chapter Eight
Revelations
Rhys and Doyle had covered what was once Baird but I was no closer to finding a solution for Seki. I hadn’t been crying which was surprising. My eyes had gone dry…or I had thought they had.
“Seki…how can I fix this?” I had pulled him onto my lap and I was touching his face. Teardrops fell onto his face before I had any clue that I was crying again. I went over what Baird had said in my head. The only one who can bring Seki back is himself…if he’s strong enough. What if he’s not strong enough?
I looked up as it hit me. “How do I get into his dream?” Doyle didn’t waste any time trying to protest.
“The only person who can walk in others dreams is Beacan.” I nodded and wiped my tears away as he spoke.
“Bring him.” He gave a small nod then disappeared out the door. Galen walked in shortly after with a smile but it was quickly wiped off his face.
“What…” I moved Seki off of me and stared at Baird’s remains. I turned my face back to Galen and started crying.
“I’m sorry Galen…I hadn’t meant to. I just…he hurt Seki…I…” Galen came over to me and hugged me tightly as I sobbed.
“Ori it’s alright. It’ll all be all right.” He shooshed my sobs and swayed slightly.
“What am I?” There was disgust in my voice I had never heard before. Galen didn’t answer he just gently shooshed me again.
Commotion brought our attention back to the door. Beacan and Doyle stood in the doorway and Beacan looked absolutely shocked.
I stood and went to Beacan. “I want you to put me in his dream.” He frowned at me, confused, then his face went blank.
“If I do this for you then I expect something in return.” I glanced back at Seki but I didn’t have to even wonder if he was worth it. He was worth it.
“What do you want?”
“I want to court you. That’s all I ask.” I gave a slight nod.
“Done, but I have a few conditions.”
“If I agree.” I moved closer to him, threatening him.
“You will agree if I order you too.” He swallowed audibly.
“Remember I’m the only one who can help you.” I smiled then a rather cruel smile.
“Yes but if you don’t you will pay and believe me it wont be fun or short.” He nodded. He was scared. Good, then he was finally beginning to understand. “First you will stay out of my way when I tell you and do as I tell you. Second don’t annoy me. Third you will respect the other men I will be with. At any time you cross me then you’re gone. Of course these rules will apply to the others as well but with you I’d will be extra careful. Do you agree to the terms?” He nodded then I moved toward Seki and knelt near him. “Then put me in his dream.” He moved toward us and put his fingertips on my temple and his other hand on Seki’s. My eyes fluttered and I fell against Seki’s chest. I heard someone yell out for me but I was already gone.
I opened my eyes only to find myself in a forest. I knew the place. It was a clearing in the forest on the opposite side of the mounds. Seki, Ceara and I used to go there when I was young. It was our favorite place. I walked to the tree stump that sat in the middle of it then turned, looking around.
I called out for Seki but got nothing. I kept calling out until it was answered.
“Could you stop yelling please!” I spun around to see Seki standing right behind me. I gasped and ended up sitting on the stump. “Who are you?” I looked at him wide eyed.
“I’m Ori, Seki don’t you recognize me?” He frowned and shook his head.
“You’re not Ori. That’s Ori.” He pointed over at the tree we used to sit in and watch the sunset. There I was sitting there like I didn’t have a care in the world. “That’s the Ori I know. That Ori never left me. That Ori loves me.” He called out to her and she blinked and looked at him. She smiled my wide smile that said ‘I’m unbelievably happy right now’. She jumped out of the tree in one graceful motion and headed toward Seki. She froze about half way to him and started to fade away.
“NO! Damnit! Every time she gets anywhere near me she fades.” I stood up and took his face in my hands forcing him to look at me.
“Seki, I’m right here. I’m that same girl.” He frowned again.
“No you’re not the same girl. My Ori would have never left me. She would have never withheld the fact that she was raped.” I shook my head about to say something but he faded away and the scene changed. Now I was standing in the Chamber but it was empty and it had obviously been used. Seki was sitting on the stairs. I walked toward him but stopped a few feet away. He looked up at me then away.
“Here, just tonight, I was given permission to finally love Orianna. Finally I could show her what I have been feeling for years but it was all taken away.” The scene changed again and we were in the hallway. I stood next to Seki and watched what I did only an hour before. I looked so evil with all the red. I watched as my evil self revealed my rape to everyone.
“No!” I cried out hoping that this time I could stop her from telling but it was pointless. The scene went back to the empty Chamber. He was back on the stairs.
“Why didn’t she tell me?” He scoffed. “She’s been with other men. Men in New York but I still love her. Why?” I froze. “I had always hoped that one day she’d come home and tell me that she couldn’t stay away from me. She’d be the woman I fell in love with.” I was shocked. Seki did love me and that shocked the hell out of me.
