it?”
Everything .
“Dad, it’s not like that.”
“Isn’t it? I know that look. I used to have it for your mother. He’s in love with you.”
“I don’t think he is,” she said honestly. “We just…want to have some fun. I’ll be back soon, but I hate leaving at all because I know you and Mom will be disappointed. I should just finish things up. But after everything with Rainstone, maybe I just need to live more.”
Her father rocked back on his heels. “And life in Tuscaloosa and visiting the rez doesn’t do that?”
“I’d like to see another time zone,” she replied.
Her eyes couldn’t help but be drawn to Trent’s. Those tawny orbs reminded her of the feral beast he could easily become. Even from where she stood, her keen senses could pick out his scent, that musk that was uniquely his and not quite human.
Mate .
Elaine shoved that thought away. She might feel that, and the wild side of herself might feel it, but that wasn’t enough for him. Loving her, fully making love to her, wouldn’t help him advance to captain. Still, if he hadn’t come into her life, she wouldn’t understand her gifts, wouldn’t be starting on this journey. Maybe it wasn’t all about him, but he was the biggest player in it.
“Where he goes for a while, I’m going to follow.”
“Putting your life on hiatus for a man isn’t your style,” her father said.
“Would you feel better if I were doing it for a man on the res? If I were embracing my heritage that way?”
“Maybe,” he replied, wringing his hands. “Still, this seems so sudden.”
“He came into my life suddenly, and a wolf tore out Rainstone’s throat even faster. I…he knows about Medicine Men and Women. It’s a different tradition he comes from, but I need more than our oral histories and Grandmother’s notes can tell me. I want to know who I am and what I’m truly capable of.”
The tension her father carried seemed to lift as he stood taller. The smile returned to his face.
“So the pale face knows magic?”
“He knows a lot of things. I think I’m a lot more like your mother than I ever could have imagined and, yes, seeing the world will help me be the kind of Medicine Woman our tribe needs when it’s time.”
Her father hugged her again. It was an embrace so tight that breathing was difficult.
“I’ve waited so long to hear you say words like this, to really want to honor our tribe. Sweetheart, whatever you need, I’ll support. Maybe I need to meet that man of yours.”
She pulled away and felt her cheeks flush scarlet.
“Dad!”
“Oh that settles it. I need to give him a bit of Dad heart-to-heart before you go to Georgia and who knows where with him. You man those funnel cakes, I’ll be back!”
He rushed over to Trent who’s eyes were as wide as if a bunch of Knights were rushing him.
Elaine hid the giggling beneath her hand. Served him right. Maybe her father could talk some serious sense into him. Or, at least, the awkward scenario would be fitting punishment. Unless you counted the slow evil of her tongue last night. Thoughts of their subsequent love making––protected, of course, as he hadn’t offered to initiate her––made her core flare with warmth.
Goddess why do you tease me so?
“Hey Elaine, is this a bad time?” a familiar voice asked.
Elaine turned to find Norine, and quickly gave her a hug.
“Norine! You came!”
It was so odd seeing her here and “off duty.” She looked so tiny in just jeans and a t-shirt, and also younger with her auburn hair flowing freely. Wild almost.
“Of course! I’ve heard from other parishioners what a great time this is. Although the funnel cake display looks like it’s not warmed up yet.”
Elaine offered a sly smile.
“You have a voucher. As soon as the batter’s up and frying, I’ll be able to get you any treat you want.”
“Great, but what I wanted to do was talk to you about the farm attack.”
Elaine frowned at the
Everything .
“Dad, it’s not like that.”
“Isn’t it? I know that look. I used to have it for your mother. He’s in love with you.”
“I don’t think he is,” she said honestly. “We just…want to have some fun. I’ll be back soon, but I hate leaving at all because I know you and Mom will be disappointed. I should just finish things up. But after everything with Rainstone, maybe I just need to live more.”
Her father rocked back on his heels. “And life in Tuscaloosa and visiting the rez doesn’t do that?”
“I’d like to see another time zone,” she replied.
Her eyes couldn’t help but be drawn to Trent’s. Those tawny orbs reminded her of the feral beast he could easily become. Even from where she stood, her keen senses could pick out his scent, that musk that was uniquely his and not quite human.
Mate .
Elaine shoved that thought away. She might feel that, and the wild side of herself might feel it, but that wasn’t enough for him. Loving her, fully making love to her, wouldn’t help him advance to captain. Still, if he hadn’t come into her life, she wouldn’t understand her gifts, wouldn’t be starting on this journey. Maybe it wasn’t all about him, but he was the biggest player in it.
“Where he goes for a while, I’m going to follow.”
“Putting your life on hiatus for a man isn’t your style,” her father said.
“Would you feel better if I were doing it for a man on the res? If I were embracing my heritage that way?”
“Maybe,” he replied, wringing his hands. “Still, this seems so sudden.”
“He came into my life suddenly, and a wolf tore out Rainstone’s throat even faster. I…he knows about Medicine Men and Women. It’s a different tradition he comes from, but I need more than our oral histories and Grandmother’s notes can tell me. I want to know who I am and what I’m truly capable of.”
The tension her father carried seemed to lift as he stood taller. The smile returned to his face.
“So the pale face knows magic?”
“He knows a lot of things. I think I’m a lot more like your mother than I ever could have imagined and, yes, seeing the world will help me be the kind of Medicine Woman our tribe needs when it’s time.”
Her father hugged her again. It was an embrace so tight that breathing was difficult.
“I’ve waited so long to hear you say words like this, to really want to honor our tribe. Sweetheart, whatever you need, I’ll support. Maybe I need to meet that man of yours.”
She pulled away and felt her cheeks flush scarlet.
“Dad!”
“Oh that settles it. I need to give him a bit of Dad heart-to-heart before you go to Georgia and who knows where with him. You man those funnel cakes, I’ll be back!”
He rushed over to Trent who’s eyes were as wide as if a bunch of Knights were rushing him.
Elaine hid the giggling beneath her hand. Served him right. Maybe her father could talk some serious sense into him. Or, at least, the awkward scenario would be fitting punishment. Unless you counted the slow evil of her tongue last night. Thoughts of their subsequent love making––protected, of course, as he hadn’t offered to initiate her––made her core flare with warmth.
Goddess why do you tease me so?
“Hey Elaine, is this a bad time?” a familiar voice asked.
Elaine turned to find Norine, and quickly gave her a hug.
“Norine! You came!”
It was so odd seeing her here and “off duty.” She looked so tiny in just jeans and a t-shirt, and also younger with her auburn hair flowing freely. Wild almost.
“Of course! I’ve heard from other parishioners what a great time this is. Although the funnel cake display looks like it’s not warmed up yet.”
Elaine offered a sly smile.
“You have a voucher. As soon as the batter’s up and frying, I’ll be able to get you any treat you want.”
“Great, but what I wanted to do was talk to you about the farm attack.”
Elaine frowned at the
Similar Books
