"Ahh." Amelia had a feeling there was more to the story, but was too nervous about confronting her mate to learn about bear shifters.
Ryuu stopped in front of large door. Amelia turned to him. "Could you take this?" she handed him her large tote bag and coat.
Smiling, he gently took them from her. "If it is permissible, I could arrange for someone to get your vehicle."
"That would be great. I left it parked on the side of the road leading up to the estate. The keys are in my coat pocket."
"Remember, we're just downstairs if you need us." He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder before he turned and walked back to the stairs.
Amelia took a deep breath. She didn't bother knocking and turned the handle. Finding it unlocked, she walked right in and stopped. Darian stood in the middle of the room, a towel wrapped low around his waist. He hadn't noticed she had opened the door yet, since he was using a smaller towel to dry his long hair. She felt electricity race through her body.
Bad hormones!
It was only after she tore her eyes away from her mate's mesmerizing form did she notice his room. She had to cut herself some slack. The only reason she hadn't seen the jungle in front of her was because her mate was practically naked.
Everywhere she turned, live plants bloomed and seemed to sway with their own magic. She felt like she had stepped into a dense forest instead of a bedroom. Vines climbed the walls and cradled a large four-poster bed. The furniture was made from the plants themselves, and she could have sworn she heard live birds. When she looked up, she was shocked to see a canopy of treetops and open sky beyond that. She couldn't even fathom the amount of magic it had taken to create this paradise.
She shook her head to break free of the magic that sustained his oasis and steeled herself to face her mate. She shut the door behind her. His head whipped in her direction, and he immediately scowled. "Get out."
"No. I want to know why you are denying that I am your mate." She crossed her arms over her chest.
"Because you're not." He shook out his hair.
"I am your mate. I dreamt of you."
He shook his head. "That's just a byproduct of the council spell gone wrong," he argued.
"I dreamt of you before they cast that spell. I first dreamt of you when I was six years old," she whispered softly.
He turned, and for a moment, he had gentle look on his face, exactly like her prince from her dream. Quickly, his features changed into a mocking expression, his lips turned up in a sneer. "I think I would remember dreaming of my own mate."
"Evidently not," she rebutted.
He turned his back to her. "Just go. Even if you are my mate, it's too late for me now." He walked over to the bed and picked up the pair of grey slacks that had been laid out. He glowered at her. "Do you mind?"
"No, I don't mind," she grinned at him. He shrugged and dropped both towels.
"Oh. My. Goddess," she gasped. She had grown up with three brothers and had spent more time at the training field at Storm Keep than was probably healthy for a small child. She had seen the unit warriors in various states of undress, but those brief stolen glimpses were nothing compared to the side view of her mate's sculpted back and firm ass. It felt like her heart would beat out of her chest as his manhood seemed to be playing a torturous version of peekaboo with her as he turned and lifted his legs getting dressed. His golden skin was flawless and was just begging to be touched. Just when she was about to throw dignity out the window and jump the man, she heard a masculine chuckle.
"What?" she demanded, her voice cracking.
"You amuse me; that's a rare thing nowadays. We could have some fun before you leave the city." He pulled on a royal blue sweater and turned to face her.
She stuck her nose in the air. "As if I'd cheapen our mating with a booty call."
His eyes hardened. "It wouldn't be a booty call. It would be a pity fuck."
She felt tears spring to her eyes. Clearing her mind, she stared at his chest. Slowly, she envisioned the mental trunk that housed her gift opening.
Her power caught her off guard and flared out of control. She quickly reined in her abilities and focused on her mate.
He frowned. "What are you doing?" He rubbed his hands up and down his arms.
She had always been able to feel other's emotions. She was the only one in her family who was an empath. Growing up, she had hated it, but now she was counting on it to show her what her mate was really feeling.
She was bombarded by the swirling depths of anger, but they weren't directed at her. He was filled with self-loathing. He hated himself for his words, for deliberately hurting her. But deeper down, past the anger, was an overwhelming, urgent sense of fear. He was drowning in an ocean of dread. He honestly felt that he was beyond redemption and would do anything to keep her away from him, even break her heart.