by Amber Flora
“Gloria?” I whispered, stepping inside the enormous library.
I heard some rattling toward the back and then a beautiful short redhead stepped into view.
“Sweetie, what are you doing here? No one told me you were coming.”
I was relieved to find out I didn’t have a tracker on me that signaled to everyone when I was on the move.
“I was wondering if you would like to have a girls night with me.”
Gloria looked at me as if I were speaking an unknown language.
“What does a girls night consist of?”
I laughed. For her to be old enough to be my great grandmother she had the innocence of a child.
“Oh, drinking, dancing, some poor decisions.”
She rested her hand on her chin, considering my offer.
“I've never done any of that.”
“Well there’s no time like the present,” I said, lightly punching her shoulder.
“I haven't been to the human realm in decades, I barely leave this room. You wouldn’t want to spend your night with a woman like me.”
I looked at her in surprise.
“You survived the fall of an empire, you have read every book in this room and written some of your own. You are a fierce woman and I would be ecstatic if you would join me tonight.”
A huge grin sneaked onto her glowing face.
“Okay, I’ll do it! Let’s boogie.”
I clapped my hands together in excitement.
“Great, there’s just one more person I have to invite.”
Ben’s driver Harold was gracious enough to let me borrow him for the night. I still hadn’t seen or heard from Ben all day, but I assumed he had a lot going on as the general of an army. The car pulled up to Lori’s house and I opened the door to get out.
“Thanks, Harold. I’ll be right back.”
I went up to Lori’s loft and knocked on the door. She opened the door wearing a gorgeous pink Chiffon dress that stopped above her knee. Her short strawberry-blonde hair had a white flower clipped on the left side to keep her side bangs out of her face. She had on a pale-blue eyeshadow with a hint of glitter that made her Caribbean eyes pop. If anyone was meant to be a movie star it was this girl.
“Oh my gosh, O’Hara, you are stunning.”
She twirled around as if putting on a fashion show.
“Aren’t I though?” she joked, walking out and locking her door behind her.
“Lori wait …” I grabbed her arm, pulling her back to me.
“I invited a couple of friends. I hope you don’t mind.”
She quirked a brow.
“More of your mother's long-lost friends?” she asked sarcastically.
“Something like that,” which was actually half-truth.
“As long as they know I’m your bestie and they’re ready to party then I guess I can forgive you. Now let’s get a move on, I have producer to meet and a movie roll to get.”
We climbed into the car and Lori gave Harold directions to the club.
“Lori, this is Gloria and Katrina. They are Cody’s cousins.”
OK, well that was a lie, but I warned Kat and Gloria that Lori was a human and we were going to have to keep the whole dreamwalker thing to ourselves tonight. I was leery about inviting Kat, but I didn’t think she had ever left the dream realm and she spent so much of her time taking care of others that she deserved a night to be carefree. Besides what was the worst that could happen?
I felt like I was a tour guide leading a couple foreigners on an excursion. I had to explain everything to Gloria and Kat: how to order a drink, why not to eat the peanuts sitting on the bar and what the couple was doing in a dim corner on the club. That part made my face blush. After a few drinks I was feeling pretty good. Lori had already abandoned us to chat up the producer she had sought out, and Gloria was talking to the DJ asking him if he would play “Hound Dog.” Turns out she was a big Elvis fan and her last trip to the human realm was to see one of his concerts. I guess she did know how to boogie once upon a time. Kat was a real lightweight and I was already deciding if I was willing to sacrifice my purse as her personal barf bag if it came down to it. The place was hopping and for the first time in a long time I wanted to be in the chaos. I liked the thrum of the music and the feel of the vibration bouncing off the walls. For the first time in what felt like years I felt human again.
Mac watched the four girls from a congested area in the club. Ashtyn looked breathtaking. She wasn’t all dolled up like some of the other women in the place, but she was definitely the most beautiful. She wore black skin-tight pants and a dark blue silk shirt with a V neck that showed just enough skin that left the imagination to wander. Her hair was in a half braid and she let the rest flow down her back in curls. This was quite possibly the toughest mission he has ever had. Where the hell was Ben? He knew he shouldn’t have let her stay with him. Mac wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to keep her away from her so-called friend, but how could he tell her the truth? She probably wouldn’t believe him even if he did. He had kept Ben’s secret for all these years. He didn’t see the harm in it. Deandra was gone and the truth wouldn’t change that, until now. If Ben hurt Ashtyn with his lies, he would make him pay, consequences be damned. Cody told Mac to give him a call if there was an emergency. He wasn’t sure what constituted an emergency, but he did the math and deducted four drunken bombshells and one protective male wasn’t good odds. He picked up the phone and called for backup.
I let my fears and stress go; perhaps drinking them away wasn’t the best way to deal with my issues but at that point I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why.
“Ashtyn, I’m having such a good time. Thank you for inviting me,” Kat said, spinning around in her bar stool.
The long-haired blonde beauty was moments away from falling flat on her face, but I wasn’t going to stop her. What’s a few bruises when you’ve had a good time. A sexy man wearing a black cowboy hat and cowboy boots stepped into view looking in Kat’s direction.
