by Lynn Crain
She sat up. “Are you sorry?”
His frown changed to confusion. “Sorry? No, sweetness, confused would be a better term. Maybe it’s time we talked about what has happened between us.”
She stared at him for a moment before giving a tight nod. She needed to get the knot out of her stomach. And not burst into tears. “Sure. If you feel we need to talk.”
Not realizing it, she closed herself off to him and if she would look at him, she would see he wore his heart for her to see. But he had hurt her and he didn’t understand how or why. “Giselle, look at me.”
She shook her head and climbed off him.
Grabbing her chin, Ronan tried to get her to raise her eyes to him, but forced the issue. “Look at me.” He tugged her chin again and finally got her to meet his eyes. With one look, he tried to convey everything he hadn’t said until that moment. This was important, not just to him, but to them. She had to understand, he wasn’t unhappy with her in the least, just the turn of events. “All will turn out the exact way it was meant to be. Promise.”
Her bottom lip quivered. “You’re saying what you think I want to hear.” She tried to get off the bed when he again grabbed her and pulled her into his lap.
“Like I said last night, I never say a word I don’t mean. If nothing else, know this fact about me.”
She sat there like a dejected child for a moment as he realized someone else had done a number on her. An event he would prevent if he had done what the elven council had first asked him to do. All he had to do was be her protector and care for her, prevent her heartache. Instead, he wanted to prevent the most beautiful event, which had ever happened in his life.
Almost.
Whatever had made her push him last night had been a blessing in disguise. No incident would ever tear them apart again. No matter what it took, he would make sure they were together. But in this moment he needed to convince her she was important to him.
“I know we need to get up and get ready to face the day. But I want to tell you a few things first. I don’t want to hear your input, I want you to listen. You’ll know when you need to answer back. Got that?” He turned her sideways in his lap and gazed upon her face.
Her intent gaze spoke volumes as she watched him.
It took him a few moments to gather his thoughts, then the words seemed to tumble from his mouth. “I know no one has ever told you this, but I was there at your christening. I was aware of you the day you were born and was told I would be your protector.”
Giselle’s eyes grew wide.
“Yeah, you heard me right. The council had told me on the day you were born, I was supposed to protect you. Your christening wasn’t for a few weeks after you were born and I kept to the shadows, watching, but never getting close. Then one evening, you were crying hysterically for a moment before your parents heard you, so I went close and placed my finger in your hand.”
He swallowed as this part would be hard for even him to admit to himself. He observed her a moment, knowing he had her full attention. He hoped his explanation would help her understand him a little better. “The moment I touched you, I knew you were different than any other human alive. I could feel you in a way I couldn’t even feel the Locklin children. And even then I…God, this is so hard.”
She placed a gentle hand on his arm. “Go on,” she whispered.
“I cared deeply for you then. You were a baby. I was a full-grown elf already. I wasn’t supposed to feel for you. I was supposed to protect you. And you scared the hell out of me. So I ran.”
“I’m not sure I understand.”
He scrutinized her carefully, not wanting to scare her for any reason. “I ran because I could never touch you, never love you. You were to be my ward and I was never supposed to feel for you in any personal way. My god, Giselle, I’m an old man compared to you. This was never expected to happen, ever. I feel as if I’m robbing the cradle.”
His eyes became crazed as he looked at her. Reaching up a soothing hand, she caressed his brow. “Like you said, it will be all right. Someone, somewhere knew this was going to happen. Please, spell it out for me in black and white because I’m still a little confused here and I’m not sure about the logical conclusion.”
His gaze wandered back to her face and her immediate effect calmed him. “You’ve heard about nor’ahkeem?”
She moved her head in agreement.
“You know it is the process of bonding between elves and their mates, be they human or elf.”
“I have a rudimentary knowledge of the process, yes.”
“Then you should know the couple must discuss the process because it is binding between two people.”
“So, I’ve heard.”
“I think I was imprinted with you long before this ever became an option.”
“Imprinted?”
“Sometimes two people bind themselves together through a process called imprinting many years before nor’ahkeem can ever take place. Sometimes a protector and ward imprint on each other for no other reason than to share a common bond. The protector can keep his ward safe by knowing all there is to know about them at all times. I think our imprint is a combination of both.”
She blinked once. She had never heard of this.
“On rare occasions, those who are soul mates, those bound for nor’ahkeem will imprint so they can never forget the other. It can happen at one’s birth or a meeting when they are young or old. They will always be aware of each other, but the one of them, which is human, can appear to have a normal life. On the other hand, the elf will always be in solitude, alone, watching and waiting for their mate to even know they exist.”
He noticed the staccato flutter in her neck as her heart beat faster.
“Giselle, I started the process of nor’ahkeem without your permission because I tried to ignore you. I tried to forget you and drive you out of my mind and heart. But the day you were attacked, you dragged me back to you through space and time. I was your protector and you called, I came.”
Her breathing was faster and her hand clutched his arm tighter.
