The Awakening Page 12

  “Holy hell!”

  My shaking, cold fingers tried to shove the key back into the ignition, but before I could, the front door opened.

  And like any proud woman who was facing a man sent by nature to be her mate, I slid deep into the seat and held my breath.

  “Irene?”

  He was tapping on my window as he called my name. I had closed my eyes tight hoping that if I couldn’t see him, he wouldn’t see me. It was foolish, yes, but it gave me some confidence.

  I peeked up at him and then slowly sat up. I wasn’t sure if it was Elliot until I opened the door. One deep whiff of his pure and wild scent gave me no doubts.

  “Elliot?”

  He gave me a single nod, and then he smiled, and his deep blue eyes seemed to sparkle under the cool night sky. Pulling open my door the rest of the way, he reached out his hand to help me up.

  “I um,” I bit my lip. I could only imagine what visions would conjure if I were to touch his hand. “I can’t,” I whispered.

  His brow waved in thought. Stepping back so that I could get out, Elliot kept his hands on the door, closing it after I got to my feet.

  “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” he leaned over like he was bowing. He was a good foot taller than me, even as he stood before me barefooted. And that thin white t-shirt of his was doing nothing to conceal his strength. I had to fight myself from reaching out to touch his arms. I couldn’t blame the desire on nature alone, and I certainly wasn’t cursing the gods for making him my mate.

  “Likewise,” I answered after my lengthy gawk.

  “Come inside,” he turned toward the house. I gave a nod, and then followed him up to the door.

  My brother bought the place after he returned from his time in Frostmoor. I thought he’d just gone on a road trip back then, but now I knew. The house was a two-story traditional farmhouse built in the sixties. Dylan had been restoring it for the past couple of years, adding in new details whenever he was bored. The loft just past the kitchen was his latest project. The staircase hadn’t been sanded yet, but it always made me stop and stare.

  “He’s a wonderful craftsman.”

  Elliot’s voice got my complete attention, as did his observant gaze.

  “Yeah, he restores furniture in the barn out back.”

  “He showed us.”

  Us.

  “He mentioned your guard was here too.”

  “Julian,” he informed. “He’s out over the bay tonight.”

  “Like, flying?”

  “Yeah,” Elliot laughed. Leaning up against the counter that divided the living room and kitchen, Elliot had crossed his arms and gotten comfortable. And it was such a delicious look on him. His dark blond hair was still damp and messy, and the sweatpants he had on were nothing like what I imagined he’d be wearing.

  Taking him in, I didn’t realize how intrigued I was by him until my eyes trailed up to his. Blushing was an understatement.

  “You must have a million questions.”

  I bit my lip. “I have a few.”

  “Ask me,” he got up and went into the living room. There was a sliding patio door that faced the east, and a big fireplace on the adjacent wall. Dylan had spent months trying to find the right sofa for the place, finally settling on an L-shaped sectional that was plush enough to fall asleep in. Elliot went over and sat down on that sofa, leaning back as he looked over me with patient eyes.

  “Um,” I licked my lips in thought. Yeah, I had a ton of questions, but where would I begin? “Why haven’t you come to see me?”

  Elliot flicked his brow, then sat forward. “I’ve been preoccupied.”

  “Is that what you call her?”

  “You mean Iliana?”

  There was a thickness to his voice that rolled over me like a fog.

  I gave a nod.

  “Do not go near her.” There was his first order. “She’s dangerous, Irene. I can’t leave here until I know she’s under control.”

  “But you came for me, right?”

  “Of course.”

  I listened to him as he continued to explain how awful Iliana was, even though I had already experienced her wrath firsthand, as I went up a step to sit down. And my wonderfully graceful self slipped and fell right into the banister. And down to my seat.

  Elliot was in my face within seconds.

  “Are you alright?” his blue eyes scanned over me.

  “I’m fine, really,” I leaned back. He was so close, too close, and I almost lost all train of thought.

