The Knight of Her Dreams (Dragons and Dreamphasers) (15 page)

Upon seeing the curiosity on his friend’s face,
Inferno related events quickly, earning a surprised laugh from Dominick.  “I’ll
be sure and steer clear of her then,” he chuckled.  “Can’t have a guardian
devil breathing fire down my neck.” 
No, that wouldn’t be advisable!
 
“But if
dear
Jarissa shows up again, kindly inform her that
Julianna’s agreed to see me again this night... by choice.”

Buddy whistled at that, earning a warning look
from Inferno.  The guardian angel had assumed this Julianna to be different
from the rest, but if she’d agreed to another rendezvous with Dominick, it was
all too obvious that it could only be for one reason.

Hopefully afterwards, he’d have the decency to
leave the girl alone in the future.  After all, it could otherwise make his own
life miserable in regard to his relationship with Jarissa, who was still fully
opposed to Dominick pursuing the supposedly innocent Julianna.

A fact that was now more in question.

Buddy’s expression darkened slightly.  “In all
fairness, Dom—not to say that I agree with Jarissa’s railing at me over this,
of course—you aren’t intending on forcing the girl into anything, are you?”

For the most part, Dominick’s anger was well
hidden when it existed at all.  This wasn’t one such time.

“What are you implying?” he asked in a deadly
voice.

Buddy continued with little heed.  “Look, it’s
just that you’re so used to charming women, you probably don’t consider one
might say no.”

“Take care what you say, Buddy,” Dominick warned
slowly, a gleam of anger sparking in his eyes, just waiting to be kindled into
a blaze.  “For your information, there
have
been those who
declined, and I’ve always respected their wishes.”

“Maybe,” Buddy agreed in a low voice.  “But
you’ve been acting different towards this one, as if she’s become your sole
objective.  If she refuses your advances, will her voiced protests be enough to
stop you, or will you let your momentary desire blind you to the right and
wrong of it?”

Dominick’s fist slammed into Buddy’s jaw faster
than he could breathe another word.  As he went flailing into another table,
shattering it beneath his weight, several women screamed in shock while the men
got to their feet.  Buddy shook his head painfully, rubbing his sore mouth, as
he stared up in disbelief at his angry friend who now stood before him.

“If you
ever
hint again that I
would take a woman by force, either in the waking realm or the dream-state,
you’ll regret the day you joined this universe,
guardian
,” hissed
Dominick.

As he strode by the downed Buddy to leave, he
bumped into several stunned females, one of whom drew his angry gaze
instantly.  “You’d do best to remember that too, Jarissa,” he warned her.  “For
while I’ve made it a policy never to strike a woman, if you start spouting similar
lies about me like your companion, you’ll earn the right to be the first I
break that rule for.”

Jarissa merely gaped at his words as he swept
past, both Psych and Kiri moving to stand on either side of her, just in case
Dominick returned to carry out his threat.

*****

What do you do when your own friends turn on you?
Dominick wondered, angrily stalking back to his
home.  Once in his room, he continued to wrestle with his thoughts.  The
aggravating part was that the entire day he’d looked forward to seeing Julianna
again, but now the voices of reason and chaos started playing back-and-forth in
his mind, leaving him unsettled.

If Riff hadn’t been so annoying recently, he
might have considered asking his opinion.  However, he knew how his ‘dear
brother’ would likely respond, since once long ago, they’d had a similar
discussion.  When he was younger, Dominick had asked what Riff did when the
women in dreams refused his advances, and he’d simply replied that he became
even more persistent.

An approach that Dominick had never followed
himself.

To his way of thinking, he’d never believed it to
be a desirable tactic, considering the best liaisons were those of a mutual
nature.  When Dominick had encountered reluctant women, he’d simply let them go
as they wished.  Yet Buddy did strike a minor point.  Knowing his code of honor
at it stood, why then was he finding it difficult to sever his attachment to
Julianna?

The answer seemed simple enough, stemming from
their first few meetings together.

It had been a responsive woman that kissed him
back those nights.  Not someone who despised his company, or wished him to
leave her forever.  For hadn’t she agreed to meet him this night as he’d
asked?  Yes, the answer was clear enough.

If only some of his friends hadn’t suddenly
turned condescending.

Leaning his head tiredly against the windowsill
of his room with closed eyes, Dominick sighed heavily.  “What
does
one do in a situation like this?” he whispered.

“
By Chavernos, you depend on your trusty
dragon, of course,
” came a deep voice in answer.  “
Must I teach
that lesson to you a hundred times more?
”

Unable to suppress a smile, Dominick raised his
head knowingly, facing the familiar forest green eyes and bright blue scales of
his faithful dragon ally.  “Roderlin,” he murmured.  “I might have known you
wouldn’t hide for long.”

“
Hide!
” sneered the dragon, raising
his head in disdain.  “
Loyal dragon allies are never far when you need
them, as well you tend to forget.
”

True enough
, mused Dominick, gladdened anew at being gifted many years ago by
their meeting.  As a child, he’d been awed by the strong bond of friendship
between his grandfather Chaos and the wise silver dragon Chaolyn.  So much so,
that at the age of twelve, the dragon had granted him the rare honor of being present
with Chaos at a hatching of baby dragons.

An even greater honor was bestowed upon him that
day, as one of the hatchlings took to him instantly, sparking the beginning of
a time-honored kindred friendship that would last a lifetime.  A rare and
treasured gift indeed.

As pureblood dragons matured quicker than those
of mixed breeding, and twice as fast as humans, in human form Roderlin looked
the same age as Dominick when his human friend turned twenty-five.  Around this
time, Roderlin had surprised Dominick by returning from a journey with a female
dragon, Alysadaria, who’d become his mate.  Though a bit jealous at first,
she’d quickly become good friends with Dominick as well, so despite their
constant travels, the dragon pair often visited.

