Arkadia (Halfway House Series Book 1) (20 page)

Feeling dragon put his weight on the ground and tuck up his wings, Arkadia knew they had landed. By the scent of the trees and the sound of the trickling waterfall, she knew they were at Bohdan’s special spot; it felt like home. Sliding off his back, she took a step forward, raised her arms out wide, and breathed deeply. She wanted to acknowledge every sound and every scent as important; she could feel the warmth of her Goddess surrounding her again, like a mother’s warm embrace. It felt like love.

Strong arms encased her, she was pulled back tight against Bohdan’s chest, and he buried his face into her neck. Sharing a few deep breaths together, Arkadia turned in his arms, and extended her arms to wrap around his neck. “I would kiss you, but I don’t seem to be able to SEE where your lips are.” Arkadia teased him, licking her full lips, and placing some kisses in the air like she was looking for him. Bohdan's one hand reached up to slide the blindfold back off her head as his lips found hers in a deep, passionate kiss. A rumble of pleasure came up from his dragon as his tongue invaded her mouth, and a dance of passion ensued. Twisting and looping around each other, her fingers embedded into Bohdan's hair as she climbed up his chest, wrapping her legs around his hips. Bohdan's hands immediately dropped to cup her full, round butt, holding her tight against his growing passion.

Pulling back, Bohdan said, “Plenty of time, my queen. First, I have a surprise for you.”

Arkadia’s emerald green eyes sparkled with excitement. “Alright, but don’t put me down, I like this too much.” As she wiggled against his dragonhood, Bohdan growled deep and low.

“I won’t put you down, but if you wiggle like that again, your surprise will be delayed, for hours, and HOURS!!!” Bohdan grinned as he gave her butt a playful smack. “Ready?”

Arkadia nodded. “Ready.” Bohdan, still carrying Arkadia, walked up to the cave entrance, the sky darkening quickly in the soon to be winter’s evening.

Arkadia let a little gasp escape her mouth; the entire cave was alight with candles. There must have been over one hundred different candles, varying sizes and widths, all of their flames dancing and flickering in the light breezes of the early night. It made the cave appear alive with movement. Bohdan put her down on her feet. He turned her to face him, cupping her cheeks in his hands. “I made this cave come to life by adding some light. You have made me come to life by adding your light. I love you, Arkadia.” As Bohdan spoke these words from his heart, he lowered his lips to hers, firstly brushing lightly across the surface, savoring her scent and flavor, and then increasing the pressure as his lips and tongue invaded her, tasted her, and devoured her.

Arkadia pulled back slightly to say something, but Bohdan placed his finger across her wet lips. “I haven’t finished, my queen, if you will allow my brashness to continue.” Arkadia nodded. “It is your eighteenth birthday in mere days, and I wanted to give you my gift now; something personal, something I hope you will love,” Bohdan said and walked her over to the pillows set up on the floor. He motioned for Arkadia to sit, and he sat next to her. Reaching behind her, he pulled out a small black box, dressed up with an emerald green bow on top.

“Bohdan, you shouldn’t have. You are all I need.” Arkadia blushed at such a beautiful box; never had someone cared so much to put a bow on a gift, and the small details were making Arkadia’s heart swell.

“Oh hush, little witch, and open the box,” he said eagerly.

Arkadia removed the beautiful bow. She glanced up at Bohdan, the lights dancing around him made him look godly, and the love she saw in his eyes was humbling. Taking the top of the box off, she whispered, “Oh my.” Inside, resting on a pure white pillow was a diamond pendant. The pendant was heart-shaped and jet black. Tears formed in her eyes as she looked up at Bohdan. “It’s beautiful. I adore it,” she whispered.

“May I?” He motioned to her that he wished to put it on her. Arkadia nodded and turned her back to him, sliding her hair over to the side for him to do up the gorgeous silver chain. “This is my heart, Arkadia. I had it made for you. I cut some of my hair, and then they used the carbon in my hair to create this black diamond. When I said its part of me, I meant it very literally, so where ever you are, my heart is always near to your heart.”

“It’s made from your hair?” Arkadia turned back around, holding the diamond in her hand, gazing at it. “That’s amazing. It’s sooo beautiful and it’s black just like dragon.”

Bohdan nodded. “That was his only request. I wanted to give you something special, and so I am giving you me, forever. Happy birthday, my queen, my love.”

“I have a picnic packed for dinner, if you’re hungry?” Bohdan asked.

Arkadia got a devilish look into her eye and said, “Oh, I am hungry Bohdan. I am STARVING, but not for food.” She launched herself at him, wrapping herself around him, as together they fell back onto the pillows, a soft chuckle escaping Bohdan. Instantly, they devoured each other completely until they fell asleep in each other’s arms in the small hours of the morning.

A beep woke Arkadia early in the morning; it was her phone with a text message notification. Yawning she reached over to grab her phone and check the message.

Eloise:
Urgent Fam meeting, 1 hour. At house. No excuses

Arkadia sighed and rolled back over to a sleepy Bohdan. “I am needed at home, and even you, my amazing boyfriend, will not be an acceptable excuse to miss it.” She placed a kiss to Bohdan's lips lightly.

“I love it when you call me your boyfriend,” he murmured sleepily.

