Arkadia (Halfway House Series Book 1) (8 page)

Bohdan handed her a steaming hot cup of cocoa. Arkadia smiled as she wrapped her fingers around the pale blue mug, the warmth instantly flowing up her arms to her chest.
He even put little floating marshmallows in it.
Arkadia’s heart skipped a beat.

“Your color is coming back. Are you feeling better?” Bohdan asked with genuine concern in his voice. Arkadia nodded.

“Yes, thank you. Must have been the cold air, or perhaps my realization that my openness left me vulnerable. I don’t tell people things for a reason. I am different. I am cursed. Some say I am a freak of nature.” Her eyes misted as she looked back into the mug of chocolatey warmth. “I hardly know anything about you, and yet I have armed you with all my kryptonite. What the hell was I thinking?” Arkadia’s voice rose in a panicked shrill, her heart raced, and her eyes scanned the room as she tried to work out the quickest way to get the hell out.

Bohdan got up from his seat, placed his coffee mug down on the table, and walked over to Arkadia. He knelt down and took her hands in his, letting his calming energy flow freely through her. He watched for her eyes to stop flitting and center back on him. “Arkadia, breathe. It is not Kryptonite for I would never hurt you. A weapon is only dangerous if someone is willing to wield it, and I am most definitely not that someone.” His voice was soft, confident and as addictive as crack cocaine.

“But—”

Arkadia’s protest was cut off by him asking, “Do you want to know about me? For you and only you, I am an open book.” Arkadia nodded as she sat back into the chair and tucked her feet under herself. She was far more relaxed now thanks to Bohdan’s calming nature.

Bohdan sat at her feet. He had a look of vulnerability in his face when he gazed up at her. He wanted her to know ... to feel he was as exposed as she felt. He wanted her to see him, and only him, just as he was. He reached for his cup and settled himself comfortably on the ash-colored shaggy rug.

“My name is Bohdan Drak, and I like long walks along the beach at sunset. My favorite drink is … ouch!!” He laughed as Arkadia swatted him for being silly. “Okay, okay. Serious now.” He held up his free hand in a gesture of surrender and continued. “I come from a very small town named Besiny in the Czech Republic. It’s a tiny, and I mean tiny; only about nine hundred people live up there in the mountains. It’s a beautiful place, but very traditional and secluded from most of the modern world. My dad’s name is Jakb Drak, and he owns the local pub, which has been passed down through the generations, always father to first-born son.” Arkadia thought she saw a slight wince in Bohdan’s shoulders when he said his father would have to pass the pub to his first-born son per family traditions. She smiled softly at him in quiet encouragement.

“Lucy, my mother, is Canadian, and it’s her brother, my Uncle Peter, that I am staying with. Mom met Dad when she was backpacking across Europe. According to them, it was a love at first sight kinda thing. She walked into his pub, and never walked out of his life.” Bohdan smiled softly as he remembered seeing them look across a full room at each other and share a look of full devotion, even after twenty-five years of marriage. “Do you believe in love at first sight, Arkadia?” Bohdan asked as he looked up at her.

Arkadia shrugged her shoulders. “I would like to think there is such a thing, but from my vantage point, I have never seen two people share a ‘true love’. I have only seen lust, which is a common case of mistaken identity.”

Bohdan nodded. “Very true; however, I believe when two souls meet that have been destined to connect and complete each other, it will not be denied. People can try to hide from it and ignore it, but sooner or later, the constant drumming of ‘Mine. Mine. Mine.’ in their heads when they have met ‘The One’ will demand they surrender to each other.” Arkadia’s mind raced with the words “Mine. Mine. Mine.” She gulped as she realized what it meant.

“The Mark. Tell me about the Mark, please?” Arkadia asked as she took another sip of her glorious chocolatey drink.

“I sat the exam last year, and passed. They gave me a tattoo and told me to ‘go forth and prosper’. It was all very clinical,” Bohdan watched as Arkadia built up to the big question he knew she had wanted to ask all night. “What are you? I don’t mean to sound rude, but the amount of power you radiate is sometimes tangible.”

He looked deep into her eyes and spoke calmly. “I am a shifter, a … Dragon Shifter.” Arkadia gasped, she had thought a powerful warlock, but not an extinct animal.

