knew how he hated to have to call in someone to repair it. Inevitably, the repairmen always brought an available sister or friend in an attempt to pair him off.
He couldn’t blame them. Even he saw the change in his disposition over the years. If only they could find someone to end his life, but they didn’t want that. They wanted their defender, they needed him, and Artu needed a mate, a lover—one who wouldn’t leave him for another in a month or a year.
Resting his arms on the rail, he lowered his head against them. Everything irritated him now. He rarely went out in public anymore. How could he protect his people when he could barely stand to be around them?
It was his duty to protect them. They needed him when the planet-wide quakes shook the cities. Whenever innocents needed him, he was there. What happened when he no longer cared? What would happen when he became the threat to his people? Who would protect them then?
Lifting his head, he stared at the ocean. The water was all that calmed him anymore. What happened when that no longer worked? Would he take his anger, his angst out on his people? He shifted his gaze out at the sunset as it traveled toward the horizon in a kaleidoscope of reds, oranges and yellows.
A soft breeze ruffled his hair. A lock fell over his eyes, and he sighed as he reached up to push it back out of his face. How many times had he stood here staring out at the water, wishing for someone to share the beautiful view? How many times had he brought a woman here, only to find that she wasn’t the one for him? How many more times must he face disappointment?
Many times, Artu worried that he would lose his mind the way Bontin Haru had. He didn’t want to harm those he had sworn to protect the way the other defender had, yet he knew the time was coming. Perhaps, it was already near.
Things had gotten so bad for the people of Ka-Dar that they had called in the defenders of six different worlds to capture and contain Bontin. To this day, his world went undefended against disaster while the defender remained captive.
Was that what Artu and others like him had to look forward to? Bontin had been an honorable defender—one of the best. At several hundred years old, he lost his mind. No one should live that long alone. Artu fast approached that age, and he worried.
Bending forward, he stared down at the waves crashing over the rocks below. He couldn’t even end his existence the way humans could. Until he met his soul mate, he was invincible, immortal. Only his mate’s presence would cause him to age the way he should. Would he find her, or would he, too, go mad? Artu closed his eyes and prayed for the strength to carry on because he knew there was no mate for him. Artu leapt from the balcony and took to the skies. He had been wrong. It wasn’t the water. The freedom of flight was his last comfort.
Chapter Three
Lena stared up at the gorgeous man whom, she was certain, was out of his mind. That was the only way she could think of to explain his behavior. The man might be beautiful, but he was insane. Either that, or she was.
He had said he was Garrick the Gatekeeper. He should have been called Garrick the Gorgeous. It took every ounce of willpower she possessed to keep herself from staring at the poor man. It didn’t matter that she promised herself she wouldn’t get involved again. She wasn’t blind.
Garrick turned the device to look at the swirling colors and frowned. He shook it then looked at it again. “Ah,” he said with a smile. “There it is. Look again.” He held it up again. “This is what you should have seen before.”
Lena refused to look at it. She wasn’t buying into his strange fantasy. “I’ll bite. What’s it for?” she asked against her better judgment.
“The Fates gave it to me to help me with my tasks.” He frowned down at it again for a moment then looked up at her and grinned. “You really should look at it.”
It was all Lena could do to
He couldn’t blame them. Even he saw the change in his disposition over the years. If only they could find someone to end his life, but they didn’t want that. They wanted their defender, they needed him, and Artu needed a mate, a lover—one who wouldn’t leave him for another in a month or a year.
Resting his arms on the rail, he lowered his head against them. Everything irritated him now. He rarely went out in public anymore. How could he protect his people when he could barely stand to be around them?
It was his duty to protect them. They needed him when the planet-wide quakes shook the cities. Whenever innocents needed him, he was there. What happened when he no longer cared? What would happen when he became the threat to his people? Who would protect them then?
Lifting his head, he stared at the ocean. The water was all that calmed him anymore. What happened when that no longer worked? Would he take his anger, his angst out on his people? He shifted his gaze out at the sunset as it traveled toward the horizon in a kaleidoscope of reds, oranges and yellows.
A soft breeze ruffled his hair. A lock fell over his eyes, and he sighed as he reached up to push it back out of his face. How many times had he stood here staring out at the water, wishing for someone to share the beautiful view? How many times had he brought a woman here, only to find that she wasn’t the one for him? How many more times must he face disappointment?
Many times, Artu worried that he would lose his mind the way Bontin Haru had. He didn’t want to harm those he had sworn to protect the way the other defender had, yet he knew the time was coming. Perhaps, it was already near.
Things had gotten so bad for the people of Ka-Dar that they had called in the defenders of six different worlds to capture and contain Bontin. To this day, his world went undefended against disaster while the defender remained captive.
Was that what Artu and others like him had to look forward to? Bontin had been an honorable defender—one of the best. At several hundred years old, he lost his mind. No one should live that long alone. Artu fast approached that age, and he worried.
Bending forward, he stared down at the waves crashing over the rocks below. He couldn’t even end his existence the way humans could. Until he met his soul mate, he was invincible, immortal. Only his mate’s presence would cause him to age the way he should. Would he find her, or would he, too, go mad? Artu closed his eyes and prayed for the strength to carry on because he knew there was no mate for him. Artu leapt from the balcony and took to the skies. He had been wrong. It wasn’t the water. The freedom of flight was his last comfort.
Chapter Three
Lena stared up at the gorgeous man whom, she was certain, was out of his mind. That was the only way she could think of to explain his behavior. The man might be beautiful, but he was insane. Either that, or she was.
He had said he was Garrick the Gatekeeper. He should have been called Garrick the Gorgeous. It took every ounce of willpower she possessed to keep herself from staring at the poor man. It didn’t matter that she promised herself she wouldn’t get involved again. She wasn’t blind.
Garrick turned the device to look at the swirling colors and frowned. He shook it then looked at it again. “Ah,” he said with a smile. “There it is. Look again.” He held it up again. “This is what you should have seen before.”
Lena refused to look at it. She wasn’t buying into his strange fantasy. “I’ll bite. What’s it for?” she asked against her better judgment.
“The Fates gave it to me to help me with my tasks.” He frowned down at it again for a moment then looked up at her and grinned. “You really should look at it.”
It was all Lena could do to
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