Chapter 13
Kirion
Iwatched Tane leave. My bedroom window faced the front drive. His limo left in the now driving rain. It hadn’t let up since last night. The limo’s headlights flashed gold on the wet pavement.
We’d had lunch together. He’d checked my bandage.
Then promised he’d be back by dinner. It was strange that he wanted me to know that.
I didn’t have needs unmet. I wasn’t going to starve or run away or get into any other trouble.
But something inside me enjoyed it that he wanted me to know his schedule. As if I might worry. As if he cared.
One thing did have my nerves wracked. I’d found out this morning that the bad weather had delayed Malin’s trip. He was still around, though I hadn’t seen him all day.
It felt creepy that he’d been in my room. I didn’t tell Tane, though. I knew he would confront his son and I didn’t want to get into more trouble with Malin.
It was odd that I was nervous that Tane wasn’t home.
I was used to being alone. Back at the palace, I learned to like it.
I wouldn’t see Rohan or palace guests for days at a time and that was a relief.
If Rohan wanted to hide me in his shame of me, fine.
I preferred talking to myself. With my designation, I didn’t trust people.
Being alone meant no drama, no self-deprecation and infinite peace.
But I was also a restless wreck even back then.
I learned to use the facilities at night.
Gym. Pool. Bowling alley. Few knew we actually had that third one.
Rain pounded the balcony windows and the roof. The computer was boring. I grew tired of watching TV. It was late afternoon. Tane had been gone for two hours. I needed activity.
I looked at my bandaged hand. Swimming was out which sucked because it was one of my favorites.
Maybe the gym? But if Malin was anywhere other than his rooms, he’d be there for sure.
He was pretty buff. The garden was out because of the weather.
That left the game room which had everything, including a black velvet pool table and skee ball.
Malin had his own game room. I figured maybe the main one would be safest.
I took the chair from under my doorknob and crept out into the hall listening for any sounds. It was late enough in the day that the cleaning staff had probably already left. Elias and the cooks were the only ones left.
From the third-floor hallway I heard nothing. If I could scurry silently down to the first floor in my bare feet, everything would be fine. I flicked off my slippers and ventured out.
I rounded the landing on the second floor as if I’d been living here for years. By the time my feet hit the tile of the first floor, I stopped holding my breath. I’d made it. There was staff down here. The rooms spread before me wide open with few spaces for anyone to sneak up on me. I was safe.
As I walked past the dining room’s French doors, the rain coming at a slant.
I could barely see down past the patios to the garden, but from what I could see a hard wind was blowing the stalks and flowers everywhere.
I’d been closed off, denying my emotions, but now that I saw that wind, I realized that scene depicted my life. Chaos.
I felt sorry for myself for about two seconds, then sucked it up. I had landed in the best possible position I could have asked for.
Putting my shoulders back, I strode with renewed confidence through the smaller living room and toward the back west side of the house to the huge game room. I pulled back on the handles of the double doors, favoring my right hand, and stepped inside.
And froze.
The man at the end of the pool table turned. His eyebrows rose. He smiled, showing teeth.
“There you are, mutt.”
My mouth opened but nothing came out.
“You finally came out of your cage, I see.”
No way was I going to take one more step into the room. “I’ll go somewhere else.” My voice came out louder than I’d intended. I started to turn.
“My dad’s away. Now I’m top alpha here and you’re not going anywhere.”
He was just a bully; he had to be kidding. I turned to look back at his expression. For a moment, I thought I saw a few dragon scales glinting on his cheeks. And fangs elongating behind his feral grin. I blinked, not believing my own eyes.
“Right.” I was proud my voice didn’t quaver.
But before I could take another breath, he quickly tossed his pool cue away and jerked forward. He was around the table and running toward me within a split second.
My heart went into my throat. I could only react, not think, and I turned and ran.
A running omega was instant prey. I’d learned that early in life.
Alpha instinct was to chase. Omega instinct was to be chased.
It was often joked about in school but it was real.
Most of the time it was all in fun. Not for me.
A running set omega who had no laws to support him was actually in danger.
Yet I couldn’t help it. I ran.
My footfalls slapped against the tile as I sped through the open downstairs rooms. I heard Malin behind me. This was no school joke.
Tane had told me Malin was a brat but not violent.
That had been a father’s unobjective opinion for his only son.
A son who had no doubt hidden a lot from his dad.
I sensed all kinds of instability from Malin.
I could smell the predator on him. Now was when I really needed my wits, because there was no telling what sort of harm Malin intended for me.
