A Touch of Fire (Meridian Island Book 1)

by Jennie Dah

  I give in reluctantly and move back to the stool. She smiles brightly at me before going back to the sink.

  I do as she says and enjoy the hell out of the breakfast she made for me. I poke at the chicken on my plate even surprised at how good that is too.

  Wait a minute!

  Who’s chicken did she kill? Come to think of it, we don’t have any chickens on the island. I chew slowly not even wanting to think of what it is I’m eating. I clench my jaw when my stomach roils threatening to send my food back up.

  “Umm...baby, what is this?” I point to the bird looking meat on my plate when she turns and look at me in confusion.

  “Chicken,” she says going back to my her scrubbing. “Wait, are you allergic to chicken?”

  She stops her scrubbing looking at me worriedly biting on her lips. I'd like to sink my teeth into the supple flesh of her lips. Arousal thrums through my body and then her words register in my brain.

  “No I’m not allergic to chicken,” I say slowly not knowing how to explain it to her.

  She’d gone through the trouble of making me breakfast and I don’t want to come off as unappreciative. Then I decide to tell her as gently as I can.

  “Baby, this island doesn’t have any chickens,” I murmur gently watching her face closely so I can reassure her it’s fine in case she gets upset.

  “That’s not true,” she laughs but it quickly dies down when she takes in my grim expression.

  “You’re not kidding are you?” she asks seriously. I shake my head somberly even though I want to tell her otherwise.

  “Where did you get the chicken?” I ask quietly not wanting to spook her in case she got this from the main kitchen.

  “From the tree outside. That one right there,” She says slowly pointing behind her out the window. I close my eyes slowly breathing in through my mouth.

  “Do you mean the giant sprig tree over there?” I ask hoping she says no but knowing exactly what she’s going to say.

  “Yeah,” she says quickly. “And I’m pretty sure it was a chicken.”

  “What makes you so sure it was a chicken?”

  “Because it didn’t look like the vulture from Horton,” she says like it that obvious.

  I blanch at her words. Did she really just tell me she thinks she cooked chicken because whatever it is she cooked didn’t look like the vulture from ‘Horton’ the kids cartoon?

  “Baby, this isn’t chicken.”

  “Oh.”

  “If you really got whatever this is from that tree then you just cooked the King's pet partridge,” I say grimly. If this had been happening to someone else it would be funny but it’s not. If the king ever finds out I don’t know what that sick bastard would do to her.

  “Oh well, just make sure you crack the bones real good then,” she shrugs like it’s no big deal. “Wouldn’t want to leave any evidence behind. I knew it tasted better than chicken.”

  “Celia honey, this is serious. How would you feel if someone cooked your dog or your cat that you love very much, huh?”

  “Nick, I’m Voltarian. We eat cats and dogs with salted chili powder,” she says like she’s talking about the weather. “Oh shoot, does that mean I have to get rid of the feathers I was going to use to scratch my ears too?”

  I don’t know whether to be horrified or amused but right now I’m leaning towards amusement because she couldn’t possibly be serious. She huffs cocking her hips. “Do you need something or can I get back to cleaning up the kitchen now?” she asks with a raised brow.

  “Come sit, I’ll get you a plate,” I say more softly. She smiles a little at me and then shakes her head before turning back to the sink.

  “I can’t eat until I finish cleaning up. I hate a dirty kitchen,” she says without looking at me. “Finish your food.”

  I turn back to my food and poke at the chicken on my plate. I look down at the half eaten chicken—I mean partridge—and my stomach roils. But why does it taste like chicken and even better? I look at her back and she bobs softly to whatever she’s listening to.

  Well, I’ve already eaten more than half and I’m still alive so what the hell? Finished with my food, I finally look back up and my jaw drops to the counter. Everything in the kitchen looks spotless like the kitchen has never been used. I swear the kitchen sparkles as the sun starts to come in.

