Painfully Ordinary Special Edition (30 page)

“So, only
one of them could decide to end it? Someone else can’t come along and dissolve
it?

“Correct…
for the most part.”

I was
fascinated now. I loved history and learning about different people. “Is the
text the same for all the
Ethereals
or does each group
have
something specific which is
connected to their traditions?”

“No the
words are the same across all the
Ethereals
.
The words are old as time
itself
.”

I twisted in
his arms. “Talon, you know the text, don’t you?”

His arms
dropped to his sides and a quiver ran through his body, shaking us both. He pivoted
and walked into the living area. I followed him through the sliding doors,
closing them and pulling the curtains closed as I passed through.

I put my
hand on his heavily muscled bicep. “Talon, are you okay? I’m not trying to push
you into anything. I’m perfectly content to be with you here and now.”

He spun
around with a bright red tear in the corner of his eye. “But I’m not. We
are bound
in every other way and I’ll never be
able
to love another. Not only have I
shared your blood, but also you have tasted mine. The outside world is lost to
me without you. Without you, I’ll be thrust back into darkness.”

I wrapped my
arms around his waist and held him. I could feel the tension in his body and it
was causing shudders to run through the length of him. I ran my hands up and
down his back in an effort to calm him but it had a decidedly different effect.
His pulse quickened and mine quickly raced to match his.

I gazed into
his eyes and saw the torment there. “Talon, honestly - what would be the
consequences for us?”

He shook his
head. “I can’t say for sure. I think your mother would initially be upset due
to your age – by
Corpora
standards -
but that would quickly change to happiness. She’s
Feydall
and age is trivial, since the
Ethereal
have such longevity. If your suspicions are correct, and
Johr is your father, he may be very angry we didn’t seek his permission first. However,
I think even he would come to accept it in time. He would know I would see to
your eternal happiness and safety.”

“Is that
all? We won’t be risking your position within the
Turvata
or put anyone else in danger? We just run the risk of
pissing off Johr?” I couldn’t contain my grin.

“Yes. However,
it’s enough to consider. He has quite a temper.”

I knew I was
standing on the edge of a cliff and the ground was crumbling under me. It was
reckless, but I decided to take things into my own hands.

I took a
couple of steps back from him and the pain in his eyes made my heart constrict.
Taking a deep breath, I carefully made my next move. Placing my fingertips on
my shoulders, I gently pulled the straps down. The dress fell in a pool at my
feet. I stood in front of him clad only in a black bra and underwear. His eyes
detonated in a burst of blue flame.

“Say it,” I
whispered. “Make me belong to you where no one can ever separate us. I’m so
tired of being alone.”

Talon
reached out pulling me to him with shaking hands and kissing me deeply. He put
my hands in his and bent down on one knee.

“
Li
'
sa
'
deer
!” he
began.

The air
around me began to shimmer and hum. I faced him and gave him a brilliant smile
nodding for him to continue.

“
Me she me hum corthu sutho
miro
shebari kon hum miro sedrin Dya.
Miro
ves’tacha manishe.
Hai
'
she
'
li
!”

As he spoke
the words, I was stunned that I could understand exactly what he was saying,
even though I had no idea what language he was speaking. I heard it all.

“I swear I will be one forever with my bride,
who will be my children’s mother.
My beloved wife.
Yes, I swear it!”

The air
around me burst into brilliant sapphire sparks with a thunderous bang. His
chest heaved with every breath and his eyes sparkled with such promise it made me
dizzy. He jumped up, swept me into his
arms
and headed
directly for our room, kicking the door closed.

Talon was
devouring me with his eyes and the anticipation was making me lightheaded. His
large hands roamed over my body. I couldn’t believe I was
Joined
to Talon forever.

I was afraid
I’d disappoint him, as I had no experience in this arena. He dipped his head,
kissing me deeply and with more passion than I’d ever known existed. I heard
the tearing of fabric and realized he had torn our clothes in his haste to
remove them. I ran my hands down his bare back and he sucked in his breath. My
heart was racing so fast, I wasn’t sure how much more I could take. Tears of
happiness streamed down my burning cheeks.

Talon stared
at me in concern. “
Ves’tacha
, are you
okay? Please tell me what you are thinking. I’ll not tie your life to mine if it’s
not what you truly want. You only have to say ‘I absolve myself of you’ and
you’ll no longer be tied to me.”

I gazed into
his eyes. He had the wrong idea altogether. How could I make him understand? I
pulled his head down to mine and pierced him with my eyes.

“Talon, I
don’t ever want you to think I regret anything I’ve done since we met. You are
my husband now and I love you.” I whispered.

He growled
and covered me with his body.

I cried out
in joy and the room
was suddenly bathed
in brilliant
color.

10 Fun Facts
About
the World of Caitlin and Talon

1. There
really is a Caitlin and she looks exactly the way she
is
described
in the book. She also has a little brother named Brady.

