Brencis put a finger under her chin and lifted her face up to his. He looked at her with concern, and then gently kissed her eyes and nose and, finally, her mouth. Each feather-light caress caused a thrill of excitement to rush through her body. Maybe he didn’t hate her after all.
“Are you sure you're all right?” he asked.
Meadow nodded. Brencis waited, not allowing her to duck again.
“Yes, Brencis, I'm all right,” she whispered.
He smiled down at her as if pleased with her response. Meadow felt her heart flutter. He was so handsome. Then, he wiped the last tear from her cheek, brushing his fingers against her face as lightly as butterfly wings. Where his fingers touched her, she felt warmth spreading under her skin.
“Maybe you should go take a shower. Your makeup is running down your face. What is this sparkly stuff all over my chest? Glitter?” he asked, smiling at her again.
“Fairy dust,” she said coughing and clearing her throat. Ooh, he had the sexiest smile. She wanted to melt, just looking at him.
“Well, my little purple fairy, the bathroom is right there,” Brencis said, as he carefully helped Meadow stand up. Go ahead and if you need anything, say something.”
Meadow glanced back at him and grimaced at the mess on his chest. Because of her smeared mascara and fairy dust, she wasn’t the only one needing a shower. She walked slowly to the door he pointed to. Halfway there, she saw her canvas bag on a table and hurried to pick it up. Then, after a quick peek back at Bren's naked chest, she hurried into the bathroom, closed and locked the door.
Meadow leaned against the wooden door and breathed deeply. She felt as if she had run a marathon. What was she thinking? She should be demanding someone drive her back to her shop. Was she so desperate for affection?
She looked around in surprise to see the bathroom was completely modern. Then, she saw herself in the mirror and gasped in dismay. Bloody hell. Her mascara had run all over her face, and if there was any fairy dust left, it was covered by streaks of purple and black. Her hair had wilted, or maybe it had had help. She seemed to remember Brencis rubbing his hands in it while trying to comfort her.
There really was no choice other than to shower and change clothes. Her purple net tutu was all crumpled, showing the purple biker shorts she wore underneath. When she looked closely at her upper arms, she could see bruises and small pointed cuts circling her arms from Brencis holding her too tightly. Unfortunately, all of her shirts sported spaghetti straps, so there was no way to cover the bruises. Should she be afraid of Brencis? She didn’t feel afraid, just very confused.
Meadow reached into the shower and turned on the water. Then she sat down in a chair and got undressed. Once she knew the temperature of the shower was warm, she grabbed her organic shampoo from her bag and stepped in. As she washed her hair, the shampoo turned purple and went down the drain.
She needed to think things through. Did she want a relationship or not? If Brencis was her soul mate, shouldn’t she try to make things work with him? A soul-mate love was special. Everyone wanted to find their perfect mate.
Brencis sat waiting and wondering what in the world could be taking his woman so long. She had been in there almost an hour. He ran over to one of the guest rooms and washed up. Then he dressed in a T-shirt and a pair of cotton pants. How was he going to convince Meadow to stay with him? She was probably afraid to come out.
Melisande suggested Brencis and Meadow have dinner on their own. So Brencis asked Rosie, their cook, to set up a table in the upstairs reading room. He couldn't wait to show Meadow the romantic dinner for two. But she didn't seem to want to come out of the bathroom. Not that he blamed her. He had been awfully rough with her. Should he try to coax her out?
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the door opened and Meadow stepped out. Brencis felt his heart warm, and a punch of lust tore through him. Standing before him was indeed a fairy princess. Her white-blond hair fell in soft waves to her shoulders, framing her heart-shaped face and violet eyes. Her skin was pale, and she glowed like a moonbeam. She wore a simple pair of white cotton pants and a pale violet top that didn't hide the lack of a bra underneath. Brencis watched in satisfaction as her nipples pebbled under his gaze. Then, he saw the bruises on her arms and the small cuts from his nails.
