Skye laughed at the astonishment in her tone. ‘I’m glad you had a good time.’
‘Yeah, I did. Shelley spent the whole night frowning at him, though. But do you know what?’ She flashed a naughty smile and waggled her brows. ‘Her lack of interest just seemed to egg him on. He kept calling her “kitten”.’ She snorted out a laugh. ‘Kitten! Can you imagine anyone calling Shelley kitten? And when he sang “Suicide Blonde” right to her—you remember how she used to be so into Michael Hutchence when we were young and she found her mum’s old INXS records? She played that song over and over—well, I thought she was going to melt on the spot. Her cheeks went so red. And then he swaggered off the stage and walked straight up to her …’
As Bron’s voice flowed on, a picture flashed in Skye’s mind of a man standing on the stage singing, his amber eyes glowing in the firelight to the right of the bar, a dimple creasing his chiselled cheeks, his dark hair artfully tousled, his full lips stretched in a wide, slightly lopsided smile that was sex and charm combined.
He looked familiar. The man from the bus with the little boy! But unlike when she’d seen him then and felt nothing, heat now raced through her body. Her cheeks flushed as he stopped before her, looking deep into her eyes.
‘ … and he said, “Did you like that, kitten?” I thought I was going to wet myself from laughing at the look on her face. Skye. What are you doing?’
Bron’s hand on her arm made her jump and the image disappeared as fast as it had come. Shaking her head she said, ‘Sorry. I was just trying to picture your hot guy and got carried away for a moment.’
Bron shook her head. ‘No. It wasn’t just that. It was like—your aura flared bright for a moment, as if you were tapping into your power and—’
‘No!’ Skye looked down at her soup, disconcerted. ‘That couldn’t happen. The spell.’
‘But the spell didn’t stop your magic from sparking yesterday.’
She wouldn’t look up at Bron as silence fell around them, but she felt her friend’s gaze pinned on her. ‘Please. Don’t,’ she whispered.
Bron sighed and after a long, tense moment, said, ‘What was I talking about?’
Skye sighed in relief that her friend wasn’t going to push. ‘So, do you think Shelley likes your free-pass guy?’
‘Hard to tell. Although she did stare a lot at his eyes and dimples. You know how she’s a sucker for a man with dimples. And he had two proper ones, unlike my great crevice,’ she said, digging a finger into the dimple on her left cheek. ‘We talked for ages about everything, even about Wicca. He seemed really understanding and interested. Shelley of course kept frowning at me like I was spilling state secrets.’
‘So, did he walk you home?’
‘Of course. He was staying at the lodge—remember?’
‘Oh, yeah.’ She remembered. Then something dawned on her. ‘I think maybe the guy I shared the wine with was his brother. He mentioned being up with a brother called Adam and his nephew. Huh.’ She shook herself before she could muse any further over that remarkable coincidence. ‘So will you see him again?’
‘I gave him my number and he’s texted me with his. I thought Shelley was going to snatch his phone out of his hand and delete it. The look she gave me would have fried an egg. I said to her in the bathroom after that if she was interested, she could have given him her number. She just snarled at me.’
Skye chuckled. ‘You will ride her, won’t you? I would have snarled at you too, and I don’t have half of Shelley’s reasons.’
Bron giggled. ‘I know. But it’s good to get a rise out of her. One of these days I’m going to snap her out of the Miss Responsible role she’s cast herself in. Grandma always said life wasn’t worth living unless you took a few risks and had fun. Maybe I can get Adam to help me. He seemed to have some mischief in him.’
Skye shook her head. ‘Don’t push her too much, Bron. She’s been through a lot.’
Bron sighed and shrugged. ‘I know. I just want her to be happy. Just like I want you to be happy.’
‘I’m happy.’ Skye’s mouth twisted on the lie. She thought she’d been happy—as happy as she could be given everything that had happened in her life. But for some reason, right now, she felt miserable, like something was missing. Something she’d never known she wanted, but now needed more than life itself.
Except she didn’t know what that something was.
