A white light caused him temporary blindness, then a black man stood before Tirvu. He gasped as he realized he was staring at a mirror image of himself, with only slight differences to his bone structure, and maybe he now held just a lighter skin tone.
Good God. Was he watching the guy she called Eorricris?
This brought on a whole new dimension to her story, her insistence that he had once been her lover, as well as a dragon shifter. Even as he watched himself wrap his arms around Tirvu’s waist and pull her close, he still found it hard to believe that his previous life as she’d described it was real.
As she slipped her hands around his neck, their lips met in a slow, lazy dance while he ran his hands over her arms and down her torso.
Eric became aroused seeing himself with Tirvu, and he couldn’t believe Eorricris didn’t seem to be at all. His cock remained completely flaccid, but perhaps he ran around with her naked all the time, so holding her wouldn’t be that big of a deal.
Eorricris’ hands palmed her buttocks and lifted her off the ground, the muscles in his arms flexing and rolling. She wrapped her legs around his waist as she kissed his neck and ran her hand over his thick, curly hair. The kiss became more urgent, and Eorricris slowly dropped to his knees, still holding on to Tirvu. He gently laid her on the black dirt, then settled himself on top of her, holding most of his weight in his shoulders.
He spoke in a language Eric didn’t understand, but Tirvu smiled and held the sides of his face in her palms, then said the same words. It didn’t take much to guess they were proclaiming their love for each other—it was written all over their faces and showed in their gentle caresses and smiles.
As Eorricris lowered his mouth to hers, Eric’s heart galloped in his chest. He wanted to see what happened next, but at the same time, he felt he was intruding on a private, intimate moment, a time no one should witness.
Suddenly, the beautiful and strange world began to spin, and he stumbled backwards trying to catch his balance. A second later, he stood in the forests of Saint’s Grove with Tirvu as she sat on the ground and stuffed blueberries in her mouth, the area around her lips now blue.
He sank down next to her, unsure of what to say.
“My mission was to return the Moonstone to our people,” she said, not meeting his gaze, but focusing on the large bush in her lap. “But that has changed for me now.”
He crinkled his brow, thoroughly confused. If she didn’t want to find the Moonstone, why were they hiking up this damn mountain?
“I showed you that because it is one of my favorite memories of us. We were alone in the forest. No one was around us. Usually, our relationship caused both of us great stress, because we knew that we could die for loving each other. But at that one moment, it was perfection.”
What did she expect him to say? Did she want him to declare his undying love? He was definitely attracted to her, and he cared about her quite a lot—something he couldn’t quite understand himself—but he couldn’t say that he loved her.
“I want you to come home with me, Eorricris. After we find the Moonstone, please, come home.”
His eyes widened as he stared at his shoes. From what he’d just seen, yes, he was Eorricris, or she’d somehow put a likeness of him into the scene. He’d told her many times he didn’t recognize himself as one of her kind, but she seemed to be certain he was her old lover from so long ago.
It did seem possible, but highly unlikely. His world in computers was black and white. There were very few grey areas, if any at all. Even when he found one, it didn’t take much to put it into one category or the other. That’s the way it was and had always been with computers. Programming didn’t offer a lot of anomalies. There were very few ways to take Xs and Os, except for what they were—a sequence of numbers and figures that led to the outcome the programmer intended.
“You’re needed at home,” she whispered.
Her words hit him like a fist to the gut. Even though the birds sang in the trees, the water running in the creek, and the sound of the insects played all around him, it felt like she’d just screamed the words in his ear.
He looked over at her to find her eyes shimmering pink. At first, he wondered if her eyes were somehow bleeding, but against the bright blue orbs, he realized he was about to see her cry.
She turned her gaze away from him and wiped her eyes.
“I’m sorry for crying,” she said.
“Hey, it’s okay,” he replied as he took his hand in hers. “Everyone cries every now and then.”
A sound somewhere between a sigh and a snort emerged from her lips, and she shook her head.
“Our kind doesn’t. We’ve been taught from a very young age that we don’t cry. Tears are for the weak and fragile, those who can’t defend themselves. We are part dragon, one of the fiercest animals in the universe. We are strong and resilient, therefore, crying is not something we do.”
He wished she would look at him, but her head remained turned. How did he make her feel better?
“Here, tears aren’t for the weak and the fragile,” he said. “They represent many emotions.”
“Like what?” she sniffed.
“Well, let’s talk about my mom, one of the biggest criers I’ve ever seen.”
She slowly turned her head to him, as if she were curious. Then, he saw two pink tears rolling down each of her cheeks. In a way, they looked like diluted blood, but he still found them beautiful.
“She was also the strongest person I knew,” he continued. “But she cried all the time. She cried when she was happy, when she was sad, when she was angry. She bawled at certain commercials on television, especially around the holidays. She cried at all my school graduations from kindergarten to college.”
“Why?”
“She said because she was proud of me.”
“It sounds as though she lived most of her life with tear tracks on her face.”
