by Quinn Loftis
Serenity waited for Emma to get her seat buckled before backing out of the parking spot. She was glad that Emma had been willing to go with her, considering they had met in a dream. Serenity was worried she might have been too freaked out. When her aunt Darla had mentioned Emma to her and asked if she would mentor her, even though she knew Serenity had stopped mentoring, she didn’t mention that she already knew her. She did however agree to mentor her without hesitation. She knew from her talks with Dair that Emma was going to be someone important in her life and probably the lives of many others.
“I don’t want to assume, so I’m going to ask,” Serenity began. “Do you remember me from the dream Dair weaved for us?”
Emma nodded. “Yep, but I already knew you were here. Dair told me.”
“Yea, he told me about you too. I’m so sorry for your loss, Emma. I want you to know that you are welcome in Darla’s and Wayne’s home anytime.” Serenity hoped that Emma could hear in her voice that it was only concern and not pity that she felt for her.
“Thank you,” Emma told her and that was all she said about it. “So about this vet. . .is that where you work?”
Serenity nodded. “It’s my part time job. I really like working with animals. They’re great listeners and aside from the occasional trouble maker, they don’t complain or gripe at us.”
“They’re also very loyal,” Emma pointed out. “I’ve never had a pet, but I read a lot about dogs. It was always interesting to me how they train dogs to rescue people, find drugs, and comfort those who are sick. Animals are truly amazing creatures.”
Serenity was a little taken aback by the young girl’s knowledge. It wasn’t every day that she came across an eight-year-old that liked to read about horses and dogs. The eight-year-olds she had been around were more concerned with sparkly things and American Girl dolls.
As they pulled into the parking lot, Serenity’s lips spread into a ridiculous smile at the sight before her.
“You’ve got it bad girl,” Emma said from beside her.
Serenity’s head snapped sideways to look at her. “That obvious?”
“Wipe the drool off before you get out,” Emma said as she grinned and opened her door.
Dair stood leaning against the building, relaxed as if it wasn’t twenty-eight degrees outside. Serenity climbed out of the car and followed Emma to where Dair stood.
“Raphael told me you would be here,” Emma told him.
Serenity looked at Dair and then down at the girl. “Raphael, as in the angel right?”
Emma nodded and said with a shrug. “He’s sort of my guardian angel.”
Serenity looked back at Dair and smiled her thanks because she knew it was his doing that Emma had someone looking after her when others could not.
“How are my two favorite ladies?” Dair asked as he pulled the door open for them to step in out of the freezing wind.
“Excellent,” Serenity said and had to fight not to throw herself in his arms.
Emma shook her head and Serenity heard her mumble. “Girl needs a bib.”
Dair laughed as he looked down at her. “Emma, I take it you are here to help Serenity clean kennels and exercise dogs?”
Emma nodded. “Cleaning dog poop beats sitting in my room talking to a mouse and a cat any day.”
Serenity’s heart hurt at the words but she wasn’t going to let Emma see it. When her parents had died, the one thing she hated most was the pity in people’s eyes. She wouldn’t do that to Emma.
“Let’s get to work. The sooner we start the sooner we can be finished,” Serenity said as she waved them to follow her to the back. She was glad that Jackson had the day off; she didn’t want to see how he and Dair would interact.
“She seems to be having fun,” Dair’s breath whispered against her skin as he spoke from behind her. Serenity was bathing one of her regulars, a small and perpetually happy little pug named Pugsly. Sometimes it amazed her at how unoriginal owners could be when naming their pets. She felt Dair’s arms snake around her waist, his large hands resting on her stomach. Serenity wanted to lean back against his firm chest. She wanted to sink into his embrace and see where it led, but Pugsly, wet and shivering, was looking up at her with pleading eyes. She smiled down at the dog and finished washing him. Dair stayed behind her simply holding her. When she finished rinsing the pug, Dair released her so she could lift Pugsly and set him on the table. She began to dry him off as Dair stepped around the table and watched her.
“You have a habit of staring,” Serenity pointed out to him.
He didn’t look the least bit bothered by her statement. He folded his large arms across his broad chest and leaned his shoulder against the wall. “I like to have something to think about when I’m away from you.”
Okay, what was a girl supposed to say to that? Serenity bit her bottom lip as she peeked up at him while she continued to dry the little pug. Dair’s smoldering eyes met hers and she quickly glanced back down. He was so intense, so overwhelming at times, that she found it hard to breathe. Serenity cleared her throat before she spoke. “Could you go check on Emma for me?” she asked. Cowards way out? Yep, but she needed to collect herself and she couldn’t do that with his roaming eyes.
She didn’t hear him move. Suddenly his lips were pressed against her ear. No other part of his body touched hers, and yet his warm breath heating her skin was igniting passion as if he were plastered against her. “Are you running from me, Princess?” His voice was deep and velvety smooth, coaxing her to respond to him.
“No,” her voice squeaked and she had to clear her throat before she continued, “not running, just need to breathe.”
“You can’t breathe with me?” She was surprised to hear hurt in his voice. Serenity was glad that Pugsly was one of her better behaved dogs because he just sat on the table patiently waiting while Dair grabbed her hips and turned her to face him. His eyes were doing that smoky, swirly thing. She had touched a nerve.
