Winters awakening, p.36
Winter's Awakening, page 36
Tears crowded her gorgeous eyes. He pressed his lips first one eyelid, tasting the salt of her tears, then the other. She lifted her head and kissed him. “I love you, my Lord Icicle.”
Sebris rolled her on the couch, amusement filling him. “You would taunt me? I can make you burn, amata.”
“I can’t wait,” she breathed.
Indeed, this life of theirs would be amazing, and he couldn’t wait, either.
Epilogue
Dull morning light streamed through the window. Brenna pulled on her sweater and dropped on the bed, tunneling her fingers through her hair, her head fuzzy, images sweeping through her…
Crimson rain splashing down, a black serpent lay still on the unending white, its tail flickering wearily…
Ugh, why was this nightmare haunting her again?
Soon after she’d gotten her memories back—three days ago—remnants of a dream from when she’d been unconscious resurfaced, leaving a hollow sensation inside her stomach. This morning it came back in full force. And the images continued to assault her.
What did it even mean? Red rain, a dying reptile?
God, she hoped it wasn’t a precursor of worse to come, but having some of the Stone of Light’s magic in her, she wasn’t taking any chances. She had to find Sebris. He’d left early to the Ortueri chambers to handle some work and interview one of the nobles for the council position. Maybe he’d know.
She telepathed him. Seb, are you busy?
Just finishing up some work. His warm voice coasted through her head. What is it?
Can I see you? Just for a little while. She didn’t want to tell him a dream troubled her, then he’d worry. There’s something I need to talk to you about.
I’ll be there in ten.
Okay. She shut off their mind-link and rubbed her face. The urge to get moving tugged at her, and she jumped up and paced the room.
The faint, strident call of the Drega cracked through her troubled thoughts. A smile started. Yes, she could spend some time with her ghostly friend before Sebris came. She grabbed her fleece coat from the armchair and dashed out.
Downstairs, she sprinted for the bolted front door and unlocked it.
“My lady, stop!” Roic yelled, appearing from out of nowhere and hard on her heels.
“My friend’s here. And it’s not like I can’t up my body temperature now,” she happily pointed out. It was so good to be able to do this after her…rebirth?
Still, her human habits were hard to let go. So, she pulled on her coat and zipped up as she hurried onto the portico. Heck, it was deadly cold. If she were still mortal, yup, she’d be in a shitload of trouble with Sebris.
A faint outline and brush of warm air swept over her, the Drega’s familiar smell of ice, brine, and sulfur surrounding her. The dragon had visited her twice since she’d awakened, enough for her to recognize its particular scent.
Brenna hurried down the steps, and at the faint caress against her body, she reached out and touch the ghostly form. And the enormous, familiar shape of the dragon took shape.
Roic sighed and waited on the porch since the Drega allowed no one but Brenna close, though it did tolerate Sebris, as if it knew he was her mate
“He’s been pining for you while you were in your restorative sleep,” Roic said. “We heard him.”
Brenna caressed the creature’s thick, scaly gray flank, and its huge car-sized, serpentine head swiveled to her. It gave her an eerie grin. Slitted red eyes shifted to Roic, and a strident hiss escaped it. The warrior stayed back, eyeing the dragon warily.
With a whine, Drega lowered to the snowy ground, head resting on its paws. Like a big cat, it waited for her. Smiling, Brenna stroked its neck. It lifted its forelimb. Laughing, she gave it a little rub, too. Its whine grew louder. Keeping a hand on its nape, she stepped back, angled her head at the beast and frowned. “What?”
It lifted its forelimb again.
Then she knew. “Oh, no, I can’t climb on you.”
The plaintive wail grew. It gently butted her arm as if in a plea, and she sighed.
This creature—this dragon—brought Sebris to her when she was held captive in the ice cave. She had to trust him, trust her heart that it wouldn’t drop her. Well, even so, at least she wouldn’t die. Hurt? Yup.
Her heart in her mouth, Brenna stepped onto its forelimb. She reached up, grabbed a spikey horn on its head for purchase, and scrambled on. Straddling its upper neck, her grip tightened on the horn.
