Melody had been quiet until then but finally spoke up. “I think I have a plan that will bring Demetri and the talisman to us.”
“I’m listening,” Annabelle said.
Melody quickly filled her in on their plan, leaving out all the gritty details but giving her a full picture of what she had planned. “That sounds risky, but if we plan it right, it might just work,” Annabelle said after she’d thought about it.
“Melody has an email ready to go,” Dalton said, his heart suddenly pounding in his chest at the thought of what they were bringing on themselves.
“Don’t do anything until I send you some help. Penny and Quinten are out of the question; I want them tracking Deacon. Justin and I have to stay here with Charlie, and Steven’s not leaving her side, but Jake and Joslin can come, and I think Justin’s parents are already planning on going home,” Annabelle advised.
“Daniel and I can get the council here together and get some help from them,” Melody said, reaching for her phone. “We’ll be ready for Demetri when he shows up.”
Dalton looked at Melody, her face fierce, and his heart leaped to think that this incredibly strong woman belonged to him. Unable to stop himself, he walked around the desk and pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She let him kiss her for a second, then pushed him away.
“We’ll call you back later, Annabelle,” he said, then disconnected the call and kissed Melody again.
When he finally let her up for air, she laughed and said, “That was rude; what’s gotten into you?”
Dalton shrugged his shoulders. “You’re absolutely irresistible when you get all angry like that; it makes me want to kiss you.”
“Now you’re being ridiculous,” Melody said but grinned at him.
“And that grin makes me want to do other things to you,” he said, then picked her up and carried her upstairs.
Chapter 16
***Melody***
Melody was excited to see her aunt and uncle, but a little nervous to meet Joslin, who she’d heard some impressive stories about. Annabelle’s twin, she had just as much magic flowing through her veins as her sister and Melody hoped that she was just as nice.
It only took a day for them all to get to the ranch, but the wait seemed much longer than that. Dalton did a good job of keeping her distracted, but now that they had a plan, she was ready for action. When they were all finally together, her Aunt Samantha made them a huge dinner, and they took their time eating, coming up with a strategy to keep them all safe.
It would take a combination of witchcraft and shifter strength to get it done, but they were all sure they’d come out the winners in the end. “Okay does everyone know what they’re responsible for?” her uncle William asked when they were eating dessert.
“Tomorrow the four of us will head up to the cabin in the upper pasture and set down a protective spell. We’ll also set up several camps that can be used as sentry posts. Joslin and I will use concealing spells so that Demetri and his people won’t be able to see the shifters hiding there,” Jake said.
“We’ll stay here and organize the shifters in the valley, assign patrols and make sure the ranch is well guarded,” Samantha said.
“It would be nice if someone helped run this ranch,” Daniel said, only half joking.
His father smiled at him, “You’ve done a terrific job of taking care of things all these months, and we’re all proud of you,” William said, slapping his son on the back. “Just keep it up for a little longer.”
Daniel shrugged, but Melody could tell that he was pleased with the praise. “I guess I can do that.”
“Then I think we’re all set; tomorrow we’ll start putting our plan into action, and if we’re lucky, by next week, this will all be behind us,” Samantha said. “Now I think we’d all better get ourselves to bed; it’s late, and you need to get an early start in the morning.”
They all pitched in and got the dishes done and the kitchen cleaned up and began to head off their separate ways. Melody and Dalton were just about to leave the kitchen when Samantha said, “Is there something you want to tell me?”
The looked at each other, then burst out laughing. “Is it that obvious?” Melody asked.
“Only a fool would miss it,” she said, smiling at them.
“Well, since it’s that obvious, then you won’t mind if I go home with Dalton?” Melody asked, a blush rising on her cheeks.
“As long as it’s only to his cabin,” Samantha said, turning off the light. “Good thing I haven’t cleared out the wedding barn,” she added, then disappeared down the hallway.
Melody’s heart slammed against her chest at the word wedding, but the more she thought about it, the better it sounded. She looked over at Dalton, who was smiling at her, not looking the least bit scared by Samantha’s suggestion, but he didn’t say anything, and she wasn’t sure what that meant.
When they climbed into bed a little while later, both exhausted but still not ready for sleep, Dalton pulled her into his arms and asked, “There’s a wedding barn on the ranch?”
Melody nodded, suddenly afraid of the conversation they were about to have. “Aunt Samantha had it built a few years ago, to help pay the bills and to give the people in the valley someplace to have fancy parties. Justin, Jake, and Penny were all married there over the last year; I guess she hasn’t moved anything since then.”
Dalton was quiet for a long time, and she wished she knew what he was thinking. Finally, he asked, “Is that where we’re headed?”
Melody looked up at him, not sure what to say, “I don’t know, Dalton. I’m just getting used to the fact that you’re not going to leave me in disgust, so marriage seems like a long way away.”
She couldn’t read the look on his face, couldn’t tell if she’d given the answer he wanted or not. “But you do want to get married someday?” he asked.
