The kiss broke as I struggled to breathe.
He led me to the nearest boulders, and I sat down in front of him. I realized now that he had forgotten to take clothes and therefore had no choice but to be naked.
“You want to borrow my jacket?”
“You’re kidding me. I love being naked.” He stared at me. It was so intense that my stomach flipped. “Did you enjoy your day?”
“I did and I see now why Christmases are your favorite. I think it is going to become mine, too.”
“This one was pretty special. Especially that bike. You didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to. Your sister told me it was everything you ever wanted.”
“Yeah.” He grabbed my hand and kissed my fingers. “Used to be. I have everything I want right here with me.”
I loved the words that came out of his mouth. I pushed my lips on top of his and kissed him.
“What was it that my father gave you?” I asked.
He huffed as his lips spread into a tight smile. “The Warbel committee never wanted me to play professional Warbel because of who I am. I mean, I could easily cheat and use my alpha call. Lu and I tried many times to twist their arms in letting me participate. I even have a friend that plays for one of Etan’s Warbel teams. She tried too. They never budged. Your father gave me a grant tonight.”
“None of the other kings can?”
“They could, but they saw me as a risk. They need to be more like King Albert.”
I laughed the way he said it.
“Your father is awesome, Elena. Just like his daughter.” He squeezed his arms tighter around me.
“And Lucian?”
He chuckled. “They wanted Lu to try out every year, but he made a pact. He won’t play if I can’t.”
“You serious now?”
“He is my blood brother. What do you think?”
“I want a blood sister.”
“You have a Dent. We are tighter, believe me.”
“So, Lu had Tabitha, and he still has you, too.”
Blake smiled. “Because I’m cool.”
“Shut up.” I slapped him playfully, and he grabbed and kissed me again.
My stomach kept flipping as our tongues danced their familiar rhythm. It felt as if my love for him was going to make my stomach burst.
We spoke about the bike again. How it felt underneath him and I laughed when he said it must be how I felt with him underneath me. An instant hard-on.
“I don’t get hard-ons.”
“Then an instant tight nipple or whatever you want to call it.”
I threw my head back and laughed. Normally I would’ve blushed, but lately I was becoming more at ease with his raunchy vocabulary.
His watch beeped, and a grunt rumbled in his throat. “Time to go back before Herbert slays me. Besides, I still have to give you your gift, and you’d better use it tonight.”
“Oh, what did you get me?”
“It’s a surprise. Let’s go.” He tapped my leg to get up, and I pushed myself on top of the balls of my feet. It was so dark out here, so quiet.
He walked to the opening and transformed into the Rubicon. The tip of his wing touched the ground. I ran up the bony parts as he brought his wing closer to his body. When the distance to his back grew closer, I jumped from his wing to his back.
I placed the sphere on the same spot, just behind his last horn, and pressed the button, holding on to the horn so that I didn’t lose my balance when the saddle came out.
I plopped down in the seat and strapped myself in.
“You ready?” Blake asked.
“Yeah, go,” I said as I attached the last straps, securing my other leg.
The wind blew in my hair and it felt amazing. I still struggled to process snow that didn’t come with the cold. It was amazing. Then again, it was only a spell and not the real thing.
Farm lights showed first and then more when we got closer to the city.
Finally, the wall of the palace in Tith came into view, and Blake headed for the tower in the East Wing.
He flew up to the bridge and hovered in the air. I unstrapped myself out of the saddle, got up, and kept my balance on his back. Lu made it look so easy doing this on top of Tabitha. My stomach muscles protested as I tried to get the saddle back into the sphere.
The button finally functioned, and everything disappeared back into a the oval shape.
I picked it up, and Blake lowered his wing toward the bridge. I ran down the length on top of the bony parts and jumped onto the bridge.
“I’ll see you soon. Go take a shower.” He nudged his big head toward the nearest tower as he started to descend.
I yanked the door of the tower open and rushed down the stairs toward my room. Sniffs and sobs reached my ears as I descended.
Tabitha sat on the step, leaning with her arms on her knees. Her body shook with each sob.
My heart ached for her, and I planted my butt next to her. She jumped as I put my hand on her back.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. What happened?”
