Fate Of The Minotaur (Her Dragon's Bane 5) (4 page)

She also knew there was no way to fight off the inevitable. So, when at last her eyes closed, the sun was not far off coming over the horizon. By the time it was cresting the hills in the west, spreading its soft, mellow rays over the treetops, she was sitting up in bed screaming loud enough to wake the dead. Or at least the undead.

“Sybil.” His voice called her back to the room, his hands on her shoulders holding her tight. “Sybil, wake up.”

She opened her eyes, unable to focus; the nightmare scene was still stuck in her head. Then she saw him, standing there, with the head of a bull. But she didn’t recoil, and slowly, as her eyes focused, he returned to the beautiful man who had slept on her veranda. Her protector—but this was one thing he couldn’t save her from; this was her curse.

He stroked her hair back from her face. It was stuck to her clammy cheeks, but his gentle fingers slid across her skin until it was swept back. Then he looked at her intently, concern so clear on his face that she had to reach up her hand and reassure him she was OK.

“What was it? I thought you were being attacked.” He looked around the room, trying to see where the attacker had fled.

“There’s no one there. It’s all in my head.” She leaned forward and rested her cheek on his chest. “Just hold me, please.” She listened to the steady, strong heartbeat, letting it calm her and soothe her.

“Is this what it’s always like?”

“Prophecy?”

“Yes.”

“It’s always horrible.” A shudder passed through her, and his hold on her strengthened. “I’ve tried to fight it. When I know I’m going to have one of these dreams. Once I stayed up for three days, but eventually I succumbed to exhaustion and the dream was there, waiting. Now I know it’s no good to fight it.”

“Are they always bad?”

“Mostly. There’s little that happens for good. Not big things and I only see the big things. Tara sees the small things, the bits that make up life. I see the bits that take life away.”

“What did you see?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

He moved to pull away. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No. Fin, please stay. Would you lie with me? I’ve always had to face them alone. I would like you to chase away the dark. I’m so tired.”

“I’m just going to run down and shut and bolt your door. It wasn’t bolted, you know. I ran straight in.”

“I know. I didn’t want to shut you out.” She placed her hand on his and squeezed it, letting him know that she didn’t want to shut him out of any of this. She needed a friend; she needed the warmth of another living creature by her side. And then he was gone. For endless minutes, she thought he would not return, and then he did.

His weight made the bed dip, and he hesitated, looking at her, before sliding down next to her. She took his hand and draped his arm over her body, entwining her fingers with his when she felt him about to pull back. Staring out of the window, she tried to push the dream from her head. But it refused to go.

“It was the vampires.”

He didn’t answer, but his heartbeat quickened and his arm flexed, holding her closer. Protecting her. She looked at the blue sky, wondering how something so bad could happen when the world stayed the same. The sun rose, the sun set, and life carried on. For some, at least those affected by her prophecies, were less lucky. If anyone appeared in her dreams, then there was a good chance they wouldn’t live more than a week. It made it hard to allow people in. But she needed Fin.

“There is going to be a war.”

“Between the vampires?” he asked, surprised.

“Yes. There is a power struggle going on.”

“I have heard through Charlotte that there has been some trouble in their clan. It was a vampire who wanted to buy Charlotte. He wanted to cause trouble between the vampires and the dragons. They have a truce, and it seems many of the vampires would like that truce to end.”

“This is not about the dragons.” She turned in his arms to look at him. “I don’t want them to know. The dragons. Nor Charlotte, no one.” It was a lot to ask of him. She had not earned his loyalty in the same way the others had.

“It is not my prophecy to tell.”

She looked into his eyes, looking deep into his soul. Placing her hand on his cheek, she stroked it, but he turned away from her gaze. “Why do you hide from me, Fin?”

“Because of who I am. What I’ve done.”

“Are you the same person now as you were when you did those things?”

“No,” he said shaking his head.

“Well, then,” she said and she lifted her head so that her lips met his.

Fin tensed; she was sure he was going to pull away. She felt sorry if she frightened him away, but this was the closest she had ever felt to another living creature, and once she accepted that, she wanted more of him. She placed her hand on his cheek and he relaxed, kissing her back, at first uncertain and then with more fire, more passion.

