“Here is the spell she used. Perhaps it might be of use to you. I will have Rachel scan it and send it to you.”
“Thanks Gran, I really appreciate your help.”
“Any time my child.”
⧫⧫⧫
Later that evening, as the sun was setting over the water, I heard a knock on my door and when I opened it, Ian stood there, still wearing his white lab coat over a golf-shirt and khakis, a steaming bowl of stew in his hands.
“Ciara asked me to bring this down to you.” He held up the bowl and I smiled widely.
“Smells delicious. Would you like to come in?” I asked, accepting the bowl he handed me and he stepped in behind me and closed the door as I set the bowl on the dining table. “Have you eaten?” I asked, getting a glass of water from the sink and he nodded with a rueful smile.
“Aye, probably more than I should have to be honest. But we’re all guilty of it because the food is too good to turn down.” He admitted, pulling up the chair across from mine as I sat down and carefully tasted the first spoonful. The stew was rich in flavor, the gaminess of the meat adding a nice flavor to the gravy, mixed with carrots, potatoes, leeks and peas. Steam billowed off the top but when I tried it, it was the perfect temperature and I closed my eyes and savored the taste, making Ian chuckle.
“That’s close to the same expression we all had when we took our first spoonfuls.”
“This is amazing.” I said in surprise, breaking a piece of fresh bread off the slice that was sitting on a little side plate and dipping it in and Ian sat quietly with me and let me enjoy the meal. When I was finished eating, I stood up to rinse my bowl in the sink and Ian’s gaze dropped to my midsection, visible since I was still only wearing the sport-bra from this morning and he saw the angry looking stitches he had put there.
“How is your stomach feeling? Those stitches look a little irritated.” He said in concern and I looked down at myself with a critical eye.
“They’re a little sore right now but that’s probably because I’ve been sitting on a chair, all scrunched up while doing a Skype call.” I frowned slightly at the gouges left from the crow’s talons. The neat little ‘x’ stitches that Ian had sewn with the black thread looked so alien against my tanned skin and the whole area was currently a little swollen and red.
“I can’t believe, the way that bird had dug into you while you two were fighting, that all you got were three deep gouges. He could have done so much more damage.” Ian murmured, his gaze still on the stitches and when he realized he was staring at my flat tummy, above my black low-riding leggings, he blushed furiously and quickly looked away.
“Why Doctor, are you blushing?” I asked him teasingly, making his blush deepen, his mind betraying him thoroughly by reminding him at that exact moment of how warm my skin had been under his touch while he’d cleaned my wounds and sewn them up. He had been the consummate professional at the time; it hadn’t occurred to him who he was operating on, or where, or why. It hadn’t been until much later when he’d realized it and his hands had started to shake and he’d had to sit down. Being that close to my body and having his hands on a part of me that was usually covered by clothing had made his head spin. He hadn’t felt much of any fat under his touch, it had all been taut muscle, tanned skin and a warmth that had emanated from me, making him sweat at the thought.
He could remember his fingers skimming over my belly button as he’d wiped blood off my skin, and his continually traitorous mind had him wondering what that skin would feel like with his mouth pressed to it, trailing kisses along my stomach and over my hip bone, what my skin would taste like. He knew I was from Hawaii and the mere thought of the cluster of islands made him think of coconuts, pineapples and volcanoes and now that I had my own luggage, I almost always smelled faintly of pineapple and coconut, making him think there must have been a favorite lotion of mine in my bags somewhere that smelled of the exotic fruits. Would I taste as sweet as I smelled?
“Stop it, Andarsan!” He chided himself in his head, giving himself a firm mental shake, willing his mind and body to relax while he remained sitting at the table. I stood on the other side of the table, still smiling teasingly at him, unaware of his thoughts and he forced a little chuckle.
