Dracian Legacy (30 page)

What does she mean same mistake again? When did I ever make the mistake in the first place?

“The balance is at risk. The cycle was set in motion at your birth. It no longer matters what you believe; it only matters that you do what you must. Soon your strength will be tested when others take your place in the universe, others that hold the most influence in your life. No matter what happens, you must return home. This is where you are strongest.”

Knock. Knock.

“Go away,” I mumbled into the pillow.

The door opened anyways.

I’d been up for almost an hour since that bizarre dream. I tried to decipher the words my subconscious mind tried to communicate. I failed miserably.

“Hey, you.” Pey placed something on my study table and threw herself on my bed. “Axel
and
Dean called.”

I pulled my head from under the pillow and looked at her patient smile. I threw my arms around her neck and cried.

“Um, I love you like a sister, but don’t get any of that snot on me, okay?”

I laughed weakly. “Sorry.” I wiped my tears.

“What’s wrong?”

Let’s see… I was a witch and was expected to start the biggest war of the freaking world or let life perish to nothingness. Oh, and I was lied to all my life by everyone I trusted, including Axel. But I didn’t say any of that.

Instead, I said, “Everything.”

“How about we eat that extra-large pizza and watch chick flicks where hot guys are throwing themselves at damsels in distress?”

This was what best friends were all about. Pey knew I would tell her when I was ready so she didn’t push me. Instead, she offered the next best thing.

Chick flicks and pizza.

“I’m game. Let me go freshen up.” I sniffled, wiping the flood of tears from my cheeks.

I ran to the bathroom. Looking at myself in the mirror, I noticed how morbid I looked. My hair was worse than Medusa’s, my eyes were bloodshot, and my face was caked with dried tears and snot.

“Argh.”

Instead of a quick cleanup, I opted for a warm shower. I put on a white cami and a pair of pink boy shorts with “Delicious” written on the butt.

“I swear my boobs are biggeerrr,” I drawled, looking at Pey and then Axel.

I felt the blood drain from my face. Pey’s hands were halfway in the air, like she was trying to say something to Axel. He looked at me with guilt and a shy smile.

What is he doing here?

“I need to make a call to…” She turned to the left, then to the right. “Oh, hell. Just keep your clothes on.” She said and left the room, closing the door behind her with a loud thud. I heard her feet run down the stairs and stop somewhere around the foyer.

Axel stood in front of me, moving at an ungodly speed. He snaked his arms around my waist and leaned his forehead against mine, cautiously. I relaxed into his familiar masculine grace and let his warmth soothe over me. He relaxed and pulled me to him gently, like I was a delicate flower that needed to be protected.

How could I ever doubt him when something as simple as his touch had the power to turn me into a puddle? All my anxiety evaporated like cold water on a hot summer day, and I leaned into him, closing my eyes. There were so many things I wanted to be angry about, but there was nothing I could do against what my heart and soul wanted.

I wrapped my arms around his waist and he tightened his hold on me. He felt so good, and knowing he was mine, that I could touch him anytime I wanted, sent a rabble of butterflies fluttering about my insides. I tilted my head and stared into his regret-filled eyes. My heart spiked in longing.

“I’m sorry, baby,” he whispered, lowering his lips to my ear. His breath teased against my sensitive skin and a shiver ran up my spine. “You have every right to be angry at me. I wanted to tell you, but I was too afraid to lose you, and now… and now I probably have lost you.”

“I want to be angry with you.”

His grip adjusted, securing me to him. Was he worried I would push him away? I’d thought about his confession since I locked myself in my room. It wasn’t Axel’s fault my parents died, but he’d kept secrets from me. Things I deserved to know, especially something as important as my parents’ deaths.

But I also understood he only did that because he was afraid of losing me, and he
chose
to tell me, even when he was advised not to. That earned him some brownie points. As for his other confession, well, that was Dracian business and was his to tell when the time was right.

I was too tired of fighting what was natural. I was tired from being angry. I was tired.

“I need to know one thing,” I whispered. I could feel my throat tightening, afraid to hear his response. “Whatever the truth is, I can handle it. Just tell me the honest to God truth.”

He nodded and swallowed hard.

“Are you with me because I’m this… Echo?” My sight blurred and my heart struggled to stay in one piece.

“No.
No
.” He shook his head vigorously. “I never lied to you about my feelings. I’ve loved you since the first day I saw you, when I thought you were a human.”

And I believed his every word. My heart relaxed and I let out a deep breath. So I wasn’t just his mission. I could feel my lips almost curve into a smile.

He took my hand and placed it over his heart. “Feel that?” I nodded. “Every time I see you, every time I’m near you, every time I hear your voice, my heart’s racing to be closer to you. It hasn’t changed since and it won’t change, ever.”

Then why did I still feel unsure?

“I promise. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll do everything I can,”
he said into my mind.

“Wait did you just…?” I looked into his twinkling eyes. Then I remembered this wasn’t the first time. “You did this before, too, when we first kissed.”

He nodded.

“Do you think I can?”

He smiled at me, finally relaxing.
“Try.”
He spoke into my mind.

“How?”

“The first time, I had to have skin-to-skin contact like this.” He placed his forehead against mine. “Now think the thought you want me to hear and picture sending that message to me.”

