“And you know this how?”
“Because for a while, my ill-informed little brother, he was my teacher and mentor.”
Hadrian narrowed his eyes. “How is that possible if he was banned two millennia ago?”
“For a person who has dimension-traveled you still think so linearly.” “That’s the only answer you’re going to give me, isn’t it?” Dragon’s superior smile was his only response.
“There’s more, Dragon. We all started to change, to mutate.”
“Now this surprises me.” Dragon paced the room excitedly. “Mutate how, exactly? I don’t see any scales or wings on you.”
“First it became apparent that none of us could die. Anytime someone was killed, no matter how brutally, we shifted back to ourselves as long as our pieces could find one another and reform. It was possible to stop the reformation by boxing us, eliminating our space to do it in, but besides that, none of us could die. Our minds would bring us back here momentarily and then boom, we’d be in terrible pain and back on Earth.”
Dragon jumped from foot to foot. “How many times did you die?”
“Don’t look so damn excited about my death. You’re practically dancing on my grave.”
“It’s not the death that interests me, it’s the regeneration.”
Hadrian noted that his brother stopped his happy dance. “I lost track of how many times. Twice yesterday.” Was it yesterday? Dimensional travel always screwed up his sense of these things.
“That frequently, with no obvious signs on the outside that it ever happened? Can you die now?”
“I have no idea. I’ve not had the chance to find out since we’ve been back. The other thing that happened was that we all started to develop powers. Prize grew to giant size overnight and several others were suddenly able to do Mystical things they’d never done before.”
“Mystical things?”
“Exactly.”
“What happened to you?”
“I could float or fly into the air.”
Dragon rolled his eyes, obviously unimpressed by his talent.
“It’s really your death ability that I’m focused on. Let’s see, shall we?”
Without warning, Dragon drew a knife from under his jeans and plunged it into Hadrian’s stomach.
Hadley’s scream was the last thing Hadrian heard as he hit the ground in agonizing pain.
Chapter Thirteen
Hadley leaped from the bed, modesty be damned if her shirt flew over her waist, and threw herself onto Dragon’s back. She needed to help Hadrian but it seemed imperative to rid the knife-wielding lunatic of his weapon first.
“Calm yourself, Madame, I am merely conducting an experiment to see if he can die.”
Squeezing her arms around his neck, she hoped she could choke him. “Look at the blood, you imbecile. Obviously he can die here. Trust me—when he burned to a crisp and regenerated on Earth, there was no blood.”
Hadrian moaned and Hadley let go of Dragon’s neck. Her attempts at strangulation would have been futile anyway—she could never actually kill anybody, even if they deserved it.
Hitting the floor in a jumble of limbs, she jumped to her feet. “Come after me or hurt me in any way and you’ll be in big trouble. I gather my presence here is important to many very powerful people. I’m not sure what kind of penal system you have but unless you want to find yourself in it, I suggest you back off.”
Dragon raised an eyebrow and stepped back. “By all means, if you think you can help him, have at it.”
Sinking to her knees next to Hadrian, she stroked his forehead. “Can you hear me?”
Wow, there was a lot of blood, and her first aid and CPR training were years behind her. Wherever she had worked, there had always been a medical doctor present. Hadrian didn’t respond.
She glared at Dragon. “What are you doing? Go and get help.”
“I think not. I’m rather curious to see what you will do for him.”
“Help!” Hadley shouted, hoping someone would hear her, then turned to Hadrian.
Placing her hands on his rapidly bleeding stomach wound, she applied as much pressure as she could, but it didn’t seem to stem the flow of crimson.
She couldn’t let him die. There had to be something she was capable of doing. Her skin started to tingle and she almost let go of Hadrian’s wound from the surprise of it. What was happening here?
Energy flowed from inside her. It felt like flames igniting and cooling as they pushed their way through her skin and into Hadrian. In front of her eyes, Hadrian’s wound began to stitch together and mend. New skin formed where moments earlier there had been none.
Hadley closed her eyes as the pain of her newfound power threatened to overtake her. A hand gripped her wrist and her eyes flew open. Hadrian’s green-meadow eyes met hers and she cried out in relief.
“Hadley, stop.”
She shook her head. “It wasn’t finished yet. I can still feel pain inside you.”
“I’m fixed. It’s good enough.”
No, it wasn’t, not when she was capable of making it all go away, of setting him right where he had carried pain for so long. If she just kept at it for another couple of seconds, he would be fine again.
“I’m mended. I’m not going to die. You’ve done enough.”
Sweat formed on her forehead and dripped in large quantities down her cheeks. She didn’t even care. “I can feel that you’re not right—I can almost see it.”
“Stop.” His eyes flared. “My physical pain is healed. The rest of it I am meant to carry.”
His words passed through the intensity that clouded her brain and she had to agree that there were some things other people couldn’t fix. She’d learned early on in life that her burdens were often what made her stronger. She nodded and, even though it felt like lifting a cannonball, she pulled her hands off him.
He sat up, pulled her into his arms and whispered in her ear, “You are never to risk yourself for me again. Ever. I take care of you, not the other way around.”
