She smiled but turned around anyway.

Chevalier tied the black scarf tightly over her eyes. "No peeking."

He picked her up, cradled her gently in his arms, and walked. She could feel a change in the atmosphere when they left the castle, and she shivered slightly as the cool air hit her wet swimsuit. She felt him chuckle.

"Ready?" he asked at long last.

"I'm guessing I don't have a choice," Emily said as he set her down and her toes dug into the sand.

Chevalier removed the blindfold, and as Emily's eyes adjusted to the bright sun, a glimmering boat came into view. The majestic ship was flawless as it bobbed with the waves. It was white with pink and magenta stripes, and emblazoned on the side in curly letters was the name of the ship, 'Emily.'

Emily turned to smile at him. "You bought a boat?"

"No," he said, and faked a frown. "I bought you a yacht."

She turned back to the ship and marveled at how sleek and shiny it was. She headed up the plank to board it, followed by Chevalier. The front deck was lined with cushioned deck chairs, and a hot tub was set into the floor. Emily went room to room looking at the designs and decorations of her new boat.

The engine room was set high above the rest of the rooms, and she ran her hand along the shiny helm and put on the Captain's hat, which was too big and fell down to cover her eyes.

Chevalier pulled the hat off of her head, laughing, and placed it on his own. "That's mine."

"I thought the boat was mine."

"It is, but I'm your Captain, so I get the hat." She tried to take it from him, but he caught both of her wrists in one of his hands and turned on the engine.

She turned to look at the sea when he pulled out of port. "Wait! We're leaving now?"

He nodded. "Did you have other plans?"

"I haven't packed anything." She noticed he wasn't slowing down.

"Which way are we going, Em?" he asked her.

She turned to him. "I don't know. You're driving."

"Point... we'll go whichever way you point." He put on some sunglasses.

Emily turned and looked at the vast ocean and pointed randomly, watching as the boat turned in the direction and sped off.

"So how many servants are on this thing?" she wondered, looking around.

"It's just us."

"Seriously? Just us two... not even one other heku?" She was surprised. Chevalier seemed to like his servants.

"It's just us, unless you want me to go back and get some."

"No way, this is great!" She wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed his back.

"Go relax out on the deck. I'm going to get us far from land, and then I'll join you." She watched as he adjusted some knobs and returned to the helm. Emily was impressed that he knew how to sail.

The sun was even brighter out on the water. She could feel the warmth on her skin, so she slipped off her towel and fell onto one of the deck chairs. It was soft and reclined, and she saw a table beside it with a bowl full of fruit, a pair of sunglasses, and some sunscreen. Emily figured she might as well be good, so she slathered on the sunscreen, and then grabbed the sunglasses before lying back against the white cushions.

Emily was asleep when she felt hands gently slide across her stomach. She smiled and shivered as she broke out in goose bumps.

"This is officially nowhere," Chevalier said, and then smiled.

She nodded and patted the chair beside her. "Lie down. Soak up some vitamin D."

Chevalier laughed. "I don't think I'm able to do that... besides... the sun and I don't get along very well."

She looked up at him and noticed he was in a jacket, and between the Captain's hat and sunglasses, his face was completely shaded.

"It's your loss. It really feels good."

"I... well I had other motives for being out here." His voice was soft.

She laughed. "I'm sure you have many motives for being out here."

"Mmhmmm, that too." He gently ran his fingers along her inner thigh. "Later, though, come in out of the sun."

Emily sighed and sat up. She grabbed the bowl of fruit and left her sunglasses on the table, then followed Chevalier down the stairs to the living quarters. They were spacious, actually bigger than her living room in ranch house, and decorated in dark reds and black. The kitchen was small but had what she needed, and the end of the living space held a large wooden framed bed. Chevalier sat on the couch and patted beside him.

Emily ignored his hint and set the bowl of fruit where he'd patted and then sat on his lap, curling up against his chest. She felt his arms wrap around her as he chuckled and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you, Em," he said softly.

She looked up and kissed him. "I know."

