“It’s just a shirt.” He smiled gently and ran his hand through my hair then over to my shoulder and down my bare arm finally grasping my hand in his and kissing my palm. “Ma joli guepard, my lovely cheetah. I love you even when your eyes are a little red and your hair is messy or when you’re too stubborn to listen to my excellent advice.” He kissed my nose. “But I especially love you when you trust me enough to speak from your heart and cry on my shirt.” I clutched at his soggy shirt and pulled him toward me, the taste of my tears mingling with his delicious lips. I opened my mouth, needing the tangible reassurance of his love and he responded with passion.
When we pulled apart, I spent a moment enjoying the aftershocks. That kiss was… Well, how do you describe physical seismic upheaval? After opening my heart and talking about my most painful experiences, our emotional connection seemed to have strengthened, allowing me to feel every solid wave of his love for me. At first it covered me gently like a soft warm blanket but when the electricity got plugged in, I was on fire everywhere. Maybe my heart was never going to slow down again.
Garrett played with my hand and smiled his sexy smile. I was probably broadcasting my emotions out to Mars. “It doesn't matter to you? You still love me.” After the rape, I'd believed that I was never going to find someone who could love me, damaged the way I was.
“For all time, my love.” He smiled. "It’s almost dawn.” He got up gracefully and led me to my room.
“So where do you sleep?”
“In my bed; no coffin required.” He laughed. “The windows have metal shades that seal. My door is strong and locks automatically so no one can get in. I’m quite secure. The house is fireproof as well. If you go out with Rob and the team, leave me a note. Please don’t go out alone, at least not until everything is resolved. There’s a key to the house in the top drawer of my desk. I should be up by around 3:00 PM. I’ll drive you to Maya.” He hugged and kissed me gently and I melted against him.
He still felt so warm. “How is it that you don’t need to feed? You had such a small amount of my energy.”
He smiled a sly smile. “Those bears will probably oversleep this morning.” He winked and closed the door. I flashed on him shaking their hands after the meeting, telling them that he wanted to start with a clean slate. I had to laugh as I undressed and crawled under the covers of my comfy new bed, feeling safe and loved.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Around 12:30 PM the next day, after showering and dressing, I called Rob from my cell to see if he wanted to come over for brunch. He was happy about the invitation and said he’d be at Garrett’s house in twenty minutes.
I walked into the kitchen and stopped dead in my tracks. There was a young man I didn’t recognize watering the plants near the window. He was my height with extraordinarily vibrant purple eyes, a heart shaped face, thin lips and a slightly turned up nose. His shoulder length golden hair floated around his head as if a steady breeze blew through the room from all directions. Recognizing the warm buzz, I connected to the lines and saw thick tendrils of energy wrapping around him, flashing in a rainbow of colors. He looked lovely and almost delicate, but I knew better than to underestimate anyone who could pull in that much power. And he was just watering plants.
He turned to look at me and smiled warmly, his hair settling back down. “You must be Miss Jacqueline. It is very nice to finally meet you. I am Liam.” His voice was delightfully musical and soothing. He wore a light blue button down shirt with the sleeves partly rolled up, and jeans. He was barefoot.
I didn’t quite know what to say, but managed a, “Nice to meet you too, Liam.” I was at a total loss. Was this one of the people that Garrett fed from? Was he from some paranormal cleaning service? He noticed my confusion and smiled a little wider. He really is adorable when he smiles.
“I guard Master Garrett every day while he rests and I also clean and cook when he has guests. I am Fae: Half Seelie, of the Cascade Sidhe.
I started laughing and had to turn away before I made a total ass of myself. “Well, it would have been nice of him to let me know that you’d be here, “I chuckled. “He did tell me last night that elves cleaned up the mess, but I thought he was joking, no offence, Liam.”
“No offence taken. Miss Jacqueline. There is only me and I will be gone shortly after Master Garrett wakes.” He took two hesitant steps in my direction. I think he was trying not to scare me. “Would you like me to cook something for you?”
