The Terrible Gift (Empath Found Book 1)

by Colette Rhodes

  “So that will happen with the complete mating circle? Three mates?”

  “Correct,” Gwyneira gave me a tight smile. “However, as I understand it, you will develop some influencing abilities before that. You would have to physically touch someone to influence them, and it has to be done with intention. I imagine the influencing ability will appear with your second mate, provided you choose someone with strong magic to balance it.”

  Well, that was reassuring, at least since I had no potential second suitors on the horizon. I sent a silent thanks to the gods that Bryn and I had no interest in each other. Well, aside from the part where he looked like an Adonis. That part interested me quite a lot.

  “So, what do you think will happen if I have one mate?” I asked, giving up the pretense that this conversation was about anything other than me.

  “I cannot say for certain, but many of the texts refer to empaths knowing the reason behind an emotion or understanding the person’s general intentions from that emotion. Correct me if I’m wrong, but your abilities at this stage just allow you to feel and know others’ emotions but not why they are feeling that way, right?”

  “Right,” I agreed.

  “My guess is your abilities will be sharpened with one mating bond if the magic is a strong enough match. I assume you would ‘feel’ emotions the same way you do currently, but you could choose to examine them more closely if you wish. I do not think it would be exceedingly overwhelming.”

  Gwyneira was really trying to sell me on this. I wondered who she thought my potential mate was. She’d commented on the strong pull between Bryn and me before; she probably assumed it was him.

  It didn’t sound like things would be that much worse with just one mate. If anything, it might make things easier if I could understand the emotions better. Not easier for people whose privacy I’d be getting all up in but definitely easier for me.

  I sighed heavily. I’d spent my life giving things up because of my abilities. My education, my social life, my freedom to move around during the day. Why should I have to give up Marlen?

  “We’re almost out of time. Was there anything else you wanted to discuss today, Ffion?” Gwyneira asked, pulling me out of my musings.

  “No, thank you. You’ve given me a lot to think about.” I excused myself and hurried back towards the dorm. I had a sexy water fae to make things official with.

  Marlen

  Fi looked like she was deep in thought throughout dinner but strangely, she didn’t seem upset. It wasn’t unusual for Fi to be withdrawn after her sessions with Gwyneira, but the coy looks and flirty smiles were new. She sat next to me, leg pressed tightly against mine, occasionally trailing her fingers lightly up my inner thigh. I didn’t know what was going on, but I wasn’t going to risk questioning it.

  “Walk with me?” Fi asked sweetly as we all went to depart for our cabins.

  “Always, foxglove.”

  “Could we take a little detour tonight? To that spot by the stream? With the willow tree?”

  I chuckled as she described it to me. That place would be burned into my memory for the rest of my life. Even now, I was having flashbacks of how good it felt to bury myself in her taste, her scent, the way her thighs had clamped around my head when she came…

  “Now, what could possibly be putting that smug smile on your face, Mr. Ferris?” Fi teased, wrapping an arm around my waist and throwing me a cheeky grin.

  I laughed and threw my arm around her shoulders, tucking her in close to my side. “Just revisiting one of my favorite memories, foxglove.”

  She released a tiny, adorable growl, and her nails dug into my side in warning. I must be messed up as hell because her possessiveness really did it for me.

  “That memory better be of us. I’ve got big plans for you tonight, Marlen. I’d hate to put them on hold because I have to go kick some girl’s ass.”

  I planted a firm kiss on her temple. “That spot is ours, foxglove, just for us. And you're the only girl that features in any of those kinds of favorite memories.”

  She visibly relaxed, then shook her head as if to clear away the jealousy. I chuckled and tightened my arm around her shoulders.

  “I’m-”

  “Nope, don’t you dare apologize, foxglove.”

  She smiled sheepishly. “I kind of feel like I’m going crazy,” she murmured as we reached the stream and dropped onto the grass side-by-side.

  “Not even a little,” I assured her. “Though I can see why it would be weird for you, not having experienced this in Albion.”

  She turned toward me, and I matched her position, sitting cross-legged facing each other, knees brushing.

