Centaur Legacy Read online

  I had won. I felt my body flying through the air and all of Drake’s weight pressed on me, as we both landed on the bed. His need was as primal as my own. All the pain from Zandra’s house was gone. It was just the two of us. There was no distance between us, but I still wanted him closer. I wanted to melt into him.

  His lips pulled away from mine. Thrill spread wide on his face, “So, tomorrow? We find a priest and make it official tomorrow?”

  “Hmmmm?” I was so lost in the moment I couldn’t get words out; if I could have, I would have told him to stop talking.

  “Cami?” My eyes opened but my hands continued memorizing every inch of his body. “We find a priest tomorrow, you promise?”

  “Drake, it’s okay. Living in the moment, remember?”

  I felt his body go tense. He slid to the side of me and stared directly in my eyes. The hurt was clear in his voice when he asked, “Are you ashamed of me or something?”

  I couldn’t help but smile at him, “Uh. . .no. Why would I be ashamed of the sexiest man alive?”

  “But what you just said. . . what you want most. . . you weren’t talking about marriage, were you?”

  “Do we have to talk about this now?”

  “No. Not if you don’t want to.” Drake did more than ease away from me. He slid off the side of the bed and walked around to the other side.

  It felt like he’d just doused me with cold water. I couldn’t hide the rejection I felt. Part of me wanted to leap over the bed and hold him without letting go, while the other part wanted to run to the bathroom and hide. I reached for the blanket on the bed and felt the need to cover myself up. Tears threatened to stream from my eyes, but I willed them away.

  His voice was drained of all emotion. “I’m going to order something to eat. Did you like that Shepherd’s Pie we ate at the pub today?” He picked up a menu and dialed for room service.

  I nodded absently, wondering what the heck had just happened.

  When he set the phone down, his attention went back to the television. I wondered how we’d gone from living in the moment to ordering a late dinner. I stewed about it for a couple minutes then asked, “That’s it? We’re not married, so suddenly you don’t want anything to do with me?”

  “You know how I feel, Cami. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, but we can’t just hop into that unless we’re married.”

  “Why? You think Zeus will strike you down?”

  He shook his head at me. “No. I just want the world to know you’re mine in every way. If we aren’t married, you aren’t mine.”

  “I’m yours, Drake. I promise, I’m yours.”

  A half smile came to his lips. “Giving me your body’s a great offer, but it isn’t good enough, Cami. I want our souls bound, too. I can wait; I told you I’d wait forever if I had to. I meant it.”

  I had a tough time making eye contact with him; I wasn’t sure whether to feel embarrassed for being so forward or devastated at his rejection. Drake gently lifted my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Cami, I get it. This is new to you. There’s no rush. You’ve chosen me, and I couldn’t be happier. When you’re ready for marriage, we’ll find a priest. Like I said, no pressure.”

  “Your mind’s made up? There’s no room for negotiation on this one? We’re on a trip, you know: what happens in Ireland stays in Ireland,” but Drake wouldn’t budge.

  His half smile turned into a grin, “I promise you, I’ve never had a better offer. You know how I feel. If you aren’t willing to be my wife, I’m not willing to be your lover.” With a sultry smile he added, “I believe I would be an incredible lover.”

  Drake scooted down to the end of the bed, slid his hand down my leg and rested his hand on my ankle – an image of the two of us rocketed through my mind. It was more than an image: a shiny silver band was wrapped around my ring finger, I could feel his arms around me, I could hear the sounds of our love, I could smell his scent – it was one of the most erotic moments I’d ever felt. Drake let me savor the image for a couple minutes before he withdrew his hand from my ankle and the image in my mind evaporated. “Just say the word, Cami, and I’m all yours.”

  The flush on my face felt bright red. Just minutes before I was sure I’d get him to set his rules aside, and now I believed he to be the more persuasive of the two of us. “So let’s say, for argument’s sake, that I’m okay with getting married.” He didn’t even try to hide his excitement as a wide smile emerged. “When I get married, I want my family there. Why couldn’t we go forward with the assumption that we’ll be married when we get back to South Carolina and take advantage of being on a pre-honeymoon now?”

