by Nicole Hall
Unfortunately, none of her shields had felt right, and she had nothing to test them against anyway. She’d sat on the couch with her eyes closed trying to imagine a sense of protection into existence. Her brain kept jumping back and forth between a giant, fluffy snow suit and a big, plastic bubble. Neither of which had felt particularly her. Apparently, safety equaled being trapped and unable to move in her mind.
The panic of failure crept up on her, but some visualization of Seth in the bubble helped calm her down. When her version of Seth had started losing his clothes with a naughty grin, Keely had admitted she needed help. Advice on shields or men or maybe just on how to deal with her sex-starved imagination. Desperate, she’d tried to call Charlotte, but her best friend been busy with the twins. Keely’s phone sat silent on her lap as she toyed with the case.
The stubborn part of her wanted to master shields before Seth got back, but stubbornness was no replacement for knowledge. Another little gem from her mom. Her family had been popping up in her thoughts more often lately.
Keely hadn’t talked to her parents in a while, but she wasn’t keen on relaying what was happening in her life at the moment. They’d always been supportive and completely sure she’d be successful. So sure that Brandon had foregone college and her mom had gotten a second job to pay for her tuition. Maybe she’d wait until after this thing with Seth to call them. She’d have a better job, and Keely wouldn’t have to mention this little detour.
The quiet in the apartment unnerved her. The place must be soundproofed because even in the row house, they could hear the neighbors with no trouble. She never thought she’d miss the neighbor’s barking dog.
She never thought she’d be trying to make shields in her mind either, and utterly failing at it.
Her Bluetooth speaker had been in the first box she’d unpacked. She could blast some music and empty more boxes, but that felt like quitting. Keely never quit. Let her mind wander with distractions, yes, but she’d keep working at the problem until she figured it out.
Seth’s comment from earlier came back to her. I’m also a firm believer in asking for help when you need it. Keely unlocked her phone and sighed.
She could make a shield; she just needed better instructions. Seth’s number claimed the top spot of her texts. Keely sucked up her pride and sent him a message before she could change her mind.
I can’t do this on my own. I need your help.
I’m heading home now. Be there soon. He responded right away, and Keely had to wonder if he’d been waiting for her to give in.
6
KEELY
Seth came home not ten minutes after Keely’s text. He dropped down on the couch, and Keely steeled herself for a patronizing attitude. To her surprise, Seth offered her a smile and a reprieve.
“Most people can’t make shields on their first try. It’s a skill, and it takes practice.”
Keely cocked her head and tried not to think about how far away he’d sat from her. “How do you practice when there aren’t any magical people around?”
“Shields aren’t magic. Once you know what it feels like, you manipulate the shield over and over again until it becomes second nature. They have to be specific to you to work, and you have to believe in them. It’s mind over…mind.”
Keely scrunched her nose. “My mind is messing it all up? That figures.”
Seth stretched his arm along the back of the couch. “It’s normal, I swear.”
“How many people have you taught to do this?” Keely’s attention caught on Seth’s hand next to her shoulder. Her long hair tended to have a mind of its own, and when she’d turned to question him, a section of it landed on his knuckles.
Seth flipped his hand and let the strands glide through his palm. “Counting you? One.”
Keely laughed, but she felt that slow slide as if he were touching much more interesting areas. Heat pooled low in her belly.
“So far, you suck as a teacher.”
This time Seth laughed, and Keely shifted her gaze to his face. Golden eyes blazed into hers. He’d been watching her while she’d been watching his hand. All that intensity focused on one small movement. The gentle grip around her hair belied the tension in the rest of him. What would he do if she moved closer? If she put her hands on him?
There you go again, trouble-maker. Don’t tempt me with possibilities unless you plan to follow through.
Keely blinked and immediately blared the first song to come to her. A rousing rendition of the 1812 Overture. Seth winced, and for the first time, she felt his presence in her mind. The sensation surprised her so much she stopped banging gongs in her head and reached for him instead, like stretching out a hand to stop him from leaving.
Seth nodded, and the awareness faded. “There. Now you can recognize a foreign mind. We’ll start simple. The next time you feel that, push it away and imagine closing a door after it.”
Keely nodded, and Seth’s mind nudged hers. The light touch didn’t venture further, and she wondered if she imagined it.
It’s not your imagination. Now push me away.
Except she didn’t want to push him away. After a couple of half-hearted attempts, Keely sighed. “I suck at this. I hate sucking.”
Seth inched closer so he could reach under her hair to the back of her neck. He massaged the tension there, and Keely dropped her head forward. His fingers were magic. She hadn’t even known her neck was sore.
“You don’t suck.”
She tilted her head to look at him. “That’s all? I don’t suck? Not even a sexual reference, huh?”
He smiled and hit one particular spot that had her sucking in a breath. “I try not to be obvious.”
Push me away.
Keely held his gaze through the curtain of her hair and took a chance. Pull me closer.
His hand stilled, and his eyes darkened to a deep amber. He’d heard her, she was sure of it. Even if he hadn’t already been plucking thoughts from her brain, the sudden heat in his eyes matched the fire he’d ignited with his touch.
