Before I could respond, he whipped out his silver blade and slashed the rune in half. Its twin burned hotly for a second and then faded into a pale white scar.
The connection was broken.
Breathing heavily, he wiped a hand over his eyes and refused to look at me as he wiped my blood from the blade and jammed it into its sheath with a metallic hiss.
“Which one of you plans to explain this to Sean?”
Neither of us heard him come into the room. Dec stood with arms crossed in the doorway. His expression said he’d heard most of the conversation, and judging by the resignation in his eyes, he wasn’t shocked. What did he know?
“Dec, you know this is for her own good. She can’t be tied to both of us. It would be a disaster.” His face softened only slightly and he said to me, “It had to be done. I won’t watch my power destroy you.”
Dec seemed much older as he watched my face while I cradled the rune to my chest. It was still bleeding but I didn’t care. I was in shock over what just happened.
Mute, I stared at Killian’s eyes and wondered what was behind them. What was he thinking? Didn’t I used to know?
Why couldn’t I see now?
I felt oddly adrift as if I’d been cut away from a dock and left without a rudder. I tried to clear my mind and look for him but he wasn’t there.
Where did you go?
Don’t look for me. I won’t let you in.
I don’t understand…what’s going on?
I don’t love you, Mica.
You’re lying.
After that silent exchange, I lifted my chin and said, “Don’t disappear like you always do. The least you can do is open your Christmas present.” I got up to get it and he started to protest.
Dec laid a hand on his arm and ordered in a deadly voice, “Stay here. It’s the least you can do for her.” Under his breath, I thought I heard him say, “I hate this.”
By the time I’d gotten back to the living room, I’d put a Band-Aid on my hand and washed my face. I looked perfectly happy as I made my entrance. With a forced show of Christmas spirit, I sat a tiny wrapped box in front of Killian. I had painted the wrapping paper myself earlier in the year. Each box was unique according my visions of them. Killian’s was covered with tiny white-capped waves cresting in a brilliant blue sea.
He frowned at it.
“You’ve known me for how long now? You should be used to me giving you a present for Christmas. Don’t look so angry about it.” I tried to keep a light tone, but it sounded flat even to me. Dec hissed with frustration and got up to pace.
Instead of opening the box, Killian balanced it on his palm and said quietly, “I don’t deserve this, Princess. Save your thoughtfulness for the others.”
That hurt. Suddenly I was furious at him and snapped, “Who do you think you are? Who are you to tell me who to care about? Am I too stupid to know who’s good and who’s bad now?”
I jabbed a finger towards him and glared at Dec. “You two idiots saved my life more times than I can count. And you want to tell me that you don’t deserve a stupid Christmas present?”
He flinched at the intensity in my voice and possibly the white light that caught fire behind my eyes.
Ever the peacemaker, Dec reached out a calming hand and said, “We don’t think you’re stupid. You’re family! I’d throw myself in front of a bus for you. I think Killian’s just trying to take a step back and…I think he’s right.” They exchanged a look that spoke volumes. “You can’t be tied to him and Sean both. It’s a disaster waiting to happen.”
“What aren’t you guys telling me? Why do I feel like I’m missing something?” My voice climbed several decibels.
Killian frowned and said, “I’m really fucking this up.”
For the first time ever, he was at a loss for words and Dec took over. Dec said, “Look, I know what happened between you two was unexpected, and I don’t blame either of you for it, but once we got Sean back it had to end. We all know that.”
“I heard what you just said, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I was drawing a blank. “Are we still talking about the runes?”
Dec whipped around and glared at Killian for several minutes. Killian’s scowl grew deeper and he flushed with anger. Dec threw up his hands and said sarcastically, “Well, that explains a lot.”
To me, he said between clenched teeth, “Yeah, the rune had to go.” He looked like he wanted to shove Killian’s teeth down his throat.
“Uh, okay. You two are keeping secrets from me--again. I'm too tired to argue about it right now. Will you please just open your present?”
