by Naomi Sparks
I give her a mock growl and roll over to straddle her hips. "I'll show you a morning person," I said, grinning. Then, I lean down and press my lips to hers. "But I guess we should be getting on the road soon. I'm sure you want to get to Montana as quickly as possible."
Gabrielle lets out a long sigh. It doesn't take mind-reading powers to know a part of her wants to stay right here, just like this. But she knows we need to get out there, need to find Amasis, and get her baby back.
"There will be plenty of time for this later," I promise her. Then, I lean forward and give her another quick kiss before rolling off of her and searching for where my clothes ended up.
It takes some searching but eventually we locate our clothes and dress. It's a shame, watching Gabrielle cover her gorgeous body, but it's not like she can prance around naked all the time. Besides, I don't want the entire world admiring her naked form. I want that pleasure to be exclusively mine.
I'm almost done packing up the tent when the front door of the house opens, and Valetta stalks out toward us. For an old woman, she sure is quick. And today, she seems to have extra energy too. She looks at the tent that I'm in the middle of rolling up and smirks at me. "You weren't planning on sneaking off without us, were you?"
I freeze, tent still in hand, and stare at her, blinking a few times. Without her? Were we sneaking off? I hadn't realized she planned to come along with us. It's not like I can fit Gabrielle and four old ladies on the back of my bike, after all.
Valetta cackles, and her laughter echoes. Her eyes are alight with mischief, and something tells me she read my mind. She glances over toward the side of the house, mutters something, then waves her hand. From out of nowhere, an old VW bus appears.
Now I stare at it. The thing has clearly seen better days. Spots of rust are visible. What undoubtedly used to be brightly colored paint has faded with the years. The dang thing looks like it's older than Gabrielle by a long shot. Did it even run?
"Don't worry about us," Valetta says, her eyes still sparkling with amusement. "It won't be easy for you to leave us behind. Just don't go trying to run off without us."
Valetta turns and heads back toward the house, not waiting for a reply. I stand there until she slips back inside. Then, I look over at Gabrielle, who looks just as puzzled as I am.
"Are you okay with this?" I ask her, frowning at the house. I have a feeling we won't be able to hide from Valetta and the old ladies, but if we hurry, we can sure as hell get a good head start on them.
Gabrielle is quiet for a moment. Just when I'm about to ask her again, she lets out a sigh and nods. "What the hell. It's not like we can stop them, right? Let them do what they want. It's none of my concern."
And despite her words, despite everything they'd done to her, I can still hear the concern in her voice. After all, what good are four old ladies against an army of dragons?
But I didn't want to spend all morning arguing about it either. We still had a good bit of driving to do before we reached join up with the Fire Riders and Lex. Perhaps by then, the old ladies will have decided this is all foolish and turned back. I'm not going to hold my breath on that, but I figure that's a problem for later.
By the time I had the bike packed, the women had piled into their VW bus. Each of them had a large tote bag and looking very much like stereotypical old hippie ladies. I raise an eyebrow at Gabrielle as we watch them, and she just shrugs.
"I guess some things never change," she says, her mouth curved up into the slightest smile.
I don't envy her. It must be tough to have feelings of resentment warring against the feelings of love she probably thought were dead and buried.
Before most people are even awake, the six of us are on the road, barreling down the empty highway toward Montana. Gabrielle and I ride in front. The old VW bus is surprisingly good at keeping up. Part of me wonders if they've worked a bit of magic on it, but at the same time, I'm not sure I want to know.
When we stop at a small town for gas and breakfast, I call Lex to get an update while Gabrielle practices control of her new powers with the witches. I step away for a bit of privacy.
"Any luck?" I ask the moment Lex answers.
"Our scouts got back late last night. They couldn't get too close to the area you sent me. There are dragons all over the place. If Amasis himself isn't there, at least a good chunk of his operation is."
I nod, feeling like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. We did it. We found them.
"We're getting ready to launch an attack against them," Lex says next, and my heart nearly stops in my chest.
