With a frown, Aislinn eyed the closed bedroom door. What was he doing? Stealthily, she crept to the door and slowly opened it. She peered out into the hall and caught a glimpse of Connor sitting in his recliner, drinking a beer.
She narrowed her eyes and suppressed a growl of frustration. She had expected Hugh to act like this, but Connor? The thought of her mate hiding behind a bottle of beer infuriated her.
Holding her head high and throwing back her shoulders, she opened the door and walked into the living room. When she stood beside Connor’s chair, she folded her arms over her chest.
“Connor, are you coming to bed?”
He looked up at her and choked on a swallow of beer. Gasping for air, he let his eyes drift over her. “What are you wearing?”
“A nightgown.”
He gave her a heated look. “That isn’t a nightgown.”
“Then what would you call it?”
“Torture.”
She smiled. Good, she thought. She trailed a hand over his shoulder and down his bicep, and felt a tremor run through him. She felt in control for the first time in ages, and she loved it. Knowing that she had so much power over him delighted her. Just knowing that Connor wouldn’t hurt her like Hugh had, was enough to make her feel safe and courageous. Courageous enough to slip into his lap and loop her arms around his neck, making sure her nightgown draped her body in such a way that one leg was exposed.
“Connor, aren’t you ready for bed?”
He stared at her, his eyes trying to see into her soul. It was obvious she was up to something, but he wasn’t sure what it was. Her nightgown was designed for seduction, but Aislinn wouldn’t do that – would she?
“I’ll be there in a minute.”
Her eyes travelled over his face. Staring into his eyes, she realized he was filled with light. So I really can see if a person is good or evil. Interesting, she thought. Such a gift would have come in handy when she married Hugh. She would have been able to see from the beginning how rotten he was. It gave her even more confidence and she leaned forward to gently press her lips to his.
After a moment’s hesitation, Connor set his beer down and burrowed his fingers into her hair. He kissed her with greedy lips, wanting to devour her. His tongue slipped between her lips, tasting, savoring, wanting to drown himself in her. Her body pressing against his was enough to drive him mad, but her kisses were the killing blow. His wall of resistance crumbled and he knew that he would do whatever she asked.
She broke the kiss and smiled. “Take me to bed, Connor. I want you to make love to me.”
His lungs seized in his chest and he felt lightheaded. He’d never wanted anything so much in his life. He stood, holding her in his arms, and carried her to the bedroom.
Tossing her down on the bed, Connor gazed her with a hungry expression, no longer able to hide his desire. He’d wanted her from the moment she had landed in his arms, and having held back for so long he felt his inner wolf howling to be let loose. Not wanting to scare her, he was determined to be gentle.
Connor pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it on the floor before covering her body with his. The heat of her body and her lush curves were enough to drive him mad with desire, making it hard to hold back. Gently, he kissed her neck, feeling her pulse beat wildly under her skin. His blood pounded with the knowledge that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
His hand trailed down her side to her hip, eliciting a soft gasp from her. He tenderly kissed her, wanting her to understand how much she meant to him. Finding his mate had been a gift, and Aislinn was the best mate he could have ever asked for, fitting him perfectly in every way.
When he looked into her eyes, he was surprised to see not only passion blazing in their depths, but also trust. It humbled him that she had faith in him after all she had been through.
Rolling to his side, he pulled her close. He fingered the long, silky strands of her hair. As her small hands explored his chest, he felt his heart beat erratically under her palms and marveled at how different it was to lie with Aislinn than it had been with any other woman. Knowing she was his, and only his, made the experience magickal.
Claiming her lips once more, he buried his hands in her hair and molded her body to his, wanting to brand her as his own. With agile fingers, he untied the top of her nightgown. As he began to part the material, he heard the front door of the house open and slam shut.
With a curse, he jumped up, all of his senses on alert. When he realized it was his cousin, he gave a deep growl.
“Dammit, what the hell does he want?”
Aislinn quickly tied her nightgown again and stood beside him. “What does who want?”
“Gabriel. Wait here, I’ll be back in a minute.” Assuming I don’t murder my cousin, he thought grimly.
Chapter Fourteen
Connor stalked toward Gabriel with narrowed eyes.
“I realize you have a key to the house, but I’d prefer you not use it on a whim.”
Gabriel grinned at him. “Interrupting something, am I?”
With a silent curse, Connor crossed his arms and stared at his cousin, his jaw squared in determination. It was going to be a short conversation, even if it meant bodily throwing Gabriel out of the house. He jerked his head toward the living room; once there he flopped down in a chair.
“So, what do you want?”
Gabriel stifled his amusement and sat on the sofa facing his cousin. “Cassie has done some digging on parallel universes, and also on the sorcerer.”
Connor leaned forward, bracing his arms on his legs. “And?”
“We have no idea how to travel from our plane of existence to the one Aislinn came from. But, we do think we can summon the wizard, or sorcerer, or whatever you want to call him.”
Connor grimaced. “He’s here all the damn time. I don’t think calling him will do you much good.”
Gabriel looked intrigued. “Here, as in he comes to your house?”
