Tristan's Loins (28 page)

Tristan used his good arm to pull her close.
"Let us get through this night. I would show you how I feel."

They went back out on the deck. Tristan
claimed he burned his hand barbequing. They made it through the
fireworks. Tristan managed to have another beer with Sal and Axel,
and soon they slipped away.

Tristan showed her with his hands and his
mouth how much he adored her, bringing her to the heights of
passion several times that evening. Selene fell asleep in an
exhausted slumber at his side. Tristan stared up at the ceiling
when she fell asleep, his throbbing arm wrapped in a towel. A look
of anguish filled his gaze, but not because of the burns.

His hand reached out and slid over the slight
roundness that had developed where Selene's belly had once been
flat. She knew she carried his child and did not tell him, fearing
he would try to stay. The torment of knowing he left his child
behind eased somewhat knowing she would raise the boy or girl.

Any other woman would cry and bemoan raising
a child alone. His Selene refused to tell him, not wanting him to
feel guilt when he returned to her novel. She was very good at
putting his needs and others ahead of her own. She had not
considered herself at all.

The large ruby glowed slightly in the dark.
Tristan did not understand what lesson he was supposed to have
learned from the ring and it's power. He did not feel he had abused
it for any more than good intentions.

Stephen had to know the ring had power and
killed his father for it. Tristan did not know what else it could
do and did not want to know. Opening a doorway into another realm
was quite enough to tell him this ring was dangerous. He wondered
how his father could have wielded such a ring. Perhaps the secrets
of the ring could help him discover how he could return to Selene's
world. He faced his imminent departure with despair, but he
suspected he could return if what he thought was correct. Selene
must write their story. She promised, but what she would do when he
was gone remained to be seen.

His hand trembled as he slid it protectively
over her abdomen. He would be around to see his child. Selene was
wrong not to tell him. Did she think him an idiot? He knew how
babies were made. He had noticed the changes in her body before she
had. Tristan knew she was putting his feelings ahead of her own by
not telling him of their child. It angered him Selene continued to
put herself last. After months with her, he hoped she would realize
some sense of selfishness. Before his eyes closed, he uttered his
nightly prayer, adding his desire to be with his woman and child.
Whatever God chose to listen had to know it was all he wanted. This
life was where he belonged, not the imaginary one Selene
created.

Selene was pleased to see Axel and Tristan
had finally buried the hatchet the next day. Axel seemed quite
devoted to his date now, and she eyed Maggie hopefully as the men
went out front for Tristan's lessons with the motorcycle.

"So how are you and the coach doing?"

Maggie grinned and sighed. "There's something
to be said about older men."

"You like him?"

"What's not to like?" Maggie asked and fanned
herself dreamily. "He's got to be one of the best lover's I have
ever had. You lose, sister. He is all mine!"

Selene was delighted. "Watch out for his
daughters Maggie. Don't let them run you off. Axel deserves to be
happy."

"He said he's tired of being alone. Let us
hope he sets them both straight. You know I'm not good with teeny
boppers."

"Since you’ren't much older, I think you will
get along with them just fine."

Maggie smiled, her pretty face filled with
relief. "I was afraid you wouldn't be happy for us, with Tristan
leaving and all."

"I’m delighted. Axel and you make sense. He
and I are better as friends."

"Sal asked Darcy to marry him last night,"
her friend surprised her by confiding.

"What did she say?"

"What do you think she said, Selene? She
loves the guy. I know he looks like Meatloaf, but he loves her and
the kids."

Selene was happy for Darcy. "That's all that
matters."

"Are you going to be ok?" Maggie demanded and
reached out to grab her hand. "I know his leaving is tearing you
up."

Selene nodded and sat back in the patio
chair. "I'm ok, really. It's beyond our control. Tristan would stay
if he could."

"Where there's a will, there's a way," her
friend quoted, but it fell on deaf ears. Selene knew the will of
the ring would send Tristan back into the pages of her novel soon
enough.

