Ride: Cyn and Fallon: Episodes 5-8 (Puca Mates Collection Book 2)

by A. C. James

  She felt a vibration against her hand and she pulled out her mobile. Great. She read the caller ID. Perfect timing.

  Cyn tried to make her voice as cheerful as possible. “Hello. Glad to have caught you.”

  “I should hope so,” her agent said. As always, his voice sounded perfectly polished, but extremely harried. “I’ve been trying to ring you, Cynthia.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said, ducking into the foyer of her flat.

  Her agent’s voice grew fainter and fainter in her ear as she rustled through her bag looking for her keys. When she pulled the phone close to her ear again, he’d stopped talking.

  “Yes?”

  “It’s about The Wedding Date. Aren’t you listening?” He sounded flustered and annoyed. “Remember when I introduced you to that director who loved one of your billboards? He wants to cast you as the lead.”

  Cyn couldn’t believe it. Everything she’d worked for was in reach. “Ohmygod. Really?”

  “Yes, and this would be the perfect opportunity for you. I know you’ve always wanted to break into film.”

  If this was what she’d always dreamed of, then why did she feel so hollow inside?

  “I have,” Cyn said. “You’re totally right. It’s a great idea.”

  “So you’ll do it? Can I let him know we’ll set up a meeting?”

  Cyn paused, and took a deep breath. “Uhmmm... Can I think about it and let you know?”

  “Are you serious right now? To give this chance up would be suicide.”

  Her agent’s voice startled Cyn and she jumped, almost dropping the mobile. She winced. He was right, of course. She was mad to pass it up. If she turned it down, she’d be kissing everything she worked so hard for goodbye. But truthfully, it didn’t seem so important anymore. Not that her agent would understand that.

  Cyn lied instead to buy herself some time to think. “I’m sorry, I’m not feeling well. I’ve got to run. I’ll phone tomorrow.”

  Muffled cries of protest blared through the speaker. Fortunately, they were cut off with a satisfying click as she hung up. Now inside her flat, Cyn looked around as if seeing everything for the first time. Everything she’d dreamed of was finally coming together. She could scarcely believe the offer was real. She’d always wanted to be an actress, but the timing couldn’t have been more off. There was Lillian’s upcoming wedding. And of course there was no forgetting Felicity, who must be pretty close to giving birth. Cyn counted the weeks in her head, and she realized she’d been gone for around eight and a half months. She was a dreadful friend for not being there for Felicity. She suddenly missed her best friend with a horrible intensity, but she missed Fallon more. It eclipsed everything else in her heart.

  Fumbling in her bag, Cyn yanked out the communication portal. The surface rippled as she held it up toward the light. She was desperate for a glimpse of anything other than the flat greyish black of the glass.

  “Fallon?” Cyn whispered, feeling almost foolish. The device was close to her mouth and tried again... “Fallon, it’s me! It’s Cyn and I really need to talk to you. Okay?”

  Nothing. Not a bloody fucking thing.

  Cyn tried again, louder than before. “Fallon?”

  There was no change in the surface of the portal. It shimmered and winked in her hand, as if determined not to reveal any of its secrets. Cyn glared at the object. Despite the heat of her hands, it was still cool.

  Cyn raised it close to her face, squinting and holding it to her eye like a monocle. Up close, the stone secreted a faint mossy scent, like the sea around the Realm. She closed her eyes and inhaled, trying to recall the emerald shoals that were so beautiful. Cyn’s imagination refused to cooperate. After a moment she opened her eyes and sighed in frustration. A taxi honked from outside, and Cyn groaned.

  “Bloody hell,” she said under her breath. “I’m standing in my bleeding living room, sniffing a rock. I’ve gone utterly mad.”

  Fallon popped into her mind, and the image was a painful reminder of what she’d given up. There was a dark, cavernous space inside her soul, and she’d tried to fill it with earthly possessions and achievements. She was an insecure idiot. Rather than deal with her baggage or fight her demons, she’d chosen to pursue an existence which now seemed uninspiring, and empty.

