by Jen Robyn
Julianna had never been one to stand for accusations without reason, and now glared at him with undisguised anger of her own. “Now see here, Dominick, everything I told you before was true, whether you believe it or not. And if there’s something else that I don’t know about, then you’d better damn well tell me what it is!”
He shot her a crooked smile, his eyes narrowing. “Why don’t you ask your husband for the answer to that?” he hissed.
“My what?” she yelled, leaving the anger in his expression undiminished.
“I said your husband!”
Before she could even think where he’d developed this conclusion, both had their attention diverted by an ear-shattering roar nearby. So loud that the ground started to quake, shaking Julianna backwards. Without a second thought, Dominick reached out to catch her.
Even when the ground rumbling stopped, he still held her.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“A bit shaken up, but yes,” she whispered. “What was that?”
“I’m not sure,” he replied, “but seeing how your dreams have a tendency to turn into nightmares, I have a feeling we’re soon to find out.” Abruptly, he faced her with renewed anger. “What happened this time? Were you watching a monster movie before telling bedtime stories to your son?”
“Oh, so now I have a son too?” she snapped, pushing away from him just before her eyes opened wide. A husband... and a son? The realization hit her instantly. He must have seen and thus assumed... Well, he was certainly in for a surprise!
But before she could tell him the truth, another one dawned. The story she’d told Sammy before was happening here. She was dressed as a sorceress, Dominick was obviously the knight, so that must mean...
“Uh-oh,” she murmured.
Dominick’s eyes narrowed. “And what’s that supposed to mean? Coming from a guilty conscience perhaps?”
She glared at him. “No, you idiot! It means...”
Another roar and a ground quaking.
“What in blazes have you gone and conjured up now?” he demanded, shaking her once.
“Would you believe the monster from that bedtime story?” she replied, just before said monster in question pushed aside several trees to reveal itself.
It appeared to be a two-story tall green-scaled dragon, although a bit warped with pointed spikes protruding from its sides. Stretching out its claws, they looked like steel butcher knives, and no doubt could make mincemeat out of whatever they chose. Its teeth weren’t any more comforting.
“Your story’s monster was a dragon?” Dominick asked with a forced laugh, just before shaking his head. “Not to disillusion you, but I know a few dragons who’d be rather insulted at being referred to as evil monsters.”
“All right, so it’s of no relation to your scaly friends,” she retorted. “Can we argue this later, and deal with this gruesome green lizard first?”
“We certainly will continue this later,” he swore, turning his attention back to the dragon that roared again. The creature took several steps towards its newly sighted prey, blasting a spray of fire towards the sky, and causing them to edge backwards. “So tell me, how did your story characters defeat this thing, my dear sorceress?” Dominick asked with a sarcastic look. “A fire extinguisher perhaps?”
“Try some on that temper of yours, and we might get somewhere,” she replied tartly, even as she tried desperately to remember what gift the sorceress had granted the knight to defeat the monster. “I’ve got it,” she said finally, snapping her fingers. “It was a palm-sized crystal. One that wouldn’t be melted by the dragon’s fire, but would absorb it instead.”
“That’s the grand plan?” he laughed. “Considering how minuscule that crystal sounds, just how badly did your sorceress and her knight get burned to a crisp?”
“Not at all!” Julianna protested, reaching within her cloak to withdraw the crystal she’d spoken of. It glowed brighter than the moon itself, temporarily blinding the monster and causing it to turn away with a growl. After a few moments, the glow subsided. “Here,” she continued, pressing it into his palm. “According to the story, the knight’s supposed to use it to defeat that creature.”
“You’ve got to be kidding. And how pray tell do I do that?”
“I’m not sure,” she replied honestly. “I never went into the exact details.”
Dominick sighed heavily. “That does present a bit of a problem for us now, doesn’t it?”
“Look, how was I supposed to know we’d become part of that stupid story? Just figure that thing out before we get shishkebobbed!”
Rolling the crystal about in his hand, there didn’t seem to be any deviance from its smooth surface. Certainly nothing that might activate a hidden power. Just a slight indentation on one side that wasn’t readily visible to the human eye. Hmmm, but if that was the case, then maybe...
Holding it up carefully in direct line with the monster, Dominick pressed his thumb sharply against the indentation and kept it there. At first, there was merely a low hum, but it gradually grew in intensity.
“Sounds promising,” he murmured. “If nothing else, maybe it’ll lull the creature to sleep.” Moments later, the crystal’s glow returned and expanded to form a disk-like aura around him, causing him to step backwards slightly. Seeing the chance of losing its prey, the creature sent an immediate barrage of flame cascading towards Dominick, but as Julianna had mentioned, the flames were completely consumed by the crystal, vanishing into thin air. “The blasted thing works!” he laughed. “Maybe you are a true sorceress after all.”
“Don’t be silly,” she replied, although not masking a smile.
Neither expected the creature to retaliate by bounding towards them. While Dominick was protected by the crystal’s glow, Julianna was not. As she tried to flee, the creature reached out its clawed hand to grasp her waist. The sharp talons pierced her skin as it lifted her off the ground, causing her to scream in pain.
