Finding Monsters (18 page)

“No kidding,” Charlie said, breathless. He closed his eyes and waited for his heart to slow. “Come on. Let’s go to the courtyard before we burst into flames.” Charlie took her hand, kissed it, and then walked her through the private patio they had to the courtyard. Charlie opened the gate and they walked the path to the gazebo. A picnic basket sat on the table. Missy gazed back at Charlie.

“Magic?” she asked.

“Extremely careful planning,” Charlie said on a smile. Missy laughed. They devoured the packed lunch and drank from the sweet nectar the flowers poured for them.

“So what did I miss as I slept away the days,” Missy asked after lunch.

“Not much. I sat and watched you every day. Elyen would have watched you every day too except she stayed home hove
r
ing over Vrag instead.”

“How is he? Did you know he gave me his strength before leaving through the mirror?” she asked.

“We didn’t know until we got through. We’d never seen him so weak. He literally gave you all of his strength. It took him almost as long to recoup as it took you. He’s out of bed now but Elyen still watches him carefully. She made me promise to send reports of your recovery. She will be pleased to know you’re up and around,” he said. “Oh and there is one more thing you should see for yourself.” Charlie chuckled again as he led Missy through the archway leading into the Bullclan co
m
plex. He took her quickly pass the cooking fires, where she waved a hasty hello to Dredge. He rushed her toward the outer door and opened it. She walked out into the crisp air. She smiled as they made their way toward the cabayo pen. Charlie felt the change starting and glanced at Missy. She smiled as his features turned back into his true bull form.

“You’re changing, my dear,” she said.

“So are you, my love,” he teased.

She touched the top of her head and felt the little horns. She smiled. Then she felt something else ha
p
pening. She looked back at Charlie.

“Oh no, now what?” she asked. Charlie took her to the stables where he’d set up a large mirror. Missy walked over and glanced at the reflection. She felt more changes occurring and then she caught a glimpse of something unusual. Turning sid
e
ways, she flexed her back. Dragon wings unfolded from her spine. “Charlie,” she gasped. “Did you know?”

“I guessed,” Charlie said.

Missy slid to the floor in front of the mirror, staring, stunned and speechless. Charlie moved in behind her and sat staring also at her reflection.

“It must have been hard for him to give you those but he thought you deserved them.”

“I… I have wings, her wings, Charlie,” Missy gasped.

“Drago thinks of you as a daughter now. He gave you something no one has ever received before. Oh and remember how you used the fire to make the mirror?” he added.

“You’re kidding right?”

“Try it,” Charlie said.

Missy held her hands out and concentrated. She felt heat rising within her. She stared at her hands as flames erupted and licked around them. She relaxed and the flames subsided. Cha
r
lie got to his feet and pulled Missy up with him. They stared at each other. Missy shook all over, not sure how to feel about the gifts of the dragon.

“What’s wrong?” Charlie asked. “What can I do?”

“Just tell me it’s ok. Tell me I can do this,” she said, through tears. “Tell me  …  how much you love me.” She fell into his arms. “I should be dead, Charlie. Did I deserve this s
e
cond chance at life? What did I do that was so extraordinary, that you picked me?”

Charlie held Missy and let her cry. He swept kisses onto her neck as she wept and whispered in her hair. “It will be ok, Missy. You are the strongest, human I’ve ever met, the most beautiful and worthy of life. I love you beyond words, beyond reason, beyond the bou
n
daries of all worlds.”

“I’m sorry, I’m just  …  overwhelmed, I guess,” Missy ma
n
aged. Charlie coaxed her from the stables and back inside. He found the shortest passage back to their quarters. Once inside, the wings, horns, and his bull-like appearance faded. Charlie led her back to bed.

“Rest, my love,” he said, lying down beside her. Missy turned over and nestled herself into his chest, the tears dimi
n
ishing. “Do you need anything?” Cha
r
lie asked.

“I’ve got everything I need right here.” She sighed in co
m
plete contentment.

The weather finally turned warmer in Bullclan territory. Missy sighed, grateful for the change, a
l
though since moving near the courtyard, she rarely ventured outside the walls unless visiting Egan. She still had presents to open from the joining ceremony. The latest had been left by the door earlier in the day b
e
fore dawn. She set it beside the bed unopened as Charlie rushed her from their dwelling intent on ta
k
ing a ride in the country. When they returned that evening, Charlie didn’t need to lure her into the bathing room. She slipped into the warm waters and swam to the far side.

“Charlie, I never see anyone else here. Why do they call it a public bathing room?”

Charlie chuckled. “It used to be a public bath before we moved into the neighborhood. Father commissioned another built so that we would have privacy. This massive bathing room is all ours, my dear,” Charlie said. Missy laughed, the sound fil
l
ing the warm sauna-like room with echoes. She swam nearer to Charlie and leaned against the railing b
e
tween them.

“I love your laugh,” he said. His eyes lingered on her gli
s
tening skin visible above the water line. Missy couldn’t keep her eyes from taking him in as well. Charlie’s human form was well tanned and muscular. She liked watching him the best when he woke in the morning, his dark hair in disarray about his face, the tips curling ever so slightly. He’d bury his head in the pillow giving her a view of his sculptured back and shoulders. She’d comb his hair with her fingers and it would put him back to sleep for a few more minutes. She’d laugh to herself then run to bathe and dress. It seemed better that way since they’d agreed to wait u
n
til after her quests to mate. She would feel it when his emotions strained against his resolve, and she didn’t want to cause him added pains. Missy felt it now as Charlie’s heated stares raked over her body. She felt her own temperature rising as their eyes locked. She would give in soon, she thought, not much longer to wait. Missy leaned forward and planted a small kiss on Charlie’s lips then rushed from the waters wrapping herself in the thick white robe.

