by L. P. Dover
Wide-eyed, I pushed him off playfully. “Why didn’t you tell me you had a house in the mortal realm?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I wanted to surprise you with it one day. I thought it would be good for us to get away sometimes and have our own place to stay.”
“Does anyone know you have a place here?”
He shook his head. “No one other than your family when I told them. Why, do you like it?” he asked, grinning roguishly.
“I haven’t seen much of it yet, but yes I do. Even though we’re in hiding, I bet you’re happier than hell being alone with me, aren’t you?”
He laughed. “Well, I’d be lying if I said no.”
I didn’t know what it was, but something felt off with him. I couldn’t quite pinpoint it. When he noticed me studying him, he shifted nervously. “Why are you staring at me like that?”
“I don’t know,” I answered. “You just seem … different. Is it weird to say that you seem glad that we’re away from home?”
His grin looked devilish when he smiled at me. “I’m not necessarily glad that we’re away from home, but I am thankful that you’re safe and with me. I have you all to myself.” He paused and kissed me quickly on the lips. “Why don’t you rest? I’ll be downstairs watching what these mortals call television, and later I’ll be up here to join you.”
Yawning, I nodded. “Sounds good to me. Wake me up if our people send word?”
“I will. Sweet dreams, baby,” he said before leaving the room. Once he was gone, I stared around the room in total confusion. My mind felt jumbled and unfocused. What the hell was wrong with me? Surely, it wasn’t the potion affecting me that badly, was it?
Resting on the pillow, it wasn’t long before I slowly drifted off into a much needed, dream-filled sleep.
The sand underneath my feet squished between my toes as I walked along the shore. The beach seemed almost familiar, like home in a way, but I knew it wasn’t. The water was warm as it lapped around my ankles and calves, guiding me to go further in its depths.
“Oh, why not,” I said to myself.
The water pulled me in, welcoming me in its embrace. Even though I knew how to swim, I could feel the water keeping me afloat. It was strange how it seemed to have a mind of its own, almost like it was protecting me. Out of everything that had happened, this was a welcome escape. If I had to be stuck in the mortal realm, my dreams would be the only link to my world, except this beach didn’t exist in the Land of the Fae.
The trees behind the sand bank look exotic and fruitful, and I wished I could stay here and explore every inch of it, but I knew the night time wouldn’t last that long. The sun overhead soaked in my skin as I floated along the water, and surprisingly it felt normal. Usually, with my Winter skin it would burn and be very uncomfortable, except my body had changed somehow, welcoming the heat. I guess you can make anything comfortable when you’re the one controlling the dream.
However, the water churning underneath me was definitely not my doing. The current electrified all around me and began pulling me back to shore. I stopped kicking my legs and let it guide me. Laughing, I teased the water, feeling somewhat ridiculous, “I thought you wanted me to swim. Are you tired of me already?”
My laugh stopped in my throat when I saw someone on the shore waiting for me. When the water guided me to shallow water, I walked the rest of the way out. Glancing around warily, I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on.
“Um … why are you here?” I asked him.
His eyes were unsure and slightly sad as he stared at me. “I think because you brought me here, and I’m hoping like hell I’m right,” he answered. His eyes were full of passion and longing, and he was gazing at me as if we were lovers. I laughed out loud, thinking how ridiculous my mind was wandering.
“This is crazy! I have no clue why you’d be here or what you’re talking about.” I ran my hands over my face. “Oh, I must be losing my mind.”
He moved closer, as if not to startle me, like I was a lion ready to flee. “You need to let me explain. I know what you are, Sorcha, and this dream is one of many that we’ve shared together.”
“No,” I laughed, exasperated. “I think I’d remember if I’d been dreaming about the infamous Drake. It’s kind of hard not to miss the flaming red hair and smoky eyes, and not to mention, I’ve never even actually talked to you before.” Closing my eyes, I said to myself, “This is a really weird dream. When I open my eyes, he’ll be gone.”
I counted to ten with my eyes closed and when I opened them, he was gone. That was until he came up behind me and wrapped me in his arms, tight. “What the hell are you doing? Get off me!” I snapped, struggling half-heartedly in his grip. In a way I didn’t really want to fight him off because I couldn’t deny that it felt like I belonged in his arms.
Grunting with trying to keep me still, he whispered in my ear, “I’m only doing this to see if it helps. Otherwise, I don’t think you’d let me touch you. Feel me, Sorcha, breathe me in and tell me you don’t know who I am on the inside. I have to believe you’ll remember me when I find you.” He ran his hands along my bare arms, making me shiver. “Look at your skin, it reflects my own because once you gave yourself over to me you changed. This land you brought us to is … or will be, our home once I get you back. I will find you, and that is a promise.”
I couldn’t stop myself from breathing him in if I tried. His scent was so familiar, and it only took a second to realize that my body gave off the similar smell of Summer. Why did it do that? Drake slowly released me from his arms, but I stood there frozen and confused like a statue.
“I don’t understand,” I muttered under my breath, gazing down at my golden skin. “I was too tired to notice when I was awake, but I honestly don’t feel like a Winter Fae anymore. Alston said my skin changed after I took the potion.”
