Page 50 of Destined for Dreams
Chapter 14
Bartol
Bucharest was a vibrant city filled with both the old and the new. Though Bartol needed to get on with his mission, he let himself wander the streets for a couple of hours to clear his head. He desperately needed to put away distant memories of the past. There was a reason he’d forsaken being a warrior to become a lover, except now neither of those descriptions fit him. What sort of person did he hope to become next, and how would his relationship with Cori affect that?
She was already influencing him by causing him to go on this demon hunt. Would he really leave it to the archangels to handle, or would he help them? Bartol had asked himself this question over and over during his walk and still didn’t know the answer. Though he hated to admit it, there was some small part of him that had grown tired of sitting on the sidelines while others lived, fought, and loved. The people who passed by him reminded him of all he’d forsaken.
But was he prepared for what he might be forced to do if he found Haagenti?
Bartol continued his walk past apartment buildings, shops, and parks. Life appeared so normal here, and yet it was different from the city he remembered visiting centuries ago. He found very little he could recognize. Perhaps part of the reason he chose to stay in Alaska despite the inhospitable weather was that he’d never been there before and did not have to compare it to anything he knew from his previous life.
He felt old, ancient even. His zest for living was a distant memory he could hardly recall or recognize in himself anymore—except when he was with his mate. She was the only person who gave him a reason for being, though he was only beginning to realize that.
If he’d been smart, he would have gone into “The Sleep” soon after getting out of Purgatory. A few decades of rest would have helped him recover from his ordeal and prepared him for facing a changed world. That was why most immortals used it. Except that it also made one vulnerable to the fae who watched over his kind while they lay in a deep state of unconsciousness. No one had ever been harmed, especially since they paid for the service. Bartol had even taken advantage of it a few times himself, but he just couldn’t stand the idea of giving the fae that kind of trust while memories of Purgatory still plagued him.
He would have also missed meeting his mate. She might have died if he’d not been around to save her from her former husband, and he’d have never known there was a woman out there who fit him so completely—even if she did give him no end of grief.
Bartol recalled the phone call from the night before when he’d checked in with Cori for the second time on his trip. He’d kept it brief once again, but he’d heard the pain in her voice in response to his remoteness. It wasn’t easy to keep his distance when all he really wanted to do was return to her, take her into his arms, and hold her forever.
Cori was his. Somehow, someway, she’d been made for him. The only problem was he’d found her after he’d been damaged beyond repair, and he had no idea how to handle her or make it work between them. For all that he wanted to take their relationship to the next level, he knew his tortured memories were getting in the way. He was hurting her every time he refused her touch. Perhaps that was why she’d betrayed him to his friends and pushed for him to go on this trip. She claimed at the end she didn’t want him to go, but did she really? Deep down in her heart, did she want him by her side, or did she hope the distance would break their bond while it was still fragile?
Bartol didn’t know what to think, which bothered him to no end.
Street lights lit up nearby. It occurred to him that it was starting to get dark, and he checked his watch—just after four thirty in the afternoon. He’d been walking for longer than he’d realized. Knowing he could not waste any more time, he hurried toward the hotel he’d reserved in the old city center, a little over a mile away. It was tempting to flash straight there, but it was best not to use even that much power. Bartol needed to conserve every bit of energy for the coming days. He had no idea when they might catch up to the demon and where, but this was the last confirmed location. They couldn’t risk any unnecessary power drains, especially since he’d also have to compel anyone nearby that he hadn’t just appeared out of thin air. Supernaturals might be out in the world, but many people still didn’t welcome them, and it was best not to draw attention.
Bartol reached the hotel. It was an older building that had been modernized at some point, offering accommodations to sleep as well as a café. When Caius suggested it, he’d agreed it was a good choice since it would make it easier to acquire food while he was in the city. There were a number of restaurants along the same row to give him plenty of choices in addition to the hotel offerings.
The tall glass doors and front windows of the building were framed in brass, giving the place an almost jazzy appearance. He could see through the glass to the second-floor café and down below where a spiral set of stairs ended near the reception area. The upper five floors of the hotel had a cream façade with chocolate-colored frames around the windows. The design appeared to be a cross between a Neo-Romanian style and art deco, though he was relying entirely on Caius’ expertise in modern architecture for that assessment. The nephilim had mentioned something about it when they’d looked the hotel up online.
Bartol entered the warm lobby and took his cap off. As his eyes adjusted to the interior, his gaze froze on a woman standing a few paces away.
“It’s good to see you again,” she said, her voice every bit as sultry as he remembered.
The door clicked shut behind him. “What are you doing here?”
She sashayed toward him. Female nephilim were often more seductive than any other supernatural race, but the irony was this particular one didn’t intend to be that way. It was simply a part of her nature. They’d once been good friends until they’d allowed their relationship to become physical. Soon after that, they’d broken ties.
“Is that any way to greet a woman you haven’t seen in averylong time?” she asked, cocking her head.
“You’re looking well, Sofia.”
And he meant it. Her straight, chestnut hair was cut in a shoulder-length style that framed her heart-shaped face and highlighted her high cheekbones. Her skin was light olive, but it also had the slight golden tone that tinted all nephilim skin. She’d dressed simply in skinny jeans and a red knit sweater as well as a black jacket with a fur hood. Sofia’s eyes were her most stunning feature. Burnished gold like his, except her long lashes made her gaze far more seductive.
“I wish I could say the same of you,” she replied, wincing briefly at the burned side of his face. “I heard what happened.”
For the past couple of hours, Bartol had forgotten about his scars. During his walk, he’d taken advantage of his light beard, cap, and long hair to cover the worst of the burns. He’d also avoided meeting anyone’s gazes so as to not draw attention to himself. It had worked better than expected, allowing him to move about in peace. For a little while, he’d been incognito in a city full of diverse people.
But Sofia knew him, and the man he’d once been.
“I need to check into the hotel,” he said, gazing past her.
She held up a room key. “I took the liberty of doing that for you. You and your friends will have the best rooms in the place.”
Bartol ground his jaw. “While I appreciate that, I still don’t know why you’re here.”
“Lucas sent me. He told me what you’re doing and asked that I provide any assistance you may need.” She paused as a few tourists entered the building and waited for them to pass. “But perhaps we should discuss this upstairs.”
He glanced at the group of young men and women as they made their way toward the café. She was right that this wasn’t the place to talk, but he didn’t like the idea of being alone with her, either. Lucas no doubt had the best of intentions and couldn’t have known Bartol had a rocky past with Sofia. He’d have preferred to deal with the master of the region. But it was too late for that now, and he wasn’t about to turn her away when it would only reveal how weak and reclusive he’d become.
