The Mystic Cove Series Boxed Set (Wild Irish Books 1-4)

by Tricia O'Malley

Aislinn set up her easel behind the rocks and pulled out her small collapsible stool that allowed her to sit at the same level as her canvas. Considering her supplies for a moment, she pulled out her oils. Though she loved to work in watercolor, Aislinn was feeling moody. The richness of oils would allow her a more dramatic contrast in her painting. Preparing the canvas for painting, Aislinn began laying the gesso on the canvas, outlining the starkness of the cliffs against the sea.

  Humming to herself, she allowed herself to go into an almost trancelike state. Aislinn rarely spoke of her creative process. She wouldn't know how to explain it if she tried. Part of being empathic meant that she could feel other people's feelings. What most people didn't know or understand was that it went far deeper than that. To Aislinn, everything had its own unique energy and aura. Plants glowed to her, water churned with its own vibration, and light tingled. It all had feeling and movement to her. When Aislinn painted, the world fell away and simply pulsed in color and feelings. That was what Aislinn painted…not what most people saw. She supposed that was why people connected so viscerally with her art. Her paintings captured the feelings of the natural world that most people were unable to identify or express for themselves.

  Something broke into her zone and she tried to swat it away as she concentrated on her canvas. Again, a disturbance. Cursing, she forced herself to look away from the canvas and to stare at the cove. What had broken her concentration?

  “Aw, shit,” Aislinn cursed furiously as she saw Baird's head bob along the field before disappearing from sight on the path into the cove.

  “Of course he would go there. Of course he would! Does that man have no sense?” Aislinn cursed steadily as she rose from her stool. In a flat-out run, she raced across the meadow, the ground soft beneath her boots.

  Aislinn stumbled to a stop at the top of the ledge leading to the beach below her. The cove was an almost perfect half-circle, its cliffs reaching high into the air and protecting the long stretch of sand that lay at the bottom of their rocky walls. A narrow path switchbacked down the sheer face of the cliff wall and spilled out onto the beach. Aislinn could just make out Baird at the bottom.

  “Baird! Wait! Baird, don't go on the beach!” Aislinn shouted but her words were carried away on the wind. On an oath, she raced down the path, trailing her hand along the rocky wall to keep herself balanced. Her breath came in ragged gasps and she struggled to tamp down on the panic that rose in her throat. Baird stepped onto the sand and Aislinn's heart stopped just for a moment.

  “Baird, no!” Aislinn screeched and this time, he heard.

  Baird turned at the sound of her voice and looked up at her in confusion. Aislinn watched in horror as a wave gathered strength and rose high behind Baird.

  “No!” Aislinn screamed right before the wave crashed over Baird, taking him under with it.

  Chapter 14

  Aislinn scrambled the rest of the way along the path and raced out onto the beach.

  “Shit, shit, shit.” She stopped and drew a circle around herself, patting herself hysterically until her hand grazed over a bracelet that she had made recently.

  “I come here in peace. We come here in peace. Please don't harm him. He doesn't know about any of this. I promise that we are here for nothing but the purest of purposes. We respect you,” Aislinn gasped out as she heaved her bracelet into the water. Without hesitation she ran towards where Baird's crumpled form lay on the sand. The wave had tossed him across the sand several times and another one had hit him for good measure. Please let him be okay, she prayed.

  Kneeling by his side, Aislinn grabbed at his wet arms, trying to turn him over. Baird moaned and moved at her touch and Aislinn let out a breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

  “Baird…Baird, it's me, Aislinn. Turn over if you can,” Aislinn whispered urgently. Baird rolled and looked up at her, a dazed look in his eyes, blood running down his face from beneath his hair.

  “Oh no, oh. Shit, Baird, this may seem weird but…give me something.” Aislinn scanned his body and the only thing that she could see on him that was an option was his glasses or his belt. How his glasses had stayed on his face during that fall was beyond her, but Aislinn didn't have time to wonder. “Give me your belt.”

  “What? Aislinn?”

