AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Arctic air infiltrated her veins, and she felt her features go slack as astonishment held her in its grip.
Thinking to clear her eyes, she rubbed them. The reason for all her therapy still stood in front of her, the very same one from her dreams, from the glen. Her throat strangled any words that tried to form. But he’d demanded an answer from her, along with her name. Even though old tales concerning the power of names blared in her head, she couldn’t resist his pull.
“I...Calantha Warner, Cal for short. As for why we are here, I have no clue. Do you?” Given his earlier words, he apparently didn’t have a hand in it. That was if he were to be believed.
“No.”
Well, his curt answer cut that route short. She wanted to push the issue further, but it probably wasn’t wise to do so, especially when she didn’t know what the truth was.
She hesitated and floundered for something else to add until she decided he could offer up some information. After all, if his knowing her name put her at a disadvantage, she’d do her best to level the playing field. “And you, your name, I mean?”
“I am Relian, of the Erian Elves.”
That was undeniably the voice from her dreams. There’d always been a definite accent to the voice, but she could never place its origin.
“Elves?” She laughed nervously, placing a startled hand over her heart. Though she suspected this, to actually hear it...
“Yes.” His eyes bored into her. “I am the Erian prince.” His smooth tenor voice stated the title with only the barest hint of emotion and pride.
“Prince?” Her heart pounded against her ribcage, and lightheadedness swept over her. Closing her eyes briefly, she prayed she would wake from this fucked-up fairy tale. Not only an elf but also a prince? Just her luck. Speaking wouldn’t be wise. What if she said the wrong thing and got her head lopped off? She forced her eyes open, only to wish she hadn’t.
He had a quality about him that made her leery. Even given the intimacy of her dreams, she couldn’t say if he was a danger or not. Best not to test the theory. Diplomacy. Yes, diplomacy was the key.
Tamping down on the nausea that threatened to overwhelm her, she let her gaze settle around the general area of his face. That was the first step, looking him in the eye. After she engrossed herself in her task, she soon forgot this goal, though. His eyes, slightly almond-shaped and set above high cheekbones, were the same gray she remembered in her dreams. She didn’t know if his lightly tanned skin was natural or if he had a suntan. His black hair flowed free over his shoulders, reaching to his waist. He was handsome but in an otherworldly way that she couldn’t accurately describe.
Her gaze slid over his clothing. A brown leather tunic, along with a tan undertunic worn beneath, stretched over wide shoulders and hugged a muscular chest. Leggings of a darker brown hue rounded out his apparel and encased long, lean legs. He wore vambraces on his arms, and also had on boots of soft leather that looked remarkably clean. She gave an inner-eye roll. The cleanliness of his attire wasn’t important at a time like this, damn it.
Though she’d just chided herself, she took another peek at his boots and vambraces. Both were elaborately tooled in silver with impossibly flowing patterns etched into them, reminding her of Celtic designs. Fancy clothes for a warrior, but on an elvin warrior, they seemed appropriate.
A warrior and prince...a warrior elf-prince? The words sounded cliché, like some shiny, remade fairy tale. She almost giggled at the absurdness of the situation until another thought intruded. “We understand each other. You shouldn’t even exist.”
“I could say the same thing about you.” His face didn’t crack a smile, and he appeared as animated as a stalactite. “I believe we met ten years ago. The mist has seen fit to fix our language barrier. Hence, we understand each other.”
She didn’t know how to answer, so just nodded. What could she say? Either a magical mist had brought them here, or her hallucination looked very real. She’d pick the former belief for right now. Not that this option was the better of the two, but she’d never truly believed herself delusional. This just confirmed it.
He must’ve seen her stupefaction because he softened his austere manner, and his eyes lost their steely look. “Forgive me, I spoke out of turn. I realize you don’t know why we are here.”
In an effort to speak calmly, she forced good grace to the forefront. “I take this isn’t a normal situation for you, either?”
“No.” To her discomfort, his eyes almost seemed to caress her skin, and he slowly closed the distance between them. Her body hummed with the tension of standing under his gaze as the minutes crept by. Then his hand moved, reaching toward her cheek.
She moved a step back, her heart fluttering. He was too much, and it was too soon. Anyway, she didn’t even know what all this was.
When he prowled another step closer, she stumbled back a bit farther. Another inch closer, another step back. This dance continued with only the accompaniment of her pulsing blood. Then somehow she tripped. It felt as if a root had grown up from the mist and grabbed her foot.
Closing her eyes, she prepared for a jarring fall. Arms caught her around the waist. Arms? Her eyes shot open. Relian loomed over her and held her quite closely. Too closely. Every muscle of his lower body pressed against her. Most alarming was the bulge that pushed against her hip. Heat flooded her core, snapping her mind awake.
She needed out of his arms. Now. Nearly hyperventilating from the conflicting fear and desire that swept over her, she tried to right herself. No matter the maneuver, she ended up placing her hands on his shoulders, her fingers burying themselves in his hair. His soft, silky hair. This was bad—the sinking of her stomach told her so. He made falling way too easy.
Her hands slipped down to his chest. His muscles rippled under her fingers, the sensation shooting straight below her waist. Oh God, this was even worse. If she didn’t leave soon—in fact, right now—he’d make a goner out of her.
Mesmerized, she looked up into turbulent gray eyes, their blue pupils dilated. Blue? They should be black. Then as his lips descended toward hers, all coherent thought fled.
