Unforgiven (Wanderers #3) (19 page)

“Piece of cake,” I said, not even making the
slightest attempt to move.

“Here, let me help you.” He slipped his arm behind my
back and gently raised me to a sitting position. Then he threw my
arm over his shoulder while wrapping his around my waist and
lifting me up. I held on tight as he walked me out into the
garden.

Still distracted by the glowing orbs, I kept reaching
out in front of me. Sudden realization hit me and I gasped.
“They’re fairies aren’t they?” I smiled and tried to catch one.
“They’ve come to hear the bluebells and create mischief,” I
giggled. I could tell Tristan didn’t have the heart to tell me no
and just let me believe that they were real.

He pulled me a little further down the garden and we
came to a stop in front of a table set up for two. There were
candles lit up all along the perimeter of the garden, sparkling
lights in the trees, and music playing in the background. “What is
this?” I asked amazed.

“The Airborne Toxic Event,
‘All for a
Woman
.
’”

“Not the song.” I rolled my eyes. I gestured to the
table.

“Dinner for two,” he said, kissing my hand. “And I
don’t think it’s come at a better time. You should really eat
something, but first, a dance.” He smiled and wrapped my arms over
his shoulders.

“I don’t how well I’ll be able to dance.”

He slid his hands around my waist and onto my lower
back pulling me closer to him. “Don’t worry. Just follow my
lead.”

“I can’t believe you did all this? And when did you
have time to cook? We were in the kitchen the whole time.” I tried
to figure out how it was possible, but all it did was make my head
spin.

“I used the grill,” he said, pointing over my
shoulder. I turned to look. He turned my face back to his and
kissed my lips.

“You didn’t have to do all this.”

“I wanted to do something special for you. After all,
you did save my life, twice.”

“That is true. You do owe me,” I joked.

“Whatever your heart desires.”

“Just you,” I smiled. I reached up on my tiptoes to
kiss his wonderful lips. “And by the way, this is one of my
favorite songs.”

“And now it will be our song.” I laid my head on his
chest while we swayed back and forth.

After our dance we had a delicious dinner. I ate
everything on my plate and even some of Tristan’s. He sat there
sipping what I believed was blood and smiling at my hearty
appetite. When we were finished, or should I say when I was
finished, we headed back to the lounge chairs by the porch. He
carefully helped me lay back on the chair while he retreated inside
to grab some more drinks.

I felt someone shake my arm and I opened my eyes to
see Deirdre standing next to me. “You giving up on me already?” she
laughed, sitting in the chair next to me.

“No,” I said, sitting up slowly. “I was just waiting
for you.” I smiled and took the glass from her hand. She laughed
again as we both lied there and looked up at the stars.

A few minutes later Tristan came back out with Caleb.
Deirdre and I were laughing our asses off – at what I didn’t know.
I think at this point I was just hallucinating. “Nan,” Tristan
scolded, taking the glass from my hand.

“Hey,” I whined.

“Relax, if I remember correctly I used to have to
hide my bottles from you. Every time you came to visit a few always
seemed to disappear after you left.” She narrowed her eyes at him
and he just shook his head.

“Yeah, but I knew what I was getting myself
into.”

“She’s a fighter. She’ll be fine,” she said, smacking
my face.

I blinked my eyes and looked around. “What?” Deirdre
started to laugh again and so did I.

Caleb helped her up. “Come on my love. Let’s get you
to bed.”

“That sounds like a good idea. Come on babe. Let’s go
back to the hotel.” I smiled and threw my arms around Tristan’s
neck.

“Sorry to disappoint you, but we’re staying
here.”

“Why?” I whined. “It smells like Metamucil and
decaying flesh in there.”

Tristan laughed when Deirdre narrowed her eyes at me
for my comment. “Sorry my love, but come morning you’re not going
to be feeling so well and Nan is the only one who knows how to make
the antidote.”

I wasn’t really paying attention to what he was
saying. I was too distracted by the stars. “Can we sleep out
here?”

Tristan handed me a bottle of blood. “You want to
sleep outside?”

“Under the stars,” I pointed up. “Look how beautiful
it is.” It was a possibility I was seeing more than stars, but it
just added to the appeal.

