Unquiet Slumber

by Paulette Miller

  Nathaniel let go of Tianna and leaned back on his arms. “If I may make a suggestion, if she’s to sleep on the ground, let her sleep next to one of us. Then we can be right there at the first sign of trouble.”

  Tianna gave him a look. ”And I suppose you’re volunteering to share your bed with me?” Gazing into his eyes, she secretly hoped his answer would be ‘yes’.

  He gave her one of his smiles that made her toes curl. “You know I’d be happy to share my bed with you any time you ask.”

  Gabriel thought logically about Nathaniel’s proposal for a second. He said, “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I agree with Nathaniel.” Everyone turned and gave him an angry glare. He continued his explanation. “We need to be very close to her to know when things go wrong.” He glared toward Nathaniel, “We aren’t going to bed her. We’re going to protect her.”

  Nathaniel was instantly overwhelmed by a feeling of protective instincts toward the woman sitting next to him. Protecting her was his responsibility.

  They all decided it was the best approach and Tianna reluctantly agreed. She wasn’t sure how to handle this since she had never slept next to an adult male. The faces of several women from Trille filled her mind. If they were to see her now, they would give her another not so polite name.

  Marcus glanced up into the sky. “The night is only half over. Let’s try to get some sleep.” He looked to Seth. “Go get her blankets from the tree.” Seth nodded, asking silently for Marcus to follow him. Nathaniel quickly joined them.

  When they were alone, Seth mentioned the scent in the air where Tianna fell. “I know that someone or something was here. I’m sure of it. The scent is like nothing I’ve ever encountered. Someone was here and tried to take Tianna.”

  Nathaniel added, “She had finger marks on her ankles. Someone actually did grab her.” Nathaniel quickly returned to Tianna’s side as Seth ran to get her blankets.

  Tianna stood while everyone started to scramble back to their beds. She didn’t know exactly what to do. “Where do I sleep?” she asked rather unsure of what she wanted as the answer.

  Gabriel walked over to Tianna and took her hand in his. “You’ll sleep between me and Marcus tonight.” Nathaniel wanted to protest except, given the inappropriate images appearing in his mind, he thought it best that he keep his distance until his dragon could calm down.

  Marcus and Gabriel set up the bedrolls with Tianna’s bed tucked between them. She was still standing on Nathaniel’s bed roll, peering at the ground between her feet and where her bed was now located. When she didn’t take a step, Nathaniel scooped her up into his arms and carried her over to her target location. He kissed her on her forehead and said, “Good night, My Sweet.” He returned to his own bed without making any comments.

  Tianna got under her covers. There was about a foot between her and her protectors now lying on either side of her. It felt like a canyon to her.

  She asked a little sheepishly, “If you don’t mind, can you both get a little closer?”

  The two men turned to look at her and nodded. “We’ll both move closer to you and you just tell us when to stop.”

  Both men started to scoot over. She didn’t tell them to stop until they were pressed tightly against her. She turned on her side and motioned Gabriel to tuck in behind her until her back pressed against his stomach. She had Marcus roll over and she tucked him in so that her torso was pressed tightly against his back.

  “Almost there,” she thought.

  She reached back and grabbed Gabriel’s arm and leg and wrapped them over her. Gabriel was now so close to Marcus that his arm and leg touched Marcus’ back. Tianna was in a Draak cocoon. In reality she wanted to have someone beneath her as well so they would separate her from the ground. She couldn’t think of a way to make that work that wouldn’t put her in an even more compromising position, so she just hugged Marcus’ back and closed her eyes.

  Nathaniel shared guard duties with Seth that night. He watched Tianna with his fists clenched. He wanted to be the one holding her and keeping her safe. He couldn’t understand why she was affecting him so much. He could have any woman he wanted, but Tianna was the one that kept popping into his mind. He needed to get her out of his system and fast. But as the night went on, he kept his eyes steadily on the mound of flesh lying just a few paces away.

  Nathaniel wasn’t the only one to spend much of the night awake. Gabriel never relaxed his protective instincts. All night he watched Tianna sleep and analyzed every sound and noise she made. Although he gently nudged her a couple times when he felt her tense, she didn’t seem to have any more attacks.

  Chapter 11 - The Truth

  The morning arrived without any additional incidents. Marcus woke already deep in thought about Tianna and contemplating whether it was time to tell her the truth about herself. The dream showed him that, for some reason, the evil had a connection to her and wanted her. To keep her safe, she needed to know about her heritage. He remembered his own words to her the night before, “There must be no secrets between us if we’re to survive.” It was even truer today than it was last night.

  He made his decision. After morning meal he would tell her the truth.

  Tianna woke unable to move and not wanting to. She was still wrapped up just as tight as when she fell asleep. Her arms were tight around Marcus and her body was being hugged just as tight by Gabriel. She wondered if they would realize that last night was the longest stretch of time anyone had ever held her. She was energized by it and contemplated staying there forever.

  The night before seemed unreal and, thinking back now, she couldn’t figure out why she reacted so strongly. She decided that she would try to ignore it and resume her normal routine. She didn’t want anyone worrying about her.

