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“I’m going to head home, get cleaned up, healed up and I’ll be back within the hour. How does that sound?”
Her shoulders relaxed. “I think that’s the best idea yet.”
Once the decision was made, he kissed Willow then took off out the door of the bedroom treehouse, launching high into the air above the forest canopy.
He flew slowly at first, until he realized that the more time he spent apart from Willow the greater the chance another mastyr could swoop in.
He put on some speed.
He’d never showered so fast in his life and didn’t give a damn that some of his cuts weren’t healed or that the soap hurt like a bitch.
As he dried off, he worked at his healing and fell over once just trying to get into a fresh pair of leathers. He felt desperate to return to Willow and make sure she was safe.
By the time he was back in the air, he contacted her. Everything okay?
Yes, fine. But are you okay? You sound out of breath.
He could tell by her tone that she was a little bewildered by his concern, which meant everything at her treehouse was just fine. I’m good. I’ll be there right away.
He ate up the miles, flying faster than he ever had, so that in less than two minutes he touched down on her porch and knocked on her door.
“Come in. I’m almost ready.”
But when he opened the door, he almost fell over again. Willow had no doubt showered and now looked dressed for a party. She’d pulled part of her hair up on top of her head, the rest dangling down her back. She wore the dress he’d seen laid out on the bed, the front cut low so that he had an excellent view of a perfect line of cleavage. She’d donned a necklace made up of a string of quarter-inch amethyst crystals which set off her creamy skin and auburn hair. The gown touched the tops of flat gold sandals with a string of small amethysts on the front cross-straps.
“You look … amazing.”
She touched the sides of the gown. “Thank you.”
“And very much on the formal side. I’m feeling underdressed.”
At that, she came to him and placed her hand on the padded shoulder of his coat. “You look perfect. Your Guard uniform is revered among these … families.”
And there it was again. He was sure she was holding back, telling him just enough so that she wasn’t quite lying to him. “If you’re ready, then let’s go.”
She nodded. “I’m ready.”
He returned to the porch and the next moment she stood on his boot and he was holding her tight around her waist.
Before he took off, however, he kissed her, which made her sigh in response.
When he drew back, he looked at her for a long moment. “Willow, I don’t know what all this means, but you’re important to me. I want you to know that.”
She nodded. “I know. And you’re important to me.”
She then tucked in her gown and leaned her head against his shoulder, holding him tighter still.
He levitated above the canopy again and headed back to the granite monolith, the fall of vines, and the secret entrance to the place where the wraiths lived.
“I take it we’re expected,” he said, as he touched down and she stepped off his boot.
“Yes, of course. I contacted one of the leaders, so we’ll be welcomed formally as I thought we would be. But I should warn you that there will be a small ceremony of greeting, then we’ll be given a tour. But first I want to assure you that what you’re about to see was never meant as a reflection of your rule as Mastyr of Ashleaf, but of the need for these pure blood wraiths to protect themselves. Please remember that.”
“Now you have me shaking in my boots.”
But that made her laugh. She then waved her arm and at least half the vines simply vanished. She led him inside and once the vines behind them returned, she again waved her arm and the rest disappeared.
He blinked and, for a moment, had to shield his eyes because all he saw was a strong white light. The vampire in him interpreted the glow as something dangerous and he kept his boots planted to the ground inside what proved to be a short tunnel cut through the monolith.
