Guardian (17 page)

“That was fun,” she giggled like it’s twin.

Fun? 
I turned to Pike.
  Did she...did you see her just...magic him into doing her will?

Yes, Ian.   Yes.  I think that is exactly what we just witnessed.

“What do you think?” I shook my head in disbelief.

“What?” she tried to get our attention.  No doubt,
she
had it.

“You hypnotized him or something?” My mouth was dry and I had to force the words.

Pike jumped in, “Looks like you got something else besides thoughts about me going on in that half human, half Fey body of yours.”

No commenting on her body jerkface.

Pike just laughed not guarding his inappropriate thoughts or comments in the least from her or me.

Yes Grace, I like what I see also.  The feeling is mutual. 
He made sure I heard him, not her.
 

“I just asked him to carry the message.  He didn’t seem to think I was the real queen.”  She moved into defense mode.

“How did you know he doubted you,” Pike asked. 

“Um,
how
did you know he doubted you, you couldn’t read his mind, could you?” I searched for answers.

She looked away, deliberating.  “I guess I, saw his feelings.” She shrugged and I think talked to herself more than us.  “A nuance, I think.  One in the same really.” 

Her damn big words. 

Stop!  Do you realize what she can do? 
Pike’s screaming mind didn’t let up.

She doesn’t even know she did it.

She’ll destroy us all.

“Oh, stop that.  I know you two are talking to each other.” Her slender hands went to her hips and stayed there giving my mind something to think about.

“Why did you pull out the amulet?” Pike asked like this was an interrogation.  I didn’t want her to stop giving answers though.

“He needed proof.  And I wanted my way,” she stood up standing her ground.  “I didn’t like the way he was looking at me.”

We agree on something.

She kept her cool, “Now, do we need to get back and write this message?”   

I kept my own cool when Pike sneaked a word to my girl.  I told myself she could handle herself.

“Oh, come on.  You wouldn’t have done the same if things were going downhill fast?” She folded the arms I wanted to fold around me. 

“No, that would have never worked for me!” Pike oozed sarcasm.  “Not even if I were wearing that.  Not the right fit.”  He motioned his hand waving over her body.

I should’ve protested Pike’s comment but I was still too in shock, “No, that wouldn’t have worked for me either.”

Harrumph!  What was wrong with them? And what’s wrong with what I’m wearing?
she thought.  I heard through Pike.

“Not what’s wrong!  Quit thinking you don’t look every bit of beautiful that you are. Trust me, it’s all
very
right!  I can see that with my own eyes.”  Pike sighed too loud letting her know how she affected him too. 

I growled.  Stupid, but I didn’t care.

“And the two of you are suddenly simpatico!  What’s up with that?”  She acted like we were three years old.  And a Webster’s dictionary.

Pike’s hands flew in the air.  Guessing her thoughts were being hidden from me once again, I left it alone for her to fight.

“Why are good looking guys always so cranky when the situation doesn’t present itself to their advantage?”  I hated the comment, loved the look on her face.

“I mean, well that was rhetorical…I mean,” she blushed immensely. 

Pike and I folded our arms again, said nothing, and both just knew each was smiling waiting for her to dig her way out of that one.  It was fun to watch her squirm. 

She mumbled under her breath, “They also have no sense of humor.”

Finally, Pike broke the silence, “You had a way about you.  Some kind of
persuasion
.”  Pike glanced at me then said, “You almost looked like you breathed some kind of spell on him.”               I couldn’t be sure if Grace heard him say under his breath that she’s putting spells on us.  It wasn’t a lie.

“What?  You two are crazy,” she pressed. 

Her metamorphosis is obvious
, thought Pike. 

Stop pretending like you know anything about her
, I glared at him.

She shouldn’t already be able to realign others thoughts
, he glared back
.  She’s gonna have some power in that bod.

And I will be the only one enjoying that pleasure,
I smarted back flinching with my fist in tow.

We’ll see what she chooses,
Pike returned.

