Graven took note of the horror that hid behind my eyes. "We can eat inside if you prefer."
"No. Some fresh air would be nice. I'm sure it will help me sleep better, if I ever fall asleep. That is if I get the chance before the sun comes up." I forced myself to smile at the thought.
I rose to my feet to follow behind him. He slowed his pace so he could walk beside me. I appreciated the gesture, but I was not about to let him know how uncomfortable the darkness made me feel.
Graven guided me out to the over-sized chaise that resided just out from under the arbor. It certainly allowed for a more enchanting view of the desert and the night sky. I looked down at the one large seating structure.
"Come and sit. This is a good spot for us. We are close enough to the house for you to have a little bit of light, but not too much to obstruct our view of the stars." His cheeks bunched up under his eyes as he smiled at me.
I am pretty sure that he wanted me to sit with him so he could protect me and keep me close, or at least make me feel that way. Since it was unspoken, I accepted it without the fear of appearing weak.
We ate our meal in silence, other than a short discussion about how delicious his Salsa Verde Secreta was. After we finished eating, Graven moved the tray of food to the patio floor.
"Are you familiar with your constellation?" he asked as he lay back into the chaise. He put his hands behind his head with his elbows extending out into triangles.
"Yeah, I am, but depending on the time of year or where we lived sometimes it was harder to find." I eased back next to him.
I was careful not to touch him, although there was a part of me that wanted to snuggle into him. This may have been the closest I had been to him in the physical form. He smelled as good as he looked. I don't know if he was wearing cologne or if the scent from his deodorant was more predominant with his arms up. My nose picked up an under lying muskiness that was somehow familiar.
Graven pointed out the constellation and started to tell me an assortment of mythological stories about Lyra and some of the surrounding constellations. Was it his soothing husky voice or his sweet and spicy scent that stirred a warmth deep within me? I wasn't sure, but I found myself so relaxed that I could no longer fight off the darkness.
Chapter Four
I KNEW IT WAS AT least morning as the sun's rays beamed into my room. My body was not as thrilled with the wakeup call as was my mind. I welcomed the light of day like I never knew possible.
I laid there enjoying the softness that surrounded my body. I let my eyes softly shut again, searching for the memory of how I got to bed. I pulled up the scene from last night, or should I say early this morning, to the forefront of my mind. It was hard to distinguish if what I was remembering was a dream or reality.
There were flashes of me cuddling up against Graven beneath the stars. I also vaguely remembered him carrying me into the house. I wished I could get back to that brief moment of weightlessness in his arms. There was a sense of security that reminded me of when I was a small child and Gram would carry me into the house after falling asleep in the car. I loved it so much that I often feigned sleep just to be held in her arms in that special way long after it was still age appropriate.
As much as it would have been amazing to lay in bed and do nothing but relax all day; because didn't I owe it to myself after the ordeal I just went through; I had a huge situation that needed to be faced whether I liked it or not.
My head was so cluttered with what if's. I just needed to have a cup of coffee and a piece of toast or something before I could tackle all the questions that were still looming.
I honestly was not sure if I hoped that Graven was in the kitchen waiting for me or not there waiting for me. We had a lot to talk about and although I did trust him, I was not sure I should.
When I got to the kitchen there was a note on the counter. Relief and disappointment set in all at the same time.
Kasha,
I am down at the barn tending to the horses. There is cereal and granola bars in the pantry. If you want to wait until I get done down there, I will cook up a late breakfast when I come back to the house. There is a pot of coffee set to brew; all you have to do is hit start. There is also a small jar of fresh squeezed orange juice in the fridge. I look forward to spending the day with you.
Graven
I looked around the kitchen for the coffee pot and hit start. The instant smell of coffee was like a breath of fresh air. I had missed that smell so much. It also brought me back to my dreams about Kaden.
My dreams about that mysterious man had helped me keep my sanity while I was imprisoned, but now what? I couldn't waste my time with thoughts about a human when I was faced with a life of running from my enemies.
If not running, would I give in to them? Would I join them in their hunt for power and destruction? Graven gave in to walking with them in order to find his way to me. Or so he says.
How could I let him give up all those years? What did he give up, I wonder? He seemed like the kind of man that would strive to do the right thing. He seemed like he would be a man of his word.
I searched the cabinet for something to eat with my coffee. I didn't feel like hanging around to sit down and eat, so I opted for a nut and fruit granola bar. I opened the fridge and grabbed a small carton of half and half and then I put it back. It was a black coffee kind of day.
Graven left a large mug in front of the coffee pot. I filled it to the brim and stuck the granola bar in my pocket. I needed to be outside. I grabbed my shoes and went out the open front doors to take a look around.
I did drive in Graven's truck on the way there during the day, but I was astral projecting at the time. I wanted to see where we were. The views really were breathtaking from any room or exit of his house. I could see a few houses in the distance, but for the most part we were secluded. It was easy to see for miles from that altitude.