“A Dragon? Are you serious? Like a real Dragon? A Shrek movie kind of dragon? A
Puff, the magic dragon
kind of dragon?” He nodded and chuckled at her reference to a favorite childhood tale of his.

“Indeed, a Dragon.” Arkadia sat back in her seat. Her eyes wide with excitement, she exclaimed, “WOW!! A Dragon. I haven’t ever met a Dragon before. Wolves for sure, I live with the twins but not a Dragon. So both your parents … are … scaled?” Bohdan loved seeing the excitement in Arkadia’s eyes. He had feared she might shy away from such a formidable creature.

“Dad is a Dragon. Mom is, or was, human.” Arkadia sat bolt upright, a crease across her forehead as she thought he must be mistaken.

“She couldn’t have been. How could they, yanno? Have you?”

“It was unheard of, a human pregnant with a para child, but it happened. Nearly cost my mom her life. If it hadn’t been for the help of some white witches and some clever spell casting, she would have been dead. On the flip side is that because the witches helped, my mom’s life is now permanently entwined with my dad’s. While Dragons are not immortal, we do have a long life span of a few hundred years, and while my dad lives, so will my mom,” Bohdan explained.

“That’s so romantic.” Arkadia flopped back into the chair dramatically.

“The witches said it worked because their souls were the same, they were meant to be together, and they had been cast from the same die. The mountains were a wonderful place for a dragon to grow up. Lots of deer and wild boar to hunt, and if I kept to the shadows, no one knew I was there.” With a deep breath, Bohdan continued, “It wasn’t ‘til some Americans were passing through town and saw me on my homemade ice rink playing hockey that things changed. One mentioned that I had unmatched raw talent and I should be playing in the NHL, and my dad saw a chance for me to spread my wings, pardon the pun, and fly into my own adventurous life.” He looked at Arkadia who was absolutely transfixed on every word he was saying, and she motioned for him to continue. “There’s not much more. I moved in here with Uncle Peter, started school, made the hockey team, and met this amazing little witch who has really cast a spell on my heart.”

Arkadia sat up with a look of fear on her face. “Oh no, Bohdan, I wouldn’t, I never, I don’t do that. Shit, I can’t even light a match at the moment without the threat of a full-blown forest fire breaking out. I have not, and never will, cast any kind of spell on you,” she rambled in a voice high with panic. Bohdan chuckled as he took her hand, rubbed his thumb across the back, and spoke so softly she had to calm down to listen.

“Arkadia, I meant metaphorically. I can’t seem to stop thinking about you – you’re becoming my personal addiction.” He placed a soft kiss on the back of her hand. Arkadia felt the heat of his lips on her hand and shots of electricity zipped through her body, making her brain go fuzzy and her knees weak.

“I got to go, Bohdan.” Arkadia pointed to the wall clock which read 10:50 p.m. Her curfew was 11:00 p.m., and she hadn’t told anyone where she was this evening, so she had better not be late as well.

“Then your chariot awaits, milady.” With a swift, smooth movement, he was standing and pulling her up. “I hope you had fun tonight, Arkadia. I’ll take you home, but I am afraid you’ll stay in my heart.” Bohdan held her hand as they walked out to the car. He helped her into the seat, and when he began to shut the door, she stopped him.

“Do you think we are like your parents? Cast from the same die?” she asked quietly.

“Yes,” he answered simply, then shut the door and drove her home.

The next morning, she was woken up by Raven shaking her shoulders. The look of terror in Raven’s eyes had Arkadia wide-awake. “What’s wrong, Rav?” she asked. Raven’s skin became even whiter than usual as whatever blood she had consumed lately drained from her face. With the next words Raven uttered, Arkadia’s life instantly stopped.

“Diane’s dead and people think YOU did it!”

“What the freak!” Arkadia exclaimed as she swung her legs out of the bed. Clearly something big was going down, because Rav couldn’t stand still, and for a normally silent creature, she was practically behaving like a bull in the proverbial china shop. “Stop moving, Rav. Tell me what’s going on? Does Eloise know?” Arkadia asked. As if on cue, Eloise walked through the door and spoke very quietly, an unnerving agitation in her normally calm voice.

