Slowly I drifted into the realm of soft sleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY
The darkness of the night settled around me. I was in the midst of a dream. I was walking through an open meadow with low-lying clouds pressing against the brilliant green grass. The air of the night was clean and pure. The scents of wildflowers and pasture grass were abundant.
Stopping only to sniff the air, I recognized another scent. Vampire. Turning, I saw one standing behind me. This was not the same vampire I had come to know. The vampire who stood before me was darker. Deadly. His pale skin seemed to glow under the light of the moon. He was beautiful in the same way as Richard. This vampire had long black hair down to his waist. His eyes were the same blue diamond like jewels that pierced into my very soul. He was tall and elegant, like a statue of a Greek God. His face was a chiseled work of art with well-defined cheek and jawbones. The black shirt he wore didn"t hide the broadness of his shoulders. When he moved, he moved with such fluidity it appeared he walked on air.
Bells of fear tolled in my heart. I slowly stepped backwards. Tremors ran through me. My heart screamed warnings loudly inside me. This vampire was not friendly.
There was an evil lurking inside him, an evil far more deadly than I had ever seen before.
This time I had no choice but to flee. Was I fast enough to avoid contact between this creature and me? I did not know, but I would find out.
The muscles twitched in my hindquarters as I pivoted and broke into a run.
Moving faster than I had ever moved before, I ran. The wind was in my face, plummeting through the depth of the forest. I could hear his laughter behind me. He was a shadow of a figure following me, chasing me without ceasing. I was his target. His prey.
For miles I ran, searching for the safety I needed. I came to a clearing. I was exhausted and fell to ground, my breath heaving and the muscles inside my body aching from the extra strain. If it was my death he sought after, then I had no other choice. I turned my head and saw him standing at the edge of what appeared to be rocks. He laughed again. His laughter, eerie as it was, rang out into the night. Then I realized something, he could not cross over the rocks. I was inside the wall of Fort Mountain.
I heard the sound of rustling leaves beside me. Jumping to my feet, I turned around. My ears flattened against my head as I watched the leaves. The hair on my back prickled to their ends. There was something wrong, terribly wrong. Suddenly a hand shot out from beneath the ground and grabbed my paw. I yelped out loudly. Pulling my front foot back with all my strength, the pale hand wouldn"t let go. Loud growls rumbled from my chest. There was no way out. Hands were now on my shoulders. My breath caught in my chest. It was over for me this time. I knew it.
“Julie!” I heard a voice fading into my dream. “Julie! Wake up!”
Slowly I came to my senses. I opened my eyes to find Daniel hovering over me, his eyes wide with terror. What on earth? My breathing was erratic as I tried to calm down. I looked around and noticed it was daylight and the rain had stopped. Daniel and I must have slept through the night soundly.
“Julie?” he began. “Are you awake?”
I nodded slowly without speaking. I was still numb from my dream, and my heart was still racing. My eyes were wide and fear consumed me.
“Dear Fate!” His eyes peered into mine. “I can see the images of your dream!”
Daniel was as shocked as I was.
I looked into his eyes as the images flashed before him, replays of my meeting with the dark and dangerous vampire. Richard was by no means as dangerous as this vampire; this one was the most dangerous of them all.
“Who is he?” Daniel shifted against the pillow under his head.
I dropped my gaze for a moment. In the back of my mind, I tried to come up with some answer. From my own experiences, my dreams always had some meaning to them. If in fact this was a premonition then I was in danger. My eyes widened as my eyes darted back to his.
“Mithras.” I whispered.
Even saying his name sent chills down my arms. I glanced at my arms as Daniel"s hand settled on them and looked at me in confusion. He searched me for answers.
“Who is this Mithras?”
“Mithras is one of the oldest living vampires. Richard said he was the only one who may know what was hidden inside of Fort Mountain. I think he left to go find him.”
“Why would he come to Fort Mountain?”
I shook my head. “I don"t know. Maybe the item or whatever this evil thing is…it has something to do with him.”