My mind whirled with happiness around the idea of someone else cooking brunch so I asked. “Can you make omelets and ham or bacon? I have a hungry guest coming. Oh, and coffee please?“
“Of course.” He seemed pleased to be asked to cook, not something Garrett asked him to do too often, I guessed. I decided to take a look outside the patio doors to see what the weather was like. The back garden was delightful and the sunshine spreading over the patio reached out with a comforting blanket of warmth. There was a table and four chairs placed adjacent to white and red rose bushes, some calla lilies, lilacs and a small fountain. Around the borders was a large patch of multicolored wildflowers. I decided to eat outside so I went back to let Liam know.
Rob arrived ten minutes later and I escorted him to the patio where Liam had placed a carafe of coffee, a small pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice and some fresh fruit salad. We sipped coffee and chatted about the lovely weather, my various adventures on Solo Island and my move to Garrett’s house. Liam glided in gracefully bearing omelets, toast, bacon and ham. He greeted Rob with a nod, wished us bon appetite and left to clean up the kitchen, hair floating in the air around him.
We both chuckled watching him leave. I said, “Liam was unexpected.”
“He’s been with Garrett for over a hundred years. I don’t know the whole story, but I know that Garrett helped Liam’s half brother, Aedus, out of a bad situation. Since then, Liam’s father, Lord Caelen, a powerful fae elder, has become an ally and Liam has pledged service to Garrett.” He turned back to look at me and I must have seemed confused because he laughed. “Garrett will explain it all. The fae are a complicated race." He took a bite of food. "You know, it does make sense for you to stay here, you’ll be safer and he’ll be a lot less stressed out.”
We both dug in as I puzzled over what Rob had said. “Does he stress out a lot?"
"He takes on too much responsibility, as if the whole community were under only his protection. I worry about him." He smiled at me. "I think I'll be worrying less."
"Do you know what the third part of the bonding ritual is? Garrett hasn’t said.”
“The ritual for shifters and weres is very similar, but I’m not sure about vampires. Shifters, first claim their mate, then share a kill during the full moon, and the last part is a ceremony in front of the council and the community. For weres, males fight to claim a mate, very violent, then the couple shares a kill and has sex during the full moon, then there’s another bloody ceremony led by the pack leader. Weres always take everything to the extreme.” He smiled wryly. “I think you should just ask Garrett about the vampire ritual.”
I watched him as he sipped his coffee and stared at the trees. “Do you have a mate, Rob?”
“Not anymore.” Pain tightened his mouth and narrowed his eyes. “When I’d recovered from the torture, I decided to stay here in town. I took a job with a construction company and got an apartment. Lynette was an instructor at the local school and we started dating. We were crazy about each other and so we went through the ritual, married and planned to have a family. But then the werewolf who’d originally imprisoned me found out where we lived. He kidnapped her. He was angry that he’d been strong armed into letting me go.”
“What happened?” I was afraid to ask, but felt he deserved my support if he wanted to talk about such a painful part of his life.
“He killed her. Then Garrett killed him. Slowly.”
“I’m so sorry, Rob.” I put my hand on his.
“It was 55 years ago. I still m
iss her every day.” He sighed. His eyes were moist. Liam came out to clear away the plates and to see if we wanted anything else. I got up and went over to Rob to give him a hug and he patted my back. “Thanks, Jackie. You’re so easy to talk to. That’s a gift, you know.”
Liam was clearing away the last of the dishes when he turned to say, “Her aura is a rich green, Robert. It is her nature.” He walked away and we both stared after him feeling more than a little confused. Robert laughed and he kissed me lightly on the cheek.
“While the cat’s away, Rob?” Garrett was standing by the patio door grinning and looking as handsome as usual wearing only black jeans and holding his shirt. Yum
“We’re all cats here, Garrett. The mice live two towns over.” They cracked up and I rolled my eyes. Ugh. Corny shifter humor. “Anyway, if I wanted to play, you wouldn't be able to take the competition.” He jokingly tried to put an arm around my shoulder, but I ducked out just in time, pushing him away playfully.
