Sandman (Forbidden Love Series II Book 5)

by Danielle James

  Rachel did her best to ignore the shiver of delight that crossed through her body. She kind of wanted to use them on him too. Just the memory of his blood on her tongue lit a fire inside of her that could never be put out completely.

  "Do you see now?" he asked. "You aren't two separate entities, but of the same whole. She is you and you are her. Now you just have to learn to wield the power you were born with."

  Use the power you were born with, he repeated in her mind. Be the goddess I knew you were meant to be. My goddess. My mate. My everything.

  How can a girl not get all squishy on the inside when her man says things like that? She smiled at him and nodded. "I don't know how I'll do it, but I will. I can. I won't let you down."

  "You could never let me down," Somnus told her, taking her by the hand once again and standing with her. "We will all help you. We will all be here for you every step of the way."

  Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his hair. She believed him. Hell, with him around, she believed she could do anything. She could fly. Wait, she could fly. "I can fly!" she announced, running out of the room.

  She didn’t wait for Somnus to follow her, but ran like the wind down the stairs and out the back door.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Somnus hadn't seen that light in her eyes before. He’d seen her happy, but this was something different. She was truly excited. He ghosted himself to the back door just in time to see her barrel out of it. She ran toward the water and then jumped into the air.

  And then, she fell right back down into the sand.

  He watched as she got up, dusted herself off, and jumped again. She jumped seven or eight times before she turned around and huffed. She blew a stray hair out of her face and frowned. “I thought I could fly,” she grumbled, the excitement replaced with disappointment.

  Somnus couldn’t help but smile. “I saw you fly,” he told her. “As the Fury. You need to call on her.”

  Rachel shook her head. “She’s dangerous.”

  “You’re still thinking like two separate people. She is you. You’re in control. Call on your magic.”

  Rachel closed her eyes and concentrated. When she peeked one eye open, Somnus laughed. “It isn’t going to come that easily,” he told her.

  “Well, how am I supposed to use and control magic that I can’t even call?” she asked in frustration. “I just wanted to stretch my wings.”

  “I can help,” Leigh said, stepping out into the sand barefoot. “It’s like what I do when I shift.”

  While Rachel had been jumping up and down, everyone had gathered either outside or just inside the door to watch. The only people who stayed in were the ones with a sensitivity to the sun. Frankie, Leigh, Serena, Azerial, and Rebel were all on the patio, sitting and watching.

  “Hey, can we get some popcorn out here?” Rebel shouted toward the house. Gage flipped him off and turned his attention back to the women.

  “Tell me what to do,” Rachel said with enthusiasm. “I want to learn.”

  Leigh walked out to the water’s edge and motioned for Rachel to follow her. “We’re going for a flight,” she announced. “Y’all stay here and wait.”

  Somnus wasn’t sure that he liked the idea of Rachel tromping off with Leigh without him, but the stern look from the dragon was convincing enough to stay put.

  He watched as Leigh called forth her magic and shifted into her dragon form and then Rachel climbed up. The pair shot into the sky and headed east.

  “You think they’ll be okay?” Somnus finally asked.

  “Of course,” Rebel answered. “If not, Leigh will flash them right back here so you can deal with your mate.”

  Somnus punched his uncle in the arm. “She’s not that much trouble,” he sighed.

  “Oh sure, no, she’s a real sweet gal,” Rebel teased. “Just like mine.”

  Everyone laughed, knowing that Leigh was a great female, right up until someone pissed her off. It looked like Rebel wasn’t the only one in the family with a mate who had anger issues.

  ***

  Rachel had no idea where Leigh was taking her, and she didn’t care. The wind in her face felt amazing and, unlike the last time they flew together, this time the sun was up. Rachel could see everything down below and the water stretching out behind them. When they passed over the city, she could see the people milling through the busy streets. She looked down to see if she could make out their faces, and when she did, something strange happened. The sunlight dimmed and an aura of light surrounded everything that had a heartbeat. Some were yellow, some were white. Others were pink or blue. One was red.