“I . . . it’s just,” Serenity stumbled to explain but nothing would come out. Dair’s intense stare had her speechless. He stepped closer and when she attempted to look away, he grabbed her chin gently, but firmly, and forced her to look up at him.
“For the first time in my long existence, I finally feel like I can breathe, because of you. Am I smothering you? Is that what you mean?”
Serenity could see that Dair was truly worried about what she had said, and yet she hadn’t mean it in the way he was thinking. She needed to explain but she wasn’t always good with words, especially when she was emotional, and Dair stirred deep, powerful emotions in her. But she didn’t want him thinking that he was doing anything wrong, so for him, she would try.
“You aren’t smothering me, Dair,” she finally spoke. His body didn’t relax and his eyes were still swirling. “What I meant was that your presence is so intense sometimes, that it’s all consuming. I feel as if the air is being sucked from the room, and the only thing that is going to fix it is either you leaving or me giving in and…,” she paused, unsure if she should finish.
“Giving in and what, Princess?” His narrowed eyes dared her to be honest with him.
“Giving in and going to you. Giving in to the need I feel to be in your arms. Giving in to the need to taste you, to have you fill me with your breath as you kiss me. When you kiss me it’s like there’s no me and you; there’s only us, as though we are—”
“One,” he interrupted.
She nodded, her eyes wide as she realized he felt it to.
“Why don’t you give in?” he asked and she saw his shoulders relax just a little.
Serenity knew she needed to talk with him about her fears, but she wasn’t ready for that heavy conversation. It had only been a couple of weeks and things were already very intense. “I’m not ready to answer that question.” She waited for his reaction because she imagined it might hurt his feelings that she didn’t want to share her emotions with him. But he surprised her.
“When you are r
eady, I will listen.” He stepped back but his eyes didn’t leave hers. “Just don’t wait too long to come to me. I can’t help fix the issue if you don’t tell me what it is.”
Serenity watched him head out of the tub room in search of Emma. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she leaned back against the table to keep from collapsing to the floor. He was going to be the death of her, or at least of her heart. How would she ever recover once he left? How was she supposed to tell him that the reason she didn’t give in was because she was scared about how she felt about him? If Serenity let herself, she would fall in love with Brudair. He would own a piece of her heart, her soul, and when he left, he would leave a gaping hole. She should probably ask him to leave now before that could happen, but it was like her body rebelled against the idea. Her lips would not form the words and her lungs would not give her the breath to speak. She wanted whatever time she could have with him. At least then she would have memories.
Serenity heard a whine coming from behind her and turned to look at the little pug. She laughed at the forlorn look on the, it’s so ugly it’s cute, face. “I’m pitiful, aren’t I, Pugsly?” His head cocked to the side as though listening to her. “Do you think I should let him go?” His head tilted the other way. “And now I’m asking advice from a dog,” she said as she picked him up and headed for his kennel.
Dair stood just outside the tub room door. The air shimmered around him as he shifted so that mortals could no longer see him. He should be ashamed for standing there listening to Serenity, but it was killing him not to know what she didn’t want to talk about. Should I let him go, she had asked the little dog. What did she mean by that? Did she think she was somehow forcing him to stay? Did she not realize that he was fighting to find a way to be with her?
“Why are you standing out here when Serenity is in there?” Emma’s voice had him tensing. He had forgotten that she could see him when others could not, unless he specifically prevented her.
“She said she needed to breathe,” Dair said honestly.
Emma looked up at him and nodded as though she understood. That had him curious. “What?” he asked.
She shrugged. “Nothing, it’s just that you can be a little heavy.”
“Heavy? What does that mean?”
“It’s obvious that you love her, and when you’re with her it’s like whatever power it is that you have is constantly reaching for her.”
Dair’s brow rose as he stared down at the little girl. She was way too insightful for her age. He had to admit that when he was around Serenity, he had a hard time controlling the power he wielded. It was as though the shadows that he carried with him wanted to wrap around her and cover her to keep her safe. He imagined it must be because of his own need to protect her and his power acted accordingly.
Dair watched as Emma continued to wipe down empty cages, and he couldn’t help but wonder what it was this remarkable child would do to change the course of history. He imagined that whatever it was, it would be significant.
“Are you going to be coming to dinner?” Serenity asked him as they walked to her car. They had finished up all of Serenity’s tasks rather quickly once Dair had stopped staring at her and helped instead. After cleaning out litter boxes for the better part of an hour, he realized that he much preferred watching his beautiful princess work―rather than scooping himself.
“I will be by later tonight. Please give my apologies to your aunt that I can’t make it. I have some business to take care of.” Dair hated leaving her, but he had to continue to do his job. If he did not, he would be forced to move on sooner rather than later.
“Okay, I’ll let her know,” Serenity said as she opened her car door and started to sit down. Dair wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him before she could make it.
“I don’t like to leave you,” he told her. “And I like it less when I don’t get a proper goodbye.”
Her eyes snapped up to his. “What is it you want, Sandman?” she asked and he was glad to see that his confident princess was back.
