Dragon Reign: A Paranormal Love Tale

by Pressley James

  “Truce,” she agreed, smiling in the darkness.

  “It smells delicious,” she exclaimed, several minutes later, after they’d reached the apartment. The gooey cheeses stretched as she pulled a huge slice from the cardboard box. Her eyes closed as she bit into the Italian sausage and other meats. “And it tastes heavenly.”

  “You weren’t hungry, right?” he teased between bites as he faced her across from the table. “Too bad I didn’t take your word for it.”

  “Good thing you didn’t,” she agreed before going serious. “About earlier, Xander, I’m sorry for the way I---”

  “We called a truce, remember? It’s over and done with. Forget about it.”

  Her eyes watered as the beer coursed down her throat. “Yes, we did. But, I still want to apologize for doubting you. And I had no right to accuse you of the things that I did. Xander, I trust you fully,” she added. “And I know that you would never willingly keep anything from me.”

  For a tense moment, he was silent. Then, he admitted, “Nicole, everything that I do is to protect you. No matter what happens, I just want you to trust in that.”

  “I know,” she acknowledged with a smile. “Let’s make a pact. Tonight, we’re not even going to mention Gates. We’re going to relax and enjoy the rest of the evening.”

  “Best idea you’ve had all evening.”

  ***

  Fresh, warm cedar wafted up her nostrils as she entered the living room, moments later. As she bypassed the sofa, she grabbed the light cotton throw from it. Her steps ended as the heat from the fireplace enveloped her fully. Embracing the warmth, she raised her hands towards the hot fire. A burning log crackled as it tumbled from the top of the burning pile, probably eroding into bright, fiery ashes, she guessed as she smiled. At least that’s how it’d have occurred in her past ‘seeing’ life. Yet, for some reason, the ghosts of yesterday didn’t haunt her with the same despondency that it usually did.

  Her brows arched in a puzzling frown.

  With all the things that’d happened these past weeks, how was it possible that she felt so light-hearted and relaxed? And dare she even say, happy?

  Distracted, she dropped the cotton throw to the floor.

  Of course, she already knew the answer to that one.

  Or rather, who was responsible for it.

  She shook her head.

  We’re friends and nothing more.

  But that didn’t stop her from wanting more.

  Stooping over, she tugged the black designer boots off. She sighed gratefully as her stocking feet sank into the plush carpeting. After sinking down on the floor, she dragged the light cotton throw across her lap, quickly catching another whiff of the sweet cedar as she faced the burning fire.

  Several minutes later, she started when he treaded into the living room.

  She inhaled sharply as she sensed his closeness, and she couldn’t dispel the fluttering butterflies in her abdomen. But, he breezed past her before journeying to the fireplace. Evidently, he was extracting the black poker from the wall’s casing, especially since it clattered against it noisily. The burning logs crackled and snapped as he stoked them none-to-gently. And judging from the heat that emanated from the hearth now, the flames were highly ablaze.

  “There’s nothing like a warm fire on a cold wintry evening, is it?” she inquired softly, offering a genuine smile.

  “No, it isn’t,” he added broodingly. The logs tumbled carelessly as he dragged one from the wire racket, and then tossed it onto the fire. His movements were jerky as he stoked the fire more fiercely.

  Her frown deepened.

  What’d happened in the last minutes to change his mood?

  Since their earlier truce, their banter had been light-hearted and fun. And she’d enjoyed herself more tonight than she had in ages.

  Ever.

  Her fingers curled into the throw’s softness uncertainly.

  In moments like these, he was hard to read.

  But, it only made her want to solve the puzzle more.

  As she faced the burning fire, she couldn’t chase away the shadows of her sensuous thoughts. Like a silly school girl, she envisioned him as the fantasy dream lover.

  Broad shoulders.

  To die for pecs.

  Abs of pure steel.

  An athletic build that was divinely shaped and perfected in all the right places.

  A warm blush spread across her cheeks.

