Within the Realm (The Gifted Realm Book 1)

by Jillian Neal

  Emily emerged, wearing a short black skirt with a low-cut, gathered, hunter-green top that displayed her cleavage quite nicely. Rainer was instantly mesmerized, and he let a low whistle slide between his teeth. This made her beam.

  “Logan, wait ‘til you see her!” Emily trilled. She suddenly looked like she might tear up as they turned to stare down the hallway. Rainer, however, couldn’t quite take his eyes off of Emily.

  Adeline peeked out from around the door, and made Logan chuckle.

  “Well, can I see you?”

  She nodded, and walked down the hallway with a smile that Rainer didn’t think he’d ever seen her use before. Logan’s mouth dropped as his eyes goggled.

  “Damn!” he gasped reverently.

  Emily giggled sweetly and held Rainer’s hand.

  “Too much?” Adeline quizzed hesitantly. She wrinkled her nose, but Logan shook his head.

  She was wearing a skin-tight, one-shoulder dress, with cutouts discreetly placed that showed off small sections of her back and sides.

  “Wow,” Logan stammered again. Adeline glowed over Logan’s inability to close his mouth or form coherent sentences.

  “Well, I’m glad you like it,” she teased, and sounded more confident than any of them had ever heard her.

  Logan was clearly enthralled.

  Both of the girls had pulled their hair up off of their shoulders. Emily had wispy auburn curls that cascaded down around her face. Rainer brushed one to the side as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. “You look stunning, and I can’t wait to get you back here and take all of this off of you.”

  The Double Clutch Dinner

  Rainer entered the line for the valet parking, and grimaced. Emily giggled; she knew his usual routine for this sort of thing. The valet, who appeared to be approximately twelve years old, leaned in eagerly.

  “Ever driven a stick?” Rainer drawled. He tried hard not to sound like a prick, but he knew that he was failing miserably.

  “Of course!” the guy scoffed pompously.

  Rainer nodded. “Know how to double clutch shift?”

  The valet’s brow furrowed, and Rainer offered him what he hoped was an understanding smile.

  “I’m just gonna let them off here, and I’ll park it. It’s no problem.”

  The guy looked crestfallen. With a hearty laugh, Logan exited and then offered Emily and Adeline each an arm as he escorted them into the restaurant.

  Rainer pulled forward to park the car. He hurried into the restaurant just a few minutes later.

  If it didn’t pain him so much to hear someone peal out in his car, and then stall it ten times in a matter of moving a hundred feet, he wouldn’t do that, but it killed him, and it happened almost every time.

  He scooted into the restaurant just in time to join Emily as she followed Logan and Adeline to their reserved table. “I’m sorry.”

  She laughed and kissed his cheek. “It’s fine. I totally understand.” Her reply made his heart swell, but suddenly, she bristled. They edged to their table in the back of the restaurant, with a view of the ships coming in off of the bay.

  “What’s wrong, baby?”

  She looked frightened and glanced around the restaurant. Her eyes landed on a nearby table with what appeared to be a father and son. There was a woman seated across from the man with hair dyed peroxide blonde. She was flaunting her overtly fake assets in her extremely low-cut halter top every chance she got. She giggled ostentatiously at something the man, who was at least twice her age, had said. The dark energies rolling in the man’s rhythms were so palpable that even Rainer picked up on them, so he couldn’t imagine how strongly Emily must’ve felt them.

  “I know that kid.” Emily whispered. “He’s transferring to the Academy in the fall. I showed him around campus a few weeks ago. I guess that’s his father. He came alone though.”

  “Are you ok?” Rainer kept his eyes on the man in question. She nodded as she studied the boy’s father as well. “Do you want a different table?”

  Emily glanced at Logan, who hadn’t noticed her preoccupation. He was still drooling over Adeline’s dress.

  “No, it’s fine. Maybe he’s reformed or something.”

  Rainer knew she was lying. She was pale and timid. She was frightened over whatever energy she’d picked up from the boy’s father. She clung to Rainer as he seated her and then pulled his chair close to hers.

  Adeline’s eyes goggled as she took in the menu.

