The Magic in her Gift (17 page)

Sara continued to paint, stopping late
in the afternoon to turn on the bright lights. She remembered he
said they had two suns and two moons. Choosing to make her picture
at twilight, she added the moons to the canvas.

I only have a small room
now, but if I get my wish granted, I’ll have a house near the ocean
much like yours.

Sara changed out her brush again and
started drawing a house on her sandy beach.

“
Sara, you need to let this
go and get some rest, girl.”

She didn’t bother turning around. “I
can’t leave it, Elias. It’s calling to me. He’s out there somewhere
waiting for me, depending on me to make things right.”

“
Can I stay and watch you
paint?” he asked quietly.

“
Sure,” she mumbled and
picked up a fresh brush. Slowly she began to paint Meloir from
memory.

Tall, at least six feet,
with broad shoulders and a smattering of hair across his muscled
chest.

Her brush seemed to have a mind of its
own as his shape took form on the canvas. Carefully, she filled in
the blue of his mesmerizing eyes.

“
Damn, girl, you’re even
more talented than Elizabeth.”

Sara started to work on the image of
herself and thought back to all the torn paintings of Karl she’d
discovered in her grandmother’s closet. She turned and looked at
Elias. “Can you keep this painting safe and never allow it to be
destroyed?”

He gave her a slow smile and squeezed
her shoulder in a comforting gesture. “You don’t have to worry,
Sara. I’ll never let anything happen to this painting.”

Nodding, she went back to the canvas.
Two hours later, she stopped before putting the final touch on her
face. She turned to find Elias watching her with a satisfied smile
on his face. He nodded his approval and came to stand by her
side.

Sara closed her eyes
briefly.
I’m coming, Meloir. Please, oh
please be there.
Opening her eyes, she
leaned in close and finished the eyes on her own face. Satisfied,
she stepped back and looked around the room. “It didn’t work?” she
whispered.

“
What did you think would
happen, Sara?” Elias asked.

Sara thought for a moment. “I
thought—”

A bright light filled the studio,
blinding Sara to everything. “Elias,” she screamed, grabbing
blindly for his arm. Her hands found only empty space. Heat filled
her body and she felt as if she was falling aimlessly. She wanted
to scream in fear, but her voice remained frozen in silence. After
what felt like an eternity, the air cooled and she could feel a
soft breeze cooling her skin. She could hear the sound of waves
lapping at a shoreline as she slowly opened her eyes.

She was lying on warm sand
with greenish tinged waves washing in and out. A clean scent filled
the air that she’d never experienced before. She slowly sat up and
looked around. The beach bordered a forest and everywhere she
looked, there were vivid, bright colors. Turning, she gasped as she
realized where she was. There, at the edge of the clearing, sat
Meloir’s house. Somehow, she was in her painting. She stood and
looked around again.
Where’s Meloir? He
should be here if I am.

Sara had started toward the house when
she heard her name on the wind. Turning, she saw Meloir running
down the beach toward her, a huge smile across his face.

“
You’re here, you’re here,”
he cried. Meloir grabbed Sara in a bear hug and swung her around in
a circle. “My
Heart
Mate
, you’ve come to me.” He sat her on her
feet and took her face between his calloused hands. “How, Sarafina?
How did you get here?”

Sara couldn’t stop the tears running
down her face. “I found Grandmother’s magic, Meloir. The magic
brought me to you.”

A bright light flashed in front of her
eyes, leaving Elias standing on the beach in front of them. Sara
stared in amazement as Meloir dropped to his knees and bowed his
head.

“
Rise, Meloir. You know I’ve
never asked my people to pay homage like this.” Elias held out his
hand to the young man.

“
What are you?” Sara asked
in wonder.

Meloir put his arm around her shoulders
and pulled her close. “He’s our protector, the giver of all. He
watches over us.”

Sara gave a slight shake of her head.
“I don’t understand.” She looked around. “Where are we?”

“
This is what you would call
another dimension,” Elias explained. This is a haven I created many
eons ago to reward my people. Those who are deserving are brought
here to await the call of their
Heart
Mate
.”

Sara glanced at Meloir. “You
said I was your
Heart
Mate
.”

“
That’s correct, Sarafina.
You are my
Heart Mate
.”

“
Most of my people find
their mates and choose to live their lives away from my haven. For
whatever reason, they can’t or won’t find their way back
here.”

“
Like my grandmother?” asked
Sara.

“
Exactly, Sara. Your
grandmother wouldn’t leave your world because of your mother. Even
though your mother didn’t return her love, she never failed in her
devotion to her.” Elias smiled at Sara. “I admired her dedication,
Sara, even though it saddened me.”

“
Why would it make you sad?”
she asked.

“
The souls that don’t return
here are destined to live their lives as human with human life
spans and human frailties. At the end of that existence, they are
no more.” He looked around out at the ocean. “For the few that are
lucky enough to find a true love that puts their desires first and
their own needs last, I bring them to this paradise.” He turned his
green eyes on Sara. “You can stay here with Meloir and have his
children, Sara.”

“
I can have his children?”
Sara asked, her voice almost a whisper.

“
You can build a life with
him here, Sara. Your children will grow to be adults and be given
the same choices I give my people.” He took a step closer. “But you
and Meloir will never age past what you are now. You can spend
eternity loving and making each other happy if that is what you
wish.”

Sara thought for a moment, trying to
take everything in. “Is my grandmother here?”

Elias slowly shook his head. “I’m
sorry, Sara. You’re grandmother never put Karl’s needs before her
own. They couldn’t spend eternity here, but they are together in
the next life that your souls travel to.” He looked at Meloir and
then back at Sara. “If that is your wish, I can send you back to
the island with Meloir. You’ve seen the pictures of Karl so you
understand what will be required to keep him there.”