  “Not here, you aren’t,” he turned my arm over and revealed the gash of blood below my elbow.

  “It’s nothing,” I pulled back, but he held me firm.

  “We have to get it out.”

  “What?”

  “The splinter.”

  Sure enough, on a second look, I spotted the splinter deep in my skin. It wasn’t just any splinter either, it was a mammoth.

  “How did that happen?” I said to myself as I tried to twist my arm around for a better look.

  “Let me,” Elliot offered. He’d adjusted his feet until he sat down on the lower step. With him all comfy at my feet, how could I refuse?

  “I’m not bothered by blood, you know.”

  His eyes hit mine as he grinned, “I’m glad.”

  “Really,” I insisted. I started to get to my feet and again he held me firm. “Elliot, I can clean this up myself.”

  “I know you can. But I’m going to help.”

  “But I…” I pulled my arm away from his hand and the warmth of his fingers gave me tingles.

  “I won’t hurt you.”

  “I know you won’t.”

  “Then why do you keep pulling away from me?”

  “I keep having these visions. Anytime my hand touches someone else’s for more than a couple seconds.”

  Elliot smiled, and his eyes curved into crescents in the most beautiful way.

  “It’s not funny.”

  “It’s part of your magic.”

  “I realize that.”

  “And so, you can control it.”

  “How?”

  Elliot reached over and took hold of my hand, and this time I let him. Placing my hand into his with my palm facing up, he traced the inner lines of my skin and it made me laugh. I curled my fingers around his, and thankfully, there was no vision.

  “If you allow yourself to be open, to be ready to receive a vision, you’ll have one.”

  “And if I’m not thinking about it, then I won’t,” I presumed.

  “Exactly.”

  I gave a nod, then let out a breath and relaxed my arm in his hand.

  Elliot looked over my wound as I studied his features. He had a strong nose and a square jaw. There was a softness to his eyes, though, and I just couldn’t stop looking at them.

  “You take care of everyone, don’t you?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You don’t seem like the type of girl who likes to be taken care of.”

  “No, I guess I’m not.”

  “Hold still,” he said to me as he got up. Quick to the kitchen, he hurried back with a towel and a bowl of water. I wondered if he was used to caring for others, maybe out on battle fields or places where medical care was improvised.

  Back at my feet, he put the towel around my arm and used the corner to wipe away the blood. I gave a little wince and he eased up.

  “It’s okay.”

  “As a dragon, you have to be careful not to leave foreign things in your wounds. You’ll heal around them and they can later cause you terrible pain.”

  I nodded as he spoke. He gently cleaned at my skin, studying the wound with his unbelievably clear blue eyes.

  “If I didn’t know already, I’d think you were a healer.”

  Elliot paused and looked up at me as he shook his head. “I wish it was that simple.”

  “But you’re a warrior,” I led on.

  Elliot nodded, then went back to cleaning my wound.


  “At least you can heal me.”

  His brow softened as he again paused. “I exist to protect and care for you, Irene. I’ll always do everything in my power to see that you’re safe.”

  I almost couldn’t breathe. It’s not like people go around saying such serious things to one another. That stuff was only in old movies, not in my life.

  “You’re saying that your life has one set purpose.” He looked up at me from under his brow. “Like you have no choice. Doesn’t that bother you?”

  Elliot’s eyes tightened. “Does it bother you?”

  I had something to say, but nothing came out as I opened my mouth. Instead of educating him on the benefits of freewill, as I had been taught by my aunt and mother, I sat there biting my lip.

  “I want you to choose this for yourself, as much as I have. If we start this life together and it isn’t what you want, then you’ll only feel trapped.”

  I nodded. It was hard to ignore the gravity of his words. We were going to spend our lives together. The only thing that stood in the way was me agreeing to take my crown. He had already decided that was the life he wanted, even before he ever met me.

  “You’ve chosen me so easily,” I laughed like it was a foolish thing.

