“Be good, chica. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Arron spoke softly as he kissed her hair.
“I promise.”
Layla hugged him harder, but as a knock came at Arron’s doors, they parted. It was Rikyava, still in her gown from the night coming to summon Arron and bundle him into a car that would take him to Adrian’s jet waiting at the airport. Rikyava’s lavender eyes met Layla’s as Arron welcomed the Guards in to fetch his suitcases and his new Amalia suits in their crystal bee-venom cases. As everyone exited the apartment, Arron drew Layla into one last hug, kissing her cheek.
And then he was gone, moving down the stairs with Rikyava’s Guards.
Layla heaved a sigh, then felt Rikyava looking at her and glanced over. Her heart surged, not feeling animosity towards her friend that she had found something good with Luke. Her emotions wide open tonight, Layla moved over, drawing Rikyava into a deep hug. As they held each other, Layla felt Rikyava relax her strong Swedish frame as Layla petted her long blonde hair.
“I thought you were pissed at me, girlfriend.” Rikyava spoke at last with her chin on Layla’s shoulder, as all the Guardsmen looked away, pretending to be interested in frescoes in the hall.
“I could never be pissed at you.” Layla laughed sadly, gripping her friend’s shoulders and shaking her a little as Layla pulled back. “I love you, Rikyava. I love Luke also. You two should be together, you might actually drive a little sense into him.”
“Fat chance.” Rikyava chuckled, her lavender eyes bright now as she set her hands to Layla’s shoulders also. Squeezing Layla, Rikyava gave her a little shake back. “You’re a hell of a woman, Layla Price. You’re a hard act to follow. I watched you in the battle at Chartres – you’ve come a long way from where you were, and your Dragon with it.”
“I’m not what Luke needs.” Layla spoke soberly, holding Rikyava’s gaze as she impressed her point. “You are. I saw how tender you were with him after he was hit with the Storm Queen’s energy in her test. I saw how you protected our friends as everything came crashing down inside the cathedral during the battle. Luke needs that in his life – protection and tenderness. Lord knows he and I were never able to be tender with each other. Things are better this way. You’re good for him; good for his life in a way I never was.”
“And your Bind?” Rikyava held Layla’s gaze intently, and Layla knew what she was asking.
“I don’t know.” Layla sighed. “Maybe Luke’s magic will help the Bind, but… he and I won’t be lovers. You can count on it.”
“Thanks.” Rikyava smiled softly. “Normally, I’m not against Dragon men having a few lovers, but in this case… I think it’s just weird. You Binding my boyfriend and all.”
“Yeah, weird is one way to put it.” Layla laughed sadly. “I need to go say goodbye to Luke. Do you mind giving us a moment before you fetch him down to the car?”
“Sure. Have at it, girl.” Rikyava gripped Layla’s shoulders with a smile, then let her go. Layla nodded, knowing she had Rikyava’s permission to see Luke alone, but still dreading it.
Drawing a deep breath, Layla faced Luke’s apartment as Rikyava moved a distance away with her Guards. Knocking on Luke’s door, Layla felt him move close, then throw the door wide. His green eyes were bright as he beckoned her in, and she saw he’d already changed back to jeans and a blazer for travel rather than wear his tux. As Luke shut the doors, Layla moved into his apartment, but didn’t sit. Turning to face him, they regarded each other as Layla felt the Bind move like a golden cord between their hearts.
“So what now?” Layla asked as she gazed into Luke’s vibrant green eyes and saw them shift with a flicker of lightning.
“I’m going back to Seattle.” He spoke quietly, as he curried a hand through his Irish-dark hair, mussing it. “Since I never used it in the battle, I asked Rhennic to modify his mother’s talisman for me, so her power could disguise my magic in the Human world. He did, and it works.” Extending his left hand, Luke showed Layla a cuff on his wrist made from the same opal lightning-stone as Château de Chambord. “It’ll look like plain ivory to anyone who doesn’t know, but it contains my magic so at least humans don’t feel anything, and can’t see my eyes flash.”
“What’s your plan?” Layla asked.
“Finish my grad studies, get my medical license.” Luke spoke, heaving a sigh with a slight frown. “Complete my initial ideas for my life and then we’ll see.”
“Sure.” Layla couldn’t fault him for his desires; Luke had always been a methodical creature to help control his blazing emotions, and routine helped. He was facing his Dragon now, but big change came slowly with Luke, and always had. He would hold to his routine until he figured out a better plan for his life – one that could account for the creature he was becoming.
“What about Rikyava?” Layla asked.
“She’s got a good talisman,” Luke spoke, holding Layla’s gaze. “She’s already come to visit me twice in Seattle. We’ll keep dating, but keep it on the DL.”
“Cool.” Layla nodded, her hunch confirmed that Luke and Rikyava’s relationship had been kindled prior to him visiting the Hotel. Rikyava’s welcome at the Hotel’s gates for Yule had been an act – neither of them wanting to spill their relationship in public yet. But as Layla stood with Luke now, awkwardness stretching at their imminent leave-taking, Layla knew there was something else she needed to atone for.
“Luke I… I want to apologize for Binding you.”
“Don’t, Layla.” He spoke quietly, holding her gaze with his intense green eyes. “I did what I wanted to do at the time. What I needed to. What we all needed me to do.”
“Still. I would release you, if I could. If I knew how.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.” Luke nodded, taking in her words as a sweet tension stretched between them. But as Layla watched him, seeing how well he was trying to take it that he was Bound to her now, she knew he didn’t want to be. She could feel it rioting all through him that he was trapped, that part of him would never be free of her, that he could never live his own life. Luke’s emotions were open to her now through their Bind, and she could feel his heart. He had done what he’d done in the moment because he loved her and always would love her, and the part of him that saved lives couldn’t have engaged the battle any other way.
But he didn’t want to be hers anymore – despite how much his Dragon felt like it should be.
“Luke…” Layla spoke suddenly with a slight frown. “Do you remember when you helped me overcome Reginald’s cold, in the tub?”
“Yeah?” He spoke, cocking his head and setting his hands to his hips. “What about it?”
