ROMANCE: SHAPESHIFTER ROMANCE: Dragon Baller's Bride (Dragon Shifter Alpha Male Romance) (Paranormal Romantic Suspense) (43 page)

“
I
s she ok
? Can she hear us?”

Rainn slowly stirred, hearing frantic whispers and murmurings. Her body and mind were slowly coming round after the overdose Jack had forced upon her. Jack! What had happened to him, she wondered. Where was he?

“Hello?” Rainn uttered weakly, head pounding. “Where am I? What happened?”

“She’s awake! She’s awake!” Yvonne and Margaret’s voiced chimed in unison.

“Where am I?” Rainn repeated, looking confused. Her surroundings smelt very sterile; Rainn could detect the scent of strong bleach. She also smelt the cloying scent of lilies.

“You’re in hospital, Rainn” Margaret explained, “You were in a terrible way when Stewart found you. God knows what would have happened if he wasn’t there! We might have lost you!” Margaret wailed, as she broke down, sobbing heavily as Yvonne took over.

“Stewart returned after being sent away with all the other staff. He had a gift for you as a surprise and wanted to hand deliver it. Stewart had heard Jack talking of a walking stick and thought it might make your life easier, especially in an unfamiliar place. He saved you.”

Rainn frowned as she listened to Yvonne’s version of the story, impatient to hear what else had happened. Where was Jack? She could kill him!

“Stewart walked in to see you both unconscious.” Yvonne continued, “You had a phone near you, obviously calling for help. Jack had a small pool of blood near his head. Stewart checked you were ok first and then rang for an ambulance. He looked at the call history and contacted us shortly after.”

At news of Jack, Rainn tried sitting up. A sharp pain in her head prevented her from moving too rapidly. Easing herself gently into an upright position, Rainn began to speak. “Blood? What happened? Is he alive? Where is he?”

Margaret regained her composure and began to make soothing sounds, trying to calm Rainn. “Hush, Rainn. Don’t work yourself up, Jack is alive. The important thing is that you get better. You were very ill, we’re so glad you’re going to make a full recovery. ”

“Where is Jack?” Rainn demanded angrily.

Margaret and Yvonne shared a look, both secretly glad Rainn could not see. Suddenly, they were saved from Rainn’s questioning by the sound of the door opening. All three women turned their heads in the direction of the disruption, Margaret and Yvonne visibly relaxing. Rainn still looked puzzled and angry. From the sound of the slow, steady footsteps, she guessed it was a man. She smelt cinnamon and coffee. The air did not smell of wood or gin; it was not Jack. Rainn was silently pleased she would not have to confront her demons so soon.

“Rainn! I’m so glad you’re awake, I’ve been terribly worried. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here when you came round.”

Through Rainn’s muddled head, she recognized Stewart’s voice. She felt both happy and strangely shy as she greeted the man who saved her life.

“Stewart, thank you so much for rescuing me, however can I repay you? What must you have thought?” Rainn despaired.

“It sure was a shock seeing you and Mr. Bradley like that” Stewart admitted. “I couldn’t believe my eyes. I should have been there to protect you.” Stewart bit his lip, worried he’d said too much.

Rainn sensed his discomfort, politely ignoring his embarrassment. “Stewart, would you please do one more thing for me? Would you please tell me what happened? I’ll be an old woman before I get the truth out of these two.” Rainn gestured to Margaret and Yvonne, both giggling, thrilled that Rainn had not lost her sense of humor.

“Of course I’ll tell you, Rainn. But before I begin, I don’t want to upset you. Are you sure you want to hear this?” Stewart asked.

Rainn thought for a moment and then nodded. “Hearing it cannot be as bad as experiencing it,” she reasoned “I need to know what happened before I can move on. I will not let these events define me.”

Stewart acquiesced, making himself comfortable in an armchair before beginning. “Well, I came by the house with a walking stick. I knew you were against the idea, but I just wanted to help you. It was my grandmother’s. I hoped you might like to run your fingers over the wooden carvings; it has elephants carved into the handle, my grandmother was a great animal lover. I hoped you could use the stick as I moved furniture with your supervision, to make you more comfortable. It would be easier for you to get your bearing that way. I’d hate for you to get hurt again, like that day with the vase.”

Rainn was touched at the thoughtfulness of this man; Jack had never considered moving the furniture; he was too attached to his expensive antiques and relished having them on display. She also noted the adoring tone with which he spoke of his grandmother; family values were important to Rainn and she found Stewart more intriguing as he continued.

“I walked in and the house was deadly silent. I thought you may have been out for lunch, so I went to the balcony to leave the gift. I know you love to spend time there because you can feel the warmth of the sun and smell the beautiful flowers. I walked into the room and thought I entered a horror scene! You and Mr. Bradley were both unconscious and the room stank of liquor and blood. I ran over to check if you were okay. You were breathing but your pulse was very faint. I called for an ambulance on my cellphone. Then I noticed the phone by your hand. I checked the call history and got in touch with your sister and cousin.”

