The Alpha's Desire 4 (12 page)

Chapter Twenty

After changing into simple shorts and t-shirts that we’d found in our shared closet, much more my sort of thing, Lex and I walked hand in hand, toward the middle of the island this time. I knew I had the perfect tour guide. Beyond just getting to spend time with him, like an actual date that we’d never really had much of, he knew this island from being trained here.

“I love how our hands fit together, how our magic tingles between our palms. I love getting to be with you. I’m so happy to be here with you finally, safe and together, with time to be alone, too. I just don’t have the words to express what I’m feeling right now,” I said, smiling like a loon at him, and then back at the thick patch of trees we were walking toward.

“I know. I feel it, remember, from the heightened emotions to the flutter of your heartbeat. I get it, and I’m happy and grateful to be here, sharing this with you,” he said, giving my arm a little tug so I’d stop and he could kiss me.

“This place is amazing. The air is so pure, so clean and fresh that you can smell the salt of the water in it. No exhaust. No pollution of any kind, it seems. I mean I’m sure there is some, but still, the wind over the water carries it all away. You can see it in the growth of this forest before us, all the trees and flowers.”

“Well, let me tell you a little about the trees and plants as we go. They were all pointed out to me when I came. I found it fascinating. I hope you will, too, but you can always use it in your story if not, so consider it research.”

“I would love to know, actually. Yes, I can definitely use some specifics outside of basic descriptions of what I see. But, you may have to remind me at some point, as I have no pen and paper to jot down notes. I don’t have a head for tree and flower names, but I do like to see and hear about them. My mother had the green thumb. I used to say that my mind with all the books I’d read just didn’t have the space for foliage names, too.”

“Cute,” he said, his nose wrinkling up. “Just like you. Oh, here, first tree is one of the most common, the coconut palm. I’m sure you are familiar with them.”

“Heard of, but not really familiar outside of pictures. They are amazing up close. So tall and majestic with the fan of leaves over our heads. It reminds me of an umbrella.”

“Yes, they are great until you get hit in the head with a coconut, and I don’t think standing under one would keep you from getting wet in a storm,” he teased.

“That happens? I mean, not storms, but people get hit in the head by randomly falling coconuts?”

“Well, not that I’ve seen, honestly. I’m sure it’s happened to someone, though. I was just making a joke. Poor one if you took it so seriously. Anyway, back to the trees. I liked this one for the lore about it and for the unique, rather creepy look it has to match,” he said, pointing to a tree that had multiple trunks arching out from one base, as if they were bending away from or maybe toward something.

It had a silvery cast to the trunk and long oblique leaves that cascaded down from its branches. It had so much personality, more on the sinister side by the looks of it, so that I had this odd sensation that it might just move, and hit me with its bent trunks or something. Had a strong breeze come along and moved it, I probably would have jumped out of my skin.

“You afraid?” Lex asked, his face scrunched into a non-understanding pose.

“Sure. Being silly. We are out in the middle of nowhere to me, and while it is paradise, something about that tree is rather creepy. Sorry, my emotions are still all over the place, and sort of run away with me at times. So, tell me about it, the tree,” I said as I reached my hand out toward the green apple-looking fruit.

“No, don’t touch it,” he said quickly, grabbing my wrist, but then bringing my hand to his mouth to kiss before dropping it. “This is the Manchineel tree, or as locals refer to it, the death apple tree. Guess your instincts were right to fear it, though I find that rather unnerving. You just have this connection to all things, it seems. A magical thing maybe, but of course, we can’t blame that for everything about you. Anyway, back to the tree: it has been deemed the scariest tree on the island. Acid-like chemicals grow throughout the tissues and the fruit. Touching the fruit or just brushing against the leaves can give you a horrible rash.”

“Wow, worse than poison ivy, it sounds. Guess there is one to stay away from in every patch of trees,” I said as we moved on. But, I couldn’t help but look back at it, and give it one last glance to ensure those curved branches wouldn’t wave down over us, crush us like bugs to the ground. I shivered even as I shook off the silly thoughts.

“This is the Calabash tree. The gourds you see hanging are not edible, but used to make bowls and other containers,” he said pointing to a pretty normal looking tree by my standards, outside of the hanging gourds. “But let’s get a little deeper into the forest so I can show you another favorite of mine.”

We continued to walk, following a beautifully made stone path again. I couldn’t imagine what it must take to have someone tend to these, the seeming miles and miles of them that wound around the island. I had yet to see what I could deem as a weed anywhere. He pulled me to a stop in front of another rather scary looking tree, one all wrapped around itself like thick branches in the shapes of cobwebs.

“Let me guess, don’t touch?”

“Oh no, this is a Strangler Fig, and only dangerous to its host tree, that it winds its vines around, basically smothering or strangling it until one would call it a victim. I like the patterns the vines create.”

“The fruit is beautiful.”

“Yes, and they are also good for feeding birds and other animals. This here, to the back of it, is a little out of place, a Flamboyant Tree. Beautiful flowers, but usually you see them more in landscaping here, adding huge splashes of color.”

“There is lots of color here. The flowers are amazing, and seem to be just stuck in everywhere. The hibiscus and bougainvillea are about the only two I can point out and name, though.”

