by Anne Haley
Aylin’s frown deepened, and blinked several times. Her eyes looked straight into his for a split second and he sighed. Her frowned disappeared, and in place was a calmness that had his own heart slowing. She did see him. She would run.
She turned her back toward him and he gasped. Iridescent wings moved with the sound of the wind on her back. They made two large arcs above her shoulders and the tips dipped down to her knees. The wings looked to be made out of streaming feathery petals. She took a breath and the wings stretched out six feet on either side of her. The wings trembled until the wind caught underneath them. In one step she was off the ground and flew into the woods.
Where she had been standing now sprouted large brilliant blue flowers, much like the ones that grew in Terra’s garden on the island.
The three women shrieked in fury and Blake jumped. He hadn’t realized they had passed by him and stood in front, watching Aylin disappear. He had been so enchanted with Aylin he didn’t feel the stinging cold of the witch’s shield. Once they made it to where she had been standing, they pointed their fingers to the flowers, and the blue petals shriveled and shrank until they were no more.
Blake woke up gasping for air. He had the feeling of the witches slithering through him still on his flesh. He needed to scrub their filth off of him immediately.
After his shower and coffee he sat down on the couch again. He couldn’t read the Seanchai anymore and his eyes deserved a break. It had been difficult deciphering some of the handwriting. It was time for fresh air.
Aylin walked on to the gravel, leaving Sable’s Point. The wind blew just right so that the waves crashed against the rocks, some swallowing the point altogether. "I keep running into you here," Blake said, standing in her path.
"Oh, hey." She smiled at him. She stopped a few feet from him, out of reach. He looked so natural standing on the uneven rocks with the lake at his back. She couldn’t see him wearing a three-piece suit when he looked so natural in cargo pants, flannel and fleece. She blinked and looked away from him when she felt heat rising to her cheeks. She didn’t need to be thinking about what he looks good in. This was Terra’s brother for goodness sake. She cleared her throat and shook the thought away. "What are you doing out here? I thought Terra said you worked today."
"I did. I went in for a few hours. What brings you out here?"
She looked behind her, toward the lake. "I love your lake," she shrugged.
"Me too. She can be unpredictable though, depending on her mood. One minute she’ll be calm and soothing, then the wind will change and she’ll capsize your boat in a fit of anger. Some even say they can tell when she is sad and lonely, and those are the most dangerous times on the lake. That’s when she takes the large cargo ships, some are still keeping her company on the bottom."
She narrowed her eyes. "That sounds a little overdramatic."
"It does until you see it. If you’re here another month you will see her violent ways," he said. "Where are you headed?"
"Home, I guess. I mean Terra’s," she added quickly.
"I think she’d like it if you called it home. How about having dinner with me? I can’t bring myself to cooking another meal of chili at home, and Terra’s house is too full of…" he searched for a word.
"Estrogen?" Aylin smiled.
"Yes."
"Well, I don’t think that would be a good idea-"
"Aylin, it is just food." He frowned. "It’s not going to bite you. And I wanted to discuss something with you. I’ve been doing some reading," he said, lowering his voice.
"That should be discussed with everyone," she said automatically.
"Yeah, you might want to keep this between you and me." He turned around and began walking. "Come on. The Blue Sisters has scallops as a special. My favorite."
She had to jog to catch up with him. "Are you trying to manipulate me into a date?" she breathed.
"I didn’t say anything about a date. Dinner." He looked down at her and kept walking.
She bit her bottom lip. He answered her too quickly. "You know, even though we’re on the same side now, you are still a pain in my ass," Aylin retorted and shoved her hands into her coat pockets.
Blake barked a laugh. "I grew up being an ass, what’s going to stop me now?"
"I think you’re lying. I bet you were one of the nice guys." She shook her head. "It’s just something about me that brings it out in you."
"Could be." He opened the door to the restaurant, allowing her to go first.
The diner was small and smelled of bread and garlic. The walls were a light blue, and in the back was a large mural of Lake Superior. There weren’t many patrons, but it was still a little early for the dinner rush. The few that were already seated didn’t cast them more than a glance, and returned to their conversations. They were seated in the back of the restaurant in a corner booth and both ordered the scallops. The waitress brought their drinks and a basket of bread before Aylin began questioning him.
"So, you’ve been doing some reading?" she kept her voice low, looking over Blake’s shoulder to keep an eye on the other customers. She could never be too careful.
"Yes. It’s pretty interesting, The Seanchai changes as my thoughts and questions change. It’s pretty cool not to have to read through every single entry when I need certain information now. Although, I still read a lot about lights."
Aylin laughed at his tone. "Some I suppose are very intrigued by what we are capable of. Apparently some aren’t."
"Don’t get me wrong." He held up his hand. "I think it would be incredible to see, but I haven’t. And if I did I still wouldn’t write five long pages about it." He tore his bread apart and spread butter on it. "After that it gets interesting. I have come across many Moon Faeries." He took a bite of the bread, and let this sink in with her.
