Burn for Me (Edanholme Book 1)

by Catherine Fitzpatrick

  friends. We all bring food to be distributed in an afternoon of innocent pleasure.”

  Leaning back against the wardrobe door, Cat ran her eyes over the male in the bed.

  “I want you to come with me as my partner. In doing so you will be expected to act as a

  human would, no glowing skin or nasty comments allowed. If you choose to stay here, I go

  alone.” Emerald flares touched hazel eyes forcing an answer from him.

  Touching the fingers of right hand to head and heart with a small bow Drusal acknowledged

  their commitment to each other.

  “What is this fishing you mentioned?” Striding towards the bathroom his body taunted Cat

  to come and join him in the shower.

  “Meet me downstairs for a lesson in foraging for food that you don’t have to rip apart with

  your teeth.” With a laugh at his wounded expression Cat made a quick exit.

  Leaning over the stream, Cat inspected the trap she had set up before Drusal made his

  impromptu appearance at her home. “Yes…” She jumped up and down with excitement.

  Hovering at her side Drusal could see no joy in the ugly crustaceans crawling around in the

  confines of the trap. “These little beauties are American crawfish. Predatory little beggars,

  aggressive and deadly to any other fresh water species. They need culling and they taste

  amazingly good.” Hooking the basket, she emptied the contents into a tub of water.

  “I want to check the rest of the traps…” Drusal’s glowering face stopped her in her tracks.

  “What’s wrong? Why are you wearing your Lord Vardon face, the scowling one?”

  Dropping the trap at her feet, Cat planted her hands on both hips ready for a showdown.

  He was going to back out of meeting her friends.

  “You have not greeted me in any form since I awoke.” The knife edge in a mellow voice

  held a world of hurt, at the omission of a show of love to a life mate.

  Cat had been so distracted by all she wanted to accomplish today, she had been negligent

  of Sidhe tradition, in returning the signs of commitment intrinsic to a formal mating.

  Drusal was not a happy camper, and the fault was all hers.

  With a flying leap she wrapped her arms around his neck bearing them both to the ground.

  Straddling his waist Cat laid her lips on his mouth in a tender kiss. “I’m so sorry Drusal.”

  Running her fingers through copper curls, she let him into her mind, mapping out the huge

  amount of work involved in a simple picnic.

  “From the moment I woke, all I could think about was how I could make this day enjoyable

  for you. I know how reluctant you are to integrate with the human populace.” Tilted eyes

  beseeched him to accept her apology.

  “I love you.” Cat kissed the frown from his forehead with feather light touches.

  “I never meant to offer disrespect to our bonding. Please believe in me. I would rather

  leave these shores, become an exile, than lose you.”

  Drusal was shocked that she considered trading all she loved for him. He had to realign

  the inbuilt conformity to ancient rites in entering this modern world. If not, he could not

  partner a female with the capacity to think beyond the restrictions of many outmoded,

  archaic traditions, in securing hope for a nation in slow decline.

  Clutching Cat to his chest, he breathed a sigh of relief that his mate was not regretting the

  mating bond. In truth her endeavours were meant to ease his passage into a society

  foreign to the nobles of the Sidhe Court.

  “I would not ask this of you. I concede to the chaos in your mind.” Returning her kisses

  with fervour Drusal calmed her fears.

  “Happy now Fur ball…?” Taking a bite at his bottom lip, Cat eased back to her feet.

  “Completely…. Show me how to imprison these ugly beasts of yours.”

  Cat placed a huge cauldron on the double burner, filling it with water, white wine, chillies,

  salt, pepper and garlic. Waiting for the broth to come to a boil, she indicated for Drusal to

  empty the Crawfish into the pot. Placing a lid over the bubbling liquid, Cat readied a bath

  of ice water ready to stop the cooking process immediately.

  A thermal box with ice packs waited to be filled with the meal she was preparing, along with

  a couple of bottles of chilled champagne. The last item to be packed, Cat lifted from the fridge,

  chilli chocolate pralines. Taking one of the delectable morsels in her fingers she raised it to

  Drusal’s lips.

  “This is a taste experience you will never forget… Take a bite.” She invited with a smile as

  seductive as any incubus. “Not me, just the chocolate.”

  Dipping his head Drusal sank his teeth into the sticky brown mass. His expectation of any

  taste sensation limited by the unappetising colour of the food on offer. Eyes wide in wonder

  he licked at his lips. “My mouth tingles…” A moan of pleasure sneaked out.

  “It’s absolute crap then… I can’t make a confection to suit the discerning tastes of a wolf?”

  Offering her mate the last piece of chocolate, Cat nearly sank to her knees as he sucked

  the last smear from her fingers.

  “Can we not just go back to bed with this confection to sustain us?” Savouring the heat at

  the back of his throat, a compliment to the creamy sweetness sliding over his tongue,

  Drusal felt a strange compulsion to devour the lot... Hands on her hips he pulled Cat to

  meet his body, locking onto her mouth he slid his tongue between her lips to share the

  tingling sweetness of chocolate heaven.