Keely raised her head as Seth lowered his, and they met in the middle. He brushed his lips across hers in a soft caress before settling down with more weight. The hand on her neck trailed around to fan out across her throat, and he stroked his thumb across her racing pulse point. The kiss was sweet and dreamy, but Keely preferred spice.
She nudged his mouth open and swept her tongue inside in blatant invitation. Seth’s hand tightened for a second under her jaw, then he took control. He deepened the kiss with a new angle.
Keely’s eyes fluttered closed, and she nearly purred. This was a kiss. Hot and open-mouthed and hungry. Seth’s mouth burned against hers, and Keely wanted to bask in the fire that consumed her. His tongue claimed hers, rough in exactly the way she liked it.
He only touched her with his mouth and his hand, but Keely desperately needed to feel him everywhere else. She craved his weight on her, and his skin against hers. An image of them, naked, tangled together on the couch flashed across her mind, and she moaned. Yes. That. Keely reached for him, but he released her so fast she was almost dizzy.
That should be good enough.
What the hell? Keely touched her fingertips to her lips, and tried to make sense of what had just happened. Her mind clamored with need, but he stood and walked away to stare out the window. She couldn’t manage a full breath, but Seth seemed unfazed. Had he been playing a game all along?
Without turning around, his voice lashed at her coldly. Push me away, Keely.
This time, anger at his manipulations fueled her as she shoved his snotty voice as hard as she could. An emptiness echoed in the space where he’d been, and Keely slammed herself closed like the cover of a book.
He turned and had the audacity to smile at her. “I knew you could do it.”
Her eyes narrowed. She felt him flutter against her closed cover, but he slid right off the glossy paper. “That was an asshole move.”
“My number one priority is convincin
g my clan that you’re my mate, and to do that, you need a shield. Not just any shield. A bad-ass shield that will protect you against the strongest minds I know.”
Keely shook her head as the hurt faded a little. “Well, you shouldn’t have any trouble convincing them if that’s a sample of your acting ability.”
“I told you before, I wasn’t acting.”
She didn’t know what to believe. The mixed signals she was getting from him were awe-inspiring. “I think I hate you right now.”
“Maybe, but your shield is solid. Whatever image you picked, it’s a good one. Hold onto it. Impress the feeling of it into your mind.”
Keely crossed her arms over her chest, both because she was still pissed at him and because her nipples hadn’t gotten the message that Seth was only playing with them. She winced. Poor choice of words. Playing was exactly what they’d been hoping for.
Seth cocked an eyebrow, and Keely realized she’d let go of the book image.
She threw her hands in the air. “I refused to be embarrassed that I’m thinking sexy thoughts about you right after you damn near kissed me senseless. Not all of us can recover quite that fast.”
“Ready for lesson two?”
“Does it involve your tongue?”
Seth grinned, and her inner hussy gave a mighty huzzah! Keely got a grip and shoved her back into her corner. “I was kidding. You can keep your tongue to yourself unless you mean it. What was it you said?” She tapped her chin as if thinking.
Oh, yes. Don’t tempt me with possibilities if you don’t plan to follow through.
His body tensed, his knuckles white as he gripped the windowsill behind him, but he never lost his grin. Bring your shield up again.
Keely focused inside herself, and the image of the closed book snapped back into place in her mind. The spot felt familiar, like it belonged there, and she’d simply never noticed it before.
She brought her attention back to Seth, and he nodded. “Nice. Better than last time. Confidence makes it stronger. Now lower it a tiny bit.”
If closing the book had created the shield, would opening it do the opposite? Keely eased the cover back an inch, and she was treated to a flash of Seth’s mouth on her neck, his tongue hot against her skin. Her hand came up to cover the heat. Whether to keep it close or rub it away, she wasn’t sure.
Seth’s eyes followed her hand, then clashed with hers. “It only takes a small crack to sneak in, and the allowance doesn’t discriminate. Anyone with the skill can push through.”
Keely closed her book again, gently this time, and the image disappeared. “How do I let you in and keep everyone else out?”
“You’re sure you want to do that? There are ways, but they’re not easily reversed.”
The hollow of her throat still tingled from his phantom tongue, and she had to fight the urge to squirm until those tingles moved lower. He’d done that with a sliver of opportunity. What could he do if given full rein?
Seth watched and waited while she made her decision, and she was grateful he didn’t push her. Did she want him on her body? Hard yes. Did she want him in her head? That was a harder question. Keely didn’t want anyone in her head, but Seth was a special case. Would his clan expect them to have this kind of connection? After his explanation of mates, she’d bet yes, and the ability for him to secretly coach her would come in handy when dealing with a strange culture she was supposed to know.
Those were all good reasons, but residual fear held her back. Keely remembered his promise not to hurt her, and her suspicion that his words bound him magically. He was considerably more powerful than her, but she wasn’t without options. At least she could apply another leash.
“Promise me you won’t take advantage.” Keely’s words came out as more of a challenge than she’d meant, but she didn’t back down from them.
He held her gaze and spoke clearly. “I promise not to take advantage of you.”
The magic prickle returned. Each time he’d made a promise, a ghost of electricity crawled across her skin. He may not have confirmed her theory before, but she believed the evidence thus far.