He walked over to her and gently took her arms. He leaned down and kissed and licked each wound, removing the sting, while murmuring how sorry he was he had hurt her. She gasped at the first touch of his lips on her skin but didn’t pull away.
“You are so beautiful, Meadow. Why do you hide behind all the garish color and those crazy clothes?” Brencis asked.
Brencis felt Meadow stiffen and figured he'd said the wrong thing. However, this time he really did wonder why his mate hid from the world.
He kissed her hair and rubbed his face against the silky substance. When he felt her start to relax once more, he released her. He didn’t smell any fear in her scent, which pleased his wolf spirit and relieved some of his worry. She wasn’t afraid of him.
Putting his arm around her waist, he gently drew her close to his side. He liked the way she fit so easily under his shoulder.
“Dinner is waiting for us in the upstairs sitting room. Let me show you the way,” he suggested, gesturing with his other arm toward the hall.
Brencis walked Meadow down the corridor and into the sitting room. Candles glowed from several locations, and a cool breeze blew through the open windows. The table was set with fine china and silver, and someone had provided a bouquet of roses as a centerpiece. Everything looked perfect, and he knew Rosie would have fixed something extra special for their first dinner together.
He escorted Meadow to her chair and pulled it out to help her sit. Once she was settled, he took the seat next to her, instead of across from her. He couldn't bear to be far away from her. He took the covers off the plates with a flourish and showed her what was underneath.
Meadow scrunched up her nose and frowned. What was wrong? A petite filet mignon wrapped in bacon with small red potatoes and French-cut green beans sat looking scrumptious on the plate. He could feel his mouth salivate with the wonderful aroma.
“Is something the matter?” he asked.
“I'm a vegetarian. I don't eat meat.”
“Of course, you are,” Brencis sighed. Could any two people be so mismatched? Could there be a mistake in the mating bond? “Let me ring the kitchen and see if we can get you a salad or something.”
“No, it's all right. The potatoes and beans will be enough. If you could, please remove the steak? The smell is too much for me. It turns my stomach.”
Brencis reached over and speared the steak with his fork and put it on his plate. He wasn't going to let a good piece of meat go to waste. “Would you like my green beans?” he asked, concerned about the small amount of food on her plate. So much for the perfect romantic dinner.
“No, really. This is lovely. And with the rolls and butter, I will be fine,” she said, smiling at him. Was she trying to reassure him? Picking up a green bean with her fork, she popped it in her mouth.
Watching Meadow eat, Brencis couldn't get over the change in her features. She was like a porcelain doll, so finely wrought he was afraid of breaking her. He tried talking to get her to open up to him. But he was afraid it was coming off more as an interrogation than a conversation.
“Meadow, if we are soul mates, don't you think we should get to know each other?” Brencis asked. “Why don't you ask me something? Will that make you more comfortable?”
“All right, where are you from originally? You have an accent.”
“I was born in Siberia, Russia,” Brencis said. “When I was ten, my parents and Grigori's were lost in a terrible fire. Grigori was fifteen, but we were family. So he took me into his home and saw that I was cared for and loved. We are very close, more like brothers. What else would you like to know?”
Brencis sat there waiting for the question of his favorite color, or his
astrological sign, or something simple, when Meadow looked at him and asked.
“Do you always get that angry?”
Brencis put his silverware down and reached for Meadow's hand. “No, milaya moya, my sweet, and I will never be that angry at you again. I will never hurt you. You will always be safe with me. I know I don't deserve your trust, please believe me. I am so sorry I treated you so roughly. It will never happen a second time. I’m not sure what was wrong with me.”
Brencis tried to convey his sincerity to Meadow. She needed to believe him. His little mate didn't trust him. Why should she, when she bore bruises and cuts as proof of his rage? He knew he could never hurt her, not now that she belonged to him. He had overreacted. It was unforgivable. Somehow, he needed to get Meadow to forgive him, to give him another chance.
“Sorry to bother you. Are you done eating? Because, Dr. Brady is here to see Meadow,” Melisande interrupted, standing at the door. “I suggested he examine her in your room.”
