by Lola Gabriel
“I know who you are, but it’s nice to meet you, officially,” she answered with a smile.
“You’ve heard about me?”
“Everybody knows who you are. You have a beautiful voice, by the way,” Romi blurted out without even thinking. She was not always this forthcoming to people she did not know, but it was different with Nyx. Everything was different.
Nyx smiled modestly and lowered his head. “Thank you. I’ve never seen you here before.”
“This is my first time here, actually. It’s quite a place.”
“Yeah, it feels…”
“Like home,” they both said at the same time.
Romi’s cheeks flushed and she stepped away. “Exactly.”
Nyx cleared his throat and asked, “Can I buy you a drink or something?”
“Oh,” she cringed and shook her head. “I would really like that, but I have to go.”
“Oh, okay.”
He looked disappointed, and Romi had to fight every cell in her body not to grab him and kiss him, but she couldn’t. She did not know whether he’d want that, or if it would scare him off.
Was she afraid of being rejected, or was she just afraid, even if there was no threat?
She reluctantly turned away and made her way out of the bar, feeling her phone vibrating in her pocket. She recognized the tune the vibrations created and knew it was her father. He was probably freaking out because he did not know where she was, or he wanted to lecture her because she had stormed out of his house. Either way, there would be a lecture.
Romi took a taxi, and for the entire journey, she couldn’t get Nyx out of her mind. His voice still echoed through her thoughts and his presence still lingered in her soul. She knew she couldn't wear the dreamy expression on her face—which was reflected back to her from the taxi’s window—when she stepped into her father’s house. For a man, he was very perceptive and would know that something had happened. Romi definitely did not want to explain to her father that she was the True Mate of a Dragon Prince. She did not even want to imagine what her father would do if he found this out.
Romi climbed out of the taxi, stepped onto the sidewalk, and made her way to her father’s home. The old house stood where it had been built over two hundred years ago. The necessary renovations had been done to prevent the house from falling apart, and it was preserved very well. In fact, it was beautiful. Her father was proud of the family home, despite people dubbing it ‘the Witch House’ because of its appearance. Little did they know they were actually right.
Romi opened the gate and stepped onto the flagstone path which led to the front porch. The lights glowed ominously in the dark, and she could hear her father’s voice from inside the house. She unlocked the door with her key and stepped inside, ready to be taken apart by her father.
He looked like a middle-aged man, with graying temples and a head of mousy brown hair, but he was almost three thousand years old. He had survived three of the seven Great Wars of the World, and it had definitely taken its toll on him, physically and mentally. He was eccentric, to say the least, but he was also stubborn and moody, not to mention suspicious and bitter. His eyebrows were pushed together, as per usual, and his eyes darted directly into Romi’s direction as he stopped pacing.
“Romiera Friar!” he exclaimed angrily and turned to her. “Where have you been?”
Romi rolled her eyes as she entered the living area, which looked like a bomb had gone off in there. Books and papers were scattered all over the room, on the floor, on the couches, on the tables.
“What the hell is going on here?” she asked with concern.
“While you were doing whatever it was you were doing, I received a call from Inges,” her father answered.
Inges was her father’s right-hand man of sorts. Technically, he was supposed to be Romi’s godfather, but he wasn’t very good at it. He was the person you could count on when shit hit the fan, as he was a powerful warlock who could control emotions and the weather. He was also her father’s informant on everything that went on in London and the surrounding areas when it came to the other Immortals. He knew everything about everyone, and he was the one who had the most information regarding the Dragon Princes, but Romi wondered whether he really knew as much as he let on.
Romi leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms. “What did Inges say?”
“There are reports of bears in the Western countryside,” her father replied in an exasperated, raised voice.
Romi let out a laugh and shook her head. “Inges has finally lost his mind, or he’s been smoking those plants he grows in his greenhouse. That’s the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. There aren’t bears in the entire country.”
“Inges would not lie.”
“I’m not saying he’s lying, Dad. He could have just seen something that wasn’t quite the truth. People hallucinate all the time.”
“This isn’t the first incident of a bear sighting, Romiera,” her father pointed out sternly.
Romi’s shoulders tensed as she straightened her spine and slowly approached her father. “And why am I only hearing about this now?”
“Because I did not want you to worry.”
Romi rolled her eyes. “You’re constantly telling me to be safe and look around me, to be perceptive, but you don’t want me to worry about a bear sighting? Why?”
“We did not think that it was anything to worry about, but now they’re coming closer to the city.”
“What do they want?” she asked.
“We’re not sure, but I think it’s better that you move back home, just in case.”
Romi narrowed her eyes and sighed. “No.”
“It was not a request, Romiera.”
“Dad, listen to me. I’m not going to move back home so you can keep me here like a prisoner. I’m more than one thousand years old and I can take care of myself, whether you want to believe it or not, or whether you like it or not,” Romi said to him.
“Romi, I just want you to be safe, and know where you are,” he answered and paused. “Like tonight. I was worried after you stormed out of here.”