She shook her head and sniffed. “Just missing my parents. It’s so hard.”
“I’m sorry. He is not making it easy on you, either. He should try to lessen that pain.”
“Leave it, Elena, please?”
“Tabitha, how long is he going to keep on doing this to you? Becky and George are inseparable. Did you speak to Queen Maggie about your parents?”
“No, I don’t want to burden them.”
“Burden them. They already love you. Believe me, if your mom doesn’t want you, that woman would take you.”
She laughed and wiped her tears.
“You need more than just me in your corner. I’ll come with you and help you open that line of communication. She needs to know. They both need to know. Someone has to step up with you, Tabitha. Support you in everything you want to do.”
“I’m eighteen. I don’t need that anymore.”
“I’m speaking about the emotional side of it.”
“What is going on here?” Queen Maggie’s voice came.
“Crap,” Tabitha whispered, trying to wipe away her tears.
“Oh, sweetheart, is it because of Annie?”
“Annie?” I asked.
Tabitha’s chin wobbled.
“Tabitha?” I asked.
“I’m tired of crying over that, Elena.”
“I’ve had it with him. What about Annie?”
The queen stroked Tabitha’s arm as she looked at me. “They were a bit too friendly when you and Blake left. Constance spoke to her when Tabitha disappeared.” She looked at Tabitha. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
“He will never trust me.”
“He will. I think he is scared of your human form.”
She laughed and cried harder.
Queen Maggie’s lips fanned into a smile. “It’s going to be okay. He will come around and then I’m probably going to feel what it feels like to be Jako.”
I burst out laughing, knowing exactly what she meant.
“By this rate, only ten years from now,” Tabitha sulked.
“I told you he has his own time, but when he is ready, you will have his entire heart, mind, and soul.”
“Yeah, it’s not just that…” I said.
“Elena, please,” Tabitha begged.
“They need to know about this.”
“Know what?” the queen asked her.
“My parents. I’d gotten a letter from the colony after Lucian claimed me.” She shook her head.
The queen sighed and closed her eyes. “You are dealing with that, too?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“I’m with Elena. You need to speak to me about these things. You are family now, Tabitha. If your mom and dad don’t want you, we will be your new parents. You don’t have to go through these changes alone.”
“Thank you.” Tabitha wrapped her arms around the queen.
“We came such a long way. Helmut told me so many times to give you room to breathe, but I’m glad I didn’t. I’m sorry about your parents. I hate the old traditions, and we’ve tried so hard to show them it’s not enslavement.” She sighed in the crook of Tabitha’s neck.
The hug broke, and Tabitha wiped her left eye with her palm. “They’ll never understand. And it’s okay. They don’t know better.”
Queen Maggie brushed with her fingers the side of Tabitha’s hair. “I’m glad that you are so open. Despite that, it must hurt an awful lot. Speak to Lucian about this?”
“He doesn’t care.”
Queen Maggie huffed. “He cares more than he is letting on. I’m so tired of this.”
I laughed as I looked at Tabitha.
“You told her?”
“Of course, I told her. He is an idiot.”
“That is my son, but I totally agree with you on that part. I think he is just scared.”
“Scared?” Lucian was the bravest guy I knew.
“With his heart, Elena. The last one he gave it to broke it into pieces.”
“Tabitha is not Arianna.”
“I know.” The Queen winked at Tabitha. “Go wash your face and join us.”
She nodded, got up, and left in the room’s direction.
I left for my room and when I opened the door, the shower was already running.
I opened the bathroom shower and found Blake behind the steamy glass.
The shower door opened. “Where were you?”
“Tabitha. Lu is such an idiot.”
“You want me to speak to him?”
“And let her hate me. No.”
He laughed as I struggled with my sweater. Strong tugs pulled off my jersey in no time, and he did the same with my pants. He even helped me with my underwear. “Oh, this is so much fun.”
“Shh,” I laughed.
“The rooms are soundproof. You are such a scaredy-cat sometimes.”
My panties slid to the floor, and I stepped out of them as I followed Blake back into the shower.
He immediately grabbed me and planted his lips on mine.
The water felt great as I wrapped my arms around his neck and stood on the tip of my toes.