I thought about heading for the kitchen. If anyone was around, the cooks might be. But I didn’t know that area well. If they weren’t in there, was there a back way out? It felt like a trap.
Changing my mind, I circled to the small living room. Maybe I’d run into Elias. But it was empty.
That area led to a long hall that ended on the large living room.
I ran with all my might, listening for sounds behind me. I heard the running. He wasn’t close but I could still smell him. Burnt anger. Acrid rage.
Was he toying with me? Stalking me? Where could I go that was safe? Not my room. He knew how to get in and if he knew I was in there he could do anything he wanted, even take down the door.
I needed to hide. Somewhere he wouldn’t normally go.
I rounded up the stairs to the second landing. Malin’s rooms were on the right. But down the other hallway, opposite and at the back of the house, were Tane’s rooms. His office. And his bedroom.
Tane had shown me both. On the home tour, he had only let me peek into his bedroom, saying no one but the cleaners were allowed in there on certain days.
My brain worked like quicksilver and I realized that meant Malin was not allowed in that room. Ever.
I headed down that side of the hall and toward the far door hoping it wasn’t locked. If it was, Malin would catch me.
I braced myself for the worst and hoped for the best. I could hear Malin on the stairs taking his time as if he was the hare and I was the tortoise and he couldn’t possibly lose.
I put my hand on Tane’s bedroom door and pressed.
For a moment, I thought I was defeated.
Then, as if by some miracle, the door quietly clicked open. Gasping, I slid inside the room and gently shut it, switching the lock closed.
Instantly, the room felt like a soft embrace.
And safety. It was all shadowy with the rain pouring outside the windows and no lights on, but I could still see.
It was a huge suite. All grays and blues, the curtains pulled aside on every window showing the storm.
But the outside didn’t touch anything here.
The air was cool but not cold. The bed looked like a pillowy nest. There was a couch, two chairs and a low table.
“Where are you, little mutt?”
I jumped as Malin’s voice sounded far too close to the locked door. Being as quiet as possible, I ran to the far side of the bed and hunched down, waiting to see if he’d break the lock and enter. Nothing happened.
I stayed there, trying to quiet my breathing, for at least ten minutes. When I didn’t hear Malin anymore, I stood, afraid to move, but still looking around.
The walls were covered with paintings, some of flowers and clouds, some abstract. The colors were stark oranges and reds and seemed like they wouldn’t go with the décor, yet somehow they complimented it.
There was a huge walk-in fireplace, dark and empty, a screen covering it.
The mantle looked carved from soft blue marble.
Everything smelled freshly cleaned. But Tane had also left his mark.
An earthy, flowery garden scent. I breathed slower, letting it linger along my passageways, then closed my eyes.
This was refuge. Safety. It almost made me sleepy.
I leaned against the side of the bed letting the calm of his scent wash over me.
After a while, I realized I had my arms wrapped around myself.
I was swaying. I thought I heard Malin shuffling around the hall and stomping up to the third floor.
A couple times I heard distant yelling. I wondered if he was messing with my room again, but it didn’t matter.
I was staying here for now even if I was uninvited.
I’d rather risk Tane’s wrath than Malin’s.
After a few more minutes, I rubbed at my eyes, my fingers coming away slightly wet. Had I been crying? But I was fine. I made myself repeat that silently to myself until I believed it.
After another ten minutes, I found the courage to move around the room to get a closer look at things.
Tane had a bookcase filled with books, mostly novels, some of which looked very old.
Another bookcase held knickknacks including some old clocks, some picture frames of landscapes—none of people—and little jewelry chests.
I opened one that was full of rings. I loved rings and glanced at my own laden fingers.
Slowly, I took off my own rings on one hand and began to try on some of Tane’s.
They were heavy and bulky, too much for me, but the stones were beauties, worth a lot.
After that, I stood by the big balcony windows and looked out at the storm for a long time. It was getting darker out. Tane still hadn’t returned.
There was no way I was leaving this room until he came back. I’d stay here as long as I had to. The problem was, I couldn’t see the front of the house from here, or the road. I wouldn’t know when he drove up.
Well, he could catch me here. I’d live through it.
I went to the couch and sat on the comfortable cushions. He couldn’t be mad if he found me here. I wasn’t doing any harm. Just waiting. I’d tell him that.
When it grew too dark to see, I stayed put, afraid to turn on a light. The dark made me sleepy. I decided to close my eyes just to rest them a bit.
That was the last thing I remembered as the wind and rain slashed against the windows and I fell asleep.