by Judith Leger
Caitlyn pulled away, swinging about to face him. She stumbled when she saw what she’d witnessed in the mirror had not changed. She tripped as she backed up, unable to cushion the impact, she landed on her back with a jarring bounce to the rear of her head. Darkness surrounded her. Stars burst behind her eyelids.
Shay called her name. Moaning, she cracked open her eyes. Blue-gray sky and darkened treetops loomed over her. His concerned features came into view.
“Are you all right?” He brushed the hair from her brow. Tremors vibrated from his fingertips. He seemed frightened. She saw the fear in his worried gaze and felt it in his gentle touch.
The back of her head throbbed with sharp pains. Her memory returned, and she cried out. Scooting away from him, she scrambled with her hands and feet to escape. She didn’t look back when he shouted for her to stop.
She had to escape from him. She needed to think, to figure out what was happening. Confused, hurt and frightened, she ran, swatting at the low branches until she broke free of the forest and felt the trimmed grass of the castle’s lawn under her feet. She didn’t stop running until she was locked behind her bedroom door.
Sinking to the floor, panting, she squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could do the same with her memories. He’d said people saw their true form in the mirror. Well, she had just witnessed his.
He wasn’t human. He wasn’t, and even knowing it, she still loved him.
Chapter 28
Darkness covered the world outside her bedroom window. Caitlyn rolled her forehead against the glass. In the five hours since she’d run from Shay, she’d thought about nothing but what had happened in the forest. How could she have called him a liar? Yet, he had lied. All along, he had lied and used her. But why? What was his purpose? Did he even have one?
She stepped away from the window and wandered to the looking glass. The dark-haired woman gazing back at her was unfamiliar. The beauty of this woman amazed her. The Caitlyn Reiley she knew didn’t possess such loveliness. This person was a stranger.
Her thoughts were muddled with how she felt for Shay. She still had trouble understanding the change in her vision. She shoved her hair over the tops of her pointed ears. She laughed. Yes, pointed tips.
Tears stung her eyes. No, she wouldn’t cry. Tears never accomplished anything. She ought to know. They’d never helped when her parents beat her, left her alone days at a time and tried to feed her pills and alcohol. Tears hadn’t helped her then, and they wouldn’t do so now.
Maybe, she should go to Shay and talk to him. Just talk, calmly and intelligently. What could it hurt? She might end up telling him she loved him. What good would that do?
She shook her head. Would it matter? The way she felt wouldn’t change just because he knew. It might complicate the situation, but it wouldn’t change anything.
Taking a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders, and headed for the door. For some reason, a gentle premonition tugged at her. She headed for the library. Without knocking, she eased the door open and slipped in. Her assumption was right, he was there.
Thrown wide, the French doors behind the desk swayed back and forth under the force of the wind. The curtains rippled. Shay sat cross-legged in the center of the desk with his back to her. A bottle that looked as though someone flattened it while still forming it swung in his left hand. A tiny, thimble sized cup was pinched between his thumb and the index finger of the right.
“I didn’t believe I would see you again.” He grunted, raising the tiny cup and tossing a deep purple liquid into his open mouth. He never turned his head. How had he known she stood there?
Caitlyn walked toward the doors, keeping distance between them. She didn’t want to get close. If she did, she would weaken. Become too wrapped up. She needed answers, not distractions.
She hugged her arms about her waist. “Probably won’t believe me, but I couldn’t stay away. You owe me an explanation.”
“Um...” Dark hair threaded with silver-entwined braids shook. “I have no excuses for what I have done.”
“Then explain it to me. Excuses won’t change anything, but giving me answers might.” She shifted and tilted her head, looking at him.
The bottle tipped, and he poured more of the purple liquid into the cup. His chest expanded after he emptied the thimble into his mouth.
“That’s wine, isn’t it? What kind?” She didn’t really want to know, but he didn’t seem inclined to answer her other questions.
