The First Touch (54 page)

They washed up on shore three sheets to the wind, soaking wet and singing Irish pub songs
by then
.
Autumn
smiled brightly as the
guards
who wat
ched them approaching announced
their arrival over
their radios. Then they
watched them passing by and one of the perimeter guards said to the others
, “
Go tell Travis.”

She
stopped almost stumbling, “Travis? Where is he at?”

“
The main guard house on the south end, Madame.”

She
smiled a crooked smile, “Hey I want to stop by and see Travis before I head up to bed.”

He
smiled just as crooked and slurred, “Sure let
’
s go.”

She
slurred back patting Flanagan on the back, “Yeah let’s go.”

The other guard stepped in front of the inebriated pair and said, “Madame Travis has been forbidden to speak to you.”

Autumn
and Flanagan frowned
together
, “What?”

The guard reported, “Ivan has forbid Travis from communicating with you.”

She
huffed, “Ivan.” Then she turned to Flanagan, “I’ll visit Travis tomorrow, after I kill Ivan.”

Flanagan slurred, “Good plan.” Then the pair stumbled and bumped their way towards the castle
again. By the time they
reached it, the two
of them
were hanging all over each other
, struggling
to remain standing.

As they entered the courtyard, they began singing loudly again and laughing at their shoddy attempts at remembering the words.
Drake
was standing in the door way leaning against the door jam his arms crossed.
Autumn
smiled happily, “Hey you, what are you up to?”

Drake
grinned, “Waiting for you.”

Autumn
smiled and then gave him a hug, and grabbed her head, “Whoa my head is
really
spinning.”

Drake
smiled at her and gave Flanagan a dirty look
over her shoulder
, “
A
two day drinking binge will do that to you.”

Autumn
felt
Drake
’s chest flaring and
she
frowned, “Are you angry?”
Drake
’s eyes flew back to
Autumn
as she pushed her hands up his chest.
“
W
hy are you flaring so hard
then
?
”

Flanagan smiled brightly, “I think you mean high?”

She
smiled flirtatiously, “No I meant hot.”

Then she looked up at
Drake
and smiled, “There are a lot of stairs in this place.”

Flanagan smiled at
Drake
deviously
and then offered, “I can carry you.”

Autumn
pouted then, “Nah, your
just as sloshed as I am. You’ll
drop me between here and there.”

Flanagan rebutted, “You drank nearly four times more than I did.”

Autumn
smiled, “I am way stronger than you
are.” She
smiled again and looked up at
Drake
Dazed looking. He opened his mouth breathing through it again.

Autumn
slapped her hand to her mouth and said, “Sorry I must reek of alcohol.” Then she pushed off
unable to concentrate
, “I am tired.”
Then she turned stumbling off towards the stairs.

Flanagan tried to push past
Drake
to catch up with
her
but
Drake
hit him in the chest sending him flying
while she was distracted
. Then he closed the door and locked it behind him and followed
Autumn
up the stairs. He walked next to her up the first flight and then she s
tumbled and he scooped her up, and s
he smiled
,
“T
hank you
Drake
.
”

“No problem.”

Autumn
rested her head on his shoulder and asked finally, “Where did Flanagan go?”

“He took a short cut to the west wing.”

Autumn
nodded
and mumbled, “F
igures he would cheat,” then she put her hand to her head again
, “Where is my room?”

He answered, “Not far.”
Autumn
began to doze off just as they reached her room.
Drake
opened the door and strode across the room quickly laying her down.

She
murmured, “I am cold.” Then he crossed
the room and lit a roaring fire with his hand.
The room warmed slowly, as
Drake
watched the flames for a while.

Autumn
began pulling her clothes off irritably,
and slid under the covers. While
Drake
avoided looking at her once more,
he
asked, “Do you want me to go and get Ivan for you?”

She
frowned, “No. I do not want to see him right now.”

Drake
nodded solemnly
, “
Do you need anything else?”

Autumn
frowned, “No but I do not think that I will sleep well, unless I feel safe. Will you stay with me tonight?”

He
turned towards her, “I
do not think Ivan would be pleased
if I did.”

She
nodded, “But I would.”

Drake
nodded and took off his over coat. Then he threw it over the chair behind him and sat taking his shoes off slowly
still watching the flames.
Autumn
smiled and patted the bed next to her.
Drake
walked over and sat on the edge of the bed not looking at her. Then
she
murmured, “Lay down.”
Drake
did and
Autumn
smi
led adding
, “Can you wake me up an hour or so before dawn?”