  “Did you hear that, Fallon? Do you know what an eejit you’re mated to?” she asked the portal.

  Cyn pictured him in her mind. Fallon was smiling, his eyes crinkled in the corners, his crow’s feet practically laughing at some crude thing she’d said. Cyn ached to have his hair tangled in her fingers, and she touched her mouth in memory of his lips against hers. Tears pricked her eyes. She missed all of the little things he did just for her, like the picnics. And the shagging. Her cheeks flushed at the thought.

  “If you can hear me—I miss you.”

  Still no answer came. The empty space inside her grew darker. She’d really loved her life, but now the paparazzi snapping pictures and the attention of a fickle public seemed like an absurd circus. It was shocking and tragic when she thought about it. Drowning herself in ambition, and in her career (along with a bloody ton of booze) had always buried any guilt. Cyn had condemned herself to a life of loneliness, trapped by fear. Was it too late? Had she lost the only thing that mattered?

  Chapter Three

  Fallon sat up in bed, groaning. The mornings were getting worse. Some days he barely had any strength at all. His stallion was weak without their mate.

  “Are you all right, Father?” Darcy asked.

  She was sitting in a chair by his bed, reading a book.

  “What time is it?” he asked.

  “Mid-morning, Sire. You were so peaceful that I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “Aye, fetch me some water, lass.”

  Darcy closed the book and opened the curtains. Sunlight streamed through the broad windows of his chamber.

  “I’ll see about getting you some breakfast too,” she said, and exited the chamber.

  Fallon had no idea how the girl could read when it was practically dark. He groaned again. The only thing more exhausting than dragging himself through long days without his mate was trying to convince everyone around him he was fine. Of course, he was pretty sure no one bought it. Niall and Felicity knew, as did Maelíosa. He couldn’t tell Darcy the truth. The sunlight hurt his eyes. Squinting, he hobbled out of bed and closed the curtains, letting the blissful semidarkness envelop his senses.

  He’d deteriorated so quickly after Cyn left, it was almost comical. The first few days, he’d been hurt, but his stallion was still strong. Fallon resigned himself to traces of her scent on his sheets, or remembering how she’d fashion outfits out of the nicest linens in the castle. After only a few weeks, however, his joints stiffened, and his stallion was too sore to contemplate a transformation. His chest was heavy and clogged. Fallon wondered if his heart was absorbing all of the hurt and pain from his soul. It was like a virus spreading through his body. He imagined the leathery muscle in his chest, blackened with heartbreak. He was lost without her, and his stallion had given up.

  But he took comfort in knowing Cyn was happy. His stallion hated the idea, especially of her finding happiness with someone else, but he’d never want her to give up the life she loved or be tied to him because of a mistake. Tomas had botched it up, and she’d paid the price. Fallon had to let her go. His jaw clenched. Thinking of her laughing with another man—or worse—upset him. His stallion often tortured him with such thoughts. Today he didn’t have the energy to listen to the beast.

  Fallon’s stallion walked along, shaking his head. He looked older, too. His mane and tail were threaded with white and silver, his withers bonier than ever. Today, he’d think about the good things. Felicity was due soon, and Fallon was wanted to meet his first grandchild, a girl. Felicity and Niall reminded him of his first mate, and the feelings were both pleasurable and painful. Their love was so powerful it made public settings look quite intimate. And Fallon knew his son woul
d take wonderful care of his mate and their baby. He only wished he’d be around for more of the child’s life.

  He stretched up to pull a tunic over his increasingly lanky figure, and winced. Fallon set his jaw. His stallion pawed the ground in frustration. We miss her so much. He closed his eyes. It was hard to get her out of his head when everything seemed to remind him of her. In his mind he saw her dancing, laughing, teasing Darcy. Delving deeper, he remembered her smiling and pulling him back under the covers, clad in a twisted curtain she’d trussed into an outfit. He recalled the day he’d taken her on a picnic and her guard was down. She had a serious, contemplative side that so rarely made an appearance. Cyn covered up her emotions, and all the insecurities that went along with being human.