“That depends on the game.”
"My Sicilian good looks would win-over the signora." he winked at me.
“Have you looked in a mirror, Robert? You dress like a lumberjack. I don't think your ancestors would approve. In case you haven't heard, some of the best designers live in Italy."
"And what about when you vamp out?” returned Rob, sticking his fingers out like fangs and hissing.
By now we were all laughing and the somber mood brought on by Rob’s tale had reversed completely. I wondered if Garrett had heard what we were talking about and had wanted to cheer Rob up.
I was shocked to see that he was standing directly in the sun and didn’t seem to be affected at all. I sent, “Don’t you feel weaker in the sun? Doesn’t it burn you?”
“If I was in the direct sun for an hour or so, it would kill me, but a few minutes feel great. Older vampires can tolerate the rays for longer. I miss it."
Rob said, “Well now that you’re up and my plans to steal Jackie away have fallen apart, This lumberjack will be leaving. Next time I'll bring my chain saw.” He gave me another quick kiss on the cheek, thanked me for brunch, gave Garrett a playful punch on the shoulder and left.
I looked at Garrett’s muscular chest and hard flat stomach and sighed. “You know, if you want me to control myself, you should keep your shirt on around me.” He grinned, as I sauntered past him. “I’m getting a glass of OJ, do you want anything?”
“I’m fine.” He laughed quietly. I could feel his eyes glued to my back, taking in every movement as I walked into the kitchen. I made sure to sway just a little bit more than I normally would have, the cat in me coming out.
I came back with a glass of juice and asked, “What should I wear to meet with Maya? Will she ask me to shift?”
He was, unfortunately, listening to my advice and buttoning his shirt as he said, “Wear something comfortable. I’m coming to make sure she behaves herself and doesn’t ask you to do anything too difficult. She won’t like me hanging around but I’m the equivalent of your fiancé, after all.”
The word made me smile. Fiancé. Then I thought about how he seemed to know Maya really well and how she'd seemed jealous. I decided to just blurt it out. “Were you and Maya…? Were you lovers?”
He took a moment to assess my mood before answering. “Yes, around forty years ago. She was another cheetah, so it made sense, but we fought all the time about everything. She wanted a permanent commitment and I didn’t. We had practically nothing in common.”
“She’s a lot like me though, isn’t she? She’s a cheetah and she pulls power from the lines.”
“She’s nothing like you. She’s ruthless and very—demanding would be a nice way to put it. She likes to be in charge and doesn’t share authority easily. I won’t let her bully you.” He wrapped his arms around me and said, “Thank you for inviting Rob for brunch, today.”
“He’s been very patient and kind to me, even when I acted like a brat. Speaking of which, I’m sorry about how I’ve been acting with you lately. I’ll try to control my libido.” I smiled sheepishly.
His mouth turned up in a sexy smile and his brilliant eyes crinkled around the edges. He stroked my face gently with his knuckles. “Patience comes naturally to a vampire while shifters can’t help but live more in the moment. Your life energy is potent and delicious,” he teased, kissing me gently and then playfully pushing me toward my room. “Get ready. We have to go soon.”
Chapter Thirty
Maya was seated at her large walnut desk glaring at Garrett as we entered her office, which was beautifully decorated with expensive art and pottery. Apparently, being a member of the Shifter Council paid well.
“Hello, Maya, how have you been?” His greeting was forced as he lowered himself gracefully into one of the expensive leather arm chairs facing her desk. I decided to remain standing, waiting to see how this played out.
She gestured around the room so we’d be sure to take note of her prosperity. “I’ve been very well. And you?” She smiled sweetly but there was no warmth in her eyes.
He grabbed my hand and pulled me a little closer, never taking his eyes off of Maya. “Better than ever.” I was surprised that Garrett was flaunting our relationship, but then I didn’t know much about their history together. Still, this was turning into a pissing contest.