  Returning the kiss readily Cat slid her hands over the broad expanse of his back, the added

  accent of his familiar taste of vanilla enhanced the flavour of the kiss.

  “Mmm… Hold onto that thought.” She murmured against his lips. Leaning back from the

  enticement of eyes burning with desire, Cat had to smile at the image of a chocaholic wolf.

  “Ready for the next taste adventure…?”

  Wriggling free of his arms, she turned back to the stove to finish preparing the crawfish.

  Drusal wasn’t letting go so easily, leaning his chin on her shoulder, arms weaving around

  a small waist he watched with keen interest as Cat dropped the shellfish into ice water.

  Picking up one of the pink bodies she broke off the head before peeling open the shell,

  to reveal succulent white flesh. Placing the tender meat on Drusal’s tongue, Cat leaned

  into his frame chuckling at the surprise on his face.

  “The flesh is sweet yet savoury, food fit for a Royal banquet.” In awe that such an ugly

  creature could be turned into a feast within minutes, had him readjust his estimation of

  a species, who knew how to live off the land as easily as he did.

  “Impressed by my cooking or deciding how to eat crawfish in bed?” Cat questioned the

  intensity of his concentration with a soft laugh.

  “Both…” His answering laugh rocked her body.

  Rinsing off her hands she turned in his arms to cup a face as beautiful as any god’s.

  “Good, I like a man who appreciates the work that goes into feeding his appetites.”

  Eyes more emerald than hazel teased him mercilessly.

  “Are you ready to face a few hours in company with my friends? I promise your taste

  buds won’t be disappointed.” Tilting her head to one side, Cat watched the indecision

  in the changing colours of his irises.

  With a nod Drusal lifted her to sit on the island. Easing between her
legs he bent to kiss

  her breasts through the thin cotton of the t-shirt. Stunned by the sudden move, nipples

  hardening with aching need, Cat moaned as his mouth latched onto her with fierce

  intensity. Every pull on her flesh stoked the fire building between her thighs. The graze

  of teeth softened by a veil of fabric had her on the screaming edge of a blazing arousal

  Cat was helpless to deny.

  Drusal licked at her throat, dropping light kisses over faded bruising to nip at the tender

  skin beneath her ear. “This appetite needs appeasing first. My taste buds crave thy flesh.”

  Warm breath teased her ear with a whispered promise to devour her here and now.

  Gasping for air, fingers digging into the muscles of his back, her capitulation to emotional

  blackmail was a foregone conclusion. A satisfied growl thundered through the kitchen.

  “Can you walk to the bedroom or shall I carry you?” Drusal continued to nibble on her neck.

  “Carry me… You can do the work for this feast.”

  The translocation was swift, dropping them onto the bed with neat precision.

  “You cheated…” Cat squealed as her t-shirt disappeared, tossed across the room.

  Drusal’s voice was muffled as he sought her nipple.

  “I am very, very hungry…” Lost in a world of cascading pleasure, Cat fed that hunger.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Pulling into a parking space Cat turned off the engine, she could feel the easing of tension

  emanating from the huge male at her side. He had been silent the length of a short journey.

  “My driving is not that bad.” A frown of annoyance curled her nose.

  “I prefer to be in control…” The deep growl made her burst out laughing, softening the

  angry defence she was more than ready to take to another level. “Oh, I know…”

  She was still reeling from a voracious sexual appetite.

  A wolfish grin split firm lips, revealing gleaming teeth at her pointed accusation.

  “Is it wrong to want to make love to my mate, when she is so desirable?” Drusal shrugged off

  his lack of understanding, at the limits she put on his need for her.

  “No, not wrong, just a little intense…” Wriggling to face him squarely, Cat tried to explain to

  a love-starved male, the etiquette of intimate relationships in the human arena.

  “I love what do to me, for me, but you have to control the desire to bite me every chance

  you get. Demonstrating sexual desire so openly in public is frowned upon.” Cat tilted her

  head, eyes wide and questioning.

  “That rule applies to the Sidhe realm as much as it does to the human one.”

  His mental snort of indignation at a thorough knowledge of Court etiquette had her giggling

  like a schoolgirl. “Jarl was assiduous in teaching me all there is to know of my heritage.”

  Leaving Drusal seething in the BMW she started to unload lunch from the trunk. A broad

  hand lifted the bags from her fingers, hooking them over a shoulder more than adequate

  to carry the load. Sending out a mental hug of thanks, Cat locked the car, tucking the keys

  into his jeans pocket. “You can drive home…”

  Smoothing down the dress Drusal had admired, one she had to wash and dry before he was

  happy with the coverage of her legs. No way was he going to allow her to appear in public

  in shorts and t-shirt.

  The jealous male in him wanted no man to desire what was his. Cat gave in to idiotic

  demands in this one instance, just to get him out the door. Running an arm round his

  waist she smiled up at him, eyes glowing with mischief.

  “What amuses thee, witch…?” His lips twitched in the beginning of a smile.

  “No-one is going to notice me with you in the vicinity. I will spend the afternoon beating

  off greedy women.” Her laugh was hesitant. What effect would he have on her friends?

