Interference: Book One

  . . .

  The next day, Quinn took Drake and Ren with him to mend a gate in the fields. Hillie worked with me for hours on subconscious interference, which apparently had been a family trait. She and Quinn met when they were both escaping Seregalo, and the connection was instant. The beluas, boar-like magical beasts that were created to protect the land, attacked them by Aadya’s command, and Quinn saved her life. Which explained why she kept a smitten look in her eyes—he was her hero.

  She taught me about my heritage, the gifts my grandparents held, and where everyone lived now. Most of my family had passed, especially the ones who disagreed with Aadya’s ruling. She couldn’t tell me much about my father’s family, but I enjoyed hearing what she knew. Hillie was thankful for Quinn but craved the intimacy of close family, especially the last few years. I knew exactly how she felt.

  “Why did my parents leave Seregalo? Or why couldn’t they have lived in Astriawell? There must be more to this story, Hillie. They didn’t know I had multiple gifts until after I was born, right?”

  “That’s right.” Hillie looked uncomfortable. “You know Aadya’s your aunt, right?”

  I nodded. “Yes.”

  “Aadya and Annabel were both in love with the same man, Mercy.”

  I jerked back, shocked. “My father? Aadya loved my father?”

  “Fiercely. She swore he was her mate. Your father feared for Annabel’s safety, so he snuck her out of Seregalo and ran. I was a child, but I remember Annabel telling us before she left that if their baby turned out to be a girl, she’d name her Mercy. Fitzpatrick, for a boy. They wanted their happily ever after, Mercy. Same as you and Drake.”

  Aadya took everything from my parents over jealousy. Her quest for power left a wake of destruction and death, leaving her alone and unloved. To wreak havoc among so many lives, all in the name of power, is something I couldn’t fathom.

  . . .

  The rest of the day flew by with discussions of beluas, Custos, hidden spells, and the people we should search out if we found ourselves in need of help. The domicile of Seregalo, where Aadya lived, and the Elder’s village were locations she wanted me to memorize. The Seregalo River ran behind the domicile and the mountainside was a reasonable escape if we needed to be out of sight. Hillie and Quinn prepared us the best they could, but the creases in their forehead and down-turned mouths gave away their unease. Quinn explained that we’d leave after lunch the next day, putting us in Stonedell at nightfall, in time for the new moon.

  After dinner, Hillie announced she’d made special brownies for everyone, and I knew exactly what that meant. I found Drake sitting in the kitchen area, talking to Quinn.

  “Drake, can I borrow you for a moment?”

  “You can borrow me for as long as you like.” He grinned as he stood from his chair.

  Neela and Ren, unaware of Hillie’s recipe, dug into the tray of dessert.

  “Oooh, somebody’s having fun tonight!” Hillie giggled.

  We walked out the back door as the music turned on and the brownies came out.

  “Perfect timing,” Drake mumbled.

  I’d built a small fire by the creek and spread out a thick quilt on the ground.

  “What’s this?” he asked.

  “Well, I hoped you’d help me with my sensory gift,” I admitted.

  Drake laughed. “And here I thought you were being romantic.”

  “Do you not know me at all?” I asked, shocked.

  Drake smiled and sat beside the fire. “Whatever the intentions, it’s nice to have some time with you.”

  I smiled at his honesty.

  “What do you want to work on?” he asked.

  “Marcus taught me to use feeling as a defense approach, so I feel like I’m strong in that area.”

  “I agree, the third-degree burn on my hand would attest to that.”

  “Sorry about that,” I said.

  He raised his brows and fought a smile.

  “Do you remember when you evoked a beach scene in my mind? How did you do that?” I asked.

  “The key is that you have to visualize it for the other person to see it. I can’t make you see something, without seeing it also. Does that make sense? I can take your sight away completely, but if I want you to see the inside of that barn, I must go there myself.”