With this promise, Keely felt fairly safe with him. A rush of anticipation replaced her fear.
“Okay, teach me how to give you access.”
Seth leaned forward, but he kept his hands clenched on the sill. “You want me in your head? Always?”
Keely nodded, and he pushed away from the window.
“Say the words, Keely. Words have power.”
He didn’t approach her, and a heavy stillness settled between them. Keely’s voice came out huskier than usual. “I want you in my head. Always.”
His eyes flared, but instead of coming closer, he turned and walked out of the room.
Keely’s brow furrowed, and she raised her voice. “Was that it?”
He yelled from his bedroom. “No. There has to be an exchange of fluids.”
“Didn’t we already do that?”
He matched her smirk as he came back into the room, but the sharp-looking knife he carried made hers fade. “Blood is the accepted fluid, but I’ve heard of exceptions. Virgins, usually.”
“Why do we need blood and pointy things if this is only about shields?”
“Shields aren’t magic, but this is.” Seth sat next to her on the couch, much closer than last time, and Keely turned to face him.
“What exactly are we doing here?”
Seth picked up her hand, and held out the knife for her to inspect. “This is a ritual blade. It directs magic. When doing blood work, it’s best to have a tightly defined spell, especially with my kind, or unexpected consequences creep up.”
The knife stretched longer than her hand with a smooth wooden handle and sharp edges on both sides of the blade. More of a dagger than a kitchen utensil. “And what spell are we casting?”
Seth set the dagger on his thigh, seemingly comfortable with a sharp weapon next his manly bits. “We’re going to create a bond between us. Bonds can connect in various ways, but I’m making this one specific. It’ll allow us to bypass the other’s shield.”
Keely’s gaze shot back to his face. “It’ll go both ways?”
He nodded. “That’s the only way this will work.”
“How do we reverse it?”
“I have a friend who figured out how to sever bonds, but she sort of killed someone when she did it.”
Keely blinked. “What are the other options?”
“Time and distance, as in a lifetime, or a shock of severe emotion like betrayal. Death also works. The more we use it, the stronger it becomes. Bonds aren’t meant to be created lightly because they’re so hard to break.” Seth lifted her hand and brushed a kiss across her palm. “Last chance to back out.”
His words twisted inside her with the aftershocks from his kiss. She’d committed to this detour in her life, and rash decision or not, Keely wasn’t backing out. Commitment didn’t scare her. A bond with Seth didn’t scare her. When the time came though, she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to accept death, distance, or betrayal.
Hopefully, Seth understood what he was getting himself into because she wasn’t sure she did.
Keely lifted her chin. “Do it.”
Seth picked up the dagger, and Keely trained her eyes on Seth’s face. He flicked it across both their palms in one quick motion, then set it back on his thigh. The sharp pain barely registered before he’d pressed their hands together and linked their fingers.
Warmth radiated from their joined hands and spread up her arm, joined by the magic prickles she was getting used to. The sensation climbed to her shoulder and down into her chest where it anchored. Keely had a brief moment of panic when the prickles faded but the very slight pull from her middle remained. The pull wasn’t unpleasant though, and the panic sort of embarrassed her after all her bad-ass acceptance thinking.
Seth unlinked their fingers and lifted her hand to glance at her injury. His eyes flicked back to her, and holding her gaze, he swiped
his tongue across the blood at the center of her palm. Keely’s lips parted on an involuntary breath, and the pull inside her intensified.
It was official. She was obsessed with his tongue.
Raise your shield.
Keely’s mind went utterly blank for a full second before she remembered why they’d done the bond in the first place. She searched for the image of the book, then realized it was already in place. Her shield had been up the whole time.
Good. Seth released her hand and stood, scooping up the dagger. “You might get the added bonus of picking up some of my more useful abilities.”
“That wasn’t part of the explanation.”
He shrugged. “It wasn’t supposed to be part of the spell, but your hand tells me that we got a little more than we bargained for.”
Keely twisted her palm toward her and raised a brow. “How sharp is that knife? The cut’s almost invisible.”
Seth spun the dagger in his hand so the blade faced away from her, and Keely added knife-handling skills to the list of sexy things she needed in a man. “Not invisible. Healed. My kind heal from most non-fatal wounds pretty quickly.”
She gaped at her hand then at him. “Are you saying I get super-healing as a side bonus?”
“I’m not planning to test it, but that’s what it looks like.”
Talk about protection. Keely figured she should probably be freaked out by all the sharing, but going from ordinary to mostly not was pretty cool.
Speaking of ordinary, she frowned. “What do you get out of this then?”
His gaze trailed over her, and he grinned. “Someone who can pass for a mate. We can practice for now, and we’ll have a final test run in two weeks. A friend, another exile, is having an event here in New York, and I want to introduce you as my mate. Get the rumor mill going. We’ll have to leave for Aecantha the next day, so it’ll be the last chance to work out any mistakes.”
Seth’s calm, rational plan for her entrance to magical society marked another quick reversal from the man who’d licked the blood from her skin not two minutes ago. The constant back and forth frustrated Keely. He drove her crazy, and she wanted some of that power.