  “So, foxglove. Tell me more about these big plans you have for me,” I winked.

  She’d been so confident and flirty a few minutes ago, but now she was chewing on her lip, staring down at her lap nervously.

  “Fi? I kind of thought it would be good news. You seemed so excited on the way down here. Now I’m getting worried,” I laughed nervously. I kept waiting for the moment when Fi realized she was miles out of my league — it hadn’t happened yet, but I’m sure it was coming. Finding out she had a powerful, formerly extinct gift had only heightened my insecurities. She could have anyone she wanted.

  “I’m sorry it is good news. I mean I think it’s good news. I hope you’ll think it’s good news. I don’t want to assume anything. I’ve been so hot and cold with everything…” Fi babbled, like a total stranger. My Fi didn’t babble.

  I grabbed her ankles and pulled her legs forward, draping them over mine then grabbed her hands in mine.

  “Deep break, foxglove.”

  “Willyoubemysuitor?” she mumbled, staring at our joined hands.

  It took me a moment to unjumble the words and let them sink in, but once they did I grinned from ear to ear like an overexcited kid. I knew she’d pick up my emotions, but I couldn’t help torturing her a little. Fi was pretty hard to rattle; this was a rare treat.

  “Hmm. Could you repeat that? Perhaps a little slower?”

  She looked up and gave me a mock glare before pulling herself entirely into my lap and wrapping her legs around me.

  “I said,” she murmured, leaning forward until our lips were almost touching. “Will you be my suitor?” She quietly enunciated each word against my mouth.

  “Yes,” I breathed, capturing her lips with mine and showing her just how much I liked that idea. She moaned, and I pushed my tongue into her mouth, hands drifting down to cup her ass as she gouged nail marks into my shoulders. It was only meant to be a quick, celebratory kiss but we both wanted — needed — more.

  I slid one hand between us under her dress to stroke her over her panties, teasingly sliding my fingers under the fabric a little before pulling them away again. Fi started grinding against my hand, writhing in my lap until she was panting. Fuck that, I wasn’t about to let her come in her panties. What a waste.

  I reached under her dress to unlace them and yanked them away, so she was bare and soaking for me. Fi returned the favor, tugging my cock from my trousers and impaling herself on me in one smooth movement.

  Her eyes rolled back and she let out a long, breathy moan that had me swelling with pride. Fi always kept a cool, calm facade. She always held it together when everyone’s emotions were battering her until she wanted to fall apart. But she never did. It was a heady feeling to know that I could make her lose control. If only for a moment, she could lose herself in the pleasure I gave her.

  We met each other thrust for punishing thrust, kissing each other urgently as we both chased our release. Fi bit my lip as I lightly pinched her bundle of nerves, and we clung to each other as our bodies exploded with bliss.

  Fi’s forehead rested in the crook of my neck, a spot she favored, and I held her close, softly stroking her back and savoring this moment. She’d picked me to be her suitor. A baker’s son from a small-town, low-magic family. Someone with healing magic, decidedly less badass than many of the othe
r gifts the gods bestowed.

  I held her tighter and silently vowed to do everything in my power to be the fae she deserved.

  ◆◆◆

  Fi

  Marlen stayed with me in my cabin that night. I’d always kicked him out before, worried that I was going to get too attached, but things felt so settled and amazing between us now. I couldn’t imagine not having him next to me.

  I woke up wrapped around him like a spider monkey, arms flung around his neck and leg all the way over his hip. Marlen’s arm was wrapped around my waist. My thin singlet had ridden up overnight and his fingers were resting on the sliver of skin. Embarrassed, I tried to extract myself without waking him up but Marlen’s grip around my waist tightened.

  “Where do you think you’re going, my little foxglove?” he rasped, his voice rough from sleep. I melted at his words. He’d never called me his before.

  “I was just trying to give you some breathing room, I’m holding onto you pretty tight,” I chuckled to cover my embarrassment. I’d never had a ‘morning after’ with someone before. Should I offer him a cup of tea…? Crap, I needed a handbook. I could ask Briallen for advice on handling all of these new milestones but she’d probably laugh until she wet herself.

