"You're a special little thing," he said and ate the rest of the cookie.
"I made it for my new Granddad!" Sky said and wrapped her arms around his neck. "If I have an Irish Granddad then I can have an accent too!"
It was safe to say that Granddad completely adored Sky and it didn't take him long to figure out that Dawn was also special. Linnea and Granddad flew around the house, showing pictures of their ancestors while feeding everyone. Khan stood off to the side, watching everything but not participating unless he was asked a direct question. Most of the time, his eyes were on the windows as if he expected an attack at any moment. Aodhan stood near Cara at all times and she was comforted by his nearness.
It had been two weeks since the Immortal Bond and their connection was so intense that she felt like a lovesick teenager. Aodhan didn't mind it in the least and took advantage of her every time she sought him out. She wasn't sure if the bond would become more or less intense as time passed. They craved one another and were only completely relaxed in one another's presence. She didn't mind the constant draw to Aodhan and he didn't either. He told her that he would have asked her to do the bond, regardless if they needed it or not. He wanted her bound to him in every way possible and he was so attuned to her, he could sense her moods regardless of distance.
It took her a while before she felt comfortable enough to venture out of the castle. Sky retained no memory of the incident and Dawn reassured Cara hourly that it hadn't been her trying to choke her to death. But, they weren't memories you could wipe away. Cara had nightmares nearly every night, but they were just that- nightmares. Luc wasn't able to dream walk to reach her anymore and that fact slowly seeped through her, forcing her to believe that she was truly out of his reach and belonged to Aodhan alone.
She saw an orange flash out of the corner of her eye and felt Vanity's presence. After Cara saw Sky and Dawn in the flesh, her second stop was to summon Vanity to a window so she could thank her. Vanity hadn't wasted the opportunity. She looked Aodhan straight in the eye and asked him for protection against Luc. Aodhan agreed. Khan didn't. He didn't trust Vanity, but he couldn't deny that Vanity was in part responsible for Aodhan being free. Vanity was wise and stayed out of sight unless Cara called on her. Strangely, Cara felt better knowing that Vanity patrolled the grounds in her Manolo Blahnik's and bright cocktail dresses.
Cara rocked on the chair and closed her eyes as she listened to Linnea laugh along with Dawn. Linnea had taken the news of dragons, demons and witches remarkably well and despite not quite understanding what an Immortal Bond was, Linnea was ecstatic that they were now 'married.' Cara suspected Aodhan overheard Linnea's squeals because the next morning she woke to find a ring on her finger. The stone was the same color as Aodhan's eyes and encircled with diamonds. Cara didn't bother telling Linnea that she was 'something other.' She figured time would tell.
The coven visited the castle and thanked Cara for her help. It was clear from the hostility blazing from Gael's eyes when she caught sight of the ring that she thought Aodhan was making a huge mistake by trusting her. Cara was hard pressed to stop Aodhan from banishing her on the spot. Cara pulled Aodhan aside before he lost it because anyone who refused to divulge the Ancient's secrets while under torture was someone you should keep around. Cara hoped Gael would come to realize she wasn't like Luc since Gael's attitude towards her would eventually affect the whole coven. Cara had faith in Gael.
Cara sensed Aodhan's approach a moment before he stopped beside the rocking chair. She leaned against his hip and his hand sank into her hair, cradling her against him. She loved the way he touched her.
"What are you worried about?" he asked.
She grimaced. Sometimes the Immortal Bond was a pain in the ass. "It's not a big deal."
"Tell me."
She'd learned quickly that Aodhan wanted to know every nuance of what she was thinking or feeling. She didn't blame him since she got hourly reports on his emotions through the bond. At first it had been disconcerting to be talking to Linnea or Sky and feel frustrated or annoyed for no reason. It took her a while to learn how to sort Aodhan's emotions from her own, but she was getting better at it.
"I hate waiting," she said, eyes searching the landscape for an enemy who wasn't there.
