Coveted - Book 3 in the Gwen Sparks Series (26 page)

As soon as I lost sight of him my tears responded by falling freely down my cheeks; my heart too upset to race as quickly as my mind was. I hadn’t heard any footsteps but flinched when hands fell on my shoulders. I whirled around, my eyes expecting to find Aiden returning. Instead, Lauren nodded toward me, a sad smile on her face.

“He’s gone,” I said through a sob. “He actually left.” Up until it happened I hadn’t realized I didn’t really expect him to leave. The shock was gut-wrenching.

“I know, sweetie,” Lauren said, wrapping her arms around me and offering any amount of comfort she could. I willingly accepted, reaching my arms around her and resting my head against her shoulder as I came to terms with what just happened.

A shadow blocked out the light spilling from the French doors. I lifted my head from Lauren’s shoulder and found Dorian’s large frame occupying the space. We watched each other, unmoving and lost in this moment that was bound to throw both of our worlds of their axis. I couldn’t pretend to know what Dorian was thinking, but I knew my breakdown wouldn’t sit well with him. The magnetic pull we held for each other was undeniable, but we both knew it wasn’t on the level of what I felt for Aiden.

Maybe in time Dorian and I would get to that place, share something far more complex than raw attraction, but my heart wasn’t vacant just yet.

“He left something for you,” Lauren said and I released her from my grip, taking one last look toward Dorian just as he walked away.

Lauren removed something from the small of her back, producing a manila envelope. With shaky hands, I grabbed it, tracing a finger over my name in beautiful script. I looked up at Lauren, hugging the envelope to my chest.

“I’ll give you some space, but if you want to talk just let me know.”

I nodded, forcing a smile on my face. When she turned and walked away, I went to the railing and watched all of the people completely oblivious to my heartache. My eyes trailed up to the star-encrusted sky as a soft breeze brushed against the wetness of my cheeks. I made a silent promise to myself that I would do everything I could to take down Holly and take care of the VC. I’d make my decision worth all the trouble it had caused.

My eyes fluttered open. I found myself back in the bedroom I first stayed in when I arrived in New Orleans. Sitting up, I rubbed a hand across my face, pushing my hair out of my eyes. I didn’t remember going to bed. I spent the night on the patio just staring at the envelope Aiden left me and trying to find the courage to open it. Somewhere between my contemplations I must have dozed off.

I reached over and turned on the bedside lamp. It was still dark which meant it wasn’t morning yet. The soft glow illuminated just enough for me to see. The door was closed, a small sliver of light slipping beneath. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I gripped the mattress in both hands and took a moment for the last of my sleepiness to dissolve.

The bed creaked when I stood. I was still dressed in my clothes from the day before, though my boots had been taken off. Cutting across the room, I opened the door and looked right and then left down the hallway. All of the doors were closed, except for the bathroom. I headed in that direction. Once inside, I gripped the edge of the sink and stared at my reflection. My eyes were cushioned by puffy bags and my skin looked paler than normal. My dark hair was disheveled and in serious need of a meeting with a brush, but I couldn’t find the motivation to carry out the task. After going to the bathroom and washing my hands, I headed down the hall.

As I neared the living room, soft music lingered on the air. Rounding the corner, my eyes searched for the source of the beautiful melody. A chorus of pianos, violins and cellos came together to form a dark alluring composition. The entire living room was dark except for the glow of the moon filtering through the sheer curtains. Still, the music carried on the air around me, filling my ears with a peaceful calm.

Taking slow steps, I ventured further into the room. My eyes landed on everything, expecting to find someone with a radio on. When only furnishings and walls greeted me, I stopped in confusion. My eyelids grew heavy, seduced by the peaceful cadence of the orchestral music.

Slowly, the French doors glided open, a soft breeze washing into the room and caressing my face. I squinted as I tried to understand how they released by themselves. The wind was timid, unable to force such heavy doors open.

Not an ounce of fear resided within me. I was relaxed, albeit curious. The haunting lullaby resounded in my ears, lulling me like a newborn baby. It urged me forward, my feet moving on their own accord. I couldn’t feel the pressure of my feet against the hardwood floors. Believing I was floating, I stared down at my feet and let out a bubbly laugh. Sure enough, my toes did not touch the floor. I was hovering a good inch, my body carried forward and ensnared by the enthralling notes.

My hand reached out, my fingertips brushing the sheer curtains away. They danced in the wind like graceful ballerinas welcoming me. Stepping, or floating rather, onto the patio, my eyes found the silhouette of a man on the far side. I couldn’t say what he looked like, either my eyes or the music were playing tricks on me. The outline of his body was that of a man, but when he turned to face me no discernible qualities appeared. His face was a collage of colors, weaving and dancing in a wave to the rhythm.

He held his hand out and my body reacted, floating forward like it was controlled by the mystery standing in front of me. I clasped his offered palm and my skin filled with pins and needles as soon as I made contact. Still, fear eluded me. My head filled with fluffy, sleepy clouds. The man took a step to the right, keeping my hand held in the air between us. With a quick twirl, he spun me around and I giggled. The crescendo of the music grew louder, wrapping around my body as he twirled, dipped and glided with me across the patio. My cheeks stretched wide as the giddiness he caused consumed me.

He stopped moving and brought his opened palm to his lips, blowing across his skin. A flutter of glittery musical notes floated out of his hand and danced in the space between us. My mouth agape, I stared in wonderment. The notes sprung up, dancing toward the night sky where they evaporated, leaving behind multi-colored glitter to rain down. I held out my hands, anxious to capture the shimmering confetti.

