Chapter Six

 

 

 

The next morning, Dhani awoke to the smell of coffee and the distant sound of a buzz saw. He was alone in Tailor’s bed with no sign of his mate anywhere. On the nightstand was a tray of food and a note.

 

Good morning, daishen.

I’m in the library. Join me after you eat.

T

 

Dhani smiled at the pet name. He ate the food then barely remembered to shower and dress in his hurry to get to the library. After he washed his dishes in the kitchen, he made his way to the other end of the cabin.

Just as he approached, apprehension gripped him. He wasn’t sure how Tailor would react to him after last night. While it had been amazing, the circumstances surrounding it hadn’t exactly been normal, and their relationship was still new. What if Tailor was under the impression that Dhani’s eagerness had been a sign of commitment to their bond? Or worse, what if he’d felt the darkness in Dhani and wanted to have nothing more to do with him?

Dhani forced himself to step into the library. Tailor was using a saw to cut more shelves from a long plank of wood. Sweat glistened on his bare chest and a bandana was tied around his hair. The sharp definition of his muscles was plain to see in the light streaming in from the open windows. Once again, Dhani was struck by how magnificent the man was, and how much he paled in comparison. Quinn’s words on the matter came back to him, yet they gave him little comfort.

Tailor must have sensed his energy because he stopped to look directly at Dhani. He took off his gloves and safety glasses then strode to Dhani and kissed him. The kiss was light yet passionate, just enough to remind Dhani of the delicious aches in his body from last night.

“Did you sleep well?” Tailor asked.

Heat rose in Dhani’s cheeks. “Yeah.”

“Did you eat?”

He rolled his eyes at that. “Yes, your highness. I ate.”

Tailor grinned. “Good. We’ll be finishing the shelves today. Can you grab some more supports? They should be in that box over there,” he said, tilting his head toward the back of the room.

Relief washed over Dhani at the casual attitude of his mate. Perhaps Tailor thought Dhani had wanted him out of jealousy. If that was the case, Dhani was fine with that. After all, it was partly true. Before he could get the supports, however, Tailor stayed him with a hand on his wrist.

“Is more of your hair turning white?”

Alarm spread through Dhani as he reached up to touch the white streak. He’d forgotten to hide most of it after his shower. He quickly flipped his red hair over to mask as much of the white as he could. “I don’t know. Guess I haven’t noticed it.” He held his breath, hoping his mate wouldn’t detect the lie in his energy.

Fortunately, Tailor merely frowned and let him go.

They spent the entire day completing the bookshelves, stopping only for lunch and dinner. Although the work was exhausting, Dhani was thankful for the chance to exercise his body. He’d been trapped inside it for too long and working with his hands was something he’d always loved. Somehow, Tailor could sense when he was pushing himself too hard and would purposefully change what he was doing to give Dhani an easier task. Such as fishing the wires going to the ceiling fan or handing Tailor nails for the top shelves.

If Dhani wasn’t so out of shape, he might have been offended that Tailor thought he couldn’t keep up. But for now, he was only grateful.

Tailor also kept a conversation going throughout the long hours. He never once made Dhani feel uncomfortable or pried into the harsh realities of his past, even though Dhani was sure he had to be aware of them. In turn, Dhani found himself revealing more than he had to anyone other than his friend, Keenan. His likes and dislikes. Some of the challenges he had faced while living in Detroit as well as the few friends he’d had in the community he’d grown up in.

Tailor was so easy to talk to that Dhani had to catch himself several times from saying too much. He didn’t want to tell his mate about his parents or the abuse he’d suffered during the two and a half years he’d spent in captivity with Keenan.

While he was aware of the abuse Tailor had gone through, and that Tailor probably wouldn’t hold his past against him, he didn’t want his mate to see him any differently. When most people heard of abuse, their attitudes changed to one of disdain or pity. Dhani couldn’t stand the thought of his mate looking upon him with either one.

At the end of the day, Tailor walked him to his room and gave him a chaste kiss goodnight. Dhani showered again to wash off dust and sweat, then lay in bed. Every muscle in his body was sore and he was more tired than he could remember being in a long time. Yet, sleep wouldn’t come.

His thoughts circled around his mate and how much Tailor had changed since they’d last met. He seemed happy now. Content. It was still hard to believe the man had spent the last year searching for him. And even harder to believe Tailor wanted him now as much as he wanted Tailor. It was like a fairytale come true.

