Chapter Thirty Six – Destiny

Mia's eyes slowly fluttered open and the first thing she saw was the white ceiling above her. The pain in her head made her shut her eyes again, hoping to dull the migrane headache. As she moved her forearm to cover her face she was made aware that every cell in her body hurt as well. But she was alive and very thankful for that.

"You're awake", the man lying next to her spoke softly. "How do you feel?" His soulful chocolate eyes washed over her with concern.

Mia turned her head shocked that someone was next to her. Her gaze washed over the man, and she couldn't help noticing his every feature from his thick velvety eyelashes to his creamy mocha colored skin. His thin muscular build was enhanced by the fitted shirt he wore.

"You were in the alley last night", Mia whispered as she recognized him as the Lycan she'd seen just before she went into the house with Thiago. She wanted to say more, but held back for the moment due to the discomfort of her parched throat.

"That was a few nights ago." He ran his hand tenderly over her forehead combing through her hair with his fingers. "You've been unconscious for some time now."

"What happened?" Mia asked as she took a moment to gauge her surroundings. She was in a bedroom with two exits, a door and a window. Faint sunlight filtered through the blinds and she knew it instinctively it was sunset. Another glance around revealed they were alone in the room, but there were other Lycans nearby. She also noticed that the contents of her bag were spread out along the dresser.

"I was hoping you could tell me", he smiled at her. "I went back to check on you and the entire house was on fire."

"You went through my things."

"Yes I did." He combed through her hair again. "And you are a very mysterious woman. I was hoping you might answer a few questions for me."

"Such as?" Mia's eyebrows raised.

"Your name." His voice was oddly comforting. Mia knew she should keep her mouth shut and get the hell out of this situation. But there was something about him that put her at ease.

"I'm Samia" She found herself unwisely telling him her real name.

"Samia" he repeated.

"And you are?"

"My name is Na'ahkul" , he smiled warmly and extended his hand. "it's a pleasure to meet you."

***

"Full house" Skylar set the cards down so Jacob could see them. He smiled as he put down his own hand. "A pair of fives", Skylar snorted and took the entire pile of peanuts that sat in front of her.

"Where did you learn to play cards like that?" He asked

"I was born playing Texas Hold 'em" Skylar replied watching as he grinned back at her. Jacob certainly had a great smile. "In all honesty, I'm a bit accident prone." She confessed. "When I'm laid up I need something to do that doesn't involve much physical activity. So I play cards."

"So you're a clutz." Jacob smiled again. "My best friend used to be so clumsy. I mean that girl couldn't walk ten steps without tripping over something. You should have seen her try to ride a dirt bike" He started laughing at the memory.

"I said accident prone, not clumsy" Skylar threw a handful of peanuts at him making him laugh even harder.

"So clumsy isn't the politically correct term?" Jacob picked up the stray peanuts and began flinging them back at her.

"I'm talking real accidents" Skylar easily dodged the nuts. "Planes, trains, cars. boats."

"Well I guess I know who NOT to travel with" Jacob teased her.

"HA. HA" Skylar handed him the bowl filled with peanuts. "You should eat. It will help you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow" Jacob replied as he happily accepted the food. "Is there anyway to get a re-trial or something?"

****

"So tell me Samia, how did you acquire a bounty hunter's blade?" Na'ahkul asked as he rubbed the salve over the burns on her bare back.

"I inherited it." Mia replied as she silently cursed herself for not thinking of a cover story. She let herself get too distracted by the way his hands ran over her skin. It was almost as if he'd done this before.

"So the blade is yours?" Na'ahkul moved in front of her until they were eye to eye. "But how can that be? The Lycan blades are held by Thomas and Josette. Has something happened to one of them?"

"As far as I know they are both fine." Mia replied hesitantly fully aware where this conversation was going. Na'ahkul was only inches away from her waiting for her to continue. There were a million reasons why she shouldn't say anything more. She knew better than to compromise her identity to someone she barely knew. She knew better than to tell anyone, especially another Lycan what she was.

"You aren't Lycan are you?" he asked. It would explain why she wasn't healing properly and why she'd been unconscious for days. But it also didn't make sense. She carried the right scent and she'd rumbled back to him.

"The blade is not a Lycan blade" Mia confessed, wincing inside at the amount of knowledge Na'ahkul was gaining over her. All she knew about him was his name – and there was a good chance it wasn't his real name.

Na'ahkul stared at her in amazement. "Which blade is it?" His heart thudded in his chest as he waited for her answer. She remained silent. Her eyes darted from side to side as though she was planning to escape. He couldn't let her leave now. He had to know.

"You can trust me, Samia." He took her hand in his own. "I realize how that must sound, but it's true. No matter how you answer, you will be safe with me. I swear to it."

Mia stared back at him. They were just words, probably untruths. In her line of work, beings would say just about anything to find out what they wanted to know. Why did she want to believe him? Her mind screamed at her to lie. But there was something stronger than her mind leading her right now. A feeling she couldn't quite explain. It was what a human would call a gut instinct, but it wasn't coming from her human side. It was coming from the Lycan side of her, the side that she fought so hard to repress. She clenched his hand and told him the truth.

"It's a Magic blade"

She waited for him to pull away, say something condescending or threaten to tell Harper. But he did none of those things. He simply stared at her in wonder.