  She tugged at the sweater’s neckline nervously.

  If she weren’t careful, he’d be privy to the fact that she wanted him like crazy. Swallowing hard, she forced her mind back to the conversation or rather lack of it. Her mind raced to find something to break the tension. Taking a deep breath, she struggled past her riddled nerves. “You know what?” she rambled, infusing humor into her tone. “After eating those chocolate marshmallows, I bet that you were a mean boy scout. And I mean that in a good way.”

  “No. I never spent one day with the scouts. As a matter of fact, my unruly behavior practically shut me out from things like that,” he said huskily, carefully leaving a few inches between them as he sank down beside her. “Back then, I was a bit of a rebel.”

  For a brief second, his serious tone hindered her response.

  “Really? Why do I find that so hard to believe?” she asked surprised, turning towards him slightly. “You’re the most grounded person that I know.”

  “Trust me. You’d be surprised about the things that you don’t know about me,” he added seriously. “And for your sake, it’s probably better that way.”

  Her lips parted in surprise.

  Was it possible that Xander held secrets?

  But, why did she want to embrace them rather than run away from them?

  That knowledge scared and excited her at the same time.

  Then, her mind clouded with remembrance.

  But, didn’t she have her own ghosts? Wasn’t she still living with the fears of yesterday, afraid to move on from the tragedy that’d newly shaped her life? And for the first time, she wanted to share that painful memory.

  With him.

  She pulled the blanket around her more snugly, and then averted her face before blinking away tears.

  She was too emotionally involved.

  And in the deepest of hearts, she’d already fallen in love with him.

  But, they were friends and nothing more, she reminded herself.

  A deep silence lingered as the second hand ticked loudly from the wall clock. But, still their unspoken bond strengthened with the passing time.

  She started when he spoke again.

  “Well, believe it. Back then, I was just looking for a sense of direction. Just trying to find a place where I belonged,” he admitted uncomfortably. The burning logs crackled as they eroded into bright red ashes. “Even now, I don’t know if I have.”

  “It can be hard sometimes, can’t it?” she whispered. After her accident, hadn’t she experienced that same loss of direction? Hadn’t she struggled to live with her guilt?

  She pushed the unsettling thoughts away quickly.

  “And what would make you feel like that now?” she inquired as she turned towards him slightly. “I mean, look at you. You’re successful. You have your own business. And you should feel nothing but pride for your accomplishments.”

  “If that’s how success is measured, I suppose so,” he said cynically.

  “A cynical Xander Sullivan? That doesn’t sound like you at all,” she murmured thoughtfully. “What about your parents? I’m sure that they’ve shaped your life in many ways. And like most, you’ve probably assumed their many qualities,” she finished softly. Then, a quizzical frown creased her forehead. “Do they live in Atlanta, too?”

  A tense second ticked by.

  Leaning forward, he extracted the black poker again.

  “I never really knew my parents,” he said abruptly, stoking the fire again, this time more forcefully. The flames flared higher, sending the embers sc
attering amidst the fireplace. The black poker clattered loudly as he threw it onto the stone hearth. “So, let’s drop it.”

  Surprise lit her features.

  Had he been abandoned as a child?

  How was it possible that no one wanted him?

  She couldn’t even fathom the ugly thought.

  Concern filled her features as she faced him. “Xander, I wasn’t trying to pry into your private life. I just thought that maybe you wanted to talk---”

  “They’re dead,” he said deadpan.

  Without thinking, she grasped his large hand. To her relief, he didn’t pull away. “I’m so sorry, Xander. I can’t even begin to imagine how you feel,” she admitted softly. “But, growing up, I know that it couldn’t have been easy, and I’m sure that it’s not now.”

  “Why are you apologizing? You have nothing to be sorry about,” he muttered. “It’s the hand that I was dealt.”

  “That doesn’t make it hurt any less. And I’d give anything if things could’ve been different for you,” she whispered. “As difficult and overbearing my parents can be sometimes, I can’t imagine my life without them. Despite their faults, they did the best that they could.”