"You've gotta wait for us," I plead with him. I don't want to be left out of this, and I know Gabrielle doesn't want to either. This is personal for her, and she deserves her shot at getting revenge. And I deserved a chance to kill the bastards that hurt her. "Gabrielle and I are on our way with her former coven."
"Coven?" Lex asks sharply. "I didn't think she was a witch. I didn't sense any power from her before she left."
I let out a sigh, cursing myself for not having called him last night and filled him in on everything that had happened here. I tell him everything, abridging the story as much as possible.
Lex is quiet for a long moment, then he lets out a sigh. "I'm not sure what help a group of old witches and one who's only just gotten her powers is going to be...."
"Please," I say, not above pleading with him. Gabrielle needs this, needs the closure that will come with seeing the Clutch fall before her eyes.
Lex lets out a sigh. Even though he's hundreds of miles away, I can see him rubbing his temples in my mind. "Two days," he says after a long while. "That's all the time I can buy you. Any longer than that and I'd have everyone else calling for my head. Plus, if we stay here too long, we risk Amasis figuring out we're here and rabbiting before we have a chance to strike."
"Thank you," I say, letting out a sigh of my own. It'll be tight, but we can do it. Even if it means I have to drive without sleeping, I'll get us there.
When I rejoin the others, Gabrielle is sitting with Valetta and the others. It looks like they're meditating, so I lean against the VW bus and watch quietly. Even though I know Gabrielle doesn't want to spend a lot of time with the witches, she's taking the training they're offering her seriously. It makes me smile to see her doing what she needs to do, even if it means putting aside old grudges.
She's going to be a wonderful mother, I think, as I watch her. She's willing to do anything and everything for her daughter, and that makes my heart swell.
When the women open their eyes again, I nod over toward the little diner. "You guys ready for some food?"
Gabrielle grins and nods, her hands immediately going to her stomach. "Yes, please. I'm starving!"
The witches all stand up with surprising agility for women of their age. They nod in agreement as well, so the six of us head over to the little diner. The entire time, Valetta talks to Gabrielle about the ins and outs of magic, exercising, and training to get a rein on her powers before we confront Amasis.
I pass along Lex's information, especially our deadline. Everyone looks determined, and I know we'll make it to Montana with time to spare if they all have their way. Before I know it, we're back on the road, stomachs filled to the brim.
Each time we stop, it's the same routine. Gabrielle joins the witches for her crash course in magic. And, while I'm not an expert, she seems to pick everything up quickly. I rarely hear Valetta repeat anything, nor does Gabrielle ever ask her to. Even I can tell it's a lot of information to learn in a short time, but Gabrielle seems determined to soak it all up like a sponge.
And when we get back on the bike, I can feel her mediating behind me. Her heart rate slows, her breathing deepens. A sense of calm washes over her. I can sense the magic welling up inside her, can feel it growing stronger, more intense, as the journey goes on.
Whatever Valetta is teaching her, she's absorbing it all. At least, that's what it feels like. As much as I appreciate Vale
tta teaching Gabrielle the basics, I can't wait to get her back to the Fae. I'm sure they can do a much better job of teaching her the control she needs. Plus, I don't question their motives.
When we finally stop for the night, the Witches camp in their car while Gabrielle and I set up my tent for the night. She comes into my arms immediately, and I'm glad the others are inside the bus, rather than outside in a tent. Gabrielle isn't exactly quiet when she's making love, nor do I want her to be.
I love how she comes all undone when we're together. She lets loose, just for a bit, and I get to see a side of her she keeps hidden from everyone else.
By the time we collapse into a sweaty heap, all I can do is stare up into the darkness and smile. I'd never thought I'd find someone like this, someone who made my heart skip a beat just at the thought of her. The others had all found their mates, but I'd just been bouncing from woman to woman, trying to find the one I clicked with.
I'd never expected to find that person in Gabrielle. I'd helped her because it was the right thing to do, not because of any ulterior motive. I never expected to sleep with her. Now that I had, I know deep inside me, I'll never be happy with another woman again.