  What the hell? She whisk away my empty plate and even that is already hand washed and rinsed before I can blink. She wipes it dry before making a plate of food for herself bringing it over to set it on the counter. She goes back to the sink and comes back with a washrag wiping down the counter in front of me. She puts a finger under my jaw snapping my mouth closed and places a small kiss there before she’s gone. The rag is washed quickly in the sink before she sets it on the windowsill to dry. She washes her hand thoroughly before taking a seat beside me and clasps her hands together in front of her and I see her mouth move a few times before she starts eating.

  “So where exactly do you want to go today?” She asks snapping me out of my daze.

  “Huh?” I ask stupidly. I run a hand down my face willing my brain cells to start functioning again.

  “Our date. I just realized I don’t know the island so I can’t take you out on a date. So I thought maybe you could show me around today and then maybe tomorrow I could maybe think about where I’d like to take you.”

  “The island is pretty big so it might take a while.”

  “I don’t mind as long as I get to spend the day with you.”

  “Ok. I'll go get ready then,” I say looking down at what I’m wearing. Oh. Shorts. I head upstairs and quickly finish getting ready before heading back down. The house is silent when I get to the kitchen and my heart thumps rapidly in my chest. I hate not having the advanced senses that comes with being a shifter. I sigh in frustration at what I’ve to do.

  ‘Griff?’ I mumble.

  ‘What was that? I didn’t quite catch that.’

  ‘Shut up,’ I mutter. ‘I need you to sense for Celia. I can’t find her in the house.’

  'She's upstairs, in the other room taking a shower,’ he sighs. ‘Oh, she’s done.’

  ‘Thanks,’ I mumble.

  Within a few minutes she comes down the stairs looking even more beautiful than she did yesterday but still make-up free. She smiles really big at me and walks up to me where I stand frozen. She puts her hand in mine and I squeeze it gently finally snapping out of it.

  “Shall we?” she asks while staring up at me.

  “Yeah.”

  For the next few hours I let all my worries go and just let myself be. I’ve never been this relaxed in years. Showing her Meridian makes it feel like I’m seeing it for the first time too. We joke and we laugh. She tells me about herself, her life growing up and what it was like growing up without her parents. I felt sorry for her but she doesn’t even seem the least bit sad about growing up without her parents.

  “I’m sorry you didn’t know your parents while growing up,” I take her hand and squeeze gently.

  She laughs while taking in my expression. “You people are so sensitive. I mean I’d have loved to know my parents but they took off while I was barely a week old. If they wanted nothing to do with me, that’s their problem. I had a great childhood growing up with the greatest woman that ever lived and I wouldn’t trade that for anything else.”

  “Wow,” I breathe unable to say anything else. “Not a lot of people think like that.”

  “Most people aren’t me,” she shrugs. “I’ve always been different so I just go with the flow.”

  We eat lunch in one of the many little restaurants around and she couldn’t stop looking at everything in awe. She’s taking a lot of pictures too. Stella must have brought her phone along with her other stuff. She asks about me but I only tell her what I tell everyone else.

  We’ll talk later when there aren’t a lot of ears around. Every now and then she’d take my hand and my heart never fails to trip in my chest. I have
n’t smiled so much in years and I feel like I’m finally one of the people that are busy enjoying the festivities. Children are running around shrieking in laughter and for once I don’t feel sad hearing the joyous sound.

  Someday, one of the children running around would belong to me and Celia. People are starting to look at us now. They must be thinking they’re seeing someone else who isn’t me. I still can’t get over how Griff had called her mate earlier.

  I mean, I shouldn’t be surprised because I’d known from the beginning but I didn’t think he’d also accept her wholeheartedly like that. For my kind, if we smell a potential mate you can actually mate with the person but there’s a chance your other half won’t be happy with the match.

  Only destined mates have the honor of getting the full acceptance of both man and beast. On one hand I’m happy I’ve finally found her but the other I can’t help but be worried that I won’t be able to protect her properly with Griff not being connected to me anymore. It still makes me feel ashamed how I’d left her when she’d bonded us together even though it still baffles me how she did it on her own.