“He is someone we all should fear then?” Daniel asked. The uneasiness in his voice confirmed what I already knew. Yes. Mithras was a vampire we all should fear. I nodded slowly.
“Great.” His head fell back on the pillow.
“Daniel, we can make it through this.” I managed to strain out.
He raised his head. His eyes saw the hope that I clung to so desperately. He knew in my heart I had faith that we would make it.
“Yes, we will. I will not let anything happen to you.” His hand went to my face.
For the first time, I truly believed him. Daniel was stronger. He was more confident in himself. I knew he would kill for me if he had to. It was his nature, the instinct of the Alpha male wolf inside of him. His words were as true as any I had ever heard. I gave him a gentle smile.
“Well, let"s see if we can"t leave those thoughts behind. I think…” he paused shifted me slightly off him. “We need to start this honeymoon off with a bang.”
“I thought we did that last night?” I chuckled softly.
Daniel"s mouth twisted into a grin. His hazel eyes sparkled with delight. He knew all too well it was more than a bang. It was an incredible explosion of cosmic proportions.
“Yes, well, I have a day planned for us. Then when we return home tonight, we"ll see if we can top last night.” He kissed my forehead as he stood up.
A warm heat crossed my cheeks. We had a great night and if he wanted to improve upon it, then I would have no objections. Although any dignity I had had been lost last night. There was nothing else left to embarrass me.
Daniel padded away from me. His naked body was absolutely beautiful. Even from behind, he had the type of body that sculptors in ancient times longed to carve into statues. He had long, lean, muscular legs and wide shoulders that tapered into a narrow waist. And then there were those tight yet powerful buttocks. I inhaled a deep breath then released a long sigh. He was breathtaking. The best thing, he was all mine.
“So exactly what do you have in mind for us today? Shopping?” I was excited.
“Nope. Highland games.” His voice trailed off as he disappeared around the corner of the bedroom.
Highland games, I wondered. Feeling somewhat aroused by Daniel"s appearance, I considered joining him in the shower. The coldness of the room shook me over and I pulled the warm blanket over me. Highland games? The only thing I knew about Highland games were Cabot tossing and tug of war. Music, food and dancing accompanied such festivals. Indeed, this would be a good day. But then, any day spent with Daniel was a good day.
The water in the shower stopped. Any minute the bathroom door would open and Daniel would appear. Since I was already awake, I wanted to move to the bathroom, grabbing the warmth of the room before the cold air entered it. The bathroom door squeaked on its hinges. Now was my chance. I slipped passed him, escaping the cold of the cottage.
After my shower, I opened the bathroom door. Daniel had already built a roaring fire to warm the little cottage. The mixture of wood burning and coffee filled the air.
With a towel wrapped around me, I walked toward the bedroom.
When I stepped out of the bathroom I froze. Daniel stood in the living room holding a cup of coffee. His eyes lifted to me as he saw my approach. I was speechless.
There he stood; tall, handsome, strong and ever so virile. I had never dreamed he could look so appealing in a kilt. The dark blue, greens, yellows and tiny red colors intertwined in
the woolen attire. The broad and muscular chest was covered slightly by the drape of the fabric that hung over his left shoulder. The colors enhanced the hazel tones within his eyes. I felt a twitch inside of me. My gaze fell to the kilt. What exactly was he wearing underneath it?
Daniel"s eyebrow rose slightly. A soft chuckle escaped him as he turned the cup to his lips. Slowly he took a sip of the hot coffee. His eyes glinted with humor. Yes, his thoughts were clear to me. He loved that he excited me. It brought him great joy to know I desired him.
“Would you like to find out?” A wicked grin now formed on his lips. “I mean, right now, if I am wearing anything under this kilt?” He teased.
“No.” I let the word linger a moment. “I"d rather not.” The sudden heat of blood rushing to my cheeks gave me away. Not to mention the thoughts that ran through my mind.
