Always Darkest (9 page)

“I have guns.”
 
Mason said.
 
“I’m not so sure where to find a wizard that would do it.
 
Or one I would trust with the knowledge of going between the worlds.”

Willa opened her previously closed eyes. Tori thought she had been sleeping, but apparently she was still listening.
  
“I know just the man for the job.
 
He lives about ten miles from my cottage.
 
He and I know each other well.
 
Why I treated him for a burn on his foot not two weeks ago.”
 

Mason stood up. “So we must to go to Black Rock again.
 
We will head out in the morning.”
 

Thomas raised his hand like a boy in a classroom.
 
“The morning will be too late!
 
Have you forgotten you just broke a wanted criminal out of jail?
 
When they are found the king will send his men here.
 
You didn’t kill the guards and they will tell it was you that broke me out.
 
Mason, everyone around the castle at least knows of you!
 
We have to leave here tonight!”

“Thomas, settle down.
 
My granny is exhausted and she will get some rest.
 
I dosed the guards.
 
They won’t remember a thing in the morning.
 
It will look like they got drunk out of their minds, giving you an opportunity to escape.
 
They will have no idea where to look.”
 
Mason sounded so in control of everything.
 
Tori couldn’t help but get a little turned on by the authoritative tone in his voice.

“They will still be looking for me!
 
I can’t go back to the dungeon! I have to get back to my wife!
 
How do you know your poison worked?
 
Who carried around poison with them anyway?”
 
Thomas seemed to be getting more upset by the moment.

“I do.
 
It comes in handy from time to time.”
 
Mason said smiling.
 
Tori wondered if he had also built up a resistance to iocaine poison just in case, and repressed a giggle.
 
She was exhausted too and a little slap happy.
 
This was so not the time.
 
Mason went on, “I know the best poisoner in Three Suns, and I know it will work.
 
I have used it before.
 
Besides, if we leave tonight, we will still have to go through the gates and that will look even more suspicious. I will not risk my granny’s health and that is final!”
 

“Okay,” Thomas said relenting.

Willa opened her eyes and spoke again.
 
“Tori let’s go up to bed.
 
Mason will find places for Thomas and Justin to sleep.”
 
Willa stood up and Tori took her by the arm to lead her up the stairs, looking back at Mason as he was still talking with Thomas and Justin.

When they were in their room, Willa sat down and slowly took off her shoes. “Woo, it has been one hell of a day! Could you get the nightgowns I packed for us out of the satchel?”

“Of course,” Tori said pulling out the nightgowns and handing them to Willa.

“This one is for you dear.”
 
She reached a white cotton gown to Tori.

“Thank you.”

“Well, I didn’t want you running around naked.
 
I don’t think Mason would mind though.”
 
She raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips.

“Willa!” Tori said.
 
“Doesn’t matter anyway, I’m going to the washroom.
 
Goodnight.”
 
Tori could hear Willa laughing as she left the room.
 
She is crazy, Tori thought, crazy in a sweet nice, helping her out even though she didn’t have any reason to sort of way.
 
She reminded her so much of her grandmother, who had died ten years ago.
 
Yes, she thought Mason was handsome, and he had a charm she couldn’t quite stop thinking about but, Tori knew she didn’t belong here.
 
She knew she had a life back home, and she would be back there soon enough.
 
Mason would just be a pleasant memory she could call upon in the middle of a lonely night.

When Tori returned to the bedroom she could hear Willa snoring, loudly.
 
She got into her side of the bed thinking that she would be asleep soon as she was absolutely exhausted.
 
She turned on her side.
 
She pulled a pillow over her head.
 
She even tried to gently nudge Willa hoping it might stop the loud snoring.
 
It sounded like a bear, if the bear had swallowed a freaking chainsaw.
 
Tori remembered the comfortable leather couch in Mason’s study and in her frustration she got out of bed and headed downstairs.

The door to the study was closed and there was no light coming in from under the door so Tori eased the door open.
 
She didn’t see anyone inside so slipped through the door.

“Tori, is that you?”
 
Mason said.

Tori jumped.
 
“You scared me.
 
I didn’t think any one would be down here.”

Mason was sitting on the sofa where Tori had intended to sleep.
 
“Sorry to disappoint,” he said.
 
“I didn’t mean to scare you. Come and sit down.”
 
He patted the space beside him on the sofa.
 
Tori felt her heart race at the invitation.
 
Then she reminded herself it was an invitation to sit on a sofa, not bear his children.
 
For God’s sake woman, get a hold of
yourself
.
 
Tori went and sat down next to him. “What brings you out of bed and into my study?”

“Did you know your granny snores like a beast?”

Mason laughed.
 
“She does, yes I knew.
 
It’s a wonder everyone in the kingdom doesn’t know.”

“I was just hoping to sleep on the sofa tonight.
 
I wouldn’t have come down here if I knew you would be down here.
 
I’m sorry.”
 
Tori said as she remembered she was wearing a white cotton nightgown. That while it came down to her ankles, still left her a little too exposed.
 
