Awakening Beauty (4 page)

Among the memories flitting through her head as she spoke, one vision stayed with her, of one of her childhood birthday parties—or was it at several parties? Sitting by her parents as her godmothers made a fuss of her. They were delightful, charming creatures who always made her laugh, and whose very presence seemed to sparkle with magic. Aurora had loved them, had loved being with them, and so the contrast was all the greater when the other woman had arrived.

At the memory, Aurora lifted her head. “Valborga!”

Tall, beautiful, chilling, Valborga was her godmothers’ sister, who generally came to her parties too. But when Valborga arrived, the queen had seized Aurora’s hand as if to protect her, and Valborga herself had never done more than bestow a smile upon her that had iced her very bones.

“Perhaps Valborga cursed me. She’s a witch.
Was
a witch…? I always had the impression my parents invited her to the palace out of fear. Or perhaps they just couldn’t stop her from coming.”

Joel capped the flask of whiskey, drew his long legs up before him and clasped his arms around them. Aurora was struck by the oddity of his clothing down to his very shoes, which were nothing like any she’d seen before. If the dilapidated appearance of the castle weren’t enough to convince her that this was a different time, Joel’s apparel coupled with his unusual speech and manners were proof enough. Such strange things as the lighter, the flashlight and the sleeping bag sealed her belief. But from his tone of voice and expressions of doubt, especially now as she talked of Valborga, Aurora knew Joel didn’t believe she spoke the truth.

“I am not crazy, you know,” she said. “I did not simply wander in here and lie down to sleep.”

Joel hesitated. “In my world, there are stories of olden times, legends, tall tales, distortions of ancient history that may have once been believed as fact but are now told only to entertain children. No adult believes in these fairytales.”

Again he paused, resting his chin on his knees and gazing at the fire. Aurora was struck by how the glow gilded his features and cast the hollows beneath his cheekbones and jaw in shadow. Her heart leaped along with the crackling flames, and her body tensed with attraction to this handsome man. How could she think of such a thing under the circumstances?

“So you think I’m telling you a child’s tale?” she asked, speaking a bit more sharply than she’d intended.

“No. I’m telling you that I’ve heard stories of such enchantments before, many years ago. At school, in a children’s picture book one of my teachers read aloud. I was in second grade. The teacher was Mrs. Donovan. She was nice, and I loved when she read to us. My mom wasn’t the kind who did.” He shrugged, looking embarrassed as if he’d said more than he’d intended. “The point is she once read a story about a princess cursed at birth. First she was given good gifts by fairies who’d been invited to her christening—beauty, health, a great personality, a marvelous singing voice and so on. But an angry, jealous fairy exploded into the midst of the ceremony and swore that on the eve of the child’s sixteenth birthday she would choke on an apple and die.”

Aurora leaned toward him, riveted by his voice telling part of a story she was well familiar with. She knew several magical guests, including her godmothers, had attended her christening and blessed her with good fortune, but the latter part of his tale, she’d never heard. It explained so much of why her mother had fussed over her and controlled every aspect of her life. Perhaps even why she’d felt the need to protect Aurora from Valborga.

“But she didn’t die,” Joel continued. “After the evil fairy left and while the princess’s parents and all the court were mourning this calamity, another good fairy stepped forward. She hadn’t yet bestowed her gift. While she couldn’t completely change what the evil one had ordained, she could alleviate it. Instead of dying, the princess would fall asleep until a prince came and kissed her.”

“That’s a horrible story! Who would tell a child such an awful, frightening thing, even if it was only meant to be make-believe?” Aurora frowned.

“I guess you’re right. Many of those old folktales were violent or frightening, but they all had a happy ending. And in this one the princess is kissed awake and lives happily ever after.”

“How?” she exploded. “How could anyone who’s been ripped from her family and thrust into the future ever find happiness?”

Joel unfolded his legs and stretched them out before him. “In the story as I remember it, the entire castle was put to sleep so everyone she loved was there when she woke.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I never really thought about how the princess might feel. As a kid, I pictured myself as the brave hero, fighting his way past dragons to get into the castle and rescue her.”

“You didn’t kiss me,” Aurora pointed out. “You poked me awake.”