“My lady, what are you doing?” Roic demanded, eyes wide in horror.
“Having a bit of fun. It won’t harm me.” She rubbed the animal’s rough, scaly head. “Now what?” she asked the dragon.
Huge, leathery wings unfurled. She shrieked, laughter escaping her. Innately, Brenna understood it wanted to fly in its corporeal form. “Only around the fortress, okay? Or Sebris will never let me do this again.”
A low strident raspberry was its response.
She grinned. “Let’s get an aerial view of the place then. Roic?” she yelled as the dragon leaped into the air with a grace of a bird. “You can join us or wait down here.”
Soft curses reached her, and the warrior dematerialized. The loyal guard would never leave her alone.
Chilly winds stung her face, less painful now that she was no longer mortal. She could sense Roic in his dematerialized form close by, and Sebris drawing closer. Aw, man.
Well, she’d handle her mate when she was back on solid ground…she hoped.
Yesterday, he’d broken his one unshakeable rule for her…he’d rescinded his rule on Talitha’s banishment after she’d begged him not to banish her, pointing out that the woman had helped her and kept her warm in the ice cave.
Sebris hadn’t been pleased, considering Talitha was behind the shove that had locked Brenna outside and, in a way, made her meeting with the Drega possible. It was probably the only thing that had moved Sebris to retract his ruling.
And she’d heard, too, that the councilmen who had planned her execution had been killed yesterday. But Sebris’ curt nod had put an end to any further questions. No, he’d shown no mercy for those who had so casually plotted her demise.
That was her man, an utterly lethal hardass, and she loved him.
Inhaling deep lungfuls of icy air, Brenna stroked the Drega’s horn, so grateful that mess was over. But the pull that had plagued her since morning intensified. The tug expanded from her heart to her psyche, so strong, as if a magnet dragged at her organs—
A figure materialized behind her, startling her heart straight to her throat. But the compelling scent of winter nights and ice-covered evergreens teased her nose. Her breath hitched as Sebris’ arms tightened around her waist. At least the dragon didn’t appear bothered at having another rider.
“Down. Now.” Sebris ordered.
She sighed, tugged the Drega’s horn, and pointed to the ground.
The dragon dropped in altitude, and her stomach did, too. Then the beast coasted lower to land gracefully on its limbs and lowered its head to rest on its paws.
Sebris tightened his hold around her waist and flashed them to the snowy surface, his expression like a thundercloud. “I told you ten minutes—”
The Drega instantly faded.
She brushed back her windblown hair. “The Drega wanted to fly. He missed it, Seb. How could I ignore the request when it saved me—and brought you to me?”
A low growl left him, but the hard expression remained intact. “You’ll be the death of me, Brenna. If the Drega wants to fly, then you wait for me. We’ll do it together, we clear?”
“Okay. But it was only around the fortress.” She tried to pacify him. “And I wouldn’t have gone any farther. I’m not that careless with my safety. Besides, Roic would have been there if anything happened. And the Drega is a badass.”
“Stars—” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m here now. What was it you wanted to talk about?”
She inhaled deeply and rubbed her chest. “While I was in the coma, I had a dream…I didn’t say anything about it because well, I thought it was another weird dream.” She unzipped the neck of her coat, feeling a little too warm. She told him about the red rain and a dying snake. “And I’d forgotten about it until this morning when I dreamt it again.”
Sebris frowned. “What’s changed?”
“I can’t quite figure it out.” She lifted a shoulder in a helpless shrug then glanced about her at the training field where they now stood. “It pulls at me. Seb—” Her eyes widened. “The sacred trees. They also tug at me. Take me there. Maybe I’ll know what the dream means.”
Sebris didn’t question her. He slipped his arms around her and dematerialized. Moments later, they reformed near the border between the ruined and undamaged trees. A low whine reached her. The Drega had followed them.
“Stay here,” she whispered to the creature.
“Anything?” Sebris asked her.
Brenna cast her gaze around the place. “No…just the usual tug. Let’s walk a bit.”
