Scent Of Magic

by Jeanine Berry

  Another drop struck the top of her head. She rubbed her temples, trying to think, although her brain pounded and every thought came slow and rusty. She remembered coming to the meadow, remembered Blane and their passionate lovemaking…the Fa’erie dance…the Fa’erie dance and Oberon leading her into the light!

  Ange jumped to her feet and stared around as if expecting the great king to reappear before her. But the clearing was deserted. She wrapped her arms around her breasts and shivered in the chill morning wind as more raindrops splashed on her bare skin. The rain pattered through the leaves above her but the ground where she stood was still dry.

  Something else had happened. What? She frowned at the leaden skies as a memory of Blane and Ryol fighting returned with the dimness of a dream.

  The two brothers, duking it out on the far side of the meadow. Why? Blane must have rushed over there to start the fight the moment she’d broken free and headed for the meadow. To distract the king? But it hadn’t worked.

  She remembered eyes as dark as space, eyes filled with moonlight. The king had…what? Her memory stopped there as if she’d struck a wall.

  Hurrying, she pulled on her clothes. Once encased in their warmth again, she walked out into the silent meadow where a soft autumn rain was falling. Vines were scattered everywhere, ripped from the earth. She stared around in amazement at the wanton destruction. Had Blane wreaked this havoc in his anger? Or Ryol? Or had the Fa’erie king exploded in rage at the violation of his dance?

  Chill fingers of fear gripped her heart as she realized how close she’d come to walking into the Otherworld. She knew beyond a doubt that if that rainbow of light had had time to open fully, she would have gone into the portal hand-in-hand with Oberon. She dragged a hand through her curls and looked around in wonder. Would she have ever escaped from that otherworldly dimension?

  Instead, Blane had shouted. The gate had closed and she…she’d done what? A cold knife blade of fear sliced through her as she struggle to remember for the second time. She summoned up the last image in her mind, that of the Fa’erie king’s midnight black eyes with their shining centers. Had he hypnotized her? Had he taken her to the Otherworld after all? She had no memory at all, but it seemed likely he’d taken her somewhere, or else Blane would have been with her when she woke. Unless he’d abandoned her to her fate, angered when she’d run from him into the meadow…

  Her head ached as she tried to form a theory. She’d run out into the meadow, there’d been a fight, maybe she vanished into the light, maybe Blane had waited, maybe not. But at some point someone had brought her body back to the tree and laid her there on her pile of clothes. The whole magical night was now a blur. She only knew one thing for certain—she needed to get back to Hawk’s Flight and find out what the situation was between the brothers.

  She rubbed her throbbing temples. What if she’d lain under the tree the whole night, sleeping? What if the magical dance had been a dream? No, the satisfied glow between her legs told her that someone had enjoyed her body the night before. A blush stained her cheeks as that memory, at least, returned vivid and clear. She saw herself bouncing up and down on Blane’s hardened flesh, impaling herself again and again.

  The sex was real. The Fa’erie must be real, too. The king had stared into her eyes and done something to her. Why did she have no memory beyond his black gaze?

  Feeling dizzy, she leaned against the tree trunk, grateful for its dense strength. She moved her hands over its rough bark and savored its solid reality. But the next moment she started back, staring at her fingers. Was she seeing things or did her hands have a faint green-gold glow in the soft gray light under the tree? She moved deeper into the shadows of the forest and held up her fingers against the dark green of a canopy of leaves. A hazy nimbus shimmered around each one.

  Frightened by the changes in her body, she crammed her hands in her pockets and stumbled through the underbrush toward the outcropping of rock that hid her lander. It was waiting where she’d left it. She climbed aboard, reassured by the familiar technology. The only glowing lights she wanted to see were those on a control panel. Punching in the codes, she lifted off, glad to leave the strange mountain meadow behind her. Let Ryol gather the dust he needed for his perfume, and she would leave this world and forget any of this ever happened.