Killian actually smiled a little when he lifted the pendant out of the box. It was a tiny teardrop-shaped glass pendant wrapped in beaten gold braiding. I thought it looked very pagan or at least rustic. The glass was as close as I could get to the color of his eyes. It hung on a thin braided chain of leather with one strand of gold running through it. There were three strands of leather and one strand of gold. I thought it was very symbolic. I had asked the angels to bless it and I hoped they did. Although no one had popped down to tell me they had.
“Do you like it? I made it myself.”
Gruffly, he answered, “It’s great. I don’t know what to say.”
Delighted, I said, “Don’t say anything. Just wear it. It’ll keep you safe.” I came around behind him and closed the clasp. My fingers grazed the fine hair at the nape of his neck, and I had a vivid image of kissing that spot. I froze just as my lips pressed against his skin and he jumped. I backed away from him and into Dec.
“Wow, I don’t know why I just did that. Um, Christmas kiss?”
Holy shit! What was I thinking?
Kissing Killian wasn’t right! But it didn’t feel exactly wrong either. I made a mad dash for the kitchen to cover my embarrassment. I took a few minutes to get us all something to drink and was on my way back into the room when I heard Dec’s voice. He was giving Killian a hard time. It’s wrong to eavesdrop, especially around supernatural beings, but I couldn’t help myself.
“This is going to get worse, you know! You underestimated the strength of her mind.” His warning had an ominous ring to it.
“Damn it! Don’t you think I know that now? I just wanted to shield her. With the added influence of the runes, it would tear her apart. There was too much connecting us, Dec. I had to cut her loose.”
“Yeah, good work! Better late than never, I guess. Do you know how angry she is right now? She doesn’t even understand why she’s angry, but that anger is influencing her powers and that’s scaring her to death. She has got to understand the source of her anger so she can get control of these powers. Do you know why she’s angry? It’s because of you.”
“What are you getting at?” Killian asked tiredly.
Before he could answer, the sound of the garage door announced that Sean was back. Thank God. My brain needed something uncomplicated to focus on. I met him in the kitchen just as he came through the side door. His expression was unguarded as he entered the room. He looked tired but other than that, not especially upset. Good sign.
Wrapping my arms around him, I said with a smile, “Merry Christmas!”
“Isn’t it early for that still? It’s not that late, is it?” He sounded a little distracted but hugged me back. “Are you okay?” He glanced down at my leg.
“I’m fine now, just a little ache in my shin. I’m so glad to see you! Did you find James and Dani? Are you freezing?”
He raised an eyebrow at the question. Of course, he’s not freezing! Duh! “Uh, no, I’m fine. But I’ll grab a beer and fill you in. Is that Killian?” Voices were drifting into the room, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. Sean would be able to though.
I yelled a warning. “Killian, Dec! Sean’s back.” Then I followed him into the living room.
“So, what happened?” I prodded.
His mouth twisted into a sardonic smile and he complained around the bottle top. “It w
as a wild goose chase. I never saw Dani and I followed James from one point to another but he never stayed long enough for me to grab him. It’s like a freakin’ game to him.” He drained the bottle and added, “I’m going to strangle him when I finally catch him.” He said it lightly, but there was an underlying resolve that raised goose bumps on my arms.
“I’m still worried about Dani. What does he want with her?”
It was Dec who answered me. “There’s only one way to find out.”
Rolling my eyes, I caved. “I’ll bite. How do we find out?”
Sean winked at me. “Ask him, of course.”
Ignoring their silliness, I sent Dani a text message and worried some more. I sat lost in thought until someone turned on the stereo and “Silent Night” broke the silent night. I hadn’t noticed but the sun had set and it was dark outside. Except for a bright glowing light…
With a whoop of complete abandon, I skidded through the hallway and out the front door to the winter wonderland that the window only hinted at. Turning around in a circle I was enthralled by the transformation. Some elves had hung white lights from the porch and the little pine trees around the house. There was a golden angel with a lighted halo on the front door. The plastic angel was so cheesy it brought tears to my eyes. It was such a sweet gesture though and my heart nearly burst with joy.
I loved my elves!