“He likes appearing to Aislinn when I’m not around. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he does it just to irritate me.”
“Interesting. Do you think he’d come to her if she called him?”
Connor shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Bring her out here and let’s see if it works. The only way to get our questions answered is by confronting him. We have to see what he knows in regards to your mate.”
Connor ground his teeth, but got up and went to the bedroom.
Aislinn was pacing the bedroom, her brow furrowed. She looked up when Connor entered the bedroom.
“It’s Gabriel. Can you come to the living room for a minute?”
Without a thought to her apparel, or lack thereof, Aislinn followed her mate as he requested. When she saw the joint-alpha, she smiled.
“It’s nice to see you, Gabriel.”
He returned her smile and made sure he kept his eyes on her face. The gown she wore left little to the imagination and he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable.
Grumbling was heard from the corner of the room and the sorcerer materialized out of the shadows, frowning at Aislinn. With a wave of his hand, a velvet robe with fur trim covered her body.
“Had I known you were going to gallivant around in front of people, I would have never made that blasted nightgown,” he grumbled.
Aislinn gave him a shy smile. “I wasn’t exactly thinking when I walked in here. Thank you for the robe.”
Instead of responding to her, he glared at the alphas. They needed to spend less time worrying about him and focus more of their attention on upcoming events. The pack would be fighting for their lives soon, and none of them were prepared for it.
“What the hell do you two want?” he asked with barely restrained fury.
“We have some questions about Aislinn and her future with the pack,” Gabriel answered calmly, appearing unfazed by the sorcerer’s temper.
“And you couldn’t ask her?”
The werewolves looked at one another and then
at Aislinn.
“Do you know something you should share with us?” Connor asked, finding it hard to believe his mate would keep pertinent information from him.
Noting her pallor, Gabriel gave her the assurance she needed. “We just need to make sure you’re safe. Without knowing if your husband can track you here, we’re vulnerable to an attack.”
“I came here by magick. Since Hugh is the least magickal person I know, he won’t be able to find me.” She looked at Eric before looking at her mate. “In my world, I’m dead. I’m not going to vanish and I’m not going to be returned to my world.” Unless I screw up, she silently added.
Connor looked away from her, his jaw tightening in frustration. “Why didn’t you share this with me before now?”
She moved toward him and stopped. “I didn’t know it was something you were worried about. If you had asked me, I would have told you what I know.”
“Is there anything else I should know?” Connor asked softly, his stance still rigid and unyielding. It was obvious he was going to make this difficult for her.
Aislinn look at Eric helplessly. She knew she should tell them about her magickal abilities, but she wasn’t sure how much she could tell them. It wasn’t just her secret, it was Eric’s.
The sorcerer sighed and tipped his head back, closing his eyes briefly. “I’m supposed to observe without interring, but I’ve screwed that up this time.”
“You’re the reason Aislinn healed so quickly, aren’t you?” Gabriel asked, the pieces of the puzzle finally coming together.
Eric nodded. “I shared my life’s essence with her in order to save her life. However, my gift came with a price.”
“What kind of price?” Connor asked, torn between wanting to thank the man for saving his mate and want to throttle him for having any kind of relationship with her.
“She inherited some of my magickal abilities. If threatened, she can defend herself.”
Connor looked between Aislinn and Eric. “Anything else?”
Eric shrugged. “She may be able to do a few other things, but I won’t know how extensive her powers are until I’m able to test them.”
“More tests?” Aislinn grumbled.
He flashed her a smile. “Only if you want to harness your power, little sorceress.”
“Sorceress!” Gabriel and Connor exclaimed at the same time.
“Yes, the latest addition to your pack is now a sorceress. And if she continues to practice, she’ll be a rather powerful one.”
The werewolves looked stunned.
Connor looked at Aislinn as if he’d never seen her before. Her heart broke a little and she wondered if things would ever be the same between them again. She was still the same woman he’d wanted to make love to moments ago, and yet she knew there was now an invisible wall between them. She looked to Eric for guidance, but he only gave her a sad smile. Obviously she had to fight this battle on her own. She just wasn’t sure how.
In a blink, Eric disappeared, leaving Aislinn alone with the werewolves. She eyed her mate uncertainly. Her gaze shifted to Gabriel and he gave her an encouraging smile. Rising from the sofa, he walked over and gave her a hug.
“Everything will work itself out,” he said with a smile.
“I wish I could believe that,” she replied with a subtle look in Connor’s direction.
Gabriel squeezed her shoulder before showing himself out, leaving them to work out their problems.
Aislinn looked at Connor, but he refused to meet her gaze. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat and walked away. At the bedroom door she paused, wondering if Connor would still want to share the room with her. Looking down the hall, she moved toward one of the guest rooms.
She pushed open the door to the blue bedroom and stepped inside. Closing the door softly, she leaned against it, no longer able to hold herself up. Everything had been going so well, and now it seemed she’d lost it all. It seemed incredibly unfair that she would finally find love only to have it taken away so suddenly.
Sinking to her knees, she buried her face in her hands. There had to be a way to fix things. She refused to give up!
