Roused (Moon Claimed)

by Lilou Roux

  Tess suddenly stopped to whirl around and look at her sister. When Erin didn’t say a word, or react in any way, Tess frowned with worry and sat down on the bed beside her sister. “Say something. Talk to me.”

  Erin couldn’t. Was too lost and far away. That feeling, that invisible caress, she had felt in the kitchen after she had apparently made her own coffee boil in the cup…she had felt it before. The memory flickered, a little scratchy, like an old movie. Until that moment in the kitchen Erin had never even been sure that it was a memory and not just a figment of her imagination, but now she remembered.

  She was a little girl again.

  She was outside, in a beautiful garden and the sun was shining, breathing life into vibrant colors and scents. Her mother was kneeling between flowers and plants, her hands covered with dark earth. Her smile lit up her face and her laughter rang out, loud and clear and happy. It was the most beautiful sound her smaller self had ever heard, one she thought of as home. Her mother was talking to her – she knew it – but she couldn’t remember the words said so long ago. But what she did remember was golden dust suddenly swirling around her, moving in the air to dance with butterflies. She remembered this buzzing feeling inside her belly as if butterflies were tickling her there. She giggled, her eyes wide in wonder as she tried to catch the living blotches of color. And then she was suddenly airborne, strong hands holding her. A dark and familiar scent enveloped her like a blanket, and made Erin’s heart squeeze while her smaller self only knew that she was safe. Nothing else mattered as she squealed in delight as her father threw her into the air once more. It was magic.

  “Erin?” Her sister’s voice tugged at her and the present came back in a cool rush. “Erin, what’s wrong?”

  Erin turned her head to face her baby sister, squeezing her hand in reassurance as she saw the worry in Tess’ eyes. Eyes that were confused and searching her own. Erin lifted a hand to brush away a tear that had managed to escape. “That feeling? When you do magic?”

  “The buzz?”

  “Yeah, that. I’ve felt it before.”

  “But…how?” Erin saw the moment realization and grief hit. “Our parents?”

  Erin nodded, struggling for her voice and calm. “I never thought it was real. Never thought that it really was a memory, and not just wishful thinking or a dream. But…it was a memory.” She looked at her sister, her heart breaking a little. “I remember Mom and Dad. Being in a garden or backyard with them. Mom,” Erin swallowed past the lump in her throat. “She was doing some kind of magic. She made, I think it was, pollen glow like golden dust and swirl around us. And then…” She had to take a deep breath and tried again. “And then Dad picked me up.”

  “Oh, Erin.”

  “I must have been four years old, maybe. You would have been three.”

  Tess’ arms came around her, pulling her into a long embrace that both of them needed. They held each other for a while, the silence a safe haven as the past and present clashed together in a raging sea around them.

  Grief for a life she had never known, for a fate so different from the one she had known, was heavy in her heart. Even more so when other, darker memories and nightmares threatened to tear down her walls, eager on taking even this small slice of bitter-sweet heaven from her.

  Come here, my little girl.

  She squeezed her eyes closed, shutting off the ugly voices of the past.

  Drawing away Erin took comfort in her sister’s face, those eyes that were so much like their mother’s she realized now. Trying to lighten the mood, she gave Tess a weak smile. “So… we are witches, huh?”

  It was a bad attempt at getting their heads back into the present, but Tess awarded the effort with a small laugh anyway. “So it seems, yeah.”

  “And tell me again, why did I boil a perfectly fine and hot coffee?”

  “Erm…well…” Tess very nearly squirmed.

  Erin raised an eyebrow, her curiosity utterly piqued. “Spill it.”

  “Well, the first times, though to be honest it still happens, I used magic to make flowers bloom for instance whenever Nathan was around and he… You see, our magic is tightly connected to our emotions, which means whenever we are angry or happy or aroused it can get out of hand…and you didn’t look like you were angry with Seth.”