“Just because I’m a doctor doesn’t mean I don’t get embarrassed sometimes.” He admitted a little brokenly and I raised an eyebrow. Embarrassed by what, I wondered? Where had his mind just traveled to that would have him blushing? Was it somewhere I’d like to go too?
“I think, Doctor, that there is a fire that burns inside you that you keep very well hidden. I get a quick glimpse of it sometimes and then it vanishes again and I wonder, what would it take to get you to let it out?” I murmured, leaning against the side of the table, my belly button and stitches still at his eye level and he stared at those stitches, feeling safer looking there than up at my captivating eyes, and all he wanted to do was take me by the hips, pull me closer to him and kiss the flat plains of my stomach, trail kisses upwards over my ribs and chest, and wrap his hands in my hair to hold me still while he kissed my neck, my throat and then my mouth. God, he wanted to get lost in my kiss!
Edan’s words echoed in his head about how he still got lost in his wife’s eyes and it made him rethink his belief that passion came as you got to know someone. Clearly in Edan’s case it hadn’t, he had been friends with the Laird since they were young boys and he vaguely remembered Ciara playing with them but then she left and when she came back years later, Edan was smitten as soon as he laid eyes on her. And perhaps the same thing was happening to him with me.
“Kailani,” Ian started, clearing his throat as he got to his feet so he was no longer eye-level with my delectable looking tummy, “would you go out on a date with me sometime?” he asked and the question took me by complete surprise and I blushed faintly.
“I would love to Ian, but unless Edan or Hugh play escort, at least off the property, I can’t go anywhere.” I said a bit regretfully and he nodded with a small smile.
“Aye, I know, and I wouldn’t put you through the embarrassment of asking one of them to chaperon you. I mean a date here on the estate somewhere. I can ask Alice and Will to put together a picnic for us and we could go to the cliff if you wanted, or somewhere else that isn’t quite so heavily populated.” He offered and I smiled.
“That sounds really nice, I’d like that. Just tell me when and where and you have yourself a date.”
“Wonderful. I look forward to it. I will take your dishes back to the kitchen and talk to the chefs and see when we might be able to arrange it.” His grin was one of pleasure and relief and I laughed lightly as I watched him collect the bowl and plate from my sink, he tipped his head to me in farewell and then he walked out the door.
I stood in the open doorway and watched the young man disappear into the twilight and I let me gaze rake over him. His khakis were a slimmer-fit than some doctors wore and they rested, with his heavy belt, on his hips in such a relaxed fashion that I wondered if he did it deliberately or if he was unaware of how he looked. His shirts, whether polo or button-down, stretched across strong, broad shoulders and I always admired the view whenever we were within viewing distance of each other. But it was his face, not to make myself sound superficial, that always made my heart skip a beat. Those gentle brown eyes saw so much, and I think looked far deeper into someone than the average person could imagine. And with that sharp nose, it lent him an air that I couldn’t put my finger on. His thick reddish-brown hair was cut short and kept very tidy but my fingers itched to rake through it and mess it up while he kissed me.
While he kissed me? Mmm, there’s a thought I hadn’t really envisioned yet and it instantly put butterflies in my stomach and goosebumps on my arms. What would those full lips feel like against mine? What would it feel like to have his arms around me? I’d sought a hug from him not that long ago and his arms had felt good then, but mix in a little desire or need…
With a small shiver of anticipation, I stepped ba
ck from the door to close it. Maybe I’d find out on our date!
Chapter 13
Ciara’s plants were delivered the next day and she wasted no time having some of the young men and women around the estate get them planted and watered. She wanted two rowan trees by the gates, one on either side of the lane-way, and then the rest were spread around the cottages and garden. Edan watched her like a hawk, he could tell the babies were getting close to being due, his wife’s tummy had changed shape, didn’t ride as high as it used to and she quite often used two hands now to wrap around her sinking tummy to support it. But she still had more energy than he thought he would if their roles were reversed, so he let her do as she pleased. It gave him a certain amount of pleasure to see her planting on the property, she had called this estate home for years but had never really taken an interest in making it her own and the addition of these trees and shrubs showed that was changing.