  The flames crackled in the silence.

  “But, it helps to talk about it,” she persisted. “If you don’t, the hurt and bitterness will only leave you feeling empty.”

  Didn’t she know that better than anyone?

  “Playing shrink?” he scoffed. “I guess you missed your calling.”

  “No,” she began tentatively. “But, I know that it has to hurt not knowing them. And while you have no memory of them, I’m sure that they loved you. How old were you when they died?”

  For a brief second, he was silent, and she was afraid that he wouldn’t answer. “My father passed away before I was born.” His next words were hesitant. “And my mother died after giving birth.”

  “No,” she said, empathy filled her tone.

  He released a pent-up sigh. “It’s a hard truth that I’ve learned to live with. And there’s nothing that I can do to change it, not even if I wanted to.”

  “Have you ever thought of searching for other members of your family? Maybe they can give insight into the kinds of people that your parents were,” she hedged cautiously.

  “There’s no happy ending, Nicole. At least not for me,” he snapped, dropping her hand, and she missed the contact immediately. “Unlike you, I can’t pretend that life is a fairy tale. And there are too many dangers that result from it when you do. In the rule book, it doesn’t say that it’s nasty on the outside of it. It doesn’t tell you that people hurt, bleed, and suffer. And you’re setting yourself up for a dangerously hard fall if you don’t look at life for the way it really is.”

  “Why are you being so cynical?’

  “It’s the only way to be,” he retorted sharply. “That way you want get hurt. Expect nothing, and you get nothing.”

  A brief silence stretched between them.

  Finally, she spoke again. “Do you have siblings?” she asked hesitantly.

  “No,” he spoke harshly. “I was an only child.”

  “Do you have any mementos?” she asked with concern. “Xander, there are ways for you to find out about your---”

  “Will you drop it?” he snapped again. “There isn’t anyone else. I have no one.”

  She blinked her tears away.

  That’s where he was wrong.

  He had her.

  Still, she didn’t allow his rudeness to deter her.

  Her brows pinched in a confused frown. “What about your great-grandmother? Are you close to her?”

  “Don’t bet on it. Actually, we don’t get along at all. As a matter of fact, she can’t stand the mere sight of me. And she doesn’t hide the fact that she hates my guts. Fortunately, for her, the feeling is mutual,” he said with a cold laugh. “Imagine that, sweetheart. Not even blood ties can dissolve the roots of your hatred.”

  “That’s not true. Why would you say such a thing, Xander? It’s cold, cruel, and unnecessary, none of which you are.”

  The air thickened with tension.

  She prodded again. “When you say things like that, it’s just a defense mechanism. It protects you from all the hurt. And I know you---”

  “Before you get all sappy and sentimental, I’ll warn you beforehand. You don’t know anything about me,” he said deadpan. Then, anger filled his voice. “And if you---”

  “Well, I know all and everything that I need to know about you!” she argued. “And you are a strong, courageous, honorable man---”

  “Are you really that naïve, Nicole? What do you know about me except the fact that I live next door to you? That I manhandled some lunatic late one evening and saved your life?” he demanded roughly. She could feel his angry stare as he faced her. “The worst thing you can do is conjure some idealistic fantasy about me. And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll keep your distance.”

  His clothes rustled softly as he stood.

  Huge tears pooled in her eyes. “Why are you being so hurtful and cruel? Is it really that difficult for you to accept simple compassion and kindness? Has your childhood crippled you that much, that you don’t even recognize who you are as a human being?” The cotton throw pooled at her feet as she stood. Heat radiated from his hard body as she stepped closer to him.

