Rafe’s attention went to his hands. “Because I left Aleksander?”
The door that separated the two-room hospital suite was pushed open. “Rafe, we’ve got someone who wants to say hello to you,” Dravyn said, giving Rafe his phone.
On the small screen was a waving Noirin. “Hey, how’re you feeling?”
“Good, you?”
“Awesome,” Noirin enthused. “Congratulations Rafe, on your matebond and your renewed health. I can’t wait until you get home so we can stuff you full of tasty yummies. Somebody else is missing you too.”
The image wavered and Rafe grinned when he heard a woof through the phone. Mortis’s face was there a second later. “Hey, buddy, glad you’re awake.”
“Happy Rafe better.”
“Me too. You having fun?”
“Noir goddess taking good care of me.”
“Be good for her and everyone else.”
“Talk to Aleksander?”
“I wish you could, but he’s sleeping.”
“Tell him Mortis say hi.”
“I will once he wakes up.”
“Go play now. Miss Rafe.”
“I miss you too, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
After Noirin appeared, and he had thanked her for letting him talk to Mortis, Rafe handed the phone back to Dravyn. When the Drindyr Duke hung up, he was smiling. “Mortis talks to you?”
“Yeah, I guess it kind of works like the mated sentinels’ mindlink. I can hear his thoughts, but I guess because I’m not a sentinel he can’t hear mine. It’s pretty cool, since I never have to figure out what he’s thinking or what he needs.”
“Why do we not all have wolf sentinels?” Worth asked.
“I guess you’d have to ask the Arch Lich about that one,” Rafe replied.
“His fur changed to match your hair, Rafe. Does that mean if you got one, Worth, yours would be pink?” Mac inquired.
“I’m sorry but if Worth had a pink wolf, I can think of a couple of sorcerers at home that would do everything they could to steal him,” Brogan said.
“You can tell your mate to keep his tiny hands off my imaginary wolf,” Worth remarked. “Now should we teach Rafe the rules of this game or simply sit around staring at our cards?”
Rafe listened attentively as the dukes explained how to play, and he tried not to think too hard about the question Worth hadn’t answered. For a year he’d known that his decision to walk away and return to Court Kestle had been a disastrous mistake. What he’d never planned for was finding himself in the role of explaining it to the rest of D’Vaire, and how it would change their perception of him.
All Rafe could hope was that somehow, they could find a way to forgive him for what he did to Aleksander. Grateful that it was Aleksander who had to continue to rule over D’Vaire, Rafe wasn’t even going to tiptoe the line into thinking he had any right to make a single decision at his new home despite being a High King.
∞∞∞
The next morning, Rafe was helped into the back seat of an SUV by Aleksander who, despite having napped during the following afternoon, had slept through the night. No one had said a word about Rafe’s insistence that they keep the television on so he could watch it until he drifted off. What he’d left out was that he was terrified of the dark and could hardly insist they leave the bathroom light on as he usually did. Although he was in track pants, the thick elastic around his waist dug in uncomfortably, and he couldn’t wait to change out of them when he got to D’Vaire.
Brogan drove them out of Las Vegas and once they left the confines of the lively city, there wasn’t much more than the expansive desert. Something about the wide openness of it called to Rafe and as the vehicle ate up the miles toward home, he spent his time enjoying the change from flat to mountains. Arizona was as beautiful as Nevada, and he marveled that he would spend longer than just a couple of months surrounded by the vivid terrain. When he glanced away from the window, he sought out Aleksander, who had his gaze fixed outside.
Rafe took in the strong planes of his face and could still hardly believe he was in exactly the place he’d yearned for while he suffered in that mine. At his side was his best friend—the first person to ever deserve his unswerving loyalty and trust—and somehow, they were mated. As he wondered how long it would take him to grasp the concept of eternity with Aleksander in a body that was no longer broken, they pulled up to the D’Vaire gate, surprising Rafe with how fast they’d made it to the mansion.