  Drake cocked his head to the side as if he were considering it. “Let’s say I agree, what’s to say we don’t end up in Athens, or Paris or Centauride before we get to South Carolina? I would have stolen your virtue beforehand, or your family may have already promised you to another. We’d both end up with broken hearts and a debt to pay. No, we make it official first.”

  His phrase, “stolen your virtue,” hit me hard. I’d never pretended to be innocent. I wasn’t promiscuous by any means, but I’d been with someone before. Why wouldn’t he have assumed that? It wasn’t the 1950’s – people had sex. I was twenty-two, a fully functioning adult, so why did I suddenly feel embarrassed – maybe even a little unworthy?

  I tried to tell myself there was nothing to be embarrassed about, but when I looked into his eyes, my voice wouldn’t work. I got a glimpse of myself through his eyes; would I look the same with the imperfections he didn’t know I had? I couldn’t say anything, at least not tonight. My stomach knotted, and it felt like a bucket of ice had been poured on me.

  I’d find a way to bring it up casually, tomorrow. I tried to keep my voice from giving me away, “Okay, well, I guess I’ll get some sleep.”

  He eyed me suspiciously; he couldn’t read my mind. Right now I wished that he could; I wished that he could see the truth, so I wouldn’t have to say it and see his reaction to it. No wonder my brother Brent had all but freaked out when he found out I’d dated people. No wonder Centaurs all got married so young. I’m an idiot. I should have known, or at least asked the question.

  This had never come up in any of Zandra’s lessons when I was held captive learning the Centaur history. Maybe she didn’t think to preach about pre-marital sex because it just wasn’t done by Centaurs. Most married before they ever got the chance to learn anything about their partner. I wondered if I could even marry Drake if I’d been with someone else? He told me marriage unites two souls; could those souls be united if one was tainted?

  “Cami, are you okay?” Drake leaned over to me and placed his hand on my forearm. I looked down at his hand and was suddenly scared. Could I lose him over something I’d done before I even knew about the rules? He squeezed my forearm gently, “Cami, talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong.”

  I couldn’t do it; my mind was racing in all different directions. What if, after I told him, he didn’t want me anymore? What would I do then? I put my back to Drake, grabbed a pillow that I could hug close to me, and shut my eyes. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just tired. We’ve got a lot of walking to do tomorrow.”

  A soft knock at the door sounded before he could pull anything out of me, “Room Service.”

  I wasn’t hungry. Drake ate then shut off the television and all the lights. He spooned in directly behind me and whispered, “Sweet dreams.”

  I’d tell him tomorrow. Conversation between us had been easy the last three days walking for hours. It would be much easier to bring up while we looked for Zethus. A single tear escaped, slid down my face, and landed on the sheet. If he rejected me, I could take his rejection better in the daylight, better in the open. If after I told him, he changed his mind, I wouldn’t be strong enough here, in this room, all alone.

  Chapter 7

  (Camille – The Pasture of Thessaly, Southern Ireland)

  Drake and I left the hotel early – like “before birds were chirping” earl
y. By the afternoon, I was exhausted. My mood was gloomy from the constantly overcast skies and my inability to bring up the question that had been eating away at me since last night. I’d thought of at least five clever ways to insert it into our conversation, but each time I had an opening, I chickened out. I kept telling myself if he loved me, he’d understand. But a small part of me wasn’t willing to risk losing him. I hadn’t been this nervous about anything in my life; not even being kidnapped had instilled the kind of fear I had at the thought of Drake rejecting me.

  By late afternoon I knew I had to stop obsessing over something I’d done that I couldn’t undo. Either Drake would accept it or he wouldn’t. I forced myself to pay attention to why we were here in the first place. During the course of the day, I think we had met every farmer and sheepherder in the whole valley. No one had ever heard of Zethus, and none gave us the reaction from his name like we’d gotten our very first day. No one seemed the least bit interested in the two of us traipsing around the countryside, either.

