She’d grown up in an environment of privilege and expectation. Expectation that had never once felt like a suffocating cage.
“I’m going to be next door at the annex,” she said, with one last pat for each. “I’ll meet you here for lunch, okay?”
“Okay,” their tiny voices said in unison. Their mutual friendship glowed between the three of them.
She rose to her feet. “And stay out of trouble.”
Humor and mischief trickled into her. She shook her head, ruffled Lido’s feathers, and stopped by her room for an umbrella.
The wind whipped the rain sideways, making the umbrella all but useless. Remembering she was in a friendly environment, she simply placed a bubble around her until she got inside. She opened the door, only to have it snatched from her hands and slammed against the outside wall.
Jamison was right behind her and wrestled the door closed. “Sorry, Lass. I was supposed the fix the hinge last week. Once the rain stops, I’ll get her done.” He carried a small cooler with him.
“Good morning, Jamison.” Arabella shook out the umbrella and put it in the bin by the door.
“And to you. How are you fairing?” His Scottish accent brought a whiff of home.
“I’m good. How are you?”
“Ach, my arthritis is acting up again. It’s the weather. This winter is going to be a rough one, mark my words.”
“I can fix up something to help with that once the rain clears.” She’d have to cross the river unless she could find some Burdock on this side.
“That would be appreciated, lass.” He turned to the woman sitting behind a desk in the corner. “Maggie, have ye met our latest resident?”
The matronly woman rose with a smile and offered Arabella a hand towel to dry off. “You must be Arabella. Dante said you were a beauty.” The wrinkles around her eyes spoke of a lifetime of laughter.
“I’m sure he says that about all the women.” She patted her face with the towel and handed it to Jamison.
“Livy fixed up some breakfast for you, Maggie.” He gave her the cooler and wiped his face.
“She didn’t have to. Such a dear, that one.” She peeked inside. “Oh, waffles. That woman spoils all of us.”
Arabella was struck by the sense of family these people shared. It was the closest she’d come to her own since she started her travels.
“I’ll swing by later and fetch the cooler. You two take care.” Jamison ducked out, then hurried across the lawn to the Inn.
Maggie stood and came around her desk. “Come on into the conference room. Hope you don’t mind if I eat while we talk. These are best warm.”
“I’d never dream of keeping a person from a hot meal.”
They walked down the hall past a few offices. One of the conference rooms had a number of people gathered around a desk, and Maggie waved as they passed. “I’ll introduce you to everyone later. They’re talking with a client from Albuquerque right now.” She lowered her voice. “He’s an ornery old coot.”
Maggie led her into a room. Across the hall, an office door stood open. A massive wood desk sat by sliding glass doors. The room felt like Dante. The fact she was picking up on his essence in his absence wasn’t a good sign.
“Have a seat, love. Dante didn’t give me much to go on. Where do you think we can use you?”
Arabella sat and leaned back. “I’m really good at data analysis and systems operation. I'm certain I can streamline your processes and increase revenue.”
Maggie froze with a fork halfway to her mouth. She recovered and took the bite, following it with a sip of coffee. “Is that so? Dante seemed to think you’d need busy work.”
Arabella smiled. “Dante didn’t ask about my abilities.”
Maggie laughed. “Isn’t that just like a man? All right. I’ll need to get clearance from him before I can give you full access, but in the meantime, you can start getting familiar with the programs we use.”
“Perfect. Where should I work?”
“We’ll make this your space for now, if that’s all right?”
By ten o’clock, Arabella had met the four other employees. Three architects and the office manager. It was a friendly crew, and their constant banter kept the place energized. An hour later, she heard Maggie on the phone. The tone of her voice spoke of familiarity, and Dante’s essence drifted through her. It was rude to eavesdrop, but impossible not to.
“That’s what she said. Seems to know what she’s doing, too. Already familiar with our accounting software, and Tom quizzed her on the sales database.”
She couldn’t make out what Dante was saying, but she felt him.
“Really? Okay, as long as you’re sure. Oh, she’s a doll. I’ll talk to you soon.”
She showed up at the door a moment later. “Dante says you have carte blanch access.” She tilted her head slightly. “That man doesn’t trust easy. You’re not doing any funny witchy business, are you?” There was a serious edge to her tone. It was a question, and a warning. Good. Dante had chosen well.
“I’m glad to see you’re cautious. I wouldn’t give a total stranger access.” But then, she and Dante were anything but strangers even if they didn’t know each other. “Dante and I…” What? What were Dante and she? “I don’t know, we understood each other from the beginning.” That wasn’t even enough of an explanation for her, and Maggie was leery.
“He’s the boss. If he trusts you, I’ll trust you.” But she’d be watching. Good on her.
“I won’t let you down. Promise.”
Two days later, Arabella sat at the conference table with Taylor and Gale. She was walking the architects through her proposed changes to the process used for tracking project expenditures and payments.
Taylor was adorable. Tussled sandy blond hair, he had a surfer boy vibe. He was a shifter for sure, but she didn’t know what kind. Gale was a petite Asian woman. Smart as sin, and a sense of humor that kept everyone laughing.
