Chapter Twenty

Possibilities and Preparations

Possessive Tendencies

Steve flinched when the woman turned her intense gaze on him and let a slow, sensual smile form on her lips. She was exotic, with full lips and eyes, which were such a rich brown as to look black. He could almost feel her thick curls, imagining them flowing through his fingers or over his chest.

He could have sworn the temperature went up in the room. It was now too hot for comfort.

"Hello," she purred, moving toward him.

"Allaidh, leave him be," Reultan said. "He is not one of us." He stopped her with a firm grip on her arm.

With a flashing look and a soft snarl, she pulled free. "I only want to say hello."

"You never ‘only' say hello." Reultan turned to Steve. "You need to be careful of this one. She doesn't understand limits and she does bite." With that warning, Reultan left them to get his own dinner.

Steve thought he saw Allaidh stiffen at Reultan's remarks, and her eyes dropped to the floor, her expression tight in what looked like pain.

Then she sighed and the look was gone, only to be replaced with hard, designed sensuality. She stepped closer and purred in a very feline growl, "So you're a human. I can smell the difference on you. I've never had a human before." She trailed one sharpened fingernail down his jaw. "Will you feel different? Will you taste different?"

She stood so close the last of her words drifted against his ear, followed by the tiniest of licks to his earlobe. Air rushed into his lungs as he remembered to breathe. The rest of his body jerked in reaction as her warm breath blew across his neck.

She made him sweat. She made him shiver. She also made him very nervous.

Suddenly, Acair stepped close and made it obvious why he was leader of their family. He firmly pulled Allaidh away from Steve. "That is enough, Allie." He glared at her in disapproval. "He is a guest, not a toy." She started to pull away, and he gave her a fierce shake. "Leave it be."

She met his glare with defiance. Despite his imposing build, she stood eye to eye with him, not backing down, daring him to stop her. "Perhaps you should keep me distracted."

The sparks flew between them, and Steve stepped back. Although Acair had seemed calm and controlled earlier, he was now on the verge of violence. Steve wanted no part of that.

"Maybe when you grow up," Acair growled. Then he deserted them to return to his seat at the head of the table.

Díon brushed past Steve and pulled Allaidh into a hard brotherly hug for a semi-private whisper. "Don't worry, girl. He'll understand someday." Steve watched as she covertly wiped away tears. He had to wonder which was the act: the boldness, or her vulnerability?

* * *

Hope relaxed in the passenger seat of the bug as she waited for Athair to settle into the driver's seat.

"You forgot something," he said, handing her the tattered remains of her panties.

"I didn't forget them. I couldn't find them." She sighed and let her eyes drift closed.

"Either way, I like the idea of you not wearing them." His hand stroked over her denim clad thigh.

Her eyes shot open as his hand moved upward. "I think this car is too small for any more of that."

"Then you should teach me how to drive. But what should I teach you?"

He pulled his hand back and placed it on the steering wheel, which made her regret her words. "First, let's worry about teaching you." While her mind considered what he could teach her later, she directed him in the steps to driving the bug.

She marveled at how relaxed she was, even while he learned to drive a standard transmission. The car bucked and jumped, and he always said some silly or sexy comment to distract her. Before long, Athair was able to shift gears smoothly. He practiced in the field, and then drove down the driveway and back. He parked the bug perfectly inside the garage.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" he asked as he opened her door and grasped her hand.

"No, it wasn't bad." What a shame her therapist hadn't thought of sexual relaxation years ago to cure her of her anxieties. Unfortunately, he hadn't looked anything like Athair.

Hope heard what sounded like someone ransacking the kitchen and drew to a halt. "What's that sound?"

"My guess is lunch." Athair tugged at her hand, pulling her into his arms. His lips met hers in a hot rush. The contact sizzled through her, reawakening her desire. Athair eased back just as his stomach gave a growl.

"Maybe we should make sure Rath and Dàn don't do any damage," she said. Surely, they wouldn't break anything, but they sure could make a racket.

Athair laughed at her suspicions. Yet after she changed her shirt, she learned that Rath and Dàn had indeed dug through the fridge and the cupboards but had put everything back in order. On the table was a neat platter of sandwiches.

While getting plates for each of them, Rath asked, "Have you thought about what we should do for dinner? I don't think you have enough food in the house to feed everyone, especially if Sandulfr comes back with Sgrios tonight."

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that. How many do you think we should prepare for?" Just a month ago, Hope didn't believe werewolves existed. Now, she was about to play host to a large group of them.

"About twenty, counting his clan and mine," Athair answered.

"I won't be cooking for that many. Why don't we order pizza?" she asked. Rath was right. There was nowhere near enough food to put together a respectable meal for that many.

"What is pizza?" Athair asked with a puzzled look.

"You've never had pizza? I can't wait to share it with you then. Trust me, you'll love it."

After their impromptu snack, Rath and Dàn left for a short drive on the local roads to scout out the surrounding area, and Granny hid herself away in her apartment studying the dusty old tomes. Steve and the others had yet to return. So, Hope and Athair decided to relax in the den and take advantage of the short time the house would be quiet.

She snuggled into Athair's strong arms as they sat on the sofa watching the flames burn merrily in the fireplace.

"I like this." Athair broke the silence and hugged her while he openly shared his feelings of contentment with her.

"I can tell." Her fingers toyed lightly with a length of his hair. "Or is your empathy something you can lie with? I mean, I feel emotions that aren't mine. Can you control which ones I feel, or create a feeling that isn't there?"

"All my feelings for you are honest. I conceal nothing." He sounded slightly offended that she would suggest he would lie to her.

"But you can control what I sense." She didn't really doubt his honesty but thought he might try to protect her from his darker emotions. "Can't you?"

"In some ways. The amount of control that each Valàfrn has varies greatly. Reultan is strong with his empathy and can project whatever he wishes, whether he feels it or not. Díon can hide his true feelings and project what he wishes. Rath is limited with this ability and projects very little."

"And you?"

"I raised them. I have gotten good at reading the truth even in Díon and can project fairly well. I was quite good at soothing lullabies, which I needed for the youngest." She could easily picture him rocking a baby to sleep and even singing lullabies. She wondered if his role as father figure in the clan had molded him into the man he was or if he was naturally suited to the task.

She sensed his anxiety over something, but how could it be? She thought she must be wrong, but still she questioned him about it. "I can tell