Especially when Mason was still wearing his dress paints and white button up shirt.
 
She crossed her arms over her chest.
 
Mason reached behind him and got his suit jacket from where he had hung it on the sofa.
 
He reached it to Tori and waited while she put it on.
 
“Thank you.”

“You are welcome and I’m not sorry.
 
I have been hoping for a chance to speak with you alone.
 
Granny told me what happened to you, everything that happened to you.
 
If that man were here, in this kingdom, I would kill him with my bare hands.
 
I swear to you I would.”

“Mason, I’m okay really.
 
He didn’t get a chance to do anything.
 
It was scary, but…”

“You were strong.
 
You fought.” He finished for her.

“I guess I was.
 
I just hope he gets caught before he has a chance to try anything like that with any other woman.
 
When I get back I am going to report it to the police, give them the best description I can and hopefully they will catch him and put him behind bars.

Mason’s face held a look of disgust.
 
“Prison is too good for scum like that.”

“It is how it works on Earth,” she said with a shrug.
 
She had relaxed a bit talking to Mason.
 
She sat facing him with her legs curled under her and wrapped snugly in his jacket.
 
She still wanted to change the subject, she may be a strong woman, but she didn’t want to dwell on the event that brought her here.
 
Her adventure with the guards tonight had brought a lot of those feelings back to her, but it was also empowering in a way she didn’t quite understand.
 
“You and your grandmother seem very close.”
 
She hoped that would get him talking and take the focus from her.
 
She could listen to his deep voice recite the
Gettysburg
address and it would be comforting.

“We are very close.
 
She has raised me since I was twelve.”

“What happened to your parents?”

A flash of sadness crossed his face.
 
It didn’t linger, just a slight downward turn of those perfectly shaped lips.
 
“My father was a soldier, and my mother was a healer, like Granny.
 
They fought in the war and they didn’t come back from it.”

She reached out to briefly touch his shoulder.
 
“I’m so sorry.”

“There is no need. It was a long time ago.
 
Granny raised me well, like I was her own son.
 
I am a very lucky man.
 
She and I are the only one’s left from our family, so yes we are very close.”

“She is a lovely woman.
 
I am so thankful that she is helping me. And thank you too.”

“I am thankful that I got the chance to meet you.”
 
He smoothed a piece of her dark hair behind her ear.
 
She reflexively nuzzled her cheek into his hand.
 
It was so warm and large.
 
She realized what she was doing and jerked away.

“You can sleep in my bed tonight, if you like.”

“Mason, I’m really not that kind of woman.”
 
She was kind of that type of woman.
 
At least she had been in the past. But if a single touch from him could make her feel this intense, she knew if she spent a night with him her heart would break when she left to go back home.

“I am that kind of man.”
 
He said winking at her.
 
“But I didn’t mean it like that.
 
I can sleep down here on the sofa and you can take my bed.
 
You really must be exhausted.
 
A lady like you should not have to spend the night on a sofa, especially after having the day that you have had.”

“I am, but I couldn’t possibly take your bed.”

“You can and you will.
 
No arguments, I’ll show you to my room.”
 
She really was too tired to argue.
 
He rose from the couch and extended his hand to her.
 
She took it and allowed him to lead her up the stairs.
 
He opened the door to a darkened room.
 
She couldn’t tell much about the décor or the furnishing in the dark, but the shape of the large bed in the center caught her attention.
 
Then he surprised her by scooping her up in his arms as if she weighed nothing, instead of her one hundred and thirty some pounds.
 
She placed her arms around his neck out of instinct and he was so closed she could feel his heart beating.
 
He smelled like a forest, all woodsy and manly.
 
She felt so safe and secure in his strong arms.
 
He carried her across the room and deposited her gently onto the bed.
 
The covers had already been turned down for the night.
 
He pulled the covers over her.

“Sleep well
Victoria
.”
 
Mason said as he kissed her lightly on the forehead.
 
“If you need me I will be in the study.”

“Good night Mason.
 
Thank you.”
 
It was all she could think to say.
 
He was being so nice to her and she was so attracted to him.
 
She swore she could feel her forehead tingling where his lips hat touched it.
 
He left before she could say anything more, gently closing the door behind him.

She snuggled into his bed.
 
It was so soft and comfortable.
 
She was still wrapped in his jacket and so she wiggled out of it and placed it beside her on the bed.
 
The jacket smelled like him and so did the bed.
 
She inhaled deeply and snuggled further into the comfort of his luxurious bed.
 
She thought of him once more and fell into a peaceful sleep.

Chapter Thirteen

Tori awakened to the smell of coffee. The covers were soft and warm around her and she had slept so wonderfully.
 
She opened her eyes and realized where she was. Sitting on the night stand next to her was a cup of coffee and sitting in a chair to the right of the bed was Mason.
 
He was freshly showered and shaved, dressed in a pair of brown pants, and a crisp white shirt. Tori was painfully aware that she always woke up with a horrible case of bed head and even if she would never see this man again after today she didn’t exactly want him to see her in her current disheveled manner.