by Lynn Crain
Santa nodded. “I attempted to send one, but I don’t know if it got through or not.”
“Now we must make sure we find her. That young man with her knows more than what we heard when he took her from here.”
“Why do you think that, Giselle?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know, but I think he’s on our side and doesn’t know it yet.”
“Poor man.”
Everyone turned to look at Ronan who uttered his first words since this had happened. Giselle frowned at him. “Just what do you mean?”
He smiled. “I would say this family has some formidable women. The poor guy will never have a chance and I believe someone else indicated the same thing at Cuinn and Lacey’s wedding if I remember.” He stared at Lacey.
“All right, I did say I thought he was the second elemental as I could never feel a bad vibe emanating from him. Although I do think he thinks he’s part of Guthrie’s team.”
“Still, Merna needs to be warned of the possible danger. I know there isn’t much he can do because of the elemental spell Lacey put on him, but if he has a way to contact Guthrie, it would be a definite problem.” Giselle turned back to her Aunt. “Now back to you, Aunt Janice. Have you talked to anyone about your talent? About how you can or can’t use it?”
“No, I’ve talked to Bevan a little. This is so new to me and I think I’ve been suppressing it for quite a while.”
Giselle nodded once and smiled at her aunt. “Probably since you were first married. I wonder where we would be if you’d learned of this sooner. Was that why you came to Scotland?”
“The same place as we are now.” Fearghus stated as he walked up. “Everyone is safe and secure. I’ve checked the whole barrier with Ardan and Cesan. There won’t even be a polar breathing that we won’t know about.”
“Good. I don’t understand what you mean we’d be in the same place.”
“Didn’t your time with the Elders teach you anything, girl?” Conall growled as he came up to the group. “And Fearghus is correct in saying we would be exactly in the same spot. The Elders can’t change destiny, but they can make sure all the elements come together to get the effect they want. Haven’t you ever wondered why Bevan and Janice got together?” He gave a pointed look to everyone in the group.
“It never occurred to me we were put together for a reason.” Bevan smiled. “I always thought…”
“And you thought right, young man. The only part the Elders made happen was that you were thrown together at exactly the right moment when you could fall in love. If it happened, great, they were one step closer to bringing all the elements needed to ensure the continuance of the elven race and their human counterparts. No one stands in the world alone. Even destiny and fate know the truth of this fact.”
Giselle stood there perplexed for a moment. “So, the Elders can make sure all the conditions are right. We’re the ones who must take the first step and be receptive to what’s around us. Correct?”
“Absolutely. Why don’t we all go to the conference room where we can talk about this a little more privately? I’m sure most don’t need to hear everything. We can brief them once we know more ourselves.” Sorcha gave Santa a look.
“Oh, yes, yes. I see what you mean. Everyone, we’ll do a town meeting once Eggther gets back. I need the Locklins present in the conference room as well as the council. Does that work, Sorcha?”
“Yes. Ladies, please walk with me, Lorna and Aislinn. Ronan, you can come along with the men.”
Giselle was reluctant to let go of Ronan’s hand. “I guess I’ve been called.” Before she got two steps, she was hauled back against a body of steel.
“Not before this.” His big hands framed her face. “Tha mi airson sibh.”
He kissed her deeply, his tongue thrusting into her mouth to dance with hers. The heat rushed over her and blanketed her with hot desire. He pulled her tighter to him and hugged her fiercely. She would never get enough of this man. All events which had happened to this point allowed them to love each other. And for that she would always be thankful.
“You better.” She chuckled at his lifted brow. “Yeah, I understand Gaelic now.” She walked ahead to catch up to the other women.
Sorcha watched her for a moment. “I know it’s hard to tear yourself away from him for a little while, but I needed this moment to talk to each of you. The men will give a few private moments.” She opened the door and went into the conference room where everyone took a seat. “I don’t want to alarm anyone, but this bulk of this fight has always fallen on the shoulders of the women. I do believe with the Locklins, that will change as Janice and Bevan had both girls and boys. And they are at the heart of this new army for lack of a better term.”