He shook his head as he grinned. “No. She spent most of her life with a smile on her face.”
“What made her so strong? Someone like that would be cast aside in our world.”
He bit his tongue before he answered. He couldn’t tell her again that this was his world, especially when she was so upset. Instead, he ignored it.
“She raised me, took care of my father and our house, paid all the bills, volunteered at hospice care—that’s a place where dying people go—and also gave her time to my school. She was busy, always there for others, the backbone of our family and in my community. She carried a lot of weight on her shoulders and did it with strength and dignity.”
“And she cried?”
He chuckled as he reached out and swiped one of the tears with the pad of his thumb. “Yes, she cried. There’s nothing wrong with it, Tirvu.”
She pursed her lips together as she started at him, but then finally spoke. “When I came here to get the Moonstone, I knew that the chances of you remembering me or our world would be very slim. I braced myself to shut off my feelings for you and concentrate on my mission, but I don’t think I can do that anymore, Eorricris.”
He sighed, wishing they could go back to talking about blueberries or even demons.
“Come home with me,” she said, her gaze imploring him. “When I return to our world, the war will stop, but I will still be left with the pain of losing you all those centuries ago. I’ve just found you, and I don’t want to lose you again.”
Her words crippled him, the weight of them resting on his heart like a boulder. Wasn’t it just a little while ago that he’d thought about going to her world, just to check it out? Now, she wanted him there permanently. He couldn’t imagine leaving Earth and heading to a place so different and ancient. Plus, how would he survive in a world full of dragons, when he was a mere human man, Eric from Chicago?
Yet, the way she looked at him, he realized that he was seeing the real Tirvu for the first time. All of her defenses were down, and she had revealed her heart to him. He wouldn’t take that lightly,
and he would cradle her feelings with gentle hands. However, he wouldn’t give her false hope.
“Tirvu, I don’t belong there,” he whispered, unable to meet her gaze.
“You won’t even come back for me? For us? For what we had?”’
He shook his head and looked her directly in the eye. “I care about you, but we’re too different. You’re a dragon shifter. I’m a man, a human man. I’d never survive in your world. Maybe at one time, I belonged with you in your world, but I don’t think I do anymore. I’m here, on Earth, and that’s where I feel I should be.”
And just like that, she closed up on him. The old take-no-prisoners, get-down-to-business Tirvu was back.
She reached for her berry bush and grabbed a handful of them, shoving them into her mouth.
“We better get going,” she said, getting to her feet and walking ahead of him as she dragged the bush behind her.
He scrambled to stand, then grabbed the pack and threw it over his shoulder, wanting to say something to smooth over the situation, but no words came.
Instead, he sighed and fell into step behind her.
16
She wouldn’t allow her world to crash around her; she wouldn’t allow his words to cut into her heart. And she certainly wouldn’t allow more tears to fall. She hated those damn things, no matter what Eric said about his mother being so strong and crying all the time.
In reality, she just wanted to collapse, curl up into a ball, and cry until there was nothing left inside of her. If she allowed that, how long would it take until all her emotions were spent? Days? Weeks?
All she wanted was a little slice of happiness, the type of joy that she’d had before the last time the seams of the universe had opened. Once she found the Moonstone, she would return to her world and end the war. That would be the first step in finding it. At least then, she wouldn’t fear for her life every day and have to fight to the death. Maybe then, she’d be able to rebuild her life and once again find peace and contentment.
She had hoped that by showing Eorricris what they had been together, it would somehow make him want to come with her. She’d known it was a long shot opening herself up to him, to have him see the pain she was in, but it was a chance she’d been willing to take. From now on, she would use all of her focus to finding the Moonstone. Thinking beyond that was an exercise in futility. Happiness, despair, the future … none of it was relevant until the Moonstone was located and home on the pedestal on the Grand Dragon castle’s overlooking of the lands.
Glancing up as she ate the berries from the bush she carried, she considered how much farther they had to go. She contemplated shifting into her dragon form to make the climb easier for her, but doing so required so much energy, she wondered if it would only wear her out more.
Behind her, Eric’s stare burned her. She felt his gaze roaming all over her body, but ignored the feelings it brought. With a sigh, she promised herself that his presence would no longer affect her. He’d been correct when he’d said Eorricris was dead. Her love from so long ago had truly died all those centuries ago, even if he’d been reborn to his current form.
A scent tickled her nose, and she stopped as she tried to place it. Inhaling deeply, her throat clenched, and her stomach rolled. Acrid and repulsive was the only way to describe demons.
“What’s wrong?” Eric asked from behind her.
She sniffed the air again, trying to figure out what direction they came from, but she couldn’t place it. It seemed to be coming from all sides.
“Tirvu?”
“Alexander was correct when he said that legend stated Devil’s Ridge was inhabited by evil,” she whispered loud enough for him to hear, but not so that they’d draw attention to themselves.
“What do you think is in there?” he asked, his voice low as he stepped up next to her.