  Feeling Tianna stir, Gabriel asked, “How did you sleep?”

  She had an overwhelming urge to purr like a cat. She didn’t know where that came from and pushed the urge back. Instead she said, “Very nice. Thank you.” She added quickly so he didn‘t have to ask, “And no more dreams.”

  Gabriel and Marcus unraveled themselves from Tianna, which took a few minutes because they were all tangled up in arms, legs, and blankets. Once they stood as three separate individuals, Tianna looked over and saw Nathaniel still lying in his bed. He was staring at her with such intensity, she quickly averted her eyes.

  Within minutes, Marcus was already fixing morning meal. Tianna asked if she could help. He said she needed a day off. If she wasn’t going to cook, then she wanted to get cleaned-up. Grabbing her supplies and some clean clothes, she started to walk toward the lake located a few hundred paces from their camp.

  Within a flash, Gabriel was in front of her blocking her path saying, “Sorry my lady, but I can’t allow you out of our sight. After last night, we need to set some new rules.”

  Tianna put her hands on her hips. “I thank you for your concern, but I’m fine. Last night was just a silly dream. I’ve forgotten all about it already.” That was a big lie and he knew it.

  Marcus joined them. “Tianna, I’m sorry. I have to agree with Gabriel. Your dream was enlightening. I fear it’s a sign.”

  Tianna asked, “What do you mean a sign?”

  Putting his hand on her shoulder and gently pushing her back to the camp, Marcus said, “Let’s postpone the bath, eat some food, and then we can talk.”

  They all ate in silence. Something unspoken was hanging in the air and Tianna could feel it.

  After they finished their meal and everything was cleared away, Marcus and Gabriel moved to stand next to the fire, facing where Tianna was now sitting. Seth sat to Tianna’s left and Nathaniel sat closely to her right.

  Marcus cleared his throat as if he was going to start a speech. “Tianna, there’s something we need to tell you. Before we left Trille, while you and Seth were visiting your parents, Zarin, Gabriel, and I had a long talk. He told us things that you need to now hear. It isn’t going to be easy, but evil has touched you and
we need to prepare to fight. Before we can face this evil, you need to know the truth.”

  Tianna had no idea what Marcus was talking about. What truth didn’t she know? Given the looks in all of their faces, Tianna wasn’t sure she wanted to hear what they had to say, and a knot started to form in her stomach. Nathaniel could sense her unease and moved close enough that they almost touched.

  Marcus continued after a brief pause. “You need to know the truth about who you really are.”

  Tianna’s face turned white, and she didn’t want to hear any more. She no longer wanted to know and had an overwhelming urge to run. She scanned the area trying to find what would be her best escape route.

  Nathaniel sensed what she was thinking of doing. He shifted his position so he was straddled behind her and put his hands gently on her waist. He wanted to be in position to hold her if she tried to run. Tianna was so focused on Marcus and her escape route that she didn’t even notice Nathaniel’s movement.

  Marcus proceeded to tell her everything that Zarin had said. He told her about her birth and her birth mother. She learned that she had a part in this war—a destiny to fulfill. She knew that she was different from everyone else from an extremely young age, but she never would have believed the story that Marcus was now telling her.

  She asked, unsure what she wanted as the answer, “Then what exactly am I?” When she spoke her voice shook.

  Gabriel was the one that answered her question. “You’re a magical creature and truly unique. We know that Arielle was Faye and that you carry the blood of many other creatures, including Draak.”

  Hearing the truth about herself made her head spin, and she felt like she was about to pass out. Nathaniel quickly pulled her back to lean on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and tried to calm her with his mind and blue fire.

  When Tianna found the ability to speak, she said, “Let me see if I have this right. My parents aren’t my parents. My real mother was Faye. She somehow conceived me from some kind of magical stew which includes who knows what. She gave birth and left me alone while she went back to the wherever the Faye disappear to. Zarin knew this all along and didn’t tell me.” Staring down at her lap she added almost at a whisper, “So, I am a freak of nature with no home or family. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

  Marcus shook his head. “Tianna, you’re a gift. Zarin was protecting you. To keep you safe, you needed to be hidden from the magical world until you were old enough to accept your destiny. He did this because he loves you.”

  That last statement set her off. “Loves me! You don’t lie to people you love. He doesn’t love me. No one does! I’ve been an outcast all of my life. How could he have done this to me?” She struggled to get out of Nathaniel’s arms. “Nathaniel, let me go! I need to get away from all of this.”

  She could struggle all she wanted, although Nathaniel wasn’t letting go.

  Seth stepped into the conversation. “Tianna, you can’t leave. We need to stay together to prevent the evil from taking you.”

  It was now Marcus’ turn to speak again. “I think the fact that evil is hunting for you is telling us that you’re even more powerful than any of us realize. If the evil takes you, it’ll try to use you as a weapon.”

  Tianna let out a large breath. “But I didn’t ask for this. Don’t I get a say?”

  Marcus understood how she felt. “No one picks their destiny, destiny picks you. Your path brought you to us. We don’t know exactly what you’ll face in your future, but we do know that you aren’t alone. We’ll be right by your side.”

