Chapter 35
35
M elvale knelt in the middle of the basement, ears attuned to the sound of Pari’s footsteps coming down the stairs. He caught her scent when she began searching for him and was waiting for her to come to him. He knew Kwaku and Zara would guide and protect her until she found him.
He smiled as she reached the basement floor. She was learning quickly. Melvale looked at her over one shoulder and she sucked in a tiny breath. “Your eyes are blue.”
“Yes.” He returned to studying the floor. “I fell here.” He touched the cold concrete. “And they took me.”
Pari approached him and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
“Do not be.” His voice was deeper, his speech slightly different. His Alpha used less contractions. Interesting…
“Alpha Melvale,” Kwaku said as he joined them. “What have you found?”
“They are scattered,” he said. Indeed, all the scents of the men that took him were going in different directions. Had they scattered, a handful carrying him off, and then reconvened at the lab with the others? “The lab…” He stood. “Has anyone returned there?”
“No,” Kwaku said. “It will be watched. A trap has probably been set.”
He met Kwaku’s gaze. “I want the doctor.”
“We all do.”
Melvale’s nostrils flared. “I will eliminate him.”
“Of course, Alpha,” Kwaku said. “But dere are tings we must discover first. Dey are traveling drough time. Yet, I do not believe dey do dis by using a Time Master.”
“Then how?” Melvale asked.
“Dat is de question. He looked at Pari. “She needs you.”
Melvale looked at her, and his hearts opened to her. “Pari…”
She looked up at him. “Hey.”
He smiled, her needs outweighing his hunt for the doctor. Pari was all that mattered to him. She was his life blood. How could he make her understand that without scaring her off? She was on the verge of running from all this now. If she did, he would break, his people would falter, and their enemies would conquer. He dare not lose this fight. He had to win her!
He tucked a finger under her chin. “I am sorry I left you.”
“You came here. It’s not so far.” She looked around. “But… they captured you here?”
He nodded. “Using your scent to trap me.”
Her face screwed up in confusion. “What?”
“They took some of your clothes and drew me here.”
Her eyes widened. “So that’s what happened. I noticed things were missing when I grabbed some clothes to change into after my shower.” She stepped a little closer. “Can we go now?” She hugged herself as she took in the dingy basement. “This place gives me the creeps.”
“Of course.” He put an arm around her and guided her up to the first floor. There he took her hand and led her from the building. “Let us get some food.”
She looked up at him. “Bondrah?”
He smiled. “Not Melvale?”
“No. Your eyes are blue. When they’re blue… you’re Bondrah, I guess.”
He studied her. “Bondrah is a special name only you are allowed to call me.”
She watched Kwaku and Zara come out of the building before giving her attention back to him. “Should I not call you that when others are around?”
“You may call me Bondrah whenever you wish, little Pari.” He bent to her ear. “I like it when you call me Bondrah.”
A shudder went through her and his hearts swelled. He also liked seeing her respond to him. He put an arm around her shoulders, pulled her close, and headed back the way they came. “Where must we go?”
She sucked in a breath. “Uh-um… wow, um… we’re going the right way.”
He smiled, knowing he was the cause of her stammering. She’d figure out what Bondrah meant soon enough.
Melvale walked with her at his side down the sidewalk. People parted for them, moved, or gave them a wide berth. He was allowing his Alpha side more freedom, and the natural power that rolled off him affected everything around him. He was beginning to practice reeling it in, or the humans passing by might falter or stumble. He didn’t want any of them to get hurt, and would have to figure out a way to practice.
Kwaku and Zara stayed behind them with watchful eyes. Part of him hoped the doctor would make a move to capture him again. The sooner he eliminated the man and his minions the better.
“The market is up a few more blocks then over one,” Pari said, cutting into his thoughts.
He let his arm fall and took her by the hand. “Good.” Melvale gave her hand a light squeeze. He knew his eyes were still blue, that his Alpha was very much present. And… happy.
Yes, happy to be with her, to be at her side doing a trivial thing such as going to a market. He would go anywhere for her, do anything. She just didn’t believe it yet.
They were quiet during the trek as they held hands and made their way to the market where she shopped. How was this little human female going to handle the immense power that, unbeknown to her, she already controlled? How was she going to accept it? Would the responsibility, once she realized what it was, be too much for her?
No doubt it would. And he would have to allay all her fears. He’d love them out of her. But first, she had to be able to accept that love. It was a monumental task that had been set before him by the Creator. Could he do it? Was he equipped for it? It was one thing to study mating habits and rituals of different races, another when he was the one that had to enact them. But enact them he would.
“Pari…” he whispered.
“Yes?” she whispered back.
“Will you go out with me?”
He gave her a side-long glance, saw her blush, smelled her elation, and the moment she batted it down. “I… I’m not sure.”
“What makes you hesitate, my little Pari?” He gazed at her as they walked. “My Kahtala Miah?”
She sucked in a breath. “B-because I’m still not sure if you’re real.” Pari stopped and looked at him. “For all I know, I’m dreaming.”
Melvale saw Kwaku and Zara stop a few feet away, content to wait. He ignored them as he bent to her. “I am as real as can be, Kitten.” He came forward and gently kissed her on the forehead, then bent to her ear. “Go out with me.” As he recalled, this was what twenty-first century dating entailed. Now she had to say yes. He held his breath and didn’t move a muscle.