  Hearing what Tess wasn’t saying out loud, Erin stared. “Wait a sec! You mean, I boiled my coffee because I was momentarily deranged enough to have the hots for him?”

  Tess couldn’t hide the grin. “Literally. Yup.”

  Erin opened her mouth to protest but realized the futility of it, when her sister gave her a look. Throwing up her arms, she exclaimed. “Oh, that’s just great. Our powers are a big, fat billboard sign advertising our state of arousal. As if his ego needed anymore inflating.” Unwilling to give the dark-haired and granite-eyed temptation and the promised heat in his eyes another minute of her thoughts, Erin forced her gaze back to Tess.

  The long blonde hair a few shades darker than her own, the green eyes she knew so well and which revealed so eagerly the good heart hidden within. Watching her sister intently, she finally asked, “Are you happy, sis?” She already knew the answer but needed to hear it anyway.

  “Yes, I am. I know you’re worried about me.” When Erin wanted to cut in, Tess shook her head, a soft smile playing at her lips, “Or you wouldn’t have jumped onto a plane and driven in the night, the moment after I told you I wanted to get married.”

  Well, her sister had her there. “Okay, yes, I’m worried. Though I do hope that you’d have done the same if it were me.”

  Her sister snorted. “If you start talking about marriage, I’ll personally drag you into the nearest hospital.”

  Erin nodded seriously. “Thank you.” She got up and threw her bag on the bed and started unpacking. “Tell me about what’s going on with Nathan.”

  “He makes me happy.” Tess smiled a smile that Erin always thought of as a secret smile although it was blazing and so in-your-face radiating. There was love and happiness in it, but it was also filled with something she couldn’t put her finger on. She had always thought one had to belong to some kind of secret club to be able to fully grasp it.

  Tess went on, “He knows and understands and sees me in a way I never thought possible. From the very beginning it felt as if he could look right through the walls that everybody automatically builds up, I guess, and into me, into my very soul. I know it sounds cheesy to you, but there are no other words for it. It was scary as hell at first.”

  Erin swallowed, not sure what to say. She had never felt what her sister was describing, had never been in love.

  “Nathan is…home for me. He makes me feel safe and yet inspires me to explore and see the world differently. Walking through the woods here is fascinating, walking through them with Nathan is an adventure. And I think life with him will be pretty much the same way. He challenges me, but always seems to know how much I can take.”

  “And they say I have a way with words.”

  “Hey!” Blushing Tess grabbed a pillow and threw it at her. Erin promptly retaliated by throwing the jeans she was holding in her hands, and the fight was on. Minutes later and barely able to breathe, because they were laughing so hard, the sisters fell onto the bed together.

  “I can see that you’re better, Tess. That you’ve found happiness here. And believe me, I can’t tell you how glad I am.” Her sister had struggled and nearly gone out of her mind, restless and haunted by dreams. Remembering how hard it had been to let her sister go, in the hopes that a change in scenery might help, Erin said, “I was so worried, you have no idea.”

  Tess grabbed Erin’s hand as they lay on their sides, facing each other. “I know. But you don’t have to worry anymore.”

  She would never stop, Erin was sure of that, but she knew what her sister tried to say. Her sister wasn’t alone anymore, she had found someone who would take care of her and never let anything happen to her. “Okay,” Erin said, with a small smile,
although she knew she would have to see that for herself.

  FIVE

  The moment Erin closed the door behind her sister, she breathed deeply, and because she was alone for the first time ever since she arrived at Joanne’s B&B this morning, she let her gaze travel lazily through the cabin. There was honey colored logwood nearly everywhere, a modern fireplace built into a stone wall that dominated the living area, a small but beautiful and homey-looking kitchen. All in all the interior was simple and yet lush at the same time. It was enough to appreciate and relax but not overbearingly tacky. Some candles here and there, a bouquet of fresh autumn leaves on the table. Simple beauty. Erin loved it and was sure she would be able to write a lot while she stayed here. That solid wood table in the kitchen was already giving her a lot of ideas.