Drake
answered, “Yes”

Autumn
whispered, “Thank you.”
Then she drifted off to sleep.

***

Ivan paced back and forth the in the hall in front of Flanagan’s door. Flanagan stumbled up the final set of stairs and saw I
van waiting in front of his room
. He looked back down the empty stair case behind him debating a run. Ivan was instantly in front of him
. His
eyes were cool and calm, “Where is
Autumn
?”

Flanagan knew better than to trust the act though and his eyes widened, “She went to bed.”

Ivan narrowed his gaze, “Where were you?”

Flanagan answ
ered seriously, “We went to
the
pub.”

He
snapped, “You were not at that pub, nor any other for miles.”

Flanagan corrected himself slurring, “We wen
t to a few Irish pubs that I kno
w of.”

Ivan snapped, “Then?”

He
teetered, “Then we came back.”

Ivan nearly growled, “That was two days ago.”

Flanagan hiccupped
, scratching
his chest
, “She can really drink.”

Ivan slammed him into the wall,
and then
looked down at his chest, “What happened to your chest?”

Flanagan answered angrily, “It is not what you think.
Drake
met us at the door. He was angry with m
e for getting her drunk;
the wanker
hit me in the chest and locked me out. I had to go half way around the building before I found an open door.”

Ivan huffed, “Then?”

Flanagan shrugged, “He took her to her room, I imagine.” Flanagan blinked and Ivan was gone, then he hummed a dark tune and said to himself smiling
deviously
, “
Drake
better be alone.”

***

Ivan knocked and then entered
Drake
’s room and found it empty. Then he changed into Galen and flew to the cave in search of him, no luck. Then he stomped around the grounds and then back to
Drake
’s room again. His anger began to rise along with his frustration. Then he headed back to Flanagan’s room were he found him passed out and shook him. Flanagan lifted his head slightly and opened one eye, “Ya?”

“I can
not find
Drake
; did he say where he was going?”

Flanagan said frustrated, and a bit annoyed, “Did you check
Autumn
’s
room?”

“No. Why would
he
be there?”

Flanagan h
u
ffed, “Because she likes him, kept asking about him while we talked at the pubs.”

Ivan jerked Flanagan up and asked
, “
What did she say?”

Flanagan wiped his mouth and stretched, “She was mighty hurt by your reaction to her change. She asked about
Isi
sa
quite
a bit as well. Then I talked about the dark ages and the wars, then her abilities. Then she told me about the bit with
Drake
.” Ivan raised his eyebrow, and Flanagan added not looking at Ivan and feeling a bit like he was betraying
Autumn
, “She told me that she thought
Drake
was handsome.”

Ivan seemed upset now, his face tightened, “
Drake
is handsome
, those were her words?
”

Flanagan raised his hand, adding
,
“But she said that you were as well and that she wished that you were not so frightened of her. She even said that once she could learn to control her emotions, her abilities and most importantly her appearance then she was going to try and get close to you again.”

Ivan furrowed his brow, “Close to me again?”

Flanagan smiled
, “
Yes she seems to fine you
desirable.”

Then he teased
, “
But me I get the brotherly title. Although it is better than how she sees Grayton though.”

Ivan asked sitting
now
,
“What did she say about him
?”

Flanagan replied, “Grayton is a confusing bit, he gets the fatherly title though she admitting feeling confused by his looks, si
nce his face is just so freakin’ young and gorgeous
looking.”

Ivan nodded, “And the others?”

Flanagan smiled, “Flora motherly, Henry fatherly, Galen friend, Serena big sister and Helen
ally
.”

He
tilted his head, “Two fathers?” Flanagan nodded, and Ivan asked, “
All
y
?”

Flanagan smiled, “She sees Hel
en as a rival for your affections
, so she does not get a better title until that is resolved. She sees her as an ally, though not as a friend, just yet
.
”

He
nodded
, “Do you think that she will see me?”

Flanagan nodded smiling devilishly, “If you approach her right she will be happy to welcome you to her bed
at this point
.” Ivan growled warning him, and Flanagan raise
d his hand, “No
, she said that she wish
ed that you had not been afraid
.” Ivan listened a little m
or
e closely, and Flanagan continued, “If you keep her calm then her appearance will remain the same as before her change.”

Ivan growled, “It got
away from me, I was frightened.
I did not mean for her to see it. I was unaware that the change would do that to her. Once I saw her eyes I thought that something was wrong. Then she began acting strangely, aggressive and speaking
strangely. It cycled out of control quicker than I thought possible, then she was in so much pain. I did not mean to upset her.”

“You still want her?”