by Sarra Cannon
“I can’t say whether or not I am since I don’t know what a nut job is, but I assure you, I’m not here to harm you.” His smile brightened his face.
If she’d thought he was attractive when he was scowling, he was drop dead, melt-your-clothes-off gorgeous when he smiled.
“Okay, then tell me who, or rather, what you are.”
“I am Avalorian, and I have reason to believe you are as well.” He paused and picked up the framed picture from the box she used as a coffee table. “I once knew the woman in the picture, or rather, I knew of her. I was young when she disappeared but I do remember her.”
Her eyes darted to his. “What do you know of her?”
She needed answers and if he was willing to give them to her, she’d listen. His energy didn’t have a negative vibe like he was being deceitful or misleading. If what he was saying was not the truth, it was what he believed to be true.
“I know her name was Mariella. Mariella Acton, I believe. She was our Queen’s First Lady of Council as well as her closest friend.” His eyes met hers as she stopped to look at him again.
“Atkinson.” Her voice sounded strangled.
“Pardon me?”
“Atkinson, my mom’s name was Atkinson, not Acton.”
“That’s right, Atkinson.” Drake nodded. “You look very happy in these pictures.”
“I was. We were very close.” Pain sliced through her before she shoved it aside.
“Were?” His eyes came back to hers.
“She passed away four years ago. She was all the family I’ve ever had.” She took a deep breath, not wanting to remember the pain of losing her.
“You have family, Rhiannon. Your brothers are anxious to meet you. Your father has been unwell for some time, but he’ll soon be better.” He placed the frame back onto the box.
“My father? No, it’s impossible. He died in a car wreck when I was a baby. I have some of his things and his death certificate to prove it.” Anger roiled to the surface.
“I don’t know whose certificate of passing you have, Rhiannon, but I assure you, it is not his.”
She couldn’t hold his gaze. Hurt and confusion stabbed at her. “If he is alive, then my mother lied to me my entire life. I would have known if she was lying.” Her words lacked conviction, even to her own ears. “I’ve only just met you, yet you want me to take your word over my own mother’s?”
She would have known, wouldn’t she? She had trusted her mother with everything she had. Drake however, she didn’t trust, but try as she might, she didn’t detect any deceit in him. The bitter betrayal cut to her very core. Her head hung low, as she fought back the urge to cry.
“I don’t know why Mariella did what she did, but I’d like to think she had a good reason.”
“Tell me about them. My brothers, where are they? Have they always known about me?” She almost succeeded in hiding the hurt and bitterness in her voice.
What she needed were answers. All she had ever wanted was to belong, to surround herself with people like her and not feel like a freak of nature. After all these years, he popped up out of thin air and told her she had family who’d been looking for her? She couldn’t believe it, yet Drake hadn’t lied.
“I’ve already mentioned Evan, he’s the oldest. Like I said before, he is my commander, and has led the search to find you. Your other brothers are Aiken, Markus and-”
“Ricky.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
The boys in her dreams, their names had been Evan, Aiken, Markus, and Ricky. She swallowed around the lump in her throat. She had been dreaming of her brothers all those years ago.
He studied her, a small smile playing upon his lips. “He’s called Richard by most now, but yes, we used to call him Ricky. Your father’s name is William.” His shoulders tensed and his head snapped toward the door. “As for where they are, they’re in Avalore. Though I imagine at least Evan is on his way to meet us by now.”
The hair on the back of her neck began to prickle just as the acrid scent of the beast assaulted her nose. “I hate to cut this conversation short, but we have to get out of here. Now.”
He bolted from the sofa with amazing speed for a man of his size, standing in front of her, placing his body between her and the door. “Rhiannon, I can’t fight the Erritrol with you here. We have to get out. I’m going to talk to you in your mind, try to listen for my voice. Listen for it in your head and zero in on it.”
Her eyes shot up to his when she heard the faint buzzing in her mind. He brought his finger up to his lips, shushing her. It was an odd sensation, but once she pinpointed its source, she was able to latch onto it.
“Don’t speak out loud, it will track you. There isn’t time to teach you to cloak yourself, so keep one hand on me at all times and don’t let go unless I say so. My cloak will cover us both.” His deep, velvety voice slid into her mind.
How did one talk to someone using only their minds? This was something out of a sci-fi movie. Her heart pounded as the connection between them forged deeper. She rested her hand on his arm as he’d instructed and his warmth encompassed her instantly.
“If you need to speak to me, just concentrate on me with your mind. It can be my voice, my face, anything, and follow the mental link back to me. Whatever you think will be translated into words only I will hear.” His hands came up to her shoulders as he turned her towards the small window on the other side of the room. Dodging his hands, she bolted over and grabbed the backpack, shoving her arms through and securing it before rushing toward the window.
She took a deep breath and hesitated. “So, if I say I think you’re a hottie in my mind, you’ll hear me?” Her face heated. Why on earth had she said that? She wasn’t the forward or flirty type. Taking a chance, she snuck a peek at him, turning away again when he grinned.
He didn’t stop moving her towards the tiny window. “Yes, I will, and you’re a quick study. Come, let’s get out of here before the beast gets too close.”