  For a moment or two Erin debated with herself whether to lie down for an hour or so but in the end she discarded the idea. Seth’s coffee – and only the coffee, she assured herself – was still buzzing through her system. Maybe she would call it an early night today, but for now she would explore a little. After a quick shower she changed into jeans, a light, cream-colored sweater and threw on her navy pea coat before stepping outside, onto the front porch of her cabin.

  Erin knew that she had been driven and blinded by worry earlier that morning and that she hadn’t allowed herself to pay any attention to her surroundings. Now she let the beauty of it all flood her senses and fill her heart.

  The air was fresh and held a cloying sweetness. Golden and bright orange tongues of autumn’s flames climbed up the hillsides, wounding their way around dark and steadfast evergreens. The play of colors glorious. These hills and mountains covered by an endless sky held a deep serenity that swept through Erin, flooring her. She could understand why her sister had fallen in love with this place at first sight. She was already more than halfway there herself, Erin mused.

  But falling in love with a place was something far less dangerous than falling in love with a man.

  Erin wasn’t blind to the changes in her sister and yet she wasn’t quite as sure as her sister to thank a man for them. Love. What was love? As far as Erin was concerned love was nothing more than lust in disguise, a drug that worked hard and fast and clouded the mind, a momentary madness. How many of her friends had ended up with men that weren’t good for them, or doing stuff they would never do, claiming it was all out of love? Erin had no desire to see her baby sister make the same mistake. She sighed as she walked. However, for her sister’s sake she would give the man a chance to prove himself.

  Maybe this place would hold even more surprises for her.

  As if discovering that magic did exist wasn’t enough, Erin silently mused. When she looked up, she noticed her feet had carried her away from the busy cabins and was surprised to find herself at the edge of a small kind of pasture, complete with horses and stables on the side. For one moment she felt as if she had stumbled into an oasis, a secret garden hidden from the rest of the world.

  Erin stepped up and leaned her arms against the wooden fence, a soft smile playing at her lips as she watched two horses facing and nibble at each other. Then she saw Seth emerge out of the shadows of the stables, a gray horse at his side.

  Speaking of surprises. It was safe to say that the arrogant ass had completely thrown her this morning. Looking back she could only shake her head at herself. And at him. No one talked to her that way. Or if they did, then not for long. She had been astounded at how the guy could rub her completely the wrong and the good way at the same time. One moment he infuriated her in a way she wanted nothing more than to strangle him, and then, with merely a glance or one word, he could make her body tremble.

  Frowning she continued to watch him. He was still tall and dark and in control, and yet he was gentle here, his deep voice a soothing balm. Or a whispered caress, that tugged at her somewhere deep inside of her.

  Erin could say with certainty that she had never met a man quite like him. And it thrilled her. Her curiosity was piqued and no matter how aggravating he might be, he was also sexy as hell and pushing all her right buttons at least in that department. Now that she knew that Tess was more or less safe, she was sure that a second round with Seth Hawkins would have a different result. Shaking the soft whisper that warned her to be careful, Erin followed him with her gaze as he approached her. Oh, there was a wolf in him alright, but in the end he was also just a man, which meant he was nothing she couldn’t handle. This was as perfect a time as any to prove it.

  When man and horse were close, Erin held up her hand and let the gray horse get a sniff of her before softly rubbing its velvety head.

  “This is Ghost.”

  “Hey Ghost. How are you?”

  “He’s fine. Got a little spooked by an overeager kid earlier, but he’s alright.” Seth’s eyes flicked to her. “Do you ride?”

  “No. Tried it as a kid, though. Fell off, twice.”

  One eyebrow rose over silver mist. “Never got back on? You don’t seem the type.”

  “The second time the bones needed some time to heal. “ She shrugged, “And then the opportunity never presented itself again.”

