Part 19 (1/2)
Bleddyn turned and grimaced. ”That's a rather archaic term for the twenty-first century.”
Rhys' entire face crinkled with amus.e.m.e.nt. ”Then why haven't you taken Meredythe to your bed yet?”
The younger man snorted. ”I'm not taking any chances. The seeress said full moon, so I'll wait.”
Still smiling, Rhys said, ”You're reading it too literally, Bleddyn. If she's willing now, the ceremony might be easier for her.”
Bleddyn clenched his teeth. ”I don't plan on having an audience this time, Rhys.”
”Still, under the influence of the moon, you'll be more... savage.”
Bleddyn rose. Hands clasped behind his back, he began pacing the room. ”I know what I'm doing.”
Rhys shrugged. ”If you say so.”
Bleddyn stopped before Rhys. ”Will you be joining us in the main house?”
”No, I'll stay here and leave you two alone. Leave you to your courting, so to speak. Now if I were you,” he added with a grin, ”I'd get back to the kitchen. Keri always had a sweet tooth.”
When Meredythe eventually returned to the kitchen, Bleddyn held a chair out for her and poured her a cup of coffee. The he set a plate full of m.u.f.fins in front of her. ”I managed to get back here before Keri ate more than two of them. How's Shadow?”
Cupping the hot mug in both of her hands, she gulped some coffee and sighed as its warmth began to seep into every crevice of her body. ”He's calmed down. I fed him. I hope you don't mind.” She reached for a m.u.f.fin.
”Not at all. I'm glad he's so taken with you. Would you like some b.u.t.ter?” he asked as he sat down in the chair opposite hers.
”No, I like them just like this.” She took a bite and sighed as sugar and blueberry- and was that really cinnamon?-exploded in her mouth. Closing her eyes, she tilted her head back and sighed.
His eyes locked on the pulse in her throat, Bleddyn swallowed thickly.
Eyes still closed, Meredythe bit into the m.u.f.fin again. She chewed slowly and swallowed. Then she licked the crumbs off her lips-slowly.
”Umm.”
l.u.s.t pounding through his veins, Bleddyn abruptly shoved himself away from the table, his chair sc.r.a.ping along the floor then tipping precariously on two legs. In seconds he was at her side, fists clenched on his thighs as he struggled with himself. More than anything he wanted to drag her into his arms and carry her to his bed. After a short but fierce struggle, he conquered his l.u.s.t.
Meredythe opened her eyes and stopped breathing.
His eyes were soft and compelling. Dampened pa.s.sion simmered in them.
”Thank you,” he murmured.
She drew a shaky breath. ”For what?”
Leaning closer, his eyes on her lips, he said, ”Shadow. You've broken through his wall of fear. We'll be able to save him now.”
Bracing his left hand on the table, he reached over and cupped the back of her head with his right. Eyes never leaving hers, he lowered his mouth to hers. He kept his eyes open and watched her expression as he nibbled her lips.
After her initial start of surprise, she relaxed and her mouth softened under his. His lips teased, t.i.tillated, tempted. He kept a tight rein on his l.u.s.t when she relaxed with a sigh, closed her eyes and leaned into him. Her lips moved against his, tentatively at first, then with more confidence. Her hands rose and rested lightly on his chest, her fingers grasping onto his s.h.i.+rt.
When her tongue touched his lips, Bleddyn groaned, tore himself free and fled to the door. ”I'm going to feed the wolves. Then I'm going to pull your car out of that ditch. I have a tractor. I'll put the car in my garage then. There's plenty of room for it. Send Keri if you need anything.” Then he was gone.
Meredythe s.h.i.+vered and took a deep breath. Compared to the first kiss he taken from her in the break room, this one was so much more... selfless.
Get a hold of yourself, Meredythe. It was just a kiss. A simple kiss. Rising, she refilled her coffee mug. Then she grabbed the plate of m.u.f.fins and headed toward the staircase. If he was going to pull her car out, she had at least a couple uninterrupted hours to work. Maybe she could find something interesting on his computer.