The window had seen much better days and creaked when he shoved it open. They’d barely made it through the opening when the door to Rhia’s apartment bulged and blew apart, leaving one nasty Erritrol warrior standing in the broken frame.
“Climb up. I’ll buffer the sound as we go. Use both hands to climb. I’ll maintain the contact to keep you covered.”
She grabbed the bottom rung of the old rusty fire escape and pulled down, nearly jumping out of her skin as it clanged into place.
The Erritrol snorted and snarled as it rampaged through her tiny apartment, howling its rage when he found it empty.
She forced herself to climb, even though the sound of the beast tearing apart what few personal belongings she had left drifted out the open window. She couldn’t stop the small sob from slipping past her lips. Drake’s body pressed into her back as she climbed. His larger hands used the sides of the ladder while she held the rungs. The moment they reached the roof, he turned and pulled her body flush against his, wrapping his arms around her. Thoughts became hazy as her body began to sag against his.
He caught her head and pulled it against his chest as it fell back. “Forgive me, my Queen, I only do what is necessary.”
The sounds of roaring and metal bending and breaking under the weight of the creature sounded far away. She could barely make out its form as it leapt onto the roof only feet from where they stood. It’s mouth opened on a roar, but all she heard was her own heartbeat as the world disintegrated around her and she succumbed to sleep.
Chapter 4
The steady pitter-pat of raindrops on the bedroom window coaxed Rhia awake. Everything was peaceful for a change. No one was yelling, there were no crying babies, even old Mr. Randolph’s blasted TV was quiet this morning.
The fight with the beast, Drake popping out of thin air, the fire escape, had it all happened or was it some weird dream? If it were real, she’d be sore but she felt great, rested. Arms over her head and toes pointed, she stretched. She stilled partway through a deep b
reath. Had she slept in her dirty, torn up clothes? Her eyes popped open as she sat straight up and scanned the room.
The huge four-poster bed she occupied sat between two large floor-to-ceiling windows. Beautiful mahogany dressers and nightstands matched the carved bedposts. The entire room was bright and airy despite the slow drizzle of rain outside. The mattress beneath her was soft as a cloud, and the embroidered sheets glided over her like satin. Everything in the room screamed of luxury. The only thing out of place was her. Looking down at her filthy rumpled clothes, she scooted off the bed. Not that it mattered. She’d slept in the bed. Whatever dirt or grime she’d had on her, was undoubtedly on the sheets already.
Her feet sank into a thick, plush carpet as she padded over to peer out of one of the enormous windows. Off to her right, sailboats and cargo ships dotted the waters of the Hudson River, and to her left, the Statue of Liberty stood tall and proud in the distance. The sight took her breath away. She’d lived in New York City for four months, and up until now, hadn’t had the pleasure of seeing Lady Liberty on anything but a postcard. “We’re not in Kansas anymore Toto. Manhattan maybe, but definitely not Kansas.” Stepping to the first of three doors, she grasped the handle and took a deep breath. “Let’s see what’s behind door number one.”
It swung open, silent on well-oiled hinges, to reveal a fully stocked library. Rows upon rows of books lined the shelves. A neat little seating area was set up in a corner by another large window.
How long had she been sleeping? A small distressed moan rose from her throat when she found her wrist naked. The battery in her watch had died and she hadn’t replaced it yet. Shit. Closing her eyes, she took a couple of long, steadying breaths, before returning to the bedroom. Unless that thing at her apartment had destroyed it, her watch would still be sitting on her bathroom vanity, along with one of the few things in the whole world that mattered to her, her necklace. Shit, shit, shit. What had she been thinking? She never took it off—ever.
The clock on one of the nightstands showed it was just before ten. Wow, she really had been tired. She never slept in so late.
It had to have been after midnight by the time she had left the Hospice last night. She didn’t remember anything after climbing the fire escape—nothing. How had she gotten here? Maybe she was losing it. Maybe this was just one of her weird Mr. Hottie dreams, and she’d wake up soon. Would Drake mind if she kept calling him Mr. Hottie? She snickered to herself. Where was he, anyway?
The second door led to a bathroom so big she could fit her entire apartment inside.
“Drake?” She waited for his response, but when she didn’t get one, she tried again, this time, using her mind.
She concentrated on the image of his face, the depth of his eyes. “Drake?”
“Yes?” His voice sounded drowsy and oh-so sexy as it slid into her mind.
“Where am I, and where are you? You’re not standing here staring at me are you?” She tried to find anything out of the ordinary in the room, anything off, but came back empty.
Deep, masculine laughter drifted to her from another room, followed by a short one-two knock at the third door.
Her heart sped as she turned towards the sound. “Come in.”
His hair was sticking up and his eyes were still half-asleep when he entered. The t-shirt she’d admired yesterday was wrinkled but still hugged his torso. He’d left the top button of his jeans undone, letting them hang at his hips. She could get used to waking up to all that male yumminess in the morning.
“Good morning, Rhiannon. To answer your question, no, I wasn’t standing there staring at you.” His broad grin made her heart do another little flip.
She couldn’t help but smile at him. “Good morning. So, where are we? How did we get here? The last thing I remember is being chased by that rabid, flea-infested Sasquatch.”