I could see the barn, it looked like it was only a short walk down the dirt road. I sipped on my coffee and decided there was no better time than the present to face Graven. As I walked down to the barn I made an agreement with myself that I was going to lay it all on the line with him. I had nothing to lose really. I had no one to turn to other than Patience and Phaela, but I was not confident that they could do much to protect me.
Graven vowed to put his own life on the line for me. What more of a commitment could I ask for? I hoped that he would be forthcoming with me and together we would find a way to make the best of this really bad situation.
As I approached the stables, I walked past the wooden fence that corralled the horses. I could see three horses, there may have been more out behind the barn, I didn't know how far Graven's property went.
I was about to walk in through the large double doors to the where I assumed Graven was working. I could smell the hay and the manure. There was a sweet and grassy smell with a hint of pungency that caught the back for the nose that stopped me from entering the barn.
A large black and white horse walked over to the edge of the fence. I felt like it was looking straight into my soul. I was really starting to think crazy things. I had the feeling that it wanted me to come over to it. So I did.
I cautiously approached the fence line. The horse tipped its head down in front of me. I put out my hand flat in front of its face for it to smell me. He kept his head lowered so I pet his head. He started to nudge me gently with his nose. I started to laugh because he was actually tickling me.
"I think he has taken an instant liking to you," a deep strong voice commented behind me.
I turned around a little bit embarrassed by my childish laughter. To find the hunk of all hunks standing in front of me. My cheeks instantly felt hot and flushed.
Graven stood there with an old torn up pair of jeans on, those snake proof boots he wore that night at the church, and a smile stretched from ear to ear.
"Yeah." I started to giggle again. Oh holy hotness. I was speechless.
The man probabl
y stood at least six-foot-four. His shoulders stretched across, if I had to guess, at least two feet wide. I knew he was a big guy, but seeing him standing there, I was in awe. His chest was stacked with muscles, but in a very natural way. They were glistening with sweat in the warm sun.
His hair was pulled back, but a few hairs were flying away, probably from the manual labor he was doing out there. He was dirty from head to toe. He pulled a black bandana with tiny skulls on it out of his back pocket and wiped his face off.
"Let me introduce you." He walked over and rubbed the horse's head. "This is Spirit, Spirit this is Kasha."
"Pleased to meet you, Spirit."
He neighed a little and puffed out a snort.
I tried not to giggle, but he was so cute, and it felt good to have something so pure and innocent to smile about, even if it was only for a brief moment.
"I was just about to finish up. Would you like to come in. I just have to put food in the stalls for the horses."
"Sure, what do you feed them?" I asked, maybe that was a stupid question.
"Hay, of course." Graven smiled and winked at me. "Come on then."
We walked into the barn. Off to the right when you first walked in were the hay bales stacked up. On the left there was a small but open corral. Along that wall I could see an assortment of grooming brushes and the like. There was a row of stables on the right and there were six stalls.
On the left wall of the barn there were strands of leather straps, bits, and saddles- both Western and English hanging. The back of the barn was open. I could see that there was a way for the horses to come in from the heat if and when they chose to.
Graven grabbed a large pitchfork and filled a wheelbarrow full of hay. Watching him bend at the knees while his biceps flexed with each shovel of hay was beyond worth the walk down to the barn. My coffee was getting cold, but I was just starting to get steamed up. He was exotic and beautiful.
I didn't really take him to be the type to have tattoos, but his back was covered with a large and extremely detailed oak tree. As he worked the muscles in his back, the branches seemed to sway in the wind.
I just stood there and sipped my coffee. I know I thought black coffee would do the trick, but it really could have used a bit of cream or sugar. The coffee was as strong as Graven appeared.
"I feel like I should be offering to help you," I said to break the silence.
"I think that you still have some recovering to do. But I am afraid there won't be a lot of time for that either. I normally have a guy that tends to the horses."
I followed behind him as he tossed the hay into each stall.
"I come out here because the work helps me clear my mind. I am not a stranger to hard work. Things were not always this luxurious."
I wasn't really sure what he meant by that, but I didn't feel comfortable asking him to expand on what the past was like for him. Graven grabbed the hose and made sure that all the horses had fresh water. He put the wheelbarrow back with the hay and threw the pitchfork into one of the bales.
"I need to take a shower, but we can start to talk about things on the walk back up to the house if you want," Graven offered.
"Ok." I wondered if he needed some help in the shower. I had to stop myself from letting the thought get out of hand. We had a rescue mission to plan.
Chapter Five
"HOW ARE WE GOING TO get my mother out of there?" I didn't even wait to get out of the barn. The words came flying out of my mouth. "You have to know that I can't leave her there. There is nothing you can say to me that will stop me from returning to retrieve her."
"I understand that you want to go and rescue your mother, but we have a lot to catch up on first. I don't want you to think that for one second I am blowing that or your feelings for that situation off, but we need to get on the same page first."