  The sight of Hawk’s Flight sitting on the landing pad next to the colony buildings reassured her. She needed to get back to the normal, predictable world of her ship. She maneuvered the lander into the open cargo bay and settled it down on the deck. Throwing open the hatch, she jumped out and glanced around. A movement in the shadows of the darkened bay surprised her. She whirled around to search that area and found herself face to face with Blane.

  Shock blazed through her like a lightning bolt. “You! What are you doing here?”

  Her voice echoed through the empty hold, taut with fear.

  Blane stood with crossed arms and regarded her with a long, appraising look. She looked like someone who’d spent the night sleeping on the ground under the trees. Her clothes had grass stains and a few leaves were tangled in her golden curls. Her eyes held a dazed look he didn’t like, though. He’d seen it before in his own eyes, reflected in the mirror after he returned from the meadow. Damn it, if the Fa’erie had worked their mischief on her—

  He leashed his temper and concentrated on her question. “I’ve been waiting for you to return. You ran away from me last night.”

  His heart ached to see the mounting bewilderment on her face. Well, he’d tried his best to save her, but she’d refused to listen. He hated to see her confusion, hated the way his chest constricted when she chewed on her bottom lip in frustrated embarrassment. She couldn’t remember anything, of course, but didn’t want to admit it. He’d expected that. He’d experienced the same thing when the Fa’erie had summoned him to the meadow.

  Her panicked look grew. Reaching out, he gripped her shoulders and gave her a little shake. “Running into the meadow was a foolish, stupid thing to do,” he growled.

  As he’d hoped, her panic vanished, replaced by anger at him. She jerked free of his hold with an almost inaudible snarl. Her hand brushed back her curls. Blane clenched his hands into fists at his side to keep from gathering her up in his arms and crushing her in a protective embrace. She would never forgive him if he took away her independence at this moment when she faced the truth that her mind had been tampered with. As much as he wanted to shield her, he had to let her face it on her own.

  Her hand pulled away from her hair. She stared in bewilderment at a leaf caught in her fingers. Her eyes opened wide, staring inward, searching for a memory. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to run away. I looked into the meadow and I saw…”

  Her voice faded away. Blane knew from his own experience that she was struggling to understand the overwhelming attraction of the great king, the sensuality that pulsed through the very air, beckoning her.

  He nodded and chose his words with care. He needed to know how much she remembered. He recalled his own fragile state after his experiences. Telling her too much too soon could produce a traumatic psychotic break. “I know what you saw. I’ve seen it too, more than once. Their beauty has a vast power to attract. That is why I warned you.”

  “I should have listened. I did listen. Only—” Once again her voice faded away. She lowered her head and hunched her shoulders, looking lost and bewildered.

  “Something you couldn’t control took hold of you.”

  “Yes, that’s it.” The usual confidence had vanished from her voice. She swallowed. “That’s not like me at all. I live a disciplined, celibate life in space.” Glancing sideways at him, remembering how he felt inside her, she blushed. “You probably don’t believe that.”

  “On the contrary, I do believe you. You couldn’t help yourself. The Fa’erie have an irresistible power to arouse erotic feelings in humans.” Although he tried, he couldn’t keep the bitterness from his voice.

  “Gods!” She shuddere
d, the blush on her cheeks deepening. “I do remember us—under the tree, going at it like animals.”

  “It’s all right.” The hurt on her face was too much for him. He touched her hand with his fingers. He wasn’t surprised when she jerked away.

  “Don’t!” She folded her hands up under her armpits and glared at him. “I hate people who can’t control their sexual emotions. I’ve had experiences with men—terrible experiences. Yet ever since I’ve landed on this damned world I’ve been driven by a sort of relentless lust—lust for you, lust for that Fa’erie king.”

  “Don’t blame yourself.” He kept his voice gentle. “It’s more than a human can do to resist them. I’ve gone out into the meadow myself. The night I first stumbled across this place, they called me there, I had to go. I couldn’t control myself.”

  He stopped speaking and waited, knowing she would have to ask the question.

