The old man stared at her, his expression closed, refusing to give anything away.
“Goddamn you, Pieter. Is it true?”
“If it were true, knowing what he is, would you still want him, Chalcedony?”
She glared at him through tear-filled eyes. “Yes! Yes I want him. I’m a horrible, pathetic excuse for a human being, all right? I know he stole women for breeding stock. I know what he’s done and I still want him. I can’t help it. I know why he did it and I forgive him, okay? He’s suffered enough. But more than anything else, I love him. Warts and all. I’m sorry, but that’s the way it is. What more can I say?” She heaved a shaky breath and fought for composure. Ranting at the old man would not help her case. “I believe what Wulf told me, not what you showed me. I believe Wulf, not you.”
Pieter gazed deep into her eyes, probing her soul. Whatever he saw there made him sigh and shake his head. “Very well. On your head be it. Give me his crystal, Chalcedony.”
“What?”
“The crystal, please.” He held out an imperious hand.
She hid the crystal behind her back, prepared to protect it with her life if need be. “Why do you want it?”
“You must learn to trust people, Chalcedony.”
“I do trust people. A few anyway. Just not you, old man.”
His lips quirked. “Your honesty is refreshing. The crystal please, Chalcedony. I give you my word that I harbor no ill-feeling toward your Wulf.”
Still she hesitated.
From beneath the counter, Pieter took a sturdy wooden board. He placed it atop the counter and stood back. “Place it here, please.”
She opened her mouth to protest.
“Place it here so that your Wulf may be returned to you. ’Tis the only way.”
She shut up and did as he instructed. She wasn’t happy about it, but what else could she do? She had to take the risk. “What are you going to do?”
“Stand back.”
He spoke with such authority that she automatically backed away. And before she could react, he’d plucked a silver hammer from thin air and smashed the crystal to smithereens.
“Noooooooo!” She lunged at Pieter. If she’d gotten hold of him in that instant, she’d have strangled him with her bare hands. Instead, she found herself standing on the pavement outside what was now a fancy boutique. The little store had vanished.
“Damn you, Pieter!” Her outburst provoked startled expressions and full-body cringes from passersby. She covered her face with her hands.
“Have faith.” Pieter’s quavery, disembodied voice echoed in her ear.
She sensed someone behind her. She whirled. He stood not a yard away, waiting.
“Wulf!” She launched herself at him.
He caught her and lifted her into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist and smothered his face with kisses while he laughed with such pure delight that her heart clenched. Leaning back slightly, she stared into his blue, blue eyes.
“Do you love me?” she asked. No, demanded. “Really love me? Really, really, really, love me?”
“I will love you for the rest of my life.”
“Not just because of the curse?”
His gaze held hers. “Nay. ’Twas no curse that compelled me to grapple with an armed man when I believed you endangered. But I knew long before then that my love for you was the most important, precious thing in my life. I just lacked the courage to admit it to myself, let alone to you.”
She had to ask. She had to know. “What happened to you in the studio, Wulf?”
“Do not fret over what you cannot change, Chalcedony. The Guardian did not allow me to suffer overlong before the crystal took me.”
“Like being trapped in that damn crystal wasn’t worse than being shot and slowly bleeding out, or dying in a fire.” She buried her face in his neck and he held her tight, soothing away nightmarish memories with the warmth of his body and the careful strength of his big hands.
“Shhhhh. I had faith that you would come for me. And you did.”
“Are you real, Wulf? Or just a dream?”
“Chalcedony.”
His voice caressed her like liquid silk, sparking an instant reaction. Waves of heat melting her limbs, a throbbing yearning and a desire to take him right now, in public, where everyone could see. He kissed her, teasing her lips lightly with his tongue until she parted them for him. She moaned and he let her slide a little way down his body, pressing her closer to him. Intimately close.
“Oh yeah.” She sobbed and laughed at the same time. “Definitely real.”
~~~
Epilogue
“She called again while you were at class,” Wulf said. “You know she will not give up. Why do you not simply talk to her and have done with it?”
Chalcey heaved a sigh. “Look, Wulf. You might have forgiven her but I sure as hell haven’t. In case it’s slipped your mind, you nearly died. Remember?”
“But I did not.”
“But you could have.” Chalcey understood Francesca’s reasons for trying to break them up, but it would be a while yet before she had it in her to forgive her mother and let Francesca back into her life.
For the first time since her dad’s death, she was truly happy. All it had taken was finding a man who loved her for more than just her bra-size. A man who would give her the world if he could. A man who loved her to bits and beyond, who showed her how he felt with intimate caresses that got her all hot and bothered, and whispered words that made her insides go all soft and marshmallowy.
Wulf made her heart sing. He believed implicitly in her. So much so that he stood over her, arms crossed over his delectable pectorals, until she shucked her stupid pride, untied her tongue, and asked Sam to be her guarantor for a loan.