  I had a blister the size of a quarter on my heel, but I didn’t want to stop. I told myself if it popped, maybe it wouldn’t hurt so badly, and the pain in my foot helped mask the ache in my heart. Drake was attuned to my solemn mood, and I could tell he wanted me to snap out of it when he said, “I’m bushed. You ready to call it a day and head back to town?”

  I nodded, “We’re running out of terrain. Maybe we were wrong. Maybe the pasture is bigger than we thought.” I could feel we were in the right place, but it was disappointing every time we heard someone tell us they’d never heard of Zethus. Our search had been all through the area we believed to be the pasture of Thessaly, including three pubs along our route today.

  Drake’s resolve refused to waiver, “We’ll find him.”

  I hated the doubt I felt about this place, but it helped to keep my mind off the question I really needed answered. “What if he’s not here?”

  Drake’s mood kept pace with mine when he answered, “Then Zandra will eventually find us and take us back to her little house of horrors.”

  “I mean, what if Zethus is dead? Maybe he moved away? Maybe the people we met lied to us?”

  “I don’t know, Love. I feel like this is the right place. Since we got here, I’ve felt a connection to this place, but . . . I don’t know. Let’s head back to town and get a bite to eat.” Drake wrapped his arm around me, and his touch eased some of the anxiety bottled up inside me.

  As we topped a small hill on our way back to the car, we stumbled across a small sun-faded metal bed and breakfast sign pointing to a little stone house, literally in the middle of nowhere. Drake stopped once it was in clear view and said, “Listen, it’s been a long day. We’ve got a change of clothes in the backpack. Why don’t we see if they have a room here?”

  Relief filled me. The house’s exterior looked like it had been built by hand, one stone at a time. It set on a dirt lane with beautiful yellow flowers at least five feet high flanking it on both sides. I was exhausted, my heel throbbed from the blister, and I wasn’t sure I could face our hotel room after last night. I wrapped both arms around him and laid my head against his chest, “You just made my day.”

  Drake’s hands patted my back. “The sooner we ask if they have a room, the sooner we can get off our feet. Let’s go.”

  There was a one-lane dirt road leading up to it with potholes big enough to hide a small sports car. We were still at least two miles from where we’d left our car, so they might think us strange arriving on foot. When we got closer to the house, I looked to see if a sign hung on the porch. The one we saw up by the road had seen better days; the lettering was . . . faded. I worried that this might no longer be a bed and breakfast.

  Drake walked up the slate steps with me. I knocked on the door tentatively, and sure enough, an elderly woman welcomed us. “Well, hallo! Can I help you?”

  Drake answered the cheerful woman, but something had changed in his voice. “Hi. We were. . .” He gently tugged my arm and angled his body so he was standing in front of me. Drake eased a step back, away from the woman, easing me back toward the steps. “We were wondering if we needed a reservation.”

  “How did you two find this place?” She asked in a kind tone, but her attention was on me and not Drake standing directly in front of her.

  I peeked around his shoulder, not sure what to make of his actions. “We were looking for a distant relative, but got a little farther from town than we had planned. We were headed back but saw your sign. Do you have any rooms available tonight?”

  The woman’s smile was warm, “My family has lived here for generations. Who are you looking for?”

  “Chiron. . . Zethus Chiron.”

  She eyed me suspiciously, her tone no longer welcoming. “Zethus has been dead for years. What did you want with him?”

  My heart plunged. Four days of walking in the wet drizzle for absolutely nothing. I looked at Drake and saw the same defeat I was feeling. She had asked us both the question, but I answered, “I just wanted to meet him. My. . . a . . . grandmother had mentioned him.”

  The old woman was sharp. Her eyes narrowed when she asked, “Who are you?”

  “I’m Angela . . I mean, I’m Angela Chiron’s daughter, Camille Strayer.”

  An angry look shot across the old woman’s hardened face, “I’d keep that name to yourself.”

  “Strayer?”

