by Lea Kirk
From this point on things got weird. She drew her brows together. It was important to focus and keep the order of events straight. “I had a vision of Mr. Merrick holding Carnwennan in his hands. There was some sort of light or energy flowing from the dagger into him.” The whole thing happened so fast she’d grabbed the seat of her chair to keep from falling off.
“A few minutes later, Mr. Merrick came out of his office, told me I looked exhausted and should go home and rest. Maybe visit my mom since it was a three-day weekend. Then he left.
“But, here’s the weird part. When he walked in, I swear he looked older. Like fifty-five, or sixty. When he left, he looked closer to thirty-five.” She met Mikhail’s dark gaze. “I’m pretty sure now that he used Carnwennan’s magic to make himself younger.”
Mikhail pressed his lips together and nodded. “It is possible. But in time, he would have drained the dagger until it turned to dust.”
“I think you’re right, because the next vision I got was weak and blurry.” The one of her getting on the “L” with the dagger in her briefcase. “But it was clear that Carnwennan was desperate.”
All the anguish behind that vision, that plea for help, constricted around her chest.
“Donnie, now is the time to look at me.”
“I can’t.” She’d never stolen anything in her life, ever. As teenagers, some of her friends had stolen money from their mothers’ purses to go to the movies, but not her. She was the person who, if she found a twenty-dollar bill, would take it to the nearest lost and found. It figured that the first time she did steal something, it was a priceless antique.
Warm fingers touched her chin, turning her head until she faced him. “Tell me what you did.”
That mistiness was back in her eyes. “I stole it. I stole the dagger. That’s why Ash is after me. But, I couldn’t just leave it. It needed help to get back to its home.”
“And where is its home?”
“Something called the veil between realms.”
He nodded as if he’d expected that answer. He grunted and lowered his hand. “The Fae are cunning. It must have entranced you and coerced you into taking it.”
A sense of outrage swept over her. Carnwennan’s anger. Apparently it was listening in on the conversation.
“I made the choice, Mikhail. I’m sure of it. Remember, both you and Ash tried to entrance me, so I know what that feels like. None of that happened when Carnwennan asked for my help. My head was clear.”
He raised his brows and tilted his head a tiny bit to one side. “And this veil is in Magic, I take it.”
“I think so.”
“That does make sense.”
Well, at least it made sense to someone. “What I don’t get is the part about the guide. Sometimes I think that person should meet us and take us to the veil. Other times I get the distinct feeling Carnwennan can find it without help, but hasn’t, for some reason.”
Mikhail moved closer to her until his thigh pressed against hers, and he enveloped her hand between his. “We will resolve that together. For now, know that I believe in you. You stole nothing, Donnie. You merely liberated one who has been held hostage for longer than I’ve even been alive.”
Warmth blossomed around her heart. He believed in her, and was saying they’d figure it out together. She wasn’t alone in this anymore. Her gaze flicked to his lips. There was no trace of the blood from earlier, or the tension that had drawn his mouth into a flat line. Just the slight upward curve of a gentle smile.
Oh, hell, she was staring at his lips. She jerked her gaze back to his eyes.
The scorching heat in them branded her. There was no doubt that he wanted to kiss her, and that suited her fine. She swallowed against her parched throat, and he moved closer. God, his lips were a hair’s-breadth from hers. Why didn’t he kiss her already?
Or was he waiting for her? The one thing he’d made clear at the beginning of dinner was that she would set the pace. From tasting the wine to the topics they’d discussed. They’d been all her choices. This wasn’t going to be any different, and she chose to kiss him.
She touched her lips to his. Heat rushed over her from the point of contact. His lips moved against hers, but this little taste of him wasn’t going to be enough. She ran her tongue along the seam of his mouth and he opened to her, let her in, dueled with her before she retreated and he followed.
But, this wasn’t close enough. Full body contact, or as close to it as possible while sitting on a couch. She slid her hands over his shoulders and leaned against him. His answering groan rumbled through her to her core, waking up parts of her that’d been asleep for way too long.
Once, she would have imagined a vampire’s touch would be cold. Dead. But Mikhail radiated warmth and life. She pressed against him, chest-to-chest, and deepened the kiss. He stroked his hands over her back and her hair as he explored her mouth with his tongue. This was so right. So good. If he asked, she’d follow him up the stairs to his room.
And that was crazy. She slowly ended the kiss, resting her forehead against his. “Wow.”
Mikhail chuckled. “That is a sentiment worth repeating.”
“Wow.” This time she chuckled with him.
“I….” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Fireworks.”
“Me too.”
“It is the first time I have ever seen them, Donnie.”
She pulled back and stared at him. “Wait a minute. You’re four hundred years old and you’ve never seen fireworks when you’ve kissed a woman before?”
“I have felt some incredible things, but not…this.” He took her hands between his. “I loved my wife in a way, but it was a marriage of convenience, not passion. As much as I want to explore this connection with you, there are other things we need to discuss first. Tomorrow, though.”
“But—”
He touched his finger to her lips. “I will give you this night to process everything I’ve told you. You will no doubt have more questions, and I want you to have your answers before we go any further.”