This wasn’t news to her. She had known there were others before her, and she also knew what had happened to each one of them. "And what did you learn about each of them?"
"Each time I came across them, they were grouped together with the sun and earth faeries. They were also the first to die. It seems they all die at a young age." He paused when their food arrived and once the waitress left he leaned toward her and lowered his voice, "I know that you live longer than an average person, but that just means they were even younger. Right?"
Aylin pushed the scallops around with her fork. "Yes. That’s correct." She nodded, but didn’t look at him. She hadn’t prepared herself to defend herself on this point. She hadn’t thought he would learn so much so quickly. She put her fork down and folded her hands in her lap before meeting his gaze. "My role is to teach El and Terra everything they need to know, and to keep them safe until they are ready to be on their own. When that time comes…" she couldn’t finish the story. She knew the end, but it was morbid and she didn’t want to burden Blake.
"When the time comes you will sacrifice yourself in order to keep them protected," he said gravely.
Her eyebrows rose. "You have been doing a lot of reading it seems."
"I have. It’s why I wanted to talk to you. I can’t let you do it." He speared a scallop.
"It’s not your decision to make," she said matter-of-factly.
"It would be devastating to Terra and El." He frowned.
"I can’t fight with destiny Blake." She took her fork again and twirled the angel hair pasta around it. "Just like you can’t not be the Storyteller, I have to follow my role," she said.
"We’ll see. I wanted to see what you would say about it before I brought it up to the other two."
"No, you will not bring it up to them," she demanded. "It’s not their burden. Blake-"
"All right, I won’t tell them for now." He swallowed. "I’m on to you now, and I’m not going to let that happen."
The rest of their dinner was quiet. She tried bringing up different topics, but his head was in a different place now. He tried to figure out how to stop her. She felt tempted to open her mind to him, to see what kind of scenarios
he thought up. But that would take a lot of energy and shouldn’t be done in public where she would draw attention to herself. When they left the restaurant he pulled her in the opposite direction of home. "Let’s walk a little," he said.
"Okay," she said slowly.
"You know, the way you act around me might show me that you’re frightened of me," he said thoughtfully.
"Really." She looked at him. "What would make you think that?"
"For starters you jump whenever I get near you." He motioned to the two feet that was between them. "Is there a reason for that?"
She stopped walking and crossed her arms. He continued to walk, not noticing she was no longer with him. When he did he was almost six feet in front of her and he turned to face her. "Why is it that in two hours you have brought up the two things I don’t want to talk about?" she asked him, and her voice had trembled slightly.
"So there is a reason." He stepped toward her. "At first, at that dinner, I thought it was my imagination." He took another step. Her arms wound tighter across herself to act as a shield against him. "Then you came to my house. You were fine until I touched you. It’s always when I touch you Aylin." He was only a foot away now. Her breathing quickened and she looked away from him. "What does it do to you?" He reached out to her and she jumped back.
"Don’t!" A couple across the street stopped to look at them and Aylin flushed. She smiled at them and turned her back to them. "Don’t do this," she pleaded.
"Just tell me." He closed the gap between them again.
She looked up at him. There was heat in his eyes now, and it was radiating to her. Her heart wanted her to step to him, let him wrap his arms around her, and melt her with his heat. But her head was in the right place. It wouldn’t be a smart move to get involved with him. She had the feeling that there was little time left, and it would only make it harder if she got herself involved with him. It will be hard enough as it is with El and Terra. She couldn’t add him into the mix. She couldn’t bear it. She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. She turned away from him and walked as quickly as she could down the street.
She turned the corner and stopped to take deep breaths. Her heart was racing, and her hands were trembling. In her escape she didn’t hear him follow her, she didn’t hear him at all. Once her breathing was under control she allowed herself a glance around the corner. Blake hadn’t moved. He stood there looking like she had slapped him right across the face. His face had crumpled under the hurt she had caused him. He looked down at his hands, and shoved them in his coat pockets and turned toward the other direction and stalked away.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Aylin had decided to walk home. She could have called El or Terra to come pick her up, but she needed the air. What she was desperate for hung hidden behind layers of black clouds. She needed to clear Blake out of her head. The look on his face had tugged at her heart. She had always avoided causing others pain, but he had kept pushing.
She ended up taking an indirect route toward home because she saw a haze in the distance down the road. She wasn’t in the mood to come into contact with another faerie. None of the faeries that hung around town had tried to speak to them, but it could only be a matter of time. They had to be getting curious about the three of them. They would sense how powerful they are, and would want to know their purpose. She let out a hiss when she saw the dancing lights above the rooftops across the street. Oh yes, they were keeping an eye on her.
It also bothered her what Blake had found in the book. It had always been the history of the fae that her mother had told her. The Sun, Earth, and Moon faeries would always be linked together, even if they were at opposite ends of the world. It was the responsibility of the Moon to bring the three together and unite them. She would have the strength to guard them until she had trained them to protect The Rune. Hopefully the witches would not come until they were ready. She was determined to stand in front of her sisters and let the witches take her, keeping them distracted so the witches wouldn’t have a chance to get to El and Terra. She might die under the torture of the witches, for she would never tell her secret. She still wondered if the death of the moon would strengthen the sun and the earth to hold their own.