Turning around, I noticed Drake clenching his jaw, and I could feel the fury radiating off of him. “That was all a lie, Sorcha. Alston is the one who took you away from me, away from your family. The potion he speaks of was forced down your throat by the dark sorcerer. That was the deal he made with Alasdair. He traded his fealty to your court in return for erasing your memories of me and our time together so he could take you away.”
Exasperated, I said, “This is crazy. Alston would never do that to me. This is just a dream from all the stress I’ve been through.” I turned my back on him and began walking back to the water. “I seriously think I just lost my mind.”
I didn’t hear Drake approach, but in the blink of an eye he had me by the shoulders, turning me around to face him. The electric shock from his touch made my heart flutter rapidly in my chest, and my knees go weak. I never in my life had that sort of reaction to a man, not even Alston. Drake’s stormy gray eyes never wavered from mine, and for the life of me I couldn’t look away. His gaze dropped hungrily to my lips before descending and closing the gap between our bodies. He kissed me greedily, and my body helplessly complied. His hands cupped my face, holding me there, while he devoured my lips with his frantic kisses. Even if nothing made sense, there’s no harm in getting a little lip action in my dream. After all, it couldn’t be real.
When he pulled back, he studied my face. “Do you remember me yet?” When I shook my head, he groaned and continued, “I’m sorry, Sorcha, but Alston did turn on your people and take you away. Your family is desperate to get you back; I’m desperate to get you back. Please tell me where you are in the mortal realm.”
I shrugged. “I couldn’t tell you that even if I wanted to because I have no clue. We’re in a house somewhere in the middle of nowhere.”
He visibly deflated and closed his eyes. For some reason I wanted to console him, to tell him I’m all right, but I chose not to. “What has Alston told you?” Drake asked.
“He told me there was an attack at the palace and that my parents told him to take me to the mortal realm so the dark sorcerer couldn’t find me. We’re supposed to stay there until my fa
mily comes for me or sends word.”
Drake huffed and paced along the shoreline. “They’re not going to find you because they have no clue where you are!” he shouted. He took a few breaths before asking, “What’s the last thing you remember?”
Closing my eyes, I concentrated on the last thing that came to my mind. “I remember picking out my dress for the Winter Solstice Ball with Sarette, and watching all the people in my court dance around preparing for the party.”
“Let me guess,” Drake started, “You picked a blue evening gown for the occasion, and you wore the crystal necklace your mother gave you for your sixteenth birthday. I remember your dress dipping low in the front, exposing the tops of those beautiful breasts of yours. Anger couldn’t begin to describe how I felt when I watched every man ogle you from afar. I do know this though, I was mesmerized the first moment I saw you.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it only to do it again. No one has ever said anything like that to me. Curiously, I asked, “If what you say is true about my memories, how long has it been since the Winter Ball?”
His reply was instant, and without hesitation. “It was ten months ago, and after that you visited my dreams every night.” I swallowed thickly and glared at him for any sign that he could be lying. His words seemed sincere.
“Are we lovers in these dreams of yours?” I asked, still doubtful. I just don’t know if I can believe this. It’s not exactly farfetched, but it would be a suicide mission for Alston if he did what Drake said he did.
Drake took my hand and gazed into my eyes. “We’re so much more than lovers in our dreams, Sorcha. You’re going to be my queen, a leader of the Summer Court. You can already see the change to your body. If there’s anything you take from this dream, let it be this … please, under no circumstances trust Alston or let him touch you. You’re mine, and I can’t bear it if he uses you and takes you to his bed.”
“Okay,” I drawled out. “First off, that’s just weird. I’m not going to discuss my sex life with you, and second, I’m going to need more proof if you expect me to believe this stuff you’re saying to me. You knowing about my dress color doesn’t prove anything.”
Drake’s wolfish smile gleamed brightly, showing off his perfectly straight, white teeth. I’m sure he had the women in the Summer Court falling all over their feet for him. “You want proof, I’ll give it to you. One, you secretly play the harp, and by the way, I love the song you wrote for me. You usually play it to lure me into the dream realm, but since you can’t remember it now it’s kind of a moot point.” My eyes went wide in shock and he smiled. Only a couple of people know about my love of the harp.
“Two,” he continued, “you love to travel. You love your home in the Winter Court, but you desire the chance to see the world, our land and the mortal one. We spent many of our dreams travelling to exotic places together, and lastly, I know your guardian calls you ‘ai dulin,’ his little bird.”
Hearing that about my guardian made me want to believe, but I couldn’t seem to wrap my brain around the truth. Drake took my hands and turned them palm up, tracing along the gash lines on both hands. I never noticed they were there until then. “What are those from?”
He kissed both wounds and said, “These marks are from your unbound courage that you willingly gave up to help save your land. You sacrificed giving your power to the dark sorcerer to get the sacred scroll. You see, we found a way to defeat him, but Alston helped him get away with the scroll after you sacrificed your own blood. You may not believe me, but use your truth seeking abilities on him. Search for it, but do it discreetly. We all fear of what he’ll do if he knows you doubt him.”
“He would never hurt me.”
