by Bonnie Lamer
“Put her things in the yellow room,” Isla tells him as she walks on ahead of us. “She will have a lovely view of the sun setting each night.”
When she is out of ear shot, Kallen leans down and says quietly, “It is also the farthest room from mine.”
I giggle. “Yeah, I think our days of being able to sleep together are over.”
“Do not give up so soon. I can be rather stealthy when I need to be.” He gives my hand a squeeze and winks at me. I just bet he can be.
Wooden steps are built into the sand and lead to the first tier of the house. The closer I get, the more beautiful it becomes. There are potted plants everywhere and ivy fighting for space on the terrace walls. A large marble table, polished to a shine, sits just off to the side with four comfortable looking chairs around it for alfresco dining. There is a fruit basket in the middle with fresh, ripe apples, oranges and bananas. I wonder if those were laid out by whoever is expecting our return.
Pushing back the sheer silk curtain, Kallen leads me into a spacious area that must be the largest living room I’ve ever seen. Okay, I haven’t gotten out of the mountains much, but it’s bigger than I’ve ever seen on television or in the movies. There are overstuffed couches and chairs scattered around the room in cozy patterns, and a large, soft white rug of fur in front of the fire place. But considering how warm it is here, I doubt there’s much need for a fire. Isla must have moved on to a different part of the house because she’s nowhere to be seen in the enormous room.
“Where are we?” I ask Kallen.
He gives me a funny look. “We are in my home.”
I roll my eyes. “I mean, where are we in the world? We obviously aren’t in Colorado anymore.”
“Ah.” He seems to think about it a moment and then says, “We are near what you would call northern Australia.”
I huge grin spreads over my face. “So, the water is warm enough for swimming?”
“Yes.” He leans forward to whisper in my ear. “Fairies prefer to swim sky-clad.”
A rush of heat moves into my cheeks as I think about swimming naked with him. I swat at him as he chuckles. I would say something, but my lips don’t seem to be able to make words. Maybe that’s because I’m still thinking about him lying sky-clad in the snow yesterday. Something I’d very much like to see again.
The brief silence is ended by the sound of something whizzing through the air. Kallen whirls around as a shimmering circle of magic surrounds me. Simultaneously, a loaded crossbow appears in his hand, and it doesn’t stay loaded long. The arrow is shot forward towards a masked man wearing all black; the same man that had shot the arrow that is now sticking out of the wall behind me.
As I watch, stunned into inaction, both Kallen and his attacker dissolve the crossbows in their hands in favor of broad swords. The clink of steel on steel snaps me out of my stupor. Kallen is a master with the sword as he forces his attacker towards a corner. I think he has him but in a lightning fast move, the guy in black drops to the floor and does a somersault, landing on the other side of Kallen. Kallen whips around but is half a second too slow and the tip of his attacker’s sword comes dangerously close to his chest. Close enough for a tear to form in his t-shirt and a narrow line of blood to appear on his chest.
But that doesn’t slow him down at all. With an arm that moves faster than I would have thought it could, he lunges and parries until his attacker is once again forced into having his back against the wall. This time, Kallen is ready for him when he tries to roll and he catches the guy’s chin with the tip of his sword. “I do not think so,” he tells him, the exertion of the last few minutes evident by his heavy breathing. A smug smile forms on his face. “Looks like I win.”
What Kallen doesn’t see as he looks smugly into his attacker’s eyes, is the gleam of steel next to the man’s thigh. He has a small dagger and he’s about to jab it into Kallen’s leg. It’s time for me to stop watching and start helping. Stepping forward, I leave the protection circle Kallen had thrown up around me.
A gasp tells me that the attacker had probably not seen me before he attacked Kallen. Which means to him, I just walked out of thin air. Pulling magic from the earth, it floods me with overwhelming power, power that shoots from my pores as I struggle to contain it; power that brings me to my knees as I prepare to send it forth. The target clear in my mind, the magic surges forward, leaving me gasping as it exits my body.
“Xandra, no!” Kallen screams and he’s on top of me, knocking me down on my back, panic etched into his face. “Stop, he was not going to hurt me!”
What does he mean, he wasn’t going to hurt him? I saw the arrows and the swords. I saw the steel gleam of the dagger. Of course he was going to hurt him.
A scream of agony from the corner of the room tells me that my magic has found its target. Satisfaction fills my soul knowing that I protected the guy I love. That is, until he grabs my chin with his hand and forces my attention to focus on him. “Stop it!” he practically screams. “He is my cousin.”
“Cousin? Why is your cousin trying to kill you?” I ask even though he’s squeezing my cheeks together. I steal a peek into the corner where Kallen’s attacker is writhing in pain in now silent screams.
“He was not trying to kill me. We do this all the time.”
“Do what all the time?” I am so confused.
Between a clenched jaw, he says, “If you will stop torturing him, I will explain.”
You know, he’s not very grateful that I’m willing to protect him. “Fine,” I snap. I pull my magic back and I gasp at the impact of it. I struggle to push it back to earth as quickly as possible, afraid it’s going to slip easily out of my control.