“Well, you made me so angry. What did you expect I was going to do? Stay? Stomp up to my old room and slam the door like a sullen teenager?”
“Maybe.”
“Dad, I’m not a kid anymore.”
“You’re still my kid.”
“And luckily I have more sense than most people you know. I’ll be fine.”
“Can you at least just stay here for the night?”
Romi nodded, knowing this was a fight she was not going to win. “Fine,” she surrendered. “Just tonight.”
As Romi walked up the wooden staircase which led to the next floor, she heard the familiar protection chants escaping her father’s lips in whispers which could only be heard by her. She did not dare to tell him about meeting Nyx, or what had happened between them. It may have been foolish to hold her tongue with her father, but at that moment, she did not wish to put Nyx in any danger by doing so.
Their bond was already stronger than hers and her father’s would ever be.
3
The sky was gray overhead as Nyx drove onto Oxford Street with his silver Mercedes, his fingers tapping absentmindedly on the curve of his steering wheel. Even though it was early in the afternoon, the sky already looked gloomy and dark, resembling his mood perfectly. It had been three nights since he had seen Romi, the beautiful redhead he had met in Echoes, and not knowing where she was frustrated him to no end. His thoughts constantly found their way back to her, no matter what he did or how hard he tried to distract himself from her.
Nyx was not going to deny the fact that something had stirred inside him when their eyes had met for the first time across the crowded bar, and he instantly knew he had found his True Mate.
Of course, he also did not forget the fact that she blew him off when he asked if he could buy her a drink. Maybe she had been on her way out, or maybe she had felt exactly what he had
felt, and was not sure what had happened. Maybe the intensity of the emotions and their close proximity overwhelmed her and she did not know exactly how to handle it.
At least that was what he hoped.
Nyx feared that she took one look at him and was utterly repulsed, or worse, that she did not feel a single thing. He wasn't sure how he would handle that kind of rejection, as he had not dealt with it before. Women loved him, but only for a short while, because Nyx had a tendency to not be himself around people. He was who he needed to be around different people, and frankly, it was exhausting. He had always looked forward to the day when he would meet his True Mate, who would then love him no matter what. He’d have the freedom and the opportunity to be himself around her, but now he wondered whether that would be good enough for her.
He continued to drive around the streets of Central London, not going to any particular place or in any particular direction. He needed to think, to decide what this all meant.
Nyx had hoped she would have returned to Echoes again, to see him and have that drink he offered to buy her after all, but he found himself searching the sea of faces without finding her. He only knew her name, and did not know much else about her, so he wasn't sure where to look for her. Of course he knew he could sense her, but even if he wanted to, he couldn't just show up at her house, or her work. She looked like the type of woman who would pepper spray him in the face for being a creepy guy.
A small smile formed on his lips as he pictured her in his mind. Her beautiful, long, red hair which flowed down her narrow shoulders. Her bright blue eyes which mesmerized him from across the bar. Her porcelain skin which looked smooth to the touch. The dimple in her right cheek when she smiled. The way she smelled of vanilla and banana muffins which came straight out of the oven. The sound of her voice resonating inside his mind. Everything about her had called out to him, imprinted inside his mind, but yet he couldn’t track her down.
Immensely frustrated, he turned left at the traffic lights and changed direction. He rolled down the window and placed his arm on the windowsill. A glint of red in the corner of his eye caught his attention and he turned his head to the left. He almost couldn’t believe it when he saw her light red hair in a side braid, flickering red rays of sunshine at him. She walked along the sidewalk, wearing a gray jacket, a pair of dark jeans, and black boots.
Nyx quickly found a spot to parked, pulled over, and climbed out of his car.
“Romi,” he called out to her and she immediately stopped and whirled around. Her eyes widened slightly, as if she hadn’t expected to see him, and she cocked her head at him.
Nyx ran toward her and smiled as he reached her, standing a few feet away. “Hey.”
“Nyx, what a surprise,” she greeted him and narrowed her eyes. “You weren’t following me, were you?”
“Of course not.”
“I was just kidding,” she smiled. “You don’t look the type.”
“That’s good to hear,” Nyx smiled at her. “So, how are you?”
“I’m good. I’ve just been a bit busy. How are you? Still rocking Echoes?” she asked.
“I’m good. I haven’t seen you at Echoes the past few nights,” Nyx subtly pried.
“Like I said, I’ve just been a bit busy.”
“I get it.”
“You get what? That you think I am just blowing you off?”
“I did not say that,” Nyx shrugged.
“I’ve wanted to see you again, but if you knew what was going on in my life, then you would understand. My father, he…” Her voice trailed off and she pouted slightly.
“He would not like you going to a place like Echoes,” Nyx finished her sentence.
Romi’s blue gaze met his and his senses electrified inside him, little currents of electricity bolting through his veins. “Exactly right. He would probably have a heart attack if he knew I met you.”