  He eyed me with a single, serious nod, and my smile fell. “Does he have tweezers?”

  “Or do you just want to keep your position as a lord?”

  Shut up!

  “Of course, I do.”

  “Tweezers?”

  “My sister was right.”

  “It’s my honor to be marked as the Lord of Warriors. I would never want to ruin my chance of reaching my full potential.”

  “But I could ruin it,” I mumbled.

  Elliot’s shoulders lowered. “Listen, if you really want nothing of this life, I can’t force you into it. But you need to come and see your people before you say no.”

  “I actually want to go.”

  “You do?” he raised his brow. Definitely not what he expected, I guessed.

  “I’ve waited my whole life to feel my magic. I want to learn more about it, and where it comes from.”

  That made him smile, which made me blush, and with another whiff of his scent, I almost slid off the step.

  “I can pull it out myself, but you have to be very still.”

  “Okay.”

  Tweezers would have been fine. I knew there were a pair in the bathroom, but I didn’t want Elliot to let go of my arm. It felt so good to sit and relax with him. And his touch… it was incredibly pleasant.

  “It’s right here. Ready?” he leaned down and tightened his grip. I gave a nod, and then he picked the splinter out.

  And somehow nature thought it was the perfect time for my mark to start stinging again.

  I let out a sharp wince, then bowed my back and practically jumped into Elliot’s lap. I couldn’t even process the wonderful feelings of the moment, let alone apologize for smudging blood on his clean clothes. No, I could barely breathe.

  Elliot was steady as he took hold of my arms and held me close. With his eyes gazing deep into mine, he tried to hush me.

  “Why won’t it stop?” I trembled.

  “Because you haven’t let it in. Relax, close your eyes, and feel it. Truly feel it.”

  The stinging had hit the bone again as I dug my fingers into Elliot’s arms. I drew in a couple of shuttered breaths, then let out all the air I could. I closed my eyes and let go of everything except for the feeling I had there in his arms. And in a couple of minutes, the pain was entirely gone.

  “Stay here tonight,” Elliot brushed back my hair. “Let me take care of you.”

  “I can’t,” I got up and tried to find my balance, but all I could feel was the cold air between us.

  Elliot reached over and wiped the last bit of blood from my arm, but it had mostly dried by then. Unfortunately, his shirt was most likely ruined.

  “Your transition is so close to complete. Let me help you.”

  It was tempting to accept his offer, but I wasn’t ready to be around him for that much time. It was already difficult to behave around him, put that with hours of alone time throughout the night and I was having a hard time breathing.

  “Really, I should go.”

  “We can light the fire.”

  “Elliot, come on,” I studied him as he placed himself between me and the door.

  “I don’t feel comfortable letting you leave,” he reached for my hands. “I’m your protector, it’s my responsibility to keep you safe.”

  “I can keep myself safe,” I shook my head. Really, I wanted to laugh at him. It sounded so medieval, but then, with Elliot, everything was.

  “Promise me you’ll go straight home.” Caressing my hands in his, I knew he meant to be kind, even though it seemed forced.

  “Elliot,” I shrugged, but he stopped me with a firm hold on my arms.

  “I need to know that you won’t do anything to put yourself in harm’s way.”

  “And if I do?”

  Elliot let go of me as his eyes narrowed. “Then I won’t be as trusting to let you leave my side in the future.”

  I crossed my arms. My mind was reeling with thoughts then, but all I could get out was, “Then why haven’t you come and protected me? If you’re supposed to make sure I’m safe, how could you let Iliana get so close?”

  “Don’t be angry because I wasn’t here the minute they discovered you.”

  “From what I’ve heard, they knew about me months ago.”

  “Months ago, your brother ensured me you were safe. Only recently have you been spending excessive amounts of time with one.”

  “What? Have you been watching me?”

  “I’ve been protecting you.”