  There was no time to waste. Aislinn reached for his belt buckle and undid the clasp quickly before pulling it from his pants. Baird lifted his back grudgingly so she could slip it from under him and silently watched her.

  Aislinn stood and traced a circle in the sand around Baird. For good measure, she leaned over and swiped a bit of blood from his face and rubbed it into his belt.

  “Say what I say,” Aislinn ordered. “I mean the cove no harm.”

  “I mean the cove no harm,” Baird whispered.

  “My purpose for being here is pure. I respect these sacred waters.”

  “My purpose for being here is pure. I respect these sacred waters.”

  Aislinn threw the belt into the water and watched as it landed with a plop. A small wave seemed to reach up and swallow it whole and Aislinn shivered. Feeling safer, she knelt by Baird's head.

  “Let me look at your head,” Aislinn said and bent over him, her face close to his.

  “What happened? How did that happen? I was so far from the water,” Baird said in confusion. Anger whipped across his face and he struggled to rise. Aislinn pushed him back down on the sand.

  “Just rest, I'll explain. I need to look at your cut.”

  Aislinn pushed his thick hair aside until she could see where the blood was coming from. A small cut, no more than a thumbnail's width, bled with a ferocity that belied its small stature.

  “You've a cut up here. Small, but deep. I doubt you'll need stitches though. We should get a compress on it. Do you have a hankie?”

  Baird reached into his pocket and pulled out a crisp linen square, now soaking wet. Aislinn rolled her eyes. Of course he would have a handkerchief.

  Aislinn folded the square of linen and first wiped Baird's face before pressing the cloth to his cut. Baird winced slightly and then met her eyes. Their faces were mere inches apart and Aislinn felt a warm tug low in her belly.

  “Is this why people won't come here? Freak waves?”

  Aislinn sighed and blew out a breath, concentrating on keeping pressure on his head. Baird reached up and pushed her hand away to hold the cloth himself.

  “Why don't we get out of the water?” Aislinn gestured to an area of sand by a small rocky outcropping.

  Baird nodded and Aislinn helped him to rise. Together they walked silently across the sand until they reached the outcropping. They both eased onto the warm sand and leaned against the rocks, shoulder to shoulder. The sun hung lower in the sky and its light pierced the opening of the cove to dance over them and the cliff walls that rose behind them. The placid water of the cove seemed to laugh at them.

  Baird gestured to the water.

  “Look at that. Calm as can be. What happened?'

  Aislinn thought about how to answer him. Knowing that she was dealing with a science-minded person, she decided to go with the facts.

  “The cove is enchanted.”

  Baird huffed out a laugh and shook his head.

  “No way.”

  “Way. Very much way. This is Grace O'Malley's final resting place.” Aislinn gestured to the calm waters. “She knew she was dying. Her daughter came with her. Together they enchanted the cove and Grace then walked into the water. Her daughter gave birth that very night on this beach. Powerful magick.”

  Baird remained silent and Aislinn gave him some time to mull that over.

  “So, you're saying that Ireland's famous pirate queen had magickal powers?”

  “Correct.”

  “I'm having a hard time believing that.”

  Aislinn smiled and looked out at the water. “It doesn't matter whether you believe it. It's the truth one way or the other.”

  “I'm sure that you believe that.”<
br />
  Aislinn felt a ripple of anger go through her. She noticed that the waves began to pick up and she waved her hand at them. “Would you knock that off? First, I don't suggest making me angry down here and second, I'm not crazy. I don't know how else you need proof that this is real. Apparently having the cove damn near kick your arse isn't enough for you.”

  “Is that what that was? The cove was mad at me?”

  “Well? Do you think that I did that little protection ritual just for fun?”

  “How do I know that it isn't you who made the wave come up?”

  Aislinn jumped to her feet, sincerely offended. “How could you think that of me? That I would want to hurt you like that? I was trying to stop you from going into the cove!” Aislinn turned to leave him and Baird reared up to grab her arm. With one yank, he pulled her back down to the sand…half on top of him. Aislinn met his eyes, her anger and hurt apparent on her face.

  “I'm sorry. You're right. I'm just so confused,” Baird admitted gently.