  Gabriel added, “We’ll help you bring out the talents that are hidden within you and train you to use those skills to the best of your ability.”

  For the next hour they tried desperately to calm Tianna’s reaction to her new reality. After her voice was almost hoarse, she said as a statement of fact, “I’m not human.”

  Nathaniel leaned in and kissed her head. He whispered to her, “Neither are we. Welcome to our magical family.” He continued to hold her tight and couldn’t help but breathe in her scent. He loved having her safe within his arms.

  Tianna had enough talking for a while. Her head was spinning and she was emotionally worn out. “I need time alone to think this through. May I go take my bath now?”

  Gabriel answered. “Only if someone comes with you.” She knew there was no point arguing so she agreed.

  Nathaniel cautiously and reluctantly released her from his hold and she picked up the pile of clothes and supplies she had set down earlier. She grabbed the first hand she touched and said, “Come on. Let’s go.” Feeling the strength within the hand she held, she knew who it was without having to look. It was Gabriel. The two of them walked hand in hand down to the lake. Nathaniel watched them silently until they were out of sight. An unexpected pang of jealousy welled within him.

  Within a few minutes, they arrived at the edge of the lake. Tianna turned to Gabriel and requested, “Turn around while I take off my clothes and slip into the water.”

  Gabriel took security to a whole new level. He shook his head. “Sorry my lady, but I’ll not take my eyes off of you for a second. We must be on high alert.”

  Tianna put her hands on her hips. “I know you Draaks are comfortable with nakedness, but I’ve never stripped naked in front of a man.” She now knew Gabriel well enough to know that, when he made a decision, there was no point arguing. After pondering on the situation, she asked, “I know this may sound silly to you, but can you just look at my head and promise me that you won’t look anywhere else unless you truly sense danger?”

  Putting his hand over the heart on his dragon mark he said, “On my honor, I won’t look unless I sense danger.” His eyes flashed at the same time as the eyes on his dragon mark. He gave her a low bow.

  Tianna’s eyes opened wide. “Your eyes flashed. What does that mean?”

  “It means I’ve given you my Draak oath.”

  Seeing her confusion, he continued his explanation. “My lady, when a Draak gives a Draak oath, it’s binding. These aren’t given lightly for if I were to break it, there are consequences.”

  “What kind of consequences?”

  “Pain. With some effort I could break an oath, except it would cause me excruciating physical pain. Depending on the oath, it could cause death.”

  She hated to question him, but she wasn’t completely sure she should trust an oath. She reluctantly turned away from him and started to undress, blushing the whole time. Feeling completely vulnerable, she quickly got into the water. Once safely covered, she began her bath, facing away just in case he peeked.

  Gabriel watched her as her hair floated on and around the water. It reflected the sunlight and shimmered like diamonds. A couple of times he thought he saw her hair move of its own accord. He thought it was caused by a breeze, except that he felt no air stir around him. His mind drifted to another thought. He wondered why she didn’t fear him. He knew his appearance had the ability to intimidate other males. She never even flinched once when examining all of his marks. When she had touched them, he felt her touch throughout his body. Her strength was very attractive to him.

  Tianna finished her bath and turned so she was facing him. “I want to apologize to you for last night and for the resulting sleeping arrangements. That must have been uncomfortable for you. I overreacted to my dream.”

  He chuckled and shook his head. “After all you’ve been through, you’re worried about me?” After a brief pause he continued, “I’ve been without a mate for over a hundred years. I miss having someone in my arms. You’re a beautiful female and have the scent of my Sett. Holding you reminded me of what it’s like to be home with a mate and family. For that I’m grateful.”

  Tianna was puzzled. “I smell like your Sett? I don’t understand.”

  He pondered on the best way to describe it. “Every Draak has a unique scent, but part of the scent is unique to the Sett. The scent is part of the way we know who’s from our Sett and how w
e find a potential mate.” He stopped.

  “Please don’t stop. I want to hear more,” Tianna said with obvious interest.

  He knew she had Draak in her so she needed to be aware of what her scent meant. He took a breath and continued. “When a female Draak reaches the age to be able to mate, she starts to give off a stronger version of her scent. A male doesn’t just mate with any female. They need to be from their Sett and there needs to be a chemical compatibility for the mating ritual to work.”

  Tianna was fascinated. She moved closer to the edge of the lake, being careful to remain covered. “You mean that you have to find a female that you are both physically and chemically attracted to?”

  “Yes. Without it, you could physically mate, but you could never achieve a full bonding. To determine if they are chemically compatible, the couple tastes each other’s blood. Once a Draak tastes the blood of their match, they bond. Bonding drives away the urge to hunt for another. They could physically take another, except it would have little to no meaning. They would only desire their match. Even if you are chemically compatible, the magic of the bonding won’t occur unless both Draaks are totally committed to the mating. The magic will know. Once they take their rightful match to their bed and are fully mated, they won’t take another. When a couple goes through the mating ritual, there are physical changes that take place. Sometimes, you may share talents you have with your mate. Without the bonding children wouldn’t be possible. Even with a perfect mating, it’s hard to conceive a child. That’s why our numbers aren’t great.”