He shrugged. “This isn’t a fairytale and I didn’t know what to make of you lying there like that. I thought maybe I should perform CPR.”

She had no idea what he was talking about. “So, if the story you were told as a child is at least partially true, all of this was pre-ordained and it was inevitable that a certain man should awaken me.”

“The entire thing is crazy,” he said. “I was thinking more that you probably heard the same story as a child, and maybe when you hit your head, you imagined yourself into it.” He must have seen her frown of annoyance, then, for he added hastily, “But even if it were true, I certainly wouldn’t be the hero of the piece. It was a complete accident I was here at all. I had some important decisions to make about my future, so I decided to take a break and do some hiking in the mountains.”

Aurora’s mind was in a whirl, trying to encompass the blurred line between reality and make-believe. Of course she believed in magic. It was an accepted part of the world she lived in. But to learn her entire life was predestined and had become fodder for a children’s story was too much to take in. As for the idea that she’d made up her own life story from the same tale, that was unthinkable.

One thought shone clear in her mind. “The fact you came here and found me when no one else has in a thousand years suggests you are the man the fairy foretold would come.” She met Joel’s worried gaze. “Maybe this
is
your destiny. Maybe it’s mine.”

His eyes widened. Tiny flames, perhaps a reflection of the fire, seemed to leap in them then darken in a way that caught at her breath. There
was
a connection…

Then his eyelids dropped like hoods. “I don’t believe in destiny,” he said harshly. “We make our own paths, good and bad.”

It didn’t matter. He was a stranger. Why should he want a shared destiny? Why should she? She didn’t, of course. He was too
alien
. So why did his denial feel like a slap in the face?

She couldn’t help the twist of her lip. “In all my life I never chose anything more important than the color of a gown. All my choices were made for me. Except the decision to touch the spinning wheel. Sometimes leaving it to destiny is best.”

“I don’t believe that. Of course other people’s decisions impact you too. In your case, your curiosity was provoked by your parents’ decision to overprotect you.” He dragged an impatient hand through his hair, almost as if he was angry, though with who wasn’t clear. “If any of this is real. Look, Aurora, let’s just get some sleep, and tomorrow, we’ll get clear of here and find a doctor. You take the sleeping bag and the cushions. I’ll be fine on the floor.”

Chapter Four

Joel’s eyes snapped open to darkness and raging lust. A woman’s light, sensual fingers caressed his balls, closed around his cock with a grip that was both inexperienced and arousingly eager.

Aurora? What the…?

Unmistakably, lips slid down the length of his shaft, depriving him of breath, never mind the warning words that flew out of his head as well as his throat. He shuddered. When her lips wrapped around the sensitive head, he nearly exploded. Too long without sex, too little ability to resist this unexpected assault on his senses…

Snap out of it, Thorne! You’re more than your libido!

Sitting bolt upright, he reached for her, drawing her caressing mouth off his cock with a pop that made him groan. Aurora smiled at him with all the beauty he remembered, plus a new siren-like quality that made him want to drag her under him and fuck her senseless.

Gripping her naked shoulders, he drew her closer. Mistake. She was totally nude, her flesh soft and warm and yielding to his touch. “You mustn’t,” he managed. “You’re not well.”

“I’ve never felt better. And neither have you.” She pressed closer to him, her soft, hard-tipped breasts pressing into his chest. He was naked too. When the hell had that happened? Her hands roamed up and down his back with eager appreciation.

“Make love to me, Joel. Take pleasure in me, every pleasure you want…”

“Don’t,” he gasped, but it was too late. Her mouth was on his, and it felt so good he couldn’t push her away. She grabbed his hand, pressing it to her breast. Her elongated nipple hardened even more under his palm, which moved without his permission, kneading and caressing. She moaned with such obvious pleasure that his lust raged out of all control. He pushed her back, flinging his thigh across her as she whispered words of encouragement in his ear.

“Oh, yes. Oh, Joel, I want you so much, I need you. Love me, love me…”

Her thighs were silken smooth, parting for him without hesitation. Between them was hot, welcoming wetness that soaked his probing cock. Her eyes stared into his, so clouded with lust that he knew beyond doubt she was no virgin in reality.