  “Chiron! Zethus did no’ win any popularity contests. He was more beast than man, and people in these parts do no’ miss him. Your grandmother does no’ have any friends here, either.”

  Drake took a more pronounced step protectively in front of me, “I’m sorry, maybe this wasn’t a good idea. We’ll be on our way. No disrespect was intended.” Drake began backing away, keeping his body covering mine with his arms out to the sides. He gingerly backed down the few steps to the ground, blocking me the entire time. He refused to take his attention off the old woman. An unexpected downpour came out of nowhere, and in seconds we were completely drenched.

  The old woman yelled, “You don’t have the good sense to carry an umbrella? Americans! Get in here before you drown!”

  I would have leaped forward when she offered, but Drake held his ground, still standing in front of me. “Ma’am, what is your family name?”

  “It’s shelter – get in here before I turn my back on you and leave you outside with the livestock!”

  My teeth were already chattering, my blistered heel was throbbing, and I couldn’t understand Drake’s reaction to the old woman. I pleaded with him, “Drake, maybe just for a minute?”

  Drake answered in a normal tone, but we were far enough away there was no threat of the woman hearing. “She’s a Centauride, and she’s not alone. This could be an ambush.”

  “It doesn’t sound like she likes my grandmother any more than I do. It’s not an ambush. Let’s go inside. Please?”

  Drake straightened his posture and projected his voice, “Ma’am, you are a Centauride. I can feel the other Centaurs near. Will you give me your assurance you mean us no harm?”

  “If I meant you harm, you’d both be dead. Get in ou’ of the rain.” She turned her back on us and walked into the house.

  As we made our way through the doorway and into the kitchen, I saw two blurs rushing our way.

  The first stopped at Drake and flung him to the floor. Drake caught himself in mid-air, turning so that he would fall back first, then did this judo-karate-looking move and launched himself back into the air. His feet connected with the other man’s chest and flung the unsuspecting attacker into the wall beside an ancient stove.

  I was so in shock with what I was watching that I didn’t realize someone had grabbed both my arms behind me and was applying pressure trying to get me to the floor. After being an unsuspecting victim of Zandra for the last three months, I wasn’t about to let it happen again. I let my body drop easily to the floor, then did the strongest scissor kick of my life, and knocked my attacker’s legs out from
under him while I rolled free.

  He was as surprised as I was when he landed right in the spot on the floor he’d tried to force me on to. I was on top of him faster than a heartbeat with my hiking boot at the base of his skull and my hands yanking on each of his ears, trying to pull them free of his head. No one in the room was more astonished with my action or speed than I was.

  When I turned my attention back to Drake, he’d gotten the upper hand and had his attacker in a full headlock. Drake’s muscular arm bulged, cutting off the man’s oxygen while my prisoner screamed like a little girl. The old woman was on the opposite side of the room and held up one hand, speaking so quietly I wasn’t sure if I’d actually heard her say, “Enough.”

  I looked at Drake, and he loosened his grip, allowing his attacker to get air but not releasing him. I did the same to mine, still keeping a clamp-like grip on my attacker’s ears, but reducing the pressure. She gave us a forced smile, “They were merely going to search you for weapons. Given your skills, I think if you had weapons, you might have used them by now. Let them up, and I’ll get some tea.”

  I looked at Drake and he nodded, allowing his detainee to go free. He reached his hand toward me, indicating that I was to let my attacker go free, as well. Drake’s voice boomed in the quiet room, “We mean no one any harm. We’re just looking for protection from Camille’s family.”

  The old woman raised her brow, “Protection? Is there a bounty on her?”

  “We don’t know. We escaped a few days ago and thought the only Centaur who could help us was Zethus.”

  “Escaped? What were your crimes?” The old woman motioned to the table and chairs. My pulse was still racing, but Drake held a chair out for me to sit. He took the seat to my right, and the old woman sat on the other side of the rectangular table. The two men, who looked to be in their mid-thirties and way past pissed-off, stood tall on either side of her – glaring at us.