Ancient Guardians The Legacy of the Key (28 page)

Levi smiled
mischievously. “I did, did I? You never questioned my constant concern for
helping you study? Or finding an excuse to take you on a horseback ride in
order to get you out of the house, alone with me?” He finished with a soft
laugh.

She shrugged. “I
thought you were being a gentleman. You all are very courteous here.”

Levi gazed at her
with amusement. “Reece, if that had been the case, Harrison and I would have
shared those duties.”

Reece laughed.
“Well, you had me fooled.”

He grinned at her,
with the stunning grin that always took her breath away. She traced his lips
with her fingertips and studied his eyes. “This smile…”

Levi pressed his
lips into her fingers, giving them a small kiss, “Yes?” His eyes shimmered as
he remained staring at her.

Reece inhaled as
she brought her other hand up to cradle his face with in her hands. Levi’s grin
disappeared as Reece leaned in and softly kissed his perfect lips. She withdrew
and smiled, “I have been tempted to do that more than once, every time you have
smiled at me that way.” She tilted her head to the side and laughed softly.

Levi slowly
reopened his eyes. “My beloved, Reece. Do you have any idea what you do to me?”
He brushed the back of his hands along her jaw line and down her neck. Her body
shuddered at his tender touch. “No woman has ever amused or charmed me in such
a way. In all of my life, I have never believed that any woman could ever have
this much control over me.” He tapped his index finger to her chin and grinned.
“No woman but you, my sweetheart. You must know that I am profoundly in love
with you.”

Levi brought his
lips down onto hers again, this time he deepened their kiss with more desire
than before. His embrace tightened as he drew her closer into him. Reece’s head
started to spin, and her heart skipped several beats. She managed to politely
end the kiss, so that she could catch her breath.

 “It seems as
though I’m just as helpless against you. I can’t even think straight.” She
managed to respond.

Reece studied his
humored expression. As she brought her hand to his face, he closed his eyes,
and exhaled quietly in response to her tender touch. Reece giggled in return.
“I have waited so long for a moment such as this,” he whispered, “I fear I will
wake up in the morning, and find this was only another dream.”

Reece cocked her
head to the side, and stared at him speculatively. “Another dream?”

Levi smiled.
“Indeed, sweetheart, I could not escape you, even as I slept.” Levi smiled. He
cupped the back of her neck in his hand, and his eyes darkened with desire. “I
love you, Reece Bryant.”

She swallowed as
her heart picked up its rapid pace once again. “I love you, Levi,” she
whispered.

Gently, Levi
claimed her lips. When Reece deepened the kiss, he responded enthusiastically.
They indulged themselves in their adoration for each other for quite some time
before they pulled back, breathing hard. Levi tilted his head, looking at her.
He kissed her cheek. Then her forehead. In a leisurely fashion, he covered her
face with kisses, finishing with a light kiss to the tip of her nose.

She opened her eyes
to see his, shining like sapphires. “Levi, how will I survive your leaving
tomorrow?”

His mouth quirked.
“The question is, how will Harrison survive? I’m going to drive him insane on
this visit, rushing everything to get back to you.”

Reece laughed and
felt calmer. “I’m sure Harrison will be fine.”

“My cousin has
already suffered quite a bit since I found that I could not bear to be out of
your presence.”

Reece’s eyes narrowed.
“Has he now? I didn’t realize Harrison was suffering around me.”

“Don’t get me
wrong, Harrison thinks you’re great, but he doesn’t always appreciate my
transparent excuses to be with you. I believe the worst for him was when I
could no longer endure being away from you while visiting my sister. I
convinced everyone that Harrison and I had to return for training. I believe he
may have thought I had completely lost my mind.” He chuckled. “I demanded we
leave that very night, and pushed Areion harder than I ever had, so that your
eyes would be the first thing I saw the next morning. Then I abandoned Harrison
in the breakfast room, when we did not find you there with the other ladies. Do
you remember?”

Reece laughed.
“That’s why you two returned before the rest of your family?”

He smiled and
nodded. “That’s when I realized I was helplessly in love with you.”

Reece looked at him
with concern. “Levi, what are people going to say? What will they all think of
you, for loving someone from Earth? Aren’t you a little frightened?”

“Only one thing
frightens me, and that is, how much I need you in my life. I’ll be miserable
these next few days, longing to be with you again. And your opinion of me is
the only one that matters. I wish to put off the announcement of our attachment
until I return, simply because I want to be at your side. I will not tolerate
your being victim to anyone’s opinion, without me to defend you.”

Reece shuddered
internally. It was going to be bad, then. “Promise to come back quickly?”

“My love, it is my
only desire.” He stared intently into her eyes.

She returned his
gaze as he slowly slid his hand through her hair and rested it on the back of
her neck, drawing her closer to him, as his other arm wrapped around her waist.
He began with a soft kiss upon her lips, and then traced her jaw with kisses.

Reece inhaled
deeply, trying to keep her breathing as calm as his, but her heart was beating
rapidly. She felt his lips turn up in a smile against her skin, in response to
her obvious reactions. He continued to place small, tender kisses along her
neckline, forcing her to sigh with contentment.

One more kiss on
the lips, and Levi pulled back with a sigh of his own. “I believe I should be
escorting you back to the house now. As much as I desire to remain here with
you, I fear my emotions are about to overrule my judgment as a gentleman…” He
smiled as he once more kissed her lips, letting his linger on hers for a short
moment. He exhaled. “…and, my darling, I cannot allow that to happen.”

The next morning,
Reece was awake before sun up. She found Harrison and Levi checking tack and
mounting up. She stood at the top of the steps and watched with amusement as
they joked with each other like mischievous little boys. As they turned their
horses away, she called, “Levi?”