“Oh, I know, alright. It’s the only thing I can hear this morning, be it the radio, the computer, the many texts and calls I have had, or in my head.” Eloise sat on the end of the bed. “Where were you last night? I need to know how to combat this attack.”

ATTACK?? Holy mother of pearls, what trouble had found her now?
Arkadia swallowed hard and asked, “What the Fig Tree is going on? Can someone please explain what has happened? And why I apparently am a murderer?” As she said it, she felt her blood run a little cooler.

Eloise replied as Raven was too busy chewing her non-existent fingernails. “Diane Coulter, the Mayor’s only daughter, was found dead last night. It appears that she has died from asphyxiation, but the talk is that you’re a witch, you were seen in an ‘argument’ at school in which you threatened her life, and now Diane is dead with all the oxygen having been stolen from her body which was left on display, tied to the flagpole of the school.” Elise watched Arkadia’s face turn all shades of terror as she explained the situation.

“I suggest you grab a quick shower, get dressed, and meet me in the kitchen in fifteen minutes. This is going to get worse before it gets sorted out, Arkadia, and I will need complete honesty if I am going to keep you from the attention of the Council.” Eloise ushered Raven out of her room and closed the door, leaving Arkadia to digest what she had just said. “Council? OMG,” Arkadia whispered. This was a crime that would be punishable by death if it was proven. “Fooook me,” Arkadia said as she felt her breath leave her body in a whoosh. She shook her head slightly, grabbed her towel, and headed for the shower.

“Tell me. Where were you last night, Arkadia?” Eloise asked as Arkadia pulled out a chair and slumped into it, a deep sigh escaping her lungs. Eloise continued speaking, leaning forward on the table. Her hands were placed delicately on the surface, trying to convey calmness to Arkadia that she didn’t feel at all. “You must understand how important this is, Arkadia? A young woman is dead. People are accusing you of not only murder, but witchcraft. If I am to have any chance of sorting this mess out, I need to know where you were last night, because you sure weren’t at home.” Arkadia knew she couldn’t say anything about Bohdan.

“Crap on a cracker!” Arkadia exclaimed as she realized her mistake. She had forgotten who was in the room as her thoughts roamed free.

“You were with Bohdan?” Eloise asked, suddenly feeling calmer for reading her thoughts, “that’s brilliant. Just get him to vouch for you, and it should help enough to water down the raging wildfire of gossip that is currently out of control.

“Eloise!!!! First, get out of my head. Second, you can’t use that. Bohdan made me promise. He skipped training and faked being sick. If his coach finds out, he is up the proverbial creek with no paddles.” Arkadia begged Eloise with her eyes to not tell anyone.

“Arkadia, did you hear me when I said the Council can banish you? Or in extreme cases, they can terminate you, as in end you, draw the final curtain, and nail the coffin shut. Doesn’t happen very often, I think I can only think of one time in the past one hundred years, but it still is possible. You are accused of killing a human, Arkadia, this is hardly a comparison to a little ice hockey team,” Eloise said.

“I understand what you’re saying; can you hear what I am saying?” Arkadia asked looking directly into Eloise’s eyes. “I need it not to be common knowledge unless it is the last possible option. It will hurt Bohdan. I was with him since right after school. We spent the afternoon and evening talking and laughing at his uncle’s house.” As Arkadia spoke, Eloise’s eyebrows raised. “No, lower your brows, mama bear, his uncle was at work. It was just the two of us, and he dropped me off at home late. That was it, it was truly an amazing night, would have loved to tell you all about it over a coffee and some doughnuts, but with this new drama evolving, I think that can wait.” Arkadia continued while she was on a roll and feeling somewhat confident in her own abilities to handle this issue without the Council being notified. She stood up from the table, and said, “I am going to school. This is just crazy; it won’t be as bad as you all think.” She grabbed her bag and headed out like it was any other morning.

This is like being a tiger on display at a zoo.
Face after face floated by, and millions of eyes assessed her in minute detail, whispering comments about her hair, clothes, and shoes. Every now and again, Arkadia caught pieces of the conversation roaring through the halls. The hate-filled eyes of the other students burned Arkadia with their accusations.
No, this is one hundred times worse. Do they really believe I am a witch? That I could be a murderer?
Well one hundred fold that feeling, mixing it up with hate filled eyes, accusations of witchcraft, assessing your potential to be a murderer.

