The Knight of Her Dreams (Dragons and Dreamphasers) (41 page)

While the others looked on
curiously, Dominick clasped Julianna’s hand, gazing at her warmly just before
he continued.  “As you all know, I haven’t been easy to reach lately, but I had
good reason.  You see, several weeks ago, I met this special lady, whom I’d
first met months before, and when we least expected it, love crept up on us
both.  So to cut to the chase, my bachelor days will soon be over, since
Julianna and I are engaged to be married.”

The group’s loud and
simultaneous, “
What?
” echoed through the whole room, successfully
halting conversations and prompting a lowering of the music’s volume.  A wave
of curious silence remained, except for a few quiet murmurs, causing Dominick
to sigh and Julianna to blush again.

Riff gave the couple a
smile.  “I’ll handle this,” he assured them, turning to the crowd.  “Sorry,
folks, didn’t mean to disturb you!” he proclaimed.  Seeing as they were
reluctant to let it go at that, he stood up to add louder, “I said, go back to
your entertainment!  My brother’s just getting married, that’s all!”

Even days later, Julianna
would never forget the wave of literal chaos that swept about her and Dominick
like an opened floodgate, as countless people rushed up to surround them. 
Suddenly feeling like a famous star facing a persistent mob, she hastily clung
to Dominick, burying her head against his chest while her wide-eyed gaze viewed
the spectacle, a bit afraid that he too would be overwhelmed by this unusual
reaction.

To her continued surprise
though, Dominick took it all in stride, shaking hands among well-wishers while
confirming the news with several sad-eyed females.  Too many females for her
own liking, Julianna thought privately, holding her fiancé tighter, but for a
different reason this time.

She’d had absolutely no
idea that Dominick was so popular with so many people.  But then again, of
course he was surely well known for his status on the island, she reminded
herself.  Not that the crowd was willing to let her get off easily either, upon
finding out she was Dominick’s intended bride.  They swiftly bombarded her with
endless questions, the leading one being when the marriage was to take place.

“We haven’t been able to
set a date just yet,” she replied absently, earning more questions as to what
the story was behind this.  “We are engaged in the meantime.  We’re just...
separated by a long distance.” 
Too long!
she thought inwardly.  “It has
yet to be resolved, but as soon as we can reach each other, we’ll be married
then.”

Several of the older women
congratulated her like mother figures, wishing both her and Dominick a
wonderful future.  However, some of the younger ones—obviously jealous—began
sharpening their claws.  One of whom inquired how she planned to grant Dominick
an heir or two via long distance.  This truth was pounced on by several others,
proclaiming her an unsuitable bride, and leaving Julianna at a loss.

Feeling her tense, having
overheard enough of their venom to know why, Dominick shot the pack of females
a meaningful glare as he held her closer.

“Just so we’re clear!” he
shouted to them, “We’ve also decided that my brother can provide those future
heirs just as easily if we choose not to!”  This quieted the lot.  “So if
you’re so interested in casting out your cat claws,” he continued evenly,
“you’ll have to go elsewhere.  I have no intention of marrying anyone except
Julianna, children or no children.  Clear enough, ladies?”

Several of the men, as well
as the mother figures, cheered him on this, while his words brought grateful
tears from Julianna’s eyes as he kissed her forehead lovingly.

Immediately after though,
the swarm of endless questions continued.

Julianna became so
overwhelmed by it all that her vision became bleary towards the endless faces,
feeling her strength drain away with the non-stop noise.  Throughout the
tumult, she vaguely felt Dominick’s arm lock firmly about her waist, as if he
was afraid she should be lost to him amidst the seemingly endless crowd.

Moments later, a loud
booming voice suddenly rang out, “In the name of Chaos, will you all please
shut-up?”

Julianna didn’t know the
one who’d spoken, but to her disbelief, his authoritative words silenced
everyone.

Looking towards the stares
of the rest, but not releasing her hold on Dominick, Julianna saw the speaker. 
A well-dressed man in a formal suit gradually approached them.  She softly
asked Dominick who he was, but her future husband merely shushed her gently.

