Bound by Dreams (Cauld Ane Series) Page 12
“The thing with Blake.” She laid her hands on his chest. She just had to touch him. “You made sure he was caught.”
He studied her for several seconds. “What gave it away?”
“There are several pictures of Thane with the man who was in my dream. You know, the one you called ‘oafy’?”
Niall shook his head. “Bloody hell, lass, you’re far too smart for your own good.”
She giggled. “I’m aware.”
“That’s Brodie, Payton’s mate.”
“Ah, makes sense, I think.”
“Where can I take you?” he asked, as he ran his fingers down her cheek.
“Somewhere we can talk.”
“Hotel?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yes. If you have wine.”
“I have wine, love, and if we run out, Bruce will get us more.”
“Awesome,” she said, and climbed into the car.
Niall climbed into the car beside her and took her hand, linking his fingers with hers as Bruce guided the car out into the street.
“Can we run through a drive thru on the way back, please? I’m starving.”
“Of course we can,” Niall said, and relayed the direction to Bruce.
Charlotte squeezed Niall’s hand. “Are you for real?”
“I should ask you the same question,” he said.
“But, this,” she waved her hand. “Seems too easy.”
“Does it?”
“Yes.” She sighed. “I have been killing myself trying to find the perfect guy…well, perfect for me, anyway…using all manner of online dating options…and you show up all hot and talented and Scottish, literally sweeping me off my feet. When does that ever happen to people like me? I’ll tell you when. Never.”
Niall chuckled. “Well, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time, love, so I wasn’t going to wait another second.”
“How long?”
“Have I been waiting for you?”
“Yes.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Do you really want to know?”
“Yes.”
“Since 1440.”
“Shut up.” Charlotte sat back. “That’s almost six hundred years. Have you really been alive that long?”
Niall nodded. “I was born in 1415.”
“Wow,” she rasped. She took a few deep breaths, trying to wrap her mind around the information.
“You okay?” he asked.
“I think so. Just give me a second,” she said, although, her body was already relaxing at his touch. She raised an eyebrow. “Are you doing that? Calming me?”
He nodded and smiled.
“So, the water the night we met wasn’t the cure. You did something, didn’t you?”
He cocked his head. “You are extraordinarily insightful, Charlotte.”
“I’m not sure about that, but when you touch me, I feel as though I know you. Maybe better than myself.” She squeezed his hand. “That’s normal, right?”
“Aye.” Niall smiled. “It’s the way of mates. It’s an instant connection.”
“So, what do we do now?”
Niall chuckled. “We spend every waking minute together and then in a few days, I take you home.”
“Nope. Nice try, though.” She sat back. “The part about taking me home, just to be clear. I’m all for hanging out.”
“Every waking minute, right?”
“Hmm. That might be tough. I do have a life.” She grinned. “Although, not much of one, now that shooting is done for the time being.”
Niall chuckled.
Once they got their burgers and shakes, they headed to the hotel. Niall took her hand and lifted it to his lips as they stepped into the elevator. Arriving at his floor, Niall opened the door to his suite and stepped back for Charlotte to precede him.
He took the food from Bruce and followed her inside. She took off her coat and watched him as he opened a bottle of her favorite red. She couldn’t help but smile. Even opening a bottle of wine, he oozed sexy.
“Thank you, love.”
She shook her head. “I really do need to remember that you can read my mind, particularly when I’m admiring you.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” he said, handing her a glass, “I quite like knowing where I stand.”
“Well, you’ll never have to read my mind to know that…I tend to blurt things out without warning.”
Niall raised an eyebrow. “So I’ve been told.”
She sipped her wine and took a seat at the table. “Grace has been tattling again, huh?”
Niall joined her. “Yes. She has a long list of things she loves about you. I’d imagine she only scratched the surface.”
Charlotte giggled. “Oh, I’m sure. Did she mention my patriotism?”
Niall laughed. “Something about you being a card carrying ’Merican.”