Only this fairytale was an illusion.

Eventually, Dhani knew he would have to leave, and the illusion would be over.

He tossed aside his covers and went to the window. Outside, the moon and stars glittered brilliantly over the forest beyond. In a nearby tree, he spotted an owl resting on a low-hanging branch. When the owl looked his way, its yellow eyes sparked a memory Dhani had forgotten in the madness of the past year.

He had seen the golden eyes of a bird staring at him from the other side of a window before. He wracked his brain, trying to recall, then the memory came back to him swiftly.

When he had been rescued from the band of rogue Vam’kir and taken to this community for the first time with Keenan, he’d been sick with pneumonia. For days on end, he’d been confined to his room, restless but unable to shift and enjoy the forests that had been denied him for so long. Every night, he had stared out of his window, taking in the beautiful scenery. And every night, there had been an eagle sitting in one of the nearby trees, staring at his window as if watching over him.

When Dhani had learned that his mate’s spirit was an eagle, he’d had no doubt it had been Tailor watching him. It was one of the reasons why he’d refused to give up on the man. If Tailor had truly wanted to dismiss him, he wouldn’t have spent every night perched within view of Dhani’s bedroom window.

The memory made Dhani shiver. He turned around to look at the expanse of his room. It was pleasant, well-furnished…and empty. Everything reflected the personal nature of his mate, but his mate wasn’t there.

On impulse, he slipped into the hallway and went to the next door down. He raised his hand to knock then changed his mind. As quietly as possible, he crept inside and closed the door behind him. The room was dark with only the faint glow of moonlight coming in through the open curtains. Tailor’s large figure stood in front of the window, staring out just as Dhani had a minute ago.

Tailor turned at the sound of the door closing and didn’t move for several seconds. Then, without a word, he crossed the room and pulled Dhani into his arms, placing a kiss on the top of his head.

The anxiety Dhani felt at going to his mate was dispelled when Tailor led him to the bed and pulled the covers over him. Tailor climbed in next to him and wrapped him in a tight embrace.

There, in the silence of the room, Tailor murmured, “You are mine.”

It was said with such possession that a shiver ran up Dhani’s spine. Warmth flooded his chest and he curled closer into his mate’s arms. A feeling of peacefulness encased him as sleep finally took hold and his head was filled with Tailor’s comforting scent.

 

* * * *

 

Tailor glared at the directions on the pancake mix box then down at the concoction in the mixing bowl. Somehow, it had come out lumpy and slightly brown. It didn’t appear to look like it should but he was sure he’d read the directions correctly. He shrugged and poured a good amount into the heated waffle maker. Pancake mix overflowed everywhere when he closed the lid, sticking to his fingers when he tried to scoop it back in.

He muttered a curse, then paused to sniff the air. Something was burning. Thin wisps of smoke were coming from the frying pan he’d filled with scrambled eggs. He cursed again as he grabbed a spatula to scrape them from the bottom of the pan. They stuck together when he flipped them like one large fried egg, soggy on one side and burnt on the other.

More smoke was coming from the oven door and when he opened it, billows rolled out, making him cough. The fire alarm blared to life and this time, he let out a string of invectives that didn’t stop until he’d turned off the alarm. He opened the windows and snatched up a towel to wave the smoke out.

When laughter came from behind him, he turned to find Dhani standing in the doorway with amusement dancing in his eyes. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail, displaying the handsome angles of his face, and his clothes were snug on his lean body.

“Issues?” Dhani asked.

Tailor scowled at the strips of black bacon in the oven. “I’m thinking we should go out to breakfast.”

With a smirk, Dhani walked over to look at the food. “Bacon, waffles and…what is that?” he asked, pointing at the eggs.

Tailor gave it some thought, then answered, “A charred egg pancake.”

Dhani laughed again. “Why did you buy this food if you can’t cook it?”

“I didn’t,” he grumbled as he washed his hands. “Quinn did. He threatened to maim me if I didn’t feed you real food.”

“Quinn?”

“That little man can get mean when he wants to.” Tailor wasn’t joking in the slightest. Quinn had always been small like Dhani, and timid, but being around Manning’s confidence had given him a steel backbone. Tailor had a feeling Dhani would turn out to be the same way and find his confidence if Tailor could just get his mate to come out of his shell. Dhani already had no trouble displaying his anger, as Tailor’s jaw could attest to.

