Chapter Thirty-Five
Tulya
My throat was dry, and I could feel my lips cracking as I ran my tongue along them. My body felt like a bag of bones, but I willed myself to open my eyes.
Of course I was met with a sparkling pair of green eyes staring at me, small crinkles in the corners as if he hadn’t slept in a while.
“Hi,” he whispered, his palm reaching out to smooth the hair off my forehead.
“What…” I tried to form a question but my voice crackled and croaked. Immediately, Donovan stood and went to pour me a glass of water. I noted the vanity was stocked with several cold beverages, coffee, and fruit, and my gaze landed on a bowl of bananas.
“Want one?”
I shook my head. “How?” I managed to get out another word.
“The staff,” was all Donovan said.
He brought me a lowball full of ice water and held it out for me to take a sip. I didn’t know if my hand was ready to grip the glass, so I allowed it.
“The fighting, or whatever you want to call it, is over,” Donovan said when I finished a long gulp, whispering the words in my ear.
Unsure why he was whispering, or which fight he was referencing exactly, I leaned my cheek into his face. My unwelcome, big, sloppy tears plastered his skin.
“Shhh,” he crooned, holding me tight, setting the tumbler down.
I felt my head shaking against him.
We were in a bedroom, but I wasn’t sure whose—a guest room or Donovan’s—or how long I’d been sleeping or out cold again, like back in Miami. My body was failing me regularly.
“We can’t do this” was the first string of words I murmured, moving my arms under the blanket, wiggling my fingers—making sure they were all working—not asking where we were. My heart took a beat at all ten of my digits accounted for.
“We can’t do what?” Donovan took my chin in his forefinger and thumb and tilted my face to look at him, his deep green eyes searching mine.
“We can’t be together.” I brought my mostly recovered hand out and set it on his shoulder. For a quick moment, I wished he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Being skin to skin with Donovan was my weakness. I’d hold those memories for a lifetime.
Instead of flat-out arguing with me, he brought his free palm to the nape of my neck, helping me to rise until his lips covered my own. The kiss started out soft, making its way deeper and harder. We were one breath, a single soul, in this moment…until I broke free.
“My breath,” I mumbled.
He had the nerve to laugh. “Seriously, that’s what you’re worried about, sweet Tulya?”
I wasn’t even sure why Donovan was still in Rubia, let alone here with me, sitting on the edge of a bed and giggling like a schoolgirl at me.
“Don, don’t mock me.”
This got me a wide smile. “Never.”
“Please.” I pleaded for his serious side. “You heard my mother…the Minister… They all said we are not meant to be. Our powers mixed are bad. Their swirling is yin and yang, or oil and water, gas and a match, yada, yada,” I rambled, afraid to meet his eyes again.
“I don’t care. I spoke with your mother.”
“What?”
He caressed my cheek. “I realized something when the mirage went up in a little poof. You are destined to be more powerful than your mother, and she doesn’t like that. Especially because you want to be with me. So the vision of us not being together disappeared.”
I felt my head shaking, unable to take in what he just said.
“And Abraham is on our side. He was here,” he countered, smoothing my hair behind my ear.
“He was?”
“He revived you, with a serum. Your mom sent him.”
“She did? Why?” I didn’t know what was wrong with me—all I could formulate were one-word questions.
“It doesn’t matter. Maybe she is worried I will out her.
What is important is Abraham showed up and helped, and then he told your mom you have demonstrated incredible control over your powers.
More than anyone ever thought was possible.
You can hold them back in a way Abraham didn’t know existed.
You held Cinder’s anguish, and you didn’t send it all to Val—”
“Look where that got me,” I interrupted, whipping my mangled fingers from under the blanket and waggling them at him.
“You beat that episode back. Abraham didn’t believe you could, and then this latest one showed him you are actually reacting to the anger hanging in the air around you and not the discipline you are using.”
“What?” My head felt hazy and confused. “You and Abraham really got tight,” I added, trying not to sound like an idiot. “And my mom, she just listened to you?”
“Look at me.” His voice sounded hoarse with emotion.