“Well, Sorcha, I was told by the Elders we’re protector-guardians. We’ve also been known as defenders as well as we would give our very lives those we love. I know what Guthrie’s side is missing.”
Sorcha nodded. “I suspected as much. Our love and friendship makes us much stronger than the enemy. But now we need to talk about Janice.” All eyes turned to the small, older woman. “I don’t want you to think in any way your relationship with Bevan was ever manipulated. It wasn’t.”
Her hand fluttered a moment on the table. “I know my husband loves me. My problem with the whole thing is it seems as if the Elven Elders know everything, past, present and future. I don’t understand how they knew what our children would be able to do.” She looked at Giselle. “Or what my brother’s children would do. How could they know this?”
Giselle smiled and reached for her Aunt’s hand. “Aunt Janice, they didn’t know, but they hoped by bringing you together like they did would produce the results they knew were needed. The one part they can never take from us is free will. You may never have fallen in love with Uncle Bevan. They wanted it to happen. You may never have had more than once child. They hoped there would be more.”
Aingeal nodded in agreement. “She’s right. They can’t play with destiny. They can only manipulate situations. Who knows what would have happened if you had your powers before now, Mother? Or if Ronan had stayed to protect Giselle as she grew up? We don’t know, but we could have been in a different place if either you or Ronan had chosen a different path.”
“Yes, each much chose their path. Anything else would create unbalance.” Lorna Preston stated to those around the table. “And while we don’t know everything, the Elven Elders can see every possible scenario. They know the good and the bad. They know exactly what will happen if things don’t follow a certain path. I can’t imagine that much responsibility.”
“I can.” All eyes turned toward the door. Angie stood there, belly huge as she waddled to the nearest chair. “My parents told me this was coming when I was in the Hall of the Elven Elders. They also said all would turn out exactly like it should. We need to be prepared.”
“Angie, what are you doing here? You should be in bed?”
“Not today, today I need to go to the hospital and birth some babies.”
The room went into an immediate flurry of activity. Giselle sat still for a moment, looking at her family and friends, it might take a while, but she was exactly where she needed to be. Her eyes filled with unexpected tears and she looked at Lacey as she touched her shoulder.
“Are you all right? I know we’ve been moving at warp speed.”
Giselle reached up and wiped her eyes. “I will be. The best days are when babies are born, you know.”
“It will happen for you.”
She shook her head. “Not for a few years. This needs to be resolved before I can even think about kids.”
“And what about Ronan? What if he wants kids before?”
Giselle leaned back in her chair and eyed her best friend cautiously. “What’s wrong with you? Have babies on your mind?”
“Maybe.” Lacey sat there and grinned.
“Is there something I should know?” It was the same exact scenario, which had played out in t
he beginning.
“Not yet, maybe soon. We’ll see. I need to go to the hospital, but I want to make sure you’re good before I do.” She turned and looked at Angie. “It will be awhile. Ardan wants to get her settled before we do the caesarean. It’s easier with triplets.”
“I’d think so. And yes, go do what you need to do. I’m fine. I have all of you now.”
“You weren’t fine before?”
Giselle shook her head. “No, I wasn’t. It took the love of a special elf to make me see what I wanted. And I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
The door opened and Ronan came through, followed by Ardan. She looked at her elf, knowing there would never be anyone else for her. Ronan. The man who she would love forever and she watched him with pride as he came to her side.
“Tha gaol agam ort,” she said softly and watched his eyes light up with love. “Tha gaol agam ort.”
Epilogue
Giselle woke and stretched. It had been five glorious weeks since the encounter with Guthrie Sinclair. During that time, she had become a godmother, a wife and the prime protector-guardian of the elven loinnirs. She had traveled the world before, but her trips weren’t as exciting as this time with a lover.
And not just any lover. Her soul mate. She hoped people around the world felt as happy as she did this moment. As if on cue, Ronan’s fingers circled her aureole, making her crotch clench in anticipation of what was to come. Their lovemaking had taken them on a journey neither felt they would ever have.