“Well, I thought husband might be jumping the gun a bit,” Arkadia teased as she dressed, walked around the cave, and blew out the few remaining candles that hadn’t burnt themselves out during the night. Suddenly, a still naked Bohdan grabbed her and pulled her tight against him as he playfully growled, “It’s only a matter of time. My heart is already yours. The rest is mere details. Now are you ready for your return flight on dragon airways?”

Arkadia snickered as she said, “I am always ready to ride your dragon.” She playfully slapped his butt as they made their way home.

Arkadia got out of Bohdan's truck once they pulled up at her house, her hand reaching to touch her dragon heart as she called it, for the umpteenth time to check it was still there. Bohdan asked, “You want me to go? Or stay?”

Arkadia turned to shut the door and replied, “Stay please, for everything that concerns me is now also your problem, so, sucks to be you right now, huh?” She laughed and entwined her fingers into his and they walked together up to the house.

Raven opened the door with a frustrated look on her face. “What’s up, Rav?” Arkadia asked.

“You are never going to believe what’s going on. This house doesn’t need any more shit, and yet, here we go again.” Raven turned and glided back into the house silently.

“Does she ever make a sound?” Bohdan laughed.

“Nope,” Arkadia answered with a laugh.

In the living room, Eloise sat on the sofa, and the twins stood over by the wall with Raven apparently having some kind of mini family debate. There was a strange girl sitting on the chair, her legs and arms were crossed and she had a scowl etched deeply on her face. This strange girl’s appearance was shocking. She was clad in black leather jeans, a dark blue T-shirt, a beat-up black leather jacket, and well-worn army boots. Her long disheveled blonde hair hung lifeless around her shoulders, and to say she was wearing too much black eyeliner was a massive understatement. Standing behind her was Rumor Winslow, the council member that had been Arkadia’s case manager.

“Good Morning, Arkadia. So nice to see you under less life-threatening circumstances. Are you well, child?” Arkadia had never heard Rumor speak with any emotion at all, so this small inflection of caring was surprising.

“I am good, thanks,” Arkadia said to Rumor, and then looking over to Eloise she asked, “So, what’s going on?”

“We have a new member of the house. Rumor thought I was the perfect person to help with her latest case,” Eloise said softly. Arkadia was unsure if Eloise’s voice was one of forced politeness or genuine appreciation of her abilities.

Rumor said, “This is Neveah Haloni. She is sixteen and will be attending Huntsville High school starting next week. She needs somewhere to live, and Eloise has graciously offered her a room here. I am most satisfied with this house for Neveah’s development. I think this is the perfect place for her.” Arkadia looked from Rumor’s satisfied face to Eloise’s face which while it looked calm, Arkadia could see a little twitch at the corner of her mouth. She glanced over at Raven, who was seething with frustration, and then at Emerson and Zahmali, who honestly, didn’t seem to give two hoots either way. Emerson just looked hungry.

“So then I will take my leave; should you need anything, Eloise, just call me.” Rumor handed a card to Eloise and glided out the door. A shocked silence fell over the room, and no one was quite sure what to do next. After a few minutes, Eloise got up and straightened her shirt.

“Arkadia, pop on the kettle, I could do with a coffee, I think. Neveah, Raven will show you to your new room. I suggest you use the next few hours to settle in and make it your own. Lunch will be in two hours.” Raven was about to protest when Eloise raised her finger to stop Raven from talking. “Raven,” Eloise said a firmness in her voice, “You WILL show Neveah up to the spare room, now her room, and you WILL make her welcome.” Eloise walked out into the kitchen with Arkadia and Bohdan following.

Raven put her hands on her hips as she puffed up her chest ready to show who was territorially in charge. “So, you’re a fallen angel, huh?”

Within a blink of an eye, Neveah was toe-to-toe and nose-to-nose with Raven, her ice blue eyes alight with flames of anger. Her voice full of hatred, she spat at Raven, “I am NOT fallen. I am broken. Get it right, bitch. Just show me the goddamn room and back off.”

Raven stood her ground, not prepared to show she was terrified of confrontation. “Second door on the left at the top of the stairs. Find it yourself, bitch.” Raven walked away leaving Neveah alone with her black duffle bag standing in the middle of a strange house, in a strange neighborhood, in a strange world.

“Well, this should be fun,” Neveah said, finding her room and slamming the door.

~The End~

I hope you enjoyed the story.

Check these links for more books from Author Dzintra Sullivan.

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Arkadia - Halfway House #1

Coming Soon

Raven - Halfway House #2

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About the Author - Dzintra Sullivan

I'm a happily married mother of four amazing children. I fell in love with books as a young girl, reading Judy Blume and Enid Blyton. I progressed onto loving the supernatural genre as a teenager and never left.

I live up on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia.

It has always been a dream to write a book, but I've never had the self belief that I could. Until this year when I celebrated my 40th birthday. It hit me, "now or never" so here I am, releasing my first novel in what I hope will be a series of seven books.

"Arkadia" is the first book, soon to be followed by "Raven".

I blog and run the Facebook page "Book Friends Forever", please come and say hello, always lots of fun and giveaways, new releases, and gossip.

It is a pleasure to meet you. I hope to be a part of your reading life for a long time.