Alvena pulled back from him, her breathing was harsh as she fought to catch her breath. Her hands clung to his arms. She looked at his Warrior Mark, then into his face, her lips opened as if she was going to speak, but closed back with a snap. She chewed her lip. Thoughts were once again flying across her face.
“You really think that the Shaman can give me answers?” She finally asked.
“Aye. We’ll head out in the morning and travel a few hours closer. In a couple of days, we should reach Tiranam Dásig.” He explained as he looked out the one window in the room.
“No.”
“We’ll make stops like we did today… wait, what do you mean no?” Kai looked back down at her.
“If he can tell me what is going on, then we’re leaving right now. If we drive straight through, we should be able to make it by early afternoon tomorrow.” She ordered as she stepped out of his arms and began packing their bag.
“But, lass, you’ve been through too much. We need to…”
“Don’t you start that crap again.” She interrupted him. “I am just fine.”
“Alvena, driving straight through will be too stressful for you, you need sleep, not…”
“Stressed?! And, you think sitting here wondering and worrying about what is going on is better?” He shook his head no as she stepped back into his arms. “Kai, I will be stressed either way and I won’t be able to sleep with this on my mind. Please take me to the Shaman tonight?”
He couldn’t say no to this woman. If she needed him to take her to the moon, he would shift and fly her there right now. It’s too bad he couldn’t shift and fly her to Tiranam Dásig, but with her fear of heights he knew she would resist. A dragon that’s afraid of heights. Kai chuckled. This was going to be interesting.
“What are you chuckling about?” Alvena pushed the bag into his arms.
“Nothing, lass. Just the future.” He mumbled as he grabbed a few of the things he had just brought back to the room. He handed Alvena a cheeseburger and a soda. “If we’re going, you’ll eat first.”
“Fine. I’ll eat. But, you better not be laughing at me, Kai Darrow. I have a feeling you’re going to be seeing me for a very long time.” She grinned at him.
Kai grinned back at the woman who constantly shocked him. He ate a few cheeseburgers while Alvena ate her one. He then stuffed a few more things into the duffel before walking out of the hotel room. She hopped on the bike behind him.
“Kai, I know you’re worried, but I will be fine. If anything feels off, I’ll tug at your shirt, okay? Just stop immediately if I do.” She strapped on her helmet and hugged him tight.
“I’ll always listen to you for now on, lass. If you say to stop, I definitely will.” He assured her as he revved the Harley.
“Then we’re good to go.” She yelled over the roar of the engine.
As he pulled onto the road, the light of the headlight spilling out in front of the Super Glide’s tires, Kai realized his future might still be up in the air, but all he wanted was clinging tightly to his waist. This fragile but strong woman had his life in her hands. He only hoped that the path she chose for herself included him. Tomorrow when they went in front of the Shaman, their futures would be determined. He wasn’t sure if he should be fearful and try to delay or if he should rejoice and speed forward. So, he just kept to the speed limit and rode the Harley down the dark highways to Tiranam Dásig.
Chapter 30
Al and Kai sat in a room in Tiranam Dásig. Last night it had seemed like a good idea to get here sooner than later, but now Al wished that she had listened to Kai. She was dirty, tired, and hungry. She had hoped to get a bit of rest and to clean up, but the minute they had rode in on the motorcycle one of Kai’s friends had intercepted them and brought them to this room.
The man’s name had been Corbin and Al couldn’t help but make comparisons to Kai. Corbin had been tall and muscular, but seemed almost short and slight of build next to her dragon. Kai had to have at least half a foot on the man. As they had walked, they had passed by many men and women; Al couldn’t help but notice how Kai towered over all of them. He almost seemed like a giant as his boots clomped down the sidewalks and hallways they traveled. Al loved Kai’s dark hair and blue eyes, but had found Corbin to be striking with his dark auburn hair which had appeared black at a glance, but when the sun had shown off of it, the dramatic contrast of the red gleamed in the sunlight. His green eyes were gorgeous as well, but when he had grinned at her, they didn’t make her swoon like Kai’s blue eyes did every time he looked in her direction. Much like he was doing right now.
