“Hey, Robyn,” he said almost sheepishly.
“Glad you could make it,” I said. “There are hotdogs and other snacks on the table.”
I pointed over my shoulder with my thumb, and Evan took a step toward the food before freezing in place. When I heard Devlin’s voice over my shoulder, I knew what had stopped my friend. I turned to watch the encounter, afraid of what might happen should Evan be the villain Devlin sought. Suddenly, my palms grew clammy and my heart kicked up its pace. Would Devlin make a scene here on the beach, in front of all the Earth Bound members?
“Devlin O’Brolaigh,” the Lorehnin man said, stretching out a hand to take Evan’s.
Evan shook it weakly, his skin seeming to pale even further.
Devlin held onto Evan’s hand for far longer than what was considered polite and when he finally retracted it his fingers curled into a fist. I shot my eyes up to his, but his gaze was trained on Evan, who was now skirting around the shirtless, Otherworldly warrior like a nervous cat. Once out of Devlin’s reach, Evan all but sprinted to the table weighed down with food. Although he took up a friendly conversation with Claire and her boyfriend, his eyes kept darting away to study Devlin.
Finally getting over my bout of gawking, I sidled up next to Devlin and whispered, “Well?”
He glanced down at me, one eyebrow quirked in question.
“I assume the reason you shook his hand for so long was to give your magic a chance to investigate.”
Devlin gave a small smile and reached for the extra jacket he’d brought with him. After shrugging it on and zipping it up, he murmured, “Very clever observation, Robyn.”
I opened my mouth to ask him more, but at that moment he froze beside me, his face growing stony and his gaze drifting off to the parking lot. When Devlin didn’t move, I turned, following his gaze. A tall, dark-haired man and woman stepped gracefully from a red luxury sedan, their clothing clearly purchased from a high-end store. I didn’t need to wait for them to get close enough to see their faces. Moira and her brother Mikael belonged to a rare breed of human, seemingly born with natural beauty and perfect posture. I glanced down at my own attire, my jean shorts and the lower half of my hoodie still wet from my run through the surf. Even if I had the budget to afford name brand clothes, I would never be as stunning as Moira. Frowning, I slapped away that pointless thought.
Since when have you cared about being poised and perky? I asked myself.
Wanting to get out of my own head, I turned to talk to Devlin but found his eyes still trained on Moira and her brother.
A tiny prick of something irritating jabbed at me. It took me a moment to realize what it was: jealousy. Good god, what the hell was wrong with me?
Clearing my throat, I gave a small laugh as my co-worker and her hot brother closed the gap and came to stand before us. Moira seemed taller than usual, and I discovered why when I glanced down at her feet. Honestly, who wore heels to the beach?!
Of course, that question was answered when she shifted her weight, the movement showing off her well-toned legs and making Devlin take notice.
Before I turned into some mindless she-devil, I took a breath and said, “Moira! So glad you and your brother could make it.”
Gradually, I introduced them all around, most of the girls naturally becoming fixated on the glorious male figure standing before them. Only this time it was Mikael who captured their attention.
As her brother started up a conversation with three of the other girls, Moira pulled me away from Devlin and hissed, “Oh my god, is that your boyfriend?”
My head jerked in Devlin’s direction, but he was too busy watching Mikael. For some reason, his gaze at that moment reminded me of the faelah that attacked us behind the cafe.
Forcing down a shudder, I swallowed and looked back at Moira. Her eyes looked hopeful.
“Uh, no, he’s not my boyfriend.”
She immediately relaxed. “Then you won’t mind if I give him a try?”
I bristled at that. Devlin wasn’t my boyfriend, but something about her tone of voice and the strange light in her eyes made me edgy. However, I couldn’t tell her that I did mind because what excuse did I have?
Shrugging, I said, “Sure, but he’s really busy with work and school, so I don’t know if he has time for a love life.”
I grimaced. I didn’t know that for certain. But if Moira hadn’t already been on my radar as someone to steer clear of in the romance department, her predatory smile at that very moment would have been a huge warning sign.
