Fiona let out a lusty laugh that had Aislinn cracking her own smile.
"Ah, Ash, you've always been one of my favorites."
"Really? Thanks," Aislinn said in surprise.
"Really. You have such talent and such self-confidence…and yet you keep yourself aloof from others. Never vulnerable. In doing so, you make it difficult to be in relationships with others."
"I don't know if I agree with that!" Aislinn said heatedly. "I told Baird about my gift. I was honest! Do you know how hard it is to tell someone that – knowing that they will judge you?"
"Baird? Hmm, so it's the new doctor in town. I've heard talk of him. A handsome one, no?"
Aislinn sighed and dug the toe of her hiking shoes into the ground. "Yes, tall, dark, and yum as Cait calls him. He even has these wire-framed glasses…"
"Well, if he has glasses, then I'm sunk too," Fiona agreed.
Aislinn flashed a small smile at Fiona before taking a sip of her cool tea.
"He thinks that I'm a nutter. That I just believe that I have this magickal power but that I don't really. I even proved it to him. Which…I've never done before. I've never felt like I've had to prove myself to anyone. Which makes me furious, to be honest," Aislinn said quietly.
"Ah, a skeptic. I suppose that makes sense with the business that he is in."
"Yes, but he didn't try to stop me. Didn't try to understand more. He just let me walk. So, I suppose that's my answer." Aislinn shrugged her shoulders and stared moodily at the sea.
"Is it?"
"Well? I'm not going to hunt him down and keep trying to explain who I am to him. It wouldn't matter anyway. We're simply too different."
"Ah, well, then I guess that is all there is to say about that," Fiona said demurely.
Aislinn rolled her eyes. "I'm used to your tactics, old woman, and you aren't making me talk any more about this. I've already talked to my mum about this and she agrees that I need to stay far away."
"Not surprising," Fiona said.
"And, I have something more interesting to discuss. Have you met Morgan?"
Fiona smiled at Aislinn's change of subject but let it pass.
"I saw her at Keelin's wedding. Beautiful girl. Touch of something…I haven't figured out what as of yet. She's fairly elusive. Flynn says she is a hard worker but keeps to herself and doesn't talk much."
Aislinn should have known that Fiona would have all the pertinent details.
"That touch of something? It's telekinesis."
Fiona's mouth dropped open and Aislinn felt a sliver of delight sneak through her. There was very little that got past Fiona and it was rare to see her react in surprise. Giving herself a mental high five, she smiled at Fiona.
"No!"
"Yes, indeed. I saw it for myself or I wouldn't have believed it."
"I've never heard of this particular manifestation of Grace's blood. Let me get my book."
Fiona hurried away to get her book and Aislinn bent to scratch Ronan's ears. At the very least, the change of subject had taken the focus off of Aislinn's relationship with Baird. Her non-relationship, she reminded herself.
Fiona hurried around the corner with a small book. Its beauty was in its simplicity. Aged leather, softened at the creases, wrapped around vellum pages. Aislinn knew that it was Grace O'Malley's book of healing potions but she suspected that there was other information within the pages that she knew little of.
Aislinn stayed silent as Fiona flipped through the book and murmured to herself.
"Ah, hmm. Here we may have something." Fiona finally spoke.
She handed the book to Aislinn, who took it carefully. The pages were delicate and should have been handled with gloves on, but Aislinn was used to touching delicate works. She held the book gently by the leather and examined the passage that Fiona had pointed to.
'Tis by the moon and the stars,
A fleeting movement,
A special touch of magick,
One that with the mind does feel,
As though one may lift without the physical body,
A dash of fae,
Only those who need it most,
Will be gifted this touch.
"To those who need it most…" Aislinn repeated.
"What do you know of Morgan's background?" Fiona asked as Aislinn handed the book back.
"I'm hiring her for the shop. So, what I tell you is in confidence."
"Understood and good for you. You've a good heart."
"She's an orphan. Essentially raised by nuns as her foster families would return her after they saw her ability. She's angry. Very angry and very lonely."
Fiona nodded.
"You'll bring her to me?"
"If I can get her to come. Otherwise you'll have to come to the shop. I'm trying to get her a place to stay as she is sleeping in her van."
"Shane will help. I'll make him."
"Already taken care of." Aislinn smiled at Fiona and stood. "I'm off to paint while the light is good. Mum has a potential offer for a show lined up for me in Dublin and I'll need new inventory."
"Wonderful! I'm so proud of you. Such talent," Fiona said and stood to wrap her arms around Aislinn. "Now, don't forget to listen to your heart, young one…"
"We'll see," Aislinn called over her shoulder as she got in her wagon.
Chapter Thirteen
Aislinn drove further down the lane from Fiona's cottage and pulled her car to the side of the road behind a long line of bushes. Getting out, she assessed which angle she wanted to paint the cove from. If she painted from the road, she wouldn't be able to capture the sheer magnitude of the cliffs that jutted out into the sea. Instead, she decided to cut across the fields to set up her easel by a pile of rocky outcroppings. The rocks would shelter her from the wind and allow her some privacy in her painting.
Aislinn pulled her small, transportable easel out of the back of the wagon along with her art supplies and set out across the field. The mid-afternoon light was lovely and would soften as the day wore on.
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 lo
ng 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 Fourteen
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 begrudgingly 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."
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 secondly, 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 he
r. 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 involuntary 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.
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