Yvonne and Margaret blushed at their mention in Stewart’s story and beckoned for him to continue, both inwardly delighted at his obvious adulation for Rainn.

“I went to check Mr. Bradley next. I felt guilty for not checking him first; he is my boss after all, but I was so worried about you. I’ve seen Mr. Bradley like that before; when he drinks and takes drugs, he’s not a good man. I checked his pulse too, his was stronger than yours. I sat next to you to wait. I kept talking to you, hoping you’d know who I was and that I was there for you. I hated the thought of you waking up alone and frightened so I held your hand. The ambulance arrived with the police. Mr. Bradley was taken away in a separate vehicle– ” Stewart broke off, looking uneasy, unsure of how to continue.

Rainn spoke softly, “You looked after me? Thank you so much. Please don’t be afraid to carry on. Jack, he got arrested, didn’t he?

Stewart stared at her, amazed at her perceptiveness and dazzled by her beauty. “Yes, for drug possession and forceful consumption; what he did to you. He confessed to everything when he came round. He had a fantasy you were like Romeo and Juliet; star crossed lovers, destined to live and die together. He is being charged soon. I’m sorry.”

Rainn, to everyone’s shock, smiled. She was glad to be free of Jack. She had not realized, until it was almost too late, how toxic their relationship was. She remembered the heartache he put her through all those months ago. Why had she taken him back? He was clearly mentally unstable. She didn’t need a bad boy to tame; she didn’t want to feel scared or small or intimidated. She wanted a good, honest man. Someone kind, who would want to take care of her and love her. Someone who did not drink or have irrational bursts of anger. She realized with a start, that she wanted someone like Stewart. Stewart had helped her when she fell. Stewart had never been unkind to her in any way. He had wanted to move the furniture to make her comfortable; even though it would have gotten him in trouble with Jack.

“Stewart…” Rainn began nervously. “How long have you been here?”

Stewart thought for a moment “Well, you’ve been here six days. The first two I slept on the floor beside you. But your wonderful family told me to get some rest. With Mr. Bradley in prison, I have no work to do, so I’ve been spending my days here with Yvonne and Margaret, just hoping you’d wake up.”

Rainn felt stirrings of butterflies in her stomach. She was so touched at the sweetness of Stewart. She loved listening to him speak, his deep velvety voice sending shivers down her spine. Rainn blushed as her adoring crowd watched. Thinking deeply about the dependable, gentle man before her, she plucked up the courage to ask:

“Stewart, when I am out of hospital, would you perhaps like to go for a coffee..?”

E
ver since she
was a little girl, Elle liked to look up at the stars and wonder what else was out there,
who
else was out there. Even as she grew older, she never shook the feeling that, for how alone she felt amongst her peers, she wasn't
alone
in the universe;
someone
had to share her need to see a star up close, to cup it in her hands and marvel at its warmth. It was a silly fantasy, she knew, so she kept it to herself.

Until a star landed right in front of her.

In the crater, she found a tiny vessel, clearly not man-made and comprised of materials that she had never seen before. Nestled within, was a being, a
person
unlike she had ever seen before. Answering to Fara, it becomes apparent that the alien is as curious and lively as Elle is, and it doesn't take long for them to bond over their mutual fascination with stars, and worlds not their own. That bond becomes something more, something neither of them have ever experienced, and though they choose to act upon it and let affections grow between them, they have no illusions of forever together; Fara will have to leave, and go somewhere Elle cannot feasibly follow.

T
he road
out of town was always empty this time of night, save for Elle's little beat up car, but she didn't mind having the winding road to herself. There was something inexplicably serene about driving in the quiet of night, with only your headlights to blot out the darkness and light your path. Briefly lifting her gaze upward to the sky, she noted that, now that she was further away from the city, she could see more of the stars, and the realization made her giddy with anticipation. Chicago was a lovely place, and her suburb just outside of the city proper was quaint enough that she felt cozy there, but she was positively deprived of starlight sitting in her own home; the artificial lights outside were too bright and too many, and the smoke from the factories only served to screen off what few stars would outshine the street lamps. So, on days where the hustle and bustle of the everyday would get to be too much, she would pack her telescope, a blanket, electric kettle, her ever faithful sketchbook and charcoals, and foodstuffs, and would drive out to a little secluded hill on the outskirts of town, away from all the lights and pollution, and simply stare into the stars until she was tired.

Pulling onto the little dirt road that wound up the hill and coming to a stop beside a grand oak tree, she parked her car and killed the engine. With the practiced movements of someone who has done this most of their adult life, she popped the trunk, exited the car, and bundled all of her things in her arms, letting the backpack that had all of her edibles, art supplies, and kettle hang on her arm. Shutting the trunk awkwardly with an outstretched elbow, she walked over to her usual spot- just outside of the tree's canopy, allowing her the best view of the universe. As she laid out the blanket and set the tripod of her telescope to stand, she briefly wondered how she didn't have grooves in the dirt from how many nights she spent out here.