I turned my gaze like he requested. “I don’t care what anyone says anymore.
Not my mother or yours. I should have listened to Magnum when he said love makes a person stronger.
He didn’t get a chance to make it happen with Valerie, and I’m sorry for that.
More than you know. But we can make us work.
Your mom can’t stand in our way; you have all the power and control.
We would do it even if she didn’t know. Abraham agrees we need to do it.
He has his reasons and will do what he can.
He may not be your uncle, but he does have influence. ”
Fresh tears streamed from my eyes. “What are you saying?” I had no clue what reality I was in as the question came out of my mouth.
“I almost took Emelee’s pain away for the second time, this go-round against your mother’s wishes.
I would have done it for you. Because you asked.
I wanted you to get back to your life in Hawaii.
Your big dreams.” My voice floated off on the last part when it occurred to me this was how true unconditional love felt.
A constant hum of caring for a person living in your veins, but a whisper, maybe a touch above one of their own desires and wants and needs.
Donovan turned my chin for the second time, placing his lips on my forehead and kissing me there for an eternity. He didn’t speak or let go, only let the touch live on forever.
I tried to get his attention. “Donovan, are you listening to me?”
“My sweet Tulya, I asked you to use your ability on Emelee because I want that chapter of my life to be closed. My dream is to be with you. No way I’d have you risk your health so I could run away. Or unless it meant we could start our life together.”
“Why? The whole episode started a feud of epic proportions. Ceci, Ezza, the Minister…for once, they didn’t want me to take someone’s pain away.
” Donovan scooched in close to me, wrapping me in his arms. I couldn’t believe what was unfolding.
He blanketed me in his comforting silence.
“But why? They seemed hell-bent the first time.” I couldn’t help but ask, mumbling my words into his chest.
“It’s not my place to say. I don’t like secrets, but this is something I shouldn’t say other than Emelee isn’t well-suited to be a lifelong partner.”
“Unless the other choice is me?” It hurt to say it, but it was the truth. “Then, your mother is willing to pick Emelee.”
“Yes, my mother wanted anything but this, us. Except this isn’t her choice. It’s mine, and I want you.” His fingers intertwined with mine, his thumb caressing the side of my palm. “Look at me, Tulya. This isn’t Ezza’s pick either,” he added. “She cannot tell you what to do. You are your own woman.”
“The Minister has a say. That’s his role.”
“The Rubian way is strong in you. Years of living under your mother’s thumb makes you think that, and I agree we must play along with it.
That’s why I consulted with Abraham. We have him in our corner.
He is willing to vouch for us, saying we can couple…
” He waggled his eyebrows. “If you get my drift.”
“Emelee can’t have children,” I blurted out, and Donovan looked utterly shocked.
“What? You have known? How?”
“First, my heart breaks for Emelee. That’s no reason for her not to marry.
But how did I find out? Blake told me. When she met Emelee, she used her powers to feel her out.
Apparently she has been doing that and not saying anything to anyone.
She wants to know who her allies are. Anyway, she sensed this with Emelee mostly because she had a strong inkling Emelee empathized with Valerie.
God, don’t be mad at sweet Blake for sharing with me.
She is just a young girl with these extraordinary powers and is walking around with an incredible amount of information, in a new place without her mother. ”
I’d lost count of how many times his lips caressed my forehead, but this time they made their way across my cheek.
“I would never be upset with Blake. She is a child, and my niece. She was moved here, separated from her mother, and expected to act as a Rubian. That’s part of the issue with Emelee.
My mom started to think I could raise Blake with her. ”
“No!”
“Right, she belongs with Magnum, not me.”
I nodded. Donovan was a softie when he wanted to be.
“But remember when we made love in your bed and it felt like our powers were suspended? I know you felt it.” Donovan changed subjects like a toddler.
I nodded again. This time slowly.
“Abraham said we are stronger than we think. We’ve served Rubia well and our capabilities are expanding. He sees no reason why we cannot be together—forever.”
“We can?” I heard myself asking, hope coloring the two words.
“Especially since I revealed your mom’s secret agenda.