“Every time we have sex, the bond will be forged a little tighter, a lot harder to break than the previous time. If you want out, then now’s the time to say so. But know this, I love you with every fiber of my being. I am yours and you are mine, now and forever. I will never nor can I ever love anyone else but you. You are my soul mate.”
Chapter 5
Shocked would be the word she used to describe her reaction. What he said explains so many things, she thought as she gazed into his blue eyes. Like why she could never fully commit to Roger, her ex-fiancé, something always held her back. Her parents were so adamant she marry him, she had made up the story about him wanting her money. It made them back off and give her the breathing room she needed. But it couldn’t explain her cousins and why she always wanted to tell their secrets.
Still, while she grasped the concept of nor’ahkeem, the rest came as a total surprise. As she watched the man in front of her, she understood it was even more of a shock to him. He was much older than her though he looked to be a few years her senior. Elves had a different life span and events happened to them in unusual ways. Giselle had seen this more than once with her cousins. Situations occurred that couldn’t be explained.
As if they were preordained. Her eyes narrowed and she tried to breathe deep like a yoga instructor had taught her years ago. Now would be a good time to share her thoughts, her inner searching for why she didn’t seem to fit in anywhere.
“Now it’s my turn.” She caressed his arm and tried to convey her deepest thoughts. “I knew.”
He look was one of utter disbelief. “How?”
She gave him an unsettled look. “If I knew, we probably wouldn’t be here now. We’d have been two ships still passing in the night. But an inner need compelled me to challenge you, to force your hand last night. It’s as if the whole incident had been predetermined by a higher power, as if they were tired of waiting for
us to get around to the inevitable.”
“The elven council.” His look held a calm frustration.
“I didn’t say it was them, but it was something.”
He watched her for a few moments. “I can sense there’s more.”
“There’s a lot more. But let’s start with the basics. Would it surprise you to know I have never been attracted to anyone else? I mean, yeah, I had a fiancé, but there was no emotional attachment.” She tried to gauge what he felt because of her admission, but it was hard as he showed no enthusiasm in his face or body language.
He rubbed her hand. “I’m sorry.”
She gave him a slight smirk. “Don’t be. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here because I’d be married to the idiot. And I knew the moment I looked at you through my pain the night you rescued me that you were the one, the one I had waited my whole life to meet. But you were arrogant, proud, standoffish, untouchable. I tried crying on your shoulder, pouting and a host of other things since you’ve been here and most of the time all I got was the brush off. You didn’t want anything to do with me.”
His hand moved restless on her bare shoulder. “I’m sorry. You know it wasn’t the case, never that.”
Her negative head bob tossed her wild looking blonde hair even more. “Don’t be. I understand now yet I think it played out exactly like it was supposed to, it made us want each other more. Mine showed on the surface, yours went much deeper because you had been touched by it years before.”
His hand cupped her head and he drew her to him, kissing her lips as his body started to flare yet again. “How can you be so wise? You are so young.”
Again, she shook her head. “I’m not so sure I am so young. And I’m certainly not wise. Listen to my cousins for a complete listing of all my faults.” She gave a wry smile at his puzzled look. “Yes, I know I play the spoiled rich heiress well. But there was always a nagging thought telling me I couldn’t show my true self and it’s as if I don’t know my true self. It is fun not having to take responsibility for your actions and I needed to learn as much as possible I suspect. It’s as if I’ve been here before. We’ve been here before, but again, not quite like this.”
“Neither of those points makes any sense.”
“The first does when those negative things would bring back the one thing my soul missed. The second I’m inclined to believe the elven council can help us with the meaning like you stated before.”
He leaned in again, his lips brushing her neck. “I can feel there’s still more, isn’t there?”
“More questions than anything. I mean, what do you know about protectors? Can a bonded pair protect a family?”
His astonishment was evident. “The elven council would know. Sometimes we’re called guardians as well. And I know the basics and each of us get specialized training in hand to hand combat. Some duties are given by the council while some do come from a higher power. We do all the basic things, watch our ward, keep them out of trouble and help them in any way possible. But in no way are we to influence their decisions about their own life. Even though it is in our power to do so.”
Her heavy sigh permeated the corners of the room. “Doesn’t every elf have that power? Can’t they glamour a victim if they want?”
“True in most cases. However, where a protector-guardian is concerned it would be more like meddling as we’d need to mold our ward’s mind to our thinking. An elven ward is protected from all level one elven magic. A glamour is a first level spell, easy to maintain and has no ill effects.”
“I didn’t realize there were different magic levels. And you’re wrong, very wrong since Lacey did.”
He nodded. “I think I’ve ascertained all the human women the Locklins chose as their mates are different than the normal human female. But Lacey is different. She’s a human elemental and most of those are protectors of specific places, like loinnirs.”
“Do you think it would include me? I mean, I am genetically linked to them. Would that in some way make me different?”
“Hell, Giselle, I would think it does make you different. But I’m at a loss to understand how. It may have started long before you. It may have started with your Aunt Janice.”