  “You’re almost exactly where I want you, Fi,” he murmured, hauling me up so I was laying completely over top of him, then sliding his hands up my ass underneath my loose sleep shorts.

  “I can work with this,” I purred in what I hoped was a seductive voice, pushing myself up so I was straddling his hips and giving him the wake-up call we both wanted. Maybe this morning after thing wasn’t so horrid after all.

  ◆◆◆

  After a very leisurely start to our morning, Marlen and I made our way to the commons together hand-in-hand. It wasn’t unusual for us to be touchy-feely with each other but everything felt so much more significant now we were official. No one was paying us any attention though so I guess we didn’t look any different from the outside.

  Marlen and I headed over to the buffet and loaded up our plates with fruit, flatbread and hummus. Marlen poured himself a blackcurrant tea and held the cup toward me in question but I shook my head. I really was trying to get used to herbal tea but nothing could replace my beloved coffee. We sat in our usual spot by the wall, beating Briallen and Leigh this morning. I allowed myself a few seconds to fantasize about bacon and eggs before shaking it off and tucking into my watermelon. I was fine with it. Mostly.

  I felt the pull that announced Bryn's presence but shrugged it off. Briallen and Leigh waved as they came in a few minutes later, heading straight to the buffet to get their food before coming to join us. They were both a little rumpled and harried this morning but satisfaction oozed off both of them. It looked like they’d indulged in a morning quickie too. The thought made me giggle.

  “Why are you so cheery this morning, Fi?” Briallen asked suspiciously, raising her brow at me. Leigh continued to shovel food into his mouth, totally oblivious. He was spectacularly bad at multitasking if there was food involved.

  “Oh, you know. Just happy from waking up next to my suitor I guess,” I said with faux flippancy, tossing Marlen a smug grin.

  “What?!” Briallen shrieked and all three of us cringed at the noise. “It’s official? Marlen is your suitor? This is really happening?”

  Leigh laughed heartily, throwing his arm around his mate’s shoulder. “So excited, my love. Are you living vicariously through Fi? Do we need to go on the hunt for a suitor of your own?” Everyone else laughed and I smiled, pretending that I was totally fine and not at all weirded out by that concept.

  “Of course not. Well, not yet anyway. I just knew these two were such a perfect match though, I have been waiting for this moment for weeks, it’s so romantic.” Briallen sighed dreamily.

  “How do you even know it’s romantic? I haven’t told you how I asked him yet,” I asked, baffled. Honestly, it wasn’t that romantic. I panic-asked Marlen to be my suitor, then we screwed out in the open where anyone could have seen us. I didn’t have any complaints but 'romantic' isn’t the word I’d use to describe it.

  “That doesn’t matter,” Briallen said, waving her hand impatiently. “It’s the whole will-they-won’t-they of the past few weeks and now you’re finally together! That’s the romantic part.”

  Leigh snorted into his bowl of oats. “It was more when-will-they rather than will-they-won’t-they but whatever makes you happy, my love.” He smacked a kiss on her cheek and she rolled her eyes playfully.

  “Congratulations though and all,” Leigh added. “I can’t wait to see what your mating mark will be, something unique I bet.”

  Before either of us could respond, there was a loud crash behind us. I whipped my head around in time to see Bryn’s back as he stormed toward the exit, his chair lying on the ground where he’d shoved it back.

  I turned back and quirked my brow at Briallen.

  “What?” she asked innocently.

  “You knew he was listening,” I deadpanned.

  She shrugged, giving up the pretense. “He needed the push.”

  “I disagree, Briallen. There should be no pushing of any kind. It’s a choice, that’s what you told me,” I argued.

  She had the grace to look a little chagrined. Her guilt clawed uncomfortably at my chest and I rubbed my breastbone as discreetly as I could manage.

  “You’re right. I just…I know he wants you. Or at the very least is intrigued by you. But he won’t even give himself the chance to get to know you because of his own hang-ups. If he would at least talk to you, I’d get off his back about it,” Briallen said, exasperated.