  “Can I block you from altering my senses? Similar to the subconscious block? I blocked my father’s shield at Fremont the night we met. I’d love to learn it defensively if possible.”

  “I’m not sure, but we can try.”

  Drake and I practiced for hours, evoking and blocking. He proved to be a distraction, sending images of himself in the shower, working out, or anything that involved him half naked.

  I sighed, but couldn’t hide my amusement. “Would you stop?”

  “What?” How did he manage to look so innocent?

  “You know.” I wave my hand in front of him. “I can’t think when you’re . . . you’re . . .”

  He raised his brows. “Shirtless? Sweaty? What? Please, tell me.”

  I closed my eyes and pictured myself in a red bikini on the beach, glistening sweat dripping down my chest from the scorching sun. I moaned from the warmth.

  “Can you focus enough to block that image?” I asked.

  “Point taken.”

  The productive night had been good for both of us, and we discovered more control in our gift than we’d ever had before. Time had not been on my side as far as preparing for Aadya, and I wanted to soak up as much knowledge as possible before we arrived in Seregalo.

  “It’s getting late,” Drake said.

  The night air grew chilly, and the fire died out. I focused on the flames, igniting them strongly enough to burn for hours. He looked up at me and smiled, my intentions clear. Leaning back on the quilt, he opened his arms in invitation for me to lie down.

  “Remember I’m here to protect you. I need you to work with me, not against me, Mercy.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I don’t know what we’ll come across, but you’ll have three other gifted individuals with you that have studied this their entire life. Don’t forget we’re here to help.”

  His words comforted me. Sometimes it was easy to forget that I wasn’t alone.

  “I won’t,” I promised.

  We grew quiet and I attempted to focus on his emotions—anxiety and agitation—an undercurrent of fear in what tomorrow would bring. Something else radiated from Drake, a possessive and territorial energy.

  “What are you thinking about?” I asked.

  He propped up on his elbow, looking down at me.

  “Tomorrow, we’ll arrive in Seregalo. Over two-thirds of Regalians still live there, Mercy. There’s a good chance you could meet your intended mate. I want you to know that I don’t care what the Allegato marks say. You’ve always been mine. Mine to love. Mine to protect. I guess I need to know, well, if that isn’t my mark on your back, will it change anything for you?” he asked.

  I wanted to be honest with him, because I promised I would. Digging deep, I ran through every scenario in my head. Could anyone ever take me away from Drake? Would it change anything?

  “Nothing.” My fingers gripped the back of his neck.

  “Me, either.”

  He grabbed the side of my face and kissed me roughly. He didn’t care what the mark said. He knew as I did—we belonged together. Lips made their way to my neck as he came down on top of me, the thick blanket protecting us from the ground. My hands clawed up his back, and he groaned deep in his throat as he let go of his control. He kissed me as if he feared he never would again. The flame inside my chest raged from need—my power craved him.

  Drake tossed our clothes haphazardly along the bank, and pulled the extra blanket from the side to cover me.

  We kissed and touched for the longest, relishing the moment we’d both wanted for so long. When the intensity became too powerful, he pulled back to study my face.

 
“Mercy, if you aren’t sure about this, we can stop now.”

  The thought of him pulling away caused physical pain. I couldn’t imagine wanting anyone as much as I wanted him right then.

  “Do you have any idea how much I’ve wanted this? This connection with you? Whether it’s now or next year, it’s always going to be you, Drake.”

  “I love you, Mercy.”

  “I love you, too.”

  . . .

  I pulled the blanket higher, shielding my eyes from the bright rays of the sun. It could never compare to the warmth in my chest—a comfort that could only come from being held by the one you love. We needed to leave after lunch, and there were things we had to do. Letting go of our private moment was difficult. Something had changed inside me. The unstable center that needed structure, meditation, and exercise calmed. Soft lips kissed up my back, forcing a grin to break through the haze of sleep.

  “You look peaceful. Relaxed,” Drake observed.

  “I’m happy.”

