Found: A Sage Hollins Novel

CHAPTER TEN

I needed her. It was more than the mate bond, more than my desire to have her in bed. She made me feel whole again, she made me happy. Being around her created a peace within me that I had not felt in a long time...that I had never felt. 

Feeling her hand hold mine, watching her eyes gaze over me as if I were something precious...my heart was full. Every day I went on without her I felt as if I were suffocating. 

"I am falling in love with you, Sage..." I whispered it to her, but I wasn't sure she had heard me. We were still out at the park, where we had been for hours, and she had dozed off with her head in my lap. Laying there with her crimson hair splayed out behind her, her freckled face completely relaxed in her slumber...I'd never seen anybody so beautiful.

She told me all about school, and her struggles with algebra. Blech! Another subject I utterly hated. I told her about Lor, who was very good at algebra. She became giddy and told me she couldn't wait to introduce me to her best friend, Millie- who, as she lovingly described as the short girl with auburn ringlets, glasses and overalls. Millie loved history but so did Sage, so she suggested it could be a 'study group' to 'get to know each other'. If Millie was important to her, then I couldn't oppose.

I told her about my father, as much as I hated to do so. But she wanted to know, and I couldn't deny her a thing. I told her about Wren, and her evil daughters. I was even honest with her about my former relationship with Kindra. I could tell that this made her very uncomfortable as her entire body went rigid- and the mate bond made it clear that my beloved was wracked with jealousy. I couldn't help but grin a little bit- to which she had responded by ending the conversation with kisses that could drive any man mad. 

The wind blew and I felt her shiver in my arms. It was getting late, and the sun had already set. As much as I wanted the evening to go on forever, I knew I couldn't keep her out in the cold lake air. Faeries were pretty resilient in most weather, but my girl was not entirely fae and I had no idea if she could handle the steadily dropping temperature. I leaned down and nuzzled her cheeks with my lips, before murmuring for her to wake up. 

"Sweetheart...it's getting late. I better be getting you home." I tucked a wild strand of red hair behind her ear. She slowly opened her emerald eyes and my heart did a little 'pitter patter'. Gorgeous.

"Mmmmm" she sat up and stretched, "but I was having the best dream..." she gave me a mischievous wink. My body was struck with awareness. It hadn't occurred to me that she would be having those dreams...right there in my arms. 

After a moment of mustering my control, I choked out, "That may be..." I cleared my throat, it was suddenly very dry, "But I fear your mother will actually murder me if I don't get you home."

She stood and pulled her hair up into a long ponytail, shrugging. 

"Well that's the thing..." she looked away, "She uh- she doesn't know I'm with you."

I looked at her, baffled, "What do you mean?"

Suddenly, she was hopping around, wagging her hands in front of her like a toddler afraid to tell a secret.

"I uh- I sort of told her I went to Millie's for the night." she clamored the words out. 

I felt my forehead pinch together as she looked at me through her fingers- she had plastered her hands over her face. 

"Okay, so I suppose I should get you to Millie's. Where does she live?" I began to stand and she turned away from me again. 

"Well," she paused, "you see...Millie's busy tonight. She's got this relative in from California or something."

There was a deafening silence as I tried to comprehend what she was getting at. When I didn't answer, she dropped her hands to her sides and her voice grew damn near sad. 

"Well, I thought we would spend the night together. I hope I didn't jump the gun." 

Another silence as I fought to keep control. The realizations coursing through me were almost unbearable. 

"If you don't want to I can just go ho-" I shut her up with my mouth on hers. 

Her arms wrapped around my neck and I felt her press her body against mine. The ponytail she had just secured was pointless- I pulled it out and raked my fingers through her long, beautiful hair. I could feel her heart racing through her chest, the warmth coming off of her was pushing me to new heights. 

I lifted her up and her legs locked around me as I pressed her between me and a walnut tree. She giggled as a walnut fell and nearly hit us. The sound of her laughter could fuel my deepest fantasies. My tongue traced a trail down to the curve of her neck, and my dear Sage moaned submissively. 

"Wait..." she whispered tilting her head to the side as she let me adventure to her collarbone. I pulled away, begrudgingly.

"Yes, my Queen?" there was a glow of ecstasy around her. I could feel her desire but she was also very hesitant.    

"I-I should tell you..." she averted her eyes from me, shy, "I'm not as experienced as you. I'm not experienced at all...you were my first kiss and well..."

My heart squeezed. I had never considered that she would be a virgin. She was drop dead gorgeous and I thought she must've had boyfriends in the past, how anybody could resist her was beyond me. Her comments from before had briefly come into my head- how she didn't act like other teens our age, she didn't have the same interests, and now suddenly everything was different. I suddenly felt possessive, though I knew she was no object and s*x would always be her choice. I  could never ever put her through what my Mother went through. And yet, there was a blistering satisfaction in the idea of being her first, of being her only.