He did however wonder about the rowan trees. Every Scottish, Irish or British person on the isles knew them to be protective against evil spirits and he was really starting to doubt his wife’s innocence on that regard. She still scoffed at him whenever he mentioned anything supernatural or superstitious but then why would she pick those particular trees?
Speaking of things that were supernatural, he hadn’t seen me around since breakfast and that wasn’t like me. He took a walk around the property and when he didn’t see me anywhere, he went to the cliffs. Sure enough, I stood on the edge near the pathway that led down to the beach and I seemed to be talking to myself.
He didn’t think interrupting would be a good idea at the moment and instead stood back to watch. I was facing over the water and waving my hands around while I spoke quietly, making pushing motions with my hands and then I turned forty-five degrees and did it all again. He cocked an eyebrow in curiosity as I seemed to finish the series of arm movement and words and then rotated again so I was facing him. I didn’t seem to see him though, my eyes were somewhat unfocused, so he just continued to stand and watch. When I was facing out over the water again I surprised him by suddenly dropping to my knees on the ground in the middle of a circle of candles that he hadn’t noticed until that moment, and when I placed my hands on the ground, a faint flash of blue light shot out from under my palms along the edge of the cliff, stopping at the stone walls, hundreds of feet away in either direction.
“What the bloody hell was that?” he asked, his voice nothing more than a shocked whisper but I heard him and when I turned to him again, my green eyes were once again focused and I smiled thinly at him.
“The same banishing spell I performed in your house during the soccer game. I wasn’t sure if I could do one that would encompass so much space but clearly distance isn’t an issue.”
“The spell you did in the house was because of the crow, correct? And after that, it couldn’t get near the place. Nor did we have any mirrors break in the house, so do you think they’re related? Your spell kept all of the negative energy out of the house?”
“I hope so, and with the crows that were circling your house, I figured another spell couldn’t hurt. I may not be able to do anything about the airspace above your property but I can do whatever I can closer to the ground. Your property line ends at the base of the cliff so from there up to however high I can get, I’ll protect it any way I can.” I told him and he chewed on his lip thoughtfully for a moment as I bent down to collect my burnt out candles.
“Samhain is coming soon.” He said eventually and I turned to him with a nod.
“I know. I’m not taking anything for granted, believe me. Part of me still feels like I’m crazy, all of this talk and mental rumination about fairies and witches and dragons. It even manifests in my dreams at night for Christ’s sake. But I have to go with it, because crazy or not, if I can be what I am, that means I can’t not believe in the rest of it. So if ancient folklore states that the walls between Fae and us are thinnest during Samhain, making it more feasible for them to meddle and toy with us, than I’ve got to believe there’s at least some truth to it and prepare for it ahead of time.” I said seriously, pushing the sleeves of my sweater up higher on my arms. When Stephanie had bought me the cable-knit sweater back when I had first arrived, I had originally thought her to be a bit crazy herself. Who wore a sweater in September? But now that we were deep into October, the temperatures were dropping a little more and since Hawaii was always so much warmer, I wasn’t used to the cooler air and the sweater was becoming a good friend.
“What can we do? Anything?” Edan asked as we both turned and started walking back towards the residences and I shook my head slowly.
“I can’t think of anything. If I do I will certainly let you know but right now, just continue to enjoy life and get ready for your babies. Ciara looks like she’s about ready to pop.” I smiled fondly at the thought of the other young woman and Edan chuckled.
“Aye, I don’t know how she can manage the way she does with a tummy that big and two little beings inside that won’t rest. But she does and I will forever be in awe of her strength.” His voice softened as he spoke of his wife and I smiled, even as my heart broke a little. When would I find someone who would love me that much? And being who I am, would it even be possible now? My Dad, my grandfather, and several before them...they had never changed so no one ever saw their true forms, making finding someone to love them easier. How could someone see me as a dragon and then as a woman and still love me? I would have to leave this property in order to be around people that just saw me as I was right now, and when would that happen again? Would it? Or was I destined to live here forever?
