Dangerous Lovers (191 page)

Liasare threw him a nasty look. “Do you think I’m an idiot? I thought we’d gotten way beyond that point. I do realize that I have to work at it. It’s just that I don’t know what it is I’m supposed to do. Can you not even give me so much as a freaking hint, Tak?”

Tak let loose a long sigh. “Imagine your mind is a large window. It’s open for all the light to enter. What you’re aiming to do is lower the blinds so you can block the light from entering. Close the curtains, so you can take a nap. Is that a better metaphor? Now close your eyes and try to picture that.” He didn’t try to hide the sarcasm.

She closed her eyes, but she was so angry with Tak for his brusque manner and for always assuming she knew everything when she knew nothing. Rising to her feet, she walked to where he stood.

“Why do you always deliberately go out of your way to try to make me angry?”

Liasare had taken him by surprise. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Of course you do. You act as if I’m omniscient, when you know damn well I know nothing about this stuff. And then you have the nerve to be pissed at me. What’s your problem Tak?”

“I don’t have a problem.”

She eyed him, unwilling to let it go. Her eyes had frosted over and her nostrils flared as she unleashed her rage. “That’s bullshit Tak. I want to find out what it is you suddenly have against me. I aim to find out right here and now. I’m tired of this little game you’ve been playing with me. Ever since Jurek and I came back from Praestan, you’ve acted completely different toward me and I want to know why.”

Tak turned away from her and walked to the other side of the room.

“I asked you a question and I expect an answer!” The walls reverberated from her rage. Tak spun around, a look of shock spreading across his face.

“You want to know what my problem is? I’ll tell you. You are interfering in our lives. That’s what my problem is!” he shouted without thinking.

If he would have told her he hated her, Liasare could have handled that. However, she hadn’t expected this and it had taken her completely off guard. His accusation had rattled her to the core. She felt she’d been helping, or at least trying, and here he was accusing her of interfering. The more she thought about it, the more she realized he was right. She was preventing them from doing their jobs. Because of her, they had to move every day, going from place to place, interrupting their operations and delaying their searches. All because of her, because that damn Abaddon wanted her.

Shit, fuck, hell and everything else. Why does the bad crap have to happen to me? Tak’s right. I need to go somewhere where no one can find me, so these guys can do their jobs. Unfortunately, that fucker Abaddon would find me and wreak havoc on the universe. I am so screwed.

She dropped her head towards the floor and squeezed her eyes, trying to shut out the world around her, if only for a few seconds. She leaned against the wall and slid to the floor, putting her chin on her knees, trying to come up with a solution. Maybe she should just give herself to Big Bad Abaddon. Maybe that would put a stop to the disappearances and set the universe back on track.

“You don’t really think that, do you? If you give yourself to him, you supply him with the power he seeks and then we’re all fucked.”

Liasare squinted at Tak, not really wanting to discuss this with him right now.

“Our best course of action is to continue to let me teach you to effectively use mind blocking. You have to admit I have a point.”

She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. “You had a point about my interfering too. Not something I particularly wanted to hear, but nevertheless you stated the truth. I
am
in the way, but as I sit here and think about it, I can’t come up with a way to remove myself from your midst without causing greater harm to not only you, but the rest of the universe. Quite a dilemma I would say.”

“Well then, shall we continue?”

Liasare looked up at him and wondered why he felt so strongly about her. “Is it only that Tak, or is there something else you’re not telling me? I get the feeling you really dislike me now. Is it something I’ve done? Tell me what it is so we can move forward. I don’t like what’s become of our relationship. I liked it the way it used to be, when you teased me and gave me a hard time about things.”

He turned away from her, shaking his head. “It’s nothing other than what I’ve told you. Now are you going to try to learn this or not?” He started tapping his toe against the floor, so she knew she needed to drop it for now. She decided she would get to the bottom of this eventually.

They worked for several hours, until Liasare complained of a headache. She’d made zero progress, became frustrated and developed quite a nasty attitude. Deciding a relaxing bath was in order, she headed back to her room.

After she’d bathed, she crawled up on the bed and dozed off. Red glowing eyes greeted her, as the hooded figure beckoned to her. The voice wasn’t in her head this time, but he gestured for her to follow him. She backed away from him, trying to push him away. Soon, he was joined by his force of dark monsters, as they tried to pull her toward them. Stretching out her arms, she directed her power at them, forcing them to retreat.

Sensing her distress, Jurek flashed to their room to find her in the midst of her nightmare. Liasare was thrashing about the bed, so he attempted to grab her arms in order to calm her down. Instead, she doused him with her power, sending him crashing into the wall. The racket pulled her out of her hell, and she opened her eyes to see Jurek in a heap on the floor.

Flying to his side, she screamed his name. “Jurek! What happened?” She ran her hands along his body, inspecting him for injury.

He started to laugh, which confused the heck out of her.

“What’s going on? You startled me!”

Sitting up, he rubbed his shoulder and chest. “You think you were startled? You should’ve been in my shoes when you scorched my ass!” Then he shared with her what happened.

“
I
blasted
you
across the room? Wow! I didn’t think I could overpower
you
.”

He looked at her in awe. “In all my years, I’ve never felt that kind of force, Liasare. I don’t think your power has fully developed. I think it’s gaining strength every day. Let me see your arms.”

She pushed back her sleeves to reveal her markings. They had become more defined and elaborate since he’d examined them last.

“Were you even aware of how your markings have changed?”