“Would you two stop screaming at each other long enough to give me the pleasure of knowing that I’m really pissed to have just learned that you, Pike, can direct your thoughts at whom you please and block others at will?  I am so going to have my mind reader turned back on by whatever magic I need so that I can piss the two of you off at will.  Now when the two of you have your balls untied, head back to join me.”  She stomped off.  Then Pike whistled a terrific rendition of a ship sinking and some pretty boy laugh to set me off as he disappeared around the corner.

I found Pike and Grace in a silent standoff at the table visibly shutting down anything they might have been saying when I was noticed. 

Pike then spoke to the both of us but by the look on her face and his, they’d just had a private conversation. “Let’s get the message made.” I reached deep into myself to forgive what my mind wanted to do to my kinsmen sitting beside me now.  It wasn’t nice. 

The two of us walked to where the tent was set up, stopped, and searched each other’s unreadable thoughts for what to do next.  The tent was meant for one, not two.  I looked around.  Every tent was the same.  Most definitely, Pike didn’t arrange this. 

The more I thought of it, we’d traveled in what we had on and could avoid certain situations.  Did I want to avoid certain situations?  Yes, I admonished myself. 

She’d been thinking the same by the way her face turned blood red.  She bent over to look in the tent and my mind entered a sweet retreat at the sight of her backside.  No doubt my eyes rimmed with the desire running through me. 

Face to face with the same arguable silence, we were both laughing.               

I took her hand and said, “Why don’t we watch the stars a bit?”

“That’s sounds great,” she puffed out a small amount of air in relief.  She said, “Thank you,” in a soft, still voice.

“You needed saving, didn’t you?”

“Didn’t you, also?” she asked not looking up.  

“Strong or weak?” I asked stuffing a small chunk of cheese in her mouth to divert her.  Mostly.  Touching her mouth was a bonus.

“Always strong,” she said not missing a beat, “but you meant the cheese didn’t you.”

“Not always.  Not when you’re around,” I said to the fire, eating and allowing that to sink in. She might as well know.

“Your right.  Strong and compassionate, and always a romantic.” 

“We’re not talking about cheese, are we?” I inquired wanting more.  More of her. 

I held her hand.  The tension fell away from both of us.  I needed her.  She needed me. 

“Are you thinking about our trampoline nights?” she asked nudging my shoulder with her own.

“I thought you said you can’t read my mind?”

“I can’t.”  I wasn’t sure of her aim.

Her melodic laugh hit my gut, “Well, I’ll confess something you probably already knew from all of those nights combined.  I laid there every time picturing you and me.  And waiting for you to say or do anything that meant you were more than just my best friend.”

I turned over on my side to face her, “You are my friend, and my queen, and…”

She turned to her face to me, “and what may I ask?” 

I kissed her.   When she relaxed into me, I stopped long enough to hover over her face, “I love doing that, you know.  It makes you weak.”

She slapped my chest sending me into pure heat, “YOU! And what does it do to you?”

“Oh, I think you know what it does to me.”  She was on dangerous ground.

She giggled and pulled away with realization, “Will you just hold me tonight, in the tent, until I fall asleep?”

“Yes,” I managed to say, “I’d love too.”

The stars stared back at us for a long time.

“Ian?” she drew the dagger I’d given her having no idea how to use it.  I was determined she would better defend herself.  The fear of knowing she might get hurt just blanched all other reasons for living. 

“Ian?” 

I wanted to teach her a lesson for stepping out of line with Aiden.  She needed to see that danger lurked all around her. 

Knowing she was scared I moved the branch beside me readying to jump checking the rest of our group back twenty feet where I’d sent them.

I landed adjacent taking her with me to the ground.  I dusted my hands off for the effect it would get me.  I got what I wanted.  Her reaction was worth every second of her anger and her face was priceless.

“What were you thinking, scaring me like that?  That was not funny, at all!” 

“I wanted to know how you would react when I’m gone and how you intended to protect yourself.  Now, I’m really worried,” I said with the best condescending smile I owned.   