“You’ve a glory of a smile, love.” Sean’s smile was brighter than the lights when he crossed to my side. “Merry Christmas, Mica.” He kissed me and I thought I’d never be happier.
I looked for Dec and Killian, but they were standing on the porch giving us some space. Both laughed at me when I broke away from Sean and threw myself down to make a snow angel.
“Come on! You know you want to!” I challenged.
When they resisted, I threw snowballs at them. Eventually, they had to fight back and chased me around the yard. Dec finally tackled me and shoved a handful of snow down the back of my neck. Screaming with the cold, I broke into helpless giggles when he rubbed more snow in my face. He stopped when Sean and Killian squatted on either side of me and began discussing the best way to turn him into a snow angel for torturing me.
Finding the idea of any of them turning into a snow angel hilarious, I broke into fresh giggles until I had to stop to breathe. Then I thought about the old saying about eating yellow snow and broke into giggles again.
Killian held out a hand and pulled me up. “You look happy, Princess.” He actually gave me a very chaste kiss on the cheek and added, “You deserve some fun. Merry Christmas.”
“Wait! Are you leaving?”
He stopped and turned back.
“Now?”
“I have things to do, babe.” He shrugged casually at that.
“But…” I glanced at Sean for help. “You can’t go now. It’s Christmas Eve. Tomorrow’s Christmas!”
He hesitated but his mind was made up. He shook his head and said, “This is your holiday, remember? It’s not mine. You have a full day tomorrow anyway. You won’t even be here.”
“Yeah, but…”
I had nothing to say that would convince him to stay. He was old enough to make up his mind and do whatever he wanted on Christmas. It wasn’t up to me to tell him what to do. I just didn’t want to think of Killian alone on Christmas. It made me sad to think of him alone.
“But you’ll be alone.”
He grinned wickedly and said, “Maybe I’ll have Lara keep me company.”
Chapter 19: Many Kinds of Gifts
I AWOKE SLOWLY out of a dream in the darkness right before dawn. With one arm under my cheek and the other tucked into his side, I was curled against a very warm Sean. Peering up at his face, I was surprised to find his eyes open and staring at the ceiling. Noticing the change in my breathing, he looked down at me and his mouth curled into a sleepy smile. Shifting positions, he tucked me back against him and sighed contentedly. Neither of us wanted to get up, and I dozed off again. The dream gradually took shape as my mind drifted into unconsciousness once more.
I was walking along a rocky coast with the sun rising behind me. My shadow was long and thin as it stretched out across the grass. The waves lapped gently against the shore below me and I breathed in the salty air. It was peaceful and lovely here. A person perched at the edge of the cliff in front of me. As the light grew brighter, I recognized the curve of a woman’s body. She turned around and proudly held up a small baby wrapped in a blanket. The baby’s blue eyes regarded me with curiosity and my heart contracted in recognition. The woman smiled serenely at me and told me I was very lucky because the baby was perfect.
The woman was me.
“Hey you, wake up. You’re dreaming.” Sean’s voice was warm and mellow in my ear. He hooked a finger into my bodice and peered interestedly into my nightgown. I felt him smile against my shoulder and smiled in response.
“It was a good dream. Do you want to hear it?” I asked softly enjoying the warmth of his skin sliding against mine.
He rubbed his scratchy chin against my shoulder as a ‘yes.’ I pulled his fingers into mine and kissed them. I murmured happily, “I had a baby and it was beautiful.”
“Did you happen to see the father?” His laughter abruptly turned into a whoosh of air when my elbow connected to his diaphragm. “I’m kidding! Really!” He was still laughing.
Leaning over him with a pillow, I threatened, “You might get smacked with this if you crack another joke like that!” I tried to keep a straight face, but couldn’t help laughing too.
“Okay, okay. You win. No more unwed-mother jokes.” He yanked the pillow away from me, pinned my hands to my side and said seriously, “You’ll be a great mother, love. You’re a natural.” With a sexy grin, he suggested, “Shall we practice the baby-making part? Maybe if I get this part right, you’ll let me be the father.”
