by Nicole Hall
A half-smile tipped up Dru’s lips. “You saw me and Oren together.”
“I saw the potential. I didn’t know the details or how it would end other than that you needed each other. Luc is different. He thinks visions of the future are only possibilities, and despite my training, I hope he’s right.” She stared down at her fingers tangled together in front of her. “I don’t want him to die.”
“I would help him if I could, you know that, but the power from Ljos can’t be used that way.”
Samantha looked up into Dru’s sad face. “The sacred waters contain the magic of life.”
“Yes, but not that kind of life. Creation. Growth. They won’t shield him from death.”
Samantha’s shoulders fell. She’d known it was a long-shot, but she’d had to try. Dru squeezed her hands, then picked up the spoon again. Being a superb friend, she didn’t demand details. She ate her ice cream in silence while Samantha cast about for another way to avoid being responsible for someone’s death. Once was enough.
Dru licked the last bit of ice cream off her spoon and sat back. “This is going to sound crazy, but hear me out. Maybe you should tell him?”
Samantha snorted. “You know I don’t reveal my visions to the people in them. It only causes problems.”
“You told me about the vision.”
“You’re not in this one.”
Dru leaned forward. “Yeah, but Luc—”
Samantha shook her head violently. “He won’t believe me, all right? Trust me on that.”
“I trust you, but why?”
She tapped her fingernail on the wooden table. “He thinks the visions are subject to interpretation, and he hates oracles.”
“Only because he doesn’t know you are one.”
Samantha laughed dryly. “I really don’t think that would change his mind.” And that was probably the biggest reason not to tell him. She didn’t want to see the appreciation in his eyes turn to disgust.
Dru threw her hands in the air. “Fine. New plan. You stalk him and dramatically snatch him from the jaws of death at the last possible second, then he’ll realize his true feelings for you and demand that you let him please you with his smoking-hot body.”
Samantha opened her mouth, then shut it again. Stalking may be too far, but keeping an eye on him would only cost her a bit of pride. True, her visions weren’t always exact replicas of reality, but she’d known that what she’d seen hadn’t been in the distant future. Sometimes knowledge came to her like that, and she’d learned to believe it.
Dru waved her hand in front of Samantha’s face. “Your silence is alarming me. I was kidding about the stalking. I’m still team tell him the truth. He seems capable of fending for himself.”
Belatedly, Samantha nodded. “You’re right. I should talk to him again.” A potentially disastrous plan began to form. Luc wanted information on Aecantha, and she wanted to keep him close until she figured out a way to warn him that she’d seen his death. She’d start by inviting him back to talk about the clans and their artifacts.
Dru flattened Samantha’s hand to the table to stop the tapping. “I’m going to let you handle this because you’re right about most things. But. I expect you to tell me if there’s anything I can do to help. I mean anything. I like Luc, and he helped me find Bri, so I owe him in a convoluted sense.”
Samantha smiled, calmer than she’d been in two days, and pulled her hand out from under Dru’s. “Thank you. Do you still want to get lunch?”
Dru tossed the empty pint container in the trash. “Nah, I’m good.”
She stayed a little longer to complain about her sister and brag about her mate, but Samantha heaved a sigh of relief when Dru created a portal back to Vethr. Before she left, they scheduled their next get-together a few weeks out.
Dru couldn’t help one last parting shot. “I’ll make the portal to the backyard next time, just in case you and Luc are in here finally getting naked together.”
Samantha shook her head as the shimmering circle closed on Dru’s grin. Maintaining a friendship across two different realms proved exceedingly more complicated when there wasn’t an easy way to communicate. Keely had told her about an acquaintance in Texas who thought he could create some kind of cross-realm technology, but the guy apparently taught high school computer classes so he didn’t have a lot of free time to devote to it.
Samantha wished he’d move it up on his priority list. Her structured life seemed to increasingly slip toward chaos while she waited weeks between visits.
After spending the afternoon procrastinating and second-guessing herself, Samantha became frustrated enough to contact Luc. At worst, he’d ignore her request to come by. At best, he’d show up with champagne wearing a naughty grin and nothing else. She shook her head. No. Not best. Best would be him listening to her and staying away from small blonde shapeshifters.
He’d responded to her text almost immediately to set up a time that evening. In a bout of nerves, her first urge had been to backtrack and try to postpone the meeting. The bait had been too good for Luc though, and he had no intention of waiting. They’d gone back and forth a bit, but Samantha had finally agreed to his time. She’d expected him to gloat, but he’d only said goodbye with that stupid endearment he insisted on using. See you tonight, love.
She’d never tell him, but she didn’t hate it.
Samantha didn’t get any work done in the ensuing hours, but on the plus side, her house sparkled from all her panic cleaning. Dru had moved all of her belongings out a while ago, and Samantha simply hadn’t had the time to give the room a thorough scrubbing. She propped her hands on her hips and surveyed her pristine guest room. A nagging sadness tainted the satisfaction of a job well done.
Keely had lived in that room for a year—Dru much longer—and now Samantha had returned it to a blank slate, waiting for the next magic-user in need. She’d had a few tenants before Dru and Keely, but those two women had become much more important to her than she’d expected.