He brushed a thumb across my cheek. I turned and
looked into his dark blues eyes. “For you, anything.” He gave me a
soft kiss and got up. He walked over to the back of the patio and
dragged over a lounge chair big enough for two. He helped me move
to the bigger chair and then pointed to the bottle in my hand that
I forgot I was holding. “Drink that. It will help. I’m going to go
grab some pillows and blankets. I’ll be right back.” I nodded.

While I waited for him to return, I opened up one of
the bottles he gave me and took a sip. Once it hit my lips there
was nothing stopping me from taking it all. I saw another bottle
next to me and I opened it up empting that one as well. When
Tristan returned, he looked at me, and then the empty bottles of
blood on the ground. “Ella, there was enough in there for the both
of us,” he said, a little surprised.

“No there wasn’t.” I thought maybe he was kidding
until I saw the stunned look on his face. “Oh,” I burped. “Sorry, I
was thirsty.” He sighed and then just laid down next to me, putting
the pillows and blankets at the end of the bed until we were ready
for them. “You know if you’re thirsty you could always…” I pointed
to my neck.

“As much as I would love to, I won’t…I can’t.”

“Why not?” I pouted.

“Because I have already taken enough from you and
right now is not a good idea. You are not in the right state of
mind.”

Once again I had no idea what he had said. I was too
busy trying to catch the orbs again. “What?” I looked at him.

He just smiled, cupped my chin, and softly pressed
his lips to mine. I settled down onto his chest and closed my eyes.
“I love you la mia bella stella.”

“I love you too my wittle Tristan whistin,” I said,
just before I passed out.

When I opened my eyes I had to squint from the bright
sun shining down on me. I turned over and saw Tristan lying
peacefully next to me. I smiled and reached for him when suddenly
my head felt like I slammed it into a brick wall. “Ah,” I winced,
waking up Tristan.

“What is it what’s wrong?” he asked panicked.

“My head, oh god my head is pounding.” I closed my
eyes tight and gripped the sides.

Tristan reached up and placed his fingers lightly on
my temples. “I can’t make the pain go away completely but I can
lesson it.” When he was done, I let him take me in his arms and
relaxed calmly against his chest.

He was right. The pain did lessen but did not go away
completely. “Why can’t you heal me?”

“Because of the magic in the whiskey.”

“Your grandmother puts magic in her whiskey?”

“It gives it a little extra kick,” he smiled. “I
guess you don’t remember me telling you it was magically
enhanced.”

“When did you tell me that?”

“Last night.”

“Oh, yeah, last night is kind of a blur. I didn’t do
anything stupid did I?” I cringed, having very little memory of
last night.

“Nothing too embarrassing,” he smirked. “Don’t worry
I took video.”

I buried my face in my hands. “Let me see.” I tried
reaching in his pocket for his phone.

“Nope, that’s for my own private collection.” I gave
him my annoyed look. “You really want to see yourself dancing naked
under the moonlight?”

“Stop it. No I didn’t.”

“It was pretty hot.” He took his phone from his
pocket. “I wonder how much money I could get for this? Maybe I
should upload it to YouTube.”

“Don’t you dare!” I reached for his phone but he
pulled it away and kept it just out of my reach. “Tristan I swear
–”

“I’m kidding,” he said laughing. I narrowed my eyes
at him. “You have no worries. I would never do that.”

“Did I really do that?” I asked nervously.

“No. I was just kidding, but now that I mentioned
it…”

“No.”

He chuckled and gave me a soft kiss on the cheek.
“Let’s go inside and I’ll make you something to help get rid of
your headache.”

Tristan whipped up some concoction and made me drink
it. The smell alone made me want to vomit. “Just drink it,” he
said, rolling his eyes and then proceeded to make me breakfast.
While I sat in the chair sipping my drink and waiting for my food,
Deirdre walked into the kitchen looking like she always did – mean.
I looked at her afraid maybe last night was a dream. She turned her
head to me, smirked, and then winked. I relaxed back in my chair
and smiled.

“What are you doing?” Deirdre said to Tristan shooing
him away.

“I was making my beautiful love breakfast,” he said,
smiling at me.

“Get.” She pushed him away and took over. No longer
with anything to do, he walked over to me, picked me up, and placed
me on his lap. I laid my head on his shoulder and breathed in his
sweet, minty scent. Josef entered the kitchen, took one look at
Tristan and me, and then turned right around and left.