“You and I have much to talk about,” the figure said. Ignoring the glitter, I stared transfixed at the sound of his voice. It was definitely masculine, but more intoxicating than the music he used to lure me with. My entire body went slack, my eyelids struggling to keep focus on him.

I tried to speak, to ask him who he was, but my lips wouldn’t corporate with the signals my brain was sending. The figure placed a finger against my lips, making a hushing sound.

“Death resides against a gray backdrop. Travel through the deserted hills until you reach the top. Only when the music sings should you stop.”

My eyes were fully closed now, mesmerized by sound of his voice. He released my hand, my arm dropping against my side in slow motion. The music faded from my head, taking with it some of the fogginess. And I opened my eyes. The man was standing in his original spot, his back turned toward me. Only, when he turned around this time, he was clear. He wore a long black robe, the hood obscuring his face from detection.

“Who are you?” The words felt funny against my lips.

“Find me,” he replied, reaching up and snapping his fingers.

* * *

I shot up in bed, panicked.
Wait, why am I in bed again?
My chest rose and fell heavily, my hands fumbling to find the bedside lamp. Clicking the switch, I hopped out of bed and paced the floor, stunned and confused. I was positive it hadn’t been a dream, yet it was the only explanation. My brain fought to believe it’d all been my sleeping-self’s imagination.

“Gwen?”

I jerked, my eyes flashing across the room. Dorian was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. His sunglasses were resting atop his head, his eyes light and calm.

“What are you doing?” I hadn’t meant for the question to sound as harsh as it did. Whatever had just happened had shaken me to my core. Still, it
was
bizarre he was just hanging out in my room while I was sleeping. Plus, I’m not a pretty sleeper. I tend to drool, snore sometimes and mange to turn my hair into something resembling what I suspect a person who’s been shocked looks like.

“I was wondering the same thing,” Dorian responded, dodging my question. “You hopped out of bed like it was filled with snakes.”

“I…uh.” I looked at the bed, and then down at myself. “It was just a dream I guess.” Sitting on the edge of the mattress, I pulled my feet up and rested them on the bed frame. The riddle the man had recited flowed through my head. If it was just a dream then why did my subconscious tell me to take it seriously?

Dorian walked over to my side of the room, stopping in front of me. I kept my eyes on the floor, my mind too occupied with trying to remember every last detail of the hallucination.

“Find me.”

“Tag, you’re it,” Dorian said, reaching a hand out and tapping my arm. “Worst game of hide-n-seek ever.”

“What?” I tugged my brain back to the present, looking up at him.

“You said ‘find me’.”

“Oh. Did I?” I hadn’t realized I said it out loud. “Nothing, never mind.” I absentmindedly waved the topic away.

The mattress squeaked when Dorian sat down beside me, his feet spaced apart as he leaned over on his elbows.

“What is going on?” He cocked his head to the side to look at me. “You’re acting like you fell through the rabbit hole.”

I scrubbed a hand over my face, hoping to erase some of the bewilderment filling my head. The dream had been something out of a fairytale, peculiar and absurd. I rolled my neck against my shoulders, trying to ease the tight muscles.

“It was so realistic, the dream. There was a man, or at least he sounded like a man. And…I don’t know, he produced this music that turned my bones to cotton and my brain to mush. We danced on the patio and I floated. He told me to find him.” I looked over at Dorian. He was watching me like I’d just told him Santa Claus had visited me.

“Sounds like a dream to me.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” I agreed. “It was just…so real.”

Silence settled over the room, both of us retreating to our thoughts. After a while I turned back to Dorian and asked, “So why are you in my room?”

“My room.”

“What?”

“This is my room,” Dorian explained. “So technically I’m where I’m supposed to be.”

This was the room Dorian put me in when I had first arrived. Now that I knew it was his personal room it felt different—intimate. A sudden thought came to me, causing my upper lip to curl in disgust.

“I seriously hope you washed these sheets before you offered your bed to me.”

Dorian chuckled, his smile soothing me a little bit. “I don’t bring women back to my place, Gwen. You’re the first female to touch the sheets.”

That was about as believable as my spiel about a bizarre man who controlled me with music.

“It’s the truth,” Dorian said answering my unspoken accusation.

A bit of aggravation snaked its way through my body. “Stop avoiding the question. Why are you in here? This place has multiple bedrooms. You could have slept in one of them.”

I could tell by the look on his face that it bothered him that I didn’t want to share a bed. There had been so many mixed signals between us that I wouldn’t blame him if he was angry with me. I’d been enjoying his company, and kisses, yet pushing him away at the same time.

“I was thinking,” he said almost hesitantly. “You were pretty upset after Aiden left.” He glanced at me. When I didn’t argue the statement he continued. “I never understood relationships. They seemed pointless and messy. But…the way you acted when he left,” he paused as if double checking whether the thoughts running through his head were correct or not. “I think I understand now.”

“You do?” Again, I didn’t mean it as harsh or skeptical as it sounded.

He nodded, sitting up straight but staring ahead instead at me. “I think I’d feel the same way if you left. If I knew I’d never see you again…it would hurt.”

The last part came out sounding more like a question than a statement. And maybe it was, maybe he wasn’t sure what being hurt felt like. I almost envied him for that. Then again, it was also sad. I watched him with amazement, wondering how he survived millennia without ever growing attached to anyone. I imagined it to be a very lonely existence.

“I’m sorry if seeing me like that upset you,” I told him. “I know you and I sort of have a thing—”

“You don’t have to apologize,” he interrupted. “But I was jealous of the feeling. I sat here while you slept wondering what it’d be like if you cared for me the way you do for him—”

“Dorian…” I wanted to tell him I did care about him, but we both knew it wasn’t on the same level he was talking about. I didn’t love him. That’s not to say I would
never
love him though.