Strands of Love

Chapter Fifteen

Darian was a man torn between two worlds, between the people he loved the most in the world—his brother and Sam. He stood on the back porch and watched the sun rise and push back the darkness. The stars slipped away and dawn was ushered in.

Today was the day. The tapestry would come and choices would have to be made.

How could he choose?

Sighing, he raked his fingers through his hair. There were no easy answers. If he stayed with Sam he’d never see his brother or mother again. If he went home with Jace he’d never see Sam again.

He swept up his sword and stalked to the center of the yard. Training always calmed and centered him. He set his bare feet on the warm dirt and began a series of movements, exercises designed to strengthen his body and his skills. Darian easily fell into the rhythm of moving body and weapon together. It was familiar. Comforting.

The early morning sun soon had him sweating, but he didn’t mind. He was becoming accustomed to the heat, just as he had become accustomed to having Sam in his bed.

None of them had slept much last night. After Sam had given him a taste of heaven with her mouth, they’d taken turns making love to her again and again until she’d fallen into a fitful sleep. A twinge of guilt made him wince. They’d been all over her and she’d likely be sore today. Desperation had ridden him even as he’d ridden Sam.

To his amazement, his cock stirred. After last night he’d figured the organ wouldn’t even twitch for several days. But all it took was a thought of Sam.

Darian ignored the physical discomfort and focused on the moves of the exercises until all else slipped away. The blade cut through the air as his body sinuously twisted and turned. His movements started slow, but soon picked up speed. He kept his breathing even and deep. The exercises were as much about mental control as they were about physical development.

He felt the ripple in the air, the way every cell of his body seemed to come to attention, and knew Sam had stepped outside. He lowered his weapon and turned to face her.

“Wow, that’s incredible.”

Darian inclined his head. “Thank you. We’ve both trained since we were children.”

Several beads of sweat rolled down his chest and his fingers gripped the handle of his sword. He wished there was a foe to fight and vanquish. That would be easy. It was impossible to fight Sam’s memories and a lifetime of family expectations. He should know. He was battling with his own.

He strode toward Sam, admiring the way she looked with her dark hair pulled back in the familiar loose braid. She was wearing pants and a shirt that clung to her breasts. Her skin smelled fresh, like soap and sunshine. He leaned down and nuzzled her neck, inhaling deeply.

Sam laughed, but it was tinged with nervousness. Darian pulled back and caught her chin with his hand. “What is it?”

She shrugged. “I’m worried about today.” Sam nibbled on her bottom lip and Darian groaned. All his peace and calm fled in an instant, replaced by lust and a tenderness that nearly dropped him to his knees.

He kissed her, not with passion, but with love. Gently, he laved her abused bottom lip before deepening the caress. Other than his hand on her chin the only place they touched were their mouths, yet Darian’s body was on fire.

It would always be this way. He knew it to the depths of his soul and accepted it.

When he released her and stepped back, he’d made his decision. “I will stay with you.”

Sam’s mouth dropped open. He could tell his pronouncement stunned her. Did she think they would both leave her here alone? Or perhaps she didn’t want him here. She might as well run his sword through his heart if that was the case.

“Do you not want me to stay?” He squared his shoulders and watched her face. Confusion and hope warred there, but both were chased away by a deep sadness.

Sam wrapped her arms around herself and shook her head. “As much as I want you to stay I can’t let you.”

Now he was confused. “Why not?”

Sam didn’t know how much more she could take before she collapsed in a heap of tears and regret. Her body ached from their sexual play last night. Both men had been insatiable, taking her again and again. She was sore, but she didn’t regret last night. No woman could have felt more wanted and cared for then she did.

Emotionally, she was a wreck. She’d left Jace in bed and come downstairs to find Darian. What a sight he’d made, wearing only his leather pants and the familiar bands on his arms, as he’d trained with his sword. Swinging the weapon as though it was as light as a feather, he’d moved through a series of intricate movements that reminded her somewhat of martial arts stances. It was a mesmerizing, deadly display of raw power and very, very hot.

Sam had settled herself to the fact that both men were leaving today and now Darian had thrown this latest revelation at her. “Because, you can’t.” Great, that was totally articulate. She sighed and shook her head. “You can’t do that to your mother.” No way was she being responsible for breaking up a family.

She’d give anything to have her family back. A deep well of pain and emptiness filled her. She desperately wanted a family and he was willing to give his up.

Darian returned his sword to its protective sheath and propped it against the porch railing. “My mother will understand and she will have Jace. If I leave, you will be all alone.”

His words sliced through her like a blade. Alone, as she’d been all these months.

The door opened behind her and Jace joined them. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, snuggling against her from behind. She leaned against his strength even as she berated herself for doing so. She couldn’t get used to depending on either of them.

“What is wrong?” Jace’s deep voice rumbled through her. She loved the sound of it, the deepness, the hint of command.

“Nothing,” she replied.

“I told her I was staying,” Darian said at the same time.

Jace tensed behind her but then he relaxed. “I expected as much.”