  “I would never hurt another human being. I have too much respect for life,” Aislinn said stiffly.

  “Aye, that was rude of me to say, I apologize again,” Baird said. Aislinn lost herself for a moment, staring into eyes that seemed able to hypnotize her.

  “Why did you throw my belt in the water?”

  Aislinn cleared her throat and tried not to laugh. She must've seemed like a crazy woman. She hadn't been entirely sure if her first offering would cover Baird so she needed to make sure that he was protected.

  “Just trying to get in your pants, sailor.” Aislinn leered at him.

  “Good, because that's all that I can think about myself,” Baird said and rolled on top of her.

  Aislinn gasped as his hard body covered hers, pressing her back into the warm sand.

  Baird didn't give Aislinn time to think. He nipped at her bottom lip and when she opened her mouth in a soft moan, he slipped his tongue between her lips. Aislinn jerked against his mouth, pushing his shoulders away with her hands. Baird moved his body sensually against hers and Aislinn felt heat flash through her. His lips were soothing her fears and arousing her at the same time.

  All the lines seemed to blur in her head and Aislinn allowed herself simply to feel. As his warmth washed over her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer in invitation. Baird moaned against her mouth and moved his lips down her neck to the sensitive spot at the nape. Aislinn shivered against his lips.

  “I can't get you out of my head. I can't think straight,” Baird whispered at her throat and Aislinn found herself nodding helplessly against his shoulder.

  “Aye, I don't know what to believe with you. Or how to believe in this. But I believe in us. And maybe that's enough,” Baird said and kissed her again.

  Baird's words tumbled in her head. Was it enough? Did he have to believe or understand everything about her? Aislinn felt like there was a fine line that she was missing there but lost her train of thought as Baird slipped a hand beneath the tank that she wore and found her breast. Aislinn moaned into his mouth and arched her back as he expertly toyed with her nipple, sending sensations straight to her core. She squirmed against Baird, pushing her legs open so the length of him rested between her legs.

  Aislinn ground herself against his hardness, craving contact. Baird continued to torture her breasts with his hands. On a soft curse, he reached to the waistband of her jeans and unzipped them. Aislinn moved to take them off but he stopped her.

  “Let me,” Baird said gently.

  Leaning over, he brushed a kiss softly over her lips before slipping a hand beneath her underwear to find her slick and ready. Baird gave Aislinn a wicked smile that almost had her convulsing around his hand.

  In one smooth movement, he slipped his fingers deep inside of her. Aislinn's hips bucked involuntarily against the intrusion and Baird laughed down at her – a master in his seduction – pulling her under much like the wave that had swallowed him earlier. In one expert movement, Baird drove her to the brink of ecstasy and as she convulsed around his hand, he captured her lips in a heated kiss.

  Baird withdrew his hand and buttoned her pants. Aislinn eyed him curiously. On a sigh, he positioned his arms around her head and looked down at her.

  “I want more than this. This is the easy part for us. This is as far as it can go. And, the light is getting low,” Baird said.

  Aislinn nodded. Everything he said made sense. Was sensible. But…she wanted more. She had to bring herself back from the emotions and auras that had enveloped her and try to be pragmatic.

  “I understand. Um, thanks?” Aislinn said and Baird broke out in laughter.

  “Anytime, doll,” Baird said and stood up. Reaching down, he pulled her up from the sand and wrapped his arms around her. Aislinn allowed him to hold her for a moment, her head nestled against his chest. She watched the water of the cove and her heart skipped a beat as light shot from the bottom of the cove, illuminating the water in a deep blue color.

  “What the hell is that?” Baird pulled her more tightly against him though his voice remained calm. He was protecting her, Aislinn thought dizzily.

  “Um, nothing. Really. It just does that sometimes. Enchanted, remember?”

  “I think we need to leave,” Baird whispered.

  “I couldn't agree more,” Aislinn said. Together they raced across the sand to the path. Baird kept her hand in his and helped her to navigate the path up the cliff wall. Aislinn stayed silent on the trek, refusing to believe what she had just seen, what the cove was trying to tell her.

