Dalir's Salvation (4 page)

Dr. Foster released a harsh breath. “Can you get a friend to stay with you tonight? Someone should keep an eye on you.”

Easy. She’d call Lauren—no. She couldn’t. Her friends were gone and she was all alone. Heaviness weighed her to the bed. Who could she ask for help?

As if on cue, her sexy, dark-haired tormentor appeared. “Tell him you won’t be alone.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ll be with you.”

Right. She wasn’t going to offer that up as a solution any more than she was going to tell Dr. Foster that he should skip the burger he planned to have for lunch or he’d end up with mild food poisoning. One wrong word, and she’d find herself in a psych ward.

She forced her gaze to stay on Dr. Foster. “I’ll find someone.”

Dalir followed Ari and Brooke into the first-floor apartment.

“Thank you for picking me up at the hospital.” Ari shut the door behind them. “But really, I’m fine. You don’t need to hang around.”

If she weren’t shooting eye daggers at him, instead of the tall, slender woman, he still wouldn’t believe it. She could actually see and hear him. For the past five years, he’d only had direct contact with Thane and the team, and only they could see him anywhere because of the time travel powers he’d shared with them. Celine and Lauren could only interact with him when they were in The Drift. Yet Ari was aware of him in this dimension.

“You heard what the cute doctor said.” Oblivious to his presence, Brooke strolled to the living room. “You can’t stay alone. Someone needs to be with you overnight.”

The brass framed, oval mirror on the wall near the door reflected Ari wearing the blood stained dress.

At the store, she’d appeared so fragile amongst the oversized, stuffed toys. When she’d fallen unconscious, he’d almost phased her to The Drift to heal her injuries, but then Brooke had arrived. Thank the Alandian stars she’d only hit her head and not broken her damn neck.

Ari slipped her keys into the large, beige purse hanging on her shoulder. She released an exasperated exhale. “I don’t need a babysitter.”

The hell she didn’t. She should have realized her limitations and let someone else climb the ladder for what she needed.

“If it makes you feel any better, you’re doing me a favor.” Brooke laid her backpack on the yellow couch. “I have an important paper to work on for my history class. My roommate doesn’t understand the definition of quiet, and I hate studying late at the campus library on weekends. Besides that, Celine would kill me if I didn’t take care of you.” The twenty-two-year-old, college junior smiled as she flipped her brown hair. “I’m staying.”

“So am I.” Dalir stood in front of Ari.

Her jaw tightened as she gave him a withering stare. “In that case, you’re welcome to stay, Brooke. I’ll make up the guest bedroom.”

“No need. Just tell me where to find a pillow and blanket. I can crash out on the couch. Not that I’ll be getting much sleep. I have a lot to do.” Brooke straightened the hem of her white T-shirt over the waist of her skinny jeans. She shooed Ari toward the hallway. “I’ll work on dinner while you get cleaned up.”

“I didn’t make it to the store this week. Just order pizza. The menu is on the side of the fridge.” Ari stalked away. The mid-thigh length of her dress and her high heels emphasized Ari’s toned legs. Her hips swayed with every step.

Awareness flared. Dalir tamped it down. He needed to know what was going on. She had to stop blowing him off.

He phased down the hall and blocked her path into the bedroom. “It won’t work. I know you can hear and see me, Little One. Talk to me.”

Ari maneuvered past him. The chain shoulder strap on her purse jangled when she dropped it on top of the natural wood dresser. She slammed the door. “One. You do not boss me around. Two. I got stuffed into a space the size of a soda can because I talked to you, so as far as I’m concerned, we’re done communicating. And three,” she advanced on him, “call me Little One again and you’ll regret it.”

Difficult. Mouthy. She was definitely friends with Lauren and Celine. “I’m not leaving, Little One, until I get answers.”

She socked him in the stomach.

Caught off guard, Dalir hissed out a short breath. “You think you can take me?”

She glared up at him. “Say it again and find out.”
One good junk punch and you’ll drop to your knees.

Her thought stung like a phantom slap to the cheek. He backed her up against the edge of the dresser.

The mirror shook. Perfume bottles rattled.

He planted his palms on either side of her. “I don’t think so.”