Her body reacted in ways she had never experienced, her nipples hardening, pressing against his hard chest. While between her thighs heat pooled, making her wet and needy for him. She ached to be touched. For his large, strong, capable hands, the hands that had so deftly saved her yesterday, to now please her body.

Fin grew hard against her, his cock growing in length and girth as it filled. Damn, he was so big. He both scared her and made her excited to experience the unknown. What would it be like to lie with him? For him to fill her aching sex and bend her to his will. Their kiss deepened, his tongue probing her mouth, she parted her lips for him and he slipped his tongue inside. She met him with her own, sucking on him until he groaned and shifted his hips to press harder against her thigh.

Was this it? Was this going to be her first time with a man?

No. He pulled away, once more avoiding her gaze. “You should sleep” was all he said. The moment had passed, and she knew to press him for more would be to push him away. This was new to him, as it was to her, and time was what they both needed.

So Sybil closed her eyes, but before she slept, she thought through what had happened and came to two decisions. One about her visions and one about Fin. She only hoped they were compatible.

Fin could not sleep. He simply held her in his arms and listened to her breathing. For a long time she had lain awake, but now the peaceful rise and fall of her chest told him she had found rest. He watched over her, waiting to wake her if another nightmare took hold of her. All the time, he thought of her lips on his and how she had tasted, so sweet, so pure. Too good for a monster like him. If he wasn’t so concerned about her safety, he would have got up and left, returning to his lonely labyrinth so that she would never be tempted by this handsome face he wore as a mask.

Instead, he held her close, feeling the warmth of her body against his. As the daylight grew brighter and filled the room, he began to relax. Surely, no one would attack them in the day. He could afford himself a few hours’ sleep now, so that when they woke later, they could go over to the Dragon Stronghold before his watch began again tonight.

Stray thoughts entered his mind, pushing and probing him until he could ignore them no longer. Would he sleep here tonight, with Sybil wrapped in his arms? As his eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep, he wondered what it would be like to sleep with her every night, to make love to her every night. He kept reminding himself that those kinds of things didn’t happen to creatures like him.

But a Minotaur can dream, can’t he?

They had slept until late afternoon. The sun was beginning its descent in the sky by the time they had made it to the kitchen to eat breakfast.

“Pancakes?” she asked.

“I don’t know what pancakes are,” he said clumsily.

“Then you are in for a treat. They are the perfect way to start the day and also good for a sweet treat, and judging by the time of day, we are entitled to both.” She smiled at him, feeling happier than she had for a long time despite the increased danger she was in. With Fin here, filling up her tiny kitchen with his well-toned frame, nothing could hurt her.

Or so she thought, but a knock at the door nearly made her drop the egg she was about to break. They looked at each other, and Fin came around to stand between her and the door.

“If anything bad comes through that door, you go and lock yourself in the bathroom. Do not open the door for anything.”

“I want to help you fight.”

“No,” he said firmly.

“Hello, Sybil, Fin.” A face peered in at the window, and the two of them let out their pent-up breath.

Fin went to the door and unlocked it, allowing Charlotte and Serena to come in. Zoah stood outside, his arms crossed, surveying the forest. Sybil looked at Fin and saw a slight irritation cross his face, but as quickly as it appeared, it had gone. He felt the same way as she did; her guests were invading the little world they had been living in for the last twelve hours or so. And neither of them liked it. Or was it simply that neither of them wanted to be reminded of what was waiting for Sybil in the world outside the cottage?

“We came to see how you were,” said Charlotte. She stood on tiptoe to kiss Fin on the cheek, earning her a scowl from Zoah, which she ignored. “It’s good to see you fit and in one piece. We were worried that you might have been attacked.”

“Why?” asked Fin.

“Because we hadn’t seen you. We thought you would come over and let us know you were alright,” Serena said.

“We would have come earlier, but Zoah insisted we were worrying about nothing.”

“And he was right,” came Zoah’s voice from outside.

