you’re immortal.”
He shouldn’t have been surprised, but he was. “How do you know?”
She turned, facing him. “A druid’s connection with nature is not only with the plants and trees, it is much more than that; it is also with animals as well. You share the spirit of the wolf, do you not?”
Interesting. Did she know what Ava was to him? “Well, yes, but, ah—”
“Relax, Lucas. I know Ava’s your life mate. I could sense it the second you entered the house.” She moved toward the refrigerator. “How long are you going to wait to tell her?”
After rummaging around in the fridge, she returned to the stove with some fresh vegetables. This particular question was one he had asked himself from the first day he met her.
“I don’t know. I thought that after she found out what she was, she might take it better, but it’s a lot for her to process right now.”
Belinda looked up from slicing cucumbers. “You’re worried about the full moon, aren’t you? You fear that you won’t be able to control yourself with her.”
He nodded, not meeting her gaze. ‘Worried’ didn’t cover it. How could he help Ava when he didn’t dare go near her at that time? If he simply left, she’d never understand.
“Lucas, you have to tell her, or else she will be vulnerable and unprepared when you come for her. You know you won’t have a choice. Your instinct will be to mark her,” she added.
“I know,” he said, meeting her eyes. “I just . . .” He shrugged. “I don’t know how to tell her.”
Belinda moved to his side, taking hold of his shoulder, gaining his full attention. “She cares for you, Lucas. Anyone can see that, she’s just confused and scared right now. She can handle this, and so can you. You haven’t much time. The full moon is not far off.”
Lucas nodded as he shrugged off the ache in his chest. Suppressing the past was becoming harder every day. “Need any help with the food?”
First he’d wait to see if she received her powers and what they’d be. If worse came to worst he’d tell her right before the full moon. He’d have time. Wouldn’t he?
“Can you put this chicken in the oven for me?” Belinda asked.
“Sure.” He reached for the pan containing the chicken and placed it in the oven when he heard Ava’s screams.
Chapter 6
Racing up the stairs, Lucas allowed his claws and fangs to lengthen. As he burst into the room, he realized she was alone in bed where he’d left her, in the throes of another nightmare. He strode to her side, sat on the edge of the bed, and took her in his arms. With gentle motions he rocked her, whispering words of comfort. As she began to calm, he noticed Belinda standing in the doorway.
“I’ll get some water and a wet cloth,” she said as she left the doorway.
“Ava? It’s just another nightmare. You’re safe,” he said as her eyes opened.
Belinda returned, dabbing her forehead with a cool cloth. “Ava, drink this.” She handed Lucas the glass of water and he brought the glass to her lips, but she began to struggle, shoving the glass away.
He looked to her. “Were you being attacked again?”
She looked to Belinda. “My nightmare is a memory, isn’t it? My parents were killed by demons.”
Belinda brought a chair up next to the bed. “Yes, Ava. That was the first night they came for you and your sisters.”
Ava’s face whitened. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
Belinda reached for Ava’s hand. “Maeve was just trying to protect you. She wouldn’t want you to worry.”
Ava snatched her hand back, eye’s blazing sapphire. “Worry? I’m damn well worried now. Do they want us just because we’re some kind of hybrid witches? I mean, are there no other immortal crossbred witches in the world?”
Lucas reached for Ava, hoping to calm her. “Ava, it’s going to be okay. We just need to take one day at a time.” She seemed to relax in his embrace.
Belinda stood. “No, Ava’s right. There has to be more to the
He shouldn’t have been surprised, but he was. “How do you know?”
She turned, facing him. “A druid’s connection with nature is not only with the plants and trees, it is much more than that; it is also with animals as well. You share the spirit of the wolf, do you not?”
Interesting. Did she know what Ava was to him? “Well, yes, but, ah—”
“Relax, Lucas. I know Ava’s your life mate. I could sense it the second you entered the house.” She moved toward the refrigerator. “How long are you going to wait to tell her?”
After rummaging around in the fridge, she returned to the stove with some fresh vegetables. This particular question was one he had asked himself from the first day he met her.
“I don’t know. I thought that after she found out what she was, she might take it better, but it’s a lot for her to process right now.”
Belinda looked up from slicing cucumbers. “You’re worried about the full moon, aren’t you? You fear that you won’t be able to control yourself with her.”
He nodded, not meeting her gaze. ‘Worried’ didn’t cover it. How could he help Ava when he didn’t dare go near her at that time? If he simply left, she’d never understand.
“Lucas, you have to tell her, or else she will be vulnerable and unprepared when you come for her. You know you won’t have a choice. Your instinct will be to mark her,” she added.
“I know,” he said, meeting her eyes. “I just . . .” He shrugged. “I don’t know how to tell her.”
Belinda moved to his side, taking hold of his shoulder, gaining his full attention. “She cares for you, Lucas. Anyone can see that, she’s just confused and scared right now. She can handle this, and so can you. You haven’t much time. The full moon is not far off.”
Lucas nodded as he shrugged off the ache in his chest. Suppressing the past was becoming harder every day. “Need any help with the food?”
First he’d wait to see if she received her powers and what they’d be. If worse came to worst he’d tell her right before the full moon. He’d have time. Wouldn’t he?
“Can you put this chicken in the oven for me?” Belinda asked.
“Sure.” He reached for the pan containing the chicken and placed it in the oven when he heard Ava’s screams.
Chapter 6
Racing up the stairs, Lucas allowed his claws and fangs to lengthen. As he burst into the room, he realized she was alone in bed where he’d left her, in the throes of another nightmare. He strode to her side, sat on the edge of the bed, and took her in his arms. With gentle motions he rocked her, whispering words of comfort. As she began to calm, he noticed Belinda standing in the doorway.
“I’ll get some water and a wet cloth,” she said as she left the doorway.
“Ava? It’s just another nightmare. You’re safe,” he said as her eyes opened.
Belinda returned, dabbing her forehead with a cool cloth. “Ava, drink this.” She handed Lucas the glass of water and he brought the glass to her lips, but she began to struggle, shoving the glass away.
He looked to her. “Were you being attacked again?”
She looked to Belinda. “My nightmare is a memory, isn’t it? My parents were killed by demons.”
Belinda brought a chair up next to the bed. “Yes, Ava. That was the first night they came for you and your sisters.”
Ava’s face whitened. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
Belinda reached for Ava’s hand. “Maeve was just trying to protect you. She wouldn’t want you to worry.”
Ava snatched her hand back, eye’s blazing sapphire. “Worry? I’m damn well worried now. Do they want us just because we’re some kind of hybrid witches? I mean, are there no other immortal crossbred witches in the world?”
Lucas reached for Ava, hoping to calm her. “Ava, it’s going to be okay. We just need to take one day at a time.” She seemed to relax in his embrace.
Belinda stood. “No, Ava’s right. There has to be more to the
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