Blue Moon (30 page)

             
“I don’t know Den,” I tell him honestly.

             
“What does this mean?” Sallack asks me.

             
“I thought they were the markings of a protector, I don’t understand?” I tell them before turning to Dallah and Ruk, hoping they have the answers.

             
“The marking are a sign of who you are. I think you will have powers like Ruk!” Dallah tells them, “But I don’t know why Den’s are the same as Ruk’s, unless he’s also a protector.” She tells us whilst looking between Den, Ruk, and me in confusion.

             
“Explain,” Sallack tells us while holding his arms over his chest, waiting for us to speak.

After sitting in the sand for a good hour talking about me being the Charmer, and Dallah and I being connected sisters, we then had to tell them everything. By everything, I mean everything, so we had to spend the next hour calming them down and convincing Sallack to change back to human form as he wanted to kill Richard now, rather than wait until tonight.

              “We all have great power, we need to use it wisely, we can’t let anyone see these markings, or to know that we are immortal... Mickey!” Sallack finishes shouting at Mickey, because he sits in the sand and clicks his fingers so that a flame forms above his hand.

             
“What? How can I not,” Mickey tells him with a wicked grin, and excitement playing on his handsome face.

             
“Just be careful tonight. When they know Dallah and Zara are the reason for Richard’s death, we will have a battle on our hands,” He tells them all in his Alpha mode.

I haven’t spoken, and I can barely breathe.
I don’t understand why Den has markings like the one that Ruk has. Does this mean that Eric wasn’t telling me the whole truth that night? Do I now have two protectors?

Turning to face Ruk, who sits behind me in the sand, with his legs wrapped around me.

              “What does this mean?” I ask him in a whisper as my eyes cloud over.

             
“It means you chose us to be your family, to protect you how you need. Zara, I know that we want each other, but this doesn’t change anything, I wish it did baby, so much,” He tells me with a sigh.

Sitting up on my knees, I lace my arms around his neck and kiss his lips tenderly,

              “I don’t want another,” I tell him sincerely.

             
“You will,” He replies sadly.

“Ok we have to go; it will look suspicious if we are any longer. I also need to put the magic into the dagger. Thanks you guys, for being here for us when we needed you, we really do love you all,” I tell the Brothers’, whilst standing to my feet and taking Dallah’s hand in mine, and speaking for the both of us.

             
“Ok, we will meet you back at the palace,” Sallack tells us, getting to his feet.

             
“We can all go back together,” Dallah tells him.

             
“No I need to walk for a bit, you girls go on,” He tells us.

Turning to Ruk, my breath hitches as he looks at me with love and tenderness in his stunning eyes.

              “Are you going back with us or the Brothers’?”

             
“The Brothers’. I want you to know Zara that whoever your chosen is will have to be so fucking careful, cos I will rip his head off if he tries anything,” He tells me while looking over my back to the Brothers’. Does he think one of them could be my chosen? Then again, I have been told that he is close, but how close, I don’t know.

             
“And you can tells yours that I will never stop fantasising that I will one day be her,” I tell him with a tear running down my cheek, before I transport myself away, soon followed by Dallah.

Chapter Eighteen

Sitting
in Dallah’s bedroom, while women fight over doing her hair and make-up, my mind travels to thoughts of Ruk and Den. Why do they share the same markings? The only thing that makes sense is that they are both my Protectors. Then there is the way my mother is around Ruk, she looks at him with such love in her eyes, and when I was standing in Ruk’s embrace, she looked on at us with pride and comfort knowing we are together. I don’t need this, not now with Dallah needing me to be on top form.

              “
Dallah, I need to see the Brothers’, do you mind
?” I ask her telepathically, not wanting for anyone here to know my business.

             
“
Ok sweetie
,” She tells me back and smiles at me through the mirror.

             
“
I won’t be long I promise
.”

             
“
Take your time, these bloody women sure are
,” She tells me making me snort a laugh.

Leaving through the bedroom door, I walk down to the bottom of the huge hallway, heading to where the Brothers’ each have a room.

Standing outside Sallack room, I can hear banging and growling. Giving up on the idea of knocking, I look left to right before transporting myself inside.

              “What’s going on?” I ask looking at Den and Ruk, who are nose to nose growling furiously at each other.

             
“Zara, leave us!” Ruk tells me whilst staring Den down.

             
“Why?” I shout, stepping up to them, but am soon grabbed by my waist and pulled away by Sallack.

