Hearken (Daughters of the Sea Series) (38 page)

             
“According to Aristotle, when you wish on a star, you’re a million years too late,” he explained in all seriousness. “That same star is dead. Just like your dreams.”

             
“Well, you and Aristotle are clearly dead inside. Not to mention you’ve just single-handedly slaughtered my belief that wishes come true.”  I couldn’t stop myself from bursting out laughing as I pushed him playfully. “Consider yourself to blame when they find me floating face-down in the river after I hurl myself off your butterfly bridge…” I lay back down on my back and tried to wipe off the idiotic smile plastered all over my face.

             
After I was finally able to connect the dots in an effort to visualize a constellation, Sebastian informed me the lopsided angel I had pointed out to him was anything but. I didn’t know who had deemed him the expert on pictures in the sky, but I was quite happy with my angel. The fact that she was missing a leg and half of her halo made no difference to me. After creating my own intricate back story for my flawed, half-halo angel; Sebastian abruptly sat up suddenly and gazed down at me with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

             
“I have an idea,” he clamored deviously. He climbed to his feet and extended an inviting arm to me.

             
“This should end well,” I mumbled sarcastically. The smirk I’d instructed to decorate my lips slowly morphed into a big goofy grin as I took his warm hand in mine and silenced my thoughts. When he helped me up, I literally felt a spark sizzle across my palm. He peered back at me with puzzled eyes.

             
“Watch that essence of yours.” He grinned devilishly. “I still haven’t healed from your last attack.” He turned to face me and pointed down at his chest, where soft pink lines could still be seen from my attack at the castle. They created a web of lines extending out from his heart; resembling a lightning strike wound. 

             
The glow of the moon lit up his lustrous skin against the blushing pink scars created at the spark of my essence. They had dramatically healed already, and I had a feeling they’d be completely gone by tomorrow night. Even with that thought in my mind, I couldn’t help but dwell on the fact that I’d been responsible for scarring the perfect lines of his torso. Without thinking, I lightly ran my fingers along the scraggly lines with reverence. I followed one particularly long one downward and across the contours of his abdomen. Lingering dangerously low, my hungry, covetous eyes traveled along the waistband of his pants where they sat perfectly on his hips.  My breath hitched as they followed the strong lines of his stomach muscles where they disappeared beneath the soft white linen. I forced my eyes back upward to his blemished chest and felt a pang of guilt.

             
“I’m so sorry,” I murmured as I trailed another scar up and along his collarbone. The pink wounds were so soft and vulnerable, they stood in contrast to the strength and courage I knew lay dormant beneath.

             
“I heal quickly,” he mumbled back, and pressed his hand against mine; splaying my fingers out against his chest and capturing my eyes in his tender gaze. His honey colored hair accentuated the light blue of his eyes that danced almost silver amidst the night ambiance. I searched them in an effort to figure out what he was thinking, and noticed his jaw tighten when his attention dropped to my mouth.

             
I held my breath while he leaned forward and cupped my chin. I glanced down at his lips and felt a shiver run down my spine in anticipation of tasting them. Electricity hummed through my veins and sizzled in my heart. And then I felt a light nudge in the small of my back.

             
I turned slightly and jumped at the large animal standing only inches from me. His blonde mane fell into his eyes as he nudged me once more with his nose and huffed at me. I turned to give him my undivided attention, and he swished his tail as he stepped even closer. I nuzzled in his soft coat and ran a hand down his neck.

             
“I think he likes you,” Sebastian chuckled.

             
“I get that a lot,” I joked with a flip of my wrist.

             
“Probably more than you know,” Sebastian muttered, and then recited in Greek, “’If there is light in the soul, there is beauty in the woman.’”

             
“I speak Greek, remember?” I reminded him, just in case he thought he was getting away with something. Unfortunately, he knew all too well what he was doing.

             
“I know,” he stated simply with a sly grin. He stepped over to Xanthos and patted him on the back. “You up for a ride, ‘ole boy?”

             
The horse scuffed his hoof in the dirt and threw his head back with excitement; making Sebastian laugh and forcing me to back up in an effort to not get trampled. I stayed with Xanthos while he walked over to where Balios still grazed near the tree. He hugged his neck and whispered something in his ear before returning to my side.

             
“Coming?” he asked with a self-assured smile no sane girl could say no to. Without a word he mounted the horse in one graceful movement, and then extended a steady arm for me to do the same. I cocked my head and stared up at him, expecting some kind of explanation as to where he was going. When my only answer was a challenging stare, I hooked my foot in the stirrup, jumped and swung my leg over while he pulled me up.

             
“You’re getting good at this,” he praised me.

             
“I feel like I’m in the middle of a twisted fairy tale.” I marveled at the bright night and the crispness of the air, and breathed in a deep breath.

             
“I’m Prince Charming, right?” he guessed with a sneer.

             
“More like Rumpelstiltskin,” I surmised cynically.

             
“That would make you the alluring Miller’s Daughter, who eventually becomes Queen,” he chuckled evilly. “And we all know
that
can’t be true.”

             
“Hey what-?!” But before I could get another word out or knock him senseless, he drove his heel into the horse’s side and we shot forward through the night. I threw myself forward and wrapped my arms securely around Sebastian’s waist.

             
Nothing could dampen the smile that stretched across my face from the sheer exhilaration of galloping on horseback through the forest.  Except for maybe riding across fields full of midnight blooms of fragrant gladiolus and evening primrose. Xanthos slowed to a steady trot as we crossed one more field and drew closer to the vast trench. The butterfly bridge lay just up ahead, spotlighted by the pale light of the full moon.