Liasare looked at them closely and added, “Not really. I haven’t paid much attention to them.”

Jurek lifted up her shirt and pulled it off of her, revealing her upper body. He raised her arms and noticed the markings beginning to appear down the sides of her body, stopping at her hips. “And these?” he asked, softly tracing them with fingers.

“They weren’t there when I took a bath earlier this afternoon. What do they mean?”

His eyes softened as he smiled and said, “Only one thing. Immense power.”

“I don’t understand.”

He bent his head to kiss her shoulder and told her, “Liasare, I wish I could tell you that I knew, but I don’t. I only know that the more deeply colored the markings and the more profuse they are, the more powerful the Praestani. You, my love, have more markings than anyone I’ve ever known or heard of.”

She laced her fingers with his, drew in a long breath and then released it. “I’m frightened by this and what it may mean. Am I going to turn into some kind of freak? Some kind of anti-Satan or something because if I am, I’m not sure I’m up to that kind of task.”

Jurek cupped her face in his hands and replied, “Look, I don’t know. I only know that for some reason, you were given a gift of awesome power. We are going to have to figure out why and to what purpose it needs to be used. I won’t let you make the same mistakes I made Liasare. I refuse to let you go through life, living with regrets for sins you committed. But you can’t let your fear of this power stop you from doing what you were put here to do. You are a part of the prophecy, or maybe the prophecy is about
you
and I only play a small part. Whatever the case may be, we’re in this together. I’ll not leave your side. I told you from the start I’ll protect you and that’s a promise I plan to keep. Now I would like to extract a promise from you.”

She nodded and he continued. “I want you to promise that you won’t let fear control your destiny. I want you to let your power of Light guide you. Remember that Praestani power belongs to the Light, not the Dark. Let it guide you and don’t fear it. It will shape you and teach you what it wants you to become. In the meantime, I’ll try to teach you everything I can or I’ll get Tak to do it.”

Liasare pulled away from Jurek and picked up her shirt, intending to put it on, when he put his hands on her, stopping her.

“Tell me,” he demanded.

She looked at him and then back down at her shirt. “I would rather you teach me.”

His mouth pressed into a firm line. “What happened?”

Shaking her head, she answered, “Nothing. I just think I would get more out of it from you.” Refusing to look at him, she picked at an imaginary speck on her shirt.

“Look at me,” he demanded.

“Can you never ask, Mr. Bossy?”

“Please?”

She was hoping to throw him off, but it didn’t work.

She lifted her eyes and he saw the conflict in them. “Liasare, I can read your mind. It is but a simple thing for me to do. Please tell me.”

“No way. You’ll be angry and then all hell will break loose and I don’t want that.”

Jurek bristled, but said nothing for a few moments. “If that’s your preference, then I’ll be happy to teach you.”

“Good. Can I ask you something without you getting all bent out of shape?” Liasare wondered if she wasn’t making a mistake by this.

When he nodded, she told him how she wondered if it would be better if she were sent away from everyone, perhaps isolated somewhere, so they would be more effective in doing their jobs.

Jurek was on his feet in a blur of motion, standing in front of her, radiating fury. “Have you lost your mind? That’s the exact thing Abaddon wants … to get you alone, with no protection so he can trap you in hell and steal your powers. Then he will take over the universe. Liasare, how did you come up this crazy idea?” His mouth had hardened to a thin line and his eyes were darkened orbs fired with silver sparks.

“I … I thought it would be best because I feel I’m interfering with everything.”

Jurek’s fisted his hands until his knuckles were nearly bursting through his skin. “Interfering? Interfering with what? We
need
you here.
I
need you here. You’re the
Key
to everything. Don’t you understand any of this yet, Liasare? Because tell me now and I’ll spend however much time it takes to clarify things for you.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Shit Liasare, you’re
it
! The dreams, the visions when my mother came to you. When Larensa came to you. You’re it. Have you ever heard of Apollyon, The Destroyer?”

“Yeah, but...”

He held out his hand, his palm facing her. “Stop! Let me explain before you go off interrupting and getting your panties in a wad.”

“Excuse me? Tell me you did not just say that!” Liasare was on her feet as fast as she had ever moved. It momentarily shocked both of them, but she was so irked at him, she had a one-track mind. “Don’t you start getting all alpha on me now. I won’t put up with that crap.”

He got right in her face and growled, “Then we’re going to have a problem, because where you’re concerned, I’m nothing
but
alpha, sweetheart.”

They glared at each other, chests expanding and contracting with their heaving breaths, until finally they both backed down.

“You need to get one thing clear, Liasare. You are
mine.
I don’t share you with anyone. I demand things from you, but when I do, it’s usually for your own good. It’s my nature. I rule, as will you when we return to Praestan one day. Whether you like this or not, you agreed to this.”

“When? When did I agree to this?”

“When you became my mate.”

“Come again?” she asked, for she was sure she was mistaken.

“I told you when you agreed to be with me, before we ever crossed that threshold, that there was no going back.”

“Oh, and I was supposed to translate that to mean, ‘Liasare, if you sleep with me, you will become my mate and rule Praestan with me?’”

“Yes, dammit!”

Turning her back to him, she brought her hands to her head and rubbed her eyes. Then she gave her head a vigorous shake. Jurek gave her a puzzled look and cocked his head at that odd angle as he sometimes did.

Taking a long deep breath, she said, “Jurek, that doesn’t make any sense to me.”

“Well, it should.”

He was like arguing with a brick wall and her frustrations were skyrocketing with every second that passed.