“Thank God!” Sam said. “It’s about frickin’ time you let me help you.” And she immediately reached for mobile to ring and make an appointment with her fund manager.
Chalcey puffed out a sharp breath that almost, but not quite, sounded like a raspberry. There went her dream again, reduced to operating statements and profit projections. This time, though, Sam’s fund manager proved far more appreciative of Chalcey’s ability to run a successful dance studio than fastidious Mr. Chapel. Or Chalcey’s soon-to-be-ex jerk of a bank manager.
Rick and his cop buddies weren’t quite so accommodating. It was a good thing Wulf got on so well with Sam that she treated him like a slightly naïve younger brother. And it was a real good thing Sam had a rather talented ex-lover who was happy to rustle up a passport and some pretty convincing fake history for Wulf in return for an amount of cash that made Chalcey feel faint. But it was Will who finally convinced Rick and his cop buddies to quit plaguing Wulf with questions about how he’d escaped the blaze, and where he’d disappeared to before he turned up miraculously unscathed.
Chalcey proved herself incapable of thinking up a coherent lie. “Isn’t it obvious that because he’s alive, standing right here in front of you, he must have escaped? So what if he doesn’t remember how?” was all she could come up with.
“What she said.” Wulf made a noise that sounded like a growl.
Chalcey cast a sideways glance at him and bit her lip so she didn’t smile and ruin the moment.
Rick just shook his head in mock-despair. “Not good enough. I need something concrete to put in my report. My boss is a details freak. He likes everything tied up in a nice neat bow.”
“For chrissakes, give it rest, Rick,” Will said. “I’ll talk to Mac Butcher and get him to put this to bed.”
“Yeah?” Rick didn’t appear convinced by Will’s blasé attitude. “How you gonna do that?”
Will grinned. “I’m sure a rather large donation to the force will ease the way.”
“And I’ll match it,” Sam piped up. “But I want to meet with Mr. Butcher and tell him personally just how much I’m going to be donating. Me and Will can meet him together, okay? I’m sure we can make him see reason”
Rick cast a jaded eye over Sam’s ass-skimming red dress, and matching red wedge-heeled sandals. She pouted for him, pursing her glossy red lips. Give her a dainty set of horns peeking out from those auburn curls, and a forked tail, and she’d personify the devil sent to tempt a man.
“Poor bastard won’t know what’s hit him. I’ll set it up. I’ll be in touch.”
“Thanks for being such a sport, Rick,” Sam cooed.
He shook his head. But he did loosen his tie, flick open his top button, and let Sam ply him with coffee while Marcus looked on, smiling indulgently. “Rich chicks,” Marcus said to Rick. “They won’t take no for an answer.”
“Yeah. I kinda got that.”
When Rick had gone, Chalcey attempted to explain the whole truth and nothing but the truth to Will. She and Wulf had agreed he deserved an explanation. But she only got as far as Wulf emerging from the crystal to rescue her from Ray before Will halted her. “I’m a hard-nosed businessman, Chalcey. I don’t believe in magic and miracles. I’m just happy for you both that Wulf’s alive and in one piece. Now, I have a potential studio for you to check out. I reckon this might be the one.”
“Is it the defunct fitness club you mentioned over the phone?” Sam asked.
“Yep.”
“Oooh, Chalcey!” Sam’s eyes shone with excitement. “I checked it out online and it’s perfect! You’re gonna love this one.”
The very next day, Chalcey signed the lease to a building in a much nicer part of town. She suspected Will had manipulated things behind the scenes. Finding a building that had until recently been a fitness club and needed only minimal renovations, at a very reasonable price, wasn’t something you happened upon by happy coincidence. But she was beyond caring what strings he’d pulled. Will was a friend, and that’s what friends did: Help each other out.
Just like Chalcey helped soothe Sam whenever Marcus spooked her by hinting it was time they made their relationship more permanent. She’d swear he only did it to wind Sam up. Marcus knew Sam well enough to understand just how big of a deal it was for her to let him move into her apartment. That was tantamount to a life-long promise of commitment for Sam.
The new and improved Laureano’s Dance Studio was soon up and running, and business boomed. So much so that Paulo and Leah complained about being overworked. Chalcey decided she would have to bring another teacher or two on board. Gosh. Wasn’t that a shame?
And Wulf, too, thrived. Chalcey knew he wouldn’t be content to be a nightclub bouncer forever, but for now, he was happy. Between the two of them, they’d almost managed to scrape together enough savings to rent their own apartment so they wouldn’t have to impose on Sam and Marcus any longer. Perfect timing. And Chalcey knew Wulf would be happier still when she told him the news.
She glanced at the pregnancy test again, just to be sure she wasn’t seeing things. Nope. A positive result. She hugged the knowledge to herself for just a moment more, the joy stinging her eyes. The only thing she could wish for right now would be that her dad was alive. He’d be so damned proud of her. And he would have approved of Wulf, too. She was sure of it.