“No!” yelled Dominick, raising his free hand just as a silver sword materialized within it. Glancing briefly at the crystal he still held, he shouted to his companion, “Julianna, can you catch this?”
Struggling against the creature’s hold, while biting her lip against the pain, she nodded weakly, stretching forth her shaking hands. He tossed it to her carefully, just before shifting to a more defensive stance against the monster. “What now?” she yelled.
“Shine it in the creature’s eyes to distract it!” he instructed, rewarded by another bloodcurdling roar from the dragon as Julianna accomplished her task.
Racing around the creature to attack it from behind, as was his intention all along, he was abruptly frozen upon seeing the creature drop his screaming companion to the ground, silencing her instantly.
“Julianna!” he yelled, as the crystal’s light faded around her. New-found rage filling his eyes against the monster as it turned to face him, Dominick pulled back his sword and flung it like a spear directly between the creature’s own eyes.
The ground shook again as the creature grabbed hopelessly at the sword embedded in its forehead. Black smoke arose from its wound, gradually encompassing it until the dragon was no longer visible. During this time, Dominick had rushed to Julianna’s side, picking up her limp form as gently as he could. The motion stirred her. Dropping the dormant crystal from her hand, she clutched her injured waist, feeling herself hugged tighter.
“Dominick?” she whispered against closed eyes.
“Right here, honey,” he assured her, cradling her close. He was surprised when the crystal abruptly renewed its glow, humming again on its own, but crackling as the black smoke fell upon it. Instinctively, Dominick carried Julianna away from the site as quickly as he could.
Long moments later, he turned upon hearing the creature give another loud roar, just before the crystal exploded with an ear-shattering bang. Shielding Julianna from the blast, Dominick continued away with her, while the smoke slowly began to dissipate behind them.
Sighting a small stream up ahead, Dominick brought her over to it, resting her carefully against the bank as he dipped a cloth in the water and gently touched it to her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open.
“Welcome back to dreamland,” he said smiling.
Dreamland? Her eyebrows puckered slightly. “Why didn’t I just wake up?” she asked.
“Because fortunately, you weren’t fatally wounded,” he explained, soaking the cloth again as he glanced at her wounds from the dragon’s claws. They weren’t as bad as they might have been, but still more than mere scratches. Frowning, he warned, “This might sting a bit.” Touching one wound with the cloth, he wasn’t surprised when she flinched.
“Ouch!” she yelped. “Is that really necessary?”
“Hmmm.” Rubbing his chin in consideration, he shook his head. “No. I have a better idea.” Resting his hands along her waist, she couldn’t help flinching again, although perhaps for a different reason this time. “Relax, sweetheart, this won’t hurt you.”
Focusing his gaze, a white glow began to surround his hands. As he moved them slowly over the still bleeding wounds, Julianna nearly swooned at his touch. Not because he was hurting her, since the pain was certainly receding, but instead due to the unfamiliar sensations he was evoking.
Ignoring the way he’d stirred her, Dominick continued his ministrations, closing the wounds and erasing their marks as if they’d never existed. When the last one was healed, the glow faded from his hands and he turned to face her.
Flushing a bit at his stare, Julianna grasped at the first distraction she could. “This is amazing,” she gasped, seeing not even the slightest blemish remaining on her skin. “The only thing still slightly torn is my dress, and that’s minor.” Smiling up at him, she clasped his hand. “Thank you, Dominick.”
“Your well-being is thanks enough,” he replied, returning her smile. Just before the reasons for their earlier argument returned to plague him. Steeling his expression, he moved to stand, gazing absently towards the horizon. “I’m surprised the monster hurt you though, since your story characters were unharmed.”
“Maybe,” she agreed. “But the sorceress wasn’t present during the knight’s battle with the monster. Obviously, I created an alternative to the plot by being there.”
“Yes, well, I’m sure your son would have accepted it either way,” he replied softly.
“Ah, yes... my son,” sighed Julianna, standing as well. “Dominick, there’s something I think you should know about him, and this so-called husband you mentioned. You see...”
“Please,” he interrupted, raising one hand. “I don’t need the complete details thrown in my face again. It’s bad enough I saw you playing with your child, moments before you were engaged in pleasant conversation with his father, not to mention your husband.” He fairly bit out the last. “I just wish you’d told me that a few nights ago.”
Julianna walked about to face him, despite the fact he seemed determined to look past her. “Dominick, I’ve only known you for a few nights. Yet sometimes I feel like I’ve known you for much longer, even a whole lifetime. For that reason, I guess I took it for granted that I never mentioned the circumstances of my family to you before, since they were on vacation at the time, and I’d like to change that.”
“What are you proposing?” he asked, sneering slightly, although without much force. “That I meet your husband and son?”
“That would be a good trick, if they existed. But the child you’ve spoken of is my nephew Sammy, and that man whom you labeled his father is indeed that, but my sister’s husband Jerry.” Her smile brightened. “Let me assure you, there is absolutely nothing going on between us.”