Missy came from the bathing room first. She plopped down on the bed and opened the gift she’d left there. She gi
g
gled when she saw the lacy red ling
e
rie pajama top. She stifled a yawn, dried her body and hair, and slipped it on. The silky m
a
terial made her skin cool, producing goose bumps down her back. She pulled her normal dressing gown out to change when Charlie walked through from the bathing room. He wore his robe and his hair looked partly dry. His smile faltered when he saw her. Missy felt the emotions surging through his body cau
s
ing a trickle of panic in her stomach.

The attack was swift. Before she knew it, he’d pinned her to the bed. Her arms ached from his vice grip. She wanted to scream but he muffled the sound with his mouth on hers, planting searing kisses to her mouth and neck. When she tried to scream again, he covered her lips with his, plunging his tongue into her mouth with unbridled hunger. Missy wrenched her face away from his.

“Charlie, stop!” she yelled. He growled low in his throat but didn’t stop. Her panic sent an uncontrolled tremble over her body, so violent she screamed. Cha
r
lie froze. He clamped his eyes shut, his breathing coming in heavy pants.

“You’re hurting my arms,” Missy whispered, a
l
most afraid to speak. Charlie released one arm then the other. He pulled his body up away from hers and hissed between clinched teeth.

“Get out of the bed and take off the damned red shirt.”

Missy scrambled from the bed. She slipped the shirt over her head and quickly shoved it under the bed. She slipped on a plain white tank top and moved to the doorway for a quick e
s
cape before she spoke.

“Ok, the shirt is gone,” she said. Charlie opened his eyes and expelled a shaking breath. He moved from the bed, slouc
h
ing in a chair in the corner of the room covering his eyes with his hand, shaking violently with rage.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” Missy began but Charlie cut across her words.

“Where did you get it?” he yelled, not looking up. His words struck her hard.

“It was delivered as a present. I thought maybe Elyen or Ginger sent it.”

“They would know better! Where did it come from?” Charlie continued to roar at her, his bull pe
r
sonality coming through even in his human form.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. Charlie left his chair in one swift movement crossing the room in two strides. Missy cringed back against the wall, too stunned to run. He pinned her against the wall, careful not to touch the bruises already forming on her arms.

“I could have killed you. I’m a bull, Missy. I may look like a human but that is just an illusion. Red and bulls don’t mix. That myth is real here,” Charlie said. He’d stopped yelling now, and the anger began mel
t
ing away to grief. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I couldn’t co
n
trol myself. I saw that color and something inside took over.” He gently stroked her arms. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry, Charlie. I truly didn’t know,” Missy said, r
e
lieved to sense his emotions back to normal.

“I’ll stay in the sitting room tonight. Get some sleep.”

Missy blocked his way. “No. Why?” she pleaded.

“I’m still coming down from the rush. Please, I don’t want to do something else I’ll regret,” Charlie said averting his gaze from her face.

“Please stay, Charlie, you won’t regret it and neither will I.” Reaching up she took his face in her hands and kissed him. He couldn’t resist her touch, her kiss, her scent. Charlie wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. His mouth never left hers as he moved her back toward the bed. He broke off abruptly and released her.

“I can’t stay,” Charlie panted, closing his eyes, falling to his knees and raking his hands through his hair. “Sometimes having you close is more intoxicating than the red. I made you a promise. But if I start, I won’t be able to stop.”

Missy stood back as Charlie struggled to collect his co
m
posure. She gathered clothing and covered herself fully, even pulling a long sleeved shirt over her tank. She watched and felt the warring emotions rol
l
ing off Charlie like tidal waves until only one emotion remained, guilt. She wanted to apologize again but nothing came from her lips but a small sob.

Charlie’s head snapped up at the sound. His eyes scanned the room searching until he found her tucked in a corner, her eyes wide with fear. Charlie moaned inwardly. She had never been afraid of him, until now. Wanting to comfort her, he stood abruptly and moved toward her but halted when she dropped her gaze and pushed back even further into the unyielding space. He moved slower this time until he stood only inches away, his hands out in surrender. There were no words he could say that would undo what he’d done, that would dispel the fear. He could only show her. Wo
r
dlessly, he let his hands rest on her waist. She flinched but did not pull away from him. Her quickened breaths roared in his ears. Cursing himself again, he lightly kissed her forehead. Feeling her relax in his arms, he pushed the long sleeved shirt off her shou
l
ders until if fell away completely, revealing the tender skin marred with dark purple bruises. The lingering rush from the red evaporated as he exa
m
ined what he’d done to her. He lowered his head and lightly kissed her shoulder, and lighter still the bruised skin of her u
p
per arms.

“I am so sorry,” he said, his words thick with em
o
tions. “I will never, never hurt you again, I promise.”

Missy lifted her eyes to meet his, the fear gone.

“I know,” Missy said. “I know.”

T
ension filled the room like a low thundercloud. Atian paced the floor, not making eye contact with e
i
ther of them. Sophie looked pained. A knock on the door hit like a lightning strike; everyone jumped. Atian walked to the door and opened it. Vrag and Elyen e
n
tered and took seats across from the young couple.

“Ok, we’re here. Let’s hear it,” Vrag grumbled.