by Stock, L. J.
Damon took her hand and shook it gently, seemingly relieved that the moment had passed. It was a start to the healing process, but we had a long way to go before things would finally take on some semblance of normalcy.
“Can I use your bath?” I asked, breaking up the lingering silence. “Mine's gone and I really need a shower.”
“You have access to showers?” she asked, wide eyed. “I miss that so much. They were rather pathetic the last time I was in the other dimension, but I still loved to take one.”
“Well come with. I'm sure Alexa wouldn't mind you using her shower. Do you think she has water ready?” I asked, directing the question to Damon.
“She's been here everyday with Acantha and Diane,” he said gently. “I'm sure she's back on schedule.”
“Acantha?” Shannon asked, drowning Damon out before going into a breathless rant that made very little sense to me. “As in the nymph who broke through dimensions, Acantha? Holy shit, I should have known that. Of course I should have. What a fool. Oh, this changes everything, doesn’t it? And it makes so much sense as to why you have as many talents as you do. You look nothing like her, by the way.”
I raised my eyebrows at her. The explosive word vomit had come out in one long string. She'd barely taken a breath between words. Some of her speed talking stuck out more than the rest and I knew that she'd picked up on that because she smiled at me sheepishly.
“It won't change anything in a negative way,” she said finally. “More that any doubt I had should be eradicated. Rumor has it Thánatos has been hunting for her for centuries. Her history put her in the time when the Gods roamed the earth and he longs for the power he thinks she possesses. She was said to have been one of the first children Poseidon had with his consort, Amphitrite. It was never documented, though. After her situation and how she was pushed through the dimensions, he seems to think that she has a direct link to Apollo.”
“Is he stupid?” I asked, making Rasmus snicker as he limped toward us.
“Oh, terribly,” Shannon answered with a grin. “I never met him, but some of his ideas are preposterous. He seems to not put together the pieces. Apollo believed he'd turned her into a plant, and had no idea that the hidden valley of the nymphs, Napaea, was just a grove we could use to move between worlds. It was speculated because nymphs were seen entering but disappeared. It was actually a valley at the base of a volcano, so even the underworld nymphs were able to utilize it. Of course, Thánatos came up with his own theories.”
“Shocker,” I said sarcastically, leaning into Damon to take the weight from my foot. It was starting to thud painfully again.
The new revelations, as surprising as they were, made sense to me. Acantha reluctantly spent time in Mortisali. She'd told me she'd tried to live here with my mother at one point, but it hadn't occurred to me until now that she barely spent time here. Did she know she was coveted by Thánatos? Was that the reason she stayed away? If the rumors Shannon had brought up were, in fact, true, it would mean Acantha was the daughter of a Greek God and his nymph wife, something she'd failed to mention.
“I really need a shower. Maybe we can talk about this when we're clean, with Acantha there to set the record straight?”
“I'm good with that, but if we're going by water, you're going to have to help me.”
“I'll take you,” Rasmus said gently. “I think Cass has her hands full.”
Shannon looked at the way Damon's hands were possessively gripping mine and nodded in understanding as the corner of her mouth turned up in humor. She seemed to realize that it would be a while until he would be able to put distance between us. I understood it, too. I was just as reluctant as he was to let go.
“Thanks, handsome.” Shannon grinned over at him. “Shall we?”
Ras nodded and held out his hand for her to take, then limped with her into the bathroom, leaving Damon and I alone. I let my cheek rest against his chest for a moment, and just listened to him breathe.
“Just when I think I know everything,” I mused.
“You get slapped with another shocker. I have a feeling it's never going to end.”
“You're probably right. Hell, maybe that's why I'm the woman in the prophecy. It's some divine birthright because of what that bastard has been doing all these years.”