The SUV was parked in front of the house, and before Rafe could even get his seat belt off, Aleksander was already at his side with the door opened. With gentle hands, Aleksander helped him out and onto his feet.
“There’s been a few changes since we left,” Aleksander told him while they made their way to the entrance.
“We were only gone for a few days.”
Aleksander laughed. “We didn’t destroy any walls or anything, but Dre’Kariston lined our room with copper. We’re under strict instruction to stay around the Cwylld stones until the swelling goes away completely.”
“What do you mean, ‘our room’?”
Aleksander guided him inside and down the hall, they took a right, and soon Rafe found himself in front of a door with three metal nameplates on them. One was for Aleksander, another for Rafe, and a third with a wolf paw print with Mortis etched on it. “I hope you like the decor, but you can change anything if you don’t,” Aleksander said, pushing the barrier aside and revealing an enormous four-poster bed with the navy and black bedspread. The entire space was done in the rich colors of Aleksander’s dragon and elegantly honored the D’Vaire High King.
“This is gorgeous.”
“I’m glad you like it. Through the French doors is a living area. Noir put Mortis’s bed in there, but if you prefer it in here, that’s fine. Your clothes are in your dresser and closet. Did you want to change into pajamas?”
Brogan came in and set out the Cwylld stones. “I’ll tell Noir to bring you guys food,” the Grand Duke stated, then left them alone.
“Is us living together a good idea?” Rafe asked once he was seated on the bed.
Lifting his chin with two fingers, Aleksander brushed their lips together. “Yes. You’re my mate, and I want you with me. I’ll grab you some pajama bottoms.”
Rafe had no argument with being in Aleksander’s space even if it made his head spin. With Aleksander’s help, he got his sneakers off and he swore his feet sighed in relief. Aleksander disappeared into the bathroom after Rafe shooed him away, content to change without help. When Rafe was dressed, Aleksander emerged, wearing cotton pants covered in polka-dotted peacocks.
“You should also know Their Majesties are going to put out a press release in the morning to announce our successful matebond,” Aleksander remarked, opening the door to allow Mortis to run in.
“Miss Rafe,” Mortis yelled through Rafe’s mind, licking his hands while he tried to pet the excited wolf.
“I missed you too. You look awesome with the blue fur.”
“Like it.”
“I’m glad.”
“Miss Aleksander,” Mortis said, rubbing against the High King’s legs, and Aleksander laughed as he scratched behind Mortis’s ears.
“I wish you could stay with us, but these rocks are going to make you feel yucky,” Rafe told his wolf.
“Visit again later. Tell Aleksander open door.”
Rafe did as he was told and waved as Mortis trotted out. Noirin and Kendrick showed up next with trays full of steaming food that smelled so good, Rafe swore his toes curled. They got settled on the bed and after thanking the chefs, were left alone to enjoy their meal.
“Damn, this is good,” Rafe enthused.
“You’re welcome for the rosemary potatoes.”
“Noirin and Kendrick make the best I’ve ever tasted.”
“Perk of being healed—you can now eat as much as you want whenever you want.”
Rafe laughed. “Not quite. I have no desire to be fat
again.”
“When were you fat?”
The only thing he could read in Aleksander’s expression was confusion. “I was fat when we met.”
“We’ve had this discussion before and no, you certainly were not.”
“Do you suffer from memory loss? Yes, I was.”
“I remember every damn thing about you, and you were certainly not fat.”
With no idea how to argue with someone who was so matter of fact about something he was dead wrong about, Rafe wondered how to respond. “Well, maybe you weren’t paying enough attention.”
Aleksander clasped the back of Rafe’s neck. With absolute tenderness, he coaxed him close and when their mouths met, there was no delicate peck but a full mating of their tongues. Rafe wanted to push away his delicious lunch just to be held and spend the next year or so kissing him. The world was shifting under Rafe constantly, and Aleksander pulled things from him he’d never expected. Yearning for more, Rafe let out a sound of protest when Aleksander pulled away. “I missed nothing when we were together then, and I have no intention of being any less focused on you now.”