Sebris grasped her hand. “There’s something else. I didn’t mention this to you after you got your memories back because I wanted to show you what’s happened since you’ve last been here.” After trudging a few feet, he stopped near the blackened stumps, and nodded to the inch long, pale blue saplings pushing out from the snow.
“They’re growing.” She laughed. “So many. How?”
“The day we stopped here, about to leave for Earth,” he said, his brow lowering. “You were hurt when the rebels attacked. You didn’t say a word—”
“Nothing serious,” she said quickly. “I had splinters in my hand from the flying shrapnel. I picked them out and wiped my hand on the snow—oh!” Her eyes widened.
“The mere trace of your blood made this happen. Adara already tested them, and I feel their life vibration. It’s the same as yours.”
“Really?” Brenna couldn’t stop her smile. She knelt on the snow to gently stroke a shoot. “Thank God. Now they will all have a chance. Maybe, I should give more blood—”
“No.” Sebris shook his head and crouched next to her. “It’s not something I want everyone to know about. I won’t put you at risk.”
He was right. Yes, she possessed the Stone’s magic and no matter what dangers she’d have to face, she’d be absolutely safe with Sebris. But she could do her part, and try not to get nabbed again. It meant learning to fight. At Sebris’ stern features, okay, she’d tell him her decision later.
“All right. But if these trees need more of my blood, I’m fine with that. We’ll just do it quietly.” She glanced around her. “After all, the universe must have had a plan as to why I had to die and become immortal. So, if anything happens, I can’t die.” She wrinkled her nose. “That makes sense, right?”
“When it comes to you,” he said, tone dry, then his expression became serious once more. “These shoots have been this way for months. If they do survive, it will take centuries—a millennium—for them to mature and be a viable source of restorative energy for us.”
And waiting that long could be detrimental to their world. Brenna chewed her lip, her focus lowering to the sapling she stroked, then she glanced up to the sky. “Seb?” She pushed to her feet. “Can you take me above the ruined forest?”
He nodded, rose, and wrapped his arms around her, and shot up into the air. She grabbed him tight around his nape. As they hovered high above the ground, she glanced about her. The ruined forest crept over the snowy lands like a—
“My dream,” she whispered. “My blood is the rain, and the scar’s the serpent. But the new plants are dying. Why?”
Sebris coasted them back to the ground. “We don’t know. Adara and some of the other healers are trying to find ways to get the saplings to strengthen.”
The excitement she experienced at causing the trees to regenerate faded, as she finally understood the tug inside. It was their exhaustion at fighting through the desecrated soil. Sebris hunkered down on the snow, his forearms braced on his thighs, his gaze sweeping over the wilting shoots.
Brenna knelt alongside him, and gently touched the struggling plants, her chest tight…then she blinked.
“Seb, look,” she croaked, pointing to the sapling that appeared a little taller now, its tiny whorls of branches unfurling. And not just the one she touched, but all those around her. “It’s like my nursery plants. They always perked up when I was around, or so Amy used to say, but they never grew this fast.”
Sebris appeared like a statue for a second, then he hauled her into his lap, and cupped her face, his eyes bright. She’d never seen her hard warrior so emotional. “It’s you, me’morae. They respond to you. Your presence here, and they’re drawn to you. They know you by the blood you first gave them to live again.”
Joy surged through her at the full realization of her dream. “Then I’ll spend every day here. The saplings will be under my care…” A smile started. “With any luck, my regular presence will cut their time to maturity by years, maybe centuries.”
“Brenna mea…” He held her face in his hands, his tone reverent. “You undo me. Every time.” He pressed his lips to hers. “You not only saved me—you saved Dregarus, too.”
Not his whole world yet, but it was a start.
Later that evening, Brenna drew on her white dressing gown after her bath, still unable to believe what an unexpected and amazing day this had turned out to be. She was finally able to save those majestic, sacred Rean trees. Her! Oh, yeah, and she rode Drega.
So, dinner had been a celebration with the warriors, Adara, Erideni and her parents who currently lived at the fortress.
