Chapter 14

After gathering every book he possessed on the Dragon Treaty, Micha had spread them across the long wooden table in the center of the main chamber and started his search for the location of the original meeting. Just a few feet away, Skye did the same, her brow furrowed as she absently chewed on the end of one golden curl. The knowledge she was so near, looking gloriously adorable, not to mention exquisitely edible, should have been distracting. Instead, there was an easy comfort as the two of them worked side by side as they shared information and separated myth and legend from g enuine history.

A merciless certainty settled in the center of Micha's chest. He'd known beautiful, sexy, intelligent women in his long life. But Skye was the only one who fit into his lair as if he'd created it just for her. And maybe he had, he wryly acknowledged. Perhaps when he'd been arrogantly deciding to create a lair where he could retreat from the world, he'd unconsciously wished to discover that one, unique creature who could sha re it with him.

And he was going to do everything in his power to make sure that she spent her futu re at his side.

Everythin g in his power.

Now, Micha stood at the back of the space, studying the top map that was framed and protected by layers of glass and magic. It was his oldest map that he'd discovered buried beneath tons of hardened lava. It'd been protected by layers of fey magic and hidden from the world for count less centuries.

Lifting his hand, he pressed a finger against the glass, pointing at a location in the ce nter of Panama.

"These caves are the most li kely location."

Standing close enough to envelop him in her scented warmth, Skye nod ded. "I agree."

Micha slowly turned. He'd devoted enough time and attention to solving the mystery of Lynx and his weird-ass crystal. He wanted to concentrate on this mage who'd bewitched him with a glance.

"I knew that we would make a good team ," he murmured.

She arched a brow. "Not always. You accused me of k idnapping you."

"You did kidnap me."

She pretended to consider his response. "I suppos e that's true."

He grimaced as he recalled his shock when she'd arrived with the fairies to force him out of Valen's lair an d into the van.

"And worse, I was dreaming about you when you snuck into my private rooms, " he confessed.

She blinked. "You were not."

He stepped closer, using the tips of his fingers to trace the delicate sw eep of her jaw.

"Why are you surprised? It wasn't an accident I followed you into Valen's private study during the party. You caught my interest from the moment I glimpsed you across the room." He smiled as a rosy heat tinted her cheeks and the scent of lush laurel leaves swirled through the air. Desire sizzled and snapped between them, creating an electric current that threatened to set him on fire. In the best possible way. "It wasn't just your beauty, although I'll admit I was fascinated by these lush curls," his voice roughened as he threaded his fingers into her satin hair and tugged her head back. "And the darkness of your eyes that promised the mysteries of the world." Slowly he lowered his head to press his lips against each of her eyes before sweeping his mouth over her brow. "And of course, there was the desire to rip off that gauzy bit of fabric and discover if your skin was as satin smooth as it appeared." With a growl, he lifted his head to study her with a blatant hunger. "And then you looked me in the eye and warned me not to harm your friend a nd I was lost."

A bemused expression emphasized her sweet features. "You dreamed about me because I t hreatened you?"

"Because you were fiercely loyal and willing to face down a member of the Cabal to protect someone you love," he clarified. "And then I witnessed you getting tossed out of the window of a demon bar and that was that. I became a victim o f your allure."

She snorted, a hint of amusement shimmering in the depths of her midnight eyes. "Ha rdly a victim."

"Hmm. Let's say I was a willing victim," he conceded. "But it was entirely your fault that I was lost in my fantasies when I was so rudely interrupted by the kidnappers." His gaze lowered to the lush temptation of her lips. The memory of her addictive taste rushed through him, lengthening his fangs until they throbbed for a taste. "Even after I was attacked I thought the scent of laurel leaves must be a product of my imagination. I couldn't imagine why you would be wit h the fairies."

Without warning she reached up to place her fingers against his lips, a stricken expression twisting her del icate features.

"Please don't say that," she pleaded. "I was terrified they were goin g to hurt you."

Micha remembered watching her dash toward him. At the time, he hadn't been worried that she intended to hurt him. Just baffled a t her presence.

"Is that why y ou grabbed me?"

"Yes. I didn't even consider the possibility of a vision." She grimac ed. "Careless."

"Fate," he said in firm tones. He was a dedicated scholar who believed in what he could see and touch. But he was also a vampire who'd lived a very long time in the unfathomable magic of the bayous. Logic was all well and good, but it didn't explain everything. "The same fate that brought me to New York City to discover what I was missing."

She allowed her fingertips to brush lightly over his face, as if savoring the fe el of his skin.

"Your life would have been a lot more peaceful if you'd stayed home, " she murmured.

"Or I would have perished when the world was consumed with fire," h e reminded her.

"There's that."

Before she could dwell on the dark visions plaguing her, Micha leaned down to kiss her with a fierce urgency.

"And I refuse to believe that destiny wouldn't have found a way for our paths to cross," he said against her lips. "Not when you were meant to be a part of my future."