The intensity of emotion in Aleksander’s eyes was almost too much for Rafe to bear, but instead of shying away he embraced the connection that sizzled between them. “I’m overwhelmed by you.”
“After everything you’ve been through, I know you’re going to need time to sort through what’s in your head. I intend to be at your side for all of it.”
Rafe tasted Aleksander again. “Thank you for convincing me to let Sorcery D’Vaire try and heal me.”
“I’m the one that should be thanking you for taking the chance. I’m incredibly grateful for your courage. Now eat your potatoes before they get cold,” Aleksander said. With a smirk, he released his hold and went back to his meal.
“Yeah, I don’t want to waste them,” Rafe replied, lifting his fork. “Or anything else, and I’m not just talking about lunch.”
“I know, babe.”
Chapter 45
The day progressed with surprising speed as shifter visitors came and went while the sorcerers in the house avoided the Cwylld stones lying around to help speed up the process of removing the magic from Rafe. As for the man himself, Aleksander couldn’t say he was surprised that he hadn’t simply lain around and relaxed. Every hour, he got up and walked around the room and though his gait was hampered by the significant inflammation, Rafe was beginning the process of rebuilding himself after a year of unthinkable atrocities.
To say Aleksander was in awe of him was an understatement, and he marveled at not only his courage but his unflappable spirit. And the fact that Rafe attributed his success in surviving to his desire to be at Aleksander’s side again was nothing short of miraculous. There was yet another knock on the door, and Aleksander rose to find Madeline on the other side.
“Where’s Rafe?” she asked. As usual, Madeline went straight to the point.
Aleksander stepped aside to allow her to enter their suite. “He’s walking around and has created his own personal circuit between this room and the living area.”
“Shouldn’t he be resting?”
“Yeah, you can tell him that.”
Rafe appeared, crossing the threshold of the French doors. “Hey,” he offered when he saw their guest.
“Now that you’re healed, we need to think long-term,” Madeline insisted, stalking to his side. “I made you an alert thing, so people don’t push any magic into you.”
“Wow, thanks.”
“Hold out your arm,” she instructed. “I made you a cuff out of Aleksander’s dragonskin. I was too afraid to have it enchanted, so when you get your dragon back, you’ll have to take it off when you shift. Thanks to our beasts, it’s waterproof so you can keep it on otherwise. Just tighten it when your swelling goes down. You like it?”
“I love it. Thanks again.”
Rafe let out a grunt when she released his wrist and hugged him. “Sure thing. You look great. Don’t overdo it.”
Aleksander embraced her and offered her his gratitude as well; then she sailed out. “Let’s see it.”
Dutifully Rafe shuffled to the bed where Aleksander had taken a seat and together, they admired the thick cuff with a wide swath of metal that informed everyone that he was magic intolerant.
“That was nice of her,” Rafe said, sitting next to Aleksander, who scooted so he could lean against the mound of pillows.
“Yep, I should’ve thought about that and asked her,” Aleksander responded, getting comfortable next to his mate.
“Why did she assume I’m going to be a dragon again? No one has ever lost their beast completely, let alone regained it.”
Aleksander kissed his nose. “Because that’s what heroes do. They accomplish the impossible.”
The scowl Aleksander loved appeared. “I’m no hero.”
“You’re my hero.”
“Why? Because I let two assholes beat the shit out of me for months?”
“Let them? That’s a poor choice of words. You’re making it sound voluntary, which is bullshit. Why did you escape if you were allowing them to hurt you?”
“You look really pissed.”
“Because I am. I don’t want you to feel guilty for what happened, and when I think about what they did to you, it makes me want to tear out their throats.”
“I wonder what they’re going to do when they find out that we’re mated.”
“Are you afraid?”
Rafe shrugged. “Of them? No. There’s nothing they can do to me now. Plus, Brogan must tell me once a day that this is the safest spot on the planet.”