Blake had acted like she would be committing suicide. It wouldn’t be like that at all; she would rather not think about what her end would be. She was resigned to her fate. The witches would find her; she wouldn’t go looking for them. It will be as it always has been, no matter what Blake says. He can use every ounce of strength he has, it won’t change what the future holds for all of them.
Aylin turned into the driveway and stopped. Blake’s truck was parked in the driveway, and he leaned against the back end. "Did you take the long way?" he asked. "We weren’t done," he said when he realized she wouldn’t answer him. His appearance gave the impression he was cool and calm with the almost relaxed way he leaned against the truck, but it was only on the surface. His thumbs were hooked in the pockets of his pants and his hands were in tight fists and his body was held rigid. On first glance his face showed no emotion, but looking closer she saw his eyes were bright and fierce.
He was sexy when he was mad, she had been right when she told Jordan that. He exuded sex appeal with the anger simmering under the surface. She had a vision of his strong arms holding her and his lips exploring hers.
She almost growled to herself. This type of thinking was not going to help her decision at all.
"I think we are." She took her hat off and ruffled her hair. "There really isn’t anything more we need to discuss." She shrugged, trying to act indifferent. "Unless you found something else in The Seanchai." She was keeping her distance from him, and he took notice.
He glared down to her and sighed with annoyance. "Then you won’t mind coming into the house with me and sit quietly while I tell those two what you are planning." He turned on his heel.
"Blake!" She ran to him and without thinking she grabbed his elbow and pulled herself in front of him and placed her hands on his chest, pushing him back until he hit the truck. She didn’t think for a second that she really shouldn’t be able to move him an inch, that he let her push him around. His lips twitched, cracking his stern look down to her. When her hands began to tingle she gasped and snapped them back to herself.
He watched her intently. "Do I hurt you?" He was staring at her hands.
"No," she snapped. "You aren’t going in there and telling them anything. It’s not something I’m planning. It’s just going to happen no matter what. I can fight against fate as much as I can and it still won’t change anything. Don’t you get it? It’s not like I’m going to go jump off a cliff. Maybe I’ll get pushed off-"
"Don’t say that," he snarled. "I told you I’m not going to let that happen. Answer my question."
She took an irritated breath. "No, you don’t hurt me."
"Then why can’t you touch me?" He held out his hand, palm up. He was waiting for her to lay her hand in his.
"Something… happens," she whispered. "Something I haven’t experienced before." She looked down at her own hands.
"What happens?" His hand was still held out to her.
"Warmth. You’re so warm." She flexed her hand.
"Try." He wiggled his fingers. "I won’t bite. I can be very gentle."
She took a deep breath and held her hand out, inches above his. She couldn’t bring herself to lower it. He slowly moved his hand up until his fingers lightly grazed her wrist. She held her breath and pressed her palm down onto his. He wrapped his fingers around her hand and held on. She had never realized the size of his hands as they dwarfed her own. The skin was rough with hard calluses. She tried to only focus on the details of his skin, trying not to think of the warmth of them. She closed her eyes and concentrated, but the coolness of her own skin was quickly evaporating. The heat spread slowly up her arm, and into her chest. It felt like the warmth of the sun on her skin, but inside. "Doesn’t seem so bad," he said quietly.
She opened
her eyes and realized the world spun around them. She gasped and pulled her hand away, but he held on. "Let go," she whined.
"Hold on Aylin," he said her name and it was like her body snapped back to right. Her head was completely clear, and her heart felt full. In that moment she felt everything he felt toward her. It was more surprising than anything she could have imagined. Not a trace of the hate she knew he once held for her was there. He still found her to be a mystery, even though he now knew her deepest secret. That mystery intrigued him, and his desire to be closer to her was almost overpowering. It was a want that she’d never experienced before.
He felt comfort in the way she had been with Terra, like she was a sister. He held confidence in her to keep Terra safe. With the knowledge he now knew, he understood she would put her life on the line to keep Terra safe and secret. Now that same protection was spreading over Blake too. She felt responsible to keep them safe.
There was something underneath all of that. Hidden under all his guarded layers. It was smoldering, giving him an eternity of heat. It was passionate, and it had her name coaxing the fire. How could he feel so strongly for her, she thought. He barely knew her, and the majority of the time he had hated her.
She had read many books and watched countless movies that described love at first sight. This was not at first sight by any means, but she knew that what burned in his heart was also in her own. She had been fighting herself not to think of him that way, but that became pointless because it was nearly impossible.
A part of her wanted to turn away from him, but that part was quickly shrinking. She wondered if he could help her change her fate. Her mother had never spoken of love to her, except her own. She wanted to know what would happen if she gave into him.