She whirled in his arms and shoved against his chest until he backed up a step. Like his brother, Jace was naked except for his leather pants, which hung low on his hips. His hair fell around his shoulders with the familiar skinny braids on either side. A lot of men would have looked awkward or even feminine wearing two braids in their hair. Not Jace. If anything it accentuated the sheer masculinity of his face.

“He can’t stay. I already told him that.” Why wouldn’t either of them listen to her?

Jace frowned. “You do not wish him to stay?”

“What is wrong with you?” She drilled her index finger against his chest. “He’s your brother. Don’t you want him to come home with you?”

Sadness suffused his face. “I want one of us to be happy.”

The implication that he didn’t want to leave her almost sent her to her knees. This situation was getting worse by the second. Sam spun away and walked to the edge of the porch.

She stared out over the familiar landscape, not really seeing it.

“Sam.” She ignored Darian and continued to stare at the sky. For the first time, she noticed the clouds building on the horizon. Rain. It would be a godsend to all the farmers in the area. A healthy crop would allow her to pay off her existing loan and maybe even give her some breathing space to try some of her experimental crops. If not, she could put that off for yet another year. But the farm would survive. She would survive.

Why wasn’t she happier about that? It was what she wanted.

Dust flew in the distance. “What now?” she muttered. She hadn’t even had a cup of coffee yet.

The familiar truck came into view. She should have known Tim wouldn’t stay away today. She turned and found both Darian and Jace watching her intently. “We’ll talk about this later.”

Jace’s features hardened while Darian’s filled with sadness. “There is no later, Sam. Today is the day.”

But it hadn’t happened yet. The tapestry hadn’t appeared. Maybe it wouldn’t, and all this worry would be for nothing. Of course, if it didn’t come, she’d be worried about their mother and the people of Hunter Keep.

Sam hurried down the steps to greet Tim, needing a familiar face, one from her past, from her world. “Morning, Tim.”

He swept her into his arms, hugging her tight. As she always did, she returned his embrace and soaked in his caring, his love.

Tim released her and brushed a stray lock of hair off her forehead. “You okay, little girl?” His gaze shot to the two men standing on her porch. “Everything okay?”

“Oh, Tim. What am I going to do?”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and turned her toward the house. “Whatever you want to. It’s your choice, Sam.”

Her choice. The words struck her hard. In her entire life, had she ever done anything that was her choice? She’d worked the farm because it was expected. She loved it too, but there was never talk of her doing anything else. She’d worked harder when her brother had been killed. She’d taken care of her mother after her father died. And then she’d taken care of the farm after her mother passed. Sam had spent her entire life simply reacting to the situation at hand and doing whatever needed to be done.

She was tough and resilient. A survivor.

But wasn’t life supposed to be about more than simply survival? What did she want? Now that was a loaded question. “I need coffee.” Avoiding the question for now, she pushed past all the men and went into the kitchen.

The men came in behind her and she heard the sound of chairs scraping over the scarred wooden floor and knew they were sitting at the table watching her.

Making coffee was a familiar task and it only took her seconds to have a pot brewing. “What brings you out here this morning, Tim?” Oh, she knew why he was here, but she needed to break the awkward silence.

“I came to check on you.” Tim was nothing if not blunt. “And to see what these two young fellers were doing.”

“I am staying,” Darian announced. He sat across from her, massive arms crossed over his chest, almost daring her to disagree with him.

“You can’t.” The words felt as though they were strangling her even as she said them. The denial was automatic, but really, Darian could stay. It was his choice. He was being proactive, deciding what he wanted. Unlike her, who always seemed to be reacting to whatever situation arose.

Jace leaned against the wall, getting tenser by the second. Sam turned back to the counter and poured coffee for her and Tim. Neither brother liked the bitter brew and preferred to drink water or juice. She handed Tim his coffee before she went to the refrigerator and got the orange juice. She pulled two glasses out of the cupboard and filled them. Her hands were shaking slightly as she gave Darian, and then Jace, the juice.

Silence surrounded them again and she couldn’t take it anymore. “I’m going for a walk.”

Jace straightened. “The tapestry.”

“If it comes the same time it did when it brought you here, it shouldn’t return for a few hours yet.” She softened her tone slightly. “I need some time alone, time to think.” Sam turned to Tim. “Are you staying?”

“Yeah, I’ll be here when you get back.” He stood and ruffled the top of her hair. “Go and do your thinking.”

Sam took her mug of coffee with her and left the kitchen and the men behind her.

Jace watched her walk down the porch stairs and across the yard, the ache in his gut growing with each step she took. Every moment with her was special and he resented losing even one of them. But he understood her need to think. There was a lot at stake.

He glanced at Darian and met his brother’s even gaze. He swallowed hard, shoving the emotion down. He would lose both Sam and his brother today.

“So you’re staying?” Tim’s question gave both brothers something to focus on other than Sam’s slender figure retreating in the distance.

“I am,” Darian acknowledged.

“But you’re not?” Tim asked him.

“I cannot.” Jace had to force the words out of his mouth. He loved his home, his mother and his people, but a man should never have to choose between his heart and his honor. Losing Sam was like losing his heart, but he owed his people everything he could give them. They depended on him. They needed him.

Sam would have Darian. They would be fine together.