She gave Kai a small smile as he stopped and leaned against the wall. She was sitting in the center of the room in a nicely upholstered dark blue chair while Kai paced by a window. He seemed nervous and she wasn’t sure why. All she knew was that she was feeling the strange sensation that she had felt at the hotel when she had gotten angry. Looking inside herself for answers to why she was feeling this way, she realized that she was upset about Kai. His actions were making her nervous and had triggered some sort of protective instinct. She looked at him and grimaced.
“Alvena, what’s wrong, lass?” Kai rushed over to her and knelt at her feet.
“Nothing. I’m okay.” She replied as he reached up and grasped her hand that had been rubbing at her chest.
“Are you sure you’re not having an attack? If you need to rest…”
“Oh. No. Really, I’m okay.” She answered as she clasped her hands in her lap. “It’s just…”
She stopped. Did she really want to tell Kai about the feeling she was having. He had reassured her the night before that she wasn’t a freak, but based on what he had said, this was not how Dásreach received their spirit guardians. What if it wasn’t a spirit guardian? What if there was something else wrong with her? Something else inside of her? What if he decided that he didn’t want anything to do with her? What if she ended up alone?
Kai pulled her out of the chair and over to a small couch. As he sat, he pulled her down on his lap.
“Kai?” She squeaked. “What are you doing? Let me up?”
“Not until you tell me what is bothering you.” He gazed earnestly into her eyes.
“It’s nothing.”
“Lass, it’s not nothing if it’s upsetting you.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest.
In Kai’s arms was her favorite place to be, she always felt better the second they came into contact. His body heat warmed her and his hands always made soothing motions up and down her arms or back. No matter how upset she was, she always seemed to find her center when Kai was beside her.
“I feel that feeling.” She whispered not really wanting to tell him.
“What feeling? The panic attack?”
“No. The one I got at the hotel when I was upset.” She clarified.
“Are you angry at me, lass? I’ll fix whatever I did.” He began before she stopped him.
“No, Kai, you didn’t do anything. I’m … it’s… well… shit.” How in the world was she supposed to explain this to him?
“Alvena, what is it? You can tell me anything?” He prompted her to continue.
“It’s just that you’re upset, and… well, I don’t like it.” The words came out rushed and mumbled.
Kai placed a finger under her chin and lifted it, forcing her to look him in the face.
“You’re worried about me?” He asked quietly.
“Yes.”
As she breathed out that one word, Kai’s lips came into contact with her own. Gripping her tighter to him, he kissed her with care. Slow, but thorough. When his tongue stroked her own, she clutched at his shirt. He had her wrapped so tight that she couldn’t move her arms where they wanted to go. She wanted to be wrapped around him and hold him so tight that he would never be able to leave her. Time and again, Kai had cared for her, defended her, and laughed with her. She didn’t want to live a day of her life without him and if what he said was correct, th
at she had a spirit guardian, she would have a very long life. She prayed to the Great Spirit that his people worshiped that he or she would grant her this one wish – she wouldn’t have to spend a moment of her life without the man who was kissing her as if his life began and ended with her kiss.
Kai began to pull back, allowing Al to gasp in much needed air. As he loosened his grip on her, she moved her arms up and over his shoulders. She pulled him into her and grasped him around his neck. Her eyes locked on to pools of blue – the blue of the sky, the ocean, or sapphires could not compare to the blue of Kai’s eyes. Soft lips were under her own and she breathed in and out, just waiting. Waiting for him to give her a sign of what he wanted. When he nipped at her lip, Al seized the moment and dived into bliss. It was a heady feeling, being claimed by Kai’s kiss.
Lost in the heat that was Kai, Al didn’t hear anyone enter the room, but a throat clearing behind her and a chuckle that sounded deep and rough as sand paper caused her to jerk out of Kai’s arms. She almost fell on her ass, as Kai fought to catch her. He had been as lost as she had been.