  “B, please promise me you’ll let this go,” I begged. “You’re not doing either of us any favors by trying to force something to happen.”

  “Fine,” Briallen reluctantly agreed. “I’ll let it go for now.”

  Marlen rested his hand on my lower back, rubbing slow circles into my spine with his thumb and easing some of my tension. I chanced a look up at him from under my eyelashes but he didn’t seem bothered by the fact that we were talking about his friend hooking me up with her cousin.

  I wonder how long it would take me to be relaxed about this? Maybe by the time I reached my hundredth birthday? I shuddered involuntarily at the thought of getting so old and Marlen gave me a questioning look.

  “On that note,” I said, standing and reaching for my satchel, “I’m going to head to my fire elemental class. Come with? I’m sure you want to see Aderyn,” I asked, turning to Marlen.

  A burst of his excitement buzzed all over my skin and I could see the anticipation in his gaze. We waved goodbye to Leigh and Briallen, walking to the stone fire elemental building hand-in-hand. Aderyn sat cross-legged on the ground, leaning against the building, eyes closed and face tipped up to the morning sun. She rarely joined us for breakfast, preferring her solitude in the mornings. She said it reminded her of the quiet mornings she spent alone in her family’s bakery, preparing for the day.

  Aderyn stood as we approached, greeting us with a smile. “Good morning lovebirds,” she teased.

  Marlen gave her a broad grin, “It’s a good morning indeed. I have to get to combat training, see you in a couple of hours,” he said, turning to me. I expected him to kiss my hair or cheek like he usually did, but he wrapped his arms around my waist, hauling me up so my feet dangled off the ground and kissed me until I was seeing stars. Marlen gently put me back on my feet and tossed me a cheeky wink before walking off with a little extra swagger in his step.

  Aderyn’s surprise surged through my gut but I barely felt it, there were three girls in my class who I’d seen making eyes at Marlen before and their wave of jealousy tightened in my chest uncomfortably. As discreetly as I could, I took a deep calming breath to remind myself that the tightness in my chest wasn’t real and the emotions weren’t mine. You’re not actually going to have a heart attack outside your fire elemental class, Fi.

  “Anything you want to share?”
Aderyn asked, quirking her brow at me, the corners of her mouth tugging up in a faint, smug smile.

  I snorted, “I’m sure you’ve figured it out. It’s all, you know, official or whatever.”

  “Good,” Aderyn said simply, making her way toward the class as the master arrived. Her satisfaction wrapped around me comfortingly, but she didn’t make a big deal about it and I was grateful for it. Sometimes it felt like Aderyn was as intuitive to people’s emotions as I was.

  We sat ourselves down in our usual spot next to the wall, unlit candles and matches already set out on the desk in front of us. The master instructed us to light our candles and practice flame manipulation, as he did every lesson, before kicking his feet up on the desk and pulling out a book. Apparently we’d spend the whole semester working with candles and there was no guarantee we’d all have mastered them by the end anyway. It all felt so pointless.

  Aderyn was having intermittent success with her flame as usual while I lit my candle and glared at it. Why was I here? If I had an extra air mastery class in place of this pointless elemental class, I’d be much better off. Air was the only element that seemed to want to cooperate with me. Oxygen was more important than fire anyway, right?

  Oxygen.

  Holy shit, surely it couldn’t be that easy?

  My mind traveled back to a science lesson in high school where we’d learned about fire. The girl next to me had just broken up with her boyfriend and her heartbreak, as well as her friends’ pity, had given me a stabbing headache. Even so, I remembered copying the teacher’s diagram — The Fire Triangle. A fire needs heat, fuel, and oxygen to ignite.

  Curious, I tapped into my familiar air magic, pulling it forward. It rushed through my veins like a comforting old friend, bringing a smile to my face. How had I lived my whole life without it? I cupped my hands around the candle flame and allowed my magic to swirl around it, to find the oxygen within the little flame and pull it toward me, laughing gleefully when the fire went out.