days was when she’d stared up at him with pleasure-glazed eyes.
Despite her lies and tricks, he needed her in a way he’d never craved another.
Surely there would be no harm in checking up on her? Just a
quick glance to assure himself the exhausted witch was fine and he’d disappear.
She never needed to know.
He knew the desire was foolish but found himself already
slipping out the door.
The backyard was shadowed and dark. From the porch he looked
out over the spacious garden but couldn’t see past the rose bushes. The garden
was a perfect place to hide from prying eyes. Mikayla would be assured of her
privacy here.
He jumped down from the porch steps, stumbling only slightly
when he landed on four paws. The grass was soft beneath his feet as he went in
search of his lover.
He shuffled past the rows of herbs and flowers and rounded
the massive rose bushes that provided the back of the garden with privacy.
There she was, stilling on a stone bench exactly where he’d thought she’d be.
Her head was tilted back, eyes closed. Even as the magic rushed through him to
begin his transformation Ciar noted the sad look on her face. He wanted to
growl as the black smoke surrounded him. Mikayla should never look that way.
His perspective changed as he grew to his natural height.
The garden that had been so monstrously large just seconds ago shifted into
proper proportion. A wave of dizziness swamped him the moment he was back in
his body. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the lingering weakness.
It had been happening more and more of late. Any time he changed back, the
transformation took more out of him. Who knew if it was a good sign or not.
Ciar waited for the world to right itself. As he did, he
allowed himself a few stolen moments to study the woman who had landed him in
this mess. He shouldn’t have come out here looking for her. Seeing her now
drained any will to fight. Tomorrow they could battle. Tonight he just wanted
her in his arms.
He knew he should walk away, shouldn’t put them both through
another encounter, but his body refused to obey him.
Instead he stepped forward, a twig snapping under his foot.
Mikayla’s expressive green eyes opened at the sound. He knew
the second she saw him. Noted the flare of joy in her gaze followed by the
wariness.
For a moment neither spoke.
“Go away,” she said finally. “I don’t want to fight.”
A sentiment he shared. He kept silent, waiting to see what
she’d do.
“Ciar.” She pushed from the bench. “I just need a minute of
peace.”
She needed peace, this woman who had turned his life upside
down. He hadn’t known a moment’s respite since he’d first laid eyes on her and
now she asked him for the mercy she’d never shown him? The thought brought a
slight smile to his lips.
Mikayla shifted from foot to foot. “Where’s Alina?”
He didn’t know. Didn’t particularly care right at the
moment.
Green eyes dropped from his. “Fine,” she said, as if his
silence had given her answers. “You stay, I’ll go.”
When she tried to brush past him his hand shot out to
capture hers. Mikayla stiffened, turning back to look at their interlocking
fingers.
“Let go.” Her command was breathy and soft.
Never. The word echoed in his head, stunning him with
the vehemence with which he approved the notion.
“I don’t want to fight either,” he said, breaking his
silence. “Not tonight.”
She looked up at him with luminous eyes. “What about your
answers?”
“Maybe we can stop caring about them for a few minutes.”
“Tomorrow—”
“Is tomorrow,” he said, cutting her off. “I meant what I said.
You need to tell me the truth or I’m done, but right now…” He used her hand to
pull her closer. “Can we forget about everything else?”
“A time-out?”
“Exactly.”
“It will make things more complicated later,” she protested
even as she stepped into his arms.
“I don’t give a damn,” he replied, resting his
Despite her lies and tricks, he needed her in a way he’d never craved another.
Surely there would be no harm in checking up on her? Just a
quick glance to assure himself the exhausted witch was fine and he’d disappear.
She never needed to know.
He knew the desire was foolish but found himself already
slipping out the door.
The backyard was shadowed and dark. From the porch he looked
out over the spacious garden but couldn’t see past the rose bushes. The garden
was a perfect place to hide from prying eyes. Mikayla would be assured of her
privacy here.
He jumped down from the porch steps, stumbling only slightly
when he landed on four paws. The grass was soft beneath his feet as he went in
search of his lover.
He shuffled past the rows of herbs and flowers and rounded
the massive rose bushes that provided the back of the garden with privacy.
There she was, stilling on a stone bench exactly where he’d thought she’d be.
Her head was tilted back, eyes closed. Even as the magic rushed through him to
begin his transformation Ciar noted the sad look on her face. He wanted to
growl as the black smoke surrounded him. Mikayla should never look that way.
His perspective changed as he grew to his natural height.
The garden that had been so monstrously large just seconds ago shifted into
proper proportion. A wave of dizziness swamped him the moment he was back in
his body. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the lingering weakness.
It had been happening more and more of late. Any time he changed back, the
transformation took more out of him. Who knew if it was a good sign or not.
Ciar waited for the world to right itself. As he did, he
allowed himself a few stolen moments to study the woman who had landed him in
this mess. He shouldn’t have come out here looking for her. Seeing her now
drained any will to fight. Tomorrow they could battle. Tonight he just wanted
her in his arms.
He knew he should walk away, shouldn’t put them both through
another encounter, but his body refused to obey him.
Instead he stepped forward, a twig snapping under his foot.
Mikayla’s expressive green eyes opened at the sound. He knew
the second she saw him. Noted the flare of joy in her gaze followed by the
wariness.
For a moment neither spoke.
“Go away,” she said finally. “I don’t want to fight.”
A sentiment he shared. He kept silent, waiting to see what
she’d do.
“Ciar.” She pushed from the bench. “I just need a minute of
peace.”
She needed peace, this woman who had turned his life upside
down. He hadn’t known a moment’s respite since he’d first laid eyes on her and
now she asked him for the mercy she’d never shown him? The thought brought a
slight smile to his lips.
Mikayla shifted from foot to foot. “Where’s Alina?”
He didn’t know. Didn’t particularly care right at the
moment.
Green eyes dropped from his. “Fine,” she said, as if his
silence had given her answers. “You stay, I’ll go.”
When she tried to brush past him his hand shot out to
capture hers. Mikayla stiffened, turning back to look at their interlocking
fingers.
“Let go.” Her command was breathy and soft.
Never. The word echoed in his head, stunning him with
the vehemence with which he approved the notion.
“I don’t want to fight either,” he said, breaking his
silence. “Not tonight.”
She looked up at him with luminous eyes. “What about your
answers?”
“Maybe we can stop caring about them for a few minutes.”
“Tomorrow—”
“Is tomorrow,” he said, cutting her off. “I meant what I said.
You need to tell me the truth or I’m done, but right now…” He used her hand to
pull her closer. “Can we forget about everything else?”
“A time-out?”
“Exactly.”
“It will make things more complicated later,” she protested
even as she stepped into his arms.
“I don’t give a damn,” he replied, resting his
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