  When he opened his eyes, he half-expected to see her curvy figure draped across his bed. Despite the physical pain racking his body, Fallon let out a soft whinny. His stallion would never recover. He craved her with such an intensity that he questioned everything he’d held close to his heart. At that moment he loved her and wanted to take her, consume her, and possess her until she never thought of leaving. Madness must be taking him. He smelled her all around him, though the actual scent of Cyn had obviously faded months ago. The memory of her taste was driving him crazy. His stallion was wild, tossing his head and neighing. As his body reacted with desire, a sharp pain shot through his chest, and he clapped his hand over his heart. Doubled over, Fallon shook off any lingering thoughts of Cyn.

  Darcy re-entered the chamber carrying a tray of food. “Father?”

  Fallon straightened. “Aye, set it on the table, and get on with ye.”

  Something flickered in Darcy’s eyes, but thankfully she obeyed him like she’d always done. He closed himself to his mate. We mustn’t think of her today. He tamped down the thought, determined to fulfil his duties as Chieftain of the Realm.

  “I’M GOING TO BE ALL right then? And the baby is fine?” Felicity asked.

  The healer removed her hands from Felicity’s swollen belly. Ariel regarded Felicity as if measuring her strength from within. She could never be completely sure of the magic or mystery this woman possessed, but Ariel had saved her life when Niall brought her to the Realm. So Felicity didn’t doubt the woman knew what she was doing.

  “Yes, I believe so,” Ariel said, bowing respectfully. She turned and made the same gesture toward Niall. “I have every reason to believe you will have a beautiful baby girl.”

  “Niall,” Felicity whispered. “I can’t believe it. I always thought I wouldn’t be able to have a baby. The doctor...”

  She was unable to continue. Not having a child of her own was something she’d come to terms with a long time ago. Her heart burst with joy at the prospect of becoming a mother despite her fear of a supernatural birth in this agrarian society. Felicity puffed a hair out of her face as she swayed from the heat inside Arial’s hut.

  “It’s amazing,” Niall said, wrapping an arm around his mate.

  He planted a kiss on her head as if she were the most precious woman in the world. Her pregnancy hadn’t changed how much he desired her. It seemed he wanted her even more than before her belly was rounded with their child. Felicity basked in the adoration.

  “It’s more than I could hope for,” Felicity said softly.

  Niall squeezed her shoulder. “And you’re sure she’s at low risk right now?”

  “Yes, quite sure,” Ariel said, waving a hand toward him absentmindedly. “All the same, Felicity, you still need to be careful. You could easily hurt yourself. You are human, and this birth will be difficult. Please let Niall continue to spoil you.”

  Felicity frowned. Niall’s mother had died during childbirth with Darcy, and this meant Niall hadn’t let her out of his sight. She not only accepted that, but enjoyed his devotion. But even though she loved the way he doted on her, she couldn’t help feeling a little restless. The child inside of her seemed as gigantic as the responsibilities of becoming a parent. Her back ached from the short walk from the castle to the healer.

  “Aye, exactly as I plan on doing,” Niall said with a grin.

  The man couldn’t stop grinning these days. She smiled back at him. Knowing she was about to have a daughter with Niall made her incredibly happy...especially after being told she’d never be able to have a baby. She gulped. As much as she loved Cyn and Nathan, she couldn’t suppress her feelings of joy at the prospect of having a real family for the first time.

  “Thank you again for seeing us.” Felicity smiled gratefully at Ariel, sliding down from the table and getting to her feet. Almost instantly, her back ached and she stifled a groan.

  “Are you all right, Felicity?” Niall asked as they left the healer. “You’re being very quiet, love.”

  Love and an underlying passion radiated from his eyes. Her insides melted at his familiar charm. “Yes,” she breathed, resting her head on his shoulder. “I just feel so heavy right now. Our little girl isn’t feeling quite so little.”

  Niall soothed her, stroking her back. “I’m so sorry you’re uncomfortable. I’ll draw you a nice warm bath when we get back.”

  “Oh, that would be divine.”