Melody smiled at him, “Someday I’d love to get married, to have a house of my own and a bunch of kids running around,” she said, then added, “But I always thought all of that would happen here, and I can’t see you living here.”
Dalton was silent for so long she thought that she’d overstepped, presumed something that wasn’t there. But then he said, “I don’t have to be in the library all the time, and this job will eventually be finished.”
Melody’s heart soared. “I didn’t know that,” she said, then snuggled down deeper into his arms.
They didn’t say anything else; what they had said spoke volumes and both felt a little too fragile to take the discussion any further. Melody was fine with that, just the thought of marrying Dalton scared her, and she had to face the fact that she still wasn’t sure of him or his feelings and wouldn’t be for a long time.
She’d been hurt so many times by the effect her eyes had on men, and she wasn’t ready to open herself up that much. Marriage was a big step, a step not easily undone, and she wasn’t about to make a mistake like that. But that didn’t mean that she was going to walk away from Dalton; that would also be a mistake.
As she fell asleep, she realized that what they had was enough for her right now; maybe someday she’d be ready for more, but not yet. Her feelings were too new, too fresh to trust, and although she recognized that what she felt for Dalton was different, she wasn’t ready to believe in them just yet.
It was no wonder she was confused and wary of her feelings; there was so much else to think about she couldn’t possibly handle it all. When they’d defeated Demetri and life went back to normal, she’d think about the future, but for now, she’d be satisfied going to bed each night with Dalton’s warm body pressed up against hers.
***Dalton***
When Dalton woke in the morning with Melody in his arms, he thought about their discussion about marriage the night before and realized that he was still a bit hurt by Melody’s less-than-excited response. He’d always planned to get married someday but had always pictured it differently; now all he could see was Melody.
He knew he was
in love with her, knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, but clearly, Melody wasn’t there yet. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to him, and she was probably wise to take things slowly, but now that she was his, he wasn’t going to let her go without a fight.
But he knew that it was patience he needed now. He knew deep down that his feelings for her were never going to change, that for the rest of his life he’d love her, so he had all the time in the world. Time to convince her that she belonged with him, that they could find a way to merge their two lives into one.
Looking down at her sleeping, he felt love swell inside him, and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. She opened her eyes and smiled at him, then whispered, “Good morning; you’re awake early.”
Dalton smiled at her. “I always sleep better when you’re here,” he said, then kissed her again, this time a kiss full of all the passion he felt for her.
When she began to purr in her throat, he let his hand roam, her body warm and soft from sleep impossible to resist. “I think we’ve got plenty of time before breakfast,” he said, sliding his hand between her legs.
“Time for what?” she asked, a silly grin on her face.
“For this,” he said, then ducked under the covers.
***Melody***
It was a beautiful summer day and Melody was enjoying their ride. They didn’t have time to dawdle, but as they rode, Joslin entertained her with stories about their meetings with Deacon and her marriage to Jake. It sounded like something out of a romance novel, but then again, so did her romance with Dalton.
When Joslin got to the part where fireballs flew from her palms, Melody looked at her in disbelief. “I know she looks harmless but get her good and mad and see what happens,” Jake said, taking his wife’s hand. “I think I fell for her that night.”
Melody laughed; it was clear just looking at the two of them that they were deeply in love: the kind of love not everyone is lucky enough to find. Looking over at Dalton, she wondered if she’d ever feel that way about him. She thought she felt what was the beginnings of love, but she wasn’t sure; she’d never been in love before.
When they stopped for lunch and Dalton and Jake went off to hobble the horses by the creek so that they could drink their fill, she asked Joslin, “How did you know that you were in love with Jake?”
Joslin was clearly a bit surprised by the question and took a few minutes to answer. “It didn’t happen all at once, but when it did, I knew it. I looked at Jake one day and all of the sudden I just knew I loved him; it made me dizzy and out of breath, but I just knew,” she said, smiling at the memory.
Melody sighed; she’d never felt anything like that before and wasn’t sure she ever would. “I wish I felt that way, but...”
“But you’re afraid to trust him,” Joslin finished for her, then said, “Trust comes with time, Melody, and for you, it might take a little more time.”
Melody nodded, “You know about my eyes?”
Joslin nodded, “Samantha told us, but I could feel them when I met you; they have power.”
Melody shook her head, “Not the right kind.”
“Are you sure about that? Have you ever tried to focus that power, tried controlling it instead of letting it control you?” Joslin asked.
“Controlling it? Is that even possible?”
“It might be. I don’t think that the power in your eyes has anything to do with you being a shifter. I can sense magic in your eyes,” Joslin said.
When Joslin took Melody’s face in her hands and looked into her eyes, she felt a whoosh of power flow through her. “They’re magic all right,” she said when she released Melody.
Melody thought about that. “There’s always been a rumor in the family that our great-great-grandmother was a witch, but no one’s ever found the proof. I mean Penny can see the future sometimes but...my eyes can’t be...”