He helped her to stand and stood up beside her.
“Shaman.” Kai said as he nodded his head in respect.
Al sucked in a breath as she looked at the old Indian from her dream. Kai clasped her hand, giving her strength.
“What’s wrong, lass, are you alright?” Kai asked as he looked at her.
“It’s him.” She couldn’t squeeze any other words out as she stared at the man from her dream. All she could do was stare at the bright white feather hanging in his long gray hair.
The Shaman approached. “It makes sense now.”
Kai looked between Al and the man standing on the opposite side of a coffee table from them.
“What makes sense?” Kai demanded.
Her dragon, her Kai, did not like to be left out of the loop. She looked at him, the look on his face so twisted with so many emotions that she couldn’t help but burst out laughing. She laughed so hard that she couldn’t breathe and had to sit back down on the couch. Each time she thought she was getting a grip on herself, she would look at Kai and see that same look on his face and it would start back up again.
“Alvena.” His voice trailed off. It was the worry in his tone that finally broke her fit of laughter and brought her down.
“I’m sorry, Kai, I guess it’s just the stress of everything.” She gripped his hand to reassure him. “I’ve seen your Shaman before.”
“What?” He looked between her and the old man. She noticed that he wasn’t wearing his leather pants or his jewelry. The only thing that was the same was the feather and his hair.
“He’s the old Indian from my dream.” She clarified for Kai.
“It’s nice to meet you in person, young one.” The Shaman addressed her.
She smiled at the man and then at Kai. For some reason she had a feeling of peace. Logically, she thought she should be angry and demanding answers, but her mind was calm and the only thing she felt was relief and happiness. It bubbled inside of her and she had to fight down more laughter. By the look on Kai’s face he would not appreciate her giggles.
“Can someone please explain what the fuck is going on?” Kai demanded.
“Kai.” With that one word, the Shaman berated the man beside her for his rudeness. The man that now looked like a child that was being punished in the principal’s office.
“My apologies, Shaman. It’s the worry for Alvena that has me speaking without thinking.” Kai responded with his head bowed.
“I understand. Can’t be easy for you with the leader of all dragons residing in you. Leaders are used to getting answers.” The Shaman reassured him.
Al sat quietly and waited for one of the men to speak. She didn’t want to be disrespectful. This was not her culture and she didn’t want to make a faux pas.
“Now. Kai, I think I can explain to you why your mate responded the way she did yesterday. I know that is one reason why you are here. We will discuss this and then the other.”
“Yes, Shaman.” Kai responded.
“Is that alright with you, young one?” The Shaman asked as he looked at Al. She startled at being addressed by the man that could cowl the large and dominate man beside her.
“I just want answers, sir.”
“Well, maybe I can give you some of those.” The man took a deep breath and then continued. “I’m an instrument of the Great Spirit and when it asks, I obey. A few days ago, it needed me to connect the young lady here with a spirit guardian. The spirit guardian was distraught and needed to make contact. And, before you ask, no I do not know why. I just did as I was asked. It is one of my gifts, to dream walk. Anyway, I believe that Alvena here is manifesting her dragon due to that contact.”
Al thought back to her dream. She had thought it only a manifestation of the stress caused by the attacks and what she had learned about Kai. And, with everything that had happened since, she hadn’t thought about the dream since that day. Now that it was brought back to mind, the emerald and bronze scales flashed in her mind’s eye along with the strong female voice she had heard speaking to her mind in the dream. She felt a fuzzy warmness in the vicinity of her heart. It pulsed. Almost as if to say, I’m here.
She looked up at Kai and the Shaman. “What does it mean?”
“Well.” The Shaman sat in the chair across from them with his arms braced on his knees, his hands were partially clasped, and he tapped his chin with his index fingers.