  The firm pressure and warmth from his hand slowly made Felicity’s backache begin to dissipate. She sighed happily. She was over the moon about Niall and the baby, but she missed Cyn a lot. I wonder how she’s getting along, Felicity thought to herself. It’d been weeks since they last spoke. The time had slipped away before Felicity even realized how long it had been. Frowning, she turned to her husband.

  “I haven’t heard from Cyn in a while. I promised her I’d chat with her over the portal, but every time I think to ask Fallon I forget. I swear this baby is turning me into a twit.”

  Niall’s jaw gave an almost imperceptible twitch.

  “I wonder how she’s getting on,” Felicity said.

  “I’m not sure, love.”

  She was feeling a bit emotional, but it could be the pregnancy hormones getting the best of her again. She hated being tossed about like a ball of emotion. One minute she was fine and the next she was bawling her eyes out, a bloody damn mess.

  Felicity frowned. “I miss her. It seems like ages ago since we saw each other.”

  “Aye,” Niall said. He squeezed Felicity closer, giving her a small kiss on the head. “Let’s go home. I’ll draw you a bath, and then I want to give you a long massage.”

  Felicity loved the sound of that, and Niall’s stallion was standing at attention too. She’d discovered the mate bond definitely had its perks—usually in the form of sensual imagery or thoughts from Niall. Perhaps a massage would lead to a lot more, and maybe it would take her mind off everything.

  She smiled coyly. “Right, let’s do that.”

  Chapter Four

  The bass vibrated through the walls of the club as Cyn approached. Her heels clicked across the pavement. She couldn’t spot Nathan anywhere, and there were groups of people standing outside, smoking. The corset-style purple silk blouse she was wearing was uncomfortably tight, and suddenly she longed for her improvised ‘dresses’ in the Realm.

  Approaching the box office, Cyn noticed a queue of people snaked around the club, waiting to get in. Alchemy was a popular venue, though it had only been open for a couple of months. She groaned to herself. I shoulda bloody known it’d be jammed. The woman behind the counter smiled at her in recognition. Cyn furrowed her brow.

  “All right?” she asked, digging in her silk clutch for her ID.

  The woman blushed, staring at Cyn. “Sorry, it’s just... uhmmm, probably crazy to ask, but are you Cyn Becket?”

  Cyn nodded, heat surging to her cheeks. She was recognized sometimes, but not too often. And especially not lately. The lack of work she’d done since returning hadn’t helped keep her name out there. Cyn realized that if she agreed to do the film, it would probably happen all the time. The idea used to sound appealing, but now it left her cold and empty.

  “I am,” Cyn said.

&n
bsp; “Oh, wow,” the woman gushed, grinning. “That’s so cool! Here, you know what? Hold on.”

  Her words had tumbled out in such a rush, Cyn didn’t have a chance to respond. The woman was already pushing her chair back and darting into the other room. In a few seconds, she popped back in, looking flushed.

  “Look, I asked my manager about this. We’re going to let you in for free. We’re so happy you’re here. Have you visited Alchemy before?”

  “Nope.”

  Cyn knew she should be excited. After all, it was what she’d worked for. Instead it made her feel tired, and kind of paranoid someone might be nasty to her face regarding her weight. She already dealt with tons of haters online. Cyn didn’t think she could stomach dealing with drama in person right now. This was the last thing she’d wanted tonight. Why did she let Nathan drag her out anyway? He’d made some crack about her becoming a recluse, and said that Cyn had been a lousy friend lately. She’d dusted herself off and agreed to meet him. Besides, the three of them used to go dancing all the time. She really wished Felicity could be there.

  “We’re so glad you decided to check us out!” The woman said as she slid a few passes under the glass. “These are some passes. Why not come back again with more of your friends?”

  “Thanks,” Cyn said, tucking them into her bag. “I’ve got to go find my pal.”

  She walked away from the ticket window. As she scouted for Nathan, it occurred to her that she didn’t really have a lot of friends to bring. She missed Felicity (and Fallon, and Darcy) so much her chest physically ached. For a split second her vision blurred and the Realm loomed in front of her. Fallon was standing where they’d had their picnic, calling her name.