  “Ad,” Logan sighed. “Get whatever you want. This is my birthday present from Mom and Dad, ok?”

  She managed a nod, though that information only seemed to make her more uncomfortable. Logan took it upon himself to order for Adeline. This made her extremely anxious, until the delectable appetizers arrived and she finally admitted that it was the best food she’d ever eaten. Emily stood after the soup course.

  “I need to use the lady’s room,” she still looked frightened. Adeline nodded and stood to go with her, but Rainer understood more.

  “Here, I’ll walk you both,” he took her arm. Emily clasped his hand with her own and drew from him deeply. The sensation was heavenly, and Rainer had to force himself to remember where they were and that she needed to use the restroom.

  “Thank you,” she whispered in relief as Rainer’s energy soothed her own.

  The man’s eyes tracked Emily as Rainer escorted them to the restroom. Rainer waited outside the door. He took the opportunity to study the restaurant and the man.

  The man stood suddenly and slithered towards Rainer. He braced, and glanced back to make certain the girls weren’t coming out of the restroom yet. To his chagrin, Emily and Adeline appeared at the same moment that the stranger made his way to Rainer.

  Emily trembled; she was less than two feet away from him. Rainer stood steadfast between the man and Emily.

  “Excuse us,” Rainer huffed. He stared the man down in defiant challenge. An wicked grin etched the man’s scowl.

  “That’s a lovely ring, miss,” he drawled in a distinctly German accent. He grabbed Emily’s hand, and she gasped. Rainer glared and jerked her hand out of the man’s grasp.

  “Oh...uh, thank you,” she stammered.

  Rainer pushed her and Adeline in front of him, and shot the man an infuriated glare.

  “If you’d just keep your hands the hell off of my fiancée, I would certainly appreciate it.”

  The man gave a foreboding chuckle as he rolled his eyes, and entered the men’s restroom.

  Rainer reseated Emily as Logan stood to do the same as for Adeline.

  “You ok?” Rainer was certain they should leave. Something was off. Why had that guy complimented her ring? She nodded and seemed to will courage from the air around her.

  Logan wanted dessert, of course, so Rainer kept close watch on the man and on Emily.

  He kept Emily’s hand in his own, which allowed her to draw from him whenever she needed his soothing strength.

  As their tiramisu arrived at the table, Logan gasped. Rainer spun, and his mouth hung open. Several uniformed officers surrounded the man’s table, and then Portwood and Ericcson followed Vindico in. They were all wearing extremely cocky grins.

  He glanced at Rainer, and shook his head slightly. He didn’t want them to act like they knew him.

  “Candor Pendergrath, you’re under arrest for defrauding the German government. You’re being extradited tonight. Let’s go,” he demanded with an expectant growl.

  Emily’s mouth fell open as they watched the man get handcuffed. Vindico touched the handcuffs. His shield cast formed around the cuffs; they glowed a brilliant green.

  The entire restaurant stared in shocked silence. They seemed dumbfounded by the scene. The blonde bimbo cried obnoxiously, but the man’s son looked truly devastated as Vindico yanked his father from the restaurant.

  “Can we just go, please?” Emily begged as she clung to Rainer’s arm. Logan and Rainer both nodded. The dessert was forgotten as Logan handed his credit car
d to the waiter and asked him to hurry. As soon as he’d signed the ticket, they left.

  Rainer debated. He was not sure if he should leave Emily with Logan and go get the car, or take her with him. He studied Emily closely. She looked frightened, but she was strengthening her resolve as she drew from his hand again.

  “Here, baby, stay with Logan. I’ll get the car and be right back,” he offered and shared a glance with Logan, who nodded reassuringly.

  “No!” she shook her head defiantly.

  “Ok,” he nodded as he held her tighter. He led her to where he’d parked the Mustang. He saw several black SUVs with interior flashing blue lights pull away from the restaurant. He seated her, and tried to give her soothing smiles as he closed her door and whisked to the other side of the car.

  “Are you ok, Emily?” Adeline reached and patted her shoulder as Rainer started the car.