“You two are very lucky to have each other Edan. I can’t tell you enough how special your relationship is.” I gave his arm an affectionate squeeze and he shot me a curious sideways glance.
“What about you, lass? Anyone special in your life?”
“Me? No, sadly. The last boyfriend I had left Hawaii to follow his dreams without me so I fly solo these days. No pun intended.” I answered vaguely, my mind warring with itself on whether or not to bring forth the thoughts of Mark and how he had left. He had wanted a little waif-like girlfriend that would stand on the shore and cheer him on whenever he entered surfing competitions, not the ‘amazon-woman’ I was, who was more likely to get on a board and compete against him.
When we’d first met it had been astride boards out in the bay at sunrise, waiting for the right swells to come along that would take us back into shore. The attraction we’d felt had hit hard and fast, partnered with the competitiveness we’d shared to see who was the better surfer. We could be found out in the water from sun-up to sun-down, pushing each other to be better, and after dark we’d be behind a dune making love and not caring where the sand got because we knew we’d be washing off in the waves again later.
But before long, Mark had stopped wanting to surf together, even just to enjoy an evening with friends after work. Then he’d stopped wanting to go out together in public and when I’d questioned him about it, he’d been brutally honest and told me it made him uncomfortable being with someone who was almost taller than he was and who was as competitive and athletic as I was. He wanted to be the trophy-winner in the relationship and wanted someone who would jump into his arms when he came back onshore and not knock him over in the process. The next day, he was gone.
Edan watched the expressions roll across my face as I got lost in thought and when my expression finally tightened, signally I’d reached the end of a painful memory, he cleared his throat slightly.
“What of the young men on the estate? Anyone tickle your fancy?” at the question, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“I never pictured you of all people playing matchmaker, Mr. Laird sir. Your father, yes. You, not so much.” I teased and he blushed faintly and cleared his throat again.
“I’ve known just about everyone on this land my entire life and each and every one of them is a good person. And I’ve seen the way some of the lads look at ye.” He
said lightly and I waved him off with a light scoff.
“I’m an anomaly to everyone here. To the guys, I’m probably intriguing. I’m an outsider; I don’t look even remotely like I’m from Scotland, I’m taller than the average woman and I can turn into a dragon. Every boy’s dream from the days of playing Dungeons and Dragons.” Even as I said the words, I desperately hoped I was wrong. At least as far as the doctor was concerned. I hoped that he of all people would be able to look beyond my genetic makeup.
“Give them a chance, aye? One or two of them might actually surprise you.” We reached his house and said farewell, him going inside and I turned and headed for my cottage. When I reached my door, there was an envelope stuffed under it, and when I bent down to pick it up I saw my name scrolled across the front. Going over the couch, I sank down on the edge as I opened it and pulled out a piece of paper that looked like it had been ripped out of a little spiral-topped notepad.
“Dear Kailani;
Hope your stitches are holding okay. Let me know if you require anything for the pain. Picnic at sunset tonight out on the cliff is all arranged. Looking forward to it.
Yours, Ian.”
At first, the note made me smile in excitement. Ian had been serious about the date! Then the word ‘date’ sunk in and so did the panic. What would I wear? I wanted tonight to be special, I wanted to wear something that he hadn’t seen yet so that it would help him forget that I wasn’t a full human, but I had nothing! And no way to get something new before sunset! Drat! But as I paced back and forth, chewing on a thumbnail, there was a knock at the door and when I opened it, Stephanie stood there.
“Hi Steph, what can I do for you?” I asked in pleasant surprise and she shrugged with a smile.
“I just wanted to stop and say hi. I haven’t seen you since our morning run and I was just passing by on my way to the barn.”
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