“Oh, you have to say it in a southern accent or it just doesn’t have the same weight.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said.
“So, tell me how you know Thane Allen, and what exactly did you tell him?”
“I’ve known Thane for almost as long as I’ve been alive.”
She widened her eyes. “He’s Cauld Ane?”
“Aye, lass. He’s close to fifty years older than me.”
“Wow,” she whispered.
He handed her a burger. “I didn’t tell him much, love.”
“What do you know?” she asked. “How do you know?”
“Grace told me,” he admitted.
“What?” she exclaimed. “Grace doesn’t know.”
“She does, love. Your friend, Don, is it?” Charlotte nodded. “Don called Grace to fill her in. They made a pact not to tell you, but he was concerned about you and probably needed an ally.”
“That little sneak. Both of them, actually.”
He leaned over and cupped her chin. “Don’t be cross, sweetheart. They love you.”
“I know they do.” She sighed. “I’m not mad. I’m just surprised.”
He smiled.
“Did Thane set Blake up?”
Niall shook his head. “No. He planned to, but Blake ended up being his own worst enemy. Thane met him at the hotel and heard him yelling at that Misty girl. Then he heard a crash and busted into the room. It all played out like a movie in the end.”
“I can’t believe Thane made such a strong stand.”
“You can’t?” Niall challenged.
“No. Why would he? He doesn’t know me.”
“Sweetheart, when are you going to understand that our mates mean more to us than anything, and we are part of a brotherhood that takes that seriously? I’d have done the same thing if Thane had called me because another musician had done something to his mate.”
“Did his mate date a musician?”
Niall grinned and shook his head. “No. He hasn’t met her yet.”
She cocked her head in question. “So he did this all because I’m your mate and he respects you enough to take your word for what happened to me?”
“Aye, lass.”
“Wow.” She blinked back tears. “I can’t believe you’d do that for me.”
“Why not?”
“Because no one ever has.”
“That can’t possibly be true,” he countered. “What about Grace?”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong, Grace is amazing and I adore her, but she’s a peacekeeper. The one thing we butt heads on is the fact that I come out swinging with the sword of justice, and she tries to see all sides. She would never ruin someone’s career to avenge my honor. It’s not in her nature.”
Niall chuckled. “Well, it’s a good thing I’m here then.”
“Apparently so.” She grinned and opened her purse. “By the way, how much do I owe you?”
“For?”
“Dinner,” she said, and grabbed her wallet.
He frowned. “Nothing.”
“Seriously?”
“Aye, love.”
“I don’t exp
ect you to pay for everything,” she said. “Can I at least pay for the wine?”
Niall nodded toward her purse. “If you don’t put your wallet away, love, I’m going to get quite irritated.”
“Are you for real?”
“As long as we’re together, you’ll no’ pay for a damn thing, Charlotte.”
“Oh, wow, you are for real.” She dropped her wallet back into her purse and smiled. “What if we break up?”
“We’ll no’ be breaking up either.”
“Lord, your accent makes everything sexy.” Charlotte giggled. “Even your irritation.”
“Does it?”
“Definitely.” She licked her lips. “Say something to make me swoon.”
He swirled his wine as though it was brandy in a snifter and raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me, lass, but your rhinoceros has trampled my rose garden.”
Charlotte laughed until she cried and Niall studied her.
“What?” she asked, sobering at his sexy smile.
He stared at her mouth. “I’m absolutely dying to kiss you.”
Her laughter gone, she felt heat creep up her neck. “Then, why don’t you?”
Niall stood, taking her wine glass from her and setting them down before pulling Charlotte to her feet and into his arms, stroking her cheek as he covered her mouth with his. She sighed as he deepened the kiss, gripping his shirt to keep herself upright. Never before had she been kissed like this. Never before had someone so entirely captivated and consumed her. She wanted him more than she wanted breath.
Þú verður mín að eilífu.