That night, she cuddled up to the man she loved, and he stroked her stomach and marveled at the tiny miracle growing inside her. Her mind wandered. She and Wulf had often discussed the other Crystal Warriors and wondered what had become of them. Francesca had intimated that a few had passed the Testing with their chosen mates. They could still be alive. Or perhaps they’d already lived and died in times long past.
But what of those who’d either not completed their bonds, or failed their Testing? Had they truly been destroyed by the Crystal Guardian? Somehow, the old man didn’t strike Chalcey as a murderer. Pieter had the opportunity to destroy Wulf when he’d been taken by the crystal for the second time, but he hadn’t.
Wulf believed that Pieter was inextricably linked to his captives. “Perhaps even the omnipotent Crystal Guardian has a lesson to learn before he can finally find peace,” he said.
“Huh. Or perhaps your gods have found a way to punish him for what he did to you and your men,” Chalcey said.
“Perhaps.”
One day—soon—Chalcey would have to talk to her mother and compare notes. Francesca could have been wrong about a lot of things. Maybe her Crystal Warrior, Malach, was still alive, suffering endlessly. Maybe all the unbonded warriors were still alive, imprisoned in Pieter’s crystals until the right women were chosen for them. Women like Chalcey, who would forgive them their past sins and love them enough to set them free.
The End
***
If you enjoyed this book, please tell your friends and consider writing a short review. The author thanks you very much for your support.
You might also enjoy these other books by Maree Anderson, all available wherever electronic books are sold:
Lightning Rider
http://www.lightningriderbook.com
Freaks of Greenfield High (Book 1 of the Freaks series)
http://www.freaksofgreenfieldhigh.com
Freaks in the City (Book 2 of the Freaks series)
http://www.freaksinthecity.com
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Coming Soon:
THE SEER TRILOGY
Seer’s Hope (Book 1)
Seer’s Promise (Book 2)
Seer’s Choice (Book 3)
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RUBY’S DREAM
By Maree Anderson
Book Two of The Crystal Warriors Series
She’s a plus-sized woman with sub-zero self esteem. He’s a Crystal Warrior, and the gods’ gift to women. But for a chance at the Happy Ever After they both deserve, they must learn that appearances can be deceiving… and pass the Crystal Guardian’s test before time runs out for them both.
Finalist: Romance Writers of New Zealand Clendon Award for full-length romantic manuscript
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RUBY’S DREAM
Copyright 2011 by Maree Anderson
Published by Maree Anderson at Smashwords
Cover Design by Rob Anderson
Formatting by Rob and Maree Anderson
This novel is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, places and events portrayed in this novel are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. All rights reserved; the right to reproduce this book or any portion thereof in any form whatsoever in any country whatsoever without the express permission of the author is forbidden.
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Smashwords Edition License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy.
Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
***
Dedication
This one’s for any woman who’s ever cringed at the thought of buying a new swimsuit, or had someone tell her she should join a gym.
And to all the RWNZ Clendon Award readers who loved the first draft of Ruby and Kyan’s story: Thank you!
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A Note To My Readers
This novel is set in New Zealand, and aside from the hero, Kyan, all characters are Kiwis—New Zealanders. American spelling has been used throughout, but Kiwi terms and slang have been used where appropriate. Although every effort has been made to make meanings clear via the context, to assist the reader a Glossary of Kiwi Terms & Slang has been included at the end of this story.
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RUBY’S DREAM
Chapter One
Ruby sat on the floor, surrounded by shredded gift-wrapping. She stared at her brother’s gift, dumbfounded. It took her an entire minute to form actual words. “Gee, way to make a girl feel good, Mike!” Her shriek echoed around the empty room, and those e
choes were laden with the betrayal she couldn’t help feeling right now. They slapped at her. She rubbed her arms, blinking back tears. Her own brother. She’d always looked up to him. She’d forgive him anything. But this?
This shredded her heart, kicked her already chronically low self esteem into sub-zero territory. “I get it, okay?” Her voice cracked. “There’s no need to sodding well rub it in.”
Defiantly, even though there was little point being defiant because there was no one to witness the gesture, she crammed another handful of salt ’n’ vinegar chips into her mouth. Perhaps opening another gift would cheer her up. It sure as hell couldn’t be much worse than the last one.
The gift she chose to open next was from Lani, a motherly Maori woman from Ruby’s clay sculpture class. Lani’s creations were predominately rather, ah, earthy. Couldn’t possibly be one of Lani’s pieces, though, because—
The wrapping fell away, leaving Ruby grasping a box of ribbed condoms and fire-engine-red lace triangle. Condoms. Huh. In her dreams. She tossed the box aside and peered at the lace triangle. Attached to the scrap of lace were a couple of thin bands made out of some transparent, stretchy, silicon-like substance.
The Crystal Warriors Series Bundle Page 30