She squealed and gave me a hug, lifting me up off the ground as if I were a rag doll. My dislike of the girl was growing by the minute.
“Oh, I’m not worried about that,” she crowed with a mischievous grin. “No male alive can resist my charms.” She sashayed over toward the boys, flipping her hair and hiking her skirt farther up her thighs. I fought the urge to vomit into the empty fire pit behind me.
To distract myself from Moira’s blatant flirting, I joined Evan on the far side of the bonfire. He must not have seen me coming because when I spoke his name he jumped.
“Whoa, you okay? I know it’s Samhain and all but I think we’ll be safe from the Otherworldly beasts this close to the fire.”
I chuckled, not only to reassure Evan but also to keep the bubble of hysteria from overtaking me because I was pretty certain if said Otherworldly beasts wanted to maul us to death, nothing short of a Faelorehn man with a sword could stop them. And of course, that thought made me glance up at Devlin. Moira had her hand on his shoulder, her long fingers trailing down his arm as she leaned in to say something in his ear. But Devlin didn't seem to care what she had to say. In fact, he didn't seem to notice her at all. His eyes were fixed on me, the blue irises like ice. Suddenly I felt like the mouse cornered by the cat. That was the look of murder on his face, and I was beginning to wonder what I had done to piss him off, or what he had discovered after shaking Evan’s hand.
Batting away my unease, I kept my gaze on Devlin as I said over my shoulder, “Hey, Evan, want to go for a walk?” I needed an excuse to get away from him and this circle of hormonal girls, and a stroll with Evan was just the thing. Besides, it wouldn’t hurt to talk to my classmate about what had happened Halloween night. He might not be comfortable discussing his strange behavior, but I would find a way to get it out of him.
When Evan didn’t answer me right away, I glanced over my shoulder, only to catch sight of his wide eyes. Nighttime had completely descended, but the firelight offered enough brightness for me to read the expression there: fear. Evan looked terrified. Yes, a walk would be good.
Before I could ask what was wrong, however, a smooth, rich voice said, “I’m afraid your friend looks a little under the weather. Would you accept a substitute?”
How Mikael had snuck up on us without my noticing was beyond me. Perhaps I’d been a little more distracted by the whole Devlin-Moira debacle than I’d like to admit.
“Uhhh . . .” was my articulate answer.
“I won’t bite,” he said with a wink, flashing me his bright teeth. For a split second I pictured Mikael as a vampire again, trying to seduce me off into a dark place where he could drain my blood. I gave an internal snort of laughter. Perhaps I should point him in Sophie’s direction.
“All right,” I said, crossing my arms and stretching to my full height. I would never be as tall as his sister, even if I managed to find the highest pair of heels on the planet, but I’d do my best.
“I think you should probably have a seat for a while, get something to eat,” he said to Evan.
Without a word, Evan sank down onto the splinter-infested bench beside the fire and grabbed a handful of potato chips. He proceeded to eat them mechanically, as if someone else’s brain was doing his thinking for him. Odd.
“Shall we, Miss Dunbarre?” Mikael asked, stretching out an arm in the direction of the shore a few dozen yards away.
Taking a deep breath and resisting the urge to glance back a
t Devlin, I stepped forward, the orange glow of the firelight fading away as we marched into the darkness. Soon, the cheerful chatter of the Earth Bound members was overtaken by the rush of the water. The wet sand stuck to my bare feet and I tucked my hands under my armpits, trying to keep warm. My mind finally started to relax, my thoughts and concerns melting away.
“The perfect night for a stroll along the beach with a pretty girl, wouldn’t you agree?”
Mikael’s voice cut through the fog in my mind and I didn’t quite catch what he said.
“Pardon?”
He paused, his hands tucked casually in his pockets. “I was just commenting on the beautiful evening and the similarly lovely company.”
“Oh,” was my brilliant reply.
Taking a breath, I turned and gazed down the shore toward the pier, standing like the skeleton of a huge, beached sea serpent in the distance.
Not entirely comfortable with the silence that hung between us, I said, “So, why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself. Moira never really talks about you at work.”