His hand stroked the side of my torso. I broke the kiss. “We can’t. Queen Maggie is waiting for us downstairs.”
“Grrrr.”
“Stop it. I’m sure you can sneak in tonight.”
“Fine.” He kissed me on my head and tapped my butt when he walked out.
“Ow.” I rubbed the spot as he folded a towel around his waist and left the bathroom.
I finally warmed up and grabbed the soap and loofa.
When I got out of the bathroom, Blake was gone, but there was a beautiful pink box with a white ribbon sitting in the middle of my bed that wasn’t there when I’d gotten in to the room.
I rushed to the box. It was Blake’s present. I took off the ribbon.
A gasp pushed through my lips at the most beautiful, lacy underwear folded up inside of the box. It had matching bras, but I doubted the cup was small enough. This looked slightly bigger than my size.
He got me three different colors and below the underwear was one of those sexy nighties. The see-through type that barely covered your ass.
Heat rushed up my cheeks and rolled off me in waves, as I could just imagine seeing him in a store. All the salespeople knew it was for me.
But it was beautiful.
I grabbed the nightie and pulled on one of my underwear underneath.
Then I stepped into a pair of slacks, my slippers, and pulled on a top. Dad would blow an artery if any of this was sticking out from underneath my clothes.
I rushed to the foyer. Lucian’s roaring laughter spilled from the lounge. I wished I could strangle him for being so daft. What the hell did he do with Annie that had Tabitha in tears?
Isabel helped in the foyer, and I had to admit, there wasn’t a vibe as I thought there would’ve been one. Still, there was no sign of Annie or Constance.
“Oh, you missed a shit show, girl,” Sammy said.
“I heard. What happened?”
“Lu kissed Annie.”
“What?” I couldn’t believe Annie would let him.
“I haven’t seen Tabitha at all.”
“She hasn’t come down yet?” I asked.
“No.”
I looked up toward the stairs. “I spoke to her earlier. She’ll probably be another few minutes.”
“Lu is such an idiot. Becky is so pissed off with him.”
“Is she still here?”
“No, they left before you guys came back.”
“You okay?” Blake’s voice came from behind me, and I turned around.
Tabitha walked down the steps with a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “I’m fine.”
Blake looked down at me as I smiled at him.
“What?”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, standing on the tip of my toes. “Thanks for my gift.”
His lips curved upward as he raised his left eyebrow at me. “Are you wearing it?”
I unwrapped my arms from his neck and pulled my sweater from my body. Blake peeked into my shirt.
“Elena!” Sammy carried that disgusting tone in her voice.
“What?” I let go of my sweater.
“Stop showing my brother your boobs.”
Blake laughed as he walked back to the lounge.
“I’m not showing him my boobs, Sam. I showed him the present he bought me.”
Tabitha laughed as I went to the table with hot chocolate and other Christmas drinks. I poured her a glass of eggnog and one for Sammy and myself.
We moved to the library and sat down in the comfy chairs.
Sammy and I tried to cheer Tabitha up. When our glasses finished, I left to pour us more.
“Is she okay?” Lucian appeared next to me as I was busy refilling the second glass.
“No, Lu. She is not. You are an idiot.”
“What did I do?”
“I can’t do this with you, seriously.” I picked up the glasses and left.
“Elena?” Lu yelled after me. I entered the library and found Tabitha’s wide-eyed look glaring at me. “Please tell me you didn’t?”
“No, I didn’t. He wanted to know if you were okay and had no clue what he had done. Guys can be so clueless.”
Tabitha grunted and lifted her hands. “He knows it’s about him?”
“Tabitha,” Sammy said. “Just grab him the way George grabbed Becky. Kiss the living crap out of him.”
We all giggled.
“I’m not George.”
“Well, it sunk in pretty fast that he would not treat Becky like crap anymore. That’s all I’m saying.”
She shook her head. “He would break me if he says he doesn’t feel the same for me. So just leave it, please.”
“Fine.” Sammy sighed and brought the glass of eggnog to her lips.
Around eleven, we called it a night, and I went to my bedroom.
A part of me hoped Blake disregarded what I’d told him and mentioned just something to the idiot. I didn’t know how long I could keep looking into Tabitha’s sullen face.
