Dangerous Lovers (185 page)

“Dear gods, you saw my mother.”

“What the hell are you talking about and why would I dream about your mother?” she asked, unconvinced.

“It wasn’t exactly a dream. My mother’s dead and has been dead since shortly after my birth. She
came
to
you
Liasare in a vision.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I know you don’t. Let me explain,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Jurek told her more about himself and the Praestani’s that night than ever before. The Praestani race was kept secret for several reasons, some of which he’d already shared with her. But there was another one and that was because the race was beginning to die out. The main reason for this was when Praestani’s gave birth, the infants could only maintain their forms as energy, and as infants, they were at their ultimate in power, uncontrollable and dangerous. The mothers, while wanting and needing to care for their children often faced death at the very hands of the infants they recently birthed.

Horrified by what he’d just told her, she just stared at him. “So you’re telling me that the women of your race are killed by their own babies? I thought the Praestani were immortal?” Liasare asked in shock.

“We are, but we can be destroyed by another Praestani. Only we have the power to destroy each other.”

“My God, how horrific for those poor mothers.”

“It is. And now many of them opt not to have children because the mortality rate is so high for both mother and child.”

“Can the child not be taught to change forms?”

He shook his head and softly said, “Liasare, imagine teaching a newborn to read. It would be much the same. It’s impossible. They revert to energy because early in life it is what’s most comforting to them. They don’t know any different. They often starve and can’t be fed because they are in such a powerful state. It’s why I never met my mother. She died when I was only a day old. She wouldn’t let me out of her arms and I destroyed her.”

Liasare looked at him and her eyes filled with tears. “Don’t shed them for me, because I survived. Shed them for the woman who comes to you in your visions. She never got to hold her own child, for he killed his own mother,” he said.

She walked to him until she stood before him and took his hands. “You may have killed your mother, but you did it because you were unaware of what you were doing. The man who stands before me would never consciously do such a thing. I’m sorry for the tragic thing your race faces, but I can’t help but think there is an answer to change this somewhere.”

“Perhaps, but we have bigger things on our hands right now. I think my mother is visiting you because of your role in the prophecy.”

Liasare brightened and said, “Yes, she mentioned the prophecy, but wouldn’t tell me anything about it. I tried to press her, but she wouldn’t budge.”

Jurek squeezed her hands. “Don’t feel bad. She won’t tell me either. The only thing I know is what it says and that’s not much. And that I’m supposed to play a part. Liasare, do you believe in hell?”

“Yeah, I do. I visited hell Jurek and don’t ever care to go back.”

“Not that I’m trying to belittle what you experienced, because that certainly was hell, but I mean the
real
hell as in demons and all.”

“Yeah, I believe in it. Why?”

“Because I think that’s what the prophecy is all about and I believe hell is getting ready to break loose on the universe.”

“Oh my God!” Liasare said, tuning ashen as she began remembering something.

“What? What is it?”

“When I was in that dungeon, the man who controlled those vile creatures told me I had one last chance to tell him what I was, but I told him to go to hell. His response was that he was already there. Could he have been the devil?”

Jurek went back to the bed, taking Liasare with him. “Not likely. Lucifer would never waste his time doing the dirty work. He’ll always send one of his flunkies to do it for him. He wouldn’t waste his time getting his hands dirty in the messy parts.”

“Well, I think he was there on behalf of the big L then. And there’s one other thing.”

“What’s that?”

Liasare looked at her hands as they twisted the bed sheet.

Jurek stared at her and finally asked, “Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like what you’re about to tell me?”

“I think I have super mojo powers,” she declared as she looked at him.

He furrowed his brow and asked, “Elaborate.” He got up and poured them both a glass of water.

She knew when he used one word demands, she was headed for a bumpy road.

“When I was in chains, the creepy guy who controlled those nasty creatures gave the order for me to be raped. One of them attempted it, but when he tried, as soon as he touched me, I fried him...literally. Extra crispy Jurek. And the first time they tried to bite me, a light came over me and protected me.

Jurek stared intently at her. “Pull it forth. Now. I want to see it.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“Oh yes you can and you will. You will learn to harness it and use it to the best of your ability so it can serve you Liasare. That’s what it’s there for, why you were gifted with it. Do you understand?”

Liasare closed her eyes for a moment, and tried to feel it within her but there wasn’t anything she could grab onto. She searched her mind for anything, but it felt like a blank compartment. She shook her head.

“My power is a part of me Liasare. I don’t seek it out; it’s there at my disposal, always waiting on me. Treat it as such and perhaps you will see it. Let it find you.”

Frustrated, she said in a raised voice, “But I don’t know what I’m seeking. I pulled it out when I thought I was dying. I don’t remember how.”

“Come here,” he pulled her into his arms, on top of his lap, as he lay back amongst the pillows. His legs and arms cocooned her as he began to talk to her. “Lay back on me, love and relax. Close your eyes.” She felt his breath fan across her cheek as he spoke softly in her ear. “Now think back on what you saw that night...not your surroundings, not what was happening to you. I want you to block all of that from your mind. Now concentrate solely on what you saw when the light came forth. From where did it emanate? What color was it? Did it erupt from a single part of your body or was it a diffusion that covered all of you? Think about it all Liasare before you answer. Reach into the depths of your mind to remember.”

He was quiet then, letting her think about what thoughts he put in her head.

Moments went by when she answered, “The first time, it was an eerie blue light that covered my entire body. I didn’t realize what it was until they went to touch me. It was like the light burned them. They screeched in pain when they tried to touch me. The second time it must’ve been way more intense. When that disgusting animal tried to shove his ... his thing into me,” she shuddered and Jurek hugged himself around her, trying to shield her from those gruesome memories, “my light burst forth, but this time it was so bright, it was almost painful to look at, and it literally fried that monster.”

