer. It was simple,
and by far the most powerful thing on the planet. Three flames etched in black
usually on the torso of the shifter. She thought that could easily have been
fabricated as well. Her eyes searched the room and Gabriel began to remove his
shirt.
There it was, the dark strawberry mark of
three flames etched in his skin. It was about one inch tall and sat along his
ribcage underneath his heart. Jamie stepped back, tears streamed down her face.
She didn’t know what to think. She knew all the stories, but never thought she
would face them.
“I've got to get out of here. Please let me
go.” For the first time in her life, she was afraid. An actual immortal stood
before her.
“I never meant to scare or harm you. Please
don’t leave like this. I need you at my side.”
“I need to go.”
Gabriel stepped aside, and Jamie quickly
moved to the door and disappeared on the other side.
“You can’t let her leave like this.” Ash’s
response was understood.
“I can’t force her to stay either. She has
to choose on her own.”
Chapter
Five
It had been three days since the library.
Jamie took refuge in a local Motel 6 in order to avoid contact with Gabriel.
She bought clothes at a local mom and pop store and ate at the quiet
restaurant. She didn’t answer any of his calls and often wandered the town in
the afternoon trying to make sense of it all. Could she handle knowing what she
knew? Could she be what he needed? Could they have a life together? Was she
ready to end the contract? These thoughts swirled about as she strolled by a
nearby lake. She found a dark iron bench and sat for a moment when an all too
familiar voice spoke from behind.
“You are so beautiful. I miss you.” Gabriel
stood just a few feet away.
Jamie turned and looked in his direction.
“I miss you too. So, is the big secret the
shape shifter or is there more?” Jamie stood and waited.
“Yes, and if you choose to be my bride,
then we must complete a quest together. It's a test of my people. And up until
recently, I thought it was abroad, but turns out, it is here. It is a treasure
hunt of sorts. Will you please stay?”
“Wow, marriage and a treasure hunt. You're
full of surprises.” She moved towards the man and wrapped her arms around him.
With a warm hug and a gentle kiss, she accepted him. She had to admit, the idea
of a treasure hunt excited her.
Gabriel held her tightly. “Let’s go back to
your room.”
“Okay.”
They loaded into the BMW and Gabriel held
her hand all the way. Once inside, they ripped at each other’s clothes until
they were both intertwined in a heated passion. She was unsure of what to
expect.
“Can we do this?”
“Yes.” Gabriel answer was soft. For some
reason, he knew she would be alright.
For the next two hours, Gabriel Alexander
made love to her like no other man before. His kisses covered every inch of her
body. His phallus was strong and hard inside her and she met his movements in
complement.
His hands moved over her body, and he
cupped her breasts as his lips spread kisses across her collar bone. The
movement sped up with his breathing, and she moaned deeply catching the gold
that flickered through his eyes as he became more excited. He drove into her
and made sure she felt every part of him as he brought her to climax.
When he came, it poured warmer than most
and his growl of pleasure sent chills all over her body. The next few days were
more of the same. Once again, Jamie was back at the cabin and being treated
like a queen. Gabriel held back nothing as he explained the hunt.
“There is a cave of gold somewhere in the
town. Until now, I thought it was in the cathedral in the old towns in Europe,
but it is not. It is in the mountain behind the library. We must go there. But
first, we must be wed in the old tradition.”
Jamie agreed and the ceremony was held in
the next two days. Jamie’s dress was of the finest lace and rich silk. Saddened
that her friends could not be there, the fanfare would have been too much. The
roasted pig, the crowns, the cloaks, and finally, the brand. Yes, according to
custom, Jamie had to carry a brand. A sign of the union with Gabriel and her
devotion to the clan. Placed in a spot where only her husband would see, she
accepted the iron in tears and in joy.
Afterwards, the wound would be treated to
prevent infection, and she would spend the next few nights in her own bed away
from her husband. It was custom until she healed. There were so many rules and
customs she wondered if she could remember it all.
Gabriel knew that not having her friends
around her at such a crucial moment was hard. So, the pair decided on a second
ceremony when they returned. Initially, they decided to move in together and
keep their union secret. They would wait a few months before revealing their
love.
When she was ready, they went into the
mountains. The SUV was loaded with supplies before they entered the mountain
region. With map in hand, they easily found the cave that led into the bowels
of the earth. They followed the path and soon came to a river of cool rushing
water.
“Ready to get wet?” Gabriel stripped down
to only his shorts.
“How do you know where this ends? What if
we get stuck or drown?” Jamie forgot her excitement for a moment.
“I will protect you. Do you swim?”
Jamie smiled. “Yes, I swim.”
The pair jumped in and followed the stream
of water. The current was light but something caught their eye. The bright glow
up ahead meant either they found the treasure or the other side. It was both.
The chamber reminded her of something out of Indiana Jones. They popped up from
the water and quickly found stone steps to ascend.
“Oh my God, is this real?” Jamie stroked
her hand through a chest of gold coins and fine pearls. The chamber was full of
all kinds of riches.
“Yes, this is real and it's all ours.”
Gabriel smiled.
Jamie’s smile fell into a hard line. That
bad feeling had returned to her stomach. Everything was too easy, and soon, her
real nightmare began.
“Glad you found the treasure for me. Shame
you two will die for it.” Balthar stood poised to attack and as the beast
changed his form, Jamie knew what real terror felt like.
“Stay down!” Gabriel yelled before
morphing himself.
Gabriel and Balthar, locked in a battle
dragon against dragon, knocked into walls and shaking loose the gentle stone
that had been in place for centuries. Fearing the place would cave in, Jamie
stood huddled behind in a far corner. Her man was beautiful in his dragon
form, and fiercely protective. The fact that Balthar had even thought of
getting near her had sent him into a frenzy.
Gabriel dealt the final blows to Balthar
and snapped his neck in two. But that didn’t stop the walls from crumbling
around them. The mighty dragon turned towards his bride and bowed. She knew
exactly what to do. An opening high in the cave was all he needed. As the walls
crumbled, the two escaped into the night air to safety. The treasure would be
gathered in the days to follow, and the body burned per their customs. Gabriel
assumed the lead of the Balthar clan, and in doing so, banished all of the
former leader’s lackeys. Jamie was completely enchanted as she rode through
the air on the back of a dragon. Never in her wildest dreams could she have
come up with such a life.
Back in Florida, the two followed through
with their plan, and within months, they enjoyed a lavish traditional ceremony.
Gabriel swore to protect her from ever having to endure such terror again and
promised a happily ever after, which was all she could ask for.
THE END