Page 26 of Druid Dreams

“Where are you? Why are you just now reaching out to me? What happened to you, York?” Her emotions were a tangled mess, making it hard to sort through them. Determination, worry, heartbreak, and that ever present anger when it came to me were all present, but more lingeded under the surface.

“It’s a long story, Sweetheart, and I’ll tell you all about it, but I don’t have enough power to keep you long. I need you to find me before the new moon. I’m somewhere near the Red River Gorge in Kentucky. I can’t explain exactly where, but I’m in a cell underground. I’ve been trying to help you remember what you’ve forgotten, but I’m just not strong enough anymore. Have the Fae open your mind. He can do it but you’ll have to let him in. I’ll see you soon, Sweetheart. I love you.”

The connection I held was gone, but hearing the soft rasping quality of her voice made me miss her more than ever. I shut the bond down and saved what little power I had left to open the connection again. I’ll wait two days. Two days, and I’d open the connection back up to see if she was near me. If she was then I could lead her to my location.

If she wasn’t... then, at least I got to hear her one last time.

* * *

Sloane

We had just finished up with the pack of infected, rogue shifters when that ever present ache in my chest snapped so hard that it doubled me over. I placed my hands on my knees and sank to the ground. Stone came rushing forward at a speed that would terrify any creature. He’s as fast as a vampire. That’s unusual for a demon.

“Are you okay?” He supplicated with concern etched all over his sharp features. His cheekbones were high over his square jawline, brows creased low covering his beautiful black and lapis colored eyes. If the sun wasn’t so high in the sky it would be easy to miss that deep blue starburst around his pupils.

“I just, uhm,” I released a frustrated groan. “I think I just felt another bond snap into place, Stone. I haven’t felt York’s end of it in years. I thought he was-“ I couldn't finish that sentence, and Stone seemed to understand all too well what I wasn’t saying. He nodded his head sympathetically and dropped to the ground in front of me before placing his hands on my shoulders. That extra touch exposed a vision, one that I desperately hated seeing.

York was sitting on the ground in a stone cell, his back against the damp wall with his legs crossed in front of him. A stone cell that I’m very familiar with. It had plagued what little drunken sleep I’d received since he’d been gone. “Sloane? Sweetheart?” I heard his voice, soothing but shaken. It was him but he didn’t hold that velvety smooth quality to his voice like he did when I heard him last. He sounded broken and hopeless, and it brought tears pooling to my eyes.

Stone slowly put me in his lap, careful not to jostle me out of the vision. I briefly wondered if he knew what was going on, but I snapped my attention back to York. I’m so fucking pissed at him.

“I don’t have much time, and I know you’re angry with me. I’m so sorry. I’d never willingly leave you.” He rushed the words out, and his sincerity had my attitude dissipating. Longing and self loathing followed patiently on the crest of his feelings. It ripped open my heartbreak all over again. The jagged wounds left when he never returned had the unshed tears streaming down my face. I was still mad at him, but I wouldn’t let anything stop me from finding what was mine. York Briar is mine. Was? No, IS.

“Where are you? Why are you just now reaching out to me? What happened to you, York?” Seeing the state that his body was in had me worried for his life. He looked like he’d been starved and beaten. It fueled the fire that held my anger to new heights. The Demon I kept under lock and key crawled to the surface of my skin, ready to rampage through the streets to return to me what was lost. My wolf howled her outrage with her hackles raised and teeth exposed.

“It’s a long story, Sweetheart, and I’ll tell you all about it, but I don’t have enough power to keep you long. I need you to find me before the new moon. I’m somewhere near the Red River Gorge in Kentucky. I can’t explain exactly where, but I’m in a cell underground. I’ve been trying to help you remember what you’ve forgotten, but I’m just not strong enough anymore. Have the Fae open your mind. He can do it but you’ll have to let him in. I’ll see you soon, Sweetheart.” Either his connection or his power was fading with each word, and I caught the barest hint of “I love you” before I lost him completely. The pain in my chest left with it. I was finally able to take a deep breath and push through all his emotions still lingering in my mind. His pain, torment, fear, and his own heartbreak over what we had and what happened between us were so heavy that I didn’t realize I’d been holding my breath.