Selene got up and decided to check out her
computer. The conflict in her novel was growing. She sat at the
computer chair, hearing voices finally. She tensed as she heard two
men talking in the room.

"I ask you to do one simple task, de Vigny!
And you fail at it! My nephew is gone, as well as the girl,"
Stephen de Montfort growled as he paced within the tower room, his
face filled with anger. He looked like an older version of Tristan,
only the lines around his mouth and eyes gave him a cruel cast. "He
must not wed the Severn heiress! I’ll have an army at my gates.
Edward of Severn sits upon the fence to see who comes out the
victor. King John sits upon his hands in this as well."

Lord de Vigny looked worried at Stephen's
words. "I did all I could to keep him here! You cannot say that I
failed in that! Somehow he had help. Even the girl! I cannot credit
how they both managed to escape my castle with his men locked in
the dungeons."

Stephen stared at his brother's former ally
with a look of distaste on his handsome face. "Because of your
inept bumbling, Tristan raises an army against me! You and Severn
have both been useless to me!"

"What will you do, Stephen?"

"I’ll not disappoint my nephew," he replied
grimly. "I’ll level his little keep and take his lovely bride. She
was mine! How dare that upstart take what is mine?"

"The Lady Rhiannon has little love for her
intended from what I have seen," de Vigny added and his beady dark
eyes glimmered with unease. "Her maid tells my staff how she curses
him daily. Perhaps all is not lost?"

Stephen contemplated his words with a frown.
"My spies tell me otherwise, de Vigny. They say she lusts for him
like a bitch in heat and all see it but him."

Lord de Vigny shrugged. "A woman's heart is
known to be fickle, my lord. She will go with whoever wins
Montfort, eh?"

Stephen stared out the window with a black
look. "I’ll win the day, the lady, and the ring, my friend."

Selene covered her mouth to keep her cry of
outrage from stemming forth. She watched Stephen walk from the
window and slam out of the chamber, de Vigny fast on his heels. The
two men were working together. Rhiannon's father had been one of
Stephen's lackey's as well. What the hell was going on with her
novel? It seemed to have a mind of its own now. The characters in
it were doing what they wanted now. Her pause in writing was
allowing for it, as well as the power of the ring. Tristan needed
to go back, and soon. She turned off the computer and winced to
think of the horrible burns on his arm. They seemed to travel, now
ending at his shoulder. There was no choice. He would be burned
alive should he stay.

The fireworks were brilliant that night. they
celebrated on the deck, not only their nation's birthday, but Sal
and Darcy's engagement. Sal had given her a ring from a gumball
machine until he could get back to town and buy her a proper one.
She waved the plastic one proudly, and her kids seemed
thrilled.

Selene watched their happiness with a touch
of envy as she stood with Tristan on the deck. He slid his arm
around her waist and watched the fireworks without his usual awed
expression. They would pack up and leave tomorrow after her friends
left. Selene had emailed Tess and the keys to her home were left in
one of her new neighbor's care. Movers were hired to get her things
from storage. All was in readiness, but Selene was not.

"You must write the book of us, Selene," he
said again.

"Why is this so important to you?" she asked
with tears in her gaze. "I lived it! To write it all down would be
to feel this miserable again, Tristan."

"You must! Selene, you promised me!"

"Fine! I’ll write about how awful my life is
without you!"

Tristan hugged her and seemed pleased she
relented to write the book. They entertained her friends until the
fireworks were over and Sal and Axel dispatched the beer. When the
couples and children went to bed, they sat alone on the deck. Daisy
lay whining at .Tristan's feet, a mournful sound that seemed to
relay how Selene felt. He had to go home, and she had to finish his
story

He looked at her with love in his gaze. "I’ll
hold you in my heart forever, my love. You must know that."

Selene did, but it did not help. For once,
she wanted the happy ending she only dreamed of and wrote about.
She hated Rhiannon now with a passion borne of envy. To think of
Tristan with the beautiful girl made her grit her teeth in
denial.