  “You can say it. It’s me, right?” He winked, teasing me.

  I now understood the smitten look on Hillie’s face.

  “Last night was perfect. On the creek bank in Ireland, beside a fire . . . I’ll never forget it.”

  Drake swept the loose hair from my cheek. “One day, we’ll defile every creek bank I can find. I promise.”

  I rolled on my back, smirking. “That is the most romantic thing you’ve ever said to me.”

  “It’s a gift.” Drake came down on top of me and I wrapped my legs around him, rubbing against him as his lips left a hot path down my neck. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he whispered around my mouth.

  “You could never hurt me. Please Drake . . .”

  He gripped my hip, then slid his hand down my thigh, lifting it over his back. “I can’t wait to hear those words for the rest of my life.”

  . . .

  We stayed tangled a little longer until we finally dressed, drowning in the disappointment of losing our moment.

  I had just finished folding the quilt as Neela and Ren walked out to meet us.

  “If I had known you guys were camping, I’d have come out here. Quinn and Hillie kept us up all night. I could hear everything,” Ren complained, shaking his head.

  “I don’t even remember crashing last night. Those brownies put me in a food coma,” Neela replied.

  Drake smirked but didn’t respond.

  “You guys almost ready?” I asked.

  “I guess. It makes me sad to leave, though,” Neela said.

  “Me too,” I said while staring out at the property. “We’ll change and meet you guys back at the house.”

  Drake and I climbed up to the tiny loft and looked around at what we called home for the past few days. So much had changed for us there, and we’d both carry a piece of Astriawell with us forever. Strong arms came around me, and Drake’s chin rested on my shoulder.

  “What are you thinking about?” he asked.

  “Fireside by the creek,” I admitted.

  I felt Drake smile against my cheek before he kissed me.

  “I’m afraid to leave. Worried things will change when we do. Can’t we stay here and have our happily ever after?” I turned to face him and wrapped my arms around his neck.

  “And give up your fate?” he asked. His hands skimmed up the back of my shirt, lightly rubbing my skin.

  I shook my head and grinned. “You’re my fate.”

  “What about the Regalians?” Drake’s lips created a path down my neck, and his hands pressed my body against his.

  I closed my eyes. “I know, you’re right, but I would love to have a few more days with you.”

  “Me too, babe.” He kissed me again before he turned to change clothes. I watched as he removed his shirt, and his Allegato mark gleamed in the sunlight.

  “What do you think it means? Your mark?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. I have a feeling we’ll find out soon enough.”

  . . .

  “Wait a minute. I’m confused. Can you repeat that?” Neela asked with attitude.

  “Horses. We’ll ride horses to Stonedell.” Quinn looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.

  “I’ve never even been on a horse, mountain man. And it’s an all-day ride, correct?”

  “That’s right.” Quinn nodded.

  “Somebody call Flynn. I’ll ride in that death trap!” Neela shouted.

  “Neela, calm down. It can’t be hard.” Even though I tried to talk her down, I wasn’t at peace about the situation.

  These horses were enormous, like Quinn-size huge. He sat upon a massive black stallion in front of us while Hillie stared at him like she could eat him up. He had two other horses with him. Drake grabbed the reins of the extremely agitated brown one and jumped right into the saddle. Show off. He took the horse around the property and rode it back toward me.

  “Did you have to pick the horse that has an attitude?” I asked.

  “I apparently like challenges.” He cocked his head to the side, giving me a meaningful look as one of my eyebrows rose at his remark. He slid back in the saddle and held his hand out in invitation. Once my foot was in the stirrup, Drake picked me up and set me in front of him. My back pressed up against his chest, and he rumbled appreciatively in my ear.

  “You’ve got to be joking!” Ren and Neela were on a horse, galloping awkwardly around the meadow. My eyes watered from the all-consuming laughter from the crowd, which only fueled her anger. Hillie covered her ears, shocked at the negativity and filth pouring out of Neela. The girl was not happy.