“
I just found out what happened regarding
that tiff with your friends at Lost Limbo, and also this betrothal plan of your
grandfather’s,
” Roderlin added quietly. 
“
Chaolyn filled me in on
the last.
”

Dominick smiled weakly.  “And what’s your
verdict?”

“
As to the betrothal, I applaud your
actions.  Chaos means well, but a forced marriage isn’t the best way to
continue a family line.
”

“Nor will I ever accept it,” agreed Dominick. 
“If I ever marry in this lifetime, it will only be for love.”  His thoughts
turned briefly to Julianna, smiling at the memory, before shaking his head to
clear it.  “
Only
for love,” he whispered.

“
A wise decision,
” said Roderlin. 
“
As to your friends
,
may I inquire what the argument was
about?”

Sighing heavily, Dominick explained the
situation, relaying his meetings with Julianna, both now and from their initial
meeting months ago.  He also mentioned how she’d agreed to meet him again
tonight.  Roderlin listened patiently, only interrupting occasionally with a
question or two.  By the end of the explanation, the dragon nodded in
understanding.

“
Don’t take what they said too harshly. 
They meant no harm either.  And regardless of their words, Alysadaria and I
will always stand by you, since we know you to be more honorable than they’ve
implied.
”

Smiling wholeheartedly this time, Dominick patted
his nose.  “Thank you, dear friend,” he replied softly.  “Now, where is ‘Lysa? 
I’m surprised she’s not with you.”

“
Who says I’m not?
” a light,
mirthful voice called out from above.  Leaning out the window to glance upward,
Dominick grinned at the amused white dragon staring down at him, waving her
talons.

“It’s a good thing we made the roof stronger,” he
chuckled.  “Otherwise, you might end up in Riff’s room again.”

“
A pesky human, if ever I’ve seen one,
”
she sighed, moving swiftly to hover in the air beside Roderlin.  “
The way
he’d complained that day, one would think
he’d
never made a
mistake in his life!
”

All laughed at the impossibility of
that
!

Looking out towards the distant stars now winking
into view against evening’s canvas, Dominick’s laughter faded.  Earth was one
of them in reality, even though he might not be able to see it from here.  If
only he knew just what to do about Julianna.

Maybe she didn’t realize the response she was
capable of invoking in someone else.  That Roger she mentioned certainly hadn’t
given her any feelings of self-worth or esteem, so it might have left her
feeling inferior to other women.

As if that were true!
his thoughts retorted.

From just three days together, he’d seen so many
sides to her:  happiness, sadness, anger, fear, strength, passion, and a touch
of mischief.  Each one endeared him in its own way, although his body seemed
all too certain sometimes which one it approved of best.

Such feelings aside, he decided he preferred the
side of her that laughed and made comical quips to hold her own.  It was quite
a change over some of the women he’d known.  Most were either reluctant to
talk, or laughed to cover their lack of intelligence, and while these might be
fine as temporary paramours, they weren’t the type he wanted to keep seeing.

Julianna was different.  There was something
intriguing about her, although part of him wondered if it was more due to the
chase.  Once he’d quenched his desire for her, would he then think of her as
the rest, as merely a fond memory?  For some reason, the mere thought left a
bitter taste in his mind.

“
You’re thinking of that girl again, aren’t
you?
” Roderlin asked knowingly.

Dominick nodded once, briefly explaining the
situation to a curious Alysadaria this time.  “I don’t want to hurt her,” he
said softly.  “Even though we’re supposed to meet tonight, maybe it would be
best for her if I don’t return in her dreams anymore.”

Alysadaria’s ears perked up.  “
After all
you’ve told us and Chaolyn of her, you’re giving up so soon?
”

“Why not?” he sighed.  “She’ll forget me quickly
enough if I end our association now, and it’ll avoid hurting her later.  For
whatever reason, she’ll believe that she’s cleared her mind of me, and go back
to her normal dreams.”  Staring at the stars, he continued, “It’ll also get
Buddy and Jarissa off my case.” 
Although I’d sooner sever ties with them
than lose Julianna
, his thoughts added silently.  “It’s the perfect
solution, worthy of a guardian angel.”

“
Maybe so,
” agreed Roderlin, with a
chuckle, as he joined his companion in the air.  “
But remember, you’re a
full human, and by no means one of their kind.  Even Buddy is no saint, in case
you’ve forgotten.
”  Dominick couldn’t help smiling slightly at that. 
That all was certainly true, especially with he himself being a descendent of
Chaos.

“
If your preoccupation with that girl over
your two month separation is anything to judge by, Dominick,
” the
dragon continued, “
I’d say you’d best think twice before leaving her for
good.  After all, there is something to be said for finding the right
companion.
”

“
Aye,
” agreed Alysadaria, with a
mischievous grin.  “
It’s too bad I’m still searching for mine.
” 
As she flew off with a laugh, Roderlin bid Dominick a quick farewell before
following her with an irritated reply.  Dominick smiled after them, mulling
over what they’d said.

It was a good thing Chaos hadn’t overheard it.

Not that the elder man couldn’t be reasonable
about some things, such as in his attempts to expand one of his multiple
abilities—the rare ability to fully maintain the age of his choosing.  He was
currently working on a magical device to harness this power to grant a similar
ability of longevity to his loved ones, so as not to lose them as swiftly to
time.  He theorized it might even be possible to extend the range to encompass
the entire island, but he’d cross that bridge later.

This was what Chaos would consider a reasonable
endeavor.

However, there was one most undeniable fact
regarding Chaos in Dominick’s mind as to what both he
and
his
father Discord would say over his continual meetings with Julianna.