Smiling, Brenna tied the belt on her silky gown and walked into the bedroom to find Sebris standing near the window, staring outside. He still wore the clothes from dinner—black pants, dress shirt, and boots.
Her brow scrunching, Brenna refastened her hair in a haphazard topknot and padded to him in her furry slippers. “Are you going out again?”
He turned, his warm gaze skimming over her face. He fingered the strands escaping her topknot and framing her face. “No. But…”
He sauntered to the nightstand, got out the real boxed game of Snakes and Ladders she’d bought for Erideni and settled on the bed in a sprawl. He must have found it in the library.
She crossed to him. “You want to play? Now?”
“Yes, it’s fun.” He removed the game from the box, the dice, and two tokens for them.
She bit back a smile and sat opposite him. Oh, she would get this game out of the way in minutes and have him exactly where—how she wanted him. Naked, preferably. Besides, she always had luck with this game.
She threw a six at first toss and started the game. He came in at second try, and soon climbed a ladder. Then she got a two. He rubbed his chest, and a button came undone. Brenna blinked, wishing she’d win and get him to take off the damn shirt so she could feast on those acres of tawny muscled torso…
No, wait—he wasn’t distracting her. She narrowed her eyes at him, but he merely cut her a calm, questioning look.
C’mon Brenna. Just because you cheated during the first game, doesn’t mean he is now.
Yet, for some reason, she couldn’t get a ladder and lost to two snakes. Dammit.
“It’s truth or dare, right?” he asked.
Now was the time to come clean. Darn, how could she tell him the truth? Then he’d know she had fun at his expense. So, she nodded. Okay, she’d tell him after the game.
“I think a dare,” he murmured, staring at the board, appearing deeply invested in the game. He looked up. “That’s how it works, right?”
“What? You want a kiss?” She arched a brow. As if she’d say no.
He eyed her for a long second. “Take off your gown.”
“What?”
“It’s not difficult. I dared you, or do you want a truth question?”
Oh, hell. She bit her lip, her stomach stirring into a mass of guilt.
“Unless I remembered your rules wrong. Hmm, let’s see how this works again…” He pulled out the official rule guide from his pocket and opened it. Hot color rushed to her face.
He knew about her fake rules. No point in hiding. Still, she glowered at him. “I wanted to win, so I did what I had to.”
“Fair enough. But we’re playing by your rules, and you haven’t even climbed a ladder—the gown, Brenna.”
Her body melted at his low order, stirring her desire, but she refused to let him see it. No matter his calm response of “fair enough,” it was damn payback. She wasn’t fooled for a second.
She straightened her spine, and keeping her gaze pinned on his, she rose to her feet. And slowly untied the belt—well, sauce for the goose and all that—she could play this game just as well, and torment him, too.
The belt slid from her fingers to the floor. Running her fingertips along the front of her robe, she parted it by tiny increments then peeled the silky fabric off her and tossed it on the bed.
Hip cocked, she lifted an eyebrow. “Now what? You’ve seen everything.”
Sebris didn’t respond. He merely pressed his fingers to his lips and sent that intense stare of his over her face, down to her breasts, and oh, so slowly over her torso to linger between her thighs.
Ohhh, crap.
“I can’t believe you’d punish me for cheating on a silly game,” she grumbled.
He rose and strode across, then stood in front of her for a long silent second, doing nothing, his stare simply holding hers.
Finally, he circled one hard nipple with his finger. She swallowed, her blood heating at an alarming rate. He lowered his head, and his gleaming hair slid over her skin like silk while he licked around her areola. She inhaled sharply. Before she could lean into his mouth, he lowered to a crouch in front of her, and she bit her lip as he ran his palms up her thighs to her hips.
“I’ve wanted you like this…” he murmured, nudging her legs apart with a tap of his hand. Casually, he stroked a finger through her damp cleft, lightly flicking her clit. Brenna bit back a moan and grabbed his hair, but he snagged both her wrists and pinned them to her lower spine. In the next second, he used her discarded belt to tie her hands behind her back.