             
Sebastian tilted forward and somehow dismounted the horse without kicking me in the face. Every action, every maneuver gave off the appearance of a highly skilled equestrian. It was glaringly obvious that he belonged here - racing across the land on horseback and living among the purest trees and plant life on Earth. Once on the ground, he led Xanthos with me in tow over to the large rubber tree providing roots for this side of the bridge. He secured the reins of the horse’s bridle around the wide trunk, and held up his arms to me with a bright smile.

             
Just like he’d instructed me earlier in the night, I threw one leg over so that I was sitting on the horse facing him. I slid off carefully and landed in his capable arms. He slowly lowered me to the ground and I felt small in his grasp. As my body slid against his, I fought the energy building within me and the irrational urge to wrap my legs around him and kiss him until the sun came up. When my feet landed on solid ground, I left my hands on his strong shoulders simply because I didn’t want to let go of him. Neither of us moved. As my heart jumped into overdrive and I watched his eyes soften, his hands slid down my back and gripped my waist hungrily. Then he peered over at the bridge and made a silent decision.

             
“Come with me,” he ordered with a heartbreaking smile that left me breathless.

             
“You do realize I was kidding when I said I’d hurl myself off this bridge, right?” I informed him curtly. “Despite your best efforts, my dreams are still very much intact.”  He pulled me to the middle of the bridge and like a train wreck you couldn’t stop watching, I reflexively glanced down. The canyon below was black as night, except for the thin ribbon of water running below.

             
“I’m counting on it.” He clutched my waist and drew me against him. My body came alive with countless sensations and I forced myself to get control over my emotions.

             
“What’s
that
supposed to mean?” I contended warily. 

             
“Because dreams really are meant to come true,” he purred in Greek.

             
As if he had planned it, a hushed roar descended upon us from the dark sky above at that very moment. I watched in awe as the swarm of glowing beings filled the night sky with a brilliance that lit the world up with magic.

             
While the mass of chrysí̱ petaloúda surrounded us with their powerful luminescence, Sebastian’s eyes turned a brighter blue and his face blazed with fearlessness as he slipped a hand behind my neck and met my gaze with clear intent. When his lips covered mine gently, my senses came alive and I felt the electric current of my essence shoot out into a frenzy. As he pressed his body against mine, I ran my hands up his back and clenched onto his shoulders with a desperate compulsion to touch every part of him. A potent hunger seeped into every pore of my body, and I ran my fingers up the nape of his neck and through his silken hair. I grabbed a fistful and pulled his mouth impossibly closer.  I forced his lips apart with my tongue and deepened our kiss.  His hands ran along my back and he responded to me with eagerness.

             
I fell into a cloud of blissful desire and we clung to each other with a passion that grew more and more insistent. The gentle breeze of fluttering wings that sent shivers across my skin was enhanced by Sebastian’s unrestrained yearning. He slowed our kiss and leaned back just an inch, and it took me a moment to realize where we were.

             
“Look.” He grinned and looked around. The large glowing butterflies had begun to circle us; their bright bodies changing from deep gold to a bright white light. As one landed on the bridge at our feet, I saw the spectrum of colors running over its body pulsing and sparking with a tangible energy.

             
“What’s happening to them?” I asked breathlessly. Looking down left me weak and dizzy from the extreme height, mixed with his kisses.

             
“They’re feeding off of your electrical essence,” he told me simply. 

             
“Whoa,” I muttered.

             
“Hold out your arm,” he instructed. As I did so, he stepped back and waited patiently. A lone butterfly hovered just in front of me as if inspecting me cautiously. It flapped its brilliant wings once, and then twice, before settling down onto my arm. At its touch, I felt a surge of energy and the butterfly brightened momentarily. 

             
The weight of its body was more than I was expecting, but I remained still. A warm calm crept into my heart, and the elation and gratitude it felt towards me lightened my soul. A smile stretched across my face, and then the brief connection was broken as it flapped its wings and soared back into the air.

             
“That was unbelievable!” I covered my mouth in astonishment. The swarming cloud of butterflies instantly brightened in a flash of brilliant light, and I looked at Sebastian with wide eyes. “Oops.”

             
He chuckled lightly and took my hand. He interlaced his fingers through mine, and I couldn’t help but stare at how beautiful he was amidst the glowing beings that circled us. I felt like we were in our own enchanted snow globe, but with star-kissed confetti raining down on us instead of white flakes. My heart felt just as shaken as he pulled me close and kissed me again.  After another moment, I noticed the radiance around us fade dramatically and I searched the night with disappointment.

             
“Where are they going?” I asked as we watched them descend into the canyon below.

             
“Home,” he said simply. 

             
“Home,” I repeated wistfully. Sebastian tilted my chin toward him.

             
“I have one more surprise,” he divulged with a devious grin.

Chapter 40

Stasia

             
The cool relief of her calming essence filled the room as Fallon effortlessly crawled back through the bedroom window and sat back down on the bed beside me. I could tell she’d brought back something with immense energy, but I couldn’t tell what it was, nor could I open my eyes to see it.

             
“Stasia,” she whispered urgently. I drew from everything inside of me and fought to move, but only felt my lip twitch ever so slightly. My failed attempt was underwhelming at best. “I’ve brought you something. You have to drink it, okay?”