The side of his mouth rose in a half smile. When he spoke, his Welsh accent changed to an Irish brogue. “Pixie wine from our cousins in Eire. Finest in the land. I’ve been saving it for a special occasion. What better time than the return of our clan’s princess?”
For the first time since she’d entered the room, he lifted his gaze to her. He raised the cup. “Would you care for a bit? I should warn you, it’s not as gentle as human drink. This will put stoutness in your heart.”
“Shay...”
“No? All right, I don’t mind drinking alone.” With that, he downed another cup.
“Talk to me, Shay. Tell me what’s going on. Please,” she whispered, stepping closer.
“Don’t–come any closer,” he said, holding up the hand with the bottle.
She gave him a small smile. “And what will you do if I don’t stop?”
“I’m the reason you were stolen. It was because of me. I enchanted your parents so that a witch could steal you,” he muttered, glancing at the cup.
Her arms tightened about her waist, and she fisted her hands. She glanced about the room, blinking back the sudden sting of tears. “And you expect me to hate you because of what you did? How am I supposed to do that when I don’t have anything to compare one world to the other? I can’t miss something I don’t remember. I worked hard to make a place for myself here, in this world. It might not count for much to most people, but it does to me.”
When her courage increased, she looked at him. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. She took another step toward him. “Shay, I don’t care where I come from. This is my world, my life, and you’ve turned it upside down. I don’t know what to believe.”
“Believe you will go home and live. Believe you will survive.”
“I know I’ll survive. Just tell me the truth.” Battling to keep her frustration under control, she clenched her teeth. She wished he would open up and talk to her.
“The time is right. Tonight. I’ll take you to the doorway, and you’ll return home.” He nodded. He spoke as though she no longer stood so close to him.
“And what will you do? You’ll be with me, won’t you?” She studied him. One more step.
He chuckled. The deep sound rumbled in his chest. He glanced at her, and then whispered. “No. I will stay here.”
“Why?”
“Your father was very upset because of my part in your kidnapping. I will not return to resume my prison sentence. I’ve thought long and hard the last few days. It is best I stay here. Best that I fade away and am no more.” He swallowed another cupful of the wine.
“What do you mean, ‘fade away’? Shay, I don’t know what scares me most. All the strange things happening or not having you with me–helping me.” She didn’t understand. He sounded as if he would die.
“Help you?” He laughed then replied, exasperation in his words, “You don’t need my type of help. I thought I was helping you twenty-four years ago. I was wrong.”
His deep amethyst gaze rose and met hers. “From the first moment my eyes touched upon you, my heart left me and you held it in your tiny hand. Your aura extended so far, that when I stepped within its light, I felt as though my life became renewed. Helping you return home will give me a small measure of absolution. Just don’t ask that I go with you. I cannot. I will not. Not even for you.”
Caitlyn faced the open doors, biting her bottom lip. Didn’t he realize how he hurt her? If he cared, he’d want to go with her.
He swore viciously. She jerked. The
sound of him swinging his legs over the desk’s edge and standing came to her. She shifted away, moving closer to the door.
The gentle touch of his hands on her shoulders sent shivers through her. He rested his cheek against her hair at the back of her head and whispered. “I’ve done it again. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Caitlyn.”
“Don’t be sorry. You don’t have anything to be sorry for.” She turned to face him.
The look of total defeat on his face stole her breath. A lump formed in the base of her throat. She raised her hands, cupping his cheeks. “Oh, Shay.”
His strong arms enfolded her. She rested her head on his shoulder and nuzzled his neck. The warmth from his body seeped through their clothes to her flesh. When his arms tightened, she leaned her head back and stared into beautiful eyes that shone like twin bruises in his face. Full of hurt, full of grief.
“Shay.” She reached up and pulled his mouth to her, rising to meet him half way. The wonderful flavor of cinnamon mixed with berries filled her senses as she dipped her tongue past his lips.
He moaned.
With a sweep of his tongue, he explored her mouth, and then applied suction. Caitlyn’s knees gave out. Throbbing heat budded at the base of her belly. He held her close, kneeling on the carpeted floor. Spreading his legs, he caught her hips to him, holding her tight in the vee.