She's the one.
I just hope she feels the same way.
* * *
The sun comes up far too early the next morning. But there's no time to grumble about wanting a few more hours of shuteye. Not if we want to make it to Montana in time. Gabrielle is up and moving the moment I stir too, so I'm definitely not going to complain.
The witches are already up and moving about outside when we come out. I'm not sure how those old women can be so lively and spry so early in the morning, but I'm not about to let them outdo me. Once I have the tent broken down, the six of us are back on the road again.
Our second day's journey goes much the same. Each time we stop to rest or refuel or eat, Gabrielle joins the witches, and they take turns working with her on their magic. Sometimes it's just meditation, other times it's performing simple spells. Once, Ethyl pulled out an old book that looked like it might be older than I am, and they all poured over it, Ethyl pointing out various things as she read from it.
The sun is just setting on our second day on the road when we pull up to the location Lex had given me. I look around and don't see any sight of them. I hope I'm not too late. I know Gabrielle will never forgive me if I haven't arrived in time for the assault on the Clutch.
Then, the world in front of me begins to shimmer. I hold my breath for a moment, my dragon lurking just below the surface, as I wait to see if we've just stumbled into a trap. Even though it's not the first time I've seen the Fae's shielding magic work, I can't help but fear we're too late, that Amasis found out where they were camped and wiped them out.
I hold my breath until a gap in the veil appears. Lex, Galen, Katia, and Faith are standing there waiting for us and motion for us to drive through.
Once we're through the barrier, I can feel the magic shift subtly, and I know we're cloaked again. Lex walks over to me as I step off the bike. Galen and Katia head over to help the witches with their things. Faith, however, hangs back. She stands off to the side, her eyes closed, and I immediately know what she's doing.
Lex is taking my fears about the witches seriously. No doubt Jerrick is lurking nearby, keeping an eye on his mate and making sure nothing happens to her.
"Any trouble?" Lex asks, looking between the two of us.
I shake my head. Our journey had been surprisingly smooth. "I'd like Tyko to give Gabrielle a once over, just to be sure."
Lex nods, then turns his attention to where Galen and Katia are helping the witches set up camp. "I've already let him know you guys would be here tonight. No doubt Tyko's waiting for you."
I don't move to take Gabrielle to him just yet. Not until I hear what Faith has to say. Not until I'm sure the witches don't mean Gabrielle any harm. Because, if they do, I will kill all four of them where they stand. Gabrielle has already been through so much hardship because of them. If they're planning on hurting her again, I will stop them.
Finally, Faith makes her way over toward us. She looks over at Lex and nods, and both of us let out a sigh of relief.
Gabrielle watches me curiously, and I smile sheepishly at her. "Faith's power is to read minds. Lex had her scan the minds of the coven to ensure they didn't mean us any harm."
Gabrielle's eyes go wide. She looks over at Faith as if to confirm what I'm saying is true. When Faith nods, Gabrielle's shoulders slump just a bit.
"Unless they're even better at shielding their thoughts than Saphira is, which I highly doubt, unless one of them is highly specialized in mind magic, they're here to help us in our fight." Faith shifts, looking over at Gabrielle and smiling. "From what I can tell, they're tired of running and hiding and are ready to release decades of pent up hostility against dragons."
"Was.... Were they thinking anything about me?" she asks, her voice low and soft.
"Not directly," Faith says, smiling softly. "But I can sense sincerity when I touch your grandmother's mind. She may not show it on the outside, but she does feel a tinge of guilt regarding what she had to do, though she doesn't regret it. She seems to truly want to keep you safe as best she can."
Gabrielle nods, and I reach out to put my arm around her. When she leans against me, a sense of contentment washes over me. Faith and I lock eyes, and she smirks at me, no doubt knowing exactly what I'm thinking.
"Come on, let's have Tyko look you over. Then, we can get some sleep." No one argued as the two of us slipped off. Despite Faith's words, I had a feeling someone would be keeping an eye on the witches tonight, just to be on the safe side. And that was fine with me. I was looking forward to camping tonight as far away from them as possible.