She rubbed her hand up his chest, to his shoulder, even more pieces falling into place. “Would the council keep secrets from Santa and Uncle Bevin?”
“They might. I know Santa is more than an elf, he’s old, old magic and in essence protector-guardian of this world. His power does ebb and flow like the tides, sometimes they are stronger, sometimes weaker. People’s belief in him fuel it even more and I think the addition of the human wives give his power a great boost.”
“Again, there’s more, I can feel it.” Her eyes were riveted to his face. There was a lot more, but this wasn’t what she wanted now. She wanted Ronan, needed to feel him in her body again, feel him expand her soul and increase their bond. “We’re going to plan a trip.”
His eyes went midnight blue. “I agree, but I don’t think it has to happen now. Tomorrow would be good enough.”
She looped her arms around his neck. “Good thing my parents are out of the country. We’ll let Aunt Janice know where we’re headed. And Aingeal. Maybe she and Fearghus will have some more insight.”
“Maybe.”
His lips moved against her, down toward her breast, caressing first the skin between, then moving to the pliant soft flesh. “Umm, that feels wonderful.”
“I want more than wonderful.”
She pulled away to gaze into his eyes. “And what would be more than wonderful?”
“Let’s see…magnificent, breathtaking, fantastic and don’t forget amazing.”
He kissed her hard, then and made her forget all her doubts, hesitations for the next hour as he made glorious love to her. The complete culmination being the miasma of colors, even more brilliant than they had ever seen as they seemed to merge the magic together inside them. There was so much to learn, so much to do as they lay in the glowing aftermath before falling into a deep sleep.
Again, Giselle was the first to wake, lying snuggled and warm against Ronan as the sun streamed around the edges of the curtains in her bedroom. If she listened hard enough, she could hear his heartbeat steady, strong. Her life would be so different now, so full and she foresaw many happy times ahead of her. And this man would be part of it, good and bad.
He stirred, turning his head toward her, blue eyes blazing. “Dia dhuit ar maìdin, àilleagan.”
“Gaelic, right?”
“Yes, it’s the language of the elves. Many say we were the ones who taught the Scots.”
She smiled. “I guess I’m going to learn.”
“I’m sure you’ll pick it up in time. I’m amazed you don’t know any from being with your cousins.”
She frowned with a sigh coming on its heels. “I didn’t spend as much time with my cousins as I liked. It might have to do with why I was so talkative about them.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, my parents were a little weirded out by the magic stuff. My Dad is Aunt Janice’s brother and when she decided to marry Uncle Bevin, life wasn’t good for a while between them from what I understand. Aunt Janice is the older of the two and the heir to all you see. She gave most of it up to Dad when she married with a few special caveats like trust funds for any children they would have. And not long after those kids started coming. Don’t mind my Jewish expression here, but oiy-vey! You’d think the sky had fallen from what I’ve been told by my Mom.”
“But now you all seem so close.”
“I think the key word is seem. We probably would have been a lot closer if Dad hadn’t been such a stick in the mud. I was so fascinated with everything they were and tried to go to the North Pole with every vacation. And I might have kept my mouth shut.”
He chuckled. “You thought if you talked about your cousins your father would allow more time with them. I see.”
“It was a hope. Then I when I got older, I’d give vague r
eferences. I mean when I wanted Lacey to meet Cuinn, I told her I had a fabulous cousin I wanted her to get to know. The rest I left to fate.”
“But someone was listening to what you said.”
She shrugged. “I guess. I mean most of those comments were to my cousins themselves. How many problems can that cause?”
“Apparently, enough.”
She sighed. “Yeah. Do you think what I’ve said might have to do with Merna getting kidnapped?”
“I’m not so sure she was kidnapped. The guy with her might have another idea.”
“That’s true. At least according to Aingeal and Lacey. There is so much they don’t know and they are within the family. How is someone like me even going to help?”
He clasped her to him in a tight embrace. “I think I’ve turned into an optimist. I do believe it will all turn out exactly like it is supposed to turn out.”
“Fine. I’ll try not to worry any more. So, what’s next?”
“What’s next is exactly like you said. We need to go the Scottish loinnir at the edge of the Black Wood of Rannoch. It’s beautiful there.”
“It’s been quite a while since I traveled and I’ve never been to Scotland. How are we getting there? Private plane? Santa’s sleigh?”
His grin was infectious. “My secret. Now get up. We need to shower and get your clothes packed.” He pulled her from the bed and swatted her butt in a playful manner. “Come on. Get a move on!”
“Sure, one small request though.” She hung back a little.
“What?”
“Promise me you’ll show me while we’re in the shower, what you meant by magnificent.”
He pulled her to him and kissed her, a hard one filled with want and need and passion. Then Ronan had no problem showing her what he meant by magnificent.
Chapter 6
The trip hadn’t been what Giselle expected. Ronan was a powerful elf with spells she was sure not even her elven cousins knew about. Still, it hadn’t made it any easier for her to feel the cold or contain the queasiness of her stomach when they arrived at their destination.