“Demons, Eric. I smell demons.”
“Demon or demons? If it’s plural, how many?”
She raised her head again, closing her eyes as she concentrated. The putrid smell caught in her throat as her stomach heaved.
Her experience with the awful creatures was limited, but the smell overwhelmed her to an extent that she wanted to vomit, then run down the mountain and leave the area as fast as she could.
“A lot, I think.”
“Shit.”
“Yes.”
They stood in silence for a moment as she focused on the area around her. She heard no one approaching, which she hoped it meant that the demons hadn’t detected her and Eric’s presence yet. Or, it could mean they were under watch at this moment and the demons would attack.
She wished for the former.
By the strong scent, she knew they were outnumbered. Eric would be dead within seconds of encountering them, or worse yet, be dragged to Hell to suffer for eternity. She would most likely perish, as well. If she shifted into her dragon form, at least she could take out as many as possible before they killed her.
She stared up the mountain, considering her options. If she proceeded, she would die fighting for her world and saving her people. It would be a noble death. Of course, there was always the slim chance that she would be able to retrieve the Moonstone, which would be the best outcome.
However, she didn’t foresee this in the future.
But, what to do about Eric? Yes, he had been correct when he’d said he was only a human male. He was terribly unequipped and offered nothing to this battle.
He had to go.
She turned to him and took a deep breath. “I want you to leave this area immediately. I will stay and take care of the demons.”
He furrowed his brown and scoffed. “Are you out of your fucking mind? I’m not going anywhere, Tirvu. I’m not leaving you here.”
Of course he’d say that. Despite only being a human male, he had pride that would not allow him to run from a fight and honor that kept him at her side, both noble qualities. However, demons could care less about such things, and they would rip him apart in seconds.
“You were right when you said you do not belong in my world,” she hissed, fisting her hands at her side. “You were also right when you stated you are nothing but a human. You have no business being here on this mountainside right now. I’m the one fighting for my people. This isn’t your battle.”
He shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest, his features suddenly calm and all emotion removed from his face. It was a look she knew well. Eorricris used to do the same thing when they’d had their rare arguments.
“No.”
There was no argument given, just blatant defiance, which made her clench her jaw and grind her teeth. He was so infuriating!
“You will die. I will not be able to protect you.”
“I can handle myself,” he replied.
“Yes, I remember it well. Just a few days ago when the seams opened, you were flat on your back with a demon straddling you. You were feeble and defenseless.”
She hated bringing up his weakness, but if it got him off this mountain, the she would do whatever was necessary.
His eyes briefly flashed with what looked like anger, but it was gone as fast as it had come.
As she lifted her hands and pushed his chest, she tried to remain as emotionless as possible even though it seemed as if she were ripping out her own heart.
“Leave, Eric. I was wrong. You aren’t Eorricris, and you never were. You are nothing but a sad, pathetic human who will never be as great as my race. Go down the mountain and leave me.”
For good measure, she pushed him harder this time, sending him stumbling back and almost landing on his back.
“Tirvu—”
“Shut up!” she yelled, hoping that she wouldn’t attract the demons with her noise. She stepped toward him and pushed him again, this time her anger very real as her breath sawed in and out of her lungs. He fell and lay on his back at her feet.
“Leave me now,” she growled as she stood over him. “You are weak and you don’t belong here, nor d
o you deserve to serve in battle with me.”
She allowed him to get to his feet, his gaze hard, his mouth in a flat line.
“Fine,” he said, backing away. “Have it your way, Tirvu.”
She trembled from head to toe as she fought her emotions while he walked down the mountain.
When she could no longer see him, she sighed and collapsed to her knees.
Rubbing her eyes, she once again longed to curl up and allow the tears to come, to wash her clean. She’d just pushed Eorricris away, insulted him and his manhood, and resigned herself to her own death. Once she had passed on, then she would find the quiet and peace in her soul she so desperately needed and wanted.
She stood and evaluated the situation once more. Evil seemed to prefer the nighttime, which was only a few hours away. It would probably be in her best interest to wait until the morning when the demons weren’t as active, then wage her war. Until then, she could rest, find another berry bush and eat.
A sound from her left startled her, and she spun around. A demon stared at her, its red-skinned, skeletal frame hiding its immense strength. It stared at her with large black eyes, its fangs hanging over its lips. The claw-like hands dangled at his sides.
Just then, the breeze shifted, and the stench of rotting corpse met her nose. Although she tried to hide the fact that his presence disgusted her, she couldn’t help but grimace.
He said nothing as he walked closer to her, and she took a step back. How did these things stand to be around each other, or themselves?
“You are not welcome here,” it hissed at her.
She chuckled. “Considering you have what it is mine, I can understand your lack of manners.”
“I have nothing of yours.”
She glanced up at the ridge. It seemed so close, yet so far away. The Moonstone was there. She could feel it in her soul.
It would probably be best for her to leave the area and come back in the morning, but she’d never run from a fight, and she wouldn’t start now.
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