Joslin smiled at her, “I think there’s more magic running through your family that you all realize, and magic can be manipulated, can be focused and used if you learn how to do it.”
Melody felt a wave of hope wash over her. “You mean I could learn to control the effect my eyes have on men, shut it down if I want?”
“Exactly, but I also think you could use them to defend yourself if you just tried. Passion is a strong emotion; it will make people do crazy things. You just have to know how to use that to your advantage,” Joslin said, then added, “I can help you with that.”
Chapter 17
***Dalton***
Dalton wasn’t sure what happened while he and Jake were hobbling the horses, but when they got back, Melody smiled at him and gave him a big kiss. “What’s that all about?” he asked, pulling her into his arms and kissing her before she could answer.
When he finally let her go, she said, “Joslin thinks I can learn to control my eyes; she thinks they’re magic, a gift from a grandmother who was a witch.”
“That’s the first time I’ve ever heard you call your eyes a gift,” Dalton said, happy because she was.
“She thinks I can learn to use them as a weapon; well she didn’t say that, but she said I should learn to control them and she’s going to teach me,” Melody said, taking his hand and leading him over to where their lunch was spread out on a blanket.
Dalton looked over at Joslin who only smiled and nodded her head, and again he was reminded that his sisters were amazing women. He’d never thought to teach Melody to control her eyes, hadn’t recognized the magic in them. But his sister had and swooped in like she always did to fix the problem.
After lunch, they packed up and made the final climb to the upper pasture, Jake leading the way. When they got to the pasture, it looked a bit spooky in the late afternoon sun, especially now that he’d been told in detail about what had happened with Deacon there.
Looking around the clearing, he could just imagine his sisters facing the water demon and winning, but that didn’t erase the feeling of dread in his stomach. Terrible things had happened here in this pasture, and some of that energy was left, hovering in the air, tainting it with a feeling of fear and the presence of evil.
“Can you feel that?” he asked Joslin when they stopped at the cabin to look inside.
“There are ghosts here, I can feel them, but they’re no threat to us,” she said. “But I wouldn’t want to stay in that cabin for long, and it’s too bad because I have some fond memories of that cabin,” she said a grin on her face, then looked over at Jake who blew her a kiss.
“Uhhh, do you two have to be so gross?” Dalton teased.
Joslin laughed, “We can’t help it, but I think you understand that, don’t you?” she asked, looking over at Melody who was just dismounting.
“More than you could ever imagine, but I’m not sure she feels the same way,” Dalton admitted.
“Give it time, little brother; you were always short on patience, and this time you really need it,” Joslin said, patting him on the back. “Now let’s get on with what we came here to do. I’ll see if I can calm the spirits, you start on the protection spell.”
***Melody***
There wasn’t much Melody and Jake could do to help Dalton and Joslin, so they stood back and watched as they burned sage and cleansed the cabin. Then they headed into the woods that surrounded the pasture, Melody and Jake trailing along behind them.
When they reached a little clearing, Dalton turned to them and said, “Now we’ll build a circle of rocks, then we’ll put a concealment and protection spell on the area; anyone standing inside the rocks will be not only invisible but protected.”
Joslin looked at him skeptically. “I’ve never heard of a spell that would do all that,” she said.
Dalton smiled. “And you thought I’ve been wasting my time locked up in the library. I’ve got a few new spells that should come in handy; this is just the first one,” he said, then picked up a big rock and set it in place.
The others followed his lead, Joslin still looking unsur
e. When they’d made a circle of rocks, Dalton took a stick and made another circle, then pulled some herbs from his backpack and spread them over the circle. Finally, he added a ring of salt, then stood back.
“I think we’re ready,” he said, then stepped into the center of the circle. When the strange words began to pour out of his mouth, he raised his hands in the air, and everything went completely still.
Melody was a bit taken back at first; she hadn’t seen Dalton performing magic or using spells, and it seemed strange. But watching him, she realized that he was even more irresistible when he was lost in a spell as he was then. His face was completely focused, his blue eyes sparkling, the energy coming off him visible even to her.
That energy went straight into her and filled her with its power, and a wave of desire so powerful it took her breath away for a second. She let the desire wash over her, let it seep into her bones, but began to realize that it wasn’t just desire she was feeling. It was a mixture of pride and possession, and a feeling like nothing she ever felt before.
When she realized it was love, her head began to swim, pictures of her future floating through her mind. For a second, she was scared; this feeling was bigger than anything she’d ever felt before, bigger than herself, and she wasn’t sure that she was ready for all that it meant.
It meant that she’d have to trust the man standing before her, let him into the deepest parts of her soul, something she’d never done before. It meant that she was no longer just herself; she was part of something that included Dalton, and something wonderful yet fragile.
When Dalton stepped out of the circle and turned to her, a huge smile on his face, all the love she felt for him hit her again. It grew and blossomed in those few seconds until a huge smile spread across her face, one that wouldn’t disappear for a long time.
Fairplay Shifters Boxset Page 58