“What would you like to know?”
“How about you tell me more about your job and why you came to America.”
Mikael nodded as we continued onward.
“When I graduated from University a few years ago, there weren’t too many job opportunities at home. Moira was already looking to go to school out here, so I thought I’d try my luck in California.”
His smooth voice had the same lulling effect as the crashing waves beside us and I had an overwhelming urge to lean into him.
“And how do you like it here on the Central Coast?” I asked, strolling closer to the water and putting a little distance between us. “Not really the hub of excitement. I mean, compared to Los Angeles or San Francisco.”
“San Luis Obispo is comfortably situated between the two locations, close enough for me to drive or fly in for the weekend, but far enough away that the press of the city doesn’t grow too overwhelming.”
As we walked, Mikael spoke of a childhood running wild through the rolling hills of Wales. From the way he described it, I imagined a place of magic and mysticism, very much how I pictured the Otherworld. And of course thinking about the Otherworld reminded me of Devlin back at the fire pit with Moira. Mikael and I had been gone long enough.
“Maybe we should start heading back,” I suggested as we passed under the pier.
“Very well,” Mikael murmured.
I turned to retrace our steps, but a sudden, firm grip on my wrist halted me. Mikael had grabbed me.
“What the hell?” I demanded, my tone angry.
“I’m sorry, Robyn,” he whispered, “but I’ve been wanting to do this since I first met you.”
Before I could puzzle out what he was talking about, he pulled me close and lowered his head, pressing his lips to mine. My eyes flew open in shock but I couldn’t really see anything within the pitch-black shadows cast by the pier. The kiss started out as an aggressive impulse but soon Mikael’s lips were softening against mine, lingering and learning the shape of my mouth. I didn’t quite give in to him, but I didn’t resist either. Despite the anger and outrage I could feel brewing beneath my bewilderment, some outside force was propelling me to ignore my desire to fight Mikael’s advances.
Of their own volition, my hands shot up and my fingers tangled with Mikael’s hair. He groaned and mimicked my actions, pulling me in closer. This wasn’t what I really wanted, at least not with this particular man. What about Devlin? Wasn’t it his touch I craved? Who cares! a wild, unfamiliar voice crooned. Just enjoy this moment and forget about everything else. And like a hapless audience member under a hypnotist’s control, I obeyed. I felt my rationality drift away and forgot about everything else as Mikael trailed his fingers down my back, bringing his hands to rest at my hips. His grip tightened and a little bit of that helplessness evaporated. A tiny prick of warning grew beside my heart. This was wrong, something was off, but I simply couldn’t pull away from Mikael. And then a strange numbness gathered in my hands and spread out to each finger and up my arms.
Before I knew what was happening, a searing blast of pain, like static electricity on steroids, jolted through my fingertips, causing Mikael to shout and tear away from me. He staggered up against one of the pylons, grasping the sides of his head in his hands. I glanced down at my own fingers, studying them in the dark and trying to puzzle out what on Earth had just happened.
A curse in an unfamiliar language, Welsh probably, broke me from the odd spell.
“What the hell was that?” I fumbled as I tried to catch my breath. Now that there was some space between Mikael and me, the anger from earlier was coming back. That bastard had just forced himself on me.
I glared up at him, ready to give him a tongue-lashing that would leave welts on his skin, but I hesitated when Mikael lowered his hands and slowly lifted his head. He was looking right at me. I couldn’t see in the dark, but I knew his eyes bore through me. I could feel them piercing my skin.
Finally, Mikael said in a low, dangerous voice, “Probably just some static electricity.”
Okay, not the answer I’d been seeking, but something told me not to push it. As much as I wanted to tell him off for what he had just done, something told me that remaining alone in the dark with him was a bad idea. Besides, whatever had happened to force him away from me, that powerful shock, was not a case of static electricity. If that wasn’t enough to rattle me, then the strange feeling of subjection during the whole interchange was. I might be impulsive at times, but never to the point where I felt completely out of control.