I used the sides of my hands to wipe my eyes and steadied my head on Stone’s shoulder while I tried to calm down. He had his lean muscled arms wrapped around my waist and above my breasts with my back firmly held flat to his chest. I let myself enjoy the feeling of being held intimately after avoiding it for so long. His body radiated heat. He smelled of spicy cinnamon and charcoal. If I don’t get out of his lap soon I may make us both a bit uncomfortable. I couldn’t stop the swell of thoughts from lashing out. His flaming hands trailing up my spine. His teeth sunk in my shoulder. Him pounding into me from behind while I smothered my face with a pillow to quiet my screams. Nothing but a pair of red pumps on.

He inclined his head down and buried his face against my neck. He inhaled deeply before I felt his lips morph into a smile on my heated skin. “I was able to see what you were seeing.” His dark confession sent tingling pleasure racing through me.

“We need to go to Kentucky,” I asserted, but I made no move to leave his lap. I canted my head and his hair tickled my cheek. It was soft and silky, and I wanted to run my fingers through it until it was a tangled mess.

“Mmm.” His hummed agreement teased the skin where his face still touched me and sent shivers down my back that I didn’t bother trying to hide. The Demon grinned again as he leisurely ran his fingers up and down my arms, goosebumps trailing behind his touch. When he stopped he twined his fingers together with mine and then stood up, bringing me with him.

I released his hands and twisted my body into him, putting us chest to chest. My peaked nipples rubbed the inside of my bra with the pressure. I wrapped my arms around his waist, holding him close and looking up at him with my chin resting on his chest. He skimmed his hot hands across my back. They left behind a path of embers licking at the flesh under my thin shirt. Those sensual shivers wracked through me again, and when he tilted his head down at me he had the most sinful smile playing across his seductive lips.

A crunching noise sounded from behind me, popping our lust bubble. When I reversed my position in Stone’s arms, I saw Briggs standing before us in all his four-legged glory. His black fur was shining and matted with drying blood. Those forest green eyes sparkled in his large canine face. His exposed teeth translated into a wolf-like grin and would send any lesser beings running for the hills. He’s bulky, broad and beautiful, just like the human skin he wears, but his wolf isn’t as broody as his male counterpart.

He trotted over to us, nosing Stone’s arms off my body, and sniffed at me for injuries. He pitched his head forward when he looked at my face. I placed my hand between his ears and ran my fingers through his course black fur. He growled low in his throat and I simpered. “Fine, I won’t pet you.” I started to retreat, only stopping for a moment to slap his flank.

Stone let out a surprised chuckle and I smiled to myself. Briggs struck back by nipping my ass cheek with his front teeth before trotting away with his tail lashing side to side.

“That’s going to bruise,” I yelled at him, rubbing the sore spot on my ass. Bruises don’t heal as quickly as cuts do. I was going to be sitting on that bruise for an hour while it tried to heal.

“I’m a little jealous right now,” Stone admitted to me as he jogged to catch up. He tugged my hand into his as we strolled down the path to get back to the gravel parking lot of the campgrounds.

“You could always rub it for me,” I smirked as I teased him. It backfired completely when that fire-laden hand of his began rubbing circles across the tender flesh of my buttcheek.

“You're going to be the death of me, aren’t you?” His baritone voice whispered the words in my ear and the throaty quality made my core throb with need.

“Not intentionally,” I affirmed in a breathy rasp that did nothing to hide my growing need for him. His voice is the sound of sex, and it makes me want to jump him every time he speaks. I don’t care if I just met him today. The tips of his fingers stroked higher and lower with each pass over the bruise until eventually his path started at the waist of my pants and ended at the junction of my thighs. Over and over again.

The walk back to the car was torturous for me, possibly both of us, but I was quick to decide that if this was what fate had in store for me then I'd be just fine. This is MY Demon with his hands on me. These are MY mates. We may have just met each other, but I couldn’t deny how right it felt to be with them. I knew that would only intensify the longer we were together. Now I need to get MY Druid back.

Step one: Plan a trip to Kentucky.

Step two: Save the fucking Druid.