I turned fleeing toward the bedroom. The desire I had for Daniel ran deep. Dear Fate, I couldn"t stand it any longer. My body trembled as I took a step toward the dresser. My hand reached out to brace myself. Blood boiled inside my veins. The hot passion swept over me, taking the very breath of my existence. The slight movement from my peripheral vision forced my full attention to his approach. Daniel stood in the doorway. The muscled arms flexed as he crossed them against his chest. He leaned against the doorframe. My heart pounded loudly. The only sound I could hear was the blood pounding in my ears. My face flushed. Every nerve in my body had become alive.
Electricity surged through me. A soft growl erupted from my throat as I fought hard to regain my senses.
Daniel took one step toward me. I raised my hand to him and my other hand firmly braced myself against the dresser. A chill ran over me and I trembled. In my current condition, I shuddered to think of what would happen if Daniel so much as touched me.
My breath was in a pant. Dear Fate, if he took one more step I felt as if I was going to lose my mind.
Daniel"s lips twisted into a grin. My eyelids fluttered. Not on purpose. My legs were trembling. How could Daniel have such an effect on me? He moved. My legs went limp. In two strides, he was behind me. His strong muscular body pressed against me.
Oh, Dear Fate, he didn’t have anything on under that kilt! A heated breath of air escaped me as he tore the towel from me. His left arm held me firmly as he tossed the towel to the side. Weakness overtook me. Daniel braced my body against his hot frame. He slipped his leg through mine. His strong hand trailed gently over my breasts, teasing the hard points until I growled softly again. Slowly his fingers traced the centerline of my stomach further down. My skin burned against his touch. The intoxicating smell of his spicy scent sent my mind in a rush. Just one touch from him and I exploded inside.
“How about we try some Highland games?” he growled. His voice was deep and sultry.
The vibrations from his growl sent shivers over my entire body. I melted.
Daniel"s lips pressed against my neck. His fingers sank into the warmth and moist desire I had for him. Slowly and gently, he moved his hand. I reached around behind him and dug my fingernails into his thighs. A growl rumbled from his chest. My body rocked slowly against his. I panted and gasped in joyful delight. His teeth bore down on my skin as he increased his taunting. From that point, a violent urge took over me. It took us both over. Daniel was going to drive me out of my mind. I just knew it!
In one quick motion, Daniel swept me off my feet and carried me to the bed. An aggression took me over. Daniel didn"t have much of a chance after that. I grabbed him violently then climbed on top of him. He didn"t seem surprised by my reaction. He knew my thoughts. I wanted him. There was no point in waiting. His hands locked onto mine as I slid down on his hardness. My breath panted with each hard stroke I made. Daniel"s eyebrows met into a frown. The veins in his neck tensed. It was my turn to blow his mind. Just like the man he was to me, I knew what he wanted. Hard, long and even strokes.
For the rest of the day, we never left the bedroom. The fire completely burned out in the living room, but Daniel and I were well heated and warm. It never occurred to me that the Highland games were in May. This was what Daniel meant when he said Highland games. He just wanted to have me all to himself for once. No distractions, just a marathon of hot and rough sex. So this was what he had in mind for Highland games.
Well, we were on our honeymoon. We had a full seven days to do…whatever we wanted.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The evening was cool. A gentle wind stirred from the north and with it came fresh reminders of home, the smell of the woodland area that surrounded me. It was good to be home. The short trip was nice, but home is always nicer.
We had stayed one more day in Scotland and then left the following day. Today was Tuesday. Daniel"s need to call a meeting of the clans was our highest priority.
Thomas had called together some of the local clans to meet at his home. With loads of laundry to do, I decided I wanted to stay at home this time. Daniel agreed and left.
I made a few phone calls, checking on Gramps and Aunt Tess. I let everyone know we had arrived back safe and sound. I also explained the extra danger of the werewolves to my family. Taylan"s group would take extra care to watch out for any unwelcome and invading werewolves.
The next phone call I made was to Casey. She was elated Daniel and I were back in town. Casey explained to me that Richard had also returned. The news was not good.