So yes, my sweet Tulya, we can be us.” He gathered me closer, if that was possible.
“Abraham is going to tell your uncle his revelations, and your mom has backed down after I called her out. Not to mention, she’s afraid not to have the medic’s support in her own Minister campaign,” he added.
“Oh,” I breathed.
“I love you,” he stated, turning us front to front, my body melding to his.
“I love you too…but what about Hawaii?” Panic settled in my chest for the umpteenth time. “I don’t want to steal your dreams, but I live in Rubia.” I hated to admit it, but this was all I’d ever known and it was my home.
“Babe,” he muttered, cupping my cheeks, “I can go back and forth. I’m not my dad. And he wouldn’t want me to be a carbon copy of him. That’s what my mom wants. But I’m me, and I can own a hotel and live here. Plus, it’s a decent place for us to visit when we need a break.”
The tears started falling, and Donovan gently wiped them from my cheek with his thumb.
“It’s all going to be fine after you say yes.”
“What?” My throat cracked as the same one-word question I kept asking came out.
“Yes, to marrying me.” He looked at me dead center. “I can’t get down on one knee because I’m lying here with you and I don’t want to move. Also, I clearly don’t have a ring yet. I’ve been busy, but I need to know.”
I swallowed every last excuse, and said “Yes” as quickly as I could. I was foolishly and helplessly in love with Donovan Malachite.
We’d started to kiss, our hips looking for friction, cold waves filling my spine in only the way Donovan could make happen, when I stopped suddenly. Pulling back, I said, “But we can’t have kids… You know what our mothers said. The powers mixing.”
“We can,” he said, placing his lips on my temple.
“But…what if our kid is evil? Or has no ability? We will be shamed by everyone, further angering Ezza and Ceci.”
“We are not going to allow either of those scenarios to happen.”
“How?”
“You want to talk about this now?” His hand smoothed a hair off my face.
“I have to know.” It was the best feeling to be able to speak freely with Donovan.
“Abraham has some ideas, but mostly he thinks IVF and growing the fetus outside for a little bit will allow him to make sure it has a Rubian capability.”
“So, not the real way? I mean the traditional way. You know, sex?” I felt myself blushing despite having been naked with Donovan several times.
“There is no real way, Tulya. Plus we can have all the fun practicing and role-playing. Like how about now?” He wiggled his eyebrows and a laugh barreled up from my chest, breaking the moment.
We went back to making out, and I was in the middle of a long moan as we were in the process of yanking each other’s clothes off when a panicked pounding echoed through the house.
“Don! Don!” we heard from outside, and I could tell it was Magnum.
Donovan threw on his shirt, leaving it unbuttoned, and ran to the hallway where I heard Magnum shouting.
I found a robe and tied it around me like when my mother was at my place, and walked out to find Magnum on his knees, face in his hands, begging Donovan.
It was a sight I wouldn’t forget.
“Bro, I need you. You have to get Valerie. Please?” His voice was tight with apprehension and hoarse from sobbing.
“What happened?” Donovan asked authoritatively.
“Mother and Cinder. That’s what happened. They got a hold of Blake and told her she could forget seeing her mom again. She’s locked herself in her room and all I hear is crying outside her door. They’re breaking her.”
Magnum had been reduced to a small child weeping on the floor, and my heart broke for him.
“Not on my watch,” Donovan declared. “We stood up to Ezza, found a loophole of sorts. I’m going to fix this, brother.
I know some other information that’s not mine to divulge, but it will help us.
Trust me, that’s my vow to you.” He turned to me.
“I have to go. Maybe you can go to Blake? She might see you? Comfort her?”
I felt myself nodding furiously. “Go, and yes I will, my love.” I couldn’t help but add the ending. I wanted him to know how I felt before he bolted out.
Donovan stopped, and turned to me, kissing my lips, his tongue lingering on the precipice of entering before he stopped himself. He broke free and said, “I love you.” He did nothing more than give me a quick kiss on the lips…and then ran out the door.
Which was how I ended up kneeling next to my lover’s brother, Magnum, rubbing his back and wondering if both of them could have a happy ending…