  And in that weak state. Maybe I should tell her about the bond? Maybe then she’ll tell me how she did it. But I have a feeling she doesn’t know she’s sharing her mind with someone else. After the mind merge the other night, I haven’t felt even the tiniest brush from her. Besides she’s taking everything pretty well I’m afraid this might be what will push her over.

  When the sun starts to descend over the horizon, we make it to the beach and find a secluded spot further on the other side of the beach a little ways into the trees and sit in the sand. Celia puts her arms through mine and rest her head on my arm with a contented sigh.

  “That’s the most beautiful sight I’ve seen in while,” she says softly with a smile, the evening light making her glow. “Well, the second most beautiful sight.”

  “Yeah, it’s perfect,” I say looking down at her, my heart feeling warm in my chest. Her hand comes up to cover her mouth when a yawn leaves her and her eyes fall closed. I move to get up but her hands tighten on my arm and she shakes her head gently.

  “No, I want us to have this moment before the sun disappears.”

  “But you’re tired and you’ve been up all day,” I say sternly. “We’re going back home.”

  “You can take me back when the sun disappears,” she shoots back.

  “Please,” she adds more softly and I relent.

  Sighing, I settle back down in the sun and waiting for the sun to disappear. How can I say no to her when she asks like that? She leans up placing a soft kiss on my cheek before laying her head back down on my arm. Slowly, the sun disappears over the horizon giving way to the soft glow of the moon and I look down at Celia but she’s already fallen asleep. I gently maneuver her into my arms and lift her off the sand making sure not to wake her. I turn around and head back home.

  Home. Haven’t felt that in a long time. I kiss her forehead gently and she snuggles deeply into me. Halfway there, I feel someone’s eyes on me again. I might not have the advanced senses of a shifter but I’ve honed mine to be able to protect myself better.

  But with Griff back now, I’m hoping we can get back to being one again. The hair on the back of my neck stand on end but unlike last night, I don’t falter. I keep moving not giving away the fact that I know someone’s following me. I growl softly under my breath and speed up a little when I see the house in the distance.

  I sag in relief when I finally push through the door with Celia and activate the protective shield around the house. No one will be able to come within an inch of this house without being blasted away. Taking her up to bed, I make sure everything is fine with her before I leave her alone. I turn off the lights in the room and make sure everything is locked up tight, just in case.

  I head down the stairs into my study and grab a bottle of the cognac Celia won yesterday from the safe. A drop of this stuff can get the strongest of shifters to get drunk, or so they say.

  Well I hope it’s true because I need it tonight. Normal human alcohol is useless to me anyway. I pour a glass and take a sip my body lighting up instantly but just as quickly, I crash back down. I take another sip and it’s happens again. Ugh! This thing is as useless as any alcohol I’ve tried.

  ‘We need to talk,’ the gruff monotone whispers through my mind.

  ‘Yeah, we do,’ I agree somberly.

  ‘I never left you.’

  ‘Yeah, right. I really don’t want to talk about that right now. We need to discuss how we’re going to get back in sync so we can protect Celia,’ I take another sip of the drink again, letting it wash over me before I continue. ‘Someone was following me tonight. Last night I thought it was just me being paranoid but tonight it didn’t feel like it. Someone is coming but…’

  ‘It’s not you they’re after,’ he sighs but it comes out as a rough exhale.

  ‘Exactly,’ I reply then his words register in my mind. ‘What?’

  'I never left you, you know,’ the gruff monotone suddenly says.

  ‘’I said now’s not the time for this,’ I snap. ‘What the hell do you mean they’re not after me? Then who the hell are they after?’

  ‘I heard you every time you called out to me,’ he says ignoring me.

  'And yet you never once showed,’ I hiss anger boiling through me.

  'Because I couldn’t,’ he growls making me pause.

  ‘What do you mean you couldn’t,’ I grit out.