When it’s finally gone, Kallen rolls away from me. He’s lying on his back taking deep breaths and it takes him a moment to speak. Finally, he turns toward me and says, “Magic is stronger here. There is less interference.”
“What do you mean?” I’m holding my chest that still burns a little from pulling the magic through me.
“I mean, without all the pollution and chemicals that exist in your realm, magic here is not diluted. What would have injured someone in your realm, will kill someone here.” He’s still panting slightly as he sits and then stands up. Walking over to the corner where his attacker is still in a fetal position, he kneels down next to him and the mask on his face disappears. I’m shocked to see what could very well be a mirror image of Kallen.
Pushing myself up from the floor, I walk over next to him. “Who is he?”
Kallen frowns up at me. “I have already told you. He is my cousin.”
“He doesn’t have a name? And why would your cousin attack you?”
He narrows his eyes. “Because we have trained together since we were children. I probably would have done the same thing if he had returned home after a journey. It is what we do.”
I sigh in exasperation. “Wouldn’t it be nicer just to say hello?”
The look on his face tells me I don’t want to know what he’s thinking right this moment. Fortunately, I’m saved from having to say anything as a groan floats up from the limp body of his cousin. “What happened?” he asks as he rolls over onto his back with his eyes firmly closed. I would imagine he still has a headache, amongst other pain, from all the magic I pushed into him. “What did you hit me with?”
“With my girlfriend.”
A green eye almost identical to Kallen’s, but not quite the same vivid green, opens a fraction. “Seriously, who would date you?”
Turning to me with the beginning of a smile on his face, Kallen says, “Perhaps I should have let you finish the job after all.”
The guy’s eyes fly open now. “You were not joking?” He pushes himself up from the floor as his eyes find mine. His widen into a beautiful ocean of green. “Hello,” he manages after several long heartbeats. I can’t read the expression on his face, but I can definitely read the admiration in his eyes and it makes me feel self-conscious. “Please excuse me, I have
never before heard Kallen use that word when referring to a woman. And it is hard to believe that a woman as beautiful as you would be interested in such a bore as my cousin.”
“Back off,” Kallen practically growls. Turning to me again, he says, “Xandra, this is my cousin, Kegan. What is left of him, anyway.” A smirk finds its way to his face as he says the last part. Apparently, he’s gotten over being mad at me.
“You certainly do pack quite a punch with your magic,” Kegan says as he rubs the back of his neck. “It felt as if an army of Pooka warriors attacked me. I would love to see what else you could do to me.”
Kallen slaps the back of his head, which makes him swear as he now rubs there instead of his neck. “I meant with magic,” he clarifies.
“Sure, you did,” Kallen says as he stands up and holds a hand out to Kegan, pulling him to his feet.
When Kegan is finally upright, standing almost as tall as Kallen, he holds his hand out to me. “Xandra, I am charmed to meet you.”
I shake his hand, which he holds just a fraction too long, and I can’t help notice the tiny bit of jealousy in Kallen’s eyes. Interesting. “Nice to meet you, too,” I say, extracting my hand from his.
“Kegan, how lovely to see you,” Isla says as she breezes into the room. Her tall frame is now clothed in a long, flowing dress the color of the sea on a sunny day. The bodice is empire style and hangs loosely over her hips. Her long, graying black hair has been swept up in an intricate braid at the back of her head. “I see you have met our house guest.”
Kegan inclines his head in greeting. “I did, and welcome home, Grandmother.” He smiles as he flashes a quick look in my direction. “And I have learned that I must tread lightly when I am here, for her magic is formidable when one is on the receiving end.”
Isla raises her brows as she looks at me. “Indeed.” Instead of asking for an explanation, she says to Kegan. “You will be dining with us this evening?”
“I would be honored,” he replies and I’m pretty sure he flashes a quick look in my direction again. Kallen’s face hardens as he stares at his cousin, so he must have noticed, too.
Wanting to interrupt the sudden tension, I say, “You two look more like twins than cousins.”
“Kallen’s father was twin to Kegan’s father,” Isla explains. “The resemblance was passed down to their sons, and even their grandmother has trouble on occasion telling them apart.” She looks at both of her grandsons affectionately. I’m pretty sure she can tell them apart just fine.
Turning to me, she says, “If these two have been up to their normal behavior, I am sure that you have not been shown to your room yet. Let me take you there now.” She turns and walks toward the wooden door at the far end of the room, away from the terrace. I follow reluctantly. I was kind of hoping to sneak in a kiss or two with Kallen, since I’m sure there will be limited opportunity for that in Isla’s house. The door swing open and I can see a foyer with a set of wide stairs that break apart at the first flight and then continues up separately. It’s all white marble with several different mosaic patterns dispersed around the floor.
“Where ever did you find such a beautiful creature,” I hear Kegan ask Kallen. “And how in the world did you get her to fall for such a proud, conceited Fairy such as yourself?”
A quick look over my shoulder as I walk through the doorway shows me the look of pain on Kegan’s face as Kallen’s fist connects painfully with his arm.