This was Shay, the real Shay, not a dream one. He kissed her, touched her. She wanted more.
Pulling away, they stared into each other’s eyes. He raised a hand and motioned toward the open doors. They closed on their own, giving them some privacy from anyone looking in. She smiled. Arms crossed in front, she dragged the sweater over her head. Her hair swung free and settled over her shoulders, falling down her back. Silence reigned for several seconds. Her flesh heated.
Soft as a kitten’s fur, he brushed his fingertips along the valley between her breasts where the lacy bra hooked. A swift movement, and the lingerie fell open. She shrugged her shoulders, sending the garment to the floor.
The slight widening of his eyes and flaring of his nostrils revealed he liked what he saw. His throat worked as he swallowed. Trembling, she waited, willing him to touch her.
He whispered her name. His lean fingers wandered over the curve of her breast and came to rest on the side, cupping their weight in the center of his hand. He dipped his head. She felt a puff of breath a moment before he captured her nipple between his lips. The muscles in her neck refused to respond, and her head lolled. Squeezing her eyes shut, she reveled in the sweet pull of his mouth.
His thick hair, threaded with braids, flowed through her fingers. She held him to her, never wanting him to leave. When he shifted, trailing soft kisses over her chest, she released a quiet cry.
Caught up in his touch, she barely registered when he drew her to the carpet. Laying her on her back, he leaned over her breasts, working his magic on her sensitive flesh.
Skin. She needed to touch. Explore his body. Wanted to feel the movement of his muscles and bones against hers. Wanted to simply feel. Breathing deeply, she ran her palms down his neck, glided over his shoulders and pulled his shirt down.
“Take it off. I want to see you, touch you,” she murmured.
In that moment, she realized she’d never seen him bare-chested. Curious, she ran her palms over the sleekness of his back as he removed the shirt. Once the cloth barrier had disappeared, she slid her hands to the front.
Her breath caught in the back of her throat as she gazed upon the broad expanse of his chest. Beautiful, tanned muscles tightened under her inspection. Yearning flared in her core. Passion’s sharp barbs pierced her belly to flow from her in a flood of longing.
Her fingers fumbled with the button and zipper that prevented her from viewing all of his body. Together, they stripped, clothes thrown, forgotten in their need.
Bare skin brushed against bare skin. Caitlyn gasped at the heated touch. She pulled him closer, needing to feel him over her, inside her. Panting, she whispered, “Now, love, I need you.”
He nuzzled her neck, murmuring her name. He captured her lips as he rose above her, shifting between her legs. She lifted her hips, wanting him. Now. This instant. A gentle nudge and he slid, hard and deep, into her.
She cried out in joy. Pleasure rippled through every nerve ending, sending messages from the bottom of her soles to the top of her head. Unable to stop, she wrapped her legs around his, pulling him closer.
Slowly, he withdrew, only to enter her once more. Each movement propelled her nearer and nearer to the edge. Fighting to catch her breath, she rolled her head back and forth, holding his hands, moaning. His name echoed in her mind.
Her orgasm ripped through her, erupting her world with a flash of brilliant colors, draining her then refilling it. Her inner muscles clenched around him, pulling him tighter, further into her. Heated spasms raced through her legs and lower belly.
Groaning, gasping for breath, Shay braced his hands on the floor and straightened his arms, his back curled, his face pointed toward the ceiling. Deep inside her, he jerked once, then twice. Dazed, Caitlyn watched the look of satisfaction and pleasure cross his features as his completion pulsed within her.
Several moments passed, each frozen in the fierce reaction to the other. She lifted a hand and laid it flat over his heart. Sweat dampened her palm. He lowered his head and stared at the hand. She smiled. His muscles contracted under her touch.
When he met her gaze, he smiled and rolled to one side, keeping them joined. Exhausted and fulfilled, she closed her eyes as she settled her head on his shoulder. He held her tight against him. She smiled once more before sleep pulled her down into peaceful darkness.