“Excuse me, ma’am, would you like to dance?”
She stopped spinning looking at me for approval.
“Go ahead, dance your cute little butt off,” I said, watching Katrina shoot up from her chair and let the man lead her onto the dance floor.
Gloria was still making small talk with the DJ. He was showing her some of his records in his collection and even let her spin on a couple of songs. Lori was sitting with a group of people in a corner booth chatting up some handsome older gentlemen. I decided I needed some fresh air and took off toward the back door to step outside. The cool air felt good on my face and I leaned against the wall by the door for support.
“Well hello there, pretty lady,” I heard a voice say to the right of me.
I slightly turned my head trying to see the figure approaching me.
“Waiting for someone?” the tall slender guy said, walking up to me.
“No, just needed to get some air,” I responded. I looked around and saw no one else.
“Mind if I keep you company?” he asked, leaning against the wall next me.
“I was just about to head back in,” I said, pushing myself off the wall and making a beeline toward the door.
He grabbed my wrist tightly, forcing me back around to meet his twisted smile.
“Come on, little lady. I’m a great conversationalist,” the stranger slurred, keeping me in his hold.
“Let me go!” I screamed, attempting to wiggle out of his grasp.
“You heard the lady,” a deep voice said from the shadows.
I saw a forcible long-haired blonde step it view.
“Ben!” I gasped, relieved to see his handsome face.
The slender man let go of me to evaluate Ben. It appeared he was gauging if he could take him in a fight. After a long pause and a drunken shuffle to the side he decided against it.
“Be cool, man. I was just trying to talk to her.”
Ben slowly and methodically edged towa
rd the drunken ass until they stood toe to toe.
The guy was nearly as tall as Ben, but Ben’s massive torso shadowed the slender guy’s exterior.
“By putting your hands on her?”
The drunken buffoon maneuvered around him.
“I strongly suggest you remove yourself from the lady’s presence.”
I silently prayed the guy took Ben’s advice. He was just drunk and being stupid, he didn’t deserve a beating for it.
“She isn’t worth it,” he said while stumbling around Ben and heading back inside the club. I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Are you all right?” Ben asked, walking up to me and holding my face in his hand.
Ben wasn’t a pretty boy, but he was definitely sexy in a Viking kind of way. The scar on his cheek made him look fierce. He exuded confidence and control and although I had never seen him fight I bet he made men tremble in his wake.
“I, umm …” I murmured, bringing my mouth closer to his. Normally my conscience would stop me in a situation such as this, but the little angel on my shoulder probably had her head in a toilet right now, regretting that last bottle of beer. So it was just me and my devil and she was thinking naughty thoughts. I gently swept my lips across his, causing a shudder to cross over me. He eyed me with restraint. He wasn’t pulling away, but I could see the hesitation in his eyes. Then almost as if he flipped a switch Ben bent down and claimed my mouth. I don’t know if it was the adrenaline or the heat of the moment, but we kissed feverishly. His sweet lips devoured mine; while one hand cradled my face, his other hand was cupping my backside, savoring every inch of me. Ben pushed me up against the wall as one of my legs wrapped around him, while his tongue explored the inside of my mouth. I called out his name in a desperate plea for him to continue.
“Ben.”
He slid a hand beneath my shirt, reaching for my breasts. I wanted him to touch me there, I needed to feel his ample hands on my body. He let out a deep penetrating moan.
“My sweet, Deandra.”
In a nanosecond any passion I felt went up in smoke.
I jumped back horrified. Did he just call me by my mother's name? Holy macaroni, what have I done?
“Ashtyn, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
I slapped him hard across the jaw.
“You’re disgusting! What is this? Were you in love with my mother? I am not her, Ben. I’m not your consolation prize”.
I was going to be sick.
“I do not think you to be, I was caught up in the moment. It just slipped out. It is you that I want.”
This has to be joke. Was he playing tricks on me? Did he really think I would just forget what he said and go back to wanting him? Suddenly a terrible thought crept into my mind.
“Oh my God! Are you my father?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, of course not. What kind of man do you take me for? Just let me explain.”
I headed toward the door of the night club.
“The kind that seduces the daughter of a woman he once desired. I don’t want to hear anything you have to say. I can’t even look at you. You are a sick man, Benjamin Turo!”
I opened the door and slammed into a firm body.
“Macree.”
I have never been so happy to see those beautiful blue eyes. I was shivering, but it wasn’t because I was cold, it was from pure embarrassment. I was so ashamed of my recklessness and stupidity for trusting that man. I wanted to find the darkest deepest hole and bury my humiliated body inside.
“Mac, get me out here now,” I said, trying to contain my horror.
Mac looked at Ben’s eyes, burning with fury. I saw him take a step toward Ben before looking down at my trembling hands.
“General or not, I will not forget this. You will pay for your sins, all of them,” he said, with clenched teeth.
He led me through the club into an opening where I saw the attractive cowboy Kat had been dancing with knocked-out cold on the floor; in front of him stood a sobbing Katrina wrapped in Cody’s arms while he stroked her hair. He whispered soft words into her ear, soothing her.