She swallowed hard. “Um… okay.”
Melvale cracked a wide smile and straightened. He took a step back and bowed. “Thank you. I will endeavor to make our date memorable.”
She blushed head to toe. “Cool.” She gave him a tiny shrug then kept walking.
Kwaku chuckled low in his throat. “Very good, Alpha Melvale. You may yet win her.”
He looked at Kwaku and smiled. “We will.”
“No, pup. You will,” Kwaku corrected.
He arched an eyebrow at him. “Did you just call me pup?”
“I did.” Kwaku crossed his arms over his chest as Zara went to catch up to Pari.
Melvale pushed the Alpha side of him back. “Thank you, Kwaku. In truth, I need all my friends’ help with this.” He glanced at Pari and Zara as they continued up the street. “I am lost in this sea of courtship.”
Kwaku slapped a hand on his shoulder. “And we are here to guide you, my friend.”
Melvale put a hand on his opposite shoulder. “I’m so glad.” He wiped at one eye. “Oh, stab me, I’m getting emotional.” He let go of Kwaku’s shoulder and wiped at his eyes. When he was done, he looked at Kwaku. “I’m… afraid I’ll lose myself.”
“No, Melvale. You will still be you, but de side of you dat has been there all along has risen. Let dat side out. Let it merge wid de Melvale we all know and love.”
Melvale sniffed, and hugged him. “Thank you.”
Kwaku smacked him hard on the back. “You are most welcome.”
He stepped back, saw Pari and Zara waiting for them at the next street corner, and gave them a little wave. “We should join them.”
“Yes, but first, a word of advice, Alpha,” Kwaku said with a grin.
Melvale’s eyes widened at the knowing expression on Kwaku’s face. “Oh, no, what is it?”
Kwaku’s grin broadened. “When you take Pari on dis date of yours, kiss her.”
Melvale blanched. “Oh, I’m not so sure. I think one is supposed to wait for the third date.”
Kwaku laughed. “If you don’t kiss her en give her someting to tink about. Win her, pup. Play wid her. Let your Alpha guide you. Where you are awkward, he is not.”
Melvale thought about that for a moment. Kwaku was usually right about these things. “Very well, I will try to keep the balance as best I can.”
“Perhaps you should not?” Kwaku waggled his eyebrows at him then smiled at Pari and Zara. “Come, I am hungry and wish to make our meal.”
Melvale started walking. “Since when do you cook?”
“Since my mate insisted we learn for Pari’s sake. For a moment like dis.”
Melvale smiled, gave him a knowing look, and continued toward Pari. He was the one that usually saw to these things, but as he’d been more than a little tied up—in more ways than one—since returning from their last assignment, he’d not been able to perform his duties as Time Keeper. Which made him think. Who in the Creator’s name was going to replace him?
They reached the women, and Melvale re-took Pari’s hand. “I do believe I’m hungry.”
She smiled and nodded at the next street corner. “It’s not far.”
“Lead the way.” He gave her a silly smile and she giggled. Kwaku might have said to let his Alpha guide him, but there was still a lot to be said for being himself. She responded to that, and if he was going to keep some semblance of balance while he merged with his Alpha side, then being a “goofball” as Kitty called it, was in order.
Speaking of Kitty, what had she been doing all this time. “Kwaku? Where is Kitty?”
He felt Pari stiffen, and her scent changed. Not a lot, but it was there. Jealousy.
He tried not to smile, but couldn’t help it. Being able to sniff out others’ emotions was new, and he was still trying to get used to it. Jealousy had an odd tang to it, that he figured could probably turn rank if there was a lot of it.
“Who is Kitty?” Pari asked.
“A friend.” Melvale glanced at Kwaku. “Did someone take her home?”
“No, she is still in de palace. King Jaireth wanted her to remain dere until she was needed.”
“Needed?” Melvale caught the hint of suspicion in his tone. No surprise there. King Jaireth always had a use for people. Problem was, one didn’t know what it was until the last minute. He glanced at Pari and back as they kept walking. “Kitty is human,” he disclosed.
Pari’s head swung up to look at him. “She is?”
“Mm-hm. From the twentieth century. You’ll love her.”
She smiled. “But… she’s in the palace?”
“Yes. She’s best friends with the mate of Time Master Dallan, and has accompanied us on different assignments.”
She glanced between him and the sidewalk. “You… go out on assignments. What kind of assignments?”
“Matchmaking, usually,” he said. “There are those of my race that have been scattered throughout time. We find them, and make sure they’re okay.”
“And then?” she prompted.
He glanced at Kwaku, who gave him a smug look. Great, he wasn’t going to get any help from him. How could he explain this without telling her that Muirarans must mate or die?
Oh, wait, didn’t the Alpha side of him spill the beans on that one? But did she believe it?
“Well, we make sure they find their special someone, and they get married.” He gave her a cheesy smile and she laughed nervously.
So did he.
Pari took one look at him and laughed some more. Thank the Creator this laugh was more relaxed.
“Yes, I’m a matchmaker!” he announced.
She nodded. “This is so weird.” Pari let out a long sigh and stopped at the corner. “The market is down this way.”
Melvale blew out a breath and let her lead them. So far so good. And she said yes to a date! Now all he had to do was make sure he didn’t screw it up.