Turning to face the
stranger again, Julianna noted that despite his white hair, this man definitely
exuded an air of strength, power, and authority.  No feeble elderly man, this
one!  Her mind raced back to her earlier brief conversation with Dominick
before they came here.  Was this the person he wished to introduce her to? she
wondered.

Her question was soon
answered as Dominick gestured to him.  “Julianna, this is my grandfather
Chaos,” he said softly, smiling at the surprise he saw on her face, just before
he turned back to Chaos.  “Grandfather, this is the woman I wish to marry.”

Chaos’s green eyes, more
similar to Riff’s, were now unreadable as Julianna slowly disengaged from
Dominick to step forward.  His expression unnerved her, but after swallowing
once, she managed shakily, “I-I’m happy to meet you, sir.  I’m...”

“My grandson has already
introduced us, remember?” he said, almost gruffly.  Before she could reply, he
turned to the waiting crowd with a glare.  “Back to your own lives!” he
growled, immediately sparking their former chattering state, along with louder
music again.  “Eavesdropping puppies,” he murmured, “can’t keep their minds on
their own business.”

“I’m sure they’re just
curious,” Julianna said tentatively.

“Curious!” Chaos sneered
loudly, causing her to retreat a step as he eyed her sternly.  “They’re trying
to get on my good side through my family.  A side—I might add—that doesn’t
exist, although those idiots don’t know it.”  Upon seeing the hint of a smile
from her, Chaos raised one eyebrow and folded his arms, standing taller to
appear more formidable.  “What?” he barked.  “Don’t believe me, girl?”

After a slight pause,
Julianna’s smile grew and she shook her head.  “No,” she said softly.  “But I
believe that you want everyone else to think that’s true.”

His eyes boring into hers,
he growled once, and moved to sit at an empty table nearby, slamming his fist
upon it.  “Can’t the tired head of an island get any service in this infernal
dream-state?” he demanded, his iron gaze drawing several nervous waiters and
waitresses to him.  “That’s better,” he replied, fairly pulling a menu from one
before flinging it back moments later.  “A moon tonic, no ice, and I want it
within five seconds or there’ll be chaos to pay.”

“Five seconds?” murmured
Julianna.  “How do you expect...”

Chaos’s steel eyes met hers
again, like an angry parent might regard an outspoken child, silencing her just
as one waiter materialized a drink on the table.  Glancing up at the nervous
man, he said evenly, “That was six.”

The man bit his lip.  “I’m
sorry, sir.  I...”

“But considering I’m in a
slightly less than abominable mood, I’ll let it go this time,” he replied,
warding him away with his hand.  The waiter and his companions nodded and then
hurried off, apparently hasty to depart before Chaos could order anything else,
leaving Julianna gaping in their wake.  Dominick’s grandfather certainly wasn’t
at all what she’d expected, she thought inwardly.

“And just what
did
you expect?” demanded Chaos.

Julianna gasped sharply
upon facing him again, having forgotten Dominick’s mention of his grandfather’s
multiple supernatural abilities, not the least of which included a
dreamphaser’s extra perception in the dream-state.

However, she didn’t have to
turn to feel Dominick stiffen beside her.  Apparently, he wasn’t too thrilled
at the way this meeting was going either, thus far remaining a silent
observer.  He wouldn’t have remained so, but when she squeezed his hand, he
realized that she wanted to try and work this out herself and thus let her
continue.

“I guess I was thinking of
what my own grandfathers were like when they were still alive and I knew them
as a child,” she replied softly.  “They were very...”

“Different?” he broke in,
giving a sarcastic laugh that soon changed to a tight-lipped frown.  “No doubt
they would be,” he said disdainfully.  “But then again, I’d wager they weren’t
in charge of governing a whole island as I do.”

Her chin set proudly. 
“Maybe not, but at least they could provide a civil conversation.”

“Ah, and no doubt you’re
about to add that you’re as perfect as your illustrious ancestors.”