“Seki…why didn’t you tell me?” He frowned up at me. I moved to him, kneeling and put my hands on his.
“You are not Ori.” He pulled his hands away from mine so suddenly that I jumped up “You’re tainted.” I flinched again as if he had hit me and felt tears welling up in my eyes.
“Who are you to judge me after what I went through?” I spoke through my teeth letting him know that I was angry. He looked up at me surprised. “You don’t have any idea how I felt after that happened. The fear that you’d never love me, that you’d never be in love with me because another man had touched me, that you’d never return the feelings I felt because I had been tainted.” His jaw dropped and eyes widened.
“You…you’re in love with me?” I gave a harsh laugh.
“Wasn’t it obvious?” I knelt in front of him again. “Seki you’re stronger than this. Wake up from this dream.”
“I can’t.”
“Don’t say that! You can. Baird’s spell only works if this is a nightmare for you. You know the truth. You know that I love you and that I would share my heart and my bed with you if you would have it and that is real. You know that I’m waiting for you in the real world.” He touched my face and smiled sadly.
“You’ve always been stronger than me. I can’t go back Ori. I said awful things to you about courting you. You cried Ori and you never cry. I broke you heart and for that I don’t want to live. I don’t deserve your love.” I frowned at him showing that I was angry.
“If you don’t come back Seki I’ll never forgive you. If you stay here I’ll never forgive you.” I stood and grabbed his hand. “I’m going back Seki and you’re coming with me.” He hesitated, looking down then stood up facing me. He closed the distance between us with a kiss. I wrapped my arms around him and willed myself back to consciousness.
I opened my eyes and found that my face was still pressed against Seki’s chest. He took a deep breath that caused me to move so that I could see him. He lifted his head to look at me.
“Hey.” My voice was sleepy as I smiled up at him.
“Hey.” He smiled down at me sounding just as sleepy. I got up and leaned over his face.
“Don’t ever do that to me again.” He smiled up at me putting a hand on my face.
“Don’t worry I don’t intend to.” I smiled then leaned down and kissed him. It was just a brush of the lips but it sent my heart racing. I moved away and pushed my hair over my shoulders then stood up. Seki followed me. I swayed slightly but was caught by Beacan. I thanked him then went to stand by myself. I stood for what had to be about a second then my knees buckled and I spilled onto the floor. Black and gray spots played over my vision and I felt as light as a feather. Soon I’d be in my own little world and I was happy to go there. At least there I could sleep.
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I woke up screaming, sitting up in a bed, but I didn’t open my eyes. In my dream I was killing Baird over and over. I thought I was in hell. The reason I came to that conclusion is because hell is repitition and I just kept killing him over and over and over.
An arm grabbed me around the waist and another around my shoulders. Someone was whispering in another language and rocking me back and forth. I opened my eyes and saw Seki holding me. Beacan was sitting in the chair next to my bed he moved to me when he saw I was awake. Seki looked at him, glaring.
“Ori…I don’t know what you did to get Beacan to do what he did for you but I’m sure the price was too high.”
“I agreed to court him.” He looked down at me surprised.
“Ori…why? You can’t stand him.” I looked at Beacan.
“He was my only option.” Seki looked away from me.
“What’s wrong Seki? Don’t want to share?” Seki glared at Beacan.
“Not with you.” I pushed away from Seki and looked at them both.
“Stop it both of you. Beacan agreed to certain terms, Seki, and they apply to everyone I court.” Seki looked straight at me.
“And what were those conditions?” I almost was scared to tell him. He was making me feel awful about my choice.
“Stay out of my way, do as I say, don’t annoy me and respect the other men I court.” I emphasized on the respect part.
“Goddess Ori you might as well just sold your soul away to the devil.”
“You were in trouble Seki and I needed help and he was the only one who could help me.” He scoffed.
“You made the wrong choice.” I glared at him.
“I made the choice to save your life and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” He frowned.
“Why?”
“If you really need to ask that then you weren’t paying attention to me in the dream.” His face lightened up. He understood exactly what I meant.
“The mean things I said in that dream…I didn’t mean them. I said horrible things to you…I’m sorry. I said a lot of things I didn’t mean.” I touched his face.
“It doesn’t matter now.” He smiled at me but said nothing. He looked away making me believe he didn’t want to talk about it. I didn’t push any more. When he was ready we’d talk about what was said in the dream. Maybe when we were alone. Somehow I had this sneaking suspicion that he was going to deny his affections toward me and that, more than anything, frightened me.Chapter Seven: An Unwelcome Visitor
Copyrights: This is a fan fiction. All original characters from Laurell K. Hamilton's Fae series are hers and hers alone (too many to count sorry) this includes the Anita Blake series. All characters that weren't in her original series are MINE and I will kick any one's ass that steals them.