Their wedding had been a private little affair attended by family and a few special friends. It surprised her to find out Ronan had a brother, Camden who was happy to find out his brother was getting married. Lacey had been her maid-of-honor in the low-key ceremony while Fearghus had stood up for Ronan. There were many more important things to worry about than the latest wedding dress and where to hold the reception.
She was lucky her father owned a huge estate outside the city. It provided the perfect backdrop to the perfect day. Her father gave her away while her mother cried. It had taken every trick in the book to convince them she went down the right path by marrying Ronan. Her mother’s eyes told her she had won the battle one evening and they gave her their blessing. It just might be a fact like the few million Ronan had managed to stash away over the years. Then again, she could do the same had she been alive for over eighty years.
The one bit she was still coming to grips with was her sangreal status. To the elves, a sangreal was one who had all the power the earth had to offer, but none of the inbred magic the elves possessed. A sangreal had to interface with both humans and elves in order to protect them all from the darkness and evil lurking beyond the shadows. She had so much power at her fingertips and had been told many had succumbed to its lure.
“Good morning, Mrs. Munro. Ready to have a go?”
She playfully smacked his hand, then the top of his head. “Why, Mr. Munro, you’re a dirty old man. It’s sunrise and here you are, wanting my body already.”
He growled and plopped a nipple in his mouth, sucking gently. “Did you expect anything different?” he questioned, his accent thick. “I love making my wife orgasm first thing in the morning.”
She chuckled. “You think so, huh? Well, how about this?” She reached between them and rolled her finger across the taut head of his penis. “I think this a pretty great myself.” She stroked him a few more times before kissing him. “We must do some other things today, husband.”
“Nothing is as important as this, my love.” He leaned into her hair and breathed in her heady scent.
Giselle’s body dripped with desire and she moaned, leaning into him even more. “I know, I know, but the loinnirs are important as well.”
“Love, this will take no time at all. Trust me.”
His hand moved up her arm to cup her face while his other caressed the spot between her legs. His touch became more firm as he kneaded her inner thighs. Each movement raised the sexual tension up another notch.
“What’s it going to be, love?” His mouth descended to hers, nibbling on her lower lip until all she wanted was him inside her.
“All right,” she whispered.
“All right what, love?” he teased her and pressed his thumb on her hard nub.
“Ah! Just fuck me, please. Hard and quick.”
She saw the fire burning in his eyes for her, but he didn’t give her what she wanted. Not at first, not until she rode his hand as hard as she would ride him. Giselle couldn’t wait to feel his cock stretch her and fill her body with a hunger only he could fulfill.
Ever so slow, he spread her legs wide and teased her with his body, moving the head of his penis over her slick folds, never quite allowing it inside her. But her resolve was running out as she tried to impale herself on his body. She wanted to see the colors, to feel the magic yet again. Taking his dick in her hands again, she ran her fingers up and down his shaft.
“Two can play this game.” She stroked him behind his balls and in the cleft to touch his own G-spot until he trembled as much as she. “You are so hot.”
He slammed into her fast, hitting again and again her inner hot spot until it left her gasping for breath. Reaching between them, he stroked her for a few moments before pinching her clit and sending her over the edge. The colors swirled, higher and faster until he grunted once, then twice and placed his forehead on hers, allowing the magic to sweep over them both.
“Giselle, you are one wicked woman.”
She smiled at him. “Only if you’re one wicked man.”
“I love you.” He kissed her deeply and she glimpsed her destiny.
They would love each other forever, protecting all they held dear. Together.
About The Author
Lynn Crain realized at an early age she wanted to write. She took the long way to that goal by doing a variety of things like nursing, geologist, technical writer and computer manager. During her free time she weaves fantasy, futuristic and paranormal tales as well as erotic stories for various publishers. She lives in the southwest with her husband, son, one dog, three cats, three snakes one of which is named Psycho. During the very hot, southwestern summers, she can be found traveling throughout the US and Scotland or other cooler climates to recharge her muse. She is a past board member of the Romance Writers of America, past EPPIEs Chair for EPIC and immediate past EPIC President. She loves hearing from her readers at [email protected].