             
“Don’t get in their way beautiful,”

             
“RUK! DEN! LOOK AT ME!” I shout at them while struggling to get out of Sallack’s grip.

             
“LEAVE!” Den shouts at me.

             
“I will never forgive you if you do this!” I scream at both of them.

Den is the first to turn his head to me soon followed my Ruk,
both looking scary as hell, with anger clouding their vision.

             
“What’s got into you both, you were fine earlier?”

             
“No, we weren’t!” Ruk growls in Den’s direction.

             
“Tell me what happened?” I ask in a panic looking to the Brothers’ that surround them.

             
“Angel, come with me?” Theo asks me gently trying to calm the situation.

             
“I can’t, I need to know why you are acting this way. Has something happened? Richard has found out?” I ask heatedly.

             
“No babe, we just had a disagreement,” Den tells me, whilst walking to stand before me.

             
“Don’t touch her Den!” Ruk shouts his warning.

             
“Or what?” Den shouts back as he turns to Ruk with a teasing grin.

             
“Ruk? Please you’re scaring me, what is it?”

             
“Fuck it! Nothing, come to me baby?”

Sallack’s grip on me loosens as he allows me movement, which I take eagerly as I step up to Ruk.

              “Does he know?” I ask Ruk, while looking up at him nervously.

“
No, he doesn’t, he won’t. We are all worried for you, knowing what you are about to do, put yourself in danger has got us taking it out

On each other.”

“And that’s it?” I ask him suspiciously, holding his face in my hands to look for the truth in his eyes.

“That’s it baby,” He tells me with a handsome smile, before he places a tender kiss to my forehead.

“You don’t have to worry about me, I can do this, and I can live with the consequences. Stop thinking of me as a weak, frightened little girl, because I am not that person. I was gifted this life, so I will be strong enough to live it.”

“We know that.
You took all this on, by yourself, and didn’t tell a soul until Dallah practically forced you to. Once this is done, we think you and Dallah should come live with us,” Mickey tells me with a small smile and a nod of his head.

“I get that Mickey, but you can’t expect me to live in fear from these men. If, and when these ‘Blackened hearts’ come for me, I will be ready, Richard has taught me that much. Come on guys, we need to be there for Dallah, not fighting amongst each other. Parrise and Angus will be here soon, we need to keep our cool. You are all
Brothers’ now, and I couldn’t be more blessed than to have you in my life, as is Dallah, we will treasure you all,” I tell them with pride.

“Babe, tell me one thing?” Den asks me as he stands with Sallack, who looks about ready to yank Den away from us all.

I nod my head to him with a reassuring smile for him to carry on.

“Who is your chosen?”

“Um...I don’t... I don’t know Den,” I tell him with a frown, wondering why he would ask such a thing.

“But it’s not Ruk, right?” He asks with a frown of his own, and pissing Ruk off no end, as I struggle to keep him from stepping forward.

“No, he isn’t my chosen. Why are you asking Den, to upset me or Ruk?”

“No babe, I just needed to know,” He tells us with a ghost of a smile.

“Ruk is my protector, and most likely you are too, by the markings you share, so that is why I can’t be with Ruk because he is my protector. I will not know who my chosen is until I’m, bonded, mated or whatever to him,” I tell him and watch him closely for his reaction, but he gives nothing away.

“Let’s get practising these new powers then, we will need to be on top form,” Sallack orders, but everyone watches
Den and me as we stare into one another’s eyes.

“Den, why have you been so different lately?” I ask as I step away from Ruk and make my way over to Den.

“I have felt different, angry. I didn’t mean to take it out on you, I am ashamed of myself.”

“Why do you feel differently?”

“I feel powerful, like I could do anything, and have anything I wanted,” He tells me passionately.

“You want to be like Richard?”

“I will never be like him, not if I have you with me.”

“Why have you befriended him?”

“I needed to get in with him and gain his trust, find out what his plans are. I didn’t mean to be mean to you babe, I had to make him think I was a different person.”

“Ok, so
you back now, I get my Den back?” I ask with a smile.

“You have me babe, all of me.” He tells me with an intense look in his eyes.

“ENOUGH!” Ruk shouts making me jump, as I was lost in my own world, watching Den finally speak the truth, watching him be him, finally getting my Den back.

“Sallack where are you going to practice using your powers?” I ask him, whilst stepping to him, trying to calm Ruk’s anger, as my closeness with Den was clearly making him agitated.

“Ruk says he knows a good place.”