“Does he know of me too?” Nyx asked, certain that Romi and her father must know who he was, which also meant that they knew of his family, and its dreadful past.
“You can say that,” she cringed.
“I would really like to see you again, after today. Can I call you or something?”
“That’s really sweet of you to say, Nyx,” she answered with a smile.
“Or maybe you can come to Echoes tomorrow night. I’m doing a few sets, and we can have a few drinks afterwards, or get something to eat.”
“You’re really persistent,” she pointed out and he nodded shamelessly. “I’ll try to come. I promise.”
“Okay, that’s great. I’d really like to get to know you.”
“Yeah, me too. I’ve heard so many things about you.”
“From your dad?” he asked.
“From everyone I know.”
A shiver ran down his spine and he took a step back. What had she heard about him? Was that why she was keeping her distance from him? Did she hear something she did not like and did not want anything to do with him?
“Don’t look so worried. I’m sure not everything is true,” Romi tried to reassure him. “I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of bad things about my family.”
Nyx frowned at her and shook his head. “How would I know anything about your family?”
“I’m sure that we were discussed at length, especially by your father, the Dragon King,” she told him, her voice lowering at the mention of his father.
Nyx’s eye widened and he took a step forward again. “How do you know my father?”
“I don’t know him personally, but I know about him, and you. All of you, actually,” she answered softly. “I have to go.”
“Wait,” he called out to her as she was about to turn away. “Will you come to Echoes tomorrow night? Please? I think we should talk.”
“I think so too,” she agreed. “I’ll try.”
Nyx watched as she turned away from him and walked in the direction she was going before he had stopped to talk to her.
He felt unsettled by the fact that she knew his father, and everything about his family. She had mentioned that she knew him at the bar, but he thought she knew about him from his performances at Echoes. The fact that she knew about his past gave him reason to believe that she wasn't a human. Humans never possessed that type of knowledge about the dragons without using it to their advantage, or keeping it to themselves. Humans were crafty, and they knew nothing of loyalty. They would sell out their own race if push came to shove.
Romi was different, though; there was a fire which burned in her eyes and in her heart like he had only seen in the species which he hated most of all.
The witches.
Maybe that was why Romi was so abrupt with him and couldn't get away from him fast enough. She was a witch, and the witches hated the dragons even more than the dragons hated them. Their feud was as old as time itself, and no matter how many meetings of peace were held, they simply did not get along.
“Fucking typical,” he muttered as he watched her disappear into the crowd of people walking along the same sidewalk. If she was indeed a witch, it would be typical of how things worked with regards to the True Mate selection. The two species of Immortals who could not stand one another would make the most perfect couple of True Mates, especially for Rhaena.
Rhaena knew exactly what the relationship between the dragons and the witches was like, and it would be typical of her to ensure that his True Mate would be a witch. They’d probably end up annoying each other to death, or some sick twisted shit that would make Rhaena laugh wickedly wherever the hell she was.
Nyx did not have any proof that she was indeed a witch, but he had his suspicions. Something about her was familiar to him, as if he had seen her before. He had even felt that way the night he saw her sitting at the small table in Echoes, her drink in her hand. Staring directly at her, that was the moment his world came to a complete and utter standstill, and it would never be the same again.
He had spent the last two nights obsessing over her and what might have
repelled her from him, but in actual fact, it was his own insecurities shining through, cracking through the surface.
Nyx had never been the most confident of the four princes and at times he wished he could have his older brother Pyre’s aloofness, or his younger brother Dax’s confidence. Nyx had found it very hard to live with such strong personalities in his family, and mimicked each one of his brothers’ behavior. It had been easy when they were in close proximity to one another, but ever since they had split up and moved to the four corners of the world, Nyx had found it difficult to be himself without them. His brothers were a very important part of who he was as a person, but he also felt the need to discover who he was without them. Sure, it had taken him longer than he thought it would, but he was doing it on his own.
Until now.
Now he just felt lost again.
The crowd inside Echoes was already seated when he stepped in through the front door with his guitar case in his hand, and immediately he was greeted by people inside. They approached him and shook his hand as he passed them, and it made Nyx feel welcome and like he belonged there. He had considered leaving his job and becoming a full-time musician, but he did not want that kind of exposure. Sure, the people inside Echoes loved his music, and he was in the right city to make it big, but taking a chance like that wasn't something he was up for. At least not yet.
And he really did not need that kind of attention, especially with his father being in the news all the time. He already had billions of dollars; he did not need the fame to go with it. He really treasured his privacy. Besides, no matter how famous he could become as a singer, he’d always live in his father’s shadow. People would always refer to him as Arlo’s son, or the son of that philanthropist billionaire with the hot wife. Everything revolved around his father, and Nyx knew it would never change.
Nyx ordered a bottle of water from Josh at the bar, and he scanned the room.
“She’s not here yet,” Josh pointed out.
Nyx frowned as he turned to Josh and asked, “What?”
“She’s not here yet. The pretty redhead you saw here the other night.”