She blew out a frustrated breath. How could she argue with that? He was older and wiser, wasn’t he? “All right.”
“Thank you.” He stood up bringing her with him, then placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. “I have never had a more wonderful evening, Donnie.”
“Me neither, Mikhail. Thanks.” She turned away and moved toward the stairs.
Thank god for handrails. She gripped the iron rod like a lifeline.
“Donnie.”
She paused and turned partway toward him. The smoldering desire in his dark eyes was for her. A spike of heat flared at the juncture of her legs.
“I am very interested in seeing where this goes.”
Giddiness and anticipation shot through her, and her words of agreement clogged her throat. All she could do was nod before continuing up the stairs and into her room.
A moment later, she pushed her heavy wooden door closed and leaned her back against it. That was the single most romantic evening she’d ever spent. As much as she wished to be doing the naked pretzel with Mikhail, it was even more romantic that he hadn’t swept her off her feet and carried her to his bed. More than that, it was refreshing. Most guys would have, but the fact that he didn’t added to his allure. And her desire.
Donnie hummed as she stepped into the bathroom as if she were floating. Maybe she was, in a way. After brushing her teeth and changing into her jammies, she climbed between the cool sheets of the too-big-for-one-person bed. Her body sank into the soft mattress.
A questioning brush of Carnwennan’s thoughts nudged at her mind. Wasn’t she going to lock the door? She yawned and rolled onto her side.
“No.” There wasn’t a need.
~*~
Mikhail lay on his bed with his arms behind his head and stared up at the ceiling above. The room was rosy with the desert sunrise peeking through the shutter slats. Donnie had not locked her door last night. If she had, he would have heard the tell
-tale click of the mechanism. But that sound never came. Her one action—or lack of action, in this case—spoke volumes about how much she must trust him. More than even her words had.
Of course, she may have been too tired and simply forgotten. No. Forgetting was not an action of a person who had been on the run for so long. Self-preservation would be second nature. Which made her choice a borderline epic event. At some point, she would get the nerve to invite the vampire in.
His groin stirred at the mere idea, and he stifled the groan welling in his chest. Not again. Last night he had been painfully hard as he had fixated on her hips as they had swayed up the stairs. He believed then that the ache would ease by the time he had cleaned up the kitchen and retired, but it had not. He had ended the evening by relieving himself the old-fashioned way. That had not happened in…well, a long time.
And it was not going to happen again. Not this morning, at least. He rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later he was in the kitchen starting the coffee maker. So much for “not this morning”. His body had had different ideas in the shower and he had ended up palming himself into satisfaction. Not satisfaction, really. More like staving off starvation while waiting for a gourmet meal.
How would she feel about being the center of his sexual fantasies?
He gave his head a shake and glanced at the stove clock. Not quite seven o’clock yet. Should he wait until Donnie came down to start breakfast? Cooking for her last night had been gratifying, like he was taking care of her. Supporting her when she needed moral support, which she clearly hadn’t had in far too long.
The coffee maker beeped. He filled his mug and stepped out onto the patio to enjoy the last remnants of cool air before the desert went into full-furnace mode. The sound of Charlie’s footsteps coming across the patio reached his ear. A moment later, his friend appeared from around the side of the cottage.
“Good. You are awake,” Charlie sat in the chair Donnie had occupied last night and sipped from his own steaming mug. “How is your guest?”
“Still asleep.” Great, Charlie was arching his eyebrow. Hard to imagine what his unspoken question was. “It is none of your business, Charlie.”
Charlie grinned. “That’s a shame. Maybe tonight.”
“Is there a purpose to your visit, other than attempted matchmaking?”
“Ungrateful created.”
“Obnoxious natural-born.” This time he allowed himself to match Charlie’s grin.
Charlie draped one arm over the back of his chair. “It’s not my matchmaking tendencies you need to worry about. My mother, on the other hand….”
Mikhail swallowed back his chuckle with a mouthful of coffee.
“And speaking of spells, I have an update for you,” Charlie continued. “My mother completed a new protection spell over the house this morning. Your slithering friend will not be able to cross onto the property, no matter how hard he tries.”
“That is excellent news. Please tell Nonny thank you for me.”
“She loves what she does.” Charlie narrowed his eyes. “I would like to know why she had to do it though.”
“That is Donnie’s story to tell. I will say that I perceive no imminent danger to you or your family. If I did, you know I would take her elsewhere.”
“I know you would.” Charlie rose from his chair. “Sophie asked that I extend an invitation for you and Donnie to join us for dinner this evening. Tory and the boys will be there.”
The presence of Charlie’s twin grandsons always meant chaos. Still, it might be just the distraction Donnie needed for a short while. “I shall check with Donnie and let you know.”
Charlie winked. “Wise man.”
Chapter Ten
That evening, Mikhail gazed at the patio beyond the French doors. The sky was painted with the roses, greys, golds, and deep blues of a desert sunset. Quite lovely, and much different from Romania. He frowned. How long had it been since he had last been to the land of his birth? He had attempted to return there on a few occasions, but there was profound truth to the adage that things never remained the same. His father’s manor had burned to the ground at some point, and had been built over at least twice since. More people, more buildings, less familiarity. It was safe to say that the place held little meaning to him now. One of the drawbacks of longevity.