  “But, what if I am all those things? What if I am cold, unfeeling, and dead inside?” he demanded roughly. “Maybe it’s not so unfathomable, maybe I am less than human. Trust me, sweetheart. I’m not who or what you think I am. And if you knew the truth--”

  At once, he cut his words short. Suddenly, a humorless laugh escaped him. “Besides, aren’t you the last person to accuse anyone of being emotionally distant? What about you, Nicole? Are you hiding secrets? It’s my time to play shrink, don’t you think? So, tell me. While we’re divulging secrets, why don’t you tell me what happened the night of your accident? Or will you be an emotional---”

  Her swinging hand met his cheek, and the hard resonated across the room. A shocked silence filled the room as her hands flew to her mouth. Shaking her head, she dropped her hands. “You have no right!” she whispered, blinking back the tears. “And now, you’re being mean and spiteful because you are a coward. You can’t stand to hear the truth about your---”

  “Are you sure about that?” he demanded, hauling her towards him as he grabbed her arms. “Perhaps, I’m not the only one running from the darkness of my past.”

  “Stop it!” she yelled, pummeling her fists into his chest weakly. “Stop it.” Finally, her words ended on a breathless sob. “You can never imagine how horrible that night was.”

  Dejected, sobbing, she slid to the floor.

  “Damn it, Nicole. I’m a fucking asshole,” he cursed, and shame filled his voice. “I was way out of line. I was angry and upset. But, not at you---I’m sorry.”

  She turned away as he knelt before her.

  “No. Don’t say anything,” she whispered tearfully. “Isn’t this what you’ve been after these last minutes, to make me take a harsh look at my own reality rather than looking at your own? Congratulations, Xander. You’ve succeeded greatly.”

  “I shouldn’t have taken my frustrations out on you,” he vented again. “And I deserve everything that you say to---”

  “Kassie and I were close,” she began miserably, trailing onto the dark journey of the painful memories. “And she was everything that I wasn’t.” Numbness filled her as she wrapped her arms around her knees tightly. “It’s my fault that she died.”

  “Kassie?” he said softly, settling beside her. “Who’s Kassie?”

  “My twin sister.” Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. “She was exciting, beautiful, reckless, all the things that I’m not. And she had so many things going for herself until that night---”

  “You don’t have to do this, Nicole. I shouldn’t have provoked you like---”

  “It’s your turn to play shrink,
remember?” she retorted bitterly. “And get me to divulge all my dirty secrets.” Suddenly, a startling revelation swept over her. Her lips trembled as she turned towards him. “And for the first time, I’m tired of running. I don’t want to do it anymore.” His thumb brushed across her cheek gently as he wiped the tear away. “Can I talk to you, Xander? Really talk to you?”

  “Nicole,” he said gently. “Baby, you can tell me anything that you want to tell me. But, I’m not going to pressure you into anything that you don’t want. And I’ve never been a saint, but I’m ashamed of the way that I’ve just acted here tonight.”

  “Shhh,” she whispered, placing a finger over his lips. “I know you. I may not know everything about you. But, I know what you are. In here.” Her hand trembled as she placed it against his chest. “And no matter how hard you try to hide it from me. I still sense it. Feel it.”

  Warm sensations swept through her as his hand covered hers. “I would never intentionally hurt you---”

  “Shhh,” she said again, pressing her finger against his lips again. “Please, don’t talk. This is already difficult for me. And if I don’t get it out, I fear that I never will.”

  Taking a deep breath, she dropped her hand from his chest. “Even though we were fraternal twins, we were still inseparable. We practically did everything together. But, growing up I was the reserved one while she was always willing to take risks, even those that were unnecessary.” Her lips curled in a small smile. “We were polar opposites, but we always got along fabulously. While I was pounding away at the piano, she was in the corner playing with dolls, snipping off their hair to make fashionable hairstyles, she’d say. But, of course, that never turned out well.” Now, her voice seemed far away. “And you know what? We always stood up for each other. Even when we disagreed, we always had each other’s back. She was my best friend.”

  His hand closed around hers again. She didn’t protest as he reached out and grasped her hand tightly. And she embraced his comforting presence as she closed her eyes. For a moment, she faltered, and she wondered if she could go on. But, as his hand tightened around hers, she found the strength.