"Luc's retreated. That's what he does best. He'll resurface. He always does," Aodhan said.
"He's going to raise hell to keep the attention away from himself," she muttered.
"Probably," Aodhan agreed. "He doesn't have a backup plan now and he can't create another spawn with you alive. He's trapped in his own hell with two Ancients just waiting for an opening."
"Is Khan gonna live with us?" she asked.
It was a question Linnea asked several times. Linnea really didn't like Khan. He refused to let her into his wing of the castle to clean and it was still a mystery what he ate since he wasn't eating anything Linnea prepared. Unfortunately, Linnea took both of these things personally.
"He'll leave soon. He has other things to take care of," Aodhan said.
"Is it safe for Linnea and Granddad out here?"
"Vanity will let us know," Aodhan said and Cara smiled, pleased that he trusted the demon as much as she did. "We'll probably be leaving soon as well."
She nodded. "Suspicious news reports in Egypt. Damn demons."
She remembered the fear on the demon's faces when they saw Aodhan and Khan. The fact that there were now two Ancients and that one of them had taken Cara into an Immortal Bond would pass through the demon legions like wildfire. Luc would have to rule with an iron fist to make sure the demons stayed on course and didn't jump ship.
"What is it?" Aodhan asked, feeling her excitement.
"I like that you scare the demons shitless. It makes me happy," she said truthfully.
Aodhan chuckled. "They're beginning to look at you that way as well."
"I'm going to get him," she said quietly, mind inevitably returning to Luc. "One day, I'm going to send him back to hell so he can't hurt anyone ever again."
"Yes, you will."
A comfortable silence fell and she pushed on their bond and received a hail of emotions she was beginning to grow accustomed to. Aodhan's love washed over her first and it made her body tingle. His possessiveness came next and then a tangled mix of joy, protectiveness and motivated anger.
"What do you think Morgana did to the other Ancients?" Cara asked quietly and felt a lick of cold rage waft from Aodhan.
"Whatever it is, it isn't good."
Imagining other Ancients imprisoned for centuries like Aodhan pissed her off and she squeezed his hip so he'd look down at her.
"We'll set them free. We'll get your brothers back," she said earnestly.
Aodhan looked down at her for a long moment before he crouched down and kissed her. His hand in her hair tightened and she let out a soft moan that made him go rigid. She knew he wanted to fly them back to the castle and leave everyone here.
"No," she said with a smile.
He knelt in front of her and tipped the chair forward so they were plastered against one another. His hands gripped her hips and he pressed teasing kisses over her eyes and cheeks.
"You're a miracle," he murmured. "You're mine, hunter."
"Yes."
He stared at her with fierce eyes and said, "If my brothers are fortunate enough to be freed by a woman like you, the centuries they lost will be worth it."
Tears pricked her eyes as she leaned forward and kissed him. "They will. I'm sure of it."
Titles by A. P. Jensen
Standalone Books:
Emma's Secret
Can't Let Go
White Mist Series:
Hell on Heels Christmas
The Songwriter
Rockstar's Ballad (2015)
Ever After (2015)
Unmemorable Series:
Unmemorable
Second Installment (November 2014)
Cormac's Pack:
Lost in Wolf Dreams
&nb
sp; Cursed Ancients Series:
Clutch of the Demon
Love in Paradise Series:
Closure (December 2014)
Birthright Series:
Birthright
Heart of Shadows
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About the Author
A. P. Jensen was born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii. She spent several years on the mainland before moving home in November 2012 to pursue her writing career.
A. P. Jensen loves to read, write, travel, watch movies, listen to old-timer's talk about the good old days and daydream. She has two dogs, Ali'i and Maile who are world travelers and tolerate the long hours she spends in front of the computer.
A. P. Jensen on Twitter: @authorAPJensen
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Clutch of the Demon (Cursed Ancients Series Book 1) Page 21