She trembled, arching against him as if the thought of a life without him was terrifying. Or at least, that's what Micha told himself. He wanted to believe she couldn't bear the thought of not hav ing him around.

"How can y ou be so sure?"

He scraped the tip of his fang over her lower lip. "Perhaps I'm an oracle."

Her eyes darkened in anticipation. "You s ee the future?"

"I feel it." Grasping her hand, he pressed it against his chest. It didn't matter if his heart was beating or not. It was where his complex, and yet startlingly simple, emotions for this woman were h oarded. "Here."

Her breath faltered, as if her lungs were suddenly too tight. Then she made a visible attempt to dampen the desire smolderin g between them.

"Shouldn't we be concentrating on finding Lynx?"

Probably, he silently conceded. They still didn't know the meaning of Skye's vision, and if it was connected solely to him or if it had something to do with Lynx and his mysterious search for the Tempest. Hell, they didn't even know if the T empest existed.

Just as importantly, they didn't know who had betrayed Valen to help the fairies kidnap Micha or if they were a danger to other member s of the Cabal.

All of them were potential disasters waiting to explode, but in this moment, Micha couldn't force himself to concentrate on anything but the woman standing close enough to wrap him in her scented warmth.

"My servants will continue to search for Lynx and I'll have my plane prepared to take us to Panama, but there's no way to reach the caves before sunrise. I'm trapped in this lair until then." He wrapped his arms around her waist, and a groan wrenched from his lips as she pressed against his thickening erection. "Although, it doesn't feel lik e I'm trapped."

She trembled. "What does it feel like?"

"Paradise."

The air tingled with enchantment. Not just the primitive pulse of the Gyre but a light, exquisitely delicate tingle of magic escaping from his beautiful seer. It swirled through Micha with an addictive pr omise of bliss.

As if overwhelmed by the ruthless tide of need, Skye gently pressed her hand against his chest and stepped out of his arms. Then, turning away, she wandered toward the center of t he stone floor.

"I can understand why you are happy to spend your nights lost in these caverns," she murmured, clearly determined to lighten the atmosphere.

Micha didn't bother to try to smother his desire. He was beginning to realize it was a perpetual state of being when he was with Skye, but his passion was only a part of why he enjoyed being in her company. Simply listening to her voice brought him indescri bable pleasure.

"They certainly provided me with a legitimate excuse to ignore the world," he confessed, moving to stand beside her as she studied his toweri ng bookshelves.

She sent him a confused glance. "Why would you n eed an excuse?"

"It took me longer than most vampires to come into my powers," he said, careful not to reveal the hidden sanctuaries that were used to protect newly resurrected vampires. The heavily protected locations were known only to vampires. Just as mages hoarded their own secrets. "For most of my brothers, that was the worst fate imaginable. They craved the power struggles and political backstabbing in their battles to become members of the Cabal." He shrugged. "It didn't trouble me at all. I preferred to spend my time traveling the world and gathering knowledge rather than negotiating and battling my way up the vampire hierarchy." He swept his hand toward the collections that lined the edges of the cavern. "It was a habit I kept even after I was gran ted this Gyre."

Something flared in her dark eyes. An ancient wound that hadn't fully healed. "It's hard to overc ome your past."

He studied her fragile profile, a stab of anger slicing through him at the thought that she'd been hurt and betrayed by the people who were supposed to protect her.

"My past was nothing more than avoiding the petty arguments between my brothers," he conceded. "Not like yours. You were forced into slavery and yet you refused to be broken."

She looked surprised at his fierce words. "Because of Maya and Peri. If I hadn 't found them—"

"You would have found another home and created a wonderful life," he interrupted, his brows drawing together. He was accustomed to dealing with vampires and demons who were eager to boast of their accomplishments. Usually exaggerating them beyond recognition. It was aggravating that this woman who had overcome ruthless odds couldn't appreciate her amazing gifts. "You' re a survivor."

She stubbornly shook her head. "You wouldn't say that if you knew what my friends went through."

He sent her a chiding frown. "Why do you dismiss what yo u've achieved?"

"Because I'm not sure what I have achieved."

"You were forced to support your father when you were barely more than a baby and then sold off to a horde of demons who abused your gift for their own profit. You could have let them crush your spirit or taint you with bitterness. Instead you molded yourself into a strong and independent and terrifyingly co urageous mage."

She paused, clearly not convinced that she was special. "I like to think that I'm independent," she finally conceded. "But I'm not sure I'm courageous. It's more likely I'm too stubborn to admit when I'm in over my head. And I'll never be strong, " she insisted.

Micha parted his lips to argue, only to snap them shut. Abruptly he understood. Skye had never been exposed to mages until she'd escaped the demons who held her captive. Not until she'd joined her friends at the Witch's Brew. It was no wonder she considered her magic less than astonishing. Her roommates were two of the most powerful mages in the world. And Peri might very well be the most powerful mage in several millennia. Tough to compare yo urself to that.