“Josef,” Deirdre scolded. “Sit.”

“No thanks. I lost my appetite.”

“Sit,” Deirdre glared. Josef was no dummy. He knew
better than to piss off his grandmother. He took a seat unhappily
and crossed his arms letting us know he was not in the chatting
mood. Not wanting to make things worse, I got up and sat in my own
chair. Tristan looked at me and I gave him a look that said I would
explain later.

To help diffuse the awkward silence I asked Deirdre
if she needed any help. “From you? Huh, you’re no help,” she said.
I just rolled my eyes and let it go. “Josef, set the table.”

Caleb joined us shortly and we all sat down to eat.
Everyone was silent making it quite an awkward breakfast. When we
were done Deirdre made me do the dishes – I see some things haven’t
changed. While I did the dishes and Deirdre watched – telling me
everything I was doing wrong – Tristan told me he was going to go
talk to Josef. I told him I thought that was a good idea.

“Josef, can I talk to you?” Tristan asked, knocking
lightly on his bedroom door.

“I have nothing to say to you so you can leave,” he
said, turning away from him.

“Look, I don’t know what I did to piss you off but I
think I at least deserve an explanation.”

“Don’t pretend to be this good guy when we all know
you’re really a prick,” he huffed. “Ella might not be able to see
through your bullshit but I can.”

“Ah, I see,” Tristan said, walking over to the lounge
by the window. “So this is about Ella. You don’t think I’m good
enough for her,” he let out a breath. “And you’re right. I’m
not.”

Josef finally turned to look at him, but only to see
if he was being sincere or playing another one of his games. “Look
Josef, I love Ella. I love her more than anything and anyone in
this world. I would die for her. She is my everything and I don’t
deserve someone like her.”

“No you don’t,” he spat.

“I understand how you feel. I was a prick. Hell, I
still am,” he laughed. “But I would never hurt Ella and trust me,
I’m pretty sure she could kick my ass if I did.” Josef’s lips
twitched slightly. “You can believe me or not, but don’t take it
out on Ella. She doesn’t deserve it.” Tristan waited for a response
or some kind of nod, but when he got nothing he stood up to
leave.

“Do you love her, truly love her?” Josef asked.

“Yes, I do.”

Josef looked at his cousin as if giving him a silent
understanding. Tristan left the room without another word.

I had finished the dishes and was sitting at the
table with Deirdre drinking tea. She wasn’t speaking to me. Not for
any reason in particular, it was because she preferred the silence
and well, it was Deirdre.

I knew Tristan was back before I even turned around.
“How’d it go?” I asked.

“Fine,” he said, kissing my cheek. “What do you want
to do today?”

“I should probably call Dean and let him know where I
am before he thinks you kidnapped me or killed me. I’m surprised
he’s not already screaming in my head for me to call him.”

“Maybe he doesn’t want to pay the long distance
charges.” I rolled my eyes at Tristan’s lame joke. “Don’t worry. I
already called him,” he said.

That would explain the radio silence. “Thank you,” I
smiled. “So what do you want to do?”

Tristan smiled cockily at me and started sending me
images. I smacked him on the chest. “You two,” Deirdre said. “Are
coming with me.”

“Where are we going?” I asked as she shoved us out
the door.

“To see Pita.”

“Nan no,” Tristan pleaded.

“Who’s Pita?”

“One of Nan’s
‘psychic’
friends.” He air
quoted the word psychic as an exaggeration of his disbelief. The
look on his face told me he was not amused.

“You ask too many questions,” Deirdre complained as
we walked down the street. We walked a couple of blocks and I
wanted to ask where this place was but kept my mouth shut for fear
of getting yelled at again. Several minutes later, we finally
arrived at our destination. All the lights were turned off and the
place looked empty.

“Is anyone even here?” I asked. “She doesn’t look
like she’s open.”

“Maybe she predicted she wouldn’t be busy today and
closed early,” Tristan said with a smartass smirk. Deirdre glared
at him and knocked on the door. Two minutes later a tiny, elderly
woman dressed like a gypsy answered. She looked at us, then peered
outside looking all around, then she jerked her head for us to
follow her inside. I looked at Tristan unsure. He rolled his eyes,
took my hand, and followed her in.