2.
Flower Mound, TX is located about 15 minutes North of Dallas/Fort
Worth
International Airport.

3. Marcus High School
in Flower Mound, TX is real. Their colors are black and red and it’s the home
of the Marauders. You can learn more about it
at:
www.mhs.lisd.net

4. There is a Goat
Man’s Bridge just off Old Alton Road in Copper Canyon, located only 10-15
minutes from Marcus High School. It’s the center of many urban legends and has
been the site of a party or two.

5. You can visit the
actual Flower Mound year-round. It’s open to the public and free. The large
tree located at the bottom of the Mound is what inspired the tree entrance to
Sanctuary.

6. The Grand
Wailea
, part of the Waldorf-Astoria collection, is located
in Wailea, Maui. You can view photos on their website at
http://www.grandwailea.com/. Caitlin and Talon’s suite
was
modeled
after their Deluxe Suite.

7. The honey-mango
amenities in the bathroom of their suite are available for purchase online at
www.shopatgrandwailea.com.

8. Mama’s Fish House is
located just off the Hana Highway in Maui. It was the first fresh fish
restaurant on the island. Their menu lists who caught each particular type of
fish on the menu and where they caught it. www.mamasfishhouse.com

9 The Adair clan has lived
in the small town of Emory, TX for generations.

10 The Adair boys did
have a history of busting each other out of the city jail using a horse and
buggy of all things!

Pronunciation Guide

Johr
(Joe-
er
) - Leader of the Turvata and very close
family friend of Marne, Caitlin and Brady
.
 
Johr and Marne have a complicated
relationship – its true extent, only time will tell.

Marne
(Mar-nee) – Mother of Caitlin and Brady.
Also the crown
princess of Feydall.

Talon
(Ta-lawn) Raikaa (
Rike
–uh)
– Highly ranked member
of the Turvata originally assigned to protect Caitlin. He is of the Varyo race.

Jace (
Jayse
) Adair (A-dare)
–
Respected member of the Turvata and best friend of Talon Raikaa.
He is a
Lykaois
.

Ael’onwe
(A-lawn-we)
– Member of the
RuneSong
, also of the
Feydall race.
Marne’s grandmother and Caitlin’s
great-grandmother.

Ta’Sha
(
Tah-sha
)
– Member of the
RuneSong
,
also of the
Lykaois
race.

Freya (Frey-ya)
– Member of the
RuneSong
,
also of the Varyo race.

Triada
(Tree-ah-da
)
-
Ruling class of the Accendersi consisting of 3 men.

Accendersi
(A-sin-dare-see)
– Group consisting of several dark races bent on the
destruction of the Ethereals.

Turvata
(
Ter
-
vah
-ta)
– Class of
highly ranking warriors, normally assigned to protect the royal families of the
Ethereal
races.

Feydall
(Fay-doll)
– Race of beings that
are most closely related
to fairies, who possess vast magical abilities.

Lykaios
(Lie-
kohs
)
– Race of
shapeshifters
who possess no additional magical abilities.

Varyo
(
Vahr-yo
)
– A race known for the strength of
their warriors
.
 
Their
diet consists mainly of blood from willing donors, but they are also able to
eat rare meats. When they mate, they do so for life.

Corpora
(Core-pour-a
) – the name the Ethereals use for humans.

Osanen
(O-
sahn
-en)
– A race of individuals of small
stature who
posess
an affinity for Earth magic.

Draiocht
(Dray-
ohkt
)
– Beings with magical powers who have
aligned themselves with the Accendersi.

Ves’tacha
(
Vez
-ta-
sha
)
– Talon’s
pet name for Caitlin – it means “beloved”.

Breeg
(Brie-g)
–
2,000 year old
Osanen
,
highly respected as a fierce warrior.

Egan
(E-gen)
– member of the Triada. Caitlin first meets him at the bonfire
where he has teamed up with Ryan.

Ciro
(Seer-oh)
– member of the Triada, who still has an unrequited love for
Marne.

Wailea
(
Wy
-lay-uh)
– City in southern Maui. Known for
it’s
high end resorts and beaches.

RuneSong
(
roone
–
song) – Mystical group of three women tasked with the protection of the current
Lumina. Group consists of
Ael’onwe
,
Freya
and
Ta’Sha
.

Painfully Ordinary Playlist

Bless the Broken Road – Rascal
Flatts

Pray - Disturbed

Breaking the Habit –
Linkin
Park

Kissing in the Rain – Toby Keith

Chicken Fried –
Zac
Brown

Her Eyes – Pat Monahan

You Found Me – The Fray

Given Up –
Linkin
Park

Hero – Chad
Kroeger

You know I’m No Good – Amy Winehouse

I Run to You – Lady Antebellum

So Far Away – Stained

Take It All - Adele

At Last – Etta James

Marry Me – Train

I Waited For You -
Valora

Just a Kiss – Lady Antebellum

Set Fire to the Rain – Adele