  Punish him…

  That voice in her head was not Leigh’s.

  The dragon cut a sharp turn to the left and flew to the mountains where she’d taken Rachel before. She went very quickly, so fast that everything Rachel could see turned into a blur. Then, she landed and shifted forms before Rachel had properly dismounted.

  “You feel that?” Leigh asked her. “That feeling. Itchy. Compulsive. I heard the Fury in your mind, so I know she’s there.”

  Rachel nodded, still seeing the aura around Leigh. It was bright orange, like pure sunshine. Her fingertips itched, already curled into her hands, her legs wanted to run and her teeth ached.

  “That’s where you’ll find your magic,” Leigh continued. “Yours is rooted in your belief in right and wrong. That’s how you call it. Find that place and hold on to it.”

  Rachel tried to do what Leigh said, but it was hard. The Fury was strong and wanted out. “I can’t let her out,” she ground out between her aching teeth. “She’ll take over.”

  Leigh shook her head. “No, she won’t.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because if the Fury really had control, Somnus wouldn’t have been able to pull you back. You wouldn’t have wanted to learn your power. And for the last time, she isn’t a separate person or even a personality! She’s a part of you!”

  Rachel shook her head, pushing her powers back down again.

  “Is that how it’s gonna be then?” Leigh asked. “And here I thought you were as strong as me. I guess not. But let me ask you this. When that demon comes for your mate, how are you going to protect him when you can’t control your own powers?”

  The idea of that demon coming anywhere near Somnus set Rachel’s blood on fire. Hell no. Not now. Not ever. She would protect him with her dying breath if necessary. No one, and she meant no one, would hurt him.

  “That’s better,” Leigh said with a smile.

  “What?” Rachel asked, confused. Here she was, getting angry and protective, and now the dragon was happy?

  “Nice set of wings you got there.”

  Rachel felt her brow wrinkle and she twisted her head around. Sure enough, those same smooth black wings were at her back. She hadn’t even felt them! They just appeared if by magic. She looked down at her hands and saw that her nails had grown slightly and were very black, but they were nowhere near claws. Her skin had a bluish tint to it, but not the kind that would look like she was sick. It was even and contoured with her muscles. “How did I…?”

  “You accessed your power,” Leigh told her with a smile. “Now, let’s use those wings.”

  Rachel thought of her wings opening and they did, effortlessly. She pushed them out, admiring the impressive span. She jumped into the air and fell right back to her feet.

  Leigh laughed. “You don’t just take off,” she said around her chuckles. “You have to learn to fly.”

  “I flew before though,” Rachel said, confused. “Why can’t I do it now?”

  “Your Fury knows how to fly, but your conscious mind has to learn.”

  “Oh.”

  Leigh positioned Rachel’s feet apart and helped her square her shoulders. “When you leap, push against the ground with your wings. That will push the air down and lift you up.”

  Rachel nodded and jumped again. This time, when she went up, she beat her wings
downward. Instead of falling, her wings caught the air and lifted her into the sky. Leigh shifted quickly and joined her in the air.

  Now, aim your head where you want to go, the dragon told her.

  Rachel tipped her head, allowing her body to follow to the west. Beating her wings hard, she took off. Leigh kept pace with her easily, watching for the next instruction. Rest your wings. Allow yourself to glide on the air.

  Rachel did as she was told and was relieved when it worked. Her wings carried her easily. When she decided to go faster, she screamed.

  The sound that came out of her mouth was like nothing she’d ever heard before. It shrieked through the air, filling everything around her and bouncing off the ground below. She closed her mouth quickly and looked over at Leigh.

  She could swear the dragon was smiling.

  She instinctively knew the way back home, feeling Somnus like a beacon on that beach where she’d left him. She couldn’t wait to show him what she could do! She couldn’t wait to take him flying with her!

  One step at a time, the dragon reminded her.

