Dalir's Salvation (12 page)

An archway to her left led into the living room. A natural fiber rug sectioned off the main seating area. The beige sectional decorated with pillows patterned in muted shades of plum and purple, and two side chairs upholstered in the same rich plum shade, highlighted the space. A cream throw cover tossed across one of the chairs gave an invitation to curl up in front of the fireplace. Clean, modern, simplicity, but with just enough homey touches. The room had Celine written all over it. After commiserating with the porcelain god last night in the bathroom, she’d noticed the green plants, lush towels, and the assortment of bath products. That was definitely Lauren’s doing.

The light tiles led to the kitchen. A wide shouldered guy in a green, long sleeved T-shirt and jeans stood with his back to her. He chopped carrots at the dark marble counter.

The whirr of a juicer set her teeth on edge. She flopped into a spindle-backed chair at the kitchen table.

The guy turned around. His raised brows formed ripples in his brown forehead. His smooth shaven face highlighted an engaging smile. “I’m Mace. You must be Ari.”

His big hand engulfed hers. “At least what’s left of me is.”

“Sick, huh?”

Why not keep her dignity? She didn’t have to cop to a hangover. “Yeah, I’m not feeling too great.”

“Here.” He handed her a glass of green juice. “It’s my special blend with a touch of carrot and pineapple.”

She sniffed the full glass. It didn’t smell too bad, and she did like pineapple. She took a sip. A burst of green flowed over her tongue but sweetness made it palatable. “Thanks.”

A nearby window showcased the view of mountains and cloudy skies.

Another rainy day in—what had Lauren called this place? The Drift? “Where is everyone?”

Mace poured himself a glass of the concoction and sat with her at the table. “The guys are handling business. Celine and Lauren went for a walk. Dalir. He’s around.”

Not surprising. Dalir was good at disappearing, and she didn’t want to talk to him anyway. He’d used their intimacy to prompt her to share her deepest secrets about her past. He’d known the entire time that he’d had no intention, whatsoever, of telling her about her friends or who he was. Ironically, if not for his crazy brother, she probably would have never found out the truth. Dalir, Celine, Lauren, they’d all made her into a fool.

He drank from his glass. “I heard yesterday was kind of rough. How are you holding up?”

The empathy in Mace’s light brown eyes prompted her to look away. “As well as I can, considering everything.”

“Yeah, it took a minute for me to adapt. It’s a lot to take in.”

“At least, you had friends to count on.”

“And you think you don’t?” He shot out a deep chuckle. “Celine and Lauren worried about you every single day. One time, I was late looking in on you, and they almost ripped me a new one.”

“You checked on me?”

“All of us did. That was a requirement. It was the only way they felt comfortable staying here for the next couple of months.”

“You mean they weren’t planning to stay here indefinitely?”

“Are you kidding? No way.” He leaned back in the chair. “This is our temporary headquarters. If we take down Kell today, we’re out of here tomorrow.”

She sipped juice. And what about Dalir. Would he remain here?

“I better get to work.” Mace rinsed out his glass and left it in the sink. He opened an upper cabinet and took out a small medicine bottle. “This’ll help with the hangover.” Mace winked as he placed the bottle of aspirin on the table in front of her. Then, he left.

Ari took two tablets with her juice. From what she’d viewed so far, it was a beautiful home. It was also a big place for Dalir to live alone. He could like the solitude. If he did, having a group of people around probably drove him nuts. Leaving the house was one way to escape. She rinsed her glass, then wandered outside to the front of the house. Mace had said they’d all checked on her. Did that include Dalir? Was that why he was at the shop when she fell?

The clouds had cleared along with the rain. Light humidity saturated the air. An open lawn stretched out from the house in either direction.

To the left, Celine, emerged from the trees. She sped up to meet Ari. “Hey. How are you feeling?”

“I’ll live.” As Ari faced her, awkward tension stood between them. “Where’s Lauren?”

“With Reid. I left them alone to say their goodbyes.” Her smile fell short of happy. “We might not see a lot of her today. She takes it hard when he leaves.”

“How are you holding up?” Celine had endured separations with another guy she’d loved. The end result had scarred her deeply.