Screw destiny. He’d fuck her because they both wanted it. Lowering his head, he took her soft, luscious lips in his and pushed his cock slowly inside her hot, clinging pussy. It felt so good he couldn’t contain his groan of bliss. He should make it last for her, she was so sweet and sexy, and yet there was no way he could, not when she was calling his name already.

“Joel, Joel…
Joel
!”

He wasn’t falling, yet he seemed to land with a crash. Now his eyes really were open. Aurora was gazing into them, but she wasn’t kissing or caressing him. Nor was she naked. Still in her silken ball gown, she was shaking him by the shoulder, her eyes both anxious and irritated. Absolutely not aroused. Unlike him.

Oh, fuck.

He yanked his hand away from his naked cock. Thank God he’d covered himself with his coat.

“What?” he said hoarsely. “What is it?”

“You sleep like the dead. Even when you’re having bad dreams.”

Bad
dreams? Christ, no. Well, only in the sense of naughty. Smothering inappropriate laughter, he coughed instead. “Are you all right? Can’t you sleep?”

“Not really. But then I seem to have spent rather a lot of my life unconscious, so it isn’t really surprising. It’s getting light. I thought we could have an early start.”

Joel found it hard to look beyond her amazing eyes, not full of wicked desire as in the dream, but no less intriguing for that. Whether she was injured or insane or a product of impossible magic, he’d never met anyone quite like her. And he knew he wouldn’t just dump her at a hospital and go on his way. More than duty would keep him close to her. He wanted to know more.

“Are you actually awake?” she demanded.

“Yes, sorry,” he mumbled, taking in at last the pale dawn light seeping through the leafy window. “Good idea. I just need some coffee first. There’s a camp stove in my pack.”

Her fingers were unexpectedly clumsy as she rummaged inside his bag, as if she really wasn’t used to doing things for herself. Joel used the opportunity to surreptitiously refasten his jeans and try to reduce his raging hard-on by thinking about hospitals and long walks and swimming in ice-cold lakes.

Rolling onto his stomach, he took the little stove she produced from his bag with some doubt and lit it. By the time he’d made coffee, he felt back in control—and relieved that he hadn’t really taken advantage of the fragile creature in his care, tempting as she was.

Aurora seemed impatient, a little on edge yet excited, and he remembered that she believed she’d never been outside this castle. It was going to be an interesting day.

“All right, let’s go,” he said when she came back from foraging in her bedroom with a slightly dusty and moth-eaten cloak and a small bag. She drew in her breath and set off with purposeful strides.

Because she seemed to need it, he took her hand when they emerged into the courtyard, leading her along the overgrown, broken path, through the trailing bushes.

Although the sun was coming up, it seemed cold. Aurora clearly felt it too because she shivered and her hand twitched convulsively in his, gripping his fingers.

“It’s not far to the village, is it?” she asked. “Don’t you have a horse?”

“No,” he said, “and no.” He frowned at the thorns blocking their path. He was sure they hadn’t been there when he arrived here yesterday. They’d clearly fallen since then. He pushed the branches back, holding them for Aurora to pass under his arm.

As she did so, more sprang across in front of her. She halted, reaching out before he could stop her to push them aside.

“Take care,” he warned, just as she let out a squeal of pain. “They’re sharp.”

Her eyes turned up to his were wild. “That’s how the spindle felt. Joel, don’t let me sleep again!”

“You won’t sleep,” he soothed, examining the prickle of blood on her finger. “They’re just brambles. Let me cut them back.”

Retrieving his Swiss army knife from his pocket, he hacked through the branch and stepped forward, just as another fell across the path. He frowned, cutting through it too, but ahead of them, he saw more and more swishing across what was left of the path, like a falling house of cards.

“What the…?” The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, making his skin crawl with some cold, half-understood warning. He remembered his feeling that the vegetation had parted for him as he’d made his way up to the castle. As if he’d been enticed in. Now he felt they wouldn’t be allowed to leave. Claustrophobia surged up, spurring him forward, hacking at the ever-thickening jagged branches with one hand while dragging Aurora after him with the other.