Chapter 18
The woman climbed out of the lake; moonlight bounced off her glistening skin. Vines of ink twisted themselves around her body. They started at the base of her toe, crossed the foot, wound around the muscled calf of the right leg and skimmed her leg up to the edge of her abdomen, where a small flower dropped off and waited to be tasted. The tattoo continued around her hips, encasing them in a caress, before it whispered across the flat of her pelvis and small of her back. Each rib was covered in living art. Buds folded under the breast. More flowers dripped delicately down the arch of the breasts. The vine rested against her heart, traveled up to kiss the side of her neck and hide behind her ear. Then slid down the back of one shoulder, wrapped ever so delicately around her bicep, licked her elbow, and gently fell to her wrist where one final leaf slept. Waiting with practiced ease on the base of her finger.
She had ice-blond hair that glistened as though blue fire lapped at its edges. She was tall with a lean, muscled physique. Her skin was alabaster. Her eyes were a deep rich plum, too deep to be black.
The figure smiled wistfully and caressed her tattoo. Slowly she began to unwind the vine from her arm, pulling it away from her skin, in a dance that was both sensual and terrifying. She moved toward Alex loosening the vine as she walked. Her look felt warm and soft. It felt welcome. Like love.
She studied Alex for what seemed like hours before walking away. Though she wanted to beg her to stay, Alex knew it would do no good.
Alex woke to the sound of a heartbeat and the remnants of her dream. Felt the body of her lover pressed against her chest and smiled into his skin.
“Good morning,” Collum hummed as he kissed her head. “Did you sleep well?”
“I think so. I had strange dreams all night. Some of them involved dragons in the dark and wings encrusted in black onyx. Others were of a woman? Maybe an angel?” She shook her head and stretched beside him, arching her back. “And you?”
“Well, some little thing kept kicking me all night. I’m quite sure somewhere between three and four a.m., her tattoo did something super inappropriate to me.”
“It did not. You're making that up.”
“I never lie. It's one of the rules of being a guardian. C'mon, we better get up before Dom comes looking.”
Alex splayed her fingers over his chest. “I'm a grown woman. And it's not like he's a typical grandfather that needs to be worried about my virtue. Who cares if he finds you here?”
Collum reached for her hand. “It's easier if we don't have to answer questions right now.”
“I thought you didn't care what people thought of you.” She curled her fingers into his chest hair. “I don't mind answering questions. Not that I have any answers. I haven't had time to give what happened too much thought yet. Only that it happened and it was beyond anything I've ever experienced.”
He leaned back. “I simply prefer to keep things private. I'm not interested in an inquisition.”
Alex sat perfectly still for a moment before she collected herself. “You came to me remember? I didn't realize I was something to deal with.” She whipped the blanket around herself as she climbed out of the bed. “I don't need this, Collum. I don't know what all that fire and smoke shit meant to you, but I thought it meant we were more than a discussion topic for a grandfather I barely know.”
“You're acting childish. There’s no conspiracy here. I'm not interested in dealing with your grandfather right now. Can't you respect that? See the wisdom in it?”
“All I see is a guy who is having second thoughts and I'm not interested in that. You can act as calm and mighty as you want, but I see the truth.”
She stumbled in the mass of blankets pooled around her ankles, pushed her hair out of her eyes, and yanked the blankets higher.
“And you can call me childish all you want. What I see is someone who, even at two thousand years old, doesn't know how to be a grown man. But you're right. I have too many other things to concentrate on right now, like how to stop my bloody hair from starting on fire every time I get pissed off.” She gave him a scathing look. “I almost forgot, the women of my race are warriors, not toys. I'm not playing your game, Collum. Get out of my room—now.”
She swept into the bathroom with all the glory she could muster and refused to look back.