‘Stop frowning, Skye, and eat your soup.’ Bron began to tidy up. ‘How can you live in such a mess? People think I’m the free spirit, but I do like everything to be organised and have a place. I don’t know how you live in such chaos, but it obviously works for you, so …’ Bron shrugged, picked some tablets off the tray and held them out with a glass of water. ‘Now take these while I look at your foot.’
Skye did as she was told while Bron flipped the sheets back and undid the bandage.
Bron sighed as she placed Skye’s foot in her lap and tutted. ‘I can’t believe this isn’t healed more.’
‘What do you mean?’ Skye looked at the nasty purple bruise. ‘It’s looking pretty good for having been done yesterday. In fact, it’s not hurting anywhere near as bad—thanks to you and Shelley nursing me.’
Bron frowned, running her finger over the bruise. ‘I would have thought the power you use to feed the blocking spell would have helped heal you faster than this.’
Skye shook her head. ‘What are you talking about? I don’t use any of my power. It’s my grandpa’s spell. It’s his power that’s fuelling it.’
Bron looked up at her in astonishment. ‘His power died when he did, Skye. The spell he wove is tied into your magic.’
Skye shook her head, gasping as pain sliced through her temple. ‘You’re wrong. He wouldn’t have done that. He knew how dangerous …’ She pushed the leg of her pyjama pants down. ‘My grandpa’s spell hasn’t failed.’
Bron’s stunned gaze collided with hers. ‘Failed? Nobody said it’s failed. It’s just …’ She shook her head and held Skye’s stare for long, uncomfortable seconds.
‘Just what?’ Skye croaked, panic clawing at her throat again, choking her.
‘You’re so tired today. Using your powers to heal yourself would explain that.’
‘No.’ She rubbed her head. ‘No. I’m tired because I’ve just done two hard weeks of skiing and partying and from the way my head is feeling, I’ve probably also caught the flu.’
‘Maybe …’ Bron shook her head again. ‘I don’t like the spell your grandpa helped you to create. It’s not healthy for you to bottle your magic up in this way. I can’t believe someone who cared for you would have allowed it.’
Skye’s eyes were hot and prickling. She blinked, keeping back the tears. ‘Well, he did and it was because he cared for me … and everyone else.’
Bron obviously wanted to say something. Skye wished to hell she wouldn’t.
Somebody answered her wish, because Bron bit her lip and nodded. ‘If you’re getting the flu, you need to rest.’
She turned and was at the door before Skye spoke. ‘Bron?’
Bron stopped.
‘Thanks.’
‘You might not want to thank me when this blows up in your face.’
‘It won’t.’
‘I just hope you know what you’re doing.’
Skye’s mouth twisted. ‘Maybe I don’t. But Grandpa did.’
‘Well, we’ll just have to trust him then.’ She softened her words with a smile and blew a kiss at Skye. ‘Sleep well.’
Closing her eyes, she heard the click as her friend turned off the light and pulled the door closed behind her.
Skye frowned, rubbing at her leg.
Bron was wrong. She didn’t use her magic to fuel the blocking spell. She couldn’t. Grandpa had made that clear. He wouldn’t have lied to her about that. He just wouldn’t.
She remembered so clearly what he’d told her.
Magic caused your parents’ deaths. It hurt your brother. It’s dangerous. I tri
ed to think differently for years, but now I can’t hide from the truth, and neither can you. Morrigan and I tried to tell your father, but he wouldn’t listen. I can’t bear that the burden is placed on you, love, but it is. You must never use your magic again. You cannot let it destroy anyone else. You cannot pass it on to anyone else. The Cantrae line of magic must die.
Skye tossed in her bed as those remembered words stabbed her in the heart. She clutched her chest, rubbing at the pain, but it made no difference, because the truth, no matter how much it hurt, was the truth. Magic, true magic, only caused pain and death. She was done with it.
She shuddered as wisps of memories crept into her mind: a dark night; trees flashing by; the moon riding high in the sky; crashing, crunching metal and a sharp jab of pain; screaming, crying, sobbing; an angry flash of blue light followed by shrieking; an animal roar; glowing eyes, like hot coals in the night; a gunshot; another blue flash; a pinpoint flare of pain in her shoulder and then …
Silence.