“There is lots of fruit, too, like mangos and papayas, even soursop. You will eat lots of fruit while you are here that has been plucked right off of the tree, just before being cut up to serve. It actually makes a difference. A huge one once you get spoiled to it. When we get closer to the shoreline, I’ll have to point out the sea grapes. Similar to our vines, but the berry-like fruit is very sour. Although, I’ve had preserves made from them that was pretty amazing, thanks to sugar, I assume.”

I smiled at him briefly, still looking all around me, sometimes spinning like I did as little girl so to not miss anything. While the island probably wasn’t as big as I’d first assumed, as overwhelmed as I’d been, especially given the fact that we could walk around it, I still believed I could spend the rest of my life exploring it.

“You know, watching you take it all in is amazing,” he said with a smile as he pushed my back against a tree and brought his head down for a kiss.

This one was more heated, sending a thrill right to my core, one that dampened my panties, but then again, someone could say Lex’s name and that would happen. I didn’t need this almost otherworldly romantic walk for that occurrence, especially when he used his hips to push me back into the trunk of the tree, letting me feel the start of his erection against my stomach.

A movement of branches and a rustling of leaves made me push him away as I stepped out from the tree to get a better look. We’d obviously disturbed someone by getting too close. Not sure exactly where I was in the world here on this island, I’d no idea what species of things would exist in this place, and if I needed to fear them or not, like the death apple tree.

“It’s a lemur,” Lex chuckled as he caught his balance, as I’d pushed him back hard, making him stumble onto the path. “Some animals have been brought here whose specific species is being threatened with extinction.”

This particular animal hung there, staring at us with his beady green eyes. With black fur and a white beard of sorts that surrounded his face, I didn’t know whether the laugh I had bubbling up at this cute, oddly fantastical creature might upset him, so I held back by holding my breath for a minute.

“Well, he’s cute, but I’m not so sure what he thinks about me, so why don’t we move along? I will chalk this up as an animal I’ve never seen outside of books and walk on,” I said, the suppressed laugh still threatening, making it hard to talk as I pulled Lex along. 

In a few steps, though, I stopped short even as I gripped his hand tighter. We’d come to the small grass meadow that I’d seen in our shared dream. To gaze on it in reality seemed oddly surreal, as did everything here so far, I guessed. I almost wondered when I would stop being surprised by not only the magic, but also by the splendor of the place. This truly was the most unreal moment, though, to see a dream come to life, not in an accomplishment, but in unfamiliar scenery. “I can’t believe I am standing here with you,” I managed to get out through the short breaths I was still taking.

“Déjà vu set in, swept me away, as I moved into an
Alice in Wonderland
moment, feeling sucked down the rabbit hole. I was so stunned, I probably wouldn’t have been shocked if the Mad Hatter had showed up and offered me tea. I’d probably just say ‘thank you’ and actually drink it without even asking what was in my cup,” I blathered on.

“I love how your mind works,” he said, staring at me in amazement rather than like I’d lost my mind.

“Really?”

“Really. I know you are a writer and all, but the way you connect things in your head as a tool to explain them is just astounding. This moment does seem pretty unbelievable, given what we’ve gone through to get here. I mean, when we saw it in the dream, it wasn’t so strange for me, having been here before, knowing I was on my way back. But, now that I feel like I was on the brink of death and have survived, even cheated it maybe, it is more fantastic. I honestly, for a time, for hours and hours, never thought I would get to witness that dream in reality with you. Being taken, having my ability to heal taken away, it put things in perspective. When you look death in the eye, stare at it as time seems to stand still…” he left off when his gravelly voice hitched.

“It’s okay, Lex. We are here now. We made it. Why don’t we sit down a minute? Just take a pause, a breather. The grass looks as soft as a carpet anyway.”

He only nodded at me, but let me lead him to the last tree. He followed suit when I sat down, him leaning back against the tree and pulling me back to lean against him. I snuggled into his arms. Just like this morning, I couldn’t get close enough. Every moment with him since I’d gotten him back from that warehouse had felt the same, like I wanted to just dissolve into him, and be one person, one unit, just to be able to breath.

“One part of the dream hasn’t come to pass yet. I can’t change into a wolf and run with you here,” I said, trying to prevent my own mind from sorting through those grave images of that dark, bloody warehouse.

“In time, that will happen. I’m sure. Knowing you, you will have learned it all in half the time it would take anyone else to,” he remarked.

“Should I slow down then, prolong our stay here?” I asked, or more suggested, joking, though as I’d spoken the words, they’d seemed a damn good plan.

“It would be nice to stay here. It is such an escape from the day to day realities of New York, let alone the paranormal battles. They gave us an open-ended invitation. I have nothing to get back to. Speaking of home, you ready to tell me about your short conversation with Chloe yet? I know you were pretty upset afterward, so I understand if you still don’t want to talk about it.”

“There honestly isn’t much to tell. She wouldn’t really talk to me. She’s pissed, and I get it. My lies of vacation and having the time of my life, losing track of days, only says I forgot about her. Friends don’t do that. I don’t do that. So it has to hurt. Since I have no way of ever telling her the truth, I don’t know what will become of us. It hurts to think about, and right now, there is just already too much to think about.”

“I get it,” he said softly, always ready with a kiss to soothe me.

“Will the true werewolves just be waiting for us if we go back there? I really can’t lose you again. I don’t know if I can fight anymore. I mean, of course I will, would do it all again for time with you, if that is where we need to be for some reason, but I don’t want to have to. I never want to know that feeling of being without you, of worrying myself sick that I might lose you. It makes me never want to return.”