  “I just don’t understand. I mean, I’ve never felt that here before, and now, that’s twice in two days’ time,” she shook her head.

  Logan bristled visibly. “You saw that guy yesterday?”

  “Different guy, when we were at the Boardwalk yesterday,” Rainer informed him.

  Logan nodded and tousled Emily’s hair from the seat behind her.

  “Well, whatever the guy did, Vindico seemed to be on top of it; didn’t sound like he’ll even be in the country for much longer.”

  This did seem to bring Emily some peace, though she still looked worn. Rainer pulled into the driveway and waited as Logan and Adeline exited the car before he made his offer.

  “Do you want to go home, Em?”

  She shook her head and drew a deep breath.

  The beach house seemed to steady her. Rainer made her a cup of tea, the kind her mother usually made for her when life seemed to be a bit too much to handle.

  She smiled at him sweetly as he settled on the couch beside her. She clung to him as she sipped.

  Logan and Adeline decided to walk on the beach for a little while. They quickly changed clothes, and Logan grabbed a quilt.

  “Em,” Rainer soothed, after Logan pulled the sliding glass doors shut.

  She set the tea on the table beside her and curled herself up in his lap. He pulled the quilt that stayed on the back of the couch over her and held her tightly.

  “It felt different,” her voice trembled.

  “What felt different, sweetheart?” he nestled her head under his chin.

  “I’ve never felt that from someone, and then had them touch me. It was awful. I felt sick. It scared me.”

  Pain seared through him. Her fear cut him to the quick. She was normally so brave; nothing got to her.

  Growing up as the only sister of seven brothers made her tough, but he didn’t want her to have to feign bravery with him. He wanted her to tell him if she was afraid, and he wanted to vanquish anything that ever scared her. He was her shield.

  “I’m so sorry, baby. Em, I will never let anything hurt you, though, ok.”

  She nodded and gave him a sweet smile. He held her tightly, and felt her usual contentment began to slowly seep back into her soul.

  The same heavenly sensation had Rainer panting and his eyes rolling back in his head again. She was drawing it from him.

  It was almost as incredible as being deep inside of her. He was elated to give her that. He brushed his hands over her skin anywhere it was exposed, and she reveled in his touch.

  Then he closed his eyes and concentrated. His shield spun from his pores, encasing her in his safety and in his love. It permeated the very air she breathed as he flooded the space around them with his protective energies.

  Keep Emily Safe

  Rainer recalled a time when he was about twelve; Emily had just turned eleven. His father and the Haydenshires were on the back deck, having a glass of tea while all of the kids played in the yard.

  Rainer had been invited to spend the week with Logan while his father went to France, to continue his work on ratifying a new constitution in the French Realm. As he thought back, Rainer could still see her.

  Her hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, and she was wearing hand-me-down clothes from Logan, since they were playing outside. She’d asked Rainer to push her on the tire swing, and he’d agreed. They were making their way there when a blood-curdling scream echoed from her. Without thinking, he grabbed her and tried to determine what was wrong.

  “Emily!” He was frantic. She turned and laid her head on his shoulder and he’d hugged her tightly.

  He couldn’t sort through the emotions he’d been feeling. His heart raced, he remembered, as he’d held her to him. Then he’d seen it; a long copperhead was slithering its way through the grass.

  Rainer pulled her back, and then leapt in front of her to stand steadfast between her and the snake. He’d felt his developing shield try to move from his body. The snake had been heading right at them; its fangs were on gruesome display, ready to strike.

  She screamed again, and their fathers appeared immediately.

  When he concentrated he could still feel it; his father’s protective cast had encapsulated them in safety. They’d started running as soon as they’d heard her first scream.

  Governor Haydenshire cupped his hand and captured the snake’s energy as he summoned it out of the coiling body. Rainer’s father held his shield cast over Rainer and Emily.

  They’d watched as the snake grew weaker and weaker. The energy issuing from the snake was a faint grey smoke. It felt evil as it prodded around the protective barrier his father held in place.