  “Do you remember what happens after the magical gateway opens?”

  He tilted his head to one side and regarded her. That was the question—the question he couldn’t answer. He had to keep diverting her away from it while the Fa’erie magic continued to work on her mind. Eventually, the experience would fade from her consciousness as if the whole night had never happened. At least, he hoped so. That’s what had happened to him. He’d forgotten. But Ryol had remembered…Ryol with his strange lack of any passion at all…and then when Ryol needed more faerie dust, he’d forced him to visit a hypnotist to bring all the memories flooding back.

  He had to remember now. He had no choice. It would be easier for Ange. In a day or so she’d be gone from Kyffin. Once she was back in space, she’d find it easy to forget the whole thing.

  He smiled. “You look pale, like you’ve had a shock.”

  “A shock.” She fought down hysterical laughter. “I didn’t expect any of this to be real. I thought I’d go to the meadow and find some kind of illegal plant. Instead I stumble upon creatures who are what? Intelligent life? Alien life? Enough to shake the foundations of the Federation anyway if I report their existence.”

  “Report their existence? Don’t be insane. Who would believe you? You’re just lucky Ryol didn’t see you. He’s always careful not to look into the meadow while the dance is under way. He didn’t see you run out. And after that, I went over and made sure he was kept busy.”

  Ryol! Ange bit down on her lip. She’d intended all along to keep her investigation of the meadow a secret from him. If he found out she’d been spying on him, he’d be angry—and the anger of a wealthy man was not something to take lightly. Blane had saved her hide there. “You did that for me?” she asked, remembering the destruction she seen that morning.

  “For you, and because I want to stop him from using the Fa’erie dust to make Scent of Magic. We had a fight.”

  “I remember that much,” she whispered. Loud male voices shouting. She’d tried to run to Blane to help him. But the king had grabbed her arm. And then the blackness. A cold fear twisted in her gut again. Pain stabbed at her temples.

  “We fought for a while. The dust scatters fast if there’s any wind. He didn’t get much.”

  Blinking away the fear, she tried to concentrate on what Blane was saying. “He must have been furious.”

  Blane laughed. “He was livid! Especially since the king saw him. He won’t dare to approach the meadow again tonight for fear of the Fa’erie and what they might do.”

  “What will he do?

  Blane gave her an odd look. “I suppose he’ll raise the price of Scent of Magic, since it will be rarer than ever now. Hell, he’ll probably end up richer. Ryol has a way of making things work to his advantage. Anyway, I fulfilled my part of our bargain. I drew the Fa’erie back to the meadow and he got some dust. He’ll have to keep his part, too.”

  Ange touched a fingertip to her lips and considered the situation. Ryol had his dust. He’d want to leave soon. The Fa’erie music sang again in her mind, filling her with regret. She’d never know now what lay beyond that wondrous gate.

  “His part of our agreement is simple,” Blane continued. “He’s going to pay you to take the children off Kyffin.”

  It took a moment for Blane’s words to penetrate. “The children! He wants me to take the children?” Ange looked around at the cargo hold in disbelief. “What does he think this is, a nursery?”

  Impatience showed on Blane’s face. “Calm down. There’s not that many. It’s one of the reasons we hired you in the first place. Your cargo hold is big enough. The children can stay here during the voyage back to the Federation. Those crates we left on board contain cots and blankets, and food for the flight back.”

  As he spoke, he stepped closer. She saw his nose twitch. His eyes widened until the violet irises shrank to a thin ring of color. He leaned closer to her and took a deep breath. “You smell—you smell like hot sex on a white sand beach!”

  “Nothing unusual about that. It’s my special curse.” She dusted off her hands, aware that the faint glow was fading. Good. Her skin seemed a little sticky—maybe the tree had dripped sap on her as she slept. She needed a long, hot shower.