What good is magick if it can’t fix a broken heart, she wondered.
In the living room, Connor was feeling hurt and betrayed. His mate had special abilities, ones that made him useless in her life. If she could protect herself, why did she need him? And why hadn’t she told him?
He’d been vaguely aware of her leaving the room, but hadn’t stopped her. For once, he wasn’t sure what to say or what to do, wasn’t sure if anything could make it right again.
He loved her. That much he knew, but did it really matter if she didn’t trust him or love him in return? What was their relationship built on if everything had been a lie? She hadn’t seemed like a deceitful woman, and yet she’d kept things from him, important things.
Rubbing a hand down his face, he looked to the hall. She hadn’t gone back into their room. He didn’t want to sleep in his bed without her, but he didn’t trust himself to be around her just yet. Grabbing his keys, he left the house, hoping a long drive and maybe a stop at the local bar would help him figure things out. If nothing else, it would help dull the pain and allow him to sleep.
Aislinn heard the front door close and knew she was alone, again.
“Eric?” she called softly.
The sorcerer materialized in front of her and hunkered down so that he was eye level with her.
“That didn’t go very well, did it?”
She shook her head. “I think he hates me now.”
He gave her a tender smile. “No, he doesn’t hate you. He’s just confused and hurting right now. He doesn’t understand why you kept your magick a secret from him, but he’ll come around.”
“I wish I could be as sure of that as you and Gabriel seem to be.”
Eric reached out and took her hand. “Come on. You obviously aren’t going to get any sleep so we might as well work on honing those powers of yours.”
With a sigh of resignation, she stood and leaned against him. “Where to this time?”
He flashed her a grin. “It’s a surprise.”
Isn’t is always, she thought, right before they vanished from the house and reappeared in what seemed to the barrio in southern California.
“Eric, I think I’m over dressed.”
With a chuckle and a wave of his hand, her gown and robe changed into shorts and a baby doll tee.
Aislinn scanned the scenery, knowing that her lesson for the day had to be hidden in plain sight. She just couldn’t figure out what it was. Waiting patiently, she kept an eye on her surroundings.
Finally, a small Hispanic woman with two small children walked by; their clothes well worn and hanging loosely on their bodies.
“So that’s my project?”
Eric nodded. “Now you get to learn how to make something from nothing. I think it’s time they had their pantry stocked and their clothing replenished.”
Chapter Fifteen
After Aislinn had finally learned to create something from nothing, not an easy task to be sure, Eric had transported them to a beach. They’d walked the sandy shores for a good hour in companionable silence before Aislinn had asked to go home.
Once in her room again, she sank onto the bed, looking tired and lost.
“I thought you would be feeling a bit better after helping that family,” Eric commented.
She gave him a wan smile. “I was, but it wore off. Now I’m just tired and feel a bit drained.”
He nodded. “That’s to be expected. It takes a lot of magick to create things, and it can be especially draining on someone new to their abilities. You’ll have to take it slow for a while.”
Aislinn brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. Resting her cheek on her knees, she sighed.
“I’m tired of being alone.”
Eric looked at her in surprise. “But you aren’t alone. You have an entire pack now.”
> She closed her eyes. “You know what I mean. I was alone in my relationship with Hugh, and now that Connor’s mad at me I’m alone again. I thought I’d finally found the person I was suppose to share my life with.”
Eric sat beside her and drew her close, wanting to comfort her. “You have. I told you that he just needs some time.”
Aislinn leaned into him, needing his strength. “I’m glad you’re my friend.”
Friend? Is that what I am? Eric wasn’t sure what to think about her statement. He hadn’t had friends in centuries.
“I’m always here if you need me, you know that.”
She nodded sleepily.
He pressed a kiss to her temple and helped her lie down on the bed. “Sleep now. You’ll need your energy to face what’s to come.”
“What’s to come?” she asked sleepily.
“Connor’s been out all night, but I imagine he’ll want to talk later today. The sun will be up in another hour or two.”
Aislinn sighed again. “I feel like I could sleep for a year.”
Eric smiled and brushed her hair back from her face. “I don’t think a year is possible, but you can get a few hours of sleep at the very least. The werewolf will be home before long.”
“Where did he go?” she asked softly, almost afraid of the answer.
“He’s not sleeping with anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about. He went out drinking.”
“But he didn’t sleep here.”
“He’s not cheating on you, Aislinn. You don’t have to worry about that. He might be upset, but he’d never do that to do you.”
She nodded and closed her eyes, unable to stay awake for another moment.
Once she was asleep, Eric vanished from the room, leaving her to get some rest.
Connor groaned as he came awake, the light streaming through the window making his head pound. He slowly opened his eyes and stared up at an unfamiliar ceiling. Where am I?
Rising up on an elbow, he surveyed the room. Cassie’s house. It wasn’t the first time he’d stayed in Cassie and Matt’s guest room, but it was the first time he didn’t remember how he got there. He remembered being mad at Aislinn and leaving to go to the bar. He remembered drinking large quantities of beer and tequila. But after the sixth or seventh shot of tequila, everything became a bit fuzzy.
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