  “You seem rather calm and collected for a woman who just found out that she’s a witch and will only ever find fulfillment in a mating with a wolf.”

  “Why should I fight against the inevitable? I know what I saw. My coffee boiled, Tess did some firework-y magic with some flowers in the cabin. I’d rather find out what more there is than waste time arguing it all away. And I’d rather like to see the wolf thing.”

  His voice dropped, a wicked spark in his eyes. “Is that a proposition?”

  She really liked his voice, it did things with her body that other men would need their hands for. Taking him in with her eyes, she wondered why she shouldn’t enjoy him. She was good in keeping it on a physical level - had never allowed anything else actually - and so Erin saw no reason why it could give her trouble now. “Maybe.”

  Heat entered his gaze. “Show me yours and I’ll show you mine.”

  Her voice sounded a little huskier than she liked. “Careful, I might take you up on that offer.”

  “I hope so.”

  SIX

  The next morning Erin woke up softly, slowly to gray morning light filtering through the windows and felt absolutely refreshed and relaxed. She stole a few more moments to stretch and lay there listening to happy birds urging her to get up and tempting her to join them outside. With a smile on her lips she went through the usual morning routine of coffee and shower and then dressed in her favorite black jeans and white shirt. After a look at the sky she grabbed her rain jacket instead of the pea coat before stepping outside.

  The walk to Joanne’s was short but utterly refreshing. The air was cold and damp from the night and fog, and everything seemed still sleepily subdued. So it was a lovely contrast to walk into Joanne’s kitchen and find it buzzing with energy. With magic.

  Joanne was alone at the working island, her hands in a big patch of dough and the air was positively sparkling around her.

  “Morning.”

  Looking up, Joanne smiled. “Morning. Another early riser, I see.”

  Hanging her jacket over the back of a stool, Erin shrugged, “Why waste what we have?” With a nod of her chin towards the dough, she added, “What are you doing?”

  A wicked twinkle filled those incredibly green eyes. “Adding a little extra.”

  “What kind of extra?”

  “A little love.”

  Stunned, not sure whether to just stare open-mouthed or laugh, Erin wondered, “Why and how?”

  “Got a couple who could use a little help.”

  Pouring herself a cup of coffee, Erin raised an inquiring eyebrow. ”I’m intrigued.”

  “She thinks he had an affair, but a little digging on my part revealed that although he did meet another woman behind her back, he never cheated on his wife. When the moment came, he made the right choice. And so I’ll give him a helping hand.”<
br />
  Huh. “So what do you do? Add some love?”

  “Basically, yes.”

  “For real? You just pull it from somewhere and put it in there like any other ingredient?”

  “Yes, why do you look so surprised?”

  “Well…” She frowned and looked into her coffee as if it could hold any answers – though who knew nowadays, maybe it did. “Is love not supposed to be something untouchable, something mysterious that can’t be bottled up?”

  Cocking her head to the side, Joanne stopped working on her dough. Then Tess walked into the kitchen. “Morning everyone.”

  “Morning, honey.” Joanne gave her a warm, broad smile and then her hands began forming smaller balls of dough while she still watched Erin a little too closely for comfort.

  Tess took in the magic sparkling in the air and motioned towards Joanne’s hands, “For the Pearsons?”

  “Yup. And some smaller ones for whoever may need them.”

  Did those witchy green eyes flicker back to her? Erin wasn’t sure, but she knew she would stay clear of whatever Joanne was preparing there.

  “Come here, honey,” Joanne said to Tess and stepped away from the working island. “Give it a try and let your sister get a taste of magic.”

  Tess beamed at the offer and immediately stepped closer.

  “Close your eyes,” Joanne guided her, while Erin watched, curiosity piqued despite it all. “Imagine everything that’s beautiful, that makes your heart hurt with pure joy. Imagine whatever it is you love, imagine Nathan holding you. Let it sweep you away, fill you up and then imagine it flowing out of you and into the dough.”