FALL (The Senses) (22 page)

The
moment he looked back at Delara, she felt his coldness. “Downstairs.” He turned
and strode out.

She went
to follow when Xamien grabbed her hand. “Kitten?”

“Xamien
I…” She sighed shaking her head and slipped her fingers free, following Waleron
to the privacy of her bedroom. He was waiting for her in the doorway and she
slipped past him. He quietly shut the door. 

Silence.
It was as if he wanted her anxiety to build, wondering what he was going to
say. The uncomfortable silence was worse than the screeching of a tortured
human.

“Tarek
has friends. This was the second warning in twenty-four hours, Delara.”

She
walked over to her dresser and fiddled with a chain necklace. “I know. We’re
leaving for Spain within the hour.”

He came
up behind her and placed his arms around her waist. “Not anymore. I’m taking
you somewhere safer. You cannot stay here and I need the jet thoroughly checked
before you or any other Senses get on it. Staying here is not an option. Twice
you’ve been attacked here. Tonight you stay with me.”

That
caught her attention. She stiffened and turned in his arms, resting her hands
on his cheeks. “What? No. I have to go.” The longer she stayed the more chance
the Wraiths would retaliate against him. If she hid away with Waleron, he would
for certain be breaking the council’s order for her to leave his Talde. She had
to go. Genevieve warned her.

He
dropped his arms and strode to the small basement window, pushing the curtain
aside. His voice was barely audible and she was uncertain if he was speaking to
her or to himself. “I do not like you being alone with him.”

They
were talking about going somewhere and now he was talking about her being alone
with Xamien? “Excuse me?”

“You
will come to my house.” He added after a few seconds. “I need you safe,
Delara.”

She
remained speechless. She didn’t even know where Waleron lived. None of them
did. In the twenty years he’d been back no one had ever seen his home.

Regardless,
staying at Waleron’s would be a huge mistake. It may be because he wanted her
safe, but he also was doing this for another reason—Xamien. Waleron felt
threatened by him. He thought one night of sex might cure that. God, he could
piss her off.

“So you
can what? Show me a good time? Have me fall in your arms, make me remember what
we had just so you throw me away as soon as you know Xamien is no longer a
threat to you?”

Waleron
spun around on his heel. “You mean Tarek. He is the threat, Delara.”

“No. I
mean Xamien.”

“I
repeat; you are mine. Xamien won’t be an issue. You are coming to my house.”

“Then
stop acting like he is. I’m going with Xamien today. Like
you
wanted.”
She saw her book on the nightstand. The paper she kept inside peaked out the
top. She stopped breathing as he glanced down at it then back at her again. She
never wanted him to know she still kept it after all this time. Especially now.

He
strode towards her. When he stopped inches away, he grabbed her hand and pushed
up the sleeve of her shirt. She tried to fight him, but he had always been far
stronger. It was a useless battle. The faint scars on her arm felt like they
were blazing neon signs. She tried to push her sleeve back down but he held
tight, refusing to let go.

“This,”
his thumb caressed her newest scar. “is no longer an option for you. These will
never happen again. Do you understand me?” She guessed the photo freaked him
out, big time. Well, it was her body that was on display. “And I will make
certain they don’t. You need to understand something about me, Delara. I need
you to see why I’m like this.”

“It’s
none of your business what I do with my body.”

“You are
my business. All of you.”

“Once
maybe. Not anymore.”

“Baby.”
Oh God, it had been years since he called her that and a part of her melted
into a pool at his feet. He took a long, haggard breath, something he rarely
did. “I should have taken you there before now. But I thought…to see that part
of me would...” Waleron’s hand travelled up her arm to her shoulder then slid
across to her neck. “It would destroy us.”

Her
throat constricted and she swallowed several times before she could speak.
“Waleron. There is no us.” Now more than ever. Why was he doing this today? Why
was he taking the chance on the Wraiths finding out she’s still here? By him
taking her to his house, a place no one ever went, it made him appear even more
irrational.

He
nodded and then his hand cupped her head, just below her ear. “Give me
tonight.” His fingers caressed her ear and he stepped closer so her breasts
barely touched his chest. If she breathed any deeper, they would make contact.
Her nipples stood erect. “I need.” He stopped abruptly and his hand tightened.
“I want an us.”

“Waleron—”

 “You
will no longer sleep with other men.”

“Waleron
you can’t—”

“It is
not an arguable point.”

Frustration
poured through her. He was acting peculiar, one minute almost sane and caring
and then the next angry and obstinate. Were the Wraiths right? He was all over
the place. There was indecision within him that was making his usual perfect
control and resoluteness to waver.

She took
a deep breath and her erect nipples brushed against his white shirt. She
couldn’t control the sharp inhale that escaped. “Are you giving me a choice?”

“No.”

Pushing
out of his arms, she went and slipped the book on her nightstand into her
drawer. She knew his eyes were drilling into her back. He had trouble with
being denied anything. Actually, it was rare anyone denied him a single thing.

He
strode to the door. “I will wait for you upstairs. We leave now.”

She
collapsed into the lounge chair, head in her hands. She must have stayed there
a good ten minutes, all her shields in place. Blocking Xamien and Waleron from
her head.

Even
though she’d waited all her life to see where Waleron resided, it was a moot
point now. The risk he was taking was great and it was scaring her to think
that the Wraiths could come after him. Take him away. She could live with
another Talde. Survive it maybe. But that was only if she knew Waleron was here
doing what he was born to do. What he lived for.