“So if you can’t cook, what do you usually eat, aside from the sandwiches we’ve been living off of for the past few days?” Dhani moved the dishes to the side then began rummaging through the fridge.

“I can live off the land and use a microwave better than anyone I know. It’s the rest of the kitchen that has a problem with me.”

Dhani cast him a derisive glance with one eyebrow raised. “I don’t get it. Why did you buy all this incredible, antique cookware and appliances if you never use them?”

Tailor sat at the small breakfast table and watched his mate prepare another batch of eggs and pancake mix. “My guests love it. Makes them want to cook for me.”

When Dhani raised both brows, he lifted his hands in defense. “Just friends, I swear.” He grinned after Dhani went back to the stove. Yeah, that backbone was coming along nicely. Maybe he should teach his mate how to fight, or at least defend himself. It would boost Dhani’s self-assurance and give Tailor a little peace of mind when he decided to go back to work.

“So how did you learn to cook?” Tailor asked.

“There was an old woman in my neighborhood of the community I grew up in. She would invite me over to eat when she knew my…when she thought I might be hungry.”

When his foster parents refused to feed him, Tailor heard between the lines. He knew well the shame that came from having to accept charity when you were starving. On more than a few occasions, his own father had forbidden him to eat until he’d learned how to hunt on his own. He’d been seven when his father had started enforcing that rule, years before he’d been able to shift and track animals easily in his spirit form.

“She taught me how to cook,” Dhani continued with a reminiscent smile. “She was really nice.”

Tailor knew he probably shouldn’t broach the subject, but he had to know. “This woman was aware that your foster parents were starving you, wasn’t she?” The stiffening of his mate’s back gave him his answer. “Why didn’t she report it? The Alpha of your community would’ve found a new home for you immediately. That’s part of their job.”

Dhani whirled around and thinned his lips in anger. “Did anyone report the abuse your father put you through?”

He waited patiently for his mate to calm down. They both knew this wasn’t about him. Besides, he’d been just enough of a stubborn idiot in his youth to be determined to handle anything his father dished out. He hadn’t wanted help.

Dhani sighed and went back to cleaning the waffle maker. “I told her not to. Throughout the years, my foster parents took in other kids temporarily. I was the only one they kept permanently. I knew if I wasn’t there, my foster parents would beat them as well. So long as I stayed, I could make sure I was the only one who…suffered.”

The last word was hesitant, and it was all Tailor could do to keep his rage from bleeding into his energy. He was well aware of everything the word ‘suffered’ entailed for his mate.

Cy walked in and instantly covered his nose with one hand. “Whoa, what died in here?”

Tailor dropped the conversation and slanted a glance at the man. “My ego.”

Cy peered over Dhani’s shoulder at the fresh food cooking. “Your ego should be glad you have a mate who knows how to cook. Especially since he’s willing to cook for you.”

“Is there a reason you’re bothering me?” Tailor asked in annoyance.

“It’s fun?” Cy replied, taking a water bottle from the fridge. “I’d love to go on, but there is actually something I need to discuss with you. Dhani, mind if I borrow your mate for a minute?”

When Dhani nodded, Tailor went to the living room with Cy. “What is it?”

Cy sat on the arm of a recliner and took on a grave expression. “Rowan called me an hour ago. He said his men have reported some activity at Roh Se Kahn’s castle.”

Tailor narrowed his eyes. Roh Se Kahn’s castle in Ireland had been abandoned ever since the Ba’Kal and Vam’kir had teamed up there to defeat his minions, and Keenan had cast the dark God out of this realm. Rowan and Manning had assigned two small teams to watch over the place in case Roh Se Kahn’s son, Vane, decided to pick up where his father had failed. “What kind of activity?”

“Nothing concrete. They said they’ve seen shadows and heard sounds, but they weren’t able to find anything.”

“With Vane’s ability to teleport, he could be in and out of there before the guards could catch him.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Cy agreed.

“Does Rowan think Vane might be looking for something there? I know Keenan took everything he could find that could be of use to his brother, but there’s a possibility he might’ve missed something.”

“He’s not sure. He and Manning have decided to triple the number of guards there just in case.”

“Maybe I should investigate it.”