“He takes his job very seriously, and so does Sorcery D’Vaire. No one can get near you.”
“You think they’d help me try to figure out if I can have a dragon again?” Rafe asked. “I never got to have a real relationship with mine. I’d like to know what it feels like to be a shifter like you who loves sharing your soul with a dragon.”
“Of course Sorcery D’Vaire is going to help. I’m sure they’re already thinking about it now that you’re healed. I’d like to suggest you speak with Jeremiah Wellsdraconis. He helped Elf prepare for his first shift and is doing the same for our Carter. Jeremiah’s still a drakeling, though he’s nearing his hundredth birthday. He’s a great guy and may have some ideas of his own.”
“Yeah, sure, I’d love to talk to him. Speaking of dragons, Dr. Suricata thinks you biting me a lot could help prevent me from getting sick and might help with any aging stuff.”
Aleksander brushed his lips over Rafe’s eyebrow. “Any time you want a dragon bite, let me know. I’ll drop everything, no matter what I’m doing.”
“Don’t start talking dirty to me, Sander. I’m swollen as fuck.”
“No worries, babe, we can take things as slow as you want.”
“Stop looking at me like that. The last thing I need right now is a hard-on, and I don’t know how to do this flirting thing.”
“Saved by the door,” Aleksander mused, rolling off the bed to let in Noirin and Kendrick, who were armed with their dinner on trays. Once the pair left them alone, Aleksander dug into his meal with gusto as did Rafe.
“Could you give me that guy Jeremiah’s phone number so I can call him tomorrow?” Rafe asked, returning to their original discussion.
“Absolutely. And why am I not surprised that you’re not even going to give yourself a few days to relax?”
“I’ve had months to do nothing but sit around. I’m sick of it. You think I could get some work done while I wait for the swelling to go down?”
“You’re going to continue to work for Elf and Chrys?”
Rafe nodded. “Why would I stop? I like helping them, and now I can get much further since I have more time.”
“Well, I’d like to enjoy your company for a few days.”
Their eyes met, and Rafe smiled sheepishly. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to sit in here with me until I can leave the stones.”
“Whe
re else would I be?”
“I don’t know, maybe running this place?”
Aleksander chuckled. “I think they can manage for a few days without me. Speaking of which…High King D’Vairedraconis, you need to start attending our weekly meetings.”
“You didn’t invite me before.”
“That’s because by evening you were beat and already resting. But now you’re healthy, and you need to get to know the family as well as help me lead these crazies.”
“I don’t think they’re going to want me to waltz in and start barking out orders.”
“Fate made you a High King; they expect you to lead.”
“How’d you get to be a High King anyway?”
After setting aside his fork since he’d cleared his tray, Aleksander lifted it and set it near the door. Rafe tried to protest, but he did the same with his mate’s. Once his task was finished, he stretched out on the mattress and rolled to his side to face Rafe, who mirrored his position. “Never in a million years would I have guessed Chrys and Elf were going to not only give me this fancy title but include D’Vaire in the royal court. They didn’t warn me. I was just told to show up at their throne room. I was so nervous.”
“Because they invited you or because you rarely leave D’Vaire?”
“I’d spent a year with Their Majesties as we did everything we could to help Elf, so being around them doesn’t make me nervous anymore.”
“So, your issue was being in the throne room?”
“With every dragon king in the Council, yes. These are the men who shunned me and tried to make my family feel like shit because I was different. Everyone wants to run around talking about the political clout we have and our popularity, but it’s not because these dragons want anything to do with me. It’s the people under my roof who have changed history and the friends we love who already had power. Nothing about me has changed. I’m still the only bicolor of our kind, and I can’t go anywhere without dragons staring at me. I’m not stupid enough to believe that they’re over their fear and anger about my differences. The only thing that’s changed is that they can’t speak their thoughts out loud without insulting influential people that can make their lives difficult.”
Heart of the High King (D'Vaire, Book 19) Page 32