  Governor Haydenshire and his father had shared a nervous glance and then his dad had given his order. “Rainer, take Emily back up to the porch, son. Keep her safe!” Rainer could still hear his father’s command as it reverberated through his soul. He’d kept his hands on Emily as they sprinted back to the porch. Governor Haydenshire had killed the snake in a matter of moments, but Emily hadn’t wanted to go back outside.

  Despite Logan, Connor, and Cal’s relentless teasing for staying inside and holding Emily’s hand, as they’d run away, Rainer never left her side. He’d sat in her room with her playing Go Fish and Monopoly, until Mrs. Haydenshire had called them down for supper. Just before his father had left, he’d pulled Rainer aside.

  “That was very brave, Rainer,” his father had commended. “You took such good care of Emily. I’m so proud of you!”

  Rainer swallowed down the emotion that had settled around his throat. He continued to try to soothe Emily as she relaxed in his lap.

  He felt his phone buzz in his pocket, and Rainer eased Emily up so he could fish the phone out. He’d immediately guided her back down, as soon as it was retrieved.

  It wasn’t a number stored in his phone, but he recognized it. It was from the Senate office. As he furrowed his brow, he answered.

  “Hello?”

  “Lawson,” came a deep, gruff voice.

  “Yeah?” Rainer stated hesitantly.

  “It’s Vindico.”

  “Oh.”

  “I’m sorry I interrupted your dinner there,” he chuckled, and Rainer joined in as that seemed to be the appropriate response.

  “No, I mean, it’s fine. That’s what Iodex does, right?” He massaged his hands down Emily’s arms.

  “Well, on a good day,” Vindico gave another chuckle. His tone sounded like he was extremely pleased.

  “Listen, I know Emily is a pretty strong Receiver. I mean, Governor Haydenshire told us all at least ten times when she was named head of Auxiliary.” Rainer was certain that Vindico wasn’t exaggerating.

  “I saw the look on her face when we entered. I wasn’t sure if we’d scared her, or if the guy I arrested had,” he probed for information. Rainer was impressed that Vindico wasn’t one of the Gifted who scoffed at the abilities of Receivers, as many of them did.

  “Actually, she picked up on that guy as soon as we arrived. She showed his kid around the Academy a few weeks ago.” Vindico was silent, so he continued.“He g
rabbed her hand when she left the restroom. She was pretty freaked out by the time you showed.”

  “What?” Vindico demanded. His tone turned to fury in a second flat.

  “Uh,” Rainer stammered, not certain which part he was supposed to repeat.

  “Were you there when he touched her?”

  “Yeah, of course. I mean, she was scared. I walked her to the bathroom and waited for her. He walked by and complimented her ring. I told him to keep his hands off my fiancée, and then he walked away. That was it.” He was unable to determine if he’d done something wrong, but it probably isn’t a good thing to piss off your future boss before you’d even begun working.

  “Good. You let me know if Emily picks up on anything else.”

  Rainer decided he might as well tell Vindico what had happened the day before.

  “Actually,” Rainer began and Vindico fell silent again. “We were at the Boardwalk yesterday, and she homed in on a guy walking by. He was several feet away from her, but it was pretty strong.”

  “What did he look like?”

  “Uh,” Rainer concentrated. “I don’t know, little taller than me, muscular, dark hair, olive complexion, angry scowl. Oh, he had snakes tattooed all the way up, sleeves, covering both arms from his wrists all the way to his neck,” he hoped he sounded remotely competent.

  Vindico was silent. Rainer wondered if he’d lost the connection, though he’d used his hand to amplify the signal on the phone.

  “Where were you when you saw him?” Utter hatred perforated every word that spewed from Vindico’s mouth.

  “Uh,” Rainer swallowed, not quite able to believe that Vindico could be just as intimidating over the phone as he was in person. “We were by the statue of the soldier on horseback, near the picnic tables, by the Lucky Oyster. He came by and went to the parking lot behind the restaurant. He didn’t seem to notice us.”

  “He noticed you,” was Vindico’s ominous reply. “Lawson, listen to me, if you ever, ever see that guy again, you get Emily, and get the hell away from wherever you are. Do you understand me?”

  “Yeah, of course. You mean you know that guy?”