  “That’s not how you protect someone,” I raised my voice and the water pipes in the kitchen rattled.

  Elliot shook his head. “If you want to go, then go. I’ll come to see you tomorrow, Lady Irene.”

  “That’s not my name,” I reached for the door.

  “It will be soon enough, and when it is, I trust you’ll take my word more seriously.”

  “You mean, follow your orders?” I turned to face him as my eyes dug deeply into his.

  “I am your lord, and I intend to keep you safe. You won’t always like it, but someday you’ll appreciate it.”

  “Are all the women in Frostmoor so obedient?” I shot without a second to think over my words.

  “Not at all. They’re intelligent and know their place.”

  “Unbelievable,” I mumbled as I yanked the door open and went outside. I could hear him step out behind me as I went down the steps. “Don’t worry, Elliot. I’ll just go home and practice sewing and cooking for you. And we’ll live happily ever after and you’ll be the king you want to be.”

  In a breath, Elliot was down the stairs and at my side, tugging at me to stop walking.

  “I’m never going to be the lady you’ve hoped for. Maybe you should find someone else.”

  “I don’t want anyone else,” he put both hands on my arms and held me still.

  “And you can’t just make me behave,” I pushed his hands down and stepped back. “We’re from different places, with very different rules. You need to see that.”

  “Please,” his hand graced my arm again as I went to leave, but this time he didn’t grab hold. “You’re right. We’re from different places, and I only know what I’ve been taught. But that doesn’t mean I’m not willing to learn.”

  I took a breath and thought it over. If I didn’t become his lady—their lady—then the mark would go on to another pair. He’d lose everything he’d worked for his entire life. And the dragons would have to wait years for another lord and lady to gain their marks. I knew from the journal that that meant the council on Frostmoor would gain all the power, and they weren’t always trustworthy.

  But if I took my role and went to see the home of the dragons, my life could open with more magic than I’ve ever imagined. There w
ere so many things I wanted to learn more about, and here was my lord offering me everything so long as I accepted my place.

  “What is it?” his voice rolled over me like a thick fog, pulling me from my thoughts.

  “I’m just surprised at how much you want this to work.”

  Elliot squinted his eyes as he got ready to speak. I could tell he was thinking over his words as I watched his lips curl and purse. Finally, he ran his tongue over those lips and all I could imagine was feeling it on mine. Whatever trick nature had dealt us with the whole mate thing, it was both a pleasure and a pain.

  “I’ve wanted to take my crown my whole life. I’ve trained countless hours, studied ancient texts, traveled to places unknown, all so that I can honor my people and lead them to an ever-expanding future. A future that offers promise and stability. It’s not only my right, it’s my calling.” Elliot drew in a breath and then took my hand into his. Gentle this time, he caressed my skin in a way that sent tingles all over my body. “You have the power to take this future away from me. So, yes. I will do anything to encourage you to become my lady. Anything.”

  For a second, I was speechless. I couldn’t imagine going through all of that just to have my fate decided by someone else. Although, in a way, I realized I was in the same situation. I hadn’t trained my whole life for something, but I had planned for a future that included Cole, the bookstore, and a little house in the hills. He was taking that away from me, but not to be cruel, he was trying to live up to the role his people expected. My people now. And I had the same role. Maybe, just maybe, there’d be a way to get what we both wanted. With him offering to work with me, I had no choice but to try and work with him.

  “If you’re willing to do anything, then I have to agree to the same. I’ll try to be careful. But you can’t just come into my life and start threatening me, especially when you haven’t been here all this time.”

  “You’re right.”

  “I could have really used a protector last week. It would have been nice.”

  Elliot started to grin, but he lifted his chin and gathered himself. “I’d have been honored. I will come to see you tomorrow.”

  “I look forward to it.” I gave him a smile, and then he leaned down and kissed my head in a slow and patient manner that filled me with his cool, pure scent. Waving to me, he went back up the stairs and into the house as I reached for the car handle.