Page 56 of Princess Avenged

Twenty-Five

Ana

Before I even get off the plane, I know it’s not Phil on the dock to greet me.

“Where’s Phil?” I ask Ember as she embraces me.

“Nice to see you too?” Grinning, she leans back from me, mischief in her expression. The dock shifts as the men get off the plane, and then the pilot taxis toward a massive boat house. A plane house too, I suppose.

“Sorry.” I shake my head as I take a step back on the floating dock, and the thick wooden planks rock gently beneath us. “I’m so grateful to you for having us here. You, Zuben, Axe and Ryker.” Looking around, I draw in a long breath of fresh air, hoping to find evidence of Phil.

“Your big man ran off into the forest.” Axe steps up and puts his arm around Ember. “Nice night. Can’t say I blame him.”

“Hi, Axel.” I look up into the shaggy man’s gold-specked eyes. “Thank you so much for having us here.”

I make introductions, and Ember’s three mates and the brothers shake hands.

“I don’t think this dock was built for eight vampires,” Ryker says jovially. “So, unless we want to end up in the drink, I say we head up to the cabin.”

“A swim doesn’t sound so bad.” Blade’s hand slides around me, and I lean back against him, memories of our very first swim stirring desire inside me. So much has happened, since that day when he unexpectedly cut a lock of my hair.

“Do I smell a fire?” Flame looks up a long flight of wooden stairs that disappear into the forest.

Axe nods. “We’ve got a fire going in the main room, plus in the bedrooms. It gets chilly at night.” He heads up the stairs, and Flame and Ryker follow.

“Very good to see you again.” Zuben says to Blade. “I am eager to hear more details of your studies at the palace archives.”

Blade’s hand presses into my belly, waking every nerve, and then he kisses the top of my head, and moves toward Zuben. “You coming, my love?”

I turn back to look over the sparkling water. Crusher’s standing at the end of the dock, legs spread wider than necessary to keep his balance on the still rocking dock.

“I’m going to check on Crusher.” I rise onto my toes as Blade bends to kiss me, and I brush my hand down his chest. “I’ll join you in a few minutes.”

“Don’t be long,” Ember calls back, as she heads up the stairs, and I shoot her a reassuring smile as Blade’s fingers trail along my palm. When we lose contact, he follows behind the others.

I walk slowly along the huge dock. Next to the boathouse, I spotted a rack holding several canoes. Perhaps once all this is over, we can visit here for leisure. I would quite like to try canoeing.

A bird calls out, filling the night sky with its haunting tone. It’s a sound I haven’t heard since I was a child in Russia. “A loon!” I’m filled with nostalgia, and happiness overtakes my disappointment that I haven’t yet seen Phil.

Crusher turns toward me. “Is that what that was? I haven’t spent a ton of time in the wilderness.”

Nodding, I step up beside him. “Are you coming up to the cabin?”

“So, you’re talking to me now?” He keeps his eyes focussed out on the water.

“Crusher—”

“I’m sorry.” He turns toward me, shaking his head. “That was cruel.”

“No apology necessary.” I’m not sure what else to say. It’s awkward between us right now and might always be. We were developing feelings for each other. Feelings he expressed. But things have changed. Probably for us both. I doubt Crusher loves me anymore, if he ever did.

He looks away from me, clearly focussed on something in the middle of the lake.

“What are you looking at?” Shading my eyes from the bright moonlight, I gasp. “Phil!” I lean forward, ready to leap into the water, but Crusher catches me around the waist, stopping me.

Phil is about two hundred yards away, treading water.

“Come here!” I call toward him. “I need to give you a hug.” My heart is beating so loudly I can barely hear myself think.

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