Chapter 52 Double Edged Sword
Reiya was not completely paying attention when she walked out the door.
She never imagined someone would be standing right there.
The moment she felt herself bump into someone, she squinted her eyes.
Oh, please don’t let it be the horrible purple raisin man.
When she heard the voice, she opened her eyes and smiled, recognizing it immediately.
“Sorry, Reese.” Reiya smiled and scrunched up her nose as she looked at Xander's cousin. Xander had been very busy lately and had insisted that Reese always stay with her once she left the upstairs rooms. However, he usually wasn’t standing right by the door.
“You crazy? You bumping into me is a bonus for my day.” Reese winked at her and grinned.
They’d gotten pretty comfortable with each other now, though he still had to watch himself in front of his cousin.
Xander was still overprotective and possessive with Reiya, so he was constantly getting growled at by him.
“Where’s the rest of your party?” He looked behind her, noticing she had closed the door and was alone.
“They aren’t coming with me today.”
“Ah … I see. The two of them are taking a day to study the human body.” Reese grinned knowingly. Chelsie and Brody had been openly affectionate with each other, no matter where they were. It was obvious to anyone who saw them that they were together.
Reiya giggled. “They’ve already been studying that. This must be extra credit.”
Reese laughed. “So, what’s on our agenda today?”
“I’m meeting Ruby for lunch. I think Mason is supposed to join us, too. Then, after that, I’m sure I can find some way I can stir up trouble.” She gave him a wry smile.
Reese shook his head, giving her his silly side grin. “Please don’t cause me any trouble. I don’t think you realize how close you are to getting me barbecued by that mate of yours.”
“Aww, my little lizard wouldn’t hurt anyone. Someone that adorable couldn’t possibly be as mean as you insist he is.” Reiya had gotten used to playing her part. Actually, she just pretended it was Lee she was talking about.
“You think I’m adorable?”
Hot hands snaked around her from behind, pulling her deep into his embrace. She leaned her head back and looked up, smiling at Xander. “What makes you think I was talking about you?”
Xander lowered his head and kissed her forehead. “You better be talking about me, or I guess we will find out if I have it in me to barbecue anyone.” His eyes flickered up to Reese’s, letting him know that he’d heard what he said. Reese cleared his throat and looked up at the ceiling.
“Where are you off to? And where is that damn bear of yours?” Xander looked around, half annoyed.
“I’m off to meet Ruby and Mason for lunch. And, um … I believe he’s making things official with Chelsie, so he will be indisposed today.”
Xander raised his eyes and then glanced upward.
“They better not be destroying the place up there. I have some time now. I’ll join you.
Reese, you’re dismissed for now.” Xander watched as Reese bowed his head and walked away.
He wrapped Reiya into his side and then sighed.
“I understand about Brody, but I don’t like you walking around without him.
I know Reese is here, but I would feel better if he was around, too. ”
“I was going to be with Ruby and Mason. I’d be safe with them.” Reiya smiled up at him and he nodded.
“That’s true. No one would dare mess with you if you’re with that bloodthirsty reptile.
” The truth was that Mason wasn’t all sweet.
He really was bloodthirsty, and his curse had amplified his blood lust. Sure, he was all tame around Ruby and Reiya, but deep down, he was a powerful killer.
All the kings and princes were strong. They had extra abilities as royals that the other dragons did not have.
They had to have something extra in order to lead such a powerful force.
Their dragons were bigger than the others.
Their bodies and fire were stronger, and they each had their own unique abilities.
With these unparalleled strengths and Mason’s temperament, he was a scary level of deadly.
“Bloodthirsty? Really? Huh. I mean, I guess he does emit a darker aura under his other one. But nothing that’s ever felt threatening to me.” Reiya felt like she was a decent judge of character, and she never felt that Mason was a scary person, even when he was being avoided like the plague.
“You wouldn’t feel threatened around him, though, because he wouldn’t hurt you.” Xander strolled with her toward the overlook where they were going to have lunch.
“Which one is stronger? I mean, between the four kingdom’s rulers. Which one of you would win in a fight? And before you instantly answer yourself, I want a real, truthful, honest answer.”
“Hahaha, I wasn’t going to come out and say myself.
Honestly, we’re all strong in different ways.
I also don’t know all of their skills. Weston’s skills are still developing, and some won’t be realized until he becomes king.
Dex … well, he has the tendency to be cruel.
I know he has some mind control powers. I mean, they wouldn’t work on someone like me, though.
” He chuckled. “Honestly, I would be most intimidated by Mason. He is fierce, and he has the experience. I think that, while we’re all very capable, he would be the one to worry about in a one-on-one. ”
“So, others can’t touch you. Is that one of your abilities?”
“I guess, in a sense. But it’s more like a passive defense mechanism, one that keeps the lower-level dragons away.”
“How many other abilities do you have?” Reiya was really curious about Xander and wanted to know what he was capable of.
He looked down at her and grinned. “How many do you have?”
Reiya frowned slightly. “I don’t know. I guess I have premonitions, and I can heal curses.
But I don’t know all of them. I would guess I can heal too, but I just haven’t learned how to yet.
I don’t get them all at once, so I have to wait and see.
I mean, I do have a couple other little things.