Damon chuckled and helped me toward the bathroom, taking slow, measured steps and easing the weight off my injured ankle. Shannon and Rasmus had us go first, just to stop any misunderstandings if Alexa was there. Damon's arms were gentle as he lifted me into the bath. He steadied me with his arms and let me move at my own pace. It didn't take long to push through. Traveling with someone else almost seemed effortless now I'd pulled two people through at the same time.
The moment we were in the farmhouse, Damon stepped out and lifted me over the edge. He kept me in his arms as he moved out of the bathroom, and didn't release me until we were next to my huge bed. Seeing so much familiarity around me instantly made me feel better, and it was only moments before I heard footsteps hurtling down the hall toward my closed door.
“Took you long enough,” Damon teased as Alexa pushed through the door in a blur of color.
“Shut up, jackass,” she sang, almost pouncing on me. Her arms wrapped around my neck as she fell onto the bed beside me. She was restraining herself from hugging me any tighter. She was obviously scared of hurting me in my fragile state. “You are never allowed to scare me like that ever again.”
“Oh, you don't have to worry about that.” I sighed, squeezing her back. We stayed that way for a while, just absorbing the reality of being alive and in the same room again. I could see the surprise on Shannon's face as she stepped into the room and saw the fierce woman wrapped around me. I grinned and tapped Alexa on the arm. “Lex, honey, can't breathe.”
“Oh shit, right. Sorry,” she sang, elated, and pulled back to look me over. “How's Ras?”
“He's behind you,” Rasmus said, laughing lightly. The surprise of it had Alexa turning in place on the bed and almost sliding off the edge in shock. Rasmus was stood next to Shannon, her hand firmly in his as he leaned against the doorframe for support. He almost looked green. His skin was pale and clammy looking, but his smile was still in place.
“You look terrible!” Alexa almost shouted, jumping up from the bed and giving him an awkward, one-armed hug because he refused to let go of Shannon's hand now it was in his. “But it's so good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you, too. This is Shannon,” Rasmus said, sucking in a breath and raising their joined hands.
“Nice to meet you, Shannon. I'm Alexa. How about we get you and the big guy sitting before you both fall?”
“Probably best,” Shannon said gently, her arms closing around Rasmus' waist to keep him upright. “It's nice to meet you, too. Cass talked about you often.”
“Is there anyone in the spare room?” I asked, moving to get up to help Shannon with Rasmus. “Shannon needs a shower and Ras looks like he needs to lie down.”
“Zander's on the computer in there, but I'll kick him out and send him into our room.”
Damon pulled me back down onto the mattress with a mumbled I’ve got this and stood up. He crossed the room in two short strides and managed to get Rasmus on his other side before he went over.
The four of them disappeared from the room, leaving me alone on the bed that felt entirely too comfortable. I'd only intended to be here to take a shower, but I'd promised Shannon we'd talk with Acantha and here I was growing more tired by the second.
When Damon reappeared in the room, he gave me a warm smile and disappeared into the bathroom. I heard the shower start running and couldn't help the smile that came to my lips. He knew me so well. I limped toward the dresser and dug out some clean clothes before hobbling uselessly into the bathroom.
“Do you want me to leave while you undress?” Damon asked, pulling the clothes from my hands and setting them on the counter.
“Just close your eyes,” I sighed
. “I hate to admit it, but I might need your help.”
“Oh, I...” He slammed his eyes shut as I started to pull the shirt over my head. “Would you prefer Alexa to help you?”
“Did my body frighten you that much the last time you saw me naked?” I teased, dropping the shirt to the floor. Admittedly, we’d been children but it was fun to watch him flounder.
“No, I just... Well you know that... It wasn't...”
My laugher filled the room as I shed the last of my clothes and stepped into the water, pulling the curtain closed behind me.
“I was joking, Damon. You're safe. I'm in here now.”
I heard his sigh over the falling water that beat against my body and relaxed my muscles slowly. I'd only been awake for a couple of hours, but so much had happened. I felt like I could sleep for another two days. I washed out my hair, noticing the pink water that fell from the tips of the strands as I ran my hands through it. I wasn't sure if shampoo was a good idea or not, but I lathered up twice regardless, needing to wash the whole experience off myself.