Jerking upright, hand to her shoulder where a ghost pain throbbed, Skye gasped for breath.
Oh God! What was that?
Looking around wildly, she noticed the candles were guttering. She slumped back against her pillows. A dream. It had just been a dream. She squeezed her eyes closed, rubbing at her temple, head throbbing again.
What was happening to her? She was just sick and tired, her body banged up from the skiing accident yesterday, her system full of medication she wasn’t used to.
She just needed to go to sleep. Except she was now afraid of the dreams sleep would bring.
Sulphur-blue glowing eyes followed her into sleep, and even though she knew she shouldn’t, she welcomed the sight of them. She gave herself up to his stroking hands and passionate kiss, as she lost herself to a sense of rightness she’d never felt with anyone before. She knew she would put up with the nightmares if she could only feel this way forever.
Yet, she knew it could never be, because the nightmare of her birthright meant happiness, true happiness would never be hers.
A tear slipped down her face in her sleep.
Chapter 6
‘Skye!’
Skye laughed as a dozen three-and four-year-olds attached themselves like limpets to her legs and arms, pulling her down to swamp her with hugs.
‘Whoa kids! One at a time.’
God! She had missed this. It felt like she’d been away forever. Five weeks in total—two weeks skiing and then three weeks getting over a really bad dose of flu. Now she was ecstatic to be back, and from the children’s response to her arrival, they were equally ecstatic.
She was dragged through the room as each child clamoured to show her what they’d been doing over the last few weeks and she oohed and ahhed over each project. Very soon she was sitting down in the reading area, little Andy Peterson in her lap, as she read the children’s favourite book.
As she read, she felt Andy’s body soften against hers and by the time she’d finished the story, he was fast asleep. The other children got up quietly at her gesture and went off to other tasks. Skye stayed where she was, the book on the floor beside her, the tired little boy’s body a heavy warmth against her. Her heart ached.
The bell chimed as the door opened and closed but Skye didn’t move—Jenny would take care of the new arrival. Skye stayed where she was, on the floor in the reading corner, Andy’s head on her shoulder, the soft, snuffling sound of his little boy snores puffing against her neck. He really was tired; he’d fallen asleep so quickly. Skye couldn’t let him sleep too long though, but fifteen minutes now would tide him over for the rest of the morning until he could have a proper nap after they’d had lunch.
‘Come in. Welcome to 4Us2.’ Jenny’s voice was warm, welcoming. ‘We received all your paperwork and everything is ready to go.’
‘Thank you. You’ve got a lovely place here. My brother and I were really impressed with your program.’
Skye didn’t hear Jenny’s response because everything else faded away at the sound of that voice. It was a little rougher than she remembered, like he’d been to a rock concert recently and sung all night. But even so, his voice was unmistakable.
Jason McVale!
What on earth was he doing here?
No. It couldn’t be him. It was too much of a coincidence. Wasn’t it?
Skye craned her neck, but couldn’t see the door over the bookshelf a few metres to her left.
‘I have to say, I’m amazed to get a place so quickly. When my friend told me about you, she said we most likely wouldn’t get a spot because you were so popular. So we were thrilled to get your call on Friday.’
‘That’s nice of you to say. But we just had a family move away and a few spaces came up in the toddler and pre-prep programs.’
How could Jenny talk so calmly? Wasn’t she affected by the picture of male perfection standing in front of her? Perhaps glowing blue eyes and a come-bed-me voice didn’t work on a woman happily married for over twenty-five years.
For a moment Skye wished she was older and happily married. Then maybe her heart wouldn’t be trying to leap out of her chest with such painful intensity. She closed her eyes, breathed in and out nice and slow, trying to calm down.
‘I think our nephew is going to be really happy here. Just as soon as he lets go of my leg. Come on, Tombo. We talked about this. Nobody here is going to bite.’ He laughed.
Jenny’s laugh joined his. Not her usual laugh-with-the-customer one, but something a little more flirty and light.