“Maybe whatever this is between us means that we’re supposed to take care of each other.”
“You’re not to touch anyone’s emotional pain. It’s not your job to undo everyone’s scars in that department.” He reached out and poked her in the nose.
A small noise from the corner of the room reminded Hadley that they weren’t alone and she turned, expecting to find Dragon glowering in the corner, but instead of Hadrian’s brother alone, the entire Warrior force and Hadrian’s mother Leopard stood, mouths gaping as they watched the scene.
Uncomfortable at being caught in a state of near embrace, she pulled gently from Hadrian’s steady arms.
“You just healed him.” Leopard’s voice shook as she spoke. “You saved my son with nothing more than your hands. Can all people from Earth do such things?”
Dragon laughed. “Oh, she might have been born in that dimension, Mother, but she is one hundred percent one of us.”
Hadley shook her head. “What?”
Hadrian rubbed her arm, a delicate circle with the tip of his finger. “We’ll explain— there is much we need to tell you. A lot I didn’t understand.”
Dragon stomped over and offered Hadrian his hand. “Looks as if you are not indestructible here. Or at least you wouldn’t be if not for her.”
Hadrian took his hand and stood. “This isn’t over. I will not forget what you did.”
Dragon’s eyes flared. “Then I will look forward to your retribution.”
Leopard hissed. “Stop that, you two. You still act like children. Dragon.” She rushed over and grabbed his arm. “You’re not home an hour and already your brother is lying on the floor bleeding while you make idle threats. If he really wanted to physically harm you, there is not much you could do.”
Hadley had never seen the older woman do anything before but love and gently scold. It turned out the woman was a force to be reckoned with and she wasn’t done giving out her opinions.
/> “And you.” She pointed at Hadrian. “While you were gone, your brother became the most Mystically powerful man in Haven.”
Hadrian nodded. “I gathered that.”
“Then you know if he’d really meant to kill you, he would have summoned a dark power and blown you up before you could blink. Whatever his reasons, I think he knew you wouldn’t die here today. Now it’s late and everyone is awake, so I’m going to the kitchen to see if we have anything we could all possibly eat. Sort it out or don’t, but I won’t have you dragging Hadley into the middle of this never-ending sibling rivalry or feud or whatever you want to call it.” She huffed. “Grow up.”
Having never had a mother she knew and having gone out of her way never to upset her father, Hadley had never been dressed down by a parent. Her cheeks grew hot as she thought about how upset Hadrian and Dragon must be, but when she looked up they both seemed relatively unscathed.
“Shall we go to the kitchen, then?” Hadrian offered her his arm, which she took, and they crossed the room.
In one swift movement, each of Hadrian’s men fell to one knee, their heads bowed to her.
Hadley sucked in her breath. “What are they doing?”
“Honoring you.”
She shook her head. “Why?”
“Because what you just did, the way you saved me, it was a royal power thought long dead. We all owe you our fealty and this is how they have chosen to express it.”
Hadley’s stomach turned. “Please, all of you, get up. I’m not used to any of this. Even where I’m from on Earth—well, you all know America. We don’t do this sort of thing. It’s very gallant and I’m touched but I have no idea how to handle it. I hope I don’t seem ungrateful.”
“Up,” Hadrian commanded the Warrior men, and they rose, their heads still bowed.
“Even if she doesn’t want the show of honor, I expect you all to continue to live by the oath I know each of you silently took today.”
“Yes, my prince.” The unity with which the group spoke reminded Hadley of the military units back home—which immediately made her think of Hailey. She needed to keep focused on her goal, no matter what life threw at her nor her feelings for Hadrian.
There was a ticking time bomb threatening to go off on her thirtieth birthday and she wouldn’t face it alone. Her twin sister knew none of this and only Hadley could prevent what was to come for them both.
* * * * *
Hadley sat at the table sipping tea as her mind whirled with thoughts. She wasn’t an Earthling, her father had cut some sort of deal with the shadow people who were now trying to claim her, and she was quite possibly the most powerful being born of Haven blood in two centuries. Setting down her teacup, she rested her head in her hands.
Just two days ago all she’d wanted was to see the giant squid alive. Truthfully she still wanted that, but it was lower on her list of priorities. Now she really wanted to stay alive herself so she could figure this whole mess out.
Spread out on both sides of the long dining table, the Warriors laughed at some joke Stone made while Dragon and Hadrian continued whatever secret conversation the two had been having since they’d reached the kitchen. She hoped they weren’t quietly threatening each other or plotting each other’s deaths.
“In all my years living with Warriors,” Leopard’s voice intruded on her thoughts and Hadley pulled her hands off her face, “I have never seen them laugh like this. My whole life has been devoted to Warriors. I was the daughter of a very powerful man and the wife of the most powerful Warrior of his time. No laughter, not like this, not ever.”
Hadley cleared her throat. Leopard’s face was blank, her eyes lost in thought, and Hadley had no idea whether the other woman loathed or liked this occurrence. “On Earth, men laugh. Sometimes they find the most inappropriate things funny or their senses of humor bewilder the women in their lives, but they do behave jovially as much as possible. In fact, a sense of humor is one of the things a woman looks for when choosing a husband or a boyfriend.”