Chapter 29
Shay’s eyes snapped open. Lightning struck nearby. The crash and electrical sizzle echoed in the library, followed by a thunderous boom. He raised his head and stared out the open door. Clouds raced across the moonlit sky. Their shadows snaked over the garden like vile creatures intent on wickedness. Light flared through the clouds. Thunder cracked. A chill flittered up his spine.
He squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated. He didn’t sense Rhys anywhere in the castle. The strength of the king’s aura remained absent outside the house too. Where was he? He’d picked a fine time to disappear. Damn him.
All the guards Rhys left were in their proper positions, but Shay knew it wasn’t enough. The power he discerned building outside surprised him. The witch approached. Her arrival was imminent.
He eased from Caitlyn’s side, staring down into her peaceful features. There wasn’t any time left. She’d never know how much she meant to him. Not now.
He jerked his jeans on. Two strides, and he swung open the double doors, scanning the gardens. A matter of time. It would be better to draw Gwyneth away. He glanced back at where Caitlyn slept, he had to stay with her.
Frustrated, he concentrated on music. As the beat built in his mind, he opened his mouth and the verses of an ancient battle song came out as an incantation. The winds whipped back around. Two bolts flashed diagonally on the horizon.
His hair floated about his head from the electricity in the air. He fisted his hands and continued to sing. The ground rumbled and boulders erupted from the dirt on the far side of the castle, splitting the earth of the lawns.
Behind him, the soft sound of Caitlyn whispering his name broke his focus. No. He couldn’t stop now. The power he sensed rushed forward. He opened his eyes and raised his hands, waiting until the witch revealed her location.
Vapors appeared in a line of shadows. Low laughter reached him. Underneath the sounds of nature and the arrival of the witch, the rustling of clothes came from behind him. In a flash of lightning, the vapor shot toward him. Not budging, he took the full force of the magical impact. Feet planted, he skidded back on the carpet.
“Shay, what’s going on?”
He cut a glance to Caitlyn, where she stood next to the desk. Worry lined her face. With part of Gwyneth’s spells removed, Caitlyn must
have realized the magnitude of the danger drawing nearer. He wouldn’t chance losing her. He’d never dreamed the witch’s power had increased so much. A deadly miscalculation on his part. One he would never forgive if anything happened to Caitlyn.
“Come, we must leave now.” He held out his hand.
She swallowed, and then ran to him, trust shining in her gaze. The feel of her fragile hand in his gave him little comfort. He caught her gaze and held it.
“At the next surge of power, we will run. Do not lag behind. Stay with me. If we get separated, go to the meadow. In the center is a faery circle. Step inside and say your name and Tylwyth Teg. The entrance will open. No matter what happens, do not stop. Your life depends on it.”
He felt her fear beating in the rapid pulse in her wrist, but underneath, he sensed the rise of royal steel carried in her blood from her ancestors. She nodded and tightened her hold on his hand.
Laughter filtered through the doorway. A woman called his name. Gwyneth. He recognized the voice. “Come and play with me, Shay. Come. Bring the little princess with you. Think of the fun I will have as I watch the two of you die.”
Caitlyn trembled. Waves of fear traveled up his arm from where she gripped his hand. In turn, anger rose inside him. So the witch wanted to play? Then, so be it.
The winds increased. He kept a watch over the shadows as his skin tingled with the magical charges floating in the air. He figured out the precise moment Gwyneth’s power surged to release another volley of magic. Braced sideways, shoulder down, he took the brunt of the attack on his left. Twisting, he shoved the physical force away. Books and shelves shattered under the force.
Shay dove forward, through the door, Caitlyn following at his heels. He rushed toward vapors mixed with shadows, releasing a singular deafening note, sending a powerful thrust of magic to break through. The vapors dispersed in a blinding light.
A scream echoed in the darkness. He grinned. Good, he’d managed to strike her.