“Are you finished Meadow? Are you ready to see the doctor?” Brencis asked.
“Yes, I'm done. But I feel fine,” Meadow said.
“You have to let the doctor look at you, Meadow,” Melisande said. “He had to drive over an hour to get here. He comes only because he feels he owes Grigori.”
Meadow let Brencis pull back her chair and tuck her into his side, before he accompanied her back to his room. He was so careful with her. Melisande studied her and then smiled in satisfaction. Did Meli think Meadow was hiding from the world as well? Was she?
Didn’t she dress up to help bring business into her store and because it was fun? Meadow mused. Would someone want to buy a love potion from a girl whose eyes were her only good feature? Wasn’t a witch expected to wear crazy clothes? Because one thing was certain, Meadow had powers. When her mother threw her out of the house at sixteen, she told her she was a witch.
Then, Pastor Brown had taken her in and prayed over her, saying she needed to fight the devil's magic within her. She tried, until the night Pastor Brown visited her in her room. She woke up to his grabbing her breast and punched him in the face. Luckily, he was slight of build and fell on the floor, away from her. She grabbed what little she could and ran, all the while hearing him cursing her and saying she bewitched him. But she hadn't. If she was going to use her powers, it was going to be to find her true love, not some old wrinkled vicar.
Meadow grimaced with her thoughts, because that was exactly what she had done. Her mentor had explained there was good magic and bad. She warned Meadow should use her magic only in service to others. She failed. First, she had poisoned her soul mate. Then, she had enraged him to the point of violence. If someone should see a doctor, it should be Brencis.
“I’m all right, really,” Meadow said.
“Please, Meadow,” Brencis pleaded. “It will make me feel better to know you have been seen by a doctor. Do it for me?”
“Very well.” It was the least she could do for him.
“Come, printsessa volshebnaya moya, my fairy princess,” Brencis said.
Doctor Brady was very nice and courteous. He checked her neck and swabbed her cuts with antiseptic solution. He glared at Brencis and told him to be more careful. He seemed confused about why the nail cuts were pointed. Finally, he gave Meadow a clean bill of health.
“Use acetaminophen if you have pain. I’m sure you'll feel better in the morning,” Dr. Brady said.
Meadow noticed Brencis sigh in relief as he hovered nearby. He gave her a big smile. Her breath froze in her chest as she looked into his sparkling green eyes. She knew, more than anything, she wanted him. A soul mate was a special treasure, someone who would fit her, a true-love connection. She had read the books in her store about soul mates, and she had always hoped to find hers. But she and Brencis were so different. He didn’t understand her at all. How would they ever make it work?
“Thank you for driving out, Dr. Brady,” Melisande said. “Grigori suggested, if you have a moment, he has a new bottle of Scotch he would be willing to share. He’s waiting for you in the library.”
“Man knows his Scotch. I wouldn't mind a dram or so,” replied the doctor.
Melisande escorted the doctor out of the room. Brencis followed. Then, he came back in the bedroom and shut the door and locked it, before sitting next to Meadow on the bed.
He lifted his hand to her cheek, brushing his fingers lightly across her face. “Are you sure you are all right?” he asked softly, smiling down at her. Tingles of warmth shot through Meadow’s skin.
“You heard the doctor. He says I'm fine,” she said, leaning back into the pillows and feeling tempted to throw herself into Brencis’ arms. Meadow cringed at her thoughts. She was hopeless, always wanting something she couldn’t have.
“Do you need some pain medication?” he asked, rising and reaching for the bottle of acetaminophen the doctor left behind.
“No. I'm fine. Honest.” Now, if he would leave her alone, she might be able to fight this need to touch him.
“At least let me hold you,” Brencis said. He wanted to hold her? Her heart began to beat wildly in her chest. Could he hear it? Tomorrow, when she left and returned to her shop to work, reality would come crashing down on her. Could she steal this moment for herself?
After tomorrow, Brencis would realize how different they were and know she was a witch. That fact always chased men away, not that there had been many. Half the time, Brencis thought she was crazy. She knew being with him could never work long-term. But the temptation was so great.