“Thane left earlier this morning. He’s going to be gone awhile.” Celine’s shoulders drooped. “It’s never easy, but the guys have an important job to do. Right?”

They worried about you every single day.

Mace’s remembered words stirred regret. She’d envisioned them living the good life with their fiancés. The time apart, the danger the guys faced, she hadn’t taken any of that into account. Even in the midst of their anxieties, Celine and Lauren hadn’t forgotten about her. She’d accused them unfairly, without considering what she now witnessed in Celine’s gaze. Celine loved Thane and, surely, Lauren loved Reid.

Ari threw her arms around Celine. “I’m so sorry I yelled at you yesterday. I didn’t mean all that stuff I said about you not caring and just leaving me behind. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“It’s okay. We understood.” Celine gave her a squeeze. “It was a shock to find out the way you did. If we would have known Dalir was bringing you here, we would have eased you into it.” As she let Ari go, unshed tears lit up Celine’s eyes. “Lauren feels awful. She feels like she should have done a better job in explaining the situation. She was flustered over what happened but was trying not to show it because you were upset.”

“At least she remembered to bring the alcohol.”

“Well, she is Lauren.” Celine gave her a small smile. “Can you forgive us for not telling you everything?”

“Yeah. I can. You didn’t really have a choice.” Ari’s own emotions threatened to clog her throat. “Mace told me how you two insisted the guys check on me. You wouldn’t have done that unless you cared.” She squeezed Celine’s hand. “You did what you had to do to maintain your relationships. I’d never want you guys to choose me over love. I’m happy for both of you.”

They rocked each other in a hug. Tears flowed.

“Whew! I feel so much better now.” Celine wiped her cheeks. “Sorry to get all emotional. You, Thane’s mission, I’ve been holding it in all morning. I don’t like for him to see me upset. He needs to focus.”

Ari looped her arm through Celine’s. Time to stop thinking only about herself. Sure, she’d had it rough, but so had they. They needed her as much as she needed them. “Let’s walk awhile. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

Steps in sync, they strolled ahead through the damp grass. Celine elaborated on her part of the story. She told her how Thane had almost lost her, and then gave up everything to travel through time to find her.

Wow. Putting Lauren and Celine’s accounts together made Ari’s head swim.

They went down a path lined with flowers and manicured bushes.

Celine nudged her. “So what happened with Dalir? Thane wouldn’t tell me anything. He said I should hear the story from you.”

Queasiness stirred in Ari’s stomach. All this time, she’d let Celine and Lauren think she’d just had more than her share of lucky guesses and hunches. Fear of the truth affecting their relationship had kept her from confessing. “I was working the opening shift on Saturday at Diva Unique. I fell off a ladder in the storeroom. I hit my head and passed out.”

Celine jerked to a stop. “The opening shift? That meant you were by yourself. Who found you?”

“Dalir, but he couldn’t help me. You know because of the invisibility thing, but I could see him.”

“You must have hit your head hard for that to happen. Did the fall cause a concussion or something?” Celine gave her a stern look. “Tell me you went to the hospital.”

“Yes, I went to the hospital. No, I don’t have a concussion. They did an MRI and I’m fine.”

“Then how can you see Dalir?”

“I’m not sure exactly, but it probably has to do with my ability to sense things. And my visions.”

“You mean your strong intuition?”

“No. I have the ability to read emotions, and I have visions about what’s going on in people’s lives.”

“I don’t understand? What visions?”

“Is there a place where we can sit and talk?”

“Come on.” Celine pulled her past a pink rose bush.

A cedar, octagon-shaped gazebo sat in the middle of the grass amongst more floral bushes.

They plunked down on a bench running along the inside of the gazebo.

“Okay. Spill.” Celine tucked a leg up on the seat and faced her. “What visions?”

Ari swallowed. Her mouth felt bone dry. “Since I was a little girl, I could sense people’s thoughts. Sometimes, I get visions about stuff that’s happened to them or that’s about to happen.”

Celine gaped. “Are you for real? You weren’t just giving us great advice? You could see what was actually going to happen?”

“Not exactly. It doesn’t come all laid out but like pieces of a puzzle that fit together. I really wanted to tell you guys, but I didn’t want you to feel weird about me having insight into your lives.”