~ ~ ~
After a twenty-minute shower Alex returned to find the bedroom warmed by a fire Collum had started. She fingered the robe he'd left on the bed for her and felt her resolve strengthen. The big guy was an idiot and she didn't have time to deal with that right now. She dressed in jeans, (the good ones that made her ass look phenomenal) and a knit gray sweater Aunt Quinn had given her last Christmas. She fluffed her hair and headed out of the room to find breakfast. She wasn't about to let some guy get in the way of her and Glenn’s cinnamon bun, even if he was a Dragon King. She’d simply pretend it had never happened. She wouldn't think about her toes curling or her flames caressing his skin, or the fact that she could still feel him inside her.
Oh Christ, she thought as she wandered out in to the hall.
She found Domhall in the kitchen filling his plate with a mountain of eggs and fruit.
“Morning, kiddo. I ah, I’m sorry about yesterday. It was a bad day for me. I get them sometimes, but I’m tip-top today. Glenn made Eggs Benedict this morning. Want some?”
Alex refused to ignore her grandfather no matter what Collum thought so she walked over to him and kissed his cheek. “Good morning. Yes, thanks. I'm starving and would love to eat.”
“Good, glad to see the events of the past few days haven't affected your appetite. It's important to keep your strength up.” He winked at her. “Well, you look gorgeous. Trying to impress someone?”
“Nah, I just happen to be gorgeous,” she teased him back.
“Thank God for small favors. There is no one here you need to impress. You come from one of the strongest blood lines in our world.”
“Except that I'm only a half-breed, right? And I might be a dangerous one at that.”
Domhall responded with a slight nod. “Right, we can't know. But I know my daughter and she’d never let someone unworthy near her. You can trust in that child.”
“Can't you tell me anything else?’ Don't you have any ideas about who my father is? I mean if you are so powerful, shouldn't you be able to figure this out?”
“Trust me, if, and when I can tell you something, I will. Things come to us in time. Patience my dear, is a virtue when you live forever.”
Domhall handed her a plate of food piled as high as his and gestured to her to join him at the table.
Moments later, Collum walked in and headed over to the platters of food left out by Glenn.
She was secretly thrilled when he gaped at her in her jeans.
“Close your mouth man. That's my granddaughter.”
“I don't have time for this,” Collum mumbled. I'll be in my office.” He rushed out of the room without a backward glance.
“You really shouldn't tease him, Alex.”
“I'm going to have nothing to do with him for a long time. You can trust that. Look, I saw a beautiful garden on the way down from my room that I missed last night. I'm going to go sit out there and enjoy the sun while I eat.”
“Be kind kid. We’re only men. And that one, even if he is a twit, will protect you with his life. He took an oath. And you, you are perfection, like your mother and grandmother. Be gentle.”
“I'm the new one here, remember. You two are so busy talking about protecting me. How about if you learn how to talk to me? And, like I’ve been reminded since we arrived, you aren't only men.” Alex allowed Domhall no time to reply as she stomped out of the room.
~ ~ ~
In the garden the smell of heather lingered in the air. She'd never been much of a gardener. That was Aunt Quinn's forte. She could imagine reading a book and drinking tea there on another day, in another life. Alex found an inviting table and chair in a corner half hidden by English Ivy. The late morning heat soaked into her skin through her sweater.
She savored the flavors of the morning meal. Glenn had outdone himself. As she relaxed, she thought about how strange it was that she was eating Eggs Benedict while sitting in a castle garden. Then again, how weird was it that she'd had sex with a dragon and that she was a descendent of an immortal race. If she'd had any girlfriends, this would make for one hell of a phone session.
She studied her hands. They looked normal. She pulled her sweater sleeves up and focused on her arms. The tattoo lay quiet against her skin. She blew on it, hoping for a reaction. Nothing. Played with her hair. Tasted it. Nothing. She removed her shoes and curled into the patio chair. It was warm and luxurious, like everything else of Collum's. The sun slowly lulled her to sleep. Let her protectors find out what they needed to. Maybe tomorrow they would set off for the witch.