“You okay in there?”
“Why? You want to join me?” I asked with a laugh, sounding tired to myself as I rinsed out the suds and grabbed the conditioner.
“Cass, you know the answer to that. Just as you know how impossible it is right now.”
“It's still an archaic law,” I mumbled under my breath, smiling as his laughter reached me.
“Whether or not that's true, it doesn't change a thing.”
“It was worth a shot.”
We both fell into a reflective silence. For the first time since the nightmare had ended, I finally felt like I was home. Even on jellied legs and rocking as though I was being pushed around by the wind, I felt better. There was still so much to be done, so much to take care of, but finally talking to Damon and clearing the air had lifted one of the weights from my shoulders.
By the time I turned off the water, I was ready to collapse again. When the fluffy blue towel came at me from behind the curtain, I accepted it willingly and dried myself off slowly before wrapping it around my chest.
Damon was the perfect gentleman as I dressed. His eyes were closed, but his arms kept me steady as my consciousness slipped slowly through my fingers. The moment I was clothed, he picked me up and took me back to the bed. He moved us both so gently that I wasn't sure we were moving at all. When we were both in the middle of the bed, he pulled me against him and I let the darkness wrap around my mind. I was home.
Chapter Fifteen
I woke up with a start. My dreams had briefly translated into my semi-conscious mind and I found myself back in the hole, too afraid to open my eyes and see the dismal rock surrounding me. It wasn't until the warmth of the body wrapped around mine seeped through the haze of sleep that I finally calmed enough to relax.
Damon was here with me. The nightmares were, this time at least, just nightmares. My whole body ached in complaint from the extra strain I'd put on it while I'd been awake, but it wasn’t enough to force me back to sleep. Allowing my eyes to flutter open, I studied the ceiling of my room as I did a mental inventory of my body, reassured there seemed to be no permanent damage, physically at least. Turning slightly without wincing, I let myself focus on Damon.
He was awake and watching me as I slowly dragged myself out of the post slumber numbness. His hazel eyes spoke to me so much even in my lethargic state that I found myself rolling into him, seeking comfort. My face buried in the soft, clean shirt he was wearing and drew him in. His masculine musk seeped into the corners of my mind as I shook off the last, lingering effects of my repose. For me, this man was home. In his arms was where I was supposed to be. This moment was what I had dreamed of all those nights I'd been in my sensory deprived cell in the belly of the enemy’s stronghold. It didn’t escape me that this was how I should have woken up the first time.
Tilting my head back so my eyes could find his, I felt my body flare to life as he leaned in toward me. The intensity of his stare and all of the love that seemed to pour from him held me anchored in place. Overwhelmed and completely devoured by his intent, I left myself a slave to his command. It was such a brief moment, and his lips were gentle as they moved against mine, but there had never been anything more perfect to my mind.
“How do you feel?” he asked, his fingers trailing down my neck and leaving goosebumps in their wake. I was so focused on the trail of his digits that I lost all train of thought and floated in that surrounding warmth. It took me a second to realize he'd asked me a question.
“Achy,” I admitted. “How long have I been out?”
“About two hours. You were having pretty bad nightmares, though,” he said sadly, his lips meeting the tip of my nose. “I hate that I can't take those away for you.”
“They'll fade with time,” I replied with more confidence than I felt.
“Not good enough.”
Damon pushed strands of my hair over my shoulder with reverence, taking me in with his warm eyes as though he really couldn’t believe I was there. He drank me in with long, slow pulls, and I had the urge to pinch him in reassurance.