Na'ahkul took a shallow breath. The Magic blade. Could it be true? All the times he and Rakeesh had argued over this possibility. And here she was, living proof that he was right all along. Despite Harpers best attempts to distance their species from Magic and to destroy anyone who dared to pollute the bloodline - Hybrids DID exist.

"Rakeesh!" Na'ahkul yelled loudly.

"Please don't tell anyone else" Mia dug her nails into his hand. "PLEASE"

"You can trust him" Na'ahkul told her. "I do. I trust him with my life"

"Na'ahkul, please" Mia begged. "I trusted you. Don't make me regret it."

He smiled sadly at her. As much as he wanted to tell Rakeesh and gloat about his discovery, her trust was more important than his bragging rights. "You will have no regrets"

The old man entered the room. "I see she's finally awake" he said blandly.

"Yes she is" Na'ahkul replied. "Rakeesh, this is Samia." Rakeesh's gaze narrowed as he looked at the woman on the bed.

"Is that so?" Rakeesh's expression remained unchanged as he looked at her. "Then I suppose Samia wouldn't mind answering a few questions for us."

****

Kennard watched the interaction between Skylar and Jacob with professional scrutiny. While he didn't want to make any assumptions about either of them, it was quite clear they were flirting with each other.

"Why?" He asked out loud.

Lashly traveled often, leaving his wife home alone for weeks at a time. Skylar had every opportunity to stray. But she hadn't done anything of the sort. Her loyalty to her husband was admirable, especially since none of the other hunting team wives shared her devotion.

So why now? Why with a prisoner?

Kennard looked at Jacob's file again. It contained no useful information.

He thought back to his conversation with Noel. Keep an eye on Skylar. I think she might try to go into his cell. The statement seemed strange at the time. But now he wasn't so sure. He focused on the monitor again. The two of them were sitting there facing each other, laughing at something.

The laughter quieted down and Skylar moved closer to the cell.

"Jacob" she said in a low voice. "Do you believe in destiny?"

****

"I'm not being elusive" Mia defended herself. "I'd just like to know a little about you and Na'ahkul. I think it's only fair. You can't expect someone to just blurt out their life story to a stranger." She told the old man acutely.

"Even a stranger who saved their life?" Rakeesh countered.

"Yes." Her voice was cold. The connection she felt with Na'ahkul she not feel with this man, and she wasn't going to tell him anything.

"Alright, Samia what would you like to know?" Na'ahkul asked as he sat cross legged on the bed facing her. As he leaned back on his hands his shirt came open at the top exposing a modest amount of chest hair in addition to a well defined pectoral region.

Mia struggled not to stare. She forced her eyes upward to his face. "What were you doing with a warlock?" she asked him.

"I had something to discuss with him." He answered vaguely. Mia caught the slight waiver of his upper lip. He was lying..

"Are you thirsty?" he changed the topic quickly. "Or hungry? Perhaps we could talk more over a meal?"

"What are you hiding?" Mia asked.

"Nothing" He shrugged trying to look away. There was something about her that intrigued him. Something more than just the magic. He knew if he chanced to meet her gaze again, he'd spill every last detail about the Rebellion. So he slid away from her toward the other room and kept his eyes on the floor. He walked quickly to the doorway when she called out to him.

"Na'ahkul"

"Yes" he replied without turning around.

"I could use some clothes"

He smiled to himself. Saving her life hadn't been a mistake like his mentor had thought. In fact it was the best thing that could have happened to him.

****

"Do you believe in destiny?"

It was a simple question. All he had to do was say 'yes' or 'no'. For some reason Jacob couldn't bear to look at her. He had limited experience with girls – er, women. His body was telling him one thing, his heart another and his mind kept swaying back and forth between the two. He felt he was in the old cartoons with and angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other.

If he told her 'yes' what would happen? Would SOMETHING happen? But she was married – and even more important he was imprinted. He couldn't love anyone else except Nessie. But there was no denying the chemical attraction. From the first moment when she touched him it was there. Maybe it was just because they were the same species. But he never felt this way around Leah or either of the other females that he'd seen here. It was just Skylar. And tonight it had gotten especially bad. He knew perfectly well how he'd been acting. He couldn't help it. It was like this unseen force pulling him toward her. And he felt it all the way to his groin. Despite knowing that it was completely wrong to want something more from her, he almost wanted to tell her yes. But that little angel kept him from saying anything. The little voice that whispered Nessie in his ear made him refrain from answering.

No. He had to tell her 'no', even if it meant hurting her feelings. Maybe she would understand. She had a husband after all, so she had to have some idea of what it's like to love someone. To feel completed when you're with them. But didn't he feel that way now. He didn't want her to leave him, especially if she left because she was upset. He didn't want to be all alone in this cell. He wanted her company. But this was all wrong. He had to say no, what other choice did he have?

It would just be one night.

No. I can't.

He tried to stop the thoughts.

Nessie. Nessie. Nessie.

"Skylar", he spoke her name hesitantly as he summoned the courage to look at her face.

As she tilted her head, a lock of hair fell across her face covering an eye. She reached out and touched her fingertips to his.

"It's ok if you don't", her hand gently brushed over his. The warmth in her touch spread up his arm. "I believe enough for both of us."

Thanks to everyone. Your reviews mean the world to me.

Gemma