“Mac,” I said while his arm was still wrapped around mine, helping me keep my balance.
“Aye, Macree?”
“What color are my eyes?”
The last word I heard before it all went black was
“Bollocks!”
A second later Mac and I were standing by the floating train in Cardician. Shit! It happened again. I didn’t mean for it to. My head was just swirling with anger and remorse.
“Ashtyn, we need to get out of here; it’s not safe for you.”
I jerked his hand away, glowering at him.
“I’m not going back to Ben’s and I can’t face Cody right now. I just need some time, please.”
Mac sighed, reaching to claim my hand in his once more.
“Come on, I've got a place we can go.”
He led me through the alleys filled with shops. I had forgotten how crowded the magic realm was. Nothing like the dream realm where the people were scarce. We entered a three-story building that looked like an apartment complex and took some stairs to the second floor, where he stopped at a door with a weird symbol that resembled the letter E. He entered a code on a keypad next to the door and led me inside.
The place was small, but keeping with Mac standards, it was immaculate. There was a black leather sofa in the middle of the room and a desk in the corner with files stacked on top of it. No pictures or decorations covered the walls and there was minimal furniture throughout. I wasn’t sure how long he typically stayed here, but for someone who didn’t sleep, there wasn’t much to do in this place. I sat on the couch rubbing my hands in my head trying to process what the hell had happened.
“Did you know?” I asked Mac with a muffled voice.
“Aye, I knew lass.”
I wanted to hit him— no, I wanted to hit Ben. To just take all my frustration out until my knuckles were bloody and my mind spent.
“Why didn’t you tell me? How could you let me throw myself at a man who was in love with my mother?”
He growled before regaining his composure.
“It wasn’t my story to tell.”
I laughed mockingly.
“It wasn’t your story? I’m humiliated! You couldn’t have given me a heads-up? I thought you cared for me.”
He stepped closer, leaning down till his eyes met mine. He slowly brought me toward him, wrapping his arms around me and holding me in a soft embrace.
“I do care for you, lass. If I told ya, you wouldn’t have listened anyway. You’re as stubborn as they come. This isn’t your fault, Macree. This is on Ben; he never should have let you stay with him knowing how he felt. I promise you, Ben will not go unpunished a second time. I have held my tongue for far too long.”
I let him hold me for a moment, trying to calm my nerves.
“Did she love him back?” I asked, looking up.
He shook his head.
“Not in the way he loved her. He didn’t know she was pregnant when she ran off; he didn’t find out about you until much later. He thought she ran off with Elias the day of the attack.”
“Does Cody know how he felt about Deandra?”
Mac went into the small kitchen and grabbed a beer out of the fridge.
“Nah, he was very good about hiding it. I happened to be in the armory one day when they were talking outside. I heard him telling her he could protect her better than Elias, that they were becoming too close. She told him Elias had proved himself time and again and that he had to move on. She couldn’t love him as he did her. He asked her if that was because she loved Elias instead and the conversation heated from there. Deandra told him he had no right to make those accusations and if he continued she was going to release him from the guards.”
I was still in shock of the whole turn of events. I didn’t know whom to trust or which way was up anymore.
“So you have known for years that he loved her and told no
one?”
“Deandra was gone and Ben became the general. I didn’t think it mattered. I knew he wasn’t your father, but he did care for her. When you went to stay with him I feared he would transfer those feelings over to you, but I had no way of knowing for sure.”
“Do you think she and Elias loved each other?” I asked, not sure if I wanted to know the answer.
“I cannot say with certainty either way, but I doubt it. He was a faithful husband that loved Bonnie and his children immensely. Elias made a choice that day to save Deandra instead of protecting his family. I don’t know if that was honor or love but whatever the reason I know without a doubt if he knew what was to become of his daughter he never would have left.”
I didn’t know my mother, in fact nearly everything I learned about her had just been over the span of a couple weeks, but from what I did learn I doubted she was the home wrecking type.
Instantly a thought popped into my head.
“Oh my God, the girls! We left them at the bar,” I said, immediately going into panic mode.
“Relax, lass, Cody and Ben will take care of them. Ben might be an arse, but he isn’t going to leave two drunk dreamwalkers alone in a human club.”
His voice had a bit of disdain in it when he used Ben’s name.
“What about us just disappearing in thin air like that? Someone had to have seen it.”
He placed his arms on my shoulders trying to calm me.
“If anyone did they will just chalk it up to having too much to drink. I wouldn’t worry your pretty little head about it.”
Speaking of being drunk, my head was spinning and I was worn out. All I wanted was to curl up in a cozy blanket and drift off to sleep.
“I don’t suppose you have a bed in here?” I asked, hopeful.
“No, but you can rest on the couch for a while if ya would like. Dont worry now, lass, I’m not one for taking home the leftovers.”
I jabbed at his ribs.
“Fintan Mac Donagh! How can you go from sweet to a pig in two seconds flat? Nothing happened with Ben!”
He rubbed at his side like it was still hurting him.