A guilty expression crossed his features before he straightened his shoulders and met her gaze head-on. “We’re in an apartment we’ve secured to use when we’re in this city. I used our combined energies to get us from your apartment to here. Neither of us was at full strength and I needed to get us out of there fast. I’d normally ask for permission first but, considering the circumstances, I decided to get us out of there and explain later. That’s why you dozed off, so to speak.”
Her laughter echoed in the room. “You did what? You beamed me up? I don’t understand. And for future reference, feel free to beam me up any time Cujo threatens us. I’d rather take a nap than be turned into Puppy Chow.”
“Both your psychic and physical power were depleted, by me.” His gaze didn’t waver. “I don’t know who this Cujo is, but if anything or anyone comes near, I will defend you with my life. You have my word. Neither he, nor any other, will be able to come near your life essence while blood still flows in my veins and breath still fills my lungs.”
Her eyebrows shot up. She waited for the humor to shine in his eyes, for his smile to tell her he was joking, but it didn’t appear. The protective energy pouring toward her was unmistakable.
“Drake, Cujo was a fictional beast in a movie in the early eighties. It was a rabid dog that went nuts and wreaked havoc on everyone. It’s not an actual person. I was talking about the creature at my apartment. What are those things anyway?”
“That beast, my Queen, was an Erritrol.”
Her gasp sounded loud in the quiet room. Had she heard him right?
She shook her head. “Whoa. Hold the bus. What did you just call me?” Her voice rose with every word.
Okay, maybe she wasn’t the crazy one after all. What did she know about him? Almost nothing. And what she did know was what he himself had told her.
He closed his eyes for a second before answering. “I called you my Queen, Queen Rhiannon. It is the title befitting your post.”
Her heart began to race. Her eyes darted past him to the door leading to the rest of the apartment. “Okay, enough is enough.”
“I would have told you more yesterday but we were interrupted when the Erritrol returned, and we’ve not had a chance to speak since.”
She took a small step to get around him, gauging his reaction. “I—I’m going to go now. I know you believe what you’re telling me, but I’m not a queen. I’m just not. You’ve got the wrong person.”
His arms remained relaxed at his sides. “It’s not safe for you to leave. I swear I tell the truth. It is both my duty, and my privilege to protect you. Your brothers would peel the very flesh from my bones if I let any harm come to you.”
She took another step closer to the door. “This is crazy. Why am I even listening to this?” Why did the gorgeous ones have to be crazy?
“You listen because deep down, you know the truth. You’re not like these people, and you never will be, because you’re Avalorian, not human.”
If he thought she was the queen of his people, then at least she should be safe for the time being, besides, he’d saved her from the monster yesterday. If he’d wanted to hurt her, he wouldn’t have done that, would he? “I’ll tell you what, I’ll listen to what you have to say, but if I don’t buy into it, then you’ll let me go. I mean it, you won’t follow me, and you won’t get in my way.” She didn’t wait for a response as she walked past him, allowing plenty of room between them in case she had to make a run for it.
Elbows on his knees, Drake fought the urge to roll his eyes as he sat in the leather chair watching Rhiannon’s every move. The tall windows at the end of the living room made her look ethereal, her colors glowing in the natural light as she turned and walked toward him again.
“Okay, let me get this straight.”
He stifled a groan. Did they have to review all this again? Perhaps the third time would be the last. He sure as hell hoped so. They didn’t have time to sit and go over it all day. There was an Erritrol on the loose, it was undoubtedly in a rage, and it was coming after them. It needed to be stopped, but until she was satisfied with his explanations, he didn’t dare leave her alone.
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Yes, Queen Rhiannon. This is what I believe.”
“You think by taking me back to Avalore, I’ll somehow be able to save your entire species from extinction.” She stopped pacing in front of him to look at him again. “And I’m the only one who can do this. No one else can save the people of Avalore?” She rolled her eyes as she resumed her pacing.
“Our people, and yes, that’s correct.”
Deep down, she knew the truth. He was sure of it. The way hope shone in her eyes one second, and replaced by fear the next, told him as much. He just had to be patient and let her come to terms with it on her own.
“This is nuts, Drake, it really is.” She rolled her shoulders several times, stretching her neck from side to side.
“I know it sounds ludicrous, but I assure you, I tell the truth.”
If he were to believe the intelligence in her eyes, she should have figured it out by now. Maybe she needed a nudge in the right direction. He sure as hell didn’t want to go through the whole conversation a fourth time.
“Let me ask you this, Queen Rhiannon. How many humans do you know who can talk to you this way? How do you explain the energy manipulation and the fact I can heal, just as you can?”
She needed to come to grips with this. He didn’t want to have to force her back to Avalore, but he’d do what needed to be done if she didn’t make the right decision.
“I don’t know. Cut me some slack, okay? It’s not every day a girl gets told she’s not human.”
Her sharp tone had him grinning. “I suppose you’re right.” He could almost see the gears turning in her mind. She was putting things together and what she found frightened her. He could understand that. She brought her hand up to her slender neck, before dropping it again with a lost look in her eyes.