I closed my eyes and let out a breath and pictured myself pushing out the thought.

“Can you hear me?”
I asked.

No response.

“Testing, One, two, three.”

Still nothing. I let out a heavy sigh.

“You can do this, angel,”
he said. “
It’ll get easier. I promise.”

“Practice makes it perfect,”
I said in a melodic voice. No response.

“If you hear this, I’ll put our mouths to good use.”
I looked into his eyes with hope.

He chuckled in amusement. “
Stop talking dirty when I can’t hear you.”

Heat pooled in my cheeks. I took a deep breath, picturing myself connected to him, as if a wire bridged between us. Then I pictured myself transferring the message as the words formed in my mind. I saw them scroll down that wire toward his mind.

I sang the “Gummy Bear Song” he texted me before our first date.

He chuckled. “
So, it’s safe to say you really liked that song?”

I pulled back, looking into his proud eyes. My heart fluttered.
He heard me!
So I leaned against his forehead and tried again.

“That, you can hear, huh?”
I paused. “
Kiss me.”

“With pleasure.”
He pulled me closer, his hand cupping the nape of my neck, his fingers tangled in my wet hair, and touched his lips to mine, softly at first.

“Hot damn.”
I purred.

“It’s my special gift… Meant only for you.”

My knees buckled underneath me. He tugged me tighter, pulling me up so we were both at the same height. He increased the intensity with each kiss. My stomach released a thousand butterflies, and I said, “
I love you.”

His lips curved against mine. “
I love you, Meus Aeterus, My Eternal.”

He let my feet touch the ground, looking at me like I was his crown jewel. I took in short heavy breaths. His eyes dropped to my swollen lips like he was ready to devour them again. His thumb caressed my lower lip, pinching it gently before he leaned down, covering his mouth over mine.

“I agree,” he mumbled into my mouth. “You’re delicious.” He nipped at my swollen lip with a groan, squeezing my butt.

I gasped and then prodded him. “Tell me, Mr. Knight, what else do you find delicious?”

We were startled when the door swung open and there stood Pey with a smug smile and tub of popcorn in her hand. “Well, at least you kept your clothes on like I asked.”

I blushed, biting my already inflamed lip.

She walked in and tugged at Axel’s arm still wrapped around my waist. “Now. You. Out. Unless you can magically lose your balls and grow a vagina, you aren’t allowed.”

I raised my eyebrows at Axel, pushing a thought to him from far away. “
Can you?”

“That’s not what you want, angel. Trust me.”
He winked.

I gasped.

“What? What happened?” Pey came to my side, concern filling her eyes.

“Um, nothing.” I looked at Axel. “
Holy cow, did I just…”

“I told you, angel. You’re a natural.”

“Well, ladies, have a good night. And can I pick you up for school tomorrow?”

“I would like that,” I said, looking at him shyly.

He bowed to Pey and left the room.

“Well, don’t you look ravished?” Pey whacked my butt, brazenly wiggling her eyebrows. “All right. Now the fun begins.”

We both jumped on my bed with cold pizza and hot popcorn between us as the first movie,
P.S. I Love You
, started. We gushed, cried, and laughed. Before we knew it, we were both asleep.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Between studying for finals, shopping for and finalizing the wedding plans with Cassie, combat training, and learning how to control my magical abilities, I was overwhelmed. Actually,
overwhelmed
was the understatement of the century.

“Dead. Again!” Dimitri yelled with anger.

It had been two and half months since my initial introduction to the art of one-on-one combat training. Both Dimitri and Axel agreed I was nowhere close to training with weapons, and I’d been getting my butt handed to me on a silver platter on rose petals every time I stepped into the training room.

“Repeated mistakes, princess.” Dimitri yanked me off the mat, almost throwing me across the room. “Attacking isn’t the only way. Defend yourself. You’re leaving holes, making yourself an easy target.” He was in my face, staring me down. “What’s the first thing you must do when attacking?”

“I… I…” I stammered, unable to think clearly.

“Always keep your guard up and anticipate the next attack.” His voice grew furious. Dean and the rest of the group practiced with weapons a couple yards away. They stopped to watch Dimitri lecture me without mercy. “On guard.”

Dimitri’s right leg flew toward my face in a roundhouse kick. I deflected with a sweep of my hands. Pain shot up my arm as I threw a punch of my own to his open gut. He swerved and grabbed me by the arm, pulling me behind him. When he punched my ribs, I bit down on my tongue, holding in the pain. The metallic taste of blood pooled inside my mouth. He then attacked with a combination butterfly kick and swipe under my feet, finishing me off with a mock kill.

I was flat on my back, panting, in just a matter of seconds.

“Do you understand how important it is for you to stay alive, princess?”

I hated being lectured. And I hated he did so in front of everyone. Red swirls of anger clouded my vision. I shot up and went after him, hoping to catch him off guard. Without hesitation, he easily took me down again. I lay there with my cheek planted to the mat and his knee between my shoulder blades as he pulled back on my left arm.

“Get off me. Get off me.” I flapped my body and legs, trying to get free.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Dean sprinting toward us, his fire magic at the ready. As my protector, it was in his blood to defend me at all costs. Even from one of our own.