“Can you remember how you felt when that happened?”

“No!” she cried. “I was so freaked by the whole situation, I wasn’t thinking properly Jurek.

Sliding his hands up and down her arms, he asked, “Liasare, do you want me to trance it out of you?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

He shifted her slightly, took her chin, turned her head toward him and said, “Look at me, sweetheart. You know I have the power to reach into your mind and discover what we need to know, right? Like when I would ask you something and you wouldn’t answer, but then suddenly you’d find yourself compelled to answer me, even though you didn’t really want to?”

“Yeah, you’d hypnotize me and it would really piss me off.”

Jurek gave her a crooked smile. “Guilty as charged, but it wasn’t hypnosis, per se, it was trancing. I can do that now, if you’d like. When I trance you, you’ll remember things from your subconscious.”

“Well, then do it. If it will help me harness that power, then yes.”

He slid his hand through her hair and then ran his thumb across her bottom lip. He couldn’t seem to keep himself from touching her beautiful mouth. He took a very deep breath, released it then said, “Liasare, it may bring unpleasant memories to the surface ... terrible things you don’t want to remember. You’ve been to hell and back and I don’t want you to revisit that place. I’m not keen on doing it unless you really want to. I want you to think about it love.”

Liasare chewed her lip for a moment, images running rampant through her mind. The thought of revisiting that dungeon was almost too much to think of, so she wasn’t sure if she could bear going back there in her mind. Jurek could feel her tension as she lay in his arms. He slid them both down in the bed and moved so she was nestled tightly against him.

“Tell you what, why don’t we both go back to sleep and talk more about this in the morning, okay?” he whispered and he rubbed tiny circles across her back.

She snuggled into him and fell asleep.

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Liasare, you must come with me. Please, I have to show you some things.”

Not again. Will these people not let me sleep?

“Here, take my hand.”

Liasare kept hearing a baby crying, but couldn’t see where it was coming from.

“Who are you and where are we going?” she asked and she took the stranger’s hand.

“My name is Larensa and we are going to the other side of the stream. You’ll see.”

Liasare followed the woman, holding on to her hand, walking down a grassy hill, until they came to a bubbling brook. As they got closer to the brook, the cries from the baby grew louder and louder.

“There’s a baby crying,” Liasare said in alarm.

“Yes, don’t be worried, it is my son and he is fine. Come.”

Liasare followed the strange woman and knew she was Praestani by her bald head and tattoos. She was lovely, but not nearly as beautiful as Jurek’s mother, Liasare thought. Her tattoos were not as intricate nor were they as bold.

Larensa leaped over the brook and Liasare followed. She stopped when she came to a bundle of blankets on the ground. Liasare knew it was the infant she heard crying, for when Larensa reached it, the crying ceased.

“Liasare, you are bound to Alaricus and you must tell him that the prophecy stands. His mother was correct. You are the Key to everything. He will protect and guide you, but only you can do it.”

“I don’t understand. The key to what? And who is Alaricus?”

“The Key to the Light and to the Dark. And Alaricus is the one to which you have bound yourself. You have his power now. Look.”

Larensa pointed to the inside of Liasare’s arms and she was beginning to develop markings similar to Jurek’s.

“Dear God! What’s happening?”

“It is the power of Alaricus unfolding.”

“Who is Alaricus?

“He is your King, your Ruler, your mate.”

What was this woman saying? She wasn’t making the least bit of sense. Right then, the baby started crying. Larensa bent down and picked it up. She started cooing at it, and the crying stopped again. Liasare was looking over Larensa’s shoulder, trying to get a peek of the little one.

Spinning around, Larensa held the infant out and asked, “Would you care to hold him?”

Liasare took him into his arms and felt a surge of power flow between them. Larensa smiled. “You recognize each other,” she said knowingly.

“I don’t understand,” Liasare said.

“This is little Stellan. Isn’t he beautiful?”

And he was...the most beautiful baby Liasare had ever seen. But his eyes, those lovely Praestani eyes melted her on the spot.

“He likes you,” Larensa decided. Stellan giggled.

“I must go now. Remember what I’ve told you. Liasare, you are the Key to the Light. Only you. Alaricus will guide you.”

“Wait,” Liasare called, but they faded away.

She woke up, confused by the strange dream. She needed to examine her diet, because these strange dreams she was having were getting a bit over the top for her. She got up and went to use the restroom. When she was finished, she was washing her hands and something on her arms caught her eye.

Flipping on the bright light, she looked and said, “Oh hell no!” The insides of her arms were covered with markings, like she saw in her dreams. They were the same as Jurek’s only lighter. She began pacing and ran through the details of everything she’d dreamed. Pieces of the puzzle slowly formed the greater picture, as her heart thrummed in her chest.

She walked on silent feet back to the bedroom and looked at Jurek’s sleeping form. Backing up against the wall, she slid to the floor, and brought her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them. Sleep was as intangible as getting Tommy back now. So she sat there and admired Jurek, his breathing even, his thick hair falling across his eye, in all his naked magnificence. She stared at his tattoos and looked at the way they swirled in some areas, yet had angular designs in others. Her eyes automatically drifted to the one that hugged his hip. They were all truly astonishing works of art, and perfectly matched. Why hadn’t she noticed this before? Did he know about hers, she wondered? Was he withholding this information from her? If so, why? And what else wasn’t he sharing with her? It wouldn’t be long before she had her answers.