A shiver stole her breath and she broke the kiss, dropping her forehead onto his chest. “What does that mean?” she asked.
“You will be mine forever. It’s an Icelandic promise.” He lifted her chin and smiled. “It’s the first thing we say to our mates to establish our bond. We are now physically connected as well as emotionally.”
“Is that what happened? I felt a chill or something up my spine.”
“Aye.” He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled something out. “I was going to wait, but I think you should have this now.”
“What?”
He opened his hand and in his palm sat the most exquisite ring Charlotte had ever seen. A huge diamond sat proudly in the middle of a diamond-encrusted band.
She gasped, her eyes filling with new tears. “Oh, Niall. It’s exquisite.”
She bit her lip. The ring probably cost more than her car.
Don’t worry about the cost, love. He knelt before her. “Charlotte Paige Whitmore, would you do me the great honor of becoming by wife?”
She nodded and he slipped the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit. He stood again and pulled her into his arms for a heart-melting kiss.
“Does that mean you’ll bond me now?” she asked.
He stroked her hair and took a deep breath. “No, love. I can’t bind you here.”
“Bind. Sorry. I had a feeling I wasn’t saying it right.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “Why won’t you bind me here?”
He lifted her chin, running his thumb along her lower lip. “You don’t want to go through the conversion in a hotel room, and I want you to feel safe.”
“Conversion?”
“Aye. Your body will change once I bind you and…” He trailed off.
“What?” she pressed.
“It’s painful.”
She narrowed her eyes. “How painful?”
Niall grimaced. “Worse than childbirth, I’m told.”
Her mouth gaped. “Oh, forget it then,” she joked.
He smiled and kissed her again, sliding his fingers into her hair and tipping her head back. She looped her hands around his waist and pulled herself closer.
On second thought, bind me now.
Niall broke the kiss with a grin. “You’re a terrible temptation, love.”
She frowned. “Will it really hurt?”
He tucked her hair behind her ear and nodded. “I’ve been told it does, but Grace will know better.”
“Maybe it would be better not to know.”
“Maybe so,” he said. “You are going to have to get on my plane, though.”
“Nope.” She shook her head. “Never going to happen.”
“We’ll talk about it further after we get to know each other a bit more, eh?”
“Don’t waste your breath, buddy,” she said, and patted his chest. “Not worth the trouble.”
“Change of subject.” He smiled and handed her wine back to her. “Did you get Nikolai’s phone number from your sister?”
“Oh, yes. I did. And a couple of pictures of him from her phone. She doesn’t know I did, so that’s probably going to bite me in the butt.” Charlotte pulled her phone from her purse and handed it to him. “Why?”
“Because I’m going to have him checked out.” He sent the contact information and photos to his phone and then forwarded them on to Oliver.
“You have that ability?” she asked.
He raised an eyebrow before smiling. “Aye, love. I have that ability.”
She sat on the sofa, dragging one leg under her bottom. “Through Rogue?”
“You know about Rogue?”
Rogue was a non-profit company Niall started with Max to aid and protect women and children in abusive situations.
“Who’s got two thumbs and is your number one stalker?” she asked.
He laughed. “Right. No, this isn’t officially through Rogue.”
Charlotte sat up straighter. “Oh? Do tell.”
“It’s a bit of a long story.”
She rubbed her hands together and grinned. “I love long stories.”
He set his phone on the table and sat beside her. “I met a young Irish woman about ten years ago who managed to get away from a man who’d captured her and held her against her will for almost a year.”
“Did she know him?”
Niall shook his head. “No. He’d snatched her off the street.”
“Wow. How did she get away?”
“She waited and watched, and as soon as his guard was down, she ran. What she didn’t realize was that she was no longer in Ireland. She was in Scotland…Edinburgh to be specific. I think someone was truly watching over her, because she ended up on my doorstep.”
She frowned. “Of your house?”
He nodded. “It took a lot of courage for her to ring my doorbell, let alone let me help her…I was a strange man, and she didn’t know if I was friend or foe.”