“He better not,” Drake added darkly. “It would only add to the different ways I planned on killing him.” The dream realm suddenly shifted, alerting me that our dream was almost over. His eyes widened and he frantically took my face in his hands and kissed me gently. “The dream is about over. You’re smart and cunning, Sorcha. Listen to your heart. If you doubt me, and I’m sure you do, go to Oren in your next dream. He will tell you what I say is true.”
As my body began to fade out of the dream realm, Drake took me in his arms and whispered in my ear, “I love you, beautiful, and I’m going to find you.”
“Sorcha, wake up!” Alston uttered, shaking me by the shoulders.
Groaning, I rolled over. “Leave me alone. I just went to sleep.”
“Yeah, about fifteen hours ago,” he informed me. “I was getting worried about you.”
Rubbing my eyes to clear them, I gazed up into Alston’s serious face. The dream slammed into my mind and I tensed, but immediately let it go. “I guess I was tired,” I said, yawning.
When he reached up to brush the hair off my face, I latched onto his hand and held it to my face. I had to know for sure if he was telling the truth. “Alston,” I murmured, trying hard to concentrate. “Do you think my family will come to get us soon?”
“I don’t know, baby, but I’m sure it’ll be soon. Until then, we should just enjoy ourselves here.” His eyes showed sincerity, but something lacked behind them. What really concerned me was that I couldn’t feel any truth from his words … nothing. It was all blank, like something was blocking me. Interesting, and not what I was expecting, I thought.
“Well, let’s not worry about all of that right now. I made you breakfast, and I thought we could explore the land for a while, and then maybe explore this bedroom a little more when we come back. I’m dying to feel those legs wrapped around me.” Drake’s warning in my dream rang clear in my mind, and my heart lurched with guilt just thinking about Alston and I in bed together. How was I going to keep my distance until I found out the truth? Could Alston really betray me like that? I wondered.
“I need to get dressed,” I pointed out, hoping it would change the subject.
He grinned and tilted his head toward the closet. “There should be some clothes in the closet for you. Your armor is in there as well, but I don’t think that’ll be appropriate in this world.”
“I would think not,” I teased, hoping it didn’t sound forced. “Just give me a few minutes to get dressed, and I’ll meet you downstairs.”
“As you wish, Princess.” He kissed me hard against the lips, and before he left the room he looked back once and smiled. My heart ached with doubt, but I knew I only needed to get through the day before night came when I could find Oren. If there was anyone I could trust, it would be him.
Before going to sleep the night before, I was pulled in two different directions. I wanted to keep searching for Sorcha, but there was a part of me that wanted to try and sleep to see if Sorcha would come to me. I had a feeling she would, and luckily so, she did even if it was unconsciously done. I jumped out of bed and hastily put on my gear before banging on Oren’s door. He answered it in a matter of seconds.
“What happened?” he asked, hopeful. “Did she come to you?”
“Yeah, so get dressed. We have more searching to do.”
Ten minutes later we were entering a portal into the mortal realm … again. “I’m running out of ideas, Your Highness. After these next two stops I’m not going to know where else to look,” Oren informed me.
“Let’s just hope one of them is where they’re at. She’s been alone with him now for two days. There’s no telling what that bastard is doing with her.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened in the dream?” Oren asked curiously.
“I told her everything about Alston being involved with the dark sorcerer, and that the potion was what erased her memories. Of course, being the Sorcha we both know and love, she had to question everything and demand proof. I told her some secrets that only she and I shared, and it looked like I might have made some headway with her, but I don’t know for sure. She was pretty adamant that Alston would never betray her like that. I told her if she doubted me then she should visit you in her next dream. She trusts you and she knows you w
ould never lie to her.”
Oren nodded. “Well, at least it’s good news that she called to you in your dreams. It goes to show you that deep down her heart knows who you are.”
“Yeah, but she still looked at me as if I was a stranger. Don’t you know how hard that was to see her looking at me like that? She at least knows who you are.”
“Thank the heavens for that because if she didn’t then we’d be in some serious trouble. She trusts me over Alston, which is the good thing. I just hope she comes to me tonight like you suggested, but if she doesn’t know where she’s at how are we going to find her?” Oren asked.
“Do you think Sarette might know where to find him? They were close after all.”
Oren shrugged. “Maybe, but after finding out about his betrayal she’s refusing to talk to anyone right now.”
I understood her grief, but if she wanted her friend back I was going to need her help. “She’s not going to have a choice. If Sarette knows something she is going to tell us. One way or another, she’s going to tell us where he has her.”
We walked around the land and all we came across were trees, trees, and more trees. We were in complete solitude with no mortal in sight. I wanted to explore further, but Alston insisted we not get too far from the house in case someone came to get us.
“You really picked a place out in the middle of nowhere, didn’t you?” I asked as we made our way back to the house.
“It was the safest thing to do,” he replied.
“Where are we exactly?” I tried to hide my skepticism, but I could sense he was getting antsy. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye to watch his reaction. Alston had been dodging my questions all afternoon, and wouldn’t make eye contact with me when he’d give me his clipped answers.
Narrowing his eyes, he looked over at me curiously. “Why do you keep asking me questions like that? It’s like you don’t trust me or something.”