Levi turned Areion
back toward the house, and was off the horse and up the steps before she could
take a breath. Then she was in his arms, and he kissed her as if he was
memorizing her. She was instantly lost in the sweet flavor of his delicious
kiss. She inhaled the masculine aroma of him, letting it consume her entirely.

It was when
Harrison cleared his throat dramatically that Reece felt the blood rush to her
cheeks. She tried to pull back, but Levi held her tighter. He smiled and kissed
her softly one more time, before he turned to face his cousin.

“Now
that
is
going to complicate things!” Harrison grinned.

 Levi turned to
Reece, and kissed her gently on the forehead. “I will return to you as soon as
may be, my sweet love.” He touched the tip of her nose with his index finger,
and turned back to his horse.

Harrison smiled
widely at her. “This will be an interesting ride, Reece; thank you for my
entertainment. I guess this is the part where I promise to return him to you
safely?” He laughed.

In one swift,
powerful motion, Levi mounted Areion, and looked back at Reece. He grinned and
winked at her. Her heart halted in response to the smile that always took her
breath away. Then, with a clatter of hooves on the courtyard, they were gone.

Chapter 20

Reece turned back into the house as first light had
begun to color the sky. She smiled at the rich scent of Levi’s cologne
lingering on her hands and coat. Her heart continued to responding to images of
their last few moments together. All of these feelings and emotions were so
new. Her breath caught, remembering the way he looked at her, the way his eyes
reflected his love. She’d seen that love in his eyes many times before, but
hadn’t allowed herself to believe it was for her.

She was rudely
pulled away from her enjoyment of the moment when she was suddenly standing
face-to-face with Simone.
Did she seen us saying goodbye?
If there was
one person she did not want to know about them, it was Simone. Why couldn’t she
and her friends have waited at least three more days to return from their
vacation? She sighed with irritation, and met the woman’s speculative gaze
head-on.

 Reece managed a
smile. “Good morning, Simone.”

As Reece tried to
walk past, Simone stepped in front of her, forcing her to halt.

“Reece Bryant. Do
not think that you can walk past me after what I have just witnessed between
you and Levi.” Simone motioned to a side door, “It would be wise of you to join
me, as I am sure Levi doesn’t want this disturbing secret known to anyone.”
Simone said with disgust.

Reece inhaled,
trying to remain calm, and followed Simone into the empty sitting room.

Simone motioned for
Reece to sit on a small sofa, but Reece remained standing, and stared at her
sternly. “Just say what you need to say to me, Simone.”

Simone’s eyebrow
arched sharply as she stared maliciously down at Reece, “Do not dare order me
around. You are at my mercy now.” She finished with a wicked laugh. “Now, I
suggest you sit down, and listen to me.

Reece sat on the
sofa, and stared up at Simone. “Go ahead, I’m listening.” She said firmly.

Simone glared down
at Reece, “I have hated you from the first moment I saw you. You and your kind
on Earth repulse me. I’ve never understood why our men risk their lives to
protect Earth’s inhabitants from the other dimensions. It has never made any
sense to me.”

“Simone—”

“I have not asked
you to speak.” Simone snapped.

Reece stood up. “I
don’t know who you think you are, but I don’t have to listen to this. I’m not
at your mercy, and the only reason I chose to come in here was to let you know
that what happened between Levi and I was not that big of a deal. I really—”

“Not that big of a
deal? Is
that
how you view a relationship with one of the most powerful
men in Pemdas? I should expect nothing less from a foolish girl from Earth!”

Reece exhaled in
frustration, “That’s not what I meant. There is no need to—”

Simone’s features
grew hostile, “Who do you think you are anyway, Reece?” Simone shouted. “What
makes you think you can come into my world and act like you belong here? To
watch you walk these palace halls as if this were your home, utterly disgusts
me. And that, Earth dweller, is why I was forced to extreme measures to have
you removed from Pemdas!”

Reece stared
intently into Simone’s darkened expression, “What are you talking about?” She
questioned in a firm voice.

Simone grinned,
“You know exactly what I am talking about. My father and Emperor Navarre were
obviously getting nowhere with your return, so I had to take matters into my
own hands.”

Reece’s eyes
narrowed. “What?”

Simone grinned
sinisterly, “An arrangement has been made. Harrison and Levi will learn of it
as soon as they return to Earth. In trade for you, the Ciatron will no longer
be an enemy to Pemdas. We will finally have the peace that even our ancient Guardians
could not create.”

“That is not true,
Simone, and you know it. The Ciatron have left Earth, and it’s because they
know I’m not the one they were searching for—”

“That’s what they
wanted the Guardians on Earth to believe. And therefore, that is exactly what
the Guardians reported to my father.” Simone answered. “It was the only way to
draw you out of our land without being questioned.”

Reece stared at
Simone in disbelief; there was no way this woman would find a way to meet with
the Ciatron. This was a lie, and a threat, brought about by Simone’s anger over
seeing Reece with Levi. The woman was delusional.

Reece gazed
intensely into her eyes. “Simone, if this is true, how were you able to meet
with them? The Guardians are the only ones who—”

“Reece, have you
forgotten that I am the daughter of their commander? I have my ways of learning
how to have you removed. My father, obviously, wasn’t getting the job done, and
therefore, I did it myself. I met with the people who were willing to have you
removed from Pemdas, no matter the cost.”

“Your father and
the Emperor don’t know about this?” Reece asked in a soft voice.

“Of course not.
They will not believe in the Ciatron’s peaceful efforts until after you are
traded. And now, your beloved, Levi Oxley, must deliver you in order to have
eternal peace with his father’s greatest enemy. And I will finally be rid of
you!”