  Okay, she would get really good at flying and then take Somnus with her. She glided on the breeze, feeling the sun on her back and against her wings. Flying was incredible! She was filled with so much happiness that she felt like she would burst. But that wasn't all. All of her life she'd felt as if something was missing. She never felt complete. She thought that Somnus would fill that void, and he did, but not quite all of it. This was it. This was what she had been missing her whole life. Her power.

  As she flew, Rachel flexed her body, feeling the raw power it contained. She was strong. So much stronger than she ever knew. She could feel the magic pulsing through her veins, giving her that power and making her whole. She no longer cared who may or may not see her. She no longer cared if her skin was blue. She no longer cared that the Fury was a creature feared by all. She was whole, and she couldn't wait to show her mate what she could do.

  ***

  Somnus waited patiently for what seemed an eternity for his mate to return. He knew she was safe with Leigh, and he knew that this was necessary. He was ill-equipped to teach her to find her power, and that burned his ass. He should be the one teaching her. How long did it take? The sun was setting in the western sky and damnit, he wanted her back.

  "Stop raging in your head," Gage told him. "You're giving me a headache."

  "Sorry," Somnus grumbled, kicking the sand out of his shoe.

  "Why don't you come sit with us?" the king asked him. "The sun is setting and it's a beautiful night. Rebel’s already got the barbeque pit going."

  Somnus chuckled. Of course Rebel did. "I'm just worried is all."

  "I can understand that," his uncle agreed. "But you have to have faith in your mate. All of us, we've all underestimated our mates—and that is a mistake you won't make. Let her come back on her own, when she's ready."

  Somnus nodded. "How long can it possibly take?"

  "Well," Gage said pensively, "It could take a couple of hours. Hell, weeks even. Months."

  Months?? Hell no. When Gage started laughing, Somnus rolled his eyes. "You think you're funny?"

  "I know I am. Now come. Sit."

  Somnus reluctantly left his post on the sand to join his family on the patio. Rebel had already put ribs and burgers on the pit with a pot of steamed vegetables on the side. In truth, it smelled amazing. His mother, Azerial, was sitting next to his father talking quietly. Somnus never really noticed before, but the way his mother treated his father spoke volumes. The way she leaned her head in slightly, the gentle hand on his knee, the smile on her face and the sparkle in her eyes said nothing less than absolute adoration for the man. A man who had started his life as a simple human. A human who caught the attention of a goddess.

  His father revered Azerial as the goddess she was. He’d listened to every word she'd ever said, and Somnus believed that Samuel thanked a higher power every single day for that woman. Now, Somnus understood why. He understood the all-consuming need to protect another person. He understood what it meant to not own one's heart. He knew, because he didn't own his. Rachel owned it. Now and forever.

  He saw the bond more clearly than he'd ever seen it before between each of his family members. Not only his parents, but Angel and Brea, Sebastian and Jessica, Rebel and Leigh, Gage and Serena, and Jacque and Frankie as well. They moved like satellites to each other. When one moved, so did the other. They did it without conscious thought. He wondered if he and Rachel would be like that one day.

  "Not if you don't stop sapping it up over there!" Gage called to him and Samuel and Rebel laughed. "We can all hear you and your hearts and flowers. Yes, we are mated. So are you. Treat her right, because your girl can kill you. Now, come help with the food!"

  Somnus laughed and tried to push his woman to the back of his mind. It wasn't possible, but he did put up better barriers in his head. He didn’t believe he would ever stop thinking about her, but at least he could spare his family from the constant mantra of hearts and flowers. God, he was a sap!

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Serena and Frankie were helping Rebel set up a buffet fit for a wedding party when the distinct sound of Leigh's dragon shrieking pierced the evening sky. All heads turned to the sky to see her fire racing across the grey clouds. Leigh's black scales blended near perfectly with the greys and dark blues of the sky, but the golden scales stood out almost as much as her fire.

  Somnus immediately searched for his mate on the dragon's back. She wasn't there. His heart thudded in his chest, stopped for a second, then thundered back to life. Where was she? Oh no! Rachel had been hurt! Or worse, lost to her Fury! His feet were suddenly moving of their own accord. "Rachel!" he shouted.