  And that the cove never lied.

  Chapter 15

  Aislinn walked with Baird across the field to the lane where he had parked his car. A late model sedan, Aislinn noted with a mental eye roll.

  “How did you get here?” Baird asked, looking around the field.

  Aislinn pointed to the line of bushes up the lane. “My car's up here. I was out painting along the ledge over there when I saw you go into the cove.”

  “And you came to save me,” Baird said softly.

  “Aye, I did. You clearly didn't know the ways of the cove or you wouldn't have gone down there on your own. I thought that you were smarter than that.” Aislinn glared at him.

  “Hey, my research didn't bring up anything like what just happened. The best that I could find was that people stayed away because they couldn't swim there due to a rough current.”

  Aislinn slapped her head. “Do you see how beautiful that beach is? Do you think that people would stay away from the beach if the only reason was that they couldn't go for a swim? Plenty of people spend time on beaches without swimming.”

  “Well, I didn't know the rest, did I? And, as I'm not one who's inclined to believe in magickal powers, how would I think to assume more?” Baird asked indignantly.

  “I don't know how many more examples you need to see before you believe,” Aislinn said wearily.

  “Well, honestly, probably a lot more. Much of this…” Baird waved his hand, “could be an aberration.”

  Aislinn's mouth dropped open. An aberration? That was how he was going to explain it away? Aislinn just shook her head at him.

  “What? Aislinn, listen, I really do want to be with you. I think about you constantly. But, I guess that I need some time to understand some of this.” Baird waved his hand again.

  “Well, take all the time you want in trying to understand it. As there's no answer to what simply is, you'll never understand it. I don't understand. None of us do. You either accept what is in front of your eyes or deny it. One way leads to happiness, another to misery. I know which road I choose,” Aislinn said, meeting his eyes. Baird winced, almost imperceptibly.

  “Is this where you walk away from me again?”

  “I'm not so certain that I'm the one doing the walking away,” Aislinn said and turned to storm across the fields.

  “Sure looks like you are!” a frustrated Baird yelled after her.

  Aislinn refused
to respond and did her best to blink back the tears that threatened to spill onto her cheeks. It was better that she left now, she thought. Despite what the cove had tried to tell them, it was obvious that Baird wasn't her true love.

  Far from it, Aislinn thought angrily and kicked at the ground before bending to gather her supplies. Her work concentration was ruined for the day, as was the light she had hoped to capture. Aislinn sliced a glance at Fiona's cottage.

  Forget it, she thought. She just didn't want to hear it.

  Chapter 16

  Steam wafted around Baird as he sat on the floor of his shower and let the water beat down on him. His bones felt chilled from his near-death experience and yet a part of him was on fire for Aislinn.

  Baird closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall, letting the hot water pound him in the face. His mind scrambled to make sense of everything that had happened today. He tried to understand how a wave of that magnitude had slammed into him and dragged him under. For a moment there, Baird could have sworn that his heart had stopped beating. When he had heard Aislinn yell for him, he had turned to see where she was. He hadn't seen the wave coming, nor did it make a sound. The force of it was like running into a brick wall. If the cove truly was enchanted, well, it didn't pull any punches, Baird thought.

  He'd rolled across the sand and vaguely remembered hitting the rock before the wave had subsided. And hadn't the water retreated as soon as Aislinn hit the beach? A part of him, not a part that he was proud of, wondered if she had done it. If she really was magickal…maybe she could do these things. Perhaps this whole thing was her just messing with his head, Baird thought.

  Except…at the end there. When the cove had glowed from inside. Wow, that had just rocked his world. Baird shook his head and laughed. He must be going crazy. Nobody would believe him if he said that he saw the water glow from within. His colleagues would write him off as a nutter for sure. But, he'd watched Aislinn carefully and she'd seemed just as disconcerted and surprised as he was. The fact was, he was trained to watch for signs of lying or subterfuge and Aislinn's face had showed surprise…and dismay. He was betting money that she knew the real reason that the cove glowed from within.