Sam sipped her coffee as she walked and when the mug was empty she longed for more. There wasn’t enough coffee in the world to help her make this decision.

Why was she staying here?

Because it was home. It was familiar. It was her family’s legacy.

But what did she want?

Now that was the big question. She wanted a family. She wanted to be loved and needed. She wanted children.

She could have all of that with Jace and Darian. All she had to do was leave behind everything she knew, everything that was familiar. She’d have none of the modern conveniences. Not that she needed much. She didn’t need fancy clothes or jewelry or computers.

What did she want to do with her life?

What she’d always done—farm. She loved to grow things. She loved the horses and animals, the sense of satisfaction with planting something and seeing it through to harvest.

Why was she staying here?

Because she was a coward. Because it was easier to stay than to take a risk and go with Jace and Darian.

How could she let Darian stay and Jace go?

She couldn’t. Either both men stayed or both men went home.

The first drop of rain hit her on the nose, startling her. The clouds had blown in while she’d been lost in thought and the sun had disappeared. The next drop hit her cheek and made her laugh.

Rain. The drought was over.

Sam laughed and spun in a circle with her arms wide open, embracing the life-giving rain.

As quick as her elation came it died. There’d been nothing in the day’s forecast about rain when she’d checked the weather station this morning. If anything, they’d been predicting another day of dry heat. The tapestry. Jace had told her the tapestry had first appeared to them during a storm.

The rain came down heavier, soaking her and the ground beneath her feet.

Sam tossed her mug aside and started running. What if the tapestry appeared and she wasn’t with Jace and Darian. What would happen?

Legs pumping, heart racing, Sam ran as fast as she could toward home. As the house came into view she started to yell their names.

The three men sat on the porch and watched the sky grow darker each passing minute. “I don’t like this.” Darian paced from one end of the porch to the other, searching for a sign of Sam.

“Wasn’t any rain in the forecast today.” Tim leaned against the railing and stared out toward the horizon.

“It’s the tapestry.” Darian turned to his brother. Both of them were completely dressed and had their swords strapped on. Even though he was staying with Sam he wanted to honor his own culture one final time before he embraced hers.

He started to remove his sword. “You should take this home with you.”

Jace put his hand on Darian’s arm, stopping him. “No, it is part of your heritage. Keep it and tell your sons and daughters about us.”

Darian swallowed hard. “I will.” He grabbed his brother, hugging him tight. “I will miss you.”

“And I you.”

“Rain is coming down harder now.” Worry tinged Tim’s voice and both brothers walked over to stand beside him. “Don’t want Sam out there if it comes to thunder and lightning.”

“Where is she?” Jace growled. Darian knew his brother feared he might not see Sam again before the tapestry appeared to take him home.

Then he saw her. She was a dot in the distance at first, but she was coming fast. “There she is.”

He stepped off the porch into the driving rain with Jace beside him. When they heard her yell their names they took off, sprinting toward her as fast as they could. Darian reached her first, but only because Jace held up at the last second.

“Sam. Sam.” He caught her as she threw herself into his arms. “Are you all right?”

“You’re still here. You’re still here,” she chanted over and over. “I was so afraid. The tapestry.” She was breathing heavily, having obviously run a long distance.

A bolt of lightning lit up the sky. A clap of thunder quickly followed it. “Come on. We need to get out of the storm,” Jace yelled. He grabbed Sam’s arm and the three of them began to run toward the house.

They were almost at the porch when the air began to shimmer in front of them. They stumbled to a halt. Darian met his brother’s gaze and knew this was it.

The tapestry shimmered into existence before them. Darian swallowed hard and beat down the panic welling inside him. In the distance, Darian heard Tim’s exclamation of surprise.

Sam screamed at Tim. “Stay back.”

Darian gripped her hand and began to pull her toward the house, but she clung to Jace’s arm and wouldn’t release him.

“You have to let him go,” he shouted.

Jace started to pry Sam’s fingers away as the design on the tapestry began to change. “No, I can’t,” she cried.

A powerful female voice rose above the storm. Darian wasn’t sure if he actually heard it aloud or if it was just in his head. You must decide now or the tapestry will decide for you.

The sorceress. It had to be the sorceress who’d created the tapestry.

Fear ripped at him and he tugged at Sam. “Come on. We have to get back to the porch and away from Jace.” It was killing him to leave his brother behind. Jace looked stoic and resigned, but Darian knew his brother well and knew this was killing him too. But he’d survive because it was what he did, what they both did. Sam was a lot like them in that respect.

“No,” she cried. She ripped her hand out of his and stood in the pouring rain, hands on her hips, looking utterly magnificent. “Tim,” she yelled over the driving rain. “Check the papers on my desk. And take care of Arrow.”

Before Darian could figure out what she meant by that, Sam grabbed Jace’s arm and yanked him close. Then she reached out to him. “Hurry.”

Darian locked his hand around her wrist as the wind started swirling around them.

“You have to go,” Jace yelled at Sam.

“I know.” Darian could barely hear her voice over the din as the world itself began to spin. It was too late. Whatever would be, would be.

Then he was ripped away from Sam’s world. He yelled her name and Jace’s as the black voice swallowed him whole.