Richard was planning to meet with us tomorrow. In my heart, I was glad to see he made it back alive. For whatever reason, I still felt a part of me connected to him. I couldn"t understand it. There was just something odd that I felt had to do with more than just his venom.
It was only a few hours; at least that is what I thought. The sudden opening of the front door woke me up from a sound nap. Apparently, I had fallen asleep in front of the television. Daniel moved into the living room. The expression on his face was pure worry. Rising up on my elbows, I tried to make some sense of the words that rambled out of his mouth.
“…tonight!” Was the only word I heard before he rushed up the stairs.
“What?” I called after him. The time on my watch said it was 8:30 p.m.
“Get dressed!” He called back to me.
What on earth for? Where were we going this time of night? A couple of minutes passed before I managed to make my way up the stairs. Daniel was already dressed. He had on a pair of black jeans. The black Lycra shirt he wore strained against the muscles in his chest. He slipped on a black leather jacket. Daniel was a handsome sight before my eyes.
“Julie?” Turning, he opened my closet and pulled out clothes.
“Where are we going?” My mind was still trying to wake.
“We are going to a club. Didn"t you hear me?” His voice was in a rush.
“Why?”
“We are meeting Richard and this guy named Mithras.” He stated. He tossed an outfit on the bed.
Mithras. That name sent chills down my spine. Was Daniel out of his mind? Fear shot through me. After the dream I had of Mithras, I really didn"t want to meet him.
Why on earth did Richard bring this man back here? Casey said the news wasn"t good.
So where did this leave us?
“But…” I began when Daniel shot a firm look to me.
“But nothing. We have to meet him tonight. Jewels, this is important. Mithras wants to meet us in person. He knows what is hidden in Fort Mountain.”
I shook my head and began to dress. This was not my idea of fun. Daniel stood behind me like a football coach as he pushed me. My choice of dress was different than his. After I managed to pull up my black tights, I grabbed a turtleneck sweater dress from the closet. I topped it off with a wide black belt and a pair of black thigh high boots.
Tossing my hair a couple of times, I rushed through my makeup. Finally, I was ready to go.
We made it to the club safe and sound. Daniel"s driving, of course, left something to be desired along the way. Inside the club, it was dark. It took a second or two for m
y eyes to adjust. The smell of mixed drinks and beer filled the air. Also another scent caught my attention, the floral scent of lilies and carnations. Vampires. There was more than one in the midst of the tiny club. The club was packed with them. There were humans scattered about. My attention to this newfound mystery came to an abrupt halt.
Daniel"s hand grabbed mine and pulled me through the crowded room. The scent became stronger as we moved through the crowd. My eyes darted around the room. So many of them. Vampires that lived around us who we never knew existed. There was such as distinction between the clear blue glistening eyes and the eyes of the humans.
Here Daniel and I were in the middle of a club for vampires, the only two Lycans within the whole crowded area. I was sure our scent would attract more attention than needed.
Most were curious, others…such as the one who"s attention was now focused on me…dangerous.
Daniel stopped. The scent was stronger than I had ever encountered. Moving alongside him, I froze in my step. Richard sat in a booth with another man. Richard lifted his eyes to me. He wasn"t wearing contacts. Those blue diamond like gems shot straight through me. My heart fluttered to an absolute stand still. Waves of emotions and feelings swept over me. Just feeling his presence evoked familiar feelings. A calling. A wanting.
A will almost beyond my control.
“Julie.” His voice was normal and controlled.
“Please sit. Join us.” Mithras motioned to the empty side of the booth.
It was odd that I never noticed the man sitting in the shadows. Daniel sat down and slid closer to Richard. To my relief, I was happy. I moved in closer to Daniel. The shadow hidden body suddenly moved into sight, leaning closer to the table.
Mithras. He was every bit as breathtaking as he had been in my dream. His black hair, long and silky, flowed down his back. He wore a black silk shirt that only enhanced his pale appearance. His cheekbones were high and well defined. The eyes were the same jeweled blue eyes as Richard"s. The scent however, was almost over powering, strong to the point of being almost breathtaking.
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