Charlotte gasped. “How frightening.”
“Aye. It was. I wrapped her in a blanket and made her drink gallons of hot tea. We sat on my front stoop for over an hour, until she felt comfortable enough to come inside.”
Charlotte smiled. “You’re like that with everyone, aren’t you?”
“Like what?” he asked.
“Kind. Gracious. Gentle. Protective.”
He chuckled, linking his fingers with hers. “I suppose I am, unless I shouldn’t be. Don’t put too much of a halo on me, love. If someone hurts those I care about, I’m never kind, gracious, or gentle.”
“Yes, I’m beginning to see that.” She kissed his palm. “But honestly, that just makes the halo bigger in my book.”
He stroked her cheek with the hand she’d just kissed and smiled. “You’ll always be safe, Charlotte. I will make sure of it.”
“I know.” She bit her lip. “You have no idea how that makes me feel.”
“I think I do. Will you tell me about the dream? Your fear during it was palpable.”
“It’s not just one dream.”
“It’s not?”
She studied him for several seconds, unsure of how much to tell him. There were things she hadn’t even told Grace, but when he ran a finger gently down her cheek, she knew that there would never be anyone she could trust more. “No. Although, they’re connected, I think. I started having them when I was little. I can’t remember exactly when they started, but maybe I was six? S
ometimes the same dream would make me panic, other times I’d feel calm. I couldn’t figure out why the same images would be peaceful one night and then a nightmare another, but I didn’t much care on the nightmare nights, I suppose, because I couldn’t go back to sleep. Then, after Blake, they got much more intense.”
“What did your parents say?”
Charlotte shrugged. “I never told them.”
“Not even yer mum?”
Charlotte shook her head. “No. I mean, she’d come in and soothe me if I woke her, but I always told her I didn’t remember. I don’t know why, I just felt like I shouldn’t tell her.”
“What is it with this need to keep your fears and hurts buried and secret?”
“I have no idea,” she admitted with a sigh. “Self preservation, maybe?”
He squeezed her hand then picked up his wine. “Do you remember all the dreams, or just snippets?”
“All of them. In vivid detail. The ones I had “with” you were different. Something was missing.”
“Oh? What was that?”
“Typically, there’s a man, a really tall man, like eight feet tall. He’s a giant, really, more than a man.” When she caught his slight smile, she rolled her eyes. “I like details.”
“I’m picking up on that.” Niall chuckled. “Sorry, love. Continue.”
“So this giant is running toward me in slow motion. He’s got long blond hair, and he’s carrying a weapon. An axe maybe, I don’t know, I never really get a good look at it. He’s bare-chested and his face is”—she laid a hand over her chest—“his face is angry. No, not angry. Angry’s not the right word. Violent. He looks like a warrior from a thousand years ago, you know? Maybe Norse, or something like that. He’s coming at me like he’s going to kill me, and I can’t move. I’m frozen to the spot, and I’m trying to figure out how such a young, handsome man could hate me so much, he’s ready to kill me.” Charlotte’s heart raced as panic set in, but Niall grasped her hand and she calmed once again. “Thank you.”
“Does the man attack you?”
Charlotte shook her head. “He jumps over me, and that’s when I wake up. Every time. You’d think I’d remember that he doesn’t hurt me when the dream starts, but it’s as if I’m dreaming it for the first time every time I have it. I’ve woken up a few times with my hands blue and freezing, but I don’t feel cold. They return to normal within seconds, but I often wonder if I’ve slept on them or something. What’s weird is that I feel like I’ve seen him a few times…in real life. The warrior, only not in warrior clothes, and I find myself looking for him in crowds. I started seeing him after the “incident,” and I thought maybe Blake was having me followed. And the panic starts again, and then he gets lost in the crowd.” She groaned. “I’m sure it’s my obsession with that Vikings show…or my love of crime dramas. Fair warning, I have a very morbid bend.”