“You said before, with the “daft” goblins, that your boredom finds you wanting a good challenge.  I hardly find me a challenge worthy of your fight.” 

“On the contrary, you’ve been quite the challenge for many years now.  Or maybe just playing hard to get?”  She was riled up and therefore giving me just what I needed to see some skills my girl might own.

She slowly brushed off her dress for my benefit.  “Perhaps you could teach me to defend myself so I’m not so helpless without you.  Laughing at my apparent weaknesses in your eyes is not a becoming trait.  I’m starting to like the old Ian a bit more now.” 

Wow!  She was angry.  “I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry.  I should’ve thought of your feelings first.  I just thought I was protecting you or trying to make myself feel better about your own protection.  It’s all I’ve ever done.  Besides, do you really think I don’t know where you are at all times? That I don’t have a plan?”              

She put out the famous pouty lip in defeat.  Everything I planned to say failed.  “Oh, don’t give me that face.” 

“You know,” she said, “You could teach me how to use it.”

I grabbed her shoulder and pulled her close enough to whisper in her ear from behind her, “I’m sorry.” Her ear tickled under my breath.  I silently pulled the dagger from her side before her smitten head had time to think and reeled her to face me.  “Let’s hope no luring tree elves try to seduce you into fighting.  You’ll be in trouble then.”

“You!  You!” she balled up her fists at me. 

“Is that all you’ve got?  Defend yourself, Grace.  I promise I’ve done this for over a century.”

She stood up so fast, “You’re how old?” 

“We age very slowly in human eyes.  I told you some of this before.”

“But you left out a detail.”

“I
told
you, I’ve waited for you for a long time.  Now defend yourself.”  The dagger dropped between our feet.  I waited till she picked it up.

“Keep your eyes focused.  Look up!” I told her.

Moving not as fast as my usual expectations with training, I went easy on her for she was much prettier than my usual trainees. And delicate. I bent her arm being careful and thoroughly enjoying every single move that forced me to touch her, hold her closer.

And I was pretty sure she was enjoying it as much. 

She reached over and jabbed at my ribs.  I would have never in my longest day have guessed that she would have the next move in her.  I doubled over in pain.  All I could think about was never having children now.  Heck knows I’ve never considered it anyway until recently.

I coughed out, “Well, a move I didn’t know you had.” 

“There are so many moves you don’t know I have,” she winked like I wasn’t in the severest of pain, “and only two weeks of training.”

“You know, maybe we ought to map out the moves next time if you want to have children with me.” I gave her a bit of her own medicine.

I achieved success.  She blushed.  “I—didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“
Really
?”  I had to stay doubled over for a minute or so longer, but finally I stood.  Sadly, her knee is strong, delicate or not.

I took a turn dusting myself off and smiled deviously. I threw her off long enough for me to reach and hold her to me, “Not again, my queen.” 

I scooped her legs up enjoying every single second of touching her anywhere I wanted.  And dang if she didn’t try to score a shot between my legs again even having her pinned.

We missed the tree, but when I forced her down, twisting to land on my back with her safe in my arms, we thumped to the ground hard and fast. 

“Ouch!” she said into my face with little short breaths, “that had to hurt.”  She had every inch of her...against me.

Daringly I said, “This isn’t how I pictured it.”  I smiled loving that I could riddle her into understanding exactly what she did to me.  I was tired of being good. 

“We’re feeling bold lately.”  She dangerously wiggled against me.  My undoing.  I stiffened trying to remain a gentleman. 

She far from stifled the animal in me with, “You’ve pictured it then, have you?”

“Many times,” I came back.  I gazed off into the trees to control myself. 

“Are you going to let me go?” I guessed she realized I was at a point of no return.

“No, never.”  A smiled that meant something else too.

She rolled her eyes in amusement loving this as much as I did.  With a giggle she asked, “This isn’t exactly comfortable.  Breathing is optional, right?”

I wanted to go on.  I wanted... “Another time then.”