  She had witnessed Alex’s desire at first hand. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

  Drusal had followed the thread of her doubts.

  “I am able to dampen the effect of Sidhe glamour. This I learnt over many years in the

  Queen’s service. I will do nothing to disturb the enjoyment of a reunion with your friends.”

  Reaching up to plant a kiss on his cheek, Cat sent him a burst of love.

  “Are you ready to be the perfect noble in the face of rude questioning? Are you capable of

  playing nice, under a deluge of withering sarcasm? They will tax your patience in making

  sure I’m happy in a new relationship. In fact, they will have to be convinced they are happy

  with an unknown male being brought into a tight bond of friendship.” Slowing her steps,

  she was suddenly more reluctant than her mate to face her friends. Going back to bed with

  chocolate pralines seemed like a pretty good idea right now.

  Iscatya we are being hailed… The mellow warning impinged upon her mind.

  With a deep sigh she tugged her mate forward to be soundly abused. Alex came to meet

  them, a twinkle of real appreciation in sapphire eyes. “Nice to see you again Dru…”

  Emphasising the shortening of his name, Alex let them know she had prepared the way by

  relating all the magnificence of a Sidhe male, to a secure clique of nosy humans.

  With no more than raised eyebrows the relaxed throng waved them forward to join the

  party in the shadow of an ancient oak tree.

  Do you feel the magic of this place? Drusal sent the thought to Cat with the ease of

  intimate bonding.

  Yes… It’s old, with a taint of darkness. A shiver shook Cat’s delicate frame. The sense of

  familiarity latent in old magic left her wondering what had transpired to leave a mark of

  death in a place that hosted children at play.

  Leave it be, we can investigate the unease another time my mate. Drusal soothed the

  tingle of fear in her mind with a mist of earth essence.

  Settling to her knees, her mate curled at her back, Cat let her eyes wander over the faces

  crowding her vision. “Hey guys, have you missed me?”

  A chorus of whistles and disclaimers that she wasn’t necessary to the smooth running of

  the optical practice, brought a smile to her lips. “That’s what I thought….”

  Unloading the crawfish, wine and chocolate pralines she sat back on her haunches passing

  a champagne bottle to the nearest male.

  “So… I can extend my holiday indefinitely?” Creeping back to rest her shoulders on Drusal’s

  chest, she laughed at the concerted No…

  “Trust you to bring a hunky man to keep for yourself, and ugly food to share.”

  This is Emma… Cat fed Drusal a silent running commentary.

  If you think I’m sarcastic, Emma will teach you the real meaning of waspish satire.

  She thinks all men are a waste of space.

  Cat waited for Emma to pick a fight with her mate. With a smile that radiated malicious intent,

  a bitchy female tossed a spicy samosa to Drusal. “Try that Big Boy…”

  Grateful that she had introduced her male to the heat of chilli’s, Cat grinned as he ate it in

  two bites, licking the last flakes of fine pastry from his fingers.

  “That was good, but not as good as Cat’s chocolates...”

  A round of laughter announced his inauguration into the intimacy of the group. A huge

  dark skinned male at Cat’s right, slapped his thighs before hugging the tiny blonde girl at

  his side, placing a smacking kiss on her cheek.

  “I agree with you man, I would sell my mother to get that recipe.”


  “Dream on Mo… I keep my recipes to myself, just like your mum does. How often have I

  asked you to reveal the secret ingredients in her curries?”

  Prodding at an immense arm, Cat was engulfed in a smothering bear hug.

  “Little sister, mum will never tell all.”

  Planting a kiss on a bearded cheek she hugged him close.

  “Nor will I big bear, trade for trade…” A warm hand settled over her stomach, pulling

  Cat back into a space Drusal controlled. Don’t worry… She sent reassurance to a mind

  red tinged with jealousy.

  Watch how they all interact. Mo is a devout Moslem, Emma and Ellie party going,

  sometimes church going Christians. Kalia is Hindu and Sam is a Jehovah’s Witness.

  A mixture of religions and cultures, incredibly rude to each other, they share a love that

  transcends their differences. They are the inspiration that fuels all my employees to

  rejoice in the diversity inherent in human society. That passion and tolerance is capable

  of accepting into our world all that the Sidhe nation can bring with it.

  Immersed in the verbal sparring of Cat’s colleagues, Drusal relaxed, arms wrapped snugly

  around a small waist. His mate parried each searching question concerning the acquiring

  of a new man with the ease of long practise. His senses were alert to the latent dark

  magic seeping from the earth beneath them. He could discern no entrance to a hidden

  dimension. Watching the interplay of human leisure, the wonder in his mind leaped into

  Cat’s in a single blast of incredulous disbelief at what he witnessed.

  There are so many infants… The lack of children born to the Sidhe hit home, hard,

  devastating a heart that yearned to have young of his own one day.

  Do you want to leave? I know they are being crass on purpose. Cat lathed his mind with

  a caress of tenderness. She felt his distress, but failed to fathom the reasoning behind it.

  Easing to her feet she pulled Drusal with her. Taking the time to embrace her friends, her