“As you usually are,” said Charlotte without a hint of humour, but she winked at Sybil, who couldn’t help but smile. Zoah stalked off to poke around in the bushes around the edge of Sybil’s house. “He didn’t want to come. But just ignore him. It’s only because Tara says it’s important. Anyone else, and he would be more than happy to get involved.

“Doesn’t he like Tara?” asked Sybil, finding herself more relaxed around these two women.

“Nobody likes Tara,” said Serena.

“I would say, don’t be so mean. But Serena is right. Tara is an expert at rubbing people the wrong way. Especially if it’s a creature that can sprout wings and fly.”

“I’m a dragon,” bellowed Zoah.

“Anyway. We just thought we would come over and see if everything is all right. Which it looks as if it is.”

“Sybil was about to make pancakes.”

“Was she? Late breakfast?” Charlotte teased.

“Charlotte!” Serena chastised.

“Sybil had a restless night.”

“I’m not surprised, after being attacked by those things.”

“Still, at least they haven’t been back. Dòmhnall is trying to get information out of that gargoyle Fin captured. But we’ve come to the conclusion they are mute.”

“We were going to come over to the Stronghold today. To see if there is any information you have on vampires.”

“We can probably tell you most of what you need to know,” Serena said.

“Yes. We all had a crash course on them when that one tried to buy Charlotte. Tara said there was trouble coming from the vampires, so it was best we knew how to handle ourselves around them.”

“So you know how to kill them?” asked Fin.

“Your usual horror-movie weapons. A wooden stake, preferably to the heart. But the head will do too.”

Sybil pulled a face. “I don’t think I could kill anything.”

“When it’s your life, or a creature that is already undead, I would like to think that you would find the courage to do it, Sybil.”

“And if they bite you?”

“If the venom isn’t removed quickly enough, then it spreads through you and you die. And then you wake up…”

“Garlic?” asked Sybil hopefully. She had some growing in her garden.

“Afraid not. All those other embellishments are purely fictional,” said Charlotte gently. “You need to learn to defend yourself with a weapon, Sybil.”

“I’m going to teach her,” said Fin.

“Are you sure? I didn’t know if you knew how to handle weapons? It’s partly why we asked Zoah to come with us,” said Charlotte. “He taught me how to use a sword and he’s pretty good with a dagger, which is kind of the same thing as a wooden stake.”

“I can teach her,” he said. “I have practiced with lots of weapons. Over the years.”

“I guess it filled the time,” said Serena smiling at him softly. “How are you, Fin?”

“Good.” He looked at her, and something passed between them. Sybil knew then he was very close to these two women and they both knew his secret. Was the witch Tara responsible for Fin’s face, the handsome one that covered the real creature beneath?

“Here,” said Sybil, putting four plates on her small kitchen table. “I’ve made enough for us all. Will Zoah come in and eat?”

“Probably not. He’s worried. We knew there was going to be trouble with the vampires. Ever since Samuel kidnapped me. I think we are all intrigued as to how you fit into all this, Sybil.”

She kept her eyes firmly on the plates while she served the pancakes, then she turned to get the syrup, saying, “I have no idea. I’m not like Tara; I don’t see the small stuff.”

“That’s what worried everyone. If he wants you, then it must be something big. And that means trouble. We just need to know if it involves the dragons,” Serena said.

“If I see anything that involves the dragons, then I promise to tell you.”

Fin looked at her, his gaze resting on her, trying to read if what she said was true. It was. Her prophecy, if that was what it really was, had nothing to do with the dragons. But she could see how the result of what she saw would affect them. All she had to decide was who was good and who was evil.

They sat and ate, the conversation turning away from vampires and prophecies. When you are eating delicious pancakes coated in sweet syrup, it’s hard to remember the dark things lurking in the forest. Only the solitary figure of Zoah, circling the cottage, stopping to listen frequently, reminded Sybil that this wasn’t over. She would need to do something; her plan would have to be set in motion. Tired of hiding and waiting for fate to come to her, she had become committed to circumventing this prophecy, which would bring death and destruction to mankind.