Samantha gathered her cleaning rags and carried them to the tiny laundry room behind the stairs. Ever since her mom had died and left her the house, she’d tried to use her gifts for good. When she’d had the visions of Dru and then Keely, she’d searched them out and made sure she positioned herself in a place to help them when they needed it.
Shadows had taken over in the kitchen by the time she’d finished sorting the laundry and started a new load. A quick glance at her watch told her she didn’t have time for her usual ensemble of a business suit and flawless make-up before Luc arrived. Provided he was on time.
She twisted her lips as she considered. Her initial assumption was that he’d be late simply to annoy her, but Luc was a professional. He knew the importance of punctuality. Too bad. If she could count on him being late, she could put on something other than leggings and an old tee-shirt. Samantha eyed the stairs, but before she could take a step, a knock from the front door echoed through the quiet house.
Samantha sighed. The last time she’d let him see her like this, he’d gotten so far under her skin that she’d teleported him right out of the house. She hadn’t been expecting company, and she’d been sleeping off the effects of a vision, but Dru had needed help. This time, she had no one to blame but herself.
Luc stood on her stoop with his head down and his hands in his pockets. The setting sun cast long shadows over the street behind him, but he looked at home in the dark. His gaze raked over her stretchy outfit before locking onto her face.
Samantha felt that gaze like a physical touch, and for a second, she forgot why she’d asked him to come over. Her pulse raced as she stepped back to open the door wider, inviting him in without words.
His lips curved into the knowing grin he usually wore as he stepped over the threshold. “I must admit, I didn’t expect an invitation back so soon.”
She closed the door, trapping them both in the dim foyer. “You don’t seem the type to wait for an invitation.”
“True
,” he mused as he advanced on her. “But then, I’m not usually without one.”
Samantha took a step back, then stopped herself. This was her house, and she refused to be intimidated by her desire for this man. “I didn’t invite you over for sex.”
Luc lifted a lock of long, blonde hair that had fallen over her shoulder, letting it slide through his fingers. “That’s convenient because I didn’t come for sex. My relationship with you seems to be far more complicated than that.”
She raised a hand to his chest, and he halted, close enough that she could feel his heat through the thin cotton of her shirt. “You prefer easy prey?”
To her surprise, his heart beat wildly too. His eyes dropped to her mouth, but he dutifully kept a sliver of space between them. “Not since I met you.”
Samantha wanted him to close that distance. All her posturing and excuses earlier in the day had led to this moment of vulnerability. Without her usual defenses, he held power over her. She swayed closer, but Luc backed away, regret in his eyes.
“I know there’s more to this invitation than a conversation about the clans, but I doubt you mean to offer what your eyes say you want. I’m not one to tell a lady no, but I would prefer that she be fond of me first.”
Samantha’s eyes narrowed as she fought humiliation. “That didn’t seem to stop you before.”
“Even I have my limits, love.”
The embarrassment faded. He wanted her. He’d always wanted her, and somehow, she’d pushed past those limits that night they’d spent together. Apparently, he’d decided to retreat behind his rules instead of rushing headlong into a repeat performance. Samantha understood the sentiment.
This was the Luc that scared her the most. The one who didn’t push or take advantage, the one who cared. That was the worst because in the heart of her she wanted him to care. If she could dismiss him as a rogue, she could convince herself to be impartial.
When he insisted on acting for someone else, she lost her tenuous grip on her ability to keep him at a distance. The constant pressure exhausted her. Lately, she’d wondered why she fought so hard.
Pushing her mom away hadn’t saved her. Why would it work with Luc? Maybe the secret wasn’t rigid control or reckless abandon. Maybe she needed to aim for somewhere in between. As a bonus, giving in to temptation now might shore her up for next time.
Samantha met his eyes and raised a brow. “Fondness is overrated.” She grabbed the fabric of his shirt in a fist and tugged him forward. He came willingly.
Their lips met in a flash of heat. Luc’s hand cupped her head, his fingers threading through her hair with a light touch. Samantha wanted to feel the rest of him. She pulled him closer, barely breathing as she returned to his mouth again and again. He tasted dark, like Scotch and smoke, and she didn’t hold back.
Luc pressed against her, hard and demanding, but a hint of magic against her skin brought her back to reality. Her protections, her shields, had fallen around her, and she couldn’t risk another vision. She eased away.
Blood pounded in her ears, and she fought for air. With her eyes closed and his arm around her, their chests rose and fell in unison. He rested his forehead against hers, and Samantha fought an inner battle. Stuck on the precipice of forward or back. Find that dark heat again or rebuild the last of her walls.
She flattened her clenched hand against him and pushed herself away. Luc let his arms fall to his sides. Samantha had to take two steps back before she could meet his unreadable eyes. They stood there, in the dusk, breathless and staring at each other. The middle ground turned out to be the hottest kiss of her life. Hunger gnawed at her, urging her to do it again.