Arkadia had only been at school for fifteen minutes.
This was going to be a loooong day.

Chey and Cat stuck close beside her, a protective buffer against the majority of the student body. Arkadia was dumbfounded at how quickly they swallowed the lies and accusations. Without even a word from her, they believed the lies. Arkadia was beginning to see that her popularity meant nothing; every one of them, bar Chey and Cat, had jumped the sinking ship like rats on the Titanic. They were afraid that any connection could make them also guilty by association.

“Where is Vi?” asked Arkadia quietly as they took the shortest possible route to the lockers.

“Don’t know, Ark. She must be sick,” Cheyanne replied.

Cat always being the optimist of the group said, “Heads up, Arkadia, sexy man-mountain coming your way.” Arkadia looked up.

“What?” She glanced at Cat as Cat pointed her long elegant finger up the corridor. “Ooooohhhhhh … I see.” Arkadia smiled, finally something to feel good about. “Hi, Bohdan,” she said as he got closer. Without hesitating, he opened his arms and wrapped them around her. He was so big, and his strong muscle-bound arms held her tightly. Arkadia sighed. She felt a deep sense of security being this close to Boh, and he smelled wonderful, too,
I must find out what cologne he wears ‘cause DAY-AM he smells sooooooo good.

Bohdan pulled her off to the side for a little privacy. He tilted his head down to hers, and the look in his eyes spoke volumes about the intensity of the situation. Being a para himself, he knew what possible outcomes could arise from this situation. “Arkadia, first, are you alright?” She nearly melted and collapsed into his arms right there and then. She wasn’t alright, but she had to be alright.

She tilted her head up to drink in his strength, and whispered, “Do I have a choice? You have obviously heard what I am being accused of, murder!!!! ME!!!!” A single tear ran down her cheek, threatening to lead the way for a thousand more to follow. Arkadia swallowed hard as Bohdan ran his thumb over her cheek, taking the tear with him.

“Tell them you were with me. I’ll take whatever consequences the coach chooses,” he said.

“NO. Bohdan, I am not costing you your dreams. This is my problem, and I’ll sort it out. It won’t stick anyway, it can’t stick.” She placed her hands on his muscular chest and pushed him gently away as she spoke. Bohdan was having none of that. He reached out, wrapped her in his strong embrace, and lowers his lips lightly to hers. The kiss was so delicate it made her tingle from her toes to her nose. He moved his lips around to her ear and his deep voice caressed her neck as he spoke.

“Quick as it may seem, my soul knows your soul. I can’t explain it, nor do I want to, I just know you’re mine.” He growled slightly as he said the word MINE and Arkadia heard the truth in his voice. Bohdan continued, “I will not let anyone hurt you, so as much as it will pain me, I will do as you ask, and let you handle it. But know this my Little Witch.” Bohdan leaned back and cupped her face lovingly in his hands, forcing her eyes to meet his. “My Dragon is screaming at me to grab you and fly far away from this bullshit. While you are in danger, I can only control him for so long.” With that last thought, he kissed her nose, turned to grab his bag, and walked off to class.

Cat linked her arm through hers and said, “WOW, he is one intense dude. You okay, Ark?’’ Arkadia nodded, her knees still weak at him calling her ‘HIS little witch’. She never thought she would like to be owned, but hearing Bohdan say those three words made her heart race, her knees crumble, and her girly bits tingle.

The day was a blur of sideways glances, hushed comments, and boring teachers droning on about subjects that she was never going to ever use again.
I mean really? When am I ever going to have to know what X equals in the real world? And who really cares which train reaches the station first as long as you get there, right?
Arkadia just kept her head down and did the required work, watching the clock till the last bell told her she could finally escape to the relative safety of her home.

Rounding the last corner on her way home, she looked up and saw a police car in the driveway. Arkadia’s heart sunk. Eloise’s word that ‘this was going to get worse before it gets’ ran through her head as she steeled herself, walked up the stairs, and opened the front door.