Arabella had already streamlined the invoice process, and could see further productivity enhancements that could be made.
Dante had arrived nearly twenty minutes ago. She’d yet to see him, but could feel the undercurrent that was his essence.
Her focus shattered a moment before he walked down the hall. Maggie was on his heels as he entered his office, briefcase in hand. His voice caressed her insides, and he reached out with his energy before coming into the room.
She fought to keep her breathing steady as she met those gray eyes of his.
“Morning, boss,” Taylor said with his boyish grin. “How’d it go?”
“Excellent. The location is perfect, and I managed to negotiate the price below what I was willing to pay.” His eyes were on Taylor, but his focus was one hundred percent on her.
Her ability to shield her energies had apparently vanished. And worse, she didn’t care. He turned back to Maggie after greeting Gale. “Tell Tarn we’ll do our updates in here this morning. I’m looking forward to hearing about the magic Arabella has worked in my absence.”
“No magic, I assure you,” Arabella said. “Simply system and process analysis and modification.”
“Full of surprises, aren’t you?”
“Wouldn’t have been a surprise if you’d bothered to ask.”
He nodded and his energy zipped down her spine. “Point taken. Don’t underestimate. Not a mistake I usually make, but then I don’t usually miss a paranormal either.”
She grinned. “And I don’t usually mistake a shifter for a human.”
Taylor laughed. “Hunter told me about that.”
“Guess we’re even, then,” Dante came around the table and sat next to her.
She gave him her best “behave yourself” glare, and tried not to enjoy his proximity more than she already was.
The office manager, Tarn, ambled in. An Irish man with red hair, he was the only human working at the annex. “Welcome back, boss.”
The next hour was spent updating Dante on the past few days and c
atching up on his progress. He was more than a little impressed with what she’d accomplished already.
The bell on the door to the lobby rang, and Maggie jumped up to greet the visitor. An odd energy hit Arabella at the same time she felt a shift in Dante. His face hardened and he put up shields unlike anything she seen from him before.
Maggie came in looking nervous, and more than a little ruffled.
A stunning blonde witch followed her into the room. She was powerful, there was no doubt, but her energies were clouded, her vibration erratic.
“Crystal,” Dante said. “What brings you in?”
“Hello dear ex. Thank you for the warm welcome.”
Of all the images she’d conjured up of Dante’s ex-wife, this wasn’t one of them. She didn’t know why. The tension between them was palpable.
Dante leaned back and crossed his arms. “You haven’t set foot in the annex in over a year. Just surprised to see you.”
Crystal’s gaze fell on Arabella. Shielding her attempt to assess Arabella’s energies came naturally. She didn’t like the woman, but to be fair, it may just be the fact she was Dante’s ex wife.
“I heard you had a new employee. Made me think about the company. I’d like to get more involved. I’ll need an office.”
There were no spare offices, and Arabella wasn’t going to share a space with this woman. The silence turned awkward fast.
“I’ll get you set up in here tomorrow,” Dante said.
“Fine. I’ll see you then.” She turned without a word to Arabella. Hadn’t even been introduced.
Once the bell out front chimed, the tension in the room shattered.
“She’s charming,” Arabella said before thinking it through. She slapped a hand over her mouth. “I shouldn’t have said that. Sorry.”
Taylor let out a laugh, half-amused, half-nervous. “Charming works.”
Dante laughed with genuine mirth. “I have a few other adjectives in mind. Not sure what her game is, but she is, unfortunately, part owner, so we’ll humor her.”
“Unfortunately,” Tarn said.
“What?” Dante looked at him askance.
“You said unfortunately.”
There were some interesting dynamics between the two men she didn’t understand.
Dante turned his gaze to Arabella and his energy engulfed her body and soul. A shiver ran from head to toe.
“That was an alliance, never a marriage of love.” He held her pinned and breathless with his gaze. “I know love when I feel it. In fact, I’ve recently found just that. I simply have to convince her I’m worth the trouble.”
She’d always thought jaw-dropping was just an expression, but she knew better now and snapped her mouth shut.
“Finally got her at a loss for words.” His grin was pure evil.
She started to say something, but what could she possibly say after that? She closed her laptop and gathered her things.
“If she’s going to work here, I’d rather not. Ok if I set up an office down at the barn?” She wasn’t going to stay cooped up in her room.
He scowled at her and she sensed his wolf pacing. It was an odd sensation. “That’s fine. I’ll drive you down. We can talk.”
The others wore expressions of surprise and amusement.
“Holler if you need anything,” Maggie called out after them as they left the room. “Don’t let the wolf walk all over you.”
Laughter followed them. Outside, the wind had picked up and the sky was darkening.
“You don’t have to come with me,” Arabella said.
“I know.”
They climbed into his Jeep in silence and he pulled out. “I’m sorry, Arabella.”
She had the impression he didn’t apologize often. “For what, exactly?”