Meloir looked at Sara with hope in his
eyes.

“
You came to me on the
island, didn’t you?”

“
In your dreams,” Meloir
whispered.

“
No,” Sara argued. “You came
to me in person. You didn’t look the same, but you’re
Mel.”

His face reddened and he looked away
before nodding slowly.

“
What is your answer, Sara?
You must choose.” Elias took two steps away.

Sara looked at Meloir and smiled. “I
choose you. I want a lifetime with you and our children right here
in this paradise.” A bright light flashed and they were once again
alone on the beach.

Meloir grabbed her up and spun her
around in a circle, her feet dangling above the ground. “I can’t
believe you’re here,” he cried. He stopped and lowered her to her
feet, his hands coming up to frame her face as he gazed down into
her eyes. “I love you,” he whispered, kissing her eyelids
softly.

Meloir cupped the back of her head and
rubbed his lips softly against hers, murmuring her name against her
mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his lips feathered
along the seam of her lips, his tongue stroking in a gentle caress.
He licked and then gently bit her bottom lip.

“
Please, tell me this is
real,” Sara groaned. “I’m not going to wake up and find it’s all a
dream.”

Meloir pulled back and
smiled. “It’s real, my
Heart
Mate
.” He bent and swept her up into his
arms. “I want you, Sarafina.” He strode toward the front of
house.

Sara wiggled in an attempt to make him
put her down. “Meloir, let me walk. I’m too heavy for you to be
carrying me around.”

He paused and scowled down at her.
“You’re perfect, Sarafina, and I never want to hear you say
anything different.” He threw open the door and carried her inside
the house.

“
Oh my, God,” she breathed,
staring around in wonder. She’d only envisioned the outside of the
house in her painting. The door opened into a wide-open living
space. Huge floor-to-ceiling windows covered one wall and looked
out over the ocean. The moonlight shining through gleamed softly
against the hardwood floors. Overstuffed sofas and chairs flanked a
fireplace to the left of the door, while a beautiful oak table and
chairs filled the other side of the room. “Where did all this stuff
come from?” she asked in awe. “I never painted the
inside.”

“
I’m a carpenter, a builder
of furniture.” Meloir glanced around. “I’ve been working on this
furniture for some time in hopes of furnishing a home for my
Heart Mate
.” He gave her
a lopsided grin. “I guess the magic that brought you here knew
that.” He leaned down and smoothed his mouth over hers, taking her
lips in a hard kiss that left her breathless. “Let’s see if the bed
I made is here.”

Meloir carried Sara down the hall and
turned into the first room they came to. Her eyes drew immediately
to the huge bed dominating the center of the room with windows
overlooking a colorful garden on each side. The massive headboard
had an intricate pattern carved into each of the various posts. A
multi-colored patch quilt adorned the top along with several fluffy
pillows.

Sara felt herself sliding as Meloir
lowered her slowly to her feet beside the bed. He leaned in close
and kissed her, his tongue swirling languorously inside her mouth,
moist and hot. He took his time, coaxing her tongue to come out and
play.

Groaning, Meloir trailed his kisses
along her cheek to her ear and nibbled before flicking his tongue
inside. She tilted her throat to give him better access when his
lips slid lower, his teeth nipping at the soft flesh.

Sara pulled his face around and pressed
her mouth to his, her tongue sweeping inside as she brushed the
tips of her breasts against his chest. Their tongues twined while
he shoved his hand up her top and cupped her breast, setting her
body on fire. She let her hand drift to the button on his jeans and
popped it open. The rasp of the zipper echoed in the room as it
descended slowly.

Meloir grabbed the hem of her shirt and
pulled it up over the top of her head, his hands immediately going
to the front fastening of her bra. One flick of his finger and her
breasts spilled from the lacy cups. He dragged the front of his
shirt apart and pulled her close, her hardened nipples crushed
against his sinewy chest.

Sara let her hands wander up his arms
and across his shoulders as she leaned forward, pressing a kiss to
the center of his chest. She left a damp trail across the sparse
hair from one brown disc to the other while her small hand cupped
his impressive bulge.

Meloir allowed his fingers to glide
over her breasts, playing across her pebbled nipples. She couldn’t
contain her cries as a fiery sensation whipped through her when his
fingernail raked across the sensitive nub.

Sara gasped and held on tightly when
Meloir bent and scooped her up into his arms and promptly deposited
her on the firm mattress. He climbed onto the bed and laid his warm
body next to hers. She lifted her butt when he dipped his hands
inside her waistband so he could slide her jeans and panties down
her legs. She lay naked before him, her hand caressing down his
chest, as he shrugged out of his shirt and dropped their clothing
onto the floor.

He leaned close and flattened his
tongue over her nipple, drawing it between his teeth and nipping
sharply. Her nails dug into his skin at the strange pleasure-pain
sensations.

“
Did I hurt you, my love?”
he asked, a look of worry on his face.

“
Oh, God, no,” she moaned.
“Do it again,” she begged.

Meloir let his tongue paint her lips
while his fingers tangled in the curls between her legs. He licked
softly at her ear. “You’re already so wet for me,” he whispered.
“Your cream is trickling down your thighs.”

He grabbed her knee and pulled,
spreading her legs wider apart. His hand smoothed up her leg,
easing his way to her core. She began shivering, moving sensuously
on the bed, as his erotic words flowed through her mind. “I love
all this naked, soaked flesh.” His lips skimmed over her abdomen
right before he placed one knee between her parted thighs, covering
her body with his. Heat pooled in her center and she had to fight
the urge to reach for her clit.