His hand came up to touch his lips, and Samantha turned toward the kitchen, leaving temptation behind her. Even if she hadn’t seen his death, Luc had trouble written over every wicked part of him. Despite her best efforts of self-preservation, Samantha wanted to keep indulging.
Instead, she schooled her features and slowed her breathing. Once would have to be enough. Anything more proved too dangerous. The last time he’d been this close, she’d passed out in his arms. She could only hold concentrate on holding back the visions for so long, and his nearness shattered her concentration.
“Would you like something to drink?” She spoke over her shoulder as she walked away.
His footsteps followed, thudding against the old wood floors. “Yes. I believe I would.”
Samantha tightened her shields around her, both magical and emotional, then faced him with a bottle of red. “Have a seat.”
Luc raised a brow, but lowered himself to the kitchen table. “Are we planning to ignore that thrilling welcome?”
She poured two glasses and sat opposite him. “Yes.”
He accepted the wine she offered him and took a sip before answering. “Okay.”
Samantha watched him over the rim of her glass while she took a healthy swallow. The strong, spicy taste didn’t do anything to erase the feel of Luc’s mouth on hers. “That’s all? Just okay?”
“Despite what you clearly think, I’m not in the habit of harassing women who’ve just kissed me senseless.”
“Only the non-kissing women then?”
A half-smile tilted one corner of his mouth. “Only you, so I suppose technically it’s both. Perhaps now you’ll tell me why you really asked me here.”
Samantha wanted to believe his words were nothing more than fluff he told all of his conquests—like when he called her ‘love’—but he’d never lied to her as far as she knew. Even when lying would have been the easier path. She shoved that problematic train of thought aside to examine when she was alone.
“I told you in the message. You wanted details of the clans, and I think I found some I can share.”
“That’s not it.”
A surprising amount of hurt slashed through her at his dismissal. “You don’t think I have information for you?”
He shook his head. “The knowledge is real, but I question your motives.”
As expected, truthful to the point of insult. “My motive is to help you, though I can’t for the life of me figure out why.”
Luc leaned forward, his eyes on her face. “Now that I believe. What details do you have for me?”
Samantha sighed and leaned back in her chair. What had she hoped to accomplish here? She’d gotten his attention easily enough, but revealing secrets she held wouldn’t help her save his life. The memory of Dru’s insistent voice sliced through her waffling. Tell him. That wouldn’t help either, unless her goal was to drive him away. She could stalk him with the handy excuse of exploring their relationship gone awry, but he’d probably see through that as well.
All of her choices were terrible. At least she really did have information she could share with him.
“Keris, my contact with the clans, believes that the mission of the elders to collect powerful artifacts extends beyond protecting their people.”
Luc crossed his arms and raised his chin. “Why would this interest me?”
“If your goal is to get your hands on the artifacts, it’s going to take a lot more than simply offering a trade.” When he’d first brought up the subject, she’d entertained the possibility that he intended to steal the artifacts from them. Why else would he want to know their locations? But stealing wasn’t Luc’s style. There was power in the acquisition as well as the ownership, and he wanted both.
Luc watched her with hooded eyes. “The collection of power should never be simple. Aecantha isn’t the only clan in their realm. What do the other elders say about Aecantha’s dubious habits?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. Keris has never shared that information with me. From what I can gather, the clans don’t interact much unless absolutely necessary, but they seem to follow Aecantha’s lead. When they decided to abandon their roles as gods and leave Terra, Aecantha secured their current realm, and they still maintain it. If you know about the other clans, why come to me for information?”
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��Convenience, and because I know any information you give me will be true to the best of your knowledge.”
Samantha tapped her fingers against the table in a quick rhythm, unhappy with his faith in her honesty. She strived to be a good person—the one he apparently saw—but the visions sometimes made it difficult. What to hide, what to keep secret? Each situation demanded a different response, and she didn’t always choose correctly.
“Samantha.” Luc’s soft voice drew her eyes up to meet his. “Withholding information does not make you untrustworthy. Quite the opposite, I feel.”
“I know you’re not reading my mind, which makes your perception even more disconcerting.”
He smiled. “I’m aware.”
“Great.” She sipped her wine, but didn’t put it down. “Okay, well, I don’t believe the other clans have access to any artifacts.”
“Is this a conjecture or a certainty?”
Samantha considered the question. “A certainty. The other clans are mostly powerless in the face of what Aecantha has collected.”
Luc rubbed his chin. “You were right. This information is of interest to me. Can you tell me…”
A sudden presence in Samantha’s head made her set her wine down carefully on the table in front of her. Luc’s question trailed off. He watched her with sharp eyes, but Samantha focused inward. She needed to concentrate.
Samantha. Listen at once, I don’t have much time. Telepathy wasn’t one of her gifts, though she had many, but Keris contacted her enough times that she recognized the voice in her head.
I’m here.
Keris paused. You’re in danger. Hide yourself until such time as I can contact you again.
Urgency pushed at her, but Samantha refused to react without more data. In danger from what? I can’t simply hide for an undisclosed amount of time.
Your unique gift makes you precious and dangerous. I can’t give you any more specifics. Chaos is coming.