Mystical Seduction: full-length sensual paranormal romance (The Protectors) by Dorothy McFalls Page A

though.”
    Faith nodded, and then took another sip of her hot
chocolate. She no longer clutched the cup so tightly.
    “Other than that, there’s no good explanation of what we
are.” Dallas slid a dirty look in Stone’s direction as if she blamed him. “None
of us have families, so there really was no one to teach us about who or what
we are. We all have our own specific powers. And we help the humans.”
    “I’m not sure we should be telling her any of this,” Kara
grumbled. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from them.
    “She has a right to know,” Dallas shot back. Her expression
then softened. “How are you holding up, Horace?”
    “I’m okay,” he lied. “Just the routine human-saving and
all.”
    Dallas didn’t look convinced. Neither did Brendan nor Stone.
    “ The Protectors ,” Faith whispered, as her gaze swept
over the crowded café. “Nothing simple like fairies, bogeymen or a sexy
vampire. I feel sort of disappointed. Are you sure you’re not from outer
space?”
    “Your guess is as good as ours.” Horace felt his shoulders
relax. He hadn’t realized how nervous he’d been for her. But her teasing tone
chased many of his concerns away. She had the backbone to handle this.
    “Perhaps we should all sit down and discuss what has been
happening,” Stone said.
    “I’d like to finish my hot chocolate, if you don’t mind.” She
took another long sip. A smile spread across her adorable lips. “I know what
you’re telling me is very important, and probably vital to figuring out why
that creature was shooting at us. But this is really very tasty.”
    Once she finished the hot drink and had handed the empty cup
back to Jake, Stone directed Faith to sit with him at a small table in the
middle of the café. Horace insisted on sitting beside her. Brendan took the
seat on the other side of her. And Dallas pulled up a chair and sat next to
Brendan.
    Kara tried to squeeze in between Stone and Horace, but there
simply wasn’t enough room. She ended up sitting directly behind Horace. The
others in the café pulled up chairs next to hers, until two complete rows
encircled the five sitting at the small, round table.
    Jake squeezed by and slid a plate with a fat, chocolate
croissant hanging off the edges in front of Faith.
    “Don’t I get one?” Dallas asked with an edge of panic in her
voice.
    “Of course, dove,” Jake said and produced a second croissant
out of thin air.
    “Oh!” Faith breathed. “That could be useful.”
    “And dangerous,” Dallas said right before she bit into the
flaky croissant. “I’m thankful I don’t have the ability to do that. I’d weigh a
ton if I did. No self-control, you know.”
    “Not when it comes to enjoying the sensual pleasures.” Brendan
took the croissant from Dallas’s hand and brought her chocolate-covered fingers
to his lips. He took his time sucking each slender finger clean. Dallas’s eyes
rolled heavenward and she blew out a trembling sigh.
    Faith watched with what looked like a sense of awe. Horace
often felt that way, too. Only a handful of foundlings had ever found success
in love. But this year, they’d celebrated two weddings. Hadrian and Holly, the
other married couple, had gone to Club West to deal with the police Faith had
called. Hadrian had started bringing Holly along with him when he went to work
with the police. They seemed to make a good team. Almost as good a team as
Brendan and Dallas.
    Horace rubbed his hands over his eyes. Seeing how happy
Brendan had been lately had made him want that kind of relationship for
himself. But he could never hope for that kind of happiness. Not even if he
could safely pursue Faith, it wouldn’t be the same as what Brendan had with
Dallas.
    Faith was human.
    He wasn’t.
    He would have to let her lick her own chocolate-covered
fingers clean. It would be better that way.
    While Faith nibbled on her chocolate croissant, Horace and
Stone described to the others what had happened