"So, it's time to get it all out in the open. We've noticed in the last year that neither of us has been completely honest with the other, so I figured some time away might help." She kissed along his neck and nodded.

"It'll be nice to get away from life on the island." He groaned as she lightly bit his neck.

"Eeeh... what the hell." Was all she heard before she felt the soft bed at her back.

"That wasn't fair," he said as she curled her naked body up against his.

"Oh, were we playing fair?" Emily asked.

Chevalier laughed. "Apparently not. Damn, you bite hard."

Emily glanced at his shoulder and could see the faint outline of her teeth fading. "Sorry about that."

"I didn't say I didn't like it." He ran his fingers through her hair.

"You wanted to talk?" She pulled away from him and propped herself up on her elbow.

"Yes, I did, before I was seduced." He kissed her lightly.

Emily laughed. "It was pretty hard to do, too."

Chevalier smiled. "Yeah well..."

"So... what about?"

"Everything we probably should have talked about before the bonding." His eyes were serious.

"Like what?" She gasped. "Are you upset about the no baby thing?"

He smiled. "No, that's not important to me, though I wish you had told me, just so we didn't have secrets."

Her eyes fell to his chest as her fingers outlined his chiseled muscles. "I'm sorry."

Chevalier took her hand in his. "You're distracting me, again," he said, kissing her fingers.

"Hmm, you're easily distracted." She smiled up at him.

"Yes... well..."

"Okay so what else?" She was afraid to go further but knew there was no way around it.

"First, I'll start... there were some unexpected byproducts of the bonding that I want you to know about. I honestly didn't know about them. This is the first I've known of a mortal and an immortal going through the ceremony." He was looking deep into her green eyes.

"Ugh, do I want to know?"

Chevalier smiled. "They aren't bad... just... well... intrusive."

"What? How?" Her eyes narrowed.

"I can feel your emotions from a distance. The stronger the emotions, the stronger I can feel them. Regular, normal emotions, I have to concentrate on... but I'm able to pick them up easier and easier it seems."

She frowned. "Okay."

"Lately, and it's only been the last few days, I'm starting to see images of what you are thinking."

She gasped. "You can see what I'm thinking?"

He shrugged. "Not always. It's more like images pop into my head, and I can't figure out how they got there, and then I realized that you were thinking them."

"That's not fair! I'm not getting any of that." She frowned.

Chevalier kissed her nose. "I'm not trying to be intrusive. It's all just sort of happening."

"So nothing's private for me anymore?" She didn't like that, and he noticed how she set her jaw.

"I'm finding I can tune it out to an extent, but there are times when you are practically screaming at me... like just now on the couch." He smiled at the thought.

"This is awful!" She pulled the blankets up to cover herself.

"I'm not doing it on purpose. I'm going to see if I can find someone in our situation and see if it can be controlled."

Suddenly, Emily was feeling exposed.

"I'd like it if I could control it enough to block your thoughts out when I don't need to know them, and to reach out for you when I do. I'd also like to see if there's a way you can use it to your advantage."

"Like how?"

"Like calling for me if you are in trouble."

"Anything else?" Her voice was irritated.

"I'm sorry about the ring, too. That part I did know about, and I should have told you."

"Yes, you should have." She glanced down at the beautiful diamond and platinum ring. "Keep going."

"That's all for now." He ran his hand under the blanket along her waist. "Now, it's your turn."

She frowned. "What is it you want to know?"

"It's time you told me about your nightmares." He wasn't surprised when her body tensed.

"They are just nightmares." She avoided looking into his eyes.

"They are more than that. Nightmares don't cause people to scream night after night," he said softly. "Please, tell me."

She watched him but didn't answer.

"I'll make it easier. Let's start with the dreams about Keith." He pulled her close to him when she squeezed her eyes shut.

She whispered against his chest, "He's not dead."

Chevalier kissed the top of her head. "He's after you?"

She nodded.

"He's after me, too?" he guessed, and she nodded.

"When you scream for him to shut up... what is he saying?" Chevalier prompted.

"Warnings"

"About what?"

"You"

"That I'll kill you?" he asked softly.