For the Love of Tia: Dragon Lords of Valdier Book 4.1 (4 page)

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Authors: S. E. Smith

Tags: #romance, #science fiction romance, #alien romance, #dragon romance paranormal, #scifiction romance

BOOK: For the Love of Tia: Dragon Lords of Valdier Book 4.1

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Jett’s jaw clenched and he looked at
the glowing waters of their healing pool. As with all things in
life, there had to be a balance with death. There could not be one
without the other. The healing pools demanded such balance. The
healing waters would not work if the balance was not maintained.
Jett could not ask another to give their life in exchange for Tia.
The only way the pools could save one as sick as her was if another
life was sacrificed so that its power was replenished, keeping the
balance between life and death.

Jett looked at Tamblin
before turning to gaze tenderly down at Tia’s still form. “I
would
give
anything to save
her,” he responded quietly before letting his sword drop to the
floor of the chamber. “I would give anything…. including my
life.”

Tamblin fell backwards in confusion at
the sudden change in the male in front of him. Jett didn’t give
Tia’s brother a chance to protest. He gently scooped Tia up into
his arms, smiling down at her still, pale face. He bent his head
closer to her and brushed a soft kiss over her lips.

“
I love you, Tia,” he
murmured quietly, forgetting everyone else in the large chamber. “I
give to you my heart, so that it may beat strongly for you. I give
to you my strength so you never feel weak, and I give to you my
love, so you will know the joy you have given me by just
existing.”

Jett walked down the steps and into
the swirling blue and silver waters of the pool, moving slowly
until it covered Tia up to her chin. Taking a deep breath, he
pressed his lips against hers one last time and slowly sank down
under the shimmering surface.

Chapter 5

Tia felt waves of warmth flowing
through her body. At first, she thought it was strange as she had
been so cold before. Her heartbeat grew stronger as the warmth
encircled her. She could feel Jett surrounding her with his love as
well as his arms. Shimmering lights danced behind her eyelids as
images of them together formed. It was as if she could see their
life together. His eyes turning with laughter to her as he held one
of their children in his strong arms as another clung to his leg.
She could feel his strong arms holding her in the darkness as he
listened to her tell him of her visions. She could feel the joy of
him taking her on his skimmer through the lush mushroom forests
that would soon cover their world again. In those few precious
moments, she saw what she thought she would never have.

Tia felt strength suffusing her. It
filled her body and a sense of peace and happiness at being whole
again swept through her. She fought the urge to cry out when the
lips pressed against hers suddenly fell away, waking her from the
web of dreams she had been caught in. She opened her eyes under the
swirling water, her feelings of joy turning to fear and despair
when she saw Jett’s still, peaceful face floating before
her.

Her hands went frantically to his
face, cupping his cheeks and holding him. Fear unlike anything she
had ever known made her press her lips to his in a desperate
attempt to wake him even as her hands moved to his chest. Under her
palms, his heart stuttered and stilled.

NO!
She screamed silently.
I won’t let
you do this. I love you. You claimed me,
she sobbed silently.
How can I be
your bride if you are not with me? How can my dreams become reality
without you by my side? How can you hold our children if you are
not there to give them to me? Please, no. Please, please, please,
don’t leave me alone.
She begged, pressing
her lips frantically to his again in an effort to give him back
what he had given to her.
I don’t want
your gift without you. You promised me strength but I am weak
without your arms around me. You promised me joy but there is
nothing but sadness without you there to make me laugh. You
promised me your heart but without you it is empty. Please come
back to me. I love you. Only together can I be strong. Only
together can I find joy. Only together can we find love.

Tia closed her eyes,
wrapping her arms and legs around Jett’s still, lifeless body. She
gave herself to the swirling waters. She had no desire to live a
half-life. If the gods and goddesses would take his life in
exchange for hers
then
she would give them both of their souls so they could be as
one for eternity.

Twisting her fingers through his long,
braided ropes of hair, she let their bodies sink further under the
dark blue and silver liquid. A sense of peace and acceptance
settled over her. She would not die alone and she would not leave
him.

“
Keeper of the
Stories,”
a soothing voice echoed through
her mind and resonated through her soul.
“Do you not remember the story of the great
warrior?”

Tia stirred as the vivid images
flooded her mind. Imagines of a great warrior who was said to have
fallen in love with a gentle girl from another tribe. Her mother’s
voice flowed over her as the pictures danced through her
mind.

“
Remember Tia,” her mother
scolded her when she drifted off instead of paying attention. “Only
when the warrior gives the ultimate sacrifice will the gods and
goddesses gift them with their hearts’ desire.”

“
What is that, momma?” A
tiny Tia asked, turning her large brown eyes in curiosity to her
mother.

“
He will give his heart to
save her and she will refuse to accept it unless he keeps it safe
for her,” her mother replied, stroking her hair.

“
Does that make her a
warrior too?” The child-like Tia asked. “If she fights for him,
will that make her a warrior?”

“
Of course, little one,”
her mother said soothingly. “How can there be love if only one
heart beats?”

Tia felt her body drifting
upward,
carried
by the strong arms that surrounded her.
I remember, momma,
she
thought.
I remember.

Tia’s eyes fluttered open as the
healing waters fell away from her. She stared up into the light
violet eyes of Jett who smiled tenderly down at her as he carried
her out of the healing pool. She reached a trembling hand up to
lightly trace his cheek with her fingertips. An answering smile
curved her lips.

“
You are my warrior,” she
murmured in awe, her eyes shining with love. “You are the warrior
who would give his heart to me.”

Jett gazed down into her softly
glowing eyes. “I would do anything for your love, Tia,” he said
huskily. “You are my life.”

“
As you are mine,” Tia
replied, knowing that the vision she had of their life together
would soon become a reality.

To be continued….. Tamblin’s Prize:
Dragon Lords of Valdier Book 4.2

Author’s Note:

I hope you enjoyed the
story of Tia and Jett. These characters were first introduced in
Ambushing Ariel: Dragon Lords of Valdier Book 4. I never expected
to write them into
Ariel’s
story but once I did, I became fascinated with
their characters. I feel all characters deserve to have their
stories told if they wish to share it with me. Perhaps Tamblin
might wish to share his story as well. I hope so.

~ S. E. Smith

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan Smith has always
been a romantic and a dreamer. An avid writer, she has spent years
writing, although it has usually been technical papers for college.
Now, she spends her evenings and weekends writing and her nights
dreaming up new stories. An affirmed “geek,” she spends her days
working on computers and other peripherals. She enjoys camping and
traveling when she is not out on a date with her favorite romantic
guy. Fans can reach her at
[email protected]
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web site at:
http://sesmithfl.com
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