  “Don’t forget me, Mercy.” Hillie looked at me with wide, bright eyes, and I realized that she was stoned again.

  “We’d never forget you. We’ll be back soon, I promise.”

  She blew a kiss as we left. We followed Quinn, with Ren and Neela running circles around the meadow behind us.

  . . .

  The monotonous clomping of horse hooves and the heat radiating from Drake relaxed me into a lull. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. We’d been riding for hours. At one point, Neela had fallen asleep over Ren’s back, a small amount of drool escaping from her lip. It was sexy.

  Drake stayed aware of everything around us, and I could feel the energy buzzing from his body. He kissed my forehead as I found a comfortable position by his neck and drifted off to sleep. At first, the rest was peaceful, but it soon changed to a disturbing reflection of myself.

  The image that forced its way into my mind didn’t feel like interference. It felt like a vision. A man’s hand, with an intricate and delicate D tattooed on his wrist, reached out, waiting for me to accept him. I placed one hand in his palm and stepped forward in front of a large crowd. My eyes cut to the left, where Drake watched, angry and helpless. An evil giggle erupted behind me as a knife appeared, slitting Drake’s throat. The blood-thirsty crowd cheered at the sacrifice. The man leaned forward and whispered in my ear, “Now, nothing will stand between us.”

  I bolted upright, startling the horse and causing him to rear back on two legs. He kicked against the panic radiating from me and knocked us onto the ground. The horse galloped away from the threat, and Quinn ran after him. Drake and I lay flat on our backs, gasping from the adrenaline.

  “What happened?” Ren and Neela trotted over, taking in the scene before them.

  “Mercy decided it was time for a break,” Drake replied calmly. He sat up, giving himself a chance to recover, then looked over at me. “Are you hurt?”

  “Just my pride,” I admitted. I threw my arm over my eyes.

  “What was that about?” he asked.

  “Can we talk about it later?” I whispered.

  He didn’t answer but stood and reached for my hand, a reminder of the man’s invitation in my vision. I stood on my own, ignoring his offer, and he narrowed his eyes, unhappy with my response. Guilt over something I hadn’t even done caused tension throughout my body, and it didn’t matter how much I hid from everyone else
, I couldn’t fool him. He stepped in front of me and wrapped his arms around me tightly.

  “You were asleep. I’m not sure what happened, but it wasn’t real. I need you to center yourself and come back to me. Alright?”

  I nodded.

  Quinn returned with our horse and checked to see if we were okay. When we convinced him we were fine, we started back on our path to Stonedell. I didn’t fall asleep again. I made sure of it. An eeriness enveloped me as we approached Stonedell. The fog of magic thickened as we got closer, and my powers strengthened as if they sensed we were close to home.

  In the distance, a rock structure appeared through the trees, covered in vines and moss. It was difficult to tell how tall it was, considering how much lush, green foliage had attached itself to the exterior. Massive trees surrounded the area, and if there was an entrance, I didn’t see it. The visible stones had a shiny film looking texture as if a bubble protected the rock.

  “Welcome to Stonedell,” Quinn announced.

  18

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  “Where’s the entrance?” Ren asked.

  “You won’t find a front door if that’s what you’re looking for,” Quinn answered. “Not just anyone can find their way into Stonedell.”

  “So, now what?” I asked.

  He waved his hand toward the shimmering stone. “Give it a reason.”

  “Give who—what? I’ve been in a constant state of confusion since I stepped off that blasted cargo ship,” Neela complained.

  “Stonedell. It needs a reason to invite you in. The magic must consider you worthy. If it senses aggression or evil intent, you can’t enter. Aadya forced the elders to place a spell on the entrance to protect herself. ”

  “Damn. That’s a waste of a trip,” Ren responded.

  “Well, obviously, lad, you don’t go up there thinking about how you’re gonna murder their queen. There must be good intention in your heart for passage to be granted.” Quinn rolled his eyes.