  ‘Because I was chained up and then caged deep inside,’ Griff growls menacingly. ‘At first I didn’t fight it because I felt ashamed I couldn’t help your parents but then as time passed I tried to come out but I couldn’t break free and I didn’t feel connected to you anymore.’

  ‘What?’ the blood drains from my face as everything inside me turns cold.

  I close my eyes envisioning Griff and then when I look closely enough this time I see them. I rear back in horror at the thick eroded metal chains holding him captive. I didn’t see them before because he’d always had his back to me but now I see it as he stands in all his glory. Even chained up he still looks powerful and deadly.

  “Who did this to you?” I whisper out loud my voice breaking. Now that I know, I feel the heavy weight of the chains holding me down.

  ‘At first, I thought it was you after I couldn’t come out after a few days and I was so angry at you but then as the years passed I realized that it wasn’t you, not with how desperately you begged for me to come to you.’

  ‘I’d never do something like this to you. Why would I if it means I’d be hurting myself too?’

  'Precisely. I was able to think clearly after I stopped being angry at you. The only person who can bind me would need a pretty strong magic and a lot of human sacrifices.’

  'Still doesn’t explain how you never once came to the surface or spoke to me.’

  ‘I couldn’t but they were times when I concentrated enough I let you use my senses. They didn’t just lock me up, they rip apart our connection and took away your ability to shift.’

  ‘They’re my senses too,’ I mumble sullenly. ‘In fact you do know you’re me, right?’

  ‘The better version of you,’ he rasps and a flood of amusement rushes through my head.

  ‘We’re getting off topic here,’ I grumble.

  ‘Okay. So you just need to find the person who did this to us.’

  ‘I have a feeling I know who did this,’ I say anger taking over my body. ‘But where is the cage? You said you were caged?’

  ‘Yes the cage disappeared when our mate bonded us,’ he says distractedly and I feel his puzzlement.

  'Huh!’ I say stupidly, blanching.

  'Yes and I was able to come to the surface when I felt your fear of something happening to her,’ he says with a dry laugh. ‘I haven’t felt any emotion from you in a while and it was quite amusing how frazzled you were when she was just in the other room.’

  A flood of amusement rushes
through my body and I roll my eyes at him.

  ‘Shut up,’ I mutter sulkily. ‘So if we can get you free, we need Celia?’

  'Yes after the first mating, I should have made a connection with her and then we’ll see what happens from there.’

  ‘Mating?’

  'What?’

  'How old are you?’ I laugh teasingly at his proper language.

  ‘I’m not archaic because I won’t use the crude language you’ve developed.’

  'It's not crude,’ I laugh. ‘It’s actually really good for venting out your frustration.’

  'She's up,’ he husks suddenly his voice even deeper than usual and I straighten putting the bottle back in the safe.

  I hurry out of the room and head upstairs to my bedroom. She comes out when I hit the top of the stairs. There isn’t any light on in the house right now and I’ve noticed how she’s always looking in the wrong direction when it’s dark so I hurry over to her and take her outstretched hands in mine.

  Her body visibly relaxes and she steps into me wrapping her arms around me burying her face in my chest. I rub her back soothingly worried something must have happened to her while I was busy trying to get drunk downstairs.

  “Is everything okay?” I ask worriedly.

  “Yes, I’m fine. You weren’t in bed.”

  “Sorry, I was just finishing up some work downstairs.”

  “Oh, are you done now?”

  “Yes. Let’s get you back to bed.”

  Settled back in bed with her pulled to my chest, I gently run a hand over her braids until sleep finally claims me.

  Chapter 11

  MAKAFUI

  'HEY!'

  ‘HEY!'

  ‘HEY!’

  ‘Celia?’ I startle when Nicholas’ deep baritone washes through my head and I look behind me but I’m alone just like I’ve been for the past two hours.

  “Nick?” I call out into the house but no one answers. Hmm, I shrug and get back to calling not-conscience. I’m dying of boredom over here.