shoulder, but Nate’s
expression was completely clinical. He appeared to only want to help.
At
her glance he raised his eyebrows and then used a gentle finger to turn her head
back forward. “Close your eyes. Relax,” he murmured, his lips still so close to
her ear she could feel the tickle of his breath. She shivered but did as he ordered.
And then, after a moment, she let go of the fact that he was touching her and
just concentrated on releasing her tension. Gradually, Adelaide could feel the
stress melting away under the magic of his fingertips.
“Now
breathe slowly. In and out. Like we do when we’re calming you down. Concentrate
on the breaths.”
Adelaide’s
body was humming but with a different kind of tension now. One created by his
touch, his scent, his voice. What is wrong with me? I barely know
him. Besides… he’s just helping me.
Even
more strange, however, was the soothing effect he had on her. It felt as though
her body relaxed completely and utterly in Nate’s presence, which made no
sense. He was still, for all intents and purposes, a total stranger.
“Good.
Let it all go.” He kept up a stream of soft, deep murmurs, and Adelaide
listened. Not to the words necessarily, but to the rich timbre of his voice,
the cadence of his speech. She could listen all day.
“Now,
picture the falcon. Not what you would look like. Picture what you would feel
like. Feel how light your body is – hollow bones and airy feathers – perfect to
lift into the sky. Feel how sharply you will see. Feel the strength of your
talons.”
Adelaide
concentrated on the images and feelings he conjured. Suddenly warmth started spreading
through her body. She gasped and opened her eyes with a snap.
“What
happened? Are you okay?”
She
turned to face him. “I think so. I started to feel this… heat.”
“That’s
called desire, darlin’.” He winked.
Adelaide
didn’t catch it, though, as she was too focused on what’d just happened. “No,
desire feels completely different from what I just felt,” she murmured.
“Oh,
really?”
She
looked up and realized what she’d just said. A mortified blush stained her
cheeks, neck, and probably every other inch of her body. Even her ears were
burning.
“I
wasn’t… I mean… that’s not what…” She whirled around. “Let’s just try it again.
I think we’re close.”
She
waited through a few agonizing moments of silence. “Okay, Princess,” he finally
muttered. Before she could decipher the odd note in his voice, his hands were
back on her shoulders.
This
time, when the warmth started moving through her body, Adelaide didn’t fight
it. She concentrated on relaxing and on the images in her mind until that warm
sensation spread to every nerve ending.
“Open
your eyes,” Nate said.
Adelaide
did, and saw the world from an entirely new perspective. She was close to the
ground now, but even at this angle, her perception of the world was incredible.
Everything suddenly looked sharper and brighter. Looking down, Adelaide saw
feathers and talons.
I
did it! She wanted to burst from excitement, and a piercing cry tore from her mouth.
Suddenly
she was back in human form, sitting in the dirt on her butt.
Nate’s
laugh drew her gaze up to him. “You were doing so well. What happened?”
She
gave him a disgruntled frown. “I startled myself. I have to keep my
concentration on the form, I guess.” She scrambled awkwardly to her feet and
dusted off the seat of her pants.
“Well,
the important thing is you did it!”
Adelaide
blinked, and her excitement at her achievement came rushing back. She turned a
beaming smile on Nate and threw her arms around his neck. “I did, didn’t I? And
no tremors or anything!” Her laugh was a sound of pure joy and exhilaration.
She
leaned back slightly to look into his beaming face. “Thank you.” She went to
pull out of his arms but stopped as they tightened around her. Her gaze returned
to his, and what she saw in his
expression was completely clinical. He appeared to only want to help.
At
her glance he raised his eyebrows and then used a gentle finger to turn her head
back forward. “Close your eyes. Relax,” he murmured, his lips still so close to
her ear she could feel the tickle of his breath. She shivered but did as he ordered.
And then, after a moment, she let go of the fact that he was touching her and
just concentrated on releasing her tension. Gradually, Adelaide could feel the
stress melting away under the magic of his fingertips.
“Now
breathe slowly. In and out. Like we do when we’re calming you down. Concentrate
on the breaths.”
Adelaide’s
body was humming but with a different kind of tension now. One created by his
touch, his scent, his voice. What is wrong with me? I barely know
him. Besides… he’s just helping me.
Even
more strange, however, was the soothing effect he had on her. It felt as though
her body relaxed completely and utterly in Nate’s presence, which made no
sense. He was still, for all intents and purposes, a total stranger.
“Good.
Let it all go.” He kept up a stream of soft, deep murmurs, and Adelaide
listened. Not to the words necessarily, but to the rich timbre of his voice,
the cadence of his speech. She could listen all day.
“Now,
picture the falcon. Not what you would look like. Picture what you would feel
like. Feel how light your body is – hollow bones and airy feathers – perfect to
lift into the sky. Feel how sharply you will see. Feel the strength of your
talons.”
Adelaide
concentrated on the images and feelings he conjured. Suddenly warmth started spreading
through her body. She gasped and opened her eyes with a snap.
“What
happened? Are you okay?”
She
turned to face him. “I think so. I started to feel this… heat.”
“That’s
called desire, darlin’.” He winked.
Adelaide
didn’t catch it, though, as she was too focused on what’d just happened. “No,
desire feels completely different from what I just felt,” she murmured.
“Oh,
really?”
She
looked up and realized what she’d just said. A mortified blush stained her
cheeks, neck, and probably every other inch of her body. Even her ears were
burning.
“I
wasn’t… I mean… that’s not what…” She whirled around. “Let’s just try it again.
I think we’re close.”
She
waited through a few agonizing moments of silence. “Okay, Princess,” he finally
muttered. Before she could decipher the odd note in his voice, his hands were
back on her shoulders.
This
time, when the warmth started moving through her body, Adelaide didn’t fight
it. She concentrated on relaxing and on the images in her mind until that warm
sensation spread to every nerve ending.
“Open
your eyes,” Nate said.
Adelaide
did, and saw the world from an entirely new perspective. She was close to the
ground now, but even at this angle, her perception of the world was incredible.
Everything suddenly looked sharper and brighter. Looking down, Adelaide saw
feathers and talons.
I
did it! She wanted to burst from excitement, and a piercing cry tore from her mouth.
Suddenly
she was back in human form, sitting in the dirt on her butt.
Nate’s
laugh drew her gaze up to him. “You were doing so well. What happened?”
She
gave him a disgruntled frown. “I startled myself. I have to keep my
concentration on the form, I guess.” She scrambled awkwardly to her feet and
dusted off the seat of her pants.
“Well,
the important thing is you did it!”
Adelaide
blinked, and her excitement at her achievement came rushing back. She turned a
beaming smile on Nate and threw her arms around his neck. “I did, didn’t I? And
no tremors or anything!” Her laugh was a sound of pure joy and exhilaration.
She
leaned back slightly to look into his beaming face. “Thank you.” She went to
pull out of his arms but stopped as they tightened around her. Her gaze returned
to his, and what she saw in his
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