“No!” Cy exclaimed. “Rowan didn’t even want me to tell you. He didn’t want you to worry when you have more important matters to take care of.” He pointed his bottle in the direction of the kitchen. “Only reason I did tell you is because I thought you deserved to know. I don’t believe in coincidence, and activity at the castle so soon after Dhani’s sudden appearance feels pretty off to me.”

Tailor nodded. “I don’t believe in coincidence either. Thanks for letting me know. I owe you one.”

“Just take care of that mate you’ve got,” Cy said. “He’s a good man. Managed to keep your ass from killing anyone for a whole week.”

Tailor scoffed.

“No, seriously,” Cy went on in a sarcastic tone. “That’s got to be some kinda record for you.”

“I will kick. Your. Ass,” Tailor growled, punctuating his words.

“I don’t think it’s my ass you want,” Cy said with a wide grin.

Tailor restrained the urge to deck the man and went back to the kitchen.

“Everything all right?” Dhani asked.

“Fine.” He wasn’t going to let the news spoil his reunion with his mate. As they sat down to eat, he marveled at the breakfast Dhani had made. His mate had added spices to the eggs and the pancake batter had been mixed with a can of blueberries he didn’t even know he had. Dhani really was a great cook.

After they cleaned the mess, Tailor suggested they run into the human town nearby to pick up more supplies for the library. While there were plenty of shops in the community, he had a feeling exposure to the outside world would benefit his mate more. Each community was extremely tight-knit and Dhani’s presence could stir up questions from the locals neither one of them were ready to answer. Like who Dhani was and where he’d come from.

Dhani hesitantly agreed and rode with Tailor in a beat-up old pickup Tailor hadn’t been able to bring himself to replace. In town, Dhani was quiet at first and stayed close to Tailor’s side. Then, as the day progressed, he gradually loosened up in the relaxed ambiance of the town. Tailor was familiar with many of the shop owners, having visited them regularly whenever he needed supplies for his cabin. They greeted him warmly, and Dhani as well.

Tailor also took him to the furniture stores, wanting to browse them for possible pieces to put in the library. He asked Dhani’s opinion on everything and was surprised to find his mate familiar with many of the antiquated styles. When he inquired about his mate’s knowledge, Dhani smiled in embarrassment and replied, “I used to spend hours reading Victorian magazines. I always thought the furniture from that era held more character than the modern styles.”

Happiness filled Tailor’s chest and without thought, he pulled his mate in for a passionate kiss. To his relief, Dhani didn’t shy away.

An elderly woman passing by in one of the store aisles cleared her throat and stopped to stare at them blatantly. Tailor met her gaze, expecting disgust, but she merely smiled. To Dhani, she said, “You’re a lucky one, you are.” Then her eyes shifted to Tailor, glinting with delight. “A man like that can kiss me anytime.”

It was Tailor’s turn to feel embarrassed and his face flamed ever so slightly. Dhani simply erupted into laughter and thanked her. As soon as she was gone, Tailor smacked his mate on the ass. Dhani spun around with a wide grin. “What? It’s not my fault. You are sexy.”

As Dhani continued down the aisle, Tailor took a moment to breathe in those words and the sight of his mate’s joy. He couldn’t believe he’d ever wanted to keep Dhani out of his life. The man had been made for him. He was so different from Dominic, yet so similar. Both seemed to be just what he needed at the right times in his life.

They packed the truck with several supplies and arranged delivery for what they couldn’t take with them. Tailor took his mate to a café for lunch and afterwards, walked with him down the main street of town where the shops catered mostly to tourists. When Dhani paused at a store selling hats with an eager look on his face, Tailor insisted on buying him a few.

He suspected Dhani only wanted them to cover the increasing strands of white in his hair, and though he didn’t comment, he knew it had something to do with Roh Se Kahn. Keenan, the God’s son, had a full head of white hair and, from Rowan’s description, the human body Roh Se Kahn had inhabited during his time on earth had also had white hair. It could be that Dhani’s red hair would eventually bleed out as a result of his imprisonment in the alternate realm with Roh Se Kahn.

For now, though, Tailor would let him hide the change if that was what would help him adjust.

They made one last stop at the grocery store then left town. When they arrived back at the cabin, Tailor began taking the supplies from the bed of his truck while Dhani gathered the bags up front and headed inside. Cy came out to meet them with a grim expression. He pulled Tailor aside and said in a low voice, “Laya’s here. I would’ve called you, but she showed up about three minutes ago. Have you told Dhani yet?”