Kai moved closer and wrapped his arm around Al’s shoulder. His warmth seeped into her skin through her shirt and helped relax her tense muscles as she waited for the Shaman to go on.
“When the young Dásreach men come to me to make their oaths, part of the ceremony is where I and the young man enter a room where I ask the Great Spirit for the young man’s Warrior Mark. When it is presented to me, I begin to tattoo the mark onto his arm. We use the old way and it takes a bit of time to complete. During the process the young man… um…” He looked at Kai.
“We are taught to meditate and in the process we enter a sort of trance state during the tattooing.” Kai supplied.
“Yes, that is right, and in this trance the young man travels to an alternate plane where the spirit guardians wait. In some respects this is the same for a mate. The only real difference is that a young man goes through a selection process; the spirits search him and determine which spirit guardian he should have. Once the guardian has chosen the warrior, they meet and then if the warrior accepts his oath and embraces the spirit guardian, the guardian becomes part of the warrior and when he returns to our plane of existence at the end of the tattoo, the spirit guardian returns as part of the warriors soul.” The Shaman completed his explanation.
Al waited for him to continue explaining what had happened to her, but he just sat and watched her and Kai from the dark blue chair. When he just kept tapping his chin and Al couldn’t stand it anymore, she spoke up.
“Um, Shaman, sir, what about mates? You said they were the same in some respects. How is it different for mates?”
The Shaman chuckled. “You can just call me Shaman, young one.”
Al blushed. She felt like she was in the principal’s office along with Kai. “Okay, Shaman, how about mates?”
“Youth is full of impatience.” The Shaman chuckled again. “But, yes, for mates it is different in that the spirit guardian has already chosen.”
“Chosen? When? I’m not Dásreach and from my understanding no women are, so how do spirit guardians choose?” Al demanded. Her frustration built.
“The Great Spirit does not share all with me, young one. There are some things that for us, just are. Mates are destined.” He soothed.
“Gah! Why is this mystical stuff always in riddles and unknowns?” Al stood and began pacing.
She was feeling her frustration build again. All of these half answers messed with her head. Her life was totally out of her control. She felt like screaming and wanted to destroy some
thing, anything, just as long as she could make something feel the way she did. Her life felt like it was scattered to the four winds and she was left sitting on a high cliff, waiting to either fall off the cliff or the winds to blow back her way and return the life she had lost. She reached into her jeans pockets and searched for her cell, she needed to chat with the Book Worms. She needed their advice. Damn it! Where is my phone? That is when she remembered, she didn’t have her phone, it had been left behind in New Orleans.
“Damn it, Kai. I want my phone.” She turned to voice her demand directly at the man, who immediately jumped up and rushed to her.
“Alvena, calm, lass.”
“Kai Darrow, don’t you calm me. I want my phone!” Her voice rose with each word she uttered.
“Lass, Damon and Gabriel have gone to New Orleans to gather your belongings. They are going to bring them here.” His hand rubbed up and down her arm.
Why was she so angry? Al was confused at why she was acting this way towards Kai. He was being so calm and willing to help and she felt like chomping his head off. As she stood fuming, the Shaman came to her side and rested his hand on her arm. A sense of calm washed over her.
“Shh, young one, it will be alright. We will help you.” The Shaman said quietly at her side.
She looked at the Shaman and then Kai. “I’m sorry. I keep thinking about how out of control everything is and then I get really angry.”
“Oh, lass. I am the one who is sorry.” Kai looked at the Shaman. “How can I help her? She can’t continue on like this?”
Al went to sit back on the couch and saw a room in chaos. Papers from the desk that sat in a corner of the room where blown everywhere and pictures where either laying broken on the floor or barely hung to the walls. She turned to look again at Kai and the Shaman. They appeared to have been through a wind tunnel, the Shaman stood pulling his hand through his now tangled hair. Kai’s shirt appeared a bit twisted and his short hair stuck up all over his head. What the hell?
Finding the Dragon (Dásreach Council Book 1) Page 32