****

Fear
coursed through Delara’s body and her stomach tossed with nausea threatening to
break her facade as she met Waleron’s unflinching expression. He waited in the
foyer just like he said he would. Alarm would appropriately explain the
emotions setting in on her. Going to Waleron’s home was terrifying, plain and
simple. He was a man no one, even herself, really knew, at least not any
longer. She didn’t necessarily fear him, just what she’d find. Whether it was
fear she’d lose this undying love for him or fear of it strengthening she
didn’t know.

“Xamien,
I have to leave.”
She
closed her eyes, hating Waleron for denying her choices. Everything inside her
said to get to Spain, make certain Waleron remained protected another day, but
he wouldn’t let her.

“What?
Christ, I have shaving cream all over my face.”

“I’ll
be back tomorrow.”

“What?
Delara, what the hell is going on? I thought we were leaving for Spain.
Genevieve said we have to get you away from Waleron ASAP.”

“He
isn’t giving me a choice.”

“Damn
it Delara. What are you talking about? Where is he taking you?
”

“I
can’t say exactly.”

“The hell
you can’t.”
She heard him
swear then his tone softened.
“Kitten, I’m worried about you. Wait a second
and I’ll talk to Waleron and see what’s up. Maybe if we tell him about the
imprisoning and—”

“No.
He’ll lose it. I know him. He’ll go to council and confront them. It will look
bad. No, Xamien. Please.”

“I
don’t like you alone with him.”

Oh
Xamien. The words out of her mind felt as if she had cotton stuck to them.
“Xamien, we use one another. That’s what I’ve always done and I suspect you have
too. Except I use men to get back at Waleron.”
But for once, that wasn’t
true. She kept Xamien a secret all these years because he was different. He was
her escape and comfort. She trusted him. He had become her friend. She heard a
loud bang downstairs, then a crash.

“Jesus.”
He sounded like he was struggling with
something.
“You never used me. I’d never allow any woman to use me, Kitten.
We are more than that. Do not leave this house. We need to talk this out.”

“Hey
Xamien…”
Her voice was
soft.
“You need to know that…what you’ve done for me means a lot. You’ve
became my friend and I trust you with my life. Thank you Xamien, for being
there for me.”

“Kitten,
I told you eighty-seven years ago, I will always bring you back safely.”

Waleron
flicked his hand towards the front door and it opened.

“We’re
not Tracing?”

“No. I
am unable at the moment.”

That
meant he was hurt somewhere. The only place he could Trace would be the Realm.
She glanced over him, there were no visible signs, and it wasn’t like he’d been
out hunting vamps or CWOs. Had he been hurt last night while hunting for Tarek?
Why hadn’t Anstice healed him? He could Trace if Anstice healed his wounds. But
Delara knew why, Waleron rarely allowed the Healers to touch him, and then only
if he really required it and if it was quick.

“Delara?”
Xamien’s voice was that deep demanding
tone.

“Wait,”
Waleron said then walked to the car.

Delara joined
him after he did a scan of the immediate area. He wasn’t taking any chances
that another play wouldn’t go down. The warnings were deadly. At any time one
of them could’ve been killed. Waleron opened the car door for her and closed it
behind her. Always the gentleman.

As they
drove down the driveway to the gates, she looked in the side mirror to see
Xamien standing outside the front door. She shivered when she saw his
expression.

“Kitten?
I need to know…are you okay? Don’t lie to me. I need to ensure that you’re
safe, even if it’s him you’re with.”

“I’m
fine, Xamien. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah.”
His voice sounded
disturbed, with a hint of sadness.

Chapter 8

The
gates were open by the time they reached them and Waleron pulled out onto Post
Street. Waleron picked up his cell and pressed a number. “Need the jet checked.
No. Now. Guards on it all night. No one gets near it.” He pressed the End button
and threw down his phone into the console. Her guess was he’d called Balen.

Delara jerked as Waleron placed
his hand on the nape of her neck. She went to pull away, but Waleron’s fingers
curled and held tight. He never said anything—he didn’t have to. He knew the
emotions that were scintillating across her mind. Uncertainty. Confusion.

“Tomorrow
you will go to Spain as planned.” He paused. “Abby will be pleased to see you.”

“Think
she’d prefer Damien.” She jerked her head to the right to avoid his touch. It
hurt too much. The anger and sorrow were drowning her beneath him, she needed
air, but she didn’t know how to get it.

“She is
a vampire, Delara. It’s impossible for them. And better this way.”

“It’s
impossible because you don’t believe in love conquering all.” Damien loved
Abby, he’d begged Waleron to end his life when Abby was departing for
execution.

Silence.

“True.
It doesn’t. A vampire’s craving will overrule love. It is just the way,
Maitagarri. In time, I will tell Damien.”

“He’ll
hate you.”

He
shrugged. Of course, others hating him were of no concern. He did what he
thought was best and screw everyone’s feelings. Emotions rarely got in the way
of his decisions—at least not anymore. Maybe that was why he was good at being
Taldeburu. Why couldn’t the Wraiths see that? Because she was getting in his
way. Even them going to his home was her fault. She pushed him by being with
Xamien. If anything happened to Waleron—

Waleron
changed gears, and put his hand on top of hers. His thumb rhythmically stroked
back and forth across the back of her hand. It was a gesture she hadn’t
anticipated out of Waleron.

She didn’t
want to pull away, but knew she had to.

“We need
to discuss a couple things, Maitagarri.”

Here we
go. Waleron was always one for complete control over every situation and she
was certain this situation was more than he’d ever projected having to deal
with.