Julianna bit her lip and
forced her next words to remain quiet.  “I am
not
perfect, have
no wish to be, and never claimed I was,” she replied.

“That’s just as well, for I
wouldn’t have believed otherwise,” Chaos stated curtly, folding his arms.

“Dominick never told me you
believed
yourself
perfect,” she retorted.

Several sharp gasps from
the group indicated a sign of warning, causing her to bite her lip again at the
words which had tumbled forth.  But before she could attempt to retract them,
his eyes darkened noticeably.

“So, Miss Sherborne, it
would seem that Dominick’s cast aside his former wifely candidate out of his
so-called
love
for you.”  His mouth curled into a sneer over the
word, continuing nonchalantly.  “She is of course a woman on our world in
reality, unlike yourself.  Tell me, if things remain as they stand, just how do
you propose to provide him a son one day.  Through another lover, perhaps?”

Julianna’s mouth fell open,
but Dominick wasn’t about to let her answer this comment.  “Chaos, that was
totally uncalled for,” he retorted.  “It’s by my own choice that I wish to
marry Julianna rather than Sionne.  As to children, I’ve made it perfectly
clear that even without them, I won’t marry anyone else.”  His eyes narrowed. 
“And as to the notion of her taking on another lover, I’m quite confident she
won’t find the need for one while she’s engaged to me, nor after we’re
married.  If you want to discuss this further, you’ll speak with me of it, not
her.”

Chaos gave a low grunt, but
didn’t press the issue, shifting his sharp gaze to Julianna again.  “You’ve
certainly blinded my grandson,” he hissed.  “But what deep, dark secrets are
you
hiding from him?  For you’re certainly no model of a guardian angel.”

“No, of course not.”

“
Absolutely
not,” he nearly growled, his eyebrows lowering even more.  “You know, Miss
Sherborne, I think I’m beginning to see what attracted Dominick to you.  I
suppose in all fairness, one might easily be fooled by your surface appearance
and your simple-seeming innocent attitude.”  His expression hardened, his voice
becoming a sharp whisper, “But if we’re to believe that, it should be further
remembered that a slight shadow mars your pristine soul... a matter involving
your fine morals which placed you in his bed after only a handful of days.”  At
her shock, he sneered again.  “And if not for the timing of dreams, you might
have joined him there sooner.  Surely not the attitude of a fine, honorable
woman, as you’d have us believe.”

Julianna’s face flushed of
embarrassment, since his words weren’t really lies, and to an outside observer,
it might indeed seem that way.

“I’ve never been given to
those impulses before,” she said, struggling to keep her voice calm.  “If
things have happened rather quickly in our relationship,” she added, shooting
Dominick a quick glance, “I’m afraid you’ll have to chalk it up to the fact
that your grandson is a bit more... persistent and persuasive than others I’ve
met.”

Dominick’s eyes glittered
knowingly while he flashed her a quick smile, but he still said nothing, only
catching a glimpse of Chaos’s mouth tightening after hearing her last words.  A
growing suspicion formed in his mind—since he hadn’t expected this backlash
from Chaos—where he couldn’t help but wonder just how
accepting
his grandfather would be if he and Julianna decided to live out their lives on
her world.

Before he could question
this, Chaos interrupted in a low-toned voice.  “Forgive me, Miss Sherborne, if
I don’t buy your story that you two are in love as you claim to be, because
several weeks of physical attraction hardly condones a rushed engagement, let
alone a future marriage.”

Julianna set her chin
sharply.  “Others have gotten married after knowing each other for less time
than we have, so
that’s
a moot argument.  As far as our
relationship is concerned, it happens to be based on more than just physical
attraction, and I fully intend to keep true to our commitment to each other.”

“So you say
now
,”
said Chaos, “but it will remain a case where we have to trust to your...
already questionable honor.  I’m not as willing as my grandson to blind myself
to that.”

Sighing once, Julianna
nearly folded against the man’s stubbornness, but ultimately her love for
Dominick won out, and she decided to try once more to reason with him.