Chapter 6
After climbing three sets of stairs and walking down a brightly lit hall with floor to ceiling windows at either end, Isla opens the last door, which is to be my room while I am here. I gasp in surprise as I look around. First of all, it’s gigantic. I’m sure half of my house back home could fit in this room. It’s situated in the corner of the mansion, so two walls have wide openings leading out to the terrace that wraps around the corner. Yellow silk, sheer curtains are gently blowing in the breeze. Along another wall, is a king sized canopy bed carved to resemble drift wood and it’s absolutely gorgeous. It must have taken someone forever to carve the intricate curves and grooves. Yellow netting hangs from the canopy and the bed is covered with a lightweight comforter. Another wall has a large bureau situated between two doors, and in its center, there is a mirrored dressing table with a small silk covered bench in front of it. Two overstuffed chairs with sunny yellow upholstery sit in front of one of the openings to the terrace.
Isla opens the first door and I have to be careful not to trip over my jaw as I take in the sunken, walk-in tub of marble. A statue of a goddess pouring from a large urn is adding a constant flow of water into the tub. It’s more like a swimming pool, actually.
“Here is your bathing room,” Isla says needlessly, and then she moves to the next door. Opening the door, it’s pretty apparent what this room is. I’m so relieved to see that the Fae realm has indoor plumbing. “I will have Tabitha lay out your toiletries in the cabinet above the sink.”
“Tabitha?”
Isla smiles fondly. “Tabitha is the dear woman who keeps this house running as smoothly as it does. If you have need of anything, Tabitha will see to it. Now, I’m sure that you would like to get out of those heavy clothes.”
I nod because I’m still incapable of coherent words as I absorb the fact that I’m really in this beach paradise. But, I am getting awfully warm in the winter clothes I put on after my shower. In a blink, my heavy clothes are gone and I’m now in a flowing dress similar to Isla’s, but mine is emerald green with rich forest green stitching in the bodice. My dress is also more form fitting than Isla’s, as it hugs my curves just past my hips and then flows out in loose folds. There’s as much cleavage showing as there was with the purple shirt I wore yesterday. Definitely not like a nun’s dress.
I smile as I swish it gently. Looking up at Isla, I say, “It’s beautiful, thank you.”
She inclines her head with a warm smile. “As is the person wearing it.” Wow, I think that was my first real compliment from her. Maybe she’s nicer when she’s in her own realm. “Now, I will leave you to explore as I have to prepare for the coming days. Tomorrow, you will meet Dagda.”
I try not to groan out loud but the rise of her brows tells me I didn’t succeed. “Sorry, just not looking forward to meeting him again. I’m sure he’s still pretty upset about the last time.”
She smiles again. “Yes, I suppose he is. Dagda is a reasonably intelligent man, though. He will be nothing but gracious while you are in his presence.”
“But he may be scheming behind my back, right?”
Her smile broadens. “I am happy to know that your intelligence draws from your mother’s line.” That makes me laugh. Nice and funny. Yeah, I may like her yet.
Turning to leave me to explore my new room, she stops as her hand touches the door knob. Over her shoulder, she says, “I love both of my grandsons dearly, but they are quite competitive. Especially Kegan. I believe his mother’s Cowan blood makes him feel as if he is the lesser of the two. Please be kind to them both, and love the one who you feel best suits the woman you are destined to become.” With that, she turns the knob and disappears out the door, leaving me standing guppy-faced as I stare after her. What the hell? I’m so confused.
After several minutes of stunned stillness, I decide I don’t know what to make of that advice. So, I choose to ignore it and I wander out onto the terrace to admire the view. I spend a moment soaking in the sun’s rays and the thought crosses my mind that I may never want to leave this place. I’ve never been fond of the cold in my native Colorado.
The sudden appearance of a raven on the stone wall of the terrace startles me into pulling magic again. It doesn’t take me long to figure out that it’s Kallen, though, and I release it quickly. Instantly, he’s himself again and half a second later, he’s clothed in shorts and a t-shirt.
Giggling, I mimic his words from last night, “What took you so long?”
His eyes flow from my face, down my body, and back up again – l
ingering both times at my abundant cleavage in this dress, causing my cheeks to pink slightly. I’m still surprised Isla made it so…flattering. “If I knew you were going to be dressed this beautifully, I would have come sooner.” He jumps down from the wall, and pulls me into his arms. “But, I thought it best not to arrive before my grandmother left.”
“Good thinking,” I say as I snake my arms up and around his neck. Pulling him down to me, I capture his lips with mine in a long, sensuous kiss. It’s several minutes before I let him up for air. He doesn’t seem to mind.
Slightly breathless, he leans his forehead against mine. “I love you,” he whispers between breaths.
My lips curl up into a smile. “You better, I would hate to be the only one in love.” Snuggling closer as he straightens, I wrap my arms around his waist. I rest my head against his chest, staring out at the water, as his arms tighten around me. “It’s beautiful here. I may never want to go home.”
He chuckles. “Then I will keep you here in paradise and we will live happily ever after.”