She lifted her chin.
Too bad he’s such a jerk.
Her thoughts grew louder in his mind.
Look at all those muscles. I’m going with figment of my imagination over ghost. I hit my head. That makes better sense. Doesn’t it? Is it weird for me to be attracted to a figment of my imagination? Wait. What am I doing fighting with him in the first place? He’s my fantasy. I should be stripping him naked and getting my hands on all that goodness. What should I call him? Yummy should definitely be his middle name.

He caught a view of her conjured up image of him, shirtless, and her yanking down is zipper.

Lust snaked through him. “Be careful what you wish for.”

She snickered. “You wish you knew what I wanted.”

“I do. I can read what you’re thinking. Loud and clear. My name is Dalir, and for the record, I don’t wear boxers. Or briefs.”

A flush of pink tinged her light-brown face. Just like in the lab, when she’d ordered him to leave her alone, a mental door in her mind started to shut. When the tech had taken her out of the imaging machine, he’d stood beside her, but she couldn’t see him. By sheer will she’d locked him out. That couldn’t happen again. He didn’t have time to wait hours for her to let her guard down again. What if she didn’t?

“What’s wrong, princess?” He bent closer. “Finally, realized you don’t have what it takes to handle me?”

Ari leaned in. Heat and energy pulsated in the space between them.

An image of his own reared up. Her naked and writhing under him in bed, handling him just fine as they finished what she started in her vision.

“Harmless fantasy men don’t scare me one tiny bit.” She brushed his lips with a barely there kiss. Soft but assured. A direct challenge.

He’d show her harmless. Dalir closed the gap and took command of her mouth. An answer to the gauntlet she’d thrown, swiftly turned into the need to explore.

She threaded her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer. Her tongue intertwining with his brought a rush of staggering want.

Dalir lifted Ari onto the dresser. She weighed nothing, but the passion in her kiss nearly floored him, as did her curves, firm ass, tiny waist, and lush breasts. Fuck it all. The desire to possess her raged to life.

A knock echoed. Brooke’s voice came through the door. “Ari?”

As he brushed kisses down her throat, he inhaled her light floral scent. “Tell her to go away.”

“I can’t.” Ari bunched up the hem of his shirt.

He plunged his tongue back past her lips. With Ari’s moans of assent spurring him on Dalir deepened the kiss.

“Ari?” The door handle rattled. “What’s that noise? You don’t sound okay. I’m coming in.”

“No!” Ari jerked back. “I bumped my leg getting undressed. I’m fine.”
I just want to hump the hell out of a guy who doesn’t exist.

He pinched her thigh.

“Ow!” She wacked him.

“Does that feel like I don’t exist?”

“Ari.” Suspicion laced Brooke’s tone. “Who are you talking to? Are you seeing hallucinations again?”

“Shit.” Ari whispered. She dropped her forehead to his shoulder. “When she picked me up from the hospital, Dr. Foster told her to look out for that. No, Brooke, I’m on the phone.” She fiddled with the hem of his shirt. “Be out in a bit.”

“Okay. Pizza will be here in thirty minutes.” Brooke left.

Ari released a deep breath. “I’m taking a shower.”

Would she flush that shade of pink everywhere he soaped her skin? His cock pressed against his zipper. As he leaned in, Dalir stroked his palms up Ari’s silky smooth thighs. “Lead the way.”

She flattened her hands to his chest. “I meant alone.”

* * * *

Warmth from his hard pecs seeped through his shirt and into Ari’s palms. She dug her fingers into the fabric, tempted to rip it off. As she eased down from the dresser, the tips of her breasts grazed over his chest.

Dalir sucked in a swift breath, but didn’t move. His gray eyes darkened as he angled closer.

Pulses tugged at her core. Ari sunk her teeth into her bottom lip, stifling a whimper. She’d meant to tease him, not get herself all worked up. “In case you missed it, that’s your cue to leave.”

Dalir slowly stepped back and motioned his hand as if giving her permission to pass. “I’ll wait.”

“No. You’re going back inside of my head where you came from.”

As she slipped by, he caught her arm. He cupped her ass and fit her front against him. His erection pressed against her belly.

Her knees wobbled.

“I repeat.” His nostrils flared. “Do I feel like a damn hallucination?”

No. More of a temptation. Like a wall made of her favorite pineapple candy. She could easily spend the night climbing all over him, licking her way to a lust-filled sugar rush. Something she’d regret in the morning. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It does. You can see me.” He captured her forthcoming response in a kiss.