Tailor cursed under his breath. He’d forgotten that Dhani’s mother had promised she would return on this day. “No. Keep her busy while I—” He looked over at the cabin and saw Dhani already walking through the front door. “Dhani, wait!”

He ran inside and caught sight of Dhani in the living room. Laya was there as well, standing next to a window. Now that they were both together, the resemblance was striking. Laya’s burgundy hair was swept back in a braid, displaying the elegant angles of her face, so much like Dhani’s. She wore cargo pants and a loose-fitting brown top, making her small frame appear larger. Her hazel eyes mirrored the color of Dhani’s and held a mixture of apprehension and excitement.

“Who are you?” Dhani asked warily.

Laya took a step forward. “You look so good, my precious son. I’ve waited so long to see you again.”

Dhani sent Tailor an alarmed glance then looked back to Laya. “What’s going on?”

“Dhani, I—” Tailor began.

“I’m your mother, Layzani. Or Laya,” Laya interrupted, taking another step. “Don’t you recognize me?”

Dhani dropped the bags he was holding and shook his head. “You can’t be my mother.”

“Of course I am! I sang to you every night since the day you were born. The same lullaby my mother used to sing to me. I kept you close and protected you. You always loved to smell my hair. It’s the same color as yours. See?” She tugged her hair loose and held up a lock. “Yours is brighter, of course. There’s some of your father’s blond in you, but we have the same traits. Your eyes are hazel like mine. You even have my nose.” Her lashes glittered with tears. “You’re more handsome than I ever dreamed you might be.”

Dhani’s body was rigid and his tone deadpan as he said, “My mother is dead.”

“No!” she exclaimed with desperation high in her voice. Her face contorted with guilt. “I did arrange for someone to tell the Alpha of the community I’d left you in that I had died shortly after giving you up, but only because I had to. I couldn’t risk your father finding you, or me. It was too dangerous.” She started forward with her arms held out. “I know it must’ve been hard for you to grow up without me. A child needs its mother.”

Dhani lurched away from her. “Hard for me?” he rasped in anger. “No. I was too busy trying to survive to care about your death. You gave me up to strangers who made my life a living hell. Did you think of me at all after you abandoned me? When my foster father was beating the shit out of me and raping me? My foster mother did everything she could to make sure I paid the price for his attention. She was mad with jealously, because he preferred my bed instead of hers.”

The rage and pain in Dhani’s energy permeated the air and his body trembled with intensity. “I cried every night, trying to figure out why you hated me so much that you would give me to those monsters before you died. And now you expect me to be happy you’re alive? To forgive you for giving me up while you went on with your life without me?” He turned an accusatory look on Tailor. “And you! What, did you find her thinking I would be grateful to see her again? How could you do this?”

“Dhani,” Tailor said, layering his tone with warning. He had to get his mate to calm down. Dhani appeared ready to shatter from the emotions riding him. “Just take a breath. I don’t think she intended for you to go through what you did.”

“I had no idea,” Laya said in earnest, her face ashen. “Oh, dear Mother, I’m so sorry. Please believe me. I told the Alpha to make sure you went to a good home. When I found out you’d been taken by Roh Se Kahn, I knew I had to find you again. I heard Tailor was looking for you and I sought him out. This isn’t his fault. I’m your mother, and I’ll always try to keep you safe.”

“Safe?” Dhani’s sudden laughter was laced with cynicism and a hint of hysteria. “Did you keep me safe when I ran away and prostituted myself to stay alive? Or how about when I was taken by the rogue Vam’kir during the war and held captive for two and a half years? Was I safe when Roh Se Kahn stole me from this earth and took everything from me?” His voice had risen to a shout by now and his cheeks were streaked with tears. Then, softly but with no less fury, he asked, “Why did you abandon me?”

Laya had taken a step back at Dhani’s vehemence. Her hands covered her mouth and her eyes portrayed her horror. “I thought it was the only way to protect you from your father. He—”

Dhani cut her off with a sharp gesture. “Never mind. I don’t want to know. I don’t care why you’re here, just leave.”

“Daishen,” Tailor said as he slowly approached.

But Dhani wouldn’t listen. “Leave!” he screamed.