"I ask myself why I was given you," Selene
cried in anguish and looked away. "What lesson is there in knowing
love, only to lose it?"

"Selene, you do not lose anything," he
corrected her and reached out to grasp her hand, lifting it to his
lips. "Love does not fade. What I feel for you will not die because
I’m gone from your world."

Selene was comforted to know Tristan would
not suffer from his burns but one more day. He would open the
portal once they were back. Her lips trembled to think of his
passing through that doorway. The need to hold onto him now was
worse with the baby coming.

"I’ll never forget you, Tristan."

Selene was morose as they packed up their
things and she closed up the beach house. Daisy was with Tristan on
the beach before they left. She smiled as she thought of all her
lover had learned this last weekend. Sal had been impressed with
how quickly Tristan learned to ride his Harley. Selene had her
heart in her throat to watch him drive the thing. He looked like he
was born to ride as he went zipping down the beach road, showing
off for them.

As long as she lived, she would never forget
these moments. She packed up the leftover food in the kitchen and
put it in her trunk. The computer was packed there as well. She
woke early, glad to see nothing else was conspired in Tristan's
chamber. He would return there, she knew. Tristan said the portal
would return him to the room. There was no help for that. She
planned on typing in enough weapons and supplies to get him out of
there and back to Raven's Keep.

Selene had several weeks until school was
back in session and knew she could finish the book beforehand. She
had also made other decisions. This would be her last year at Grand
Blanc Elementary. After giving it a lot of thought, she decided to
devote her time to raising their child and writing. If her father
returned from China, he would be pleased to know she was following
her dreams and goals finally.

Loving Tristan had taught her some invaluable
lessons about herself and her life. She had not been happy, long
before Jim filed for divorce. Teaching was not her passion, but
writing. It was the one thing her and Tristan did not argue of. He
was determined she write the story of them. It seemed an ideal time
to do it while she waited for their child to be born. She was not
eager to relive the pain of losing him, but the project was
starting to pull at her.

"Are you ready?" he said as he joined her,
Daisy now leashed.

"As ready as I’ll ever be," she retorted
softly, her golden eyes brimming with sadness.

"Do not look at me like that, Selene."

"I can't help it."

"Come, let us go," he said as he opened the
door and let Daisy into the backseat. "I suspect this drive back
will be a long one."

Tristan's prediction came true in the form of
traffic. Selene was annoyed as it seemed to turn into a parking lot
on I 75 southbound. She was relieved when they finally neared home.
they stopped along the way to relieve Daisy and get an ice-cream
cone. Tristan adored chocolate chip ice cream. Selene watched him
eat the cone and felt tears building. She promised herself she
would not be a clinging vine, but the urge to tackle him and keep
him from going was strong.

Selene found her new neighbor was out in his
yard when they arrived. The older man ran the key over and
introduced himself. Selene was grateful when Mr. Bates finally went
home. The man's chattiness seemed to drag on forever. The movers
had already come and went. She was grateful her bed was at least
set up when they went in. The furniture was in place, but the bins
were all stacked neatly in each room they belonged in. Selene had
little desire to unpack. Daisy was getting to know her new backyard
as she and Tristan trudged upstairs to their room. she made the bed
and adjusted the air conditioning. The house was stuffy. She was
unpacking her master bath when the phone rang. She pulled her cell
out of her pocket and grew excited to see it was her father.

"Dad! It's so good to hear your voice,"
Selene breathed. "When are you coming home?"

He chuckled on the other end. "I booked a
flight that leaves the day after tomorrow. I called to see if you
can pick me up at the airport."

Selene got his flight information, relieved
her father had come to his senses and was coming home. She needed a
grandfather for her child. She hung up with the greatest sense of
relief to know his heart was more stubborn than he was. She
finished unpacking her bathroom stuff and made up the bed. The
house was finally cooling off and she thought about dinner. Tristan
insisted upon pizza. They sat eating pizza as it grew dark. He
looked at her with a pleased expression.