by Lena Loneson
Mary Catherine still hadn’t moved, but fortunately she didn’t have to. The selkie waddled forward, wise black eyes shining. When the seal’s body was fully on the sand and no longer touching the water, the black fur melted away, falling from her body in ripples. The pelt hit the sand and in a pale, flesh-colored blur, Nora emerged.
Her footsteps were unsteady. When she placed her left foot on the stand, Nora tipped forward, ready to fall. This vulnerability propelled Mary Catherine into action. The older woman grasped the younger’s arm and held her upright. Her white, naked body shone in contrast to the pounding surf behind her. Dark, wet hair hung down her back, her pale skin bright and human.
Eamon and Áiné moved forward slowly.
“I’m sorry,” Mary Catherine said. “I’m so sorry, Nora.”
Nora embraced her. “Thank you.”
Nora’s pelt lay on the beach behind her. It had grown to her size, no longer the pelt of a babe. As mother and daughter hugged and cried together, Eamon picked it up, hanging back. When Nora turned to him, he held it out. “This is yours.” She took the pelt from him, cradling it to her body.
Mary Catherine moved away, nodding her thanks.
Nora turned her face to him, joy radiating from her. “You’re the one who found it.”
“She’d hidden it at Tullamore. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you.” Shame clenched at his stomach. How could he have kept the truth from her, made love to her in the grass by the lough as he’d concealed her true heritage?
Nora shook her head. She wrapped the pelt around her breasts, letting it fall like a dress down her body to keep her warm. “You trusted me with it when it counted. Oh, Eamon—you have to feel it, what it’s like to swim out there. It’s impossible to get cold—my whole body is warm from the inside. I don’t tire. It’s magic. There’s music in the water—waves rushing, dolphin song. It’s music I’ve never heard before outside my dreams. You gave that to me. Even knowing I might not come back.”
He touched her hand, overcome by sudden shyness. “But you did come back.” Why? For him? For her mother? To say goodbye before she left forever?
She leaned forward, pressing her afghan-wrapped body into his sopping-wet clothing. He ran a hand down her back. Her skin radiated warmth. He pulled her close, hugging her hard. “I love you, Nora. Whoever you are.”
Her lips found his, hot and desperate. He pressed his tongue into her mouth, not caring about the people watching them. He wanted to possess her, yes, but also to set her free. He pulled back. “I’ll never hide the pelt from you, Nora,” he said. “You know that? You’re free to go, any time. From here, from Canada, from anywhere we live. But I’d like to start here in Ireland. Your mother is just coming to know you. You can leave, if you want, but I’d like you to stay with us, at least for a little while. Will you?”
For that was the tragedy of the old legends, wasn’t it? The passion between selkie and human sizzled until the human went too far, attempting to cage the seal-creature. And magic can’t be caged. Eamon knew it well. It can be written about, in story or song, but it can’t be caged.
Nora’s human eyes were deeper than they’d been the last time he’d looked into them. A bit of the seal’s blackness remained. He fell into their depths. He could spend a lifetime exploring her mystery.
“I love you, Eamon.” Her grin spread to his lips. She was contagious—her lust for life, her smile, her laughter. “I love you. Why would I want to leave you?”
About Lena Loneson
Lena Loneson is pretty much a Canadian cliché: she complains when the temperature rises above zero, says “Eh?” far too often, and loves her beer and poutine. However, she somehow missed the memo on learning to play hockey, so she constantly lives in fear of deportation. Please don’t report her to the Mounties so she can continue to write stories about love and sex in snowbanks, forests, canoes, and maybe one day (if she gets a chance) atop the CN Tower.
Lena’s favorite erotic romance stories are those with a bit of the unusual: you’ll see her reading and writing a lot of paranormal, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. Other hobbies include playing piano, walking large dogs, searching the forests for unicorns (they *must* exist!) and anything outdoorsy.
Lena loves to hear from readers, so please check out her website or drop her an email!
Lena welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Lena Loneson
Alpha Mountie
God of Ecstasy
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Ellora’s Cave Publishing
www.ellorascave.com
Selkie’s Rapture
ISBN 9781419948589
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Selkie’s Rapture Copyright © 2013 Lena Loneson
Edited by Rebecca Hill
Cover design by Erin Dameron-Hill
Cover photography by Agnieszka Guzowska/ depositphotos.com, Denis Tabler, tankist276, Coka/fotolia.com, Ziggy7/dreamstimes.com
Electronic book publication October 2013
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