Well, well. It seemed even the happily married couldn’t resist Adonis-style charm. What chance did she have if even Jenny wasn’t immune?
She just had to make sure she didn’t behave like a ninny again—easier said than done!
‘We meet a lot of our little friends like this. Hello Tom.’ Jenny’s voice was full of the tone that made her a favourite with the children. ‘My name’s Jenny. We’re so excited you’ve decided to join us this morning. We have so many things to do, and it will be much more fun now you’re here. Would you like to come with me?’
There was a scuff of sneakers on the linoleum tiles.
‘Tom! Come on now. Say hello to Jenny.’
No words came out of the little boy. Skye imagined Tom clinging to Jason’s leg, hiding his head.
‘I’m sorry. He’s shy. Ever since the accident, he’s really only been with family. But he needs to be with other kids his age, not just us crusty adults.’
‘I’m sure you’ve done a wonderful job, Mr McVale.’
‘Please, call me Adam.’
Skye’s eyes snapped open. Adam? Jason’s brother. The only one not killed in the accident. After going out with him at the snow, Bron and Adam had stayed in contact, catching up a few times over the past few weeks; a fact that made Shelley quite surly whenever it was brought up. Skye was still to meet him, though, seeing as he’d never come to the house—he’d always picked Bron up from work.
Was that how he happened to be here? Because of Bron?
God! Would that mean she’d see Jason? She had no idea if he was guardian for his nephew. Maybe Tom just lived with Adam.
She hoped so. How could she face Jason again after getting drunk and passing out? How could she look him in the eye when every time she closed her eyes he was the star of the most erotic dreams she’d ever had in her life?
The gate into the main area opened and closed.
‘If you bring Tom inside, we can try to engage him in an activity. If he sees something that interests him, he’ll be more likely to let go. And I can give you both the tour as we go.’
‘You’re the expert.’
Skye heard movement and craned her neck up to see. Jenny walked into her line of sight followed by a very tall man with a young boy firmly attached to his leg. One of the other staff called out to Jenny and she turned.
‘Excuse me for a minute. I’ll be right back.’
‘No hurry.’
Adam seemed to sense he was t
he subject of heated contemplation. He turned in her direction, as did Tom.
‘Hey, that’s the marshmallow lady from the snow,’ the little boy blurted, a shy smile spreading on his face.
Adam’s face split into a wide grin. ‘It sure is.’
Skye’s breath hiccoughed in her chest. Did he know?
Adam’s grin widened as she lifted her chin and stared back, getting her first really good look at him—at the snow he’d had a beanie and glasses on. Now she could see him clearly. Apart from the voice, which was so like his brother’s it was uncanny, he didn’t really look like Jason at all. He was black coal to Jason’s warm chocolate. He was a little taller than she remembered Jason being. He was definitely broader across the shoulders and thicker through the waist and hips. As she stared at him, his lips, full like Jason’s, twisted in a kind of ironic smirk that was vaguely irritating. It was little wonder Shelley found him annoying.
He stood like Jason: lanky and confident, with an animal wildness that said these men could not be tamed.
Skye swallowed hard. She’d tried to tame Jason in the dream, but he had taken her over.
Andy squirmed a little in her arms and mumbled a protest. She realised she was holding him too tightly. The momentary distraction enabled her to tear her gaze away from Adam’s searching stare. Looking down at Andy, she made shushing noises and loosened her hold. After a moment, he settled against her.
‘That’s Skye Cantrae,’ Jenny said and Skye looked up to see them both looking at her now, Jenny having returned. ‘She owns and runs the centre.’
‘Cantrae? That’s a Wi—An unusual name.’
‘Is it? I’ve never thought much about it. But Skye is the reason 4Us2 is such a great childcare centre. She’s the mastermind behind what we do.’
‘I think you’re laying that on a bit thick, Jenny,’ Skye muttered under her breath.
Adam’s lips twitched again into that ironic smirk as if he’d heard her. The bell tinkled as the door opened and Adam turned and drawled, ‘Jason! Glad you could make it.’
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