“Acantha came in while you were sleeping. She's been worried about you.” He continued to study me as he spoke, unvoiced questions dancing behind his eyes and making his lips twitch. I nodded in response. We needed to talk. We all needed to talk and I had lot of things I needed to say to them all, but I'd promised Shannon we'd talk to Acantha first. If I'd only been sleeping a couple of hours, I hoped that Grigori was still out. He'd been so worn down I knew that he would need all of his rest in order to get back some of his strength. Rasmus had, like myself, been putting too much stress on his battered body, so I hoped he was sleeping his way back to full strength, too.
“I know she is.” I buried my face in his neck and inhaled. Damon ran his fingers through my hair again and let me seek solace in his arms. His steady breaths seemed to ease me back into a state of calm. When I eventually pulled back, I smiled sheepishly up at him.
“What do you want to do, beautiful?” he asked, his voice barely audible.
“Stay here with you, like this, forever.”
“Now that I can live with.” Damon chuckled, his body curling around mine. “I'm never letting you out of my sight again.”
“That's going to be awkward when I need the bathroom,” I huffed out in good humor, feeling lighter.
“You know what I mean.”
“I do.”
We stayed like that for a while longer, both of us content in the other’s embrace, but it was inevitable our alone time would come to an end eventually. There was still so much I needed to do now I was free. There were people I needed to see, official business I needed to tend to, and prophecies I needed to fulfill. It all started to slowly pile up on my mental desk as we lay there in contented silence, but I ignored it and focused more on the man beside me.
The official end to our time alone together came in the form of a knock on the door. As much as I wanted to groan and feign sleep, I couldn't help smiling at Alexa as she stuck her head around the door.
“You're awake.”
“It certainly seems that way,” I teased, sitting up with the help of Damon's strong arms. “Sorry I passed out on you.”
“Don't be silly. You need your rest. I don't mind working on your schedule occasionally.” She smiled, stepping further in the room. “We ordered some Chinese food. Shannon and Rasmus are making slow progress down the stairs. I figured I'd see if you were awake. I think Acantha ordered enough food to feed the crowd at a rock concert.”
The thought of all those empty calories made my stomach growl in anticipation. Anything aside from dry cheese and bread was welcome, but Chinese food sounded like a small miracle and dragged yet another grumble from my gut. This one was loud enough that even Damon heard it.
Swinging my legs over the bed, I tried to stand of my own volition, but felt the thudding in my head begin the moment I was vertical. I slammed my ass back on the bed and dro
pped my head into my hands as I blew out a steadying breath. The bass beat in my head was no party, and the walls around me seemed to shudder violently as the dots danced in my vision. I looked at Damon apologetically, but the only response he had was to smile gently as he hopped off the mattress to come to my aid.
“We'll meet you down there,” he said kindly to Alexa, his hand smoothing my hair down my back. She gave me a concerned glance, nodded her understanding and pulled the door closed behind her as she left.
“I hate this,” I whispered, feeling deflated. I could feel the lump in my throat grow with my frustration. I hadn't realized how much I'd depended on my strength until I no longer had it to draw on. Damon crouched in front of me, his hands now on my knees as he looked up at me with eyes full of love and pride.
“You'll get your dexterity back. Your body is healing and it's using your strength to do it. Things like this take time. You're doing so well, but you have to take it easy and allow yourself to heal.”
I knew he was right. The only thing that had been driving me forward before my nap had been anger and adrenaline, and there was no need for that anymore. It was just me and my battered body now. Had I been alone, I would have probably given up already and curled up to welcome more sleep, but self-pity was really not attractive.
Damon turned the hands on my knees palm up and smiled at me. He was offering me his strength until I found my own, and as much as I loved him for it, I still couldn't help the small voice nagging at me to get on with it. Swallowing my pride, I placed my hands in his and let him pull me slowly to my feet. The wound at the back of my head seemed to throb in protest, but I ignored it and hobbled forward to find my center of gravity. I was still curious as to what I had done to my ankle. I'd thought I was fine when we'd finally escaped.
“What's that look for?” Damon asked, wrapping an arm around my waist to steady me.