“I could see where that could get awkward.” A hint of sadness crept into Celine’s expression. “I just have to know one thing. The day Dominic announced he’d volunteered for another tour in Afghanistan, you looked worried. When I received the news about him, you showed up at the shop seconds after I got the call. Did you know?”

Tightness pulled in Ari’s chest as memories of Celine’s deceased fiancé, an army medic, surfaced. “No! I was worried because he was going back to a warzone. You loved him so much. I was concerned about you getting through the separation. The day you got the call, I had errands to run on that side of town. I’d stopped by to see if you could sneak out for an early lunch. Honest, I didn’t know.”

Celine’s chin wobbled. “If you sense anything about Thane, will you tell me?”

Ari struggled with the questions. She’d beat herself up for not seeing the loss of Dominic. That her abilities hadn’t saved Celine from pain. She’d also felt guilty over the relief she’d experienced in not having envisioned his death. Ari squeezed Celine’s hand. “Would knowing about Thane’s future change anything?”

“No. It’s strange, but in some ways, it feels as if losing Dominic prepared me for Thane. I know the risks. They’re not any easier than when I was with Dominic, but I know now to really treasure the good and not get all caught up in the bad. I’d rather have a few moments of wonderful with Thane than not have him at all.”

“You’re really happy.” Ari smothered a tinge of envy.

“More than happy. Once you meet him, again, I know you’ll like him.”

Again. Right. She’d already met the guys before but had forgotten them. She still couldn’t wrap her mind around the whole time travel concept. Or Dalir as some god-like being granting supernatural gifts. But it came with harsh consequences. They had to start from scratch every single time. They’d also faced the prospect of never having love. No wonder Reid and Thane had done whatever it took to hold onto Celine and Lauren.

Celine leaned in. “You mentioned you slept with Dalir. I can’t help being super nosey. I’m dying to know. How was it?”

Beyond perfect. But she couldn’t admit that. Celine was a romantic at heart. She’d try to spin it into something more than it really was. Just a heat of the moment hookup that came with some unexpected complications. Big ones. Ari feigned nonchalance. “Like being with any other guy. Nothing special. Hey, what about Diva Unique? Is there a way to get word to Brooke so she won’t worry?”

“Already done. Stop trying to change the subject.”

“I’m not. Dalir and I had sex. Big deal.”

“Glad you see it that way. Especially since he’s not capable of real intimacy. A guy who doesn’t know how to laugh or cuddle fits on the hell-no list. Definitely not a keeper. You’d get a better experience from your battery operated boyfriend and a body pillow.”

“Hold on. That’s not true. Dalir knows how to cuddle, and he’s better at it than most guys I’ve been with.” When he tucked her close, she’d felt safe and protected. “And laughing, he does it, just not all the time. I think he’s out of practice. And from what you’ve told me, it sounds like he has a shit load of responsibility on his shoulders. I mean, the world? Think about it. It makes sense he’d find it hard to laugh with so many people depending on him.” And no one around to help ease the burden of tough times. Mace was right. She did have her friends to support her. Dalir seemed to not want to depend on anyone.

“Ah.” Celine smiled. “The truth comes out. Just as I thought. You like him.”

Ari’s cheeks heated with a flush. “No. I didn’t say that. I mean, I don’t not like Dalir.”

“Then why are you getting all defensive about him.”

“My point is you shouldn’t be so hard on him. You and Lauren should have a little more understanding about his situation.”

Celine arched a brow. “Does that advice encompass you not being hard on him?”

“Me? He withheld information from me, aside from you and Lauren living here. I’m not saying I expected him to confess his entire existence, but as soon as he decided to involve me in finding his brother, he should have told me more. I still don’t know the entire truth.”

“But think about what you just said. You said he may be out of practice on some things. Did you consider that maybe Dalir’s not used to communicating? That was the hardest thing I had to work on with Thane because he was so used to hiding the truth about being able to travel time. It took a while for him to be able to just talk to me without feeling he had to censure himself. And responsibility? Thane has his share, too. When we’re together, all the stuff on his shoulders is the last thing he wants to talk about. He just wants to be with me.”

Dalir could have looked at his situation the same way. Maybe, he’d needed a break from all things associated with Kell, and with her, he found it. “He is by himself a lot and the guys are the main people he talks to.”