I cleared my throat, took a deep breath and said, “Maybe we should head back.”
“Yes, perhaps we should,” he added, his voice hard and clipped.
Mikael reached out a hand, trying to touch my hair. Oh no, no more of that. I’d had enough physical contact with this man for one evening. I pulled away and started to head north up the beach. I could detect Mikael behind me, and even with my lingering irritation at his brashness, the man’s aura reached out and caressed my senses, there was no doubt about it. But something, perhaps some primitive instinct, was running around in my mind, slamming pots together to get my attention. Maybe if it wasn’t making so much noise I could figure out what it was trying to warn me against.
I need some time to think about this, away from Mikael. Someplace where I can clear my mind, I told myself.
Mikael didn’t say a word to me the entire walk back, and I all but sprinted the last several yards once my other friends were in sight. I hardly had any time to catch my breath because the moment I stepped into the ring of firelight Devlin appeared by my side, taking hold of my arm with a grip so tight I gasped.
“We need to leave. Now,” he growled into my ear.
I was starting to figure out that when Devlin was in this particular mood, I should listen to him. Nevertheless, I angled my head back and glared at him. I was about to tell him to let go of my arm in a very unladylike way when I caught the look on his face. He wasn’t focused on me, but on Mikael, and those blue eyes were murderous. The tension in his relentless grip made sense now. Something about Moira’s brother had him struggling to keep his cool. Too bad my arm had to suffer for it.
Mustering a halfway decent smile, I yanked my arm free of his hold. Fortunately, Devlin got the hint and resorted to clenching his fist at his side instead. I cleared my throat and announced, “Well, we’re going to head off. Devlin has to be at work early in the morning, and I’m his ride.”
All those present made their disappointment known, Moira the most boisterous of all. As we left the group behind I gave Mikael one quick glance. His eyes looked almost black in the firelight but they burned with the same intensity as the sun. Despite my slight apprehension at his now black mood, I returned his look with equal spite. Screw you, Pretty Boy, I wanted to say as I turned my back on him.
By the time Devlin and I crammed ourselves into my car, I had recovered a littl
e from my strange encounter with Mikael. I wanted to take a few minutes to figure out what his behavior had meant, but the loud click of Devlin fastening his seatbelt distracted me. I glanced at the passenger seat only to find him staring through the windshield with a gaze strong enough to melt glass.
He took a breath and said, “It’s not your friend Evan.”
His comment caught me off guard. With Mikael’s kiss still taking up most of the space in my head, I’d forgotten all about the purpose of Devlin’s presence tonight. When my mind settled a little I blurted, “You mean, he’s not the one you’re looking for?”
He didn’t answer me yes or no. Instead he murmured, “I can tell you that Evan is not an immediate threat.”
I felt myself relax at that. Oh, thank the gods. I was by no means really close to Evan, but despite his oddities, he was a good person, and I’d hate to think he was caught up in all of this.
Devlin continued, “He is far too weak to be the leader of some grand scheme.”
I frowned, wondering what he wasn’t telling me.
“However,” he added quietly, “I found out a few other things as well.”
“Oh yeah? Like what?” I jammed the key into the ignition and turned it, the engine sputtering a little before finally roaring to life.
“Your friends, Moira and Mikael, are Faelorehn. And I think Mikael is the Daramorr.”
-Thirteen-
Accusation
Thank the Celtic gods I hadn’t taken the car out of park or we may have collided with oncoming traffic. The sudden bluntness of Devlin’s statement stunned me at first, but once the shock wore off the truth hardly surprised me at all. So, Moira and Mikael were from the Otherworld. It all made sense now, what with their tall stature and unearthly beauty. And the weird fog that seemed to envelope my brain whenever they were around. Was that why I hadn’t come to the conclusion on my own? Had they been manipulating me with their glamour so that I wouldn’t recognize them for what they truly were? Of course they had. It explained the weird vibe from Moira and why I thought her eyes looked different in the brighter light. Ugh, I’d been a complete idiot.
Lorehnin: A Novel of the Otherworld Page 15