I leaned to the side she had turned her head and kissed her again, my thumb grazing the exposed skin between her jeans and her sweater. It was a notion to comfort, and I hoped she had read it that way. 

"Do you want this?" I asked, quietly. 

Now she looked at me again, her eyes blazing. 

"So badly...but not here..." she was still whispering, and I knew she was feeling very vulnerable. 

"Let's go." I kissed her nose and slid her gently back to her feet. 

She was quiet the entire drive to the hotel, making it hard to read her. It was as if she were learning to shield her emotions from me, something I wasn't sure I was fond of. I reached over and took her hand, which had been picking nervously at the hem of her sweater sleeve. 

"Hey, what is it?" I asked, trying to keep my eyes on the road. 

There was a long awkward pause before she answered, "I don't know...it's different when we are in the moment. I have no hesitation, I'm ready. But being in the car and knowing we're driving to end my 18 year virginity...I don't know I guess it's just weird."

I gave her a soft smile, though she probably couldn't see it in the dark, "We don't have to have s*x. If you're not ready. I won't make you. We can just spend the night together." 

Her other hand landed on top of mine, "We will see." 

                                                                                        SAGE

We pulled into the parking lot of a beautiful hotel, that damn near looked like a castle. I tried to hide my disappointment and confusion, but my companion was a lot more insightful than I gave him credit for.

"Is it not to your liking? We can go somewhere else...?" he suggested. 

I shook my head, "No, no. It's not that. I just thought we were going to your house." 

I began unbuckling and I saw he took pause to consider his response. 

"I can't take you there, not now." his voice was grim.

"Why?" 

"Let's go in, we can talk about it after we get settled in." he was out of the car and at my door in a flash, holding it open for me. 

Shock made my head spin, "Woah, you're fast." 

He gave me a smirk, "That's a faery thing. You might be fast too."

I shook my head, "Probably not...I think I'd know if I had speed like that."

Reid shrugged, "Maybe, or maybe not. You've only known yourself to be human your whole life. Maybe you weren't testing your abilities beyond what you thought was normal." 

I hadn't considered that.

He led me inside and we approached the front desk- an ornate thing covered in elaborate carvings. 

The girl that stood there looked at us, confused. 

"Hi there, welcome to the Grand Corantina. What can I do for you?" She was young, maybe her early twenties. She had huge curly black hair that shone in the light of the chandelier above her. Her olive skin was beautiful, and I couldn't help but admire her. 

"We're checking in." Reid responded firmly. 

Her brown eyes narrowed, "Do you have some ID? You have to be 21 to check in without someone of age. Due to the mini bars in the rooms." 

Reid  pulled out his wallet and handed the girl his ID. Then he leaned on his arm on the counter and looked her in her eyes. He voice was low and smooth, almost hypnotic as he answered her,

"As you can see, Julia, my fiancée and I are both 24 years old. We will be taking the best available suite you have. We paid in advance, we had a reservation. You checked your roster, we paid for the all-you-can-order room service as well. We're here on our pre-wedding honeymoon, so you will remind house keeping to give us privacy unless we call for them."

'Julia's' eyes were saucers as she nodded, "Yes, I do see that, Mr. Carter. Let me go get your room key." and she turned on her heels and stepped through a set of double doors.

My jaw was gaping, "What-what just happened? How did you know that we would be getting a room? Did you call ahead? She thinks we're engaged? I'm so- what!?" 

He chuckled, "I didn't call ahead. I simply convinced her it was the truth. See, look for yourself." 

He showed me his driver's license, which clearly stated he was 18. I didn't understand. Clearly my face gave me away.

"We're fae. We have abilities. I'm sure your mother told you about compulsion?"

I shook my head, "So what? You're like a vampire? With the speed and the mind control and the living forever thing."

"No, no. We can't erase memories, or control the emotions of others. Simply convince them that what they're hearing is the truth, or not the truth. I just told her what she needed to hear so we could get a room." he said matter-of-factly.

"But you're a prince. Why can't you actually pay for the room? Isn't this stealing?" I asked, nervously. 

"I can't...I'd have to use my credit card. My father would know where we are. I've told him I'm at Lor's, I don't want to give him reason to send his men out looking for me."

I simply couldn't understand. 

Just then, Julia came back out with a set of double keys. "Here you are Mr. and future Mrs. Carter," she gave me a wink, "There's a key for each of you. You are in room 329, on the top floor. Please do not hesitate to call the front desk if you need anything at all." 

I gave her a gentle smile and followed Reid to the elevator across the grand foyer.