Keri raised her head and followed her out of the kitchen, her eyes locked on the m.u.f.fins. Meredythe smiled down at her. Then she snorted, remembering the last thing Bleddyn had said. Send Keri if she needed anything.
Meredythe shook her head. Yeah, like a wolf could understand what she said and then manage to tell Bleddyn.
Slade stood before the neat white house with the green Wiccan symbols painted on the siding. He flinched at the charms, but they didn't deter him as he walked up the steps and rang the doorbell. He waited impatiently, cringing every time one of the chimes tinkled, shuddering when the phalluses bonged, cursing impotently when no one answered the door.
He'd just raised his fist to pound on the door when it was jerked open by a small, disheveled, gray-haired woman with a dazed expression. She blinked a few times then plastered a wide smile on her face.
”Good morning. I'm so sorry it took me so long to answer the door, but I'm brewing a new love potion and I couldn't leave it. I'm Evelyn Woods,” she continued, sticking out her hand. ”What can I do for you?”
Slade's smile was more of a grimace, but he engulfed her small hand in his huge paw and shook it as gently as he could. If she thought she was a witch and could brew love potions... well, she was obviously half mad. But she was the only lead to the girl he had.
”I'm here to see Meredythe Welsh. I... I went to college with her. Since I was in town, I thought I'd look her up.”
The old woman's smile became brighter as she tugged his hand gently and pulled him through the door. ”You're one of Meredythe's old college friends? How wonderful! I'm her Aunt Evie. Please come in, come in. Do you like pumpkin pie? I just baked two yesterday and I'll just bet it's the best pumpkin pie you've ever eaten.”
”Ah, no thank you, Mrs. Woods. I'd just like to see Meredythe.” He tried to get his hand back, but somehow the old woman steered him into her kitchen and had him sitting at the table with a piece of pie in front of him before he knew what happened.
The old woman positively beamed. ”You must call me Aunt Evie. All of Meredythe' s friends call me Aunt Evie. I'm sorry, but she's not home right now.”
He ignored the pie. ”When will she be home?” he asked eagerly. This foolish old woman would hand the girl to him without even knowing what she was doing.
At that moment, the back door creaked and a cat minced her way across the floor then jumped up onto the kitchen counter. Slade swallowed nervously as he stared into her green eyes. A cat! He shuddered internally and unconsciously stroked the scars on the back of his left hand. How he hated cats.
”Do you always let your cat on your kitchen counter?” he choked out.
The old woman started and looked at the cat as if she hadn't noticed her before. ”Jezebel. What are you doing here? Mary Francis will be in a tizzy if she can't find you.” She turned back to Slade. ”I'm sorry, but Jezebel isn't mine.” Then she brightened. ”But I do have a cat.” Turning, she scuttled over to the back staircase and called, ”Methuselah? Methuuuuuuuselah? Where are you, dear? There's a man here who would like to meet you.”
Slade clamped his mouth shut on the explosion of anger rolling through his throat. Not another cat! d.a.m.n this idiotic old woman.
Jaws clenched, he clutched the edge of the table, s.h.i.+fted in his chair and growled, ”No, Mrs. Woods, please. Could you just tell me when Meredythe will be home?”
The back door slammed and a scratchy voice flowed into the room. ”Evelyn, have you seen Jezebel? She's gotten out again.”
All the blood drained from Slade's face when the nun walked into the kitchen. His chair clattered to the floor as he catapulted out of it. ”I really have to leave, Mrs. Woods. I just remembered an appointment. I'll come back to see Meredythe another time.”
”Evie,” the nun continued in her scratchy voice, ”didn't you tell me Meredythe went to Chicago?”
The aunt's hands fluttered about her face and chest like b.u.t.terfly wings. Slade's eyes followed their movements. The scents of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger drifted toward him and seemed to settle around his shoulders, confusing his senses.