Ari gripped his biceps, losing herself in sensations that sizzled down to her toes. No. This had to stop. She wiggled out of his hold. “Look. You have to understand the situation. No one else can see or talk to you but me, and in the eyes of every sane person on the planet, that makes me nuts.” And yet, she still wanted to do him. Badly. Ari buried her face in her hands. Had she completely lost it or was this some crazy-ass
Wizard of Oz
moment? Instead of the Tin Man, she’d gotten Dalir. Oh what the hell? Why not? She clicked her heels three times.

His harsh sigh warmed her knuckles.

Okay, five clicks.

Maybe ten?

“Stop that.” Dalir pried her fingers away. “You will eat.” His mouth flattened. “And I will wait.” He disappeared.

Damn it. He needed to stop doing that.

Ari showered. When she came out the bathroom, she found the room empty. She checked in the closet and under the bed. Where was he? She put on a pink top and sweat pants, then took them off. Too casual. What about the blue sundress with those cute wedge-heeled sandals? Hold on. This wasn’t a date. Just pizza. With Brooke.

The doorbell rang.

Brooke answered the door.

Ari hurriedly dressed in jeans and the pink shirt. She took a cleansing breath and opened her bedroom door. The hall was empty. But he’d said he’d wait. Her heart shrunk in her chest. At least she’d had fun while it lasted, and now he was gone. Out of her imagination and out of her life. Just like she’d wanted.

In the kitchen, Brooke quickly transferred steaming slices of pizza onto plates sitting on the counter. She sucked sauce from her thumb. “Do you want to eat in the living room in front of the television?”

On the other side of the pass through opening into the living room, Dalir materialized.

Flutters erupted in her belly.

As he prowled the space, he appeared massive against the backdrop of light-colored walls, espresso wood tables, and lemon yellow furniture decorated with orange pillows.

He came to the pass through and scowled at the plates on the counter. “That’s not a suitable meal. It’s mostly grease. You need to eat healthy.”

Ari refrained from making a face at him. “Let’s stay in the kitchen.” After the day she’d had, the last thing she needed was him judging one of her favorite food choices. Ari took a plate and sat at the glass topped, metal table. She took a bite of pizza. The right balance of sauce, Italian herbs, and pepperoni lit up her taste buds. “What’s your paper about?”

“Medieval warfare. I needed a history credit, and it was the only course open.” Brooke poured up lemonade for both of them, then joined her. She glanced at the laptop on the table. “On my last assignment, the professor knocked off points because he claimed I missed too many details.”

“You mean there’s more to medieval warfare than guys slashing their swords?”

Just as Ari hoped, Brooke’s explanation distracted her from Dalir stalking around the other room.

He wandered in. His dark jeans fit snugly in all the right places. Modern clothes suited him just fine. But as big and strong as he was, it was easy to imagine him, commanding an army and wielding a sword.

Dalir caught her checking him out. Smugness shadowed his expression. He even had the nerve to put a little more swagger in his step.

Brooke dropped her napkin. As she picked it up, she bumped Ari.

Tingles swarmed Ari’s leg. Words shimmered in. “Horses. You’re writing about horses.”

“Well, yes.” Bewilderment filled Brooke’s expression. “They were kind of essential back then.”

A chill crept over Ari. First Dr. Foster. Now Brooke. Her abilities, didn’t work like that. She had to choose to touch someone for more insight to appear. She’d developed that type of self-control to keep her intuition in check. A lesson she’d learned in her childhood the hard way and too late.

Dalir peered at the laptop and at Brooke’s notes lying next to it. “What she’s written is flawed. She’s mixed up the horse breeds. A palfrey wouldn’t have been a suitable warhorse. Prosperous knights rode coursers. Less wealthy ones rode destriers. You need to tell her to change it.”

Tell her? She couldn’t do that.

A long-buried memory emerged. Ari’s stomach churned. In elementary school, she’d announced to the class that their teacher was pregnant. A secret the woman didn’t want anyone to know. The principal had contacted her mother, who’d had to take unpaid leave to sort it out.

“Why do you insist on bringing attention to yourself? You do this to spite me don’t you?”

“Mama, I’m sorry. I thought it was good news and it was okay to share it.” Ari reached for her, but her mom backed away.