“You told me to back off. I was going to. I didn’t plan that back there. Crystal caught me off guard. So did you. In every way possible, you have caught me off guard. Thrown me for a loop I never saw coming. I don’t have to tell you how I feel. Like it or not, our energies are synced. There’s nothing either of us can do about it.”
He wasn’t wrong. Just being next to him calmed the restlessness she experienced when he was away. That’s the way it worked. With mates. She took in the trees and the crisp air as they approached the barn. Everything had an unreal aspect to it. This simply couldn’t be.
“I do want you to know the story behind Crystal and me, but I won’t push. I promise.”
She’d never seen such sincerity, such open honesty, on a man’s face. He knew she was right there with him. Knew she was fighting this. It had to be killing him. She was going to have to explain her own situation.
Could she spend the rest of her life resisting the call of her mate? Could she betray her mother and father? Her entire coven?
He reached over and ran his fingers down her cheek. “And you’ll tell me what’s going on in that head of yours when you’re ready.”
She nodded. Not ready to go there yet. Not sure herself what she was going to do.
Dante had just stepped out of the Jeep when an inhuman scream rent the afternoon air.
Panic and pain.
She dumped her things on the floor and jumped out, bolting for the barn.
Empty inside. They whipped around the corner on the far end. A white horse was half over the protective fence, its body straddling the top board, which had snapped in half.
It caught hold of the bottom board with his back hoof and catapulted over, staggering to the center of the arena. It was saddled, and its bridal hung loose from its neck. Its legs were bloodied from the fence, and partially bound with a silver filament of some kind.
She and Dante entered the arena just as two farm hands came running from inside the barn.
The horse screamed again, trying to right itself, but instead fell in a tangled heap. They ran to the animal as it lashed and struggled.
The men tried to get near enough to remove the filament, but the animal was panicked.
Three other horses approached, neighing and snorting. One of them nudged Arabella, catching her attention. It was the first one she’d met the other day. She placed a hand on its neck, and emotions flowed into her. Fear. Sadness. Anger. The horse nudged her forward. “Help.”
Dante was trying to assist the men, but the animal, not really seeing, was fighting everyone.
Getting to her knees, she approached the animal’s head and reached out with her mind.
“Corana altera morana felixe.”
She spoke the calming spell aloud. “Corana altera morana felixe.”
She spoke louder as she approached and forced her way past the creature’s panic, waiting for it to see her.
“Corana altera morana felixe.” She modulated her voice and boosted it with a spell to reverberate within the animal. Finally it saw her. Its eyes were huge, its breathing fast and labored.
She held eye contact and placed a palm on each side of its face. “Corana altera morana felixe.” It was a female, and she was mesmerized by Arabella.
“That’s right. We’re here to help.” She scooted closer, and the horse placed her head in her lap. “Dante, move slowly and get everything off her.” She stroked the horses neck. She kept the calming spell going as she spoke low and slow, keeping eye contact all the while. “We’re going to help you.” Tears streamed down her own cheeks and landed on the mare’s flared nostrils.
This was horrible. And the elves were to blame.
She wondered at the animals they used in England. Was it the same?
The other horses gathered around and lowered to lie around the wounded mare.
Her breathing was slowing, her mind calming.
The men got the filament off her legs and unfastened the cinch strap on the saddle. One of the men used a knife and sliced through the bridle strap. They pulled the saddle off her back, but could do no more until she stood.
“You’re free, baby.” She infused her energies with healing elements, and worked her way from
head to tail. The horse had cracked a few ribs getting over the fence, but her internal organs were all right. She focused on the legs, doing what she could, giving everything she had to the animal’s healing.
A nudge from her horse friend sent an image of a naked human woman.
Arabella didn’t understand at first, but then she got it. “Baby girl, you need to shift.” She focused on the image the other horse had sent her.
A massive pull tugged on her energies, nearly pulling her under. She blocked the drain. She didn’t have enough.
The horse was trying to shift, but didn’t have the strength.
“Dante, I need your help.” Her head was spinning, but something told her the animal would die if she couldn’t shift.
The connection with Dante would only deepen their ties, but she had no choice.
Dante positioned himself behind her, legs on either side of hers, and pressed his chest to her back. “What do you need?” He whispered in her ear.
“Your energy. She has to shift.” Because of their sync, no one could help her more. He slid his hands down her arms and placed them over hers. Energy surged into her, and she sent the image to the horse again. This time, when the pull came it, flowed into the horse and she shifted.
A cry escaped Arabella’s lips as she went limp against Dante.
An albino woman blinked up at her before closing her eyes in exhaustion.
Dante wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.
The other horses all jumped to their feet.
“Get her inside the barn,” Dante said. “Use the blankets and put her on a pile of hay. Cover her and leave. They’ll take care of her from here.”
One of the men gently picked her up and the other ran ahead to prep the way. There were many more horses now, and they followed inside.
Arabella closed her eyes and let the comfort of Dante’s body soothe her.
“That was amazing. Never seen anything like it.” His breath was hot against her cheek.
“Now I see why you feel the way you do about the elves.” She was so tired.
Magic, New Mexico: Tainted Magic (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 4