Soon enough, she had her kettle bubbling with hot water, a thermos with her tea prepared, and was already peeking into her telescope, mapping out the constellations. Sketchbook propped in her lap and charcoal pencil in hand, she set the telescope to lock onto the smattering of stars that formed The Archer, and turned to her work. First came the lines of the constellation itself, a spring board and a guide for what was to follow. Then, she simply stared into the stars until their light gave her inspiration, and she once again put pencil to paper. Artful strokes with the pencil carved out the image in her mind onto the paper, chiseled out of the pure whiteness came forth signs of a woman archer, swathed in a cloak of starlight. It was only the outline, and really, it was all she needed to do here, so she snapped the book shut and tucked her art supplies away.

She nibbled on her cheese and crackers while she waited for her tea to steep, and simply took in the universe's complexion. Freckled with stars and planets all beautifully intangible to her, she let her mind wander. Looking into her telescope again, she unlocked the swivel on it and simply let her newly focused gaze drift, allowing the deep vastness of space to be all she could see for a while. It was as comforting as it was unsettling, this need that fluttered in her chest when she set her soul adrift among the stars. The stirrings in her chest demanded she adventure, that she find a way to fly to the farthest star in the galaxy and draw its light close to her like a child catching a firefly in the warmth of a summer night. It cried out that she didn't belong here, that her place was somewhere she had never been, would likely never go, and it bred feelings of unsettled restlessness in her bosom.

With a sigh she withdrew from the telescope and poured some tea for herself in the lid of the thermos that acted as a cup, and blew on it to cool it. As she sipped her tea, she all but purred at the warmth that filled her chest, chasing away the ache left by a wanderlust that she simply couldn't sate. Something in the sky caught her attention- a flicker, no longer than a heartbeat but undeniably
there
all the same, caused her to set her tea down and frantically swerve the telescope lens to try and spot it again. Sure enough, there it was, a brilliant star, streaking across the night sky. She tried to follow its arc, but it whizzed by too quickly, so she sat back with a huff.

She needn't have worried about missing where the star landed, it would seem. No sooner had she rocked back into a sitting position did she spot it again, growing larger and zipping towards the Earth. Frozen in her fascination, she followed its trajectory with wide eyes until it careened into the solid ground, a little over half a mile away. It was in the same field, further down and away from the hill, and really, she should just be grateful the impact of it didn't harm her or her car, but she stood on trembling legs and sprinted down to see what had fallen so far to say hello. A comet was the most likely, and she would be more than content with that, but a small, insidious voice whispered,
'what if?'
in her mind, and a hope she couldn't name fluttered in her chest.

Panting as she drew near to the crater left by the impact, she slowed her running to a stop at its edge, shielding her eyes from the glow she found there. The unnamable hope inside her swelled in excitement. Once her eyes adjusted to the brilliant light, she gasped at what she saw. It was clearly a ship, but it was made out of some material that looked a lot like a crystal, and looked as though it was carved out of something larger than itself. Nestled in the center of the crystal, and wrapped in the light it was emitting, was a decidedly
person-
shaped thing, floating in the nothingness around it. She felt vaguely proud of herself for not jumping in alarm when said person-shaped thing shifted, and opened its eyes to greet her.

How strange it was, to look into the eyes of another and see galaxies reflected in the deep pools where their soul resided, she thought. The being, whose more detailed traits were still lost to her because of the light, blinked its wide eyes at her, a strange sense of curiosity clearly taking hold. With a hum akin to a mother cooing her child to sleep, one of the facets of the crystal eased itself away from the rest, giving an opening for the being to climb out of. Enraptured, Elle could only watch as the being twisted with the grace of a swimmer from its place in the ship, and wrapped its long fingers against the rim of the newly created opening, and pulled itself out, the light from the ship dissolving with its host's absence. Once her eyes had readjusted to the change in lighting, she finally took in the full appearance of her potential new friend.

The newcomer stood tall and lithe, a full head taller than Elle, with a silhouette that appeared neither feminine nor masculine and simply...
was
, for lack of a better term. Their skin was pale, nearly snow white, and flecked with small points of shine like glitter upon the smooth surface. So smooth, in fact, that there was scarcely a nose to speak of on their face, with only the slightest of protrusions for narrow nostrils to peek out of. Completely hairless, it left the figure looking like a statue of somber beauty chiseled out of marble. But what had enraptured Elle most was their eyes. Opalescent and ever changing in their tone like the most precious of gemstones, they captivated Elle's attention, and she wondered if drowning in those eyes would be a pleasant way to go.