Magic, though, was familiar. The closest place he had to a home. Only his nomadic soul kept him from settling here and making home a reality. Until he had met Donnie. Now the thought of attaching himself to a place seemed appealing.
The sound of sandals slapping against the tiles disrupted his musings. He turned. Donnie’s new sundress she had acquired this morning on their excursion into town displayed the exact same colors as the sunset outside, in a geometric design. The ever present silver chain glinted around her neck before plunging under her halter-top, and the skirt flowed over her thighs in silky waves as she walked across the living room toward him.
“My hair is back to normal. See?” She stopped in front of him and fluffed her now brown hair with her fingers.
He could not resist reaching out to take a silky strand between his fingers. “It suits you.”
Her smile softened. “Thanks. And thank you again for helping me with the outfits.”
“My pleasure.”
She gave him a serious look. “I will pay you back, once I can access my account again.”
“I would prefer you consider them a gift, but I recognize your desire for self-sufficiency.” He would still try to dissuade her, but she did have the gift to distract him with a simple smile. Like now.
“So,” she said. “You’ve mentioned Tory’s twins a couple of times today. I get the feeling you were warning me about them.”
Being that the boys were a mix of werewolf, vampire, and witch, there was no warning strong enough to prepare anyone for a first encounter with the twelve-year-olds. He tucked the strand of hair behind her ear. “Jonah and Joseph must be experienced to be appreciated.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “O-kay.”
“Do not be concerned.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers. “Their hearts are in the right place, I believe is the correct phrase.”
“Really?” she murmured and leaned into him.
Her scent, peaches and cream and soft woman, enveloped his senses as he opened his mouth against hers. The velvety softness of her tongue moved with his at a leisurely tempo. He slid his hands along the column of her neck to cup her jaw. Her pulse fluttered strong and true under his touch. What he would give to skip dinner with the Carsons and have their own private dining experience. Alas, Charlie would come knocking on the door. Mealtime was valued family time, not to be missed for any reason short of an emergency.
Mikhail ended the kiss and pulled back far enough to meet Donnie’s gaze. There was a dreamy quality to her eyes that warmed him.
“Time to go?” she asked.
He nodded. “Regretfully.”
A few minutes later, he reached for the door handle to pull open the back door of the Carsons’ main house for Donnie. Or, that was what was supposed to have happen until two dark-haired boys barreled out.
“I’m fastest!”
“Nuh-uh!”
“Jo-nah! Jo-seph!” The woman calling after the boys appeared in the doorway. “No fish in the pool again or you’ll sit on the patio in starched shirts watching the pool all evening.”
“Okay, mom,” they chorused in unison as they jumped over the four steps leading from the patio to the pool. A moment later, they shouted, “Cannonball!”
Mikhail grinned at their mom. “You are not going to forget last week’s catch-of-the-day episode, are you, Tory?”
Tory slumped against the door frame. “Ask me how much fun it was to return two-hundred thirty-three Koi to their proper owners. Six of them came from Barstow. I can’t even imagine what their owners thought when their fish suddenly vanished from their ponds, then reappeared as
if nothing had happened.”
A green lizard skittered between Tory’s feet, over the threshold, and across the patio.
“Keep an eye on them, please, Larry,” Tory said.
The lizard stopped, looked over his shoulder, and gave a chirp before continuing in the direction of the pool.
Donnie stared at Tory as though she could not believe anything that had happened in the last thirty seconds. Time to come to her rescue.
He cupped her elbow. “Donnie, this is Tory Drayton, Charlie and Sophie’s daughter. Tory, this is Donnie McAllister.”
Tory grinned widely. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Donnie.”
Three seconds later, Mikhail was alone on the patio watching Donnie’s back as Tory swept her into her parents’ home. This was already promising to be an interesting evening. Hopefully Donnie did not get too overwhelmed.
~*~
Two hours later, Mikhail sat back in his chair and resisted patting his stomach. Dinner at the Carsons’ home was always satisfying, and an adventure when the entire family attended. The only one not present was Tory’s husband, Simon, which was unusual.
“Grandma and Grandpa’s house used to be different when our mom lived here,” Jonah told Donnie.
Mikhail glanced at the boy seated between him and Donnie. Before dinner, both boys had managed to outmaneuver him, slipping into the chairs on either side of Donnie before he could claim one.
“Yeah,” Joseph said from his seat to Donnie’s left. “It used to be a green Victorian. But, Grandma wanted to redesign the old place and now it’s adobe.”
“I’m sorry I missed seeing what it used to look like,” Donnie told the boys. “I bet it was pretty. This place is beautiful too.”
Obviously, he need not have worried. She had adapted and embraced the situation. Not once had she failed to engage in all the conversations directed her way. He, on the other hand, had been drawn in by her, and had missed a few questions and comments made to him.
Joseph leaned closer to Donnie. “We like the other place better because it had secret rooms, and this place because it has a pool.”