  Leigh roared into the night and this time, there was an answer. The scream that rang through the air was feminine, high pitched and dual toned. It was loud. So loud. Somnus worried that his mate had been lost as he watched her fly toward the dragon. Instead of attacking, she stopped in the air, facing Leigh.

  Leigh shrieked again, this time facing the Fury. The Fury stood her ground and screamed back. The humans on the ground covered their ears while their mates ushered them into the house, expecting the worst. The next time the Fury screamed, all the glassware on the patio shattered into a million pieces.

  Then something weird happened. Somnus didn't know what to do. He didn't want to interfere, but he didn't want Leigh to get hurt. While he was torn with his own inner debate, Leigh made a strange sound. Was she laughing? Had he ever heard a dragon laugh? Leigh roared again and Rachel answered with her own scream, this one loud enough to rattle the house and vibrate off the water. Somnus had to cover his ears. The sound she made, it was so full of emotion but it was different from the scream she'd let out before. The first time he'd heard it, when she first found her Fury, the scream was full of pain and anger. This was different. It was, did he dare think it, happy?

  The dragon shot toward the beach and Rachel followed, barreling into Somnus on the landing.

  "Oops," she laughed as she brushed her long, flaming hair out of her face.

  "Rachel?" Somnus asked, instinctively wrapping his arms around her. "Are you okay?"

  "Yep!" she answered, leaping off him and standing. "Look at me!" She turned around to show him her wings that had folded neatly against her back. She opened them, wiggled them a little bit, then folded them back. "I can fly!" Somnus didn’t think he would ever use the word "bubbly" to describe his mate, yet there she was, bubbling over with excitement.

  He watched her in awe as she detailed all the things she could do, including extending her claws and her teeth. Her skin had taken on a light blue color, accented by the mating mark on her shoulder and the darker blues along her muscle structure. She was a Fury, but she was still herself. Both of her halves had finally merged. She was whole now, he could see that. As he lay there in the sand, he couldn't take his eyes off her. If he'd thought she was amazing before, now, with full control of he
rself, she was nothing less than extraordinary.

  "And," she continued, "have you heard me scream? It's awesome!" She opened her mouth and let loose one hell of a scary scream, prompting Somnus to finally shake himself out of his awe-induced stupor and get off his back.

  Jumping to his feet, Somnus went to her and gently placed a finger on her lip. She cut the ear-piercing scream short and looked at him with those eyes. More blue than black, they looked straight into his soul. The smile faded from her face just as Somnus took her by the back of her neck and kissed her.

  The whole world disappeared. There was no ocean. There was no sand. There was no family sitting on the sidelines. Hell, the fires of Hades could have been licking at his feet and Somnus wouldn't have cared. His mate was incredible and he wanted to make sure she knew it. He pushed his tongue into her mouth and when he met fangs, his dick threatened to explode right there. Her fingers intertwined in his hair, pulling at him, trying to get him closer to her.

  Wrapping his arm around her waist, Somnus pulled her closer to him. he couldn't get close enough. He had to get closer. Had to be inside her.

  "Well, that's one way to shut her up, I guess," Leigh said as she walked toward the house. It was like dumping a cold glass of water on his head and Somnus released Rachel from his kiss.

  "You're stunning," he told her. The little smile she answered with was all he would ever need.

  "Any chance we’ve got a glass that isn't broken?" Leigh shouted while sifting through the remains of dinner. "And is this meat good? Or should I worry about eating glass?"

  Everyone worked together to clean up the glass, and replace them with unbroken ones. Then they all sat down at the buffet sized table to eat. Even those who didn't eat a lot of food joined in, sampling Rebel's barbeque.

  "This is amazing," Rachel said, shoving another bite of rib into her mouth. She had sauce on both cheeks and it was running down her chin, but she didn't seem to care. "I'm moving in here."

  "Of course, you are," Azerial said. "You're family."