“A token, to remember you while I’m away.” She laughed at his chivalrous tone. He wanted to groan at the sound. That laugh did strange things to him.
She seemed to think about his request and then a wicked gleam filled her eyes. She stood up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down towards her in a tight hug. To anyone else, even Emma sitting in the car, it would simply look like a sweet embrace between a boyfriend and girlfriend. But Dair knew differently. And if he hadn’t buried his face in her hair, anyone watching would have known as well. Instead of simply hugging him, Serenity had pressed her face against his neck. He had felt her warm breath before he felt her mouth close down on the tendon there. His arms tightened around her which seemed to do something to Serenity because the suction of her mouth suddenly became even more intense. Dair wasn’t entirely sure what she was doing, but he hoped she never stopped. Just as that thought filled his mind, cool air was hitting his neck as Serenity pulled away. He had to grit his teeth not to ask her to continue. Dair closed his eyes, attempting to regain some shred of composure, and when he opened them he was looking down in the smug sea green eyes of Serenity.
“What was that?” he nearly growled.
She grinned. “It’s called a couple different things. Some call it a hicky and some call it a love bite. But you can call it my token. Perhaps, now you will have no trouble remembering me.”
“I definitely won’t have trouble remembering, but tell me, my lady, how on earth am I supposed to leave you now?”
Serenity’s eyes widened as though she was suddenly just realizing the effect her stunt had had on him. “You liked it?”
“You couldn’t tell by the death grip I had on you?” Dair’s hands had moved to her hips and he held her in place, unsure if he was attempting to steady himself or her. He was so new to not only the emotions he felt for Serenity but also the physical sensations that she evoked in him. It was more powerful than he could have ever imagined it would be.
She smiled up at him, obviously pleased with herself. “I’ll have to remember that.”
She started to step back from him but he found it impossible to let her go. Serenity placed her hands over his and gently pried them loose. Her large eyes looked up at him and were filled with concern. “Are you alright?”
Taking a deep breath he stepped back to clear his head of her smell so that he could think. “Just a little unsure of how to handle emotions I’ve never felt before.” He motioned for her to get in her car. “You have to be freezing. I’ll see you tonight. Be safe.”
“You too,” she told him as she shut the door.
Dair watched her back out of the parking spot and pull out into the street. The tightening in his chest grew worse as she drove away. He knew he was going to have to go to the Creator soon. Dair had no idea what he would say or what he would do if the Creator said no. But his feelings for Serenity were growing stronger every day and the thought of leaving her was one that he couldn’t stand.
He closed his eyes and focused on his next assignment, allowing the information to flow into his mind and pull him where he needed to go. When Dair opened his eyes he was standing in the room of rundown home that reeked of stale cigarette smoke and sour clothes. The room itself was neat and tidy. The small bed in the corner was made with a blanket that looked too thin to add any real protection from the cold. There was a desk on the opposite wall that looked as though the addition of one more item would cause the entire mess to go crashing to the ground. Stacks of books covered the top, but on closer inspection Dair saw that the books were arranged in alphabetical order by author. They were all books on science and health: cell development, DNA studies, stem cell research. Whoever this person was, they were very interested in the human body. Dair took up his post next to the one window in the room and prepared to wait for the arrival of the room’s occupant. Dair had reached his destination earlier than necessary, but he knew the soo
ner he finished with the assignment, the sooner he would be able to return to Serenity. He groaned and rubbed his face as he realized how pathetic he had become. The constant ache inside of him to be near her was something he didn’t understand. Was it normal or something different because of who and what he was? Dair wasn’t sure and added it to the list of things he would need to ask the Creator. Dair was pretty sure the Almighty was the only one who would be able to answer him.
Two hours later, long after the sun had set and the stars lit the winter sky, Dair’s charge arrived home. He was a young man who looked to be between nineteen and twenty years of age. He was tall, thin, and very studious looking with round glasses. He had a sharp beak like nose and a narrow mouth. It was a kind face, though unassuming and certainly not handsome. He was plain, just someone a person would pass on the street and never notice as nothing remarkable stood out about the young man.
When the young man finally decided to go to sleep, Dair felt the dream begin to weave in his mind, and he quickly saw that though the man did not appear remarkable, his actions one day would make him stand out far above the rest.
Dair began the dream by showing the man a vision of his college graduation. Then he was opening an acceptance letter to medical school. Dair felt the man’s emotions over the idea, and he used his power to magnify those emotions, hoping to influence him to no longer wonder if that path was an option, but rather to pursue it in earnest. This man needed to graduate from medical school; he needed to become one of the leading researchers in cell mutation and development. He needed to do these things because he and the team he would one day lead would find the cure for many terminal illnesses. He would then go on to take his research to third world countries, using his own money to help fund relief and aide to children. Dair saw the man’s purpose, his contribution to history in its entirety, and he had to wonder why the Creator was allowing it. He continued to weave the dream, allowing small glimpses of his future and of the possibilities open to him if he followed his desires. He needed to pursue his passions, instead of buying into the lies that were telling him he would never amount to anything because no one in his family ever had.