As the sun rose on another Christmas, I sent a grateful prayer to God and his angels. If ever a life was perfect, mine was. With Sean’s fingers linked through mine, I closed my eyes and let his timeless magic sweep me away.
A knock at the door woke me up for the third time this morning. I sat up and nudged Sean, who was sleeping like the dead. Instantly alert, he sat up and scanned the room for intruders. I smothered a grin at his fierce expression and he frowned at me. The knock came again and this time Dec yelled through the door.
“Hey! It’s late. Don’t we have to be there in, like, 10 minutes? It’s 9:15.”
We were so late! My dad was going to kill us. Bounding out of bed, I did a drive-by shower and yanked my hair into a clip. While slapping on some mascara so I wouldn’t scare any small children, I realized I’d need a turtleneck to cover the tiny bruises on my neck. I went weak in the knees when the vivid image of exactly how I got them flashed in my head. Mm, I so wanted to go back to bed…I think my eyes actually rolled back in my head.
“Can I come in or are you planning to daydream all morning?” Sean’s amused tone matched his grin as he watched my face in the mirror.
I made him laugh out loud when I pulled him against me and kissed him. By the time I let him up for air, I was visibly glowing around my fingertips.
“Sweetheart, if you do that again, we’re skipping Christmas!” Shoving me out of the bathroom, he said, “Finish getting ready so your parents don’t kill us.”
A few minutes later, we were in the car heading down the snowy road. Dec was still chuckling every few seconds and I turned around and gave him a dirty look.
“Do you mind?”
Throwing his hands up, he said, “Don’t yell at me! I’m not the one who’s glowing.” He playfully smacked me on the head and scolded me, “I thought you had that under control? Wait a minute. You did.” Peering intently into my eyes, he said, “You’re letting your control slip again. What’s in your head that caused you to let your guard down?”
I flushed scarlet and glanced guiltily at Sean. Sean, the jerk, just smirked and winked at Dec.
Decidi
ng that honesty was the best policy, I said, “Sean is in my head, Dec. I woke up this morning and realized my life is perfect. Besides the fact that I love him, something crazy happens when he touches me.” Both of their mouths dropped open at that. Dec flushed and looked away from me with a sound of dismissal.
Enjoying embarrassing him, I continued in a seductive tone, “His mouth, his hands, his scent consume me until I can’t think of anything else.” I leaned over and kissed Sean on the cheek. “Do you want to pull over?”
Bursting into laughter, he nearly swerved off the road. I yelped and grabbed for the armrest. He was still grinning at me when we pulled into my parents’ driveway. Jumping out, I pulled Dec over and told him to stop scowling. He tried to resist but scowling was against his nature, and by the time we got to the door, he was smiling again. Domino ran ahead of us and barked for admission.
It was Trevor who met us at the door. His eyes were a little unfocused as the Christmas morning sugar rush had already kicked in. Chattering like a squirrel, he led us into the den. The whole family was sitting in there with the tree and a mountain of wrapped presents. Dad and Janet rose to greet us and fussed over our lateness. I smothered a snarky comment at my dad’s traditional Santa sweatshirt. This one showed Santa drinking a beer though, so it was a step closer to cool. As soon as he caught sight of the guys, he pulled the furry Santa hat off his head though. Guess he knew that was WAY not cool!
Dad raised a paternal eyebrow at Sean and Dec. “I see you’re still hanging around. Well, come on in and make yourselves comfortable. This usually takes a while.” He waved a nonchalant hand in the general direction of the mountain of presents.
Janet spoke up. “Honey, that’s no way to greet Sean. Where are your manners?” She gave both Sean and Dec a light hug and a kiss on the cheek as a greeting. “Why haven’t we met you before?” She addressed Dec with a warm smile and assessing eyes. Women just couldn’t resist him. He was yummy to women of every age. I resisted the urge to grin.
“Oh, I’m sorry! Janet, Dad, this is Sean’s brother, Declan. He shares the house with us.”
The Lost Soul Trilogy (Primani Book 5) Page 52