“Ok, do you want me to take you?”
I ask, holding out my hand to him.

“
Yeah, you take us beautiful,” He tells me with a stunning smile before placing his huge hand in mine.

“Let's see if I can take you all,” I tell them with a burst of excitement, making them all smile.

“Do we have to hold hands?” Mickey asks with a sigh.

“Mickey stop it, come hold my hand if it makes you feel more manly,” I tell him with an eye roll.

He walks up to me with a mischievous smirk before taking my hand, and then the rest of the Brothers’, which now includes Theo, takes hands.

Sitting on a fallen tree log watching the Brothers’ try out their new powers, which they take to like pros and having great fun doing it. My mind drifts back to what Den was asking me earlier, I don’t think he meant to hurt me by asking if Ruk was the one, nevertheless, it hurt like hell making me admit it aloud. I want to be loved, I didn’t think I did, but I want someone to share my secrets with, confess my fears and doubts, but I don’t think I have it in me to ditch Ruk and go search for him.

             
“Why are you sad?” Dom asks me as he sits with me on the log and laces his arm over my shoulder.

             
“I’m not,” I tell him lying and forcing a smile on my face.

             
“Ok, why are you feeling lonely and why does your heart hurt?” He asks me taking my hand while look at him with shock.

             
“How?”

             
“I have always been able to see the emotions that surround you Zara, as soon as you walked through the bar door at Sallack’s.”

             
“Really, why didn’t you say?”

             
“Because it wouldn’t have changed anything. Tell me why you’re lonely?”

             
“Because I know once this day is up, Ruk will go back to his life, and I will be left alone watching on the sidelines when he meets his one, and loves her how I want to be loved.” I tell him holding the tears back, and bowing my head away from the Brothers’ eyesight.

             
“Show me Zara, crying isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign that you have been strong for too long,” He tells me in a reassuring way, but I shake my head ‘no’.

             
“Because you think it will make you look weak?”

I nod my head to him, unable to answer.

              “Never weak, no one could accuse you of being weak. We are starting to seriously worry about you though Zara, you only ever show us smiles and laughs, but we know that inside you are dying.”

             
“Dom don’t, today is the last day, then life will carry on.”

             
“But will you carry on?”

             
“Yeah, I have to. Dallah needs me, Den and Ruk need me to, you all need me to.”

             
“Who is being strong for you Zara?”

             
“All of you.”

             
“You need someone to hold you, save you from losing yourself. You give too much of yourself, you should let someone help take on your troubles.”

             
“No, I need to kill Richard and save Dallah so that she can finally be with Julian. I don’t want to find ‘The One’, and I don’t need his strength, I can do this.”

             
“I have no doubt. You have us when you need us; you just have to open up to us. We love you Zara, some show it differently to others, but we do.”

He lifts my chin with his hand, where my eyes land on Ruk and Den, who stand watching us in return. Looking back to Dom I let out a sigh.

              “I need to be with Dallah, I will see you guys later ok?”

             
“Yeah, how is Dallah?”

             
“Still sitting with a wicked grin on her face, knowing that her life will be how she has wanted it to be for so long now. Thanks for speaking with me Dom.” I tell him with a sweet smile.

             
“You wouldn’t want to be Dallah’s enemy would you,” He asks with a raised brow and a smirk.

             
“Damn right you wouldn’t!” I tell him with a laugh.

Walking over to Ruk, I stop only inches away from him.

              “I’m going back to Dallah; will you be ok getting back?”

             
“Ok, yeah we told you we would baby, don’t worry for us. Zara, I need to speak with you tonight before the bonding, will you come find me?” He asks me, while his arms lace around my waist to pull me in close, which makes my skin tingle and my heart do a little flip.

             
“Is it bad news?” I ask, hoping he tells me no.

             
“Depends who’s looking at it.”

             
“Riddles? Love them,” I tell him sarcastically and get a breath-taking smile in return.

             
“Kiss me?” He asks, gazing at my lips.

I don’t need him to say another word before my lips take
him in a passionate kiss, a kiss of longing.

Mickey’s wolf whistle and Theo chuckling brings me back down to earth as I open my eyes to the man that is perfection.

              “I’m sorry baby...”

             
“Stop saying that Ruk, I know that we only have today, I am under no illusions that this is more than that,” I lie to him.

Because I want him to finish kissing me and tell me that he is in love with me, he will never let me go and that he will fight against destiny for me, but I know he won’t.