Tyko was waiting for us when we got to his tent. He got right down to business, going over every inch of Gabrielle's body, asking questions as he worked. He pulled out little instruments I didn't recognize. Some looked like modern medical equipment, others looked ancient, far older than me.
Part of me wants to ask what he's doing, but I figure that will just get me kicked out of his tent, so I keep my mouth shut. Tyko knows what he's doing, and I just need to keep out of the way and trust him. If there's anything wrong with Gabrielle, either from the journey so soon after her coma or from her regaining her magic, Tyko will figure it out.
After what seems like an eternity, Tyko grins and proclaims her healthy, though he still advises more rest before she attempts any strenuous magic. Her body is still healing from the ordeal with her pregnancy, after all. He also commands her to eat a large dinner, high in protein, so her body has the nutrients it will need to do that healing.
Once he finally lets us leave, I take her over to the large tent we use as a mess hall. Even though they just set up this camp a few days ago, it's laid out exactly as the previous ones were. I guess that makes it easy for the Fae to keep track of where everyone and everything is. And I'm certainly not going to complain.
Both of us stuff ourselves. After a few days on the road, the Fae's cooking is more than welcome. We'd stopped at restaurants on the way back, unlike the way out there, but the random diners we'd found on the way left something to be desired. While this food isn't gourmet by any standards, it's still delicious and fills a void I hadn't realized was there.
Gods, how am I going to go back to being on the road after being spoiled like this? I wonder to myself, toying with the idea of us staying with the Fae after everything is said and done. Once the Clutch is out of the picture, none of us will have to run and hide any longer. We can set up a permanent camp.
I don't let myself dream for too long. We have a major fight ahead of us. Once that's over, I can dream. Until then, I need to stay focused on the task at hand.
After we eat, I take Gabrielle to where the Fire Riders have set up camp. It doesn't take long to add my own tent to the mix, then I pulled her inside it with me. Now that we're back at camp, there's plenty of space f
or her to get a tent of her own, but I like having her close by.
She doesn't argue when the tent closes behind us. Nor does she argue when our clothes come off, and I pull her naked body against mine. We fit together perfectly like we're meant for each other. No woman has ever felt this right. With Gabrielle, it's like I know all the things she likes.
I should be embarrassed, knowing everyone else nearby can hear her moans of pleasure, but I'm not. Far too often, I've had to lay in my tent and listen to the others as they made love with their mates. Now it's my turn. I've finally found someone I want to spend more than a night or two with, and I'm damn sure going to enjoy it.
Nothing will pull me away from Gabrielle, not if I can help it.
By the time we finish, we lay together in a sweaty heap, Gabrielle's body snuggled up against mine. I lean down and press my lips to her forehead, thankful fate has brought us together like this. It may not be the most ideal circumstances, but I'm glad for it nonetheless.
"Gabrielle," I say, my voice quiet in the dark. My heart pounds as my mind races. I love Gabrielle and want to spend the rest of my life with her. Now it's time to tell her just that.
"Hmmm?"
"I want you to stay with us once everything is all over." The words come out in a jumble, and I speak fast, afraid that if I stop even to breathe, I won't be able to continue. "I want to mate with you. I want you to be mine, forever. And I want to be yours."
Gabrielle stiffens in my arms. For a moment, she doesn't say or do anything. The silence is deafening, and I start to wonder if she's going to pull away from me, to remind me we've only known each other for a couple days. When she finally speaks, she's so quiet I can barely hear her. "I have a daughter, remember?"
"I know," I say with a nod. I've never once forgotten that fact. "I don't care. I will love Olivia just as much as I love you. I promise to take care of both of you forever."
Some men would run away at the thought of their lover already having a child. But not me. I don't care one bit. I know Gabrielle loves her daughter. I want to be there for her, for both of them. I will do everything I can to get Olivia back to her. And after that, I will do everything I can to keep her safe.