I had to look away from him for a moment. The intensity in his eyes was sometimes too much for me to handle.
"I think that we both have some questions that need to be answered. We also need to make sure that you are safe before we can save someone else. Let's take this one step at a time."
He tried to keep me calm and focused on taking things one step at a time. I looked back up to look in his eyes again. I wished that he could tell me that she was ok, and not to worry. The truth was that I knew that we didn't have a lot of time and there was no way she could be ok.
He looked at me with such a softness in his eyes that I had to believe him. He put his hand on the small of my back, really his hand covered the lower two thirds of my back, guiding me out onto the dirt road back up to the main house.
"Ok. We can talk, and get each other up to speed on what we know, but I have to see and save my mother. I just have to see her again, I didn't even know she was still alive."
"Can I ask you, when is the last time you saw your mother?" he asked.
"Gosh I don't know. I think I was around nine years old. It feels like a lifetime ago. Why do you ask?"
"Well let's start by saying that we call her the 'White One.' She is the one that told me about you at that party years ago. Well not you directly, but about the one I would need to protect."
I grabbed him by the arm. My hand barely fit around his bicep, it felt good beneath my grip. I forced myself to let it go. "What? What do you mean? You were at a party with my mom?" The shock of it all caused a tightness in my upper chest.
"She has been with The Taker at many events. We have always wondered about the basis of their relationship, but no one questions The Taker."
"What do you mean their relationship? You think they are in a relationship? No freaking way!" I chucked the rest of the coffee that was in my cup. I couldn't drink it and it was about to be all over one of us.
"Take it easy. I really don't know. I do know that she advises him from time to time. She speaks to no one but him, except for that one time she grabbed me. Never told a soul, until you.
"She speaks of things to come. She is highly respected and highly coveted. He protects her. That I know. He always protects his investments and what he considers to be his."
"My mother is not an investment. She is a person, a mother and a daughter. A missing one at that. Has she been with him all these years? I am confused. Is she his prisoner or his companion?" I demanded. I couldn't begin to digest what he was feeding me. I felt the heat of the anger I had for The Taker building in my core.
"I honestly do not know those answers. I am sorry. It is something that some of us have wondered. Clearly she was not being held in his prison. That place you were being held is no hotel." I don't know if Graven knew how infuriated I was. He didn't stop walking and neither did I. It felt more like I was marching at that point.
"You don't have to tell me that... I really hope they are treating her better than they treated me." I don't know if I could ever admit to myself the possibility that she was there with him of her own free will, but for a brief moment I wished that it was true so that maybe he wasn't hurting her.
"Me too, Kasha."
We walked the rest of the short walk back to the house without any further mention of it. My brain was in "what the heck mode" for sure.
"I am going to take a quick shower. I will make us some lunch and we can talk more. There are some things and rules you are going to need to abide by until we figure out a way to remove you from the desires of The Taker. I think I have a plan, at least a temporary one."
I was looking down at my beat up shoes, and thought maybe Ziona was right, I could use a new pair of shoes. It was the only thing that Graven had not purchased for me.
Graven walked up in front of me. He gently lifted my chin to look up into his smoky grey eyes, they were seductive even though I know he wasn't trying.
"It is going to be ok. I will keep you safe. I'll be back in a minute...ok?" He waited to make sure I was ok.
"Ok."
While Graven took his shower, I decided to busy myself in the kitchen. After we ate something, I planned to tak
e a shower as well. I really needed to get some clothing, I need more than what Graven had purchased me. I obviously needed some clean shoes and more than a pair or two of jeans.
And then it hit me, where was I even going to live? I had no home to go back to. My only belongings were in a storage unit. I was not ready to emotionally go back there, and quite frankly was scared for any of the Taker's people to find out about it or what I might have in there.
All of the things I had moved into my little house were from my rental at college. I don't know how many times I could thank the heavens that I did not bring any of Gram's things to the house yet. They would have all been gone.
I walked around in circles in the kitchen realizing I didn't have a clue what to make or what Graven wanted to eat. I opted for the easy route, the same route I took with my roommates and at home with Gram. I got the plates, napkins, utensils, and cups ready. I would do the dishes after the meal was finished.
I had a few dishes I liked to make, ones that were comfort food from my youth, but other than that I wasn't big on cooking. Gram was always dehydrating, juicing, or cooking something up. I watched and helped sometimes, but it never really became my thing.
By the time I was finished gathering table settings, Graven walked into the kitchen. His hair was still wet, but pulled tightly back into his ponytail. He kept the ponytail tied tight together with a few additional rubber bands. His face was shaved with sharp edges around his side burns. He was still a few feet away, but he smelled fresh, crisp and clean.
He was wearing a black tee with his club's logo on it. I was starting to get the feeling he had a drawer full of them. He was again in dark denim jeans, but this was the first time I saw him barefoot.
Betrayed: Breaking the Darkness Series Book Two Page 4