For a brief moment, Dominick felt a surge of relief, just before a certain memory nagged at him, rendering his face impassive again. “You’d like me to believe that, wouldn’t you?” he asked. He expected her to back down, but she wouldn’t, prompting him to fold his arms with unmasked disbelief. “All right then, if this is true, answer one simple question. Why were you declaring that man to be such a loving husband to you?”
Julianna gaped for a moment, about to shout that she never said anything of the kind. Why, just the fact that he’d somehow been eavesdropping annoyed her! But... her brief annoyance faded when she caught on to what he referred to, only bringing a calm smile to her lips.
“Obviously you only heard half of what I said,” she told him plainly. “My words as I recall them were that my sister was fortunate to have such a loving husband. Not me!” At his sudden silence, she continued quickly, “Search my thoughts if you don’t believe me, Dominick! You’ve already proven that you’re good at that. But let me assure you right now, you’ll find nothing less than the truth of what I’ve told you.”
It was a matter of seconds before her words were driven home and confirmed. Moments afterwards, his expression took on a slight smile of amusement, before he started to laugh. Gradually, she found herself joining in.
“I thought he looked a bit too old for you,” admitted Dominick.
“I’ll say,” she replied. “For all that I love him like a brother, the man’s nearly old enough to be my father.” Seeing the slightly chagrined look on his face, Julianna placed her hand on his shoulder, catching his gaze before continuing. “Hey, you’ve rescued me from pesky late century admirers, men from space, and even a dragon. I think you’re entitled to one minor misunderstanding.”
Clasping her hand tightly, he nodded once. “I’m just grateful it was a misunderstanding. The thought of you being married to someone else... Well, I’ll admit I wasn’t too pleased with the notion.”
“Oh?” she teased. “I can’t see why.”
His expression took on a mischievous smirk. “In that case, I’d certainly better correct what I’m doing wrong with my approach to sorceresses.” Her knowing laughter warmed him as his arms encircled her waist, pulling her into a fiery kiss that stole every drop of her laughter away.
It was long moments before either spoke.
“By the heavens… I should leave,” Dominick murmured finally against Julianna’s cheek.
She blinked in confusion. “Why?” she asked quickly. “It can’t be morning yet, since I’m still here.”
He shook his head with a brief laugh. “I know you’ve had your share of bad luck with men, but if you want me to remain a knight about you, my dear Julianna, I think you’d understand why I’d best be on my way.”
No longer an immature teenager with a lovestruck crush, but instead a more intelligent woman of twenty-five, she knew exactly what he meant.
She also knew that while this might be a dream come morning, the memories would be real now and likely remain so later as well. If she gave in to her current thoughts, would the rational side of her mind condemn her when she woke up? she wondered. And yet by the same token, would it condemn her if she didn’t? For once, Dominick didn’t seem to be reading her mind, or else he surely would have been surprised at what she’d been debating.
A debate that ended swiftly.
“I understand why,” she replied, gently moving her hand to touch his cheek again lightly. “But I still don’t want you to leave.” She could feel as well as hear his sharp intake of breath. His apparent shock was no more than her own, as she wasn’t typically the wanton type, but it only took one glance in his eyes to strengthen her resolve again. “Please, Dominick,” she implored, “don’t leave me now.”
He hesitated for a moment, kissing her hand fiercely afterwards.
“By heaven, Julianna,” he murmured, “I’ll fight the rays of morning itself to stay with you.”
Dominick’s oath trailed off as he pulled her close, kissing her stormily with unleashed passion. Sharing the same desire, Julianna’s feelings soared. She was as eager as he to cherish this brief time they had, no matter what happened later.
It was only when he broke away abruptly that any sense of reality returned to her.
“This is all wrong,” Dominick
said quietly, his own breathing unsteady as he gestured towards the area around them. “Any two-bit moron could stumble upon us here when we don’t need disturbing, and that’s the last thing I want, let alone to remain in a dark place like this. Besides, I wish to make amends for our earlier disagreement.”
Julianna gave a short laugh, stroking his cheek. “You can’t change the world to accommodate us at will,” she told him. “I understand.”
“I don’t believe you do,” he replied mysteriously, giving her a quick kiss, before stepping back a few feet with a knowing smile. “Once more you underestimate my talents, my lady, thus let me prove otherwise. Close your eyes.”
“What?” she laughed.
“Trust me, Julianna. You’ll see what I mean in a few moments.” As she followed his instructions with an amused smile, he echoed her expression. “Keep them closed, and it’ll soon seem as if that time before never happened.”
She remained skeptical, even as she felt the wind pick up around her. “Dominick?” she whispered uncertainly. He gave no reply as she felt the ground disappear beneath her.
Chapter Six
Gasping as the ground abruptly returned, Julianna was almost afraid to open her eyes, until curiosity overwhelmed her. The familiar sound of ballroom music hit her ears before she realized she was standing outside a large building, where a small staircase nearby led to the entryway. A formally dressed, older gray-haired man stood there, gazing her way with a nod.
She was surprised to find her earlier torn attire gone, replaced by a brand new formal gown, similar to the one she’d worn a few days ago when she’d met Dominick again. But this one was an ivory white instead, combining lace with satin. She was even wearing a matching set of soft white slippers, rather like a fairy-tale. If that was the case though, where was the prince?