Her eyes narrowed for an instant and then swung toward me. I kept my expression neutral, hoping to avoid conflict. She decided to get down to business. “Jackie, we’re going to start working on your psychic skills this evening. Please sit down.” I sat in the matching chair next to Garrett. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave, Garrett. She’ll never be able to concentrate if you’re here.“
“I’ll be as quiet as death.” He didn’t budge.
“I have to insist. If you don’t leave, I’ll be forced to report to the council that she refused to cooperate.” Her threat was not lost on either of us. If he didn’t leave, I’d be screwed.
“But she’s here on time and cooperating fully.” He stayed where he was, but his eyes darkened to navy, usually a sign that silver dots were not far behind.
“Cooperation is such a general term, subject to interpretation, isn’t it? The council will believe whatever I tell them.” Her anger was building. Great, this session was going to be sooo much fun.
Garrett scowled at her and then sent to me, “I’ll be right outside. Keep a line open to me. I’ll come immediately if anything gets out of hand. You’re safe.”
“I can take what she dishes out.” I lifted my chin.
“Of course you can, my love.” He stood, kissed me on the forehead and left without a word of goodbye to Maya.
“It’s such an intimate experience, communicating mentally, isn’t it? Garrett and I used to spend hours exploring each other’s—minds.”
She was baiting me and I wasn’t falling for it. I sat silently gazing at her light green eyes and waited for the lesson to begin.
When she saw that she wasn’t getting a rise out of me she shrugged and said, “Forgive me. Garrett and I have a history and we seem to enjoy tormenting each other. It’s become a game of sorts.” She sat up a little straighter and pulled out a yellow legal pad. “I know that you can build a strong wall to protect yourself, but there’s much more to learn. At the meeting I couldn’t pull out all the stops, so to speak. Let’s begin. Please connect and pull up your shield.”
I tapped into the lines to strengthen my wall and placed myself on a hill surrounded by farmland. I felt it was a defensible position because no one could sneak up on me. I really wasn’t sure how this worked but I resisted taking her to my cliff. That was a private vision that I shared only with Garrett. This grassy hill was neutral and the illusion was easy to maintain.
I felt her nudge my wall. “It’s remarkable, Jackie, that you’re this strong after only a few day’s training. I’m going to speak to you mentally now, so you need to let me in.”
I felt her gently push and I reluctantly allowed a section of
my shield to melt away. Immediately, I noticed that her power felt very different than Garrett’s. His was a cool refreshing stream and the illusion of himself that he projected was always tinged with his rich blue aura. Maya’s was hot and dry, a desert valley, and her aura was a bright orangey yellow. His comforted me and hers burned with an intense excitement.
“Lesson number one. Never open your wall for any reason unless you trust the other magic user completely. You can simply fine tune your aura's magical pulse to mine to let in what I send to you. Then, if I attack you, your wall would still be able to protect you. Right now you're completely vulnerable.” A hot jab of energy hit my back, knocking me forward. I opened my eyes to find myself kneeling on the floor of her office, my hands on the carpet in front of me.
“Jackie?” I felt Garrett’s immediate concern.
“I’m good.” I stood up slowly, not taking my eyes off of Maya. I could see her at her desk, but also on the hill behind me, which made me a little dizzy, so I shut my eyes and concentrated only on maintaining my vision and defenses. I immediately reinforced my wall, noticing my heart beating faster as adrenaline began to pump through my system. As usual, I was starting to get pissed off.
“Excellent. I sense no fear in you, only a readiness to do battle. You’re definitely a cheetah and will probably become a fine warrior with the correct training. Try to keep your eyes open, even though it’s a little strange at first. Some of our enemies will fight mentally and physically simultaneously, so you need to be aware of all that’s going on around you. I want you to keep your wall very strong and try to match my aura’s rhythm as closely as you can. Then you should be able to send to me and hear what I send to you without leaving yourself vulnerable.”
In my mind I watched her saffron haze pulse with power. I reached out to feel its rhythm in my chest and after a few tries, matched my aura's tempo to hers. She sent, “You learn quickly.”
“Why don’t I have to do this with Garrett?” I asked.
Rebirth (Rogues Shifter Series) Page 18