Leopard nodded and Hadley stared at the window, which allowed her a view of the sun rising over the horizon.
“In all the years I was married to their father, he never spoke to me with any kind of endearments. I’ve never heard any man do that before.”
Hadley was confused. “Which endearments are you referring to?”
“Darling.”
Heat suffused Hadley’s face. Right, Hadrian had been using that term to refer to her.
“Oh. I think, although I’ve never asked him, that Hadrian spent a lot of time recently in the southern part of the country where I am from. Down there, many people use those terms in their daily conversations. I don’t think it means anything of significance, only that he adapted his speech to that particular pattern.”
Leopard smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I don’t think so.”
“You don’t?”
“I know smitten when I see it and that is how my middle child feels about you.”
“It’s complicated. He was in love with my deceased sister. Being with me causes him pain and the fact that it makes him upset makes me unable to let my guard down for him.”
Hadley would never have imagined having this conversation with Hadrian’s mother, but the other woman had brought it up.
“I’m sorry to hear she died. Death isn’t something we face with young people, unless they are killed in battle. I imagine he feels terrible about it. Hadrian has a need to save those around him. It’s bred into his genetic code. He can’t help it. But you were given to us and it was my son who brought you. I believe that means something.” Leopard raised one eyebrow. “There was a time when at least one royal princess a generation wed a Warrior. It was tradition. But it fell by the wayside as people started to become more focused on remaining true to their so-called roots.”
“You say that as though you don’t agree with it.”
Leopard sighed. “Even though my husband had saved the king and performed endless acts of bravery, we were, for a time, treated like pariahs when Dragon was born and it became clear over time that he was not a Warrior. It is not unheard of for a nonWarrior to be born into a Warrior family but it isn’t exactly desirable either. I didn’t even know any Mystics well enough to ask them to train him. The King had to intervene. I can’t believe we’re meant to live like that. People are people, no matter our metaphysical talents.”
“It sounds as if that’s how it should be to me.”
“I thought you might think so.” Leopard glowed with happiness. “Besides, you and Hadrian would have the most beautiful babies.”
“Babies?” The cup Hadley clutched nearly spilled over. “I think we’re ten steps ahead of ourselves. Where I’m from, men who look like Hadrian don’t look at women like me. I’m not nearly pretty enough.” Hadley knew he desired her but she wasn’t the type to end up permanently on his arm.
“Have you looked in the mirror lately?”
Hadley laughed. “I know, I’m much improved since I arrived here, but I can assure you that when I grew up it was made terribly clear by every member of the male species that I met that while I was great to pal around with, my desirability in the sack was slim to none.”
Leopard shook her head. “How could that possibly be?”
“Red hair, freckles and glasses might be cute on eight-year-olds, but it’s not hot on me.”
“Hadley, even here we all go through awkward phases. It is possible you never stopped seeing yourself that way when the rest of the world sees you quite differently?” “I don’t think so.” Where was Leopard going with this?
“Hadrian, my son.” Leopard turned her attention to her middle child, who stopped his conversation immediately to look at her. “Do you find Hadley has changed a great deal physically since she arrived?”
Hadrian narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “No, Mother, I don’t. Why do you ask?”
“Because Hadley seems to think she’s not attractive enough to be with you.
I was just wondering if somehow she had changed a great deal, because I have never heard such ridiculousness in my life.”
With that statement, Leopard stood and left the table. Hadley blushed so hard she wondered that she didn’t burn up. Hoping to make a quick exit, she stood and intended to make a beeline for her room, which was of course why she lost her footing, knocked over her tea and took a header straight to the floor. Damn, she’d never been graceful…but this was the worst.
Chapter Fourteen
He had no experience dealing with women when they made no coherent sense. His sister had been thirty years younger than him, still a baby when he’d become a man. His mother had seemed otherworldly and even remote when he’d been a child, and Annabelle had been easy to please, quick to laugh and untroubled by life’s problems.
Hadrian mused on these thoughts as he followed Hadley down the hall toward her bedroom. Her stiff posture gave away her irritation and embarrassment at the earlier scene in the kitchen. She stopped halfway down the hall and turned to him.
“Which one is my room?”
Smirking, he watched her eyes flare. “You don’t remember which one is your room?”
“I’ve only been here one day, I think. I’m losing all sense of time and I have spent so much blasted time in your room I can’t quite remember which one is mine. I don’t want to bust in on one of the men if he’s sleeping.”
He pointed to her room three doors down. “You’ll find clothes in there. I think my mother gave you some of Rabbit’s—you’re about the same size—and there’s also some bath stuff.”
She nodded and turned her back to him again. “Thanks.”
Walking to the door he’d indicated, she opened it and stepped inside. Immediately he realized she meant to shut the door in his face and he stuck his foot in the way before she could.
Putting her hands on her hips, she tilted her head to the right. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Look, I don’t see why you’re so upset or embarrassed or whatever you are. You fell, what’s the big deal?” He fell all the time—if he pouted about it every time he happened he’d be perpetually upset.
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