Reaching out, he grasped her fingers in a light grip and tugged her toward the opening acr oss the cavern.

"Come with me."

"Where are we going?" she asked even as she readily fol lowed his lead.

"I want to show you something."

"Seriously?"

He sent her a baffled glance at her dr y tone. "What?"

"This is not the first time I've he ard that line."

He chuckled at her unexpected teasing. "I promise. It wi ll be magical."

She shook her head. "You're not helpi ng your cause."

"Trust me," he urged, entering a side tunnel that was wrapped in layers of illusions. It would be invisible to anyone searching the cavern. Even the mage who'd creat ed the opening.

Her steps never faltered as they entered the vast bedroom that was the complete opposite of the outer chambers. There were no stark lines or empty space. This room was lit by the glow of a thousand crystals embedded in the walls, and rich tapestries covered the stone floor. The furniture was a baroque explosion of lavish décor with a four-poster bed draped in crimson and gold and several ebony chests that held his most person al possessions.

Overhead the domed ceiling was painted with bright blue skies and puffy clouds where angels danced.

Angels that had a remarkable resemblance to Skye Claremont, he acknowledged with a stab of surprise. As if he'd already known exactly who he wanted sha ring this room.

"Oh," Skye breathed, spinning to take in the vibrant colors that spilled from the crystals. "This is beautiful."

Smugly pleased with her reaction, Micha moved to touch the electronic pad hidden behind a large bronze vase. A second later the soft sounds of a waltz hummed t hrough the air.

He walked toward Skye with a determined step. She watched his approach wit h arched brows.

"You're not going to s trip, are you?"

"Only if you ask very, very nicely," he assured her, stepping close enough to wrap his arms around her waist. "For now I want you to dance with me."

She looked skeptical. "I'm not very good."

"I don't believe that." He gazed down at her. "You're the most graceful creature I've ever seen. Including the elder fairies."

She blushed but stubbornly shook her head. "Not when I'm dancing. Maya says I have the elegance of a drunk rhino."

"Don't worry," he murmured. "I've got you." Tightening his arms around her waist, he began to sweep her in a wide circle. He continued until he could feel her slowly relax and she was matching him step for step. "You've seen the results of my powers, right?"

She tilted back her head, her hair tumbling over her shoulders in a riotous halo of gold. His fangs thro bbed. Stunning.

"Do you mean the horrifying vines on your island of death that tried to eat the demons? Those are going to give me nightmares. Or this room that makes me feel like I'm in a palace, even though I should be drowning in swam ps and gators?"

"Those might appear to be a symbol of my strength," he agreed, not adding that the flesh-eating vines he'd created to protect the hexed sword were one of his favorite endeavors. "But they didn't save me from certain de ath. This did."

They continued to circle the open space in the center of the room, as Micha focused on the magic that vibrated around them. They were smack in the middle of the Gyre, and the power was a tangible force. Spreading his powers, he concentrated on condensing the magic until it was squashed into a layer beneath their feet. At least that was how he envisioned what he was doing. Since he'd never encountered another vampire with his gift, he had to make it up as he went along.

The hit-and-miss method had led to a few disasters, but now he could feel the air thickening beneath their feet, creating a platform that allowed them t o defy gravity.

It took several seconds of twirling with buoyant ease before Skye gasped in shock. "Ar e we floating?"

"We are."

"Oh." She smiled in pleasure. "I like this power. But how did it s ave your life?"

"It was when I was first traveling the world on my own. I'd heard rumors of stone etchings from the earliest days of fairies that revealed them in their true form. Of course, it had to be hidden in flooded caves beneath a remote island. I'd been there less than a week when the local volcano rudely decided to erupt. Before I could escape I was surrounded by rivers o f molten lava."

Her smile faded, as if she sensed that his amusing story hadn't been amusing at the time. Honestly, Micha had been inches from a painful death.

"So you floated aw ay?" she asked.

"It was more of a lurching meander just an inch above the liquid magma, but I managed to make it to the nearby sea where I'd left my boat."

She studied him with a searching gaze. "I'm very happy you survived, but I sense you're m aking a point."

Micha's hands spread across her lower back as he continued to hold them ab ove the ground.

"I am," he assured her. "I wanted you to understand that strength comes in many forms. You might not possess the raw power of your friends, but that doesn't lessen your gifts." He twirled faster, pressing her tight against his hard body. "And..."

"And what?"

"And I wanted a legitimate reason to hold you in my arms, " he confessed.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, deliberately nestling against the hard thrust of his arousal.

"So it was a pickup line to lure me into your bedroom?"

"Literally," Micha groaned, tilting his head down to scrape the tips of his fangs along the cur ve of her neck.

"I feel like I have wings," she whispered.

Micha was drowning in the dizzying scent of sweet desire and laurel leaves, his soul molding and realigning as it created a space for his destined mate.

"I suspected you were an angel from the mom ent I saw you."