  His pupils dilated, turning his eyes black. He stepped even closer, intruding into her personal space, and drew in another deep breath. A sweat broke out on his brow. He fixed her with a look of sudden fierce desire and gritted his teeth. “Gods above, you reek of their smell. What did you do, lie down in the meadow and roll in the Fa’erie dust?”

  Ange backed away from his intense stare. A new fear stirred in her belly. Had she made her problem worse? “Hold on, tiger. Don’t accuse me when you’re the one who can’t restrain yourself whenever you get within breathing range.” A memory of riding his firm shaft the night before burst into her mind and her hot center stirred to life, sending warm waves of desire pulsing through her. He was close enough that his masculine scent filled her nostrils. Forests. Deep, dark forests, and wild sex under the trees. She stopped in midbreath and backed up two more steps before daring to breathe again. Even so, her whole body trembled with the intensity of her desire. She pressed her arms to her sides to keep from wrapping them around his neck and kissing him, long and hard.

  He bit down on his lower lip and clenched his hands. His obvious struggle to control the passion that blazed in his eyes frightened her. Both their struggles…damn the Fa’erie and their effect on the human libido. Ange hated her helplessness to combat this never-ending lust. And the worst of it was, Blane was one hell of a hot male. He didn’t need the Fa’erie magic to make her want him.

  Blane looked away, his features twisted with frustration. “It’s the dust. You must be covered with it. You’ll have to shower quickly, before Ryol gets a whiff. Even he will notice you today if you go on smelling like that.”

  “Blane.” The pain on his face hurt her. She held out her hands.

  “No, Ange. I don’t dare touch you. The moment I get near you, I start to burn with a need for you that tears me in two. It’s not of my free choosing. But I can’t blame it all on the dust, either. Fact is, you’re too damned attractive. I don’t know where my real feelings start or end.”

  He shook his head as if trying to free himself from some force and drew in a ragged breath. “This world has always been crazy, but it’s gotten even crazier with you here. You have the same attraction about you—the Fa’erie glamour, although I have no idea why. And I hate it. I hate it because it’s coming between us and I almost think I could love you without it.”

  Love! Ange’s heart skipped a beat at the word. Blane couldn’t possibly mean it. The scent of the dust in the air was making him imagine things. Tomorrow he would look at her with loathing in his eyes.

  Scent of Magic! If this was Fa’erie magic, their magic was a curse.

  “Don’t worry.” She edged around him toward the far doorway. “I’m headed for the shower. Some hot water and soap will take care of the problem.”

  “Too late for that.” Moving quicker than she’d expected, he grabbed her by both
shoulders and pressed her up against the cold metal of one bulkhead. She got her hands up and shoved against the rock hard wall of his chest, but he seemed barely to notice. He pinned her against the unyielding metal. His hands grabbed her head, holding it steady, as he lowered his mouth to steal a greedy kiss.

  She gasped as his lips claimed hers, his mouth hot and demanding. Already his tongue was probing, sliding over her lips, demanding she surrender and grant him entrance. For a moment her resistance wavered. He tasted of warm summer days and spicy wine, and his hair, brushing her cheek, was as soft as woven silk. She remembered the ecstasy she’d experienced in his arms the night before and longed for more. A hollow sensation between her legs begged to be filled by the hard length she felt pressed against her stomach.

  His hands pushed aside her jacket and tugged at the self-seal seams of her blouse. She tried to wiggle away but his groping touch was relentless. Warm fingers curled around the soft flesh of her breasts, cupping them in a sensual exploration. Against her will, her nipples stiffened to rigid nubs under his skillful caress. His hard body, pressed against hers, gave evidence that her scent had brought him to full arousal.

  Her scent! He was responding to the faerie dust that covered her flesh, not to her.

  The moment he was free of her smell his lust would vanish. He was no different than all the men who wanted her, not because they loved her but because of the strange attraction that cursed her.

  Memories of old pain tumbled through her mind. “No!” she yelled and shoved against him with all her strength. He stumbled back half a step and she broke free. Whirling to face him, she drew her stunner from the holster at her side.