I can disorient someone temporarily. I’ve also found a way to manipulate my elemental skill with my fairy magic.
I can create a frost sword that shoots out water daggers.
It’s sort of cool. And, umm …” Reiya stopped walking as they reached the overlook doors.
Xander was staring down at her curiously.
“There is something else, too,” she said in almost a whisper.
“Are you not going to tell me?” He gave her a crooked grin and watched her face turn solemn.
“I haven’t told anyone except Hunter.” Reiya inhaled deeply through her nose. Truthfully, she liked to pretend that she didn’t know about it.
“Well, now you have to tell me. It’ll be our secret … just between us.”
Reiya hesitated. She really didn’t want anyone knowing she had this ability. On the other hand, it would be nice for someone else to know. She looked up at Xander and stared into his calming amber eyes. She lifted her hand and extended her pinky. “Pinky promise?”
Xander chuckled. Her childlike adorableness was touching. He knew this also warmed Levi’s heart. She was so pure and innocent. He lifted his hand and locked his pinky with hers. “Pinky promise.”
Reiya glanced around, making sure they were alone.
She then stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around Xander's neck, tilting his head lower.
She leaned her mouth close to his ear so she could whisper very quietly.
“I have a sort of double-edged sword ability. Hunter and I together can … I guess you could say we can use a power together, but by doing so, it would use everything we have.” Reiya bit her lip and then said the words only she and Hunter had discussed.
“If things get too bad, Hunter and I will protect everyone, no matter what.”
Xander felt her drift away from his ear, and he looked down at her. “How did you find out something like that?”
“When we were sixteen, we could feel it when we grabbed hands. Some abilities you just know and recognize. It’s something we can only do with each other, though.”
Xander’s eyes widened. “Don’t … ever … use it.
Ever. I don’t care how bad it looks. I won’t let you, Reiya.
I would never allow it.” Xander rested his hands on her shoulders.
She wasn't just precious to him, she was vital, like oxygen in his lungs or blood in his veins. The pull between them wasn’t that of lust or attraction.
It wasn’t something he actually understood, except that she felt like she was a part of him.
Their connection defied logic or explanation.
All he knew was, if she were torn from him now, he wouldn't merely suffer, he would shatter.
He would cease to exist in any way that mattered.
Reiya smiled and nodded. “I can’t leave Lee alone, can I?”
Xander smiled and nodded in agreement. “No, you can’t. You can’t leave any of us alone.” He leaned in and rested his forehead on hers. It was comforting. Being with her was comforting.
“Save it for the bedroom,” Mason called out as he and Ruby walked up to them. Xander smiled at Reiya before turning to look at their approaching friends.
“You should know better than to interrupt a dragon’s intimate moments.” Xander smirked and pushed the door open to the lookout. “I’m going to join you guys for lunch.”
“Aww, we have to share Reiya with her mate.” Ruby pouted and tugged on Mason’s shirt.
He chuckled. “Nothing I can do about that. He’s her mate. We’ll just have to share her with him.”
Xander growled and pulled Reiya tightly into him as they walked out to their table. “I don’t like you two talking about her like she’s yours,” he grumbled, his brows furrowed. He grabbed Reiya’s chair and pulled it closer to his own, away from theirs.
“Haha. No, we just know you have a hard time sharing her attention with others,” Mason said with a smug smile as he and Ruby took their seats across from them.
“Hmph, I shouldn’t have to share her,” Xander snorted, taking a sip of his drink. His eyes then flicked up to Mason. “Have you heard anything?”
“No. It’s been very quiet. I think they’re being incredibly cautious.
They might even suspect that we’re suspicious.
Not to worry, though. I have my most trusted men on it.
Weston does as well, and then along with yours …
well, we’re bound to hear of anything before it happens.
” Mason’s tone was serious. There was a scary confidence about him, and his eyes looked at Reiya with possessiveness.
A look that made Xander wrap his arm around her.
“I won’t let anything happen to her. Not our angel.
” He then smiled at Ruby, who nodded back confidently.
“I know it may seem weird, but we’re bonded to Reiya.
She’s someone we owe everything to. She’s important to us, too.
” Ruby smiled at Reiya and looked at Xander.
She might be his mate, but Reiya was special to them.
She’d risked her life to remove the curse from Mason, for someone she didn’t even know.
She saved two lives that day. Ruby was struggling so much with not being able to be with Mason, and she couldn’t imagine how badly Mason had battled.
Reiya stopped the never-ending pain they experienced daily. They owed her everything.
“Thank you. Thank you for looking out for her. It means a lot to me that you both accept her. Not only accept her, but that you would also protect her. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to her.
” Xander shocked everyone by saying something out of character.
He wanted them to know that he really did appreciate them for that. He meant it.
Reiya playfully bumped her shoulder into him. “Okay, fun talk time and food time.” Reiya grinned, and he chuckled at her.
There it was again. Her childlike adorableness.
There was just something about her that made his beast want to shield her.
As he watched her laugh and talk with Ruby, his chest tightened at the thought of the demon after her.
He would protect her no matter what. It was weird, but at times he felt like a part of him was calling out to her.
What was calling out, and what was it calling for?
All he knew was that, at that moment, the urge to protect her felt even stronger.