“Are you sure you want to? Purple fairy wings and all?” Meadow asked, biting at her lower lip while she waited for his denial with a heavy heart. She knew he detested her purple fairy wings and her dressing up for customers.
“Of course, I want you,” Brencis said. “You are my mate, born to be mine. I take everything you are into my keeping and give everything I am into yours.”
“I have to open the store tomorrow morning at nine. Shouldn’t someone drive me back into Glastonbury?” Did he really want her? She wasn’t sure if she could handle it if he did. She was used to being alone.
“Stay here with me tonight. You’ve had a traumatic experience. The doctor said you should rest.” Rest? She would never rest if he was touching her.
Brencis lay down beside Meadow on the bed and pulled her into his arms. He could feel her need to run, as well as the soft smell of her arousal, radiating from her body. She wanted him, but she was afraid. He was not going to lose her now.
Electrical shocks seemed to run up and down his body wherever their skin met. She was his mate. All his blood seemed to be flowing into his crotch. Her smell was driving him crazy. He wanted to eat her up.
Instead, he cuddled with her and petted her hair. Trying to tame her fears and reassure her, he sent warmth through the mating bond into her mind. His heart eased as he felt her start to relax, and while he held her gently, she drifted off to sleep. How was he ever going to convince her to stay with him?
Chapter Three
The click of the door closing sounded like a shot in the dark. Brencis sat up and looked around a moment in confusion. Where was Meadow? What time was it? He leaned over and saw the clock read 12:50 a.m. It was late, where was Meadow? The golden mating cord was passing through the door.
Swearing softly, Brencis threw back the covers and followed his mate. For a moment, he thought about dressing, then decided going wolf would be easier. He stretched and called the change. He felt the first wave as his bones broke and reformed. Rainbow lights coalesced around his body. It was over in an instant, and he was stronger, better—a wolf.
Walking over to the door, he grasped the lever handle in his mouth, yanking it down, and the door opened. That had been one of the first changes Brencis and Grigori had made on the estate. All doors were now wolf friendly.
He could smell Meadow’s fragrance leaving his room. She didn't seem to be upset. Strong emotions could change the way a person smelled. Right now
there was no hint of fear or anger in Meadow's scent. Brencis growled low in frustration. Why would she leave their suite? He followed her scent to the stairs and started down after her. Maybe she got hungry after eating only three small potatoes and a handful of green beans for dinner.
When Brencis reached the bottom of the stairs, Meadow's fragrance did not turn left toward the kitchen, but right toward the back of the house. Was she lost? He followed her into the sunroom and immediately realized one of the glass windows was wide open. What was she thinking, climbing out windows in the middle of the night? Growling, he jumped through the window.
Meadow shouldn't be wandering around the estate in the dark. She might run into one of the other pack members, who guarded the perimeter at night in their wolf form. Brencis only hoped his scent had merged with hers while she slept in his arms. Smelling him on Meadow would let his pack mates know she belonged to him and was not a threat. Worried now that Meadow could get hurt, Brencis picked up his pace and started to run after her.
Brencis saw the first pack member and growled a warning as he ran by. The young gray-and-brown wolf dutifully turned away and headed back toward the perimeter of the estate. He was one of five orphaned teenagers who ended up in the care of Rosie MacDonald, Grigori's current cook. Rosie’s small family moved in after Grigori realized the children were lycans.
Rosie had taken the pups in, embraced their wolf natures, and kept them on the straight and narrow for the last six years. One of the boys, Seth, the eldest, had followed Grigori into battle to save his mate from a Russian assassin out for revenge. Grigori had agreed to stay in England and become Alpha of this small pack. Brencis and Valerii stayed as his Betas or seconds.
The boys learned quickly and excelled under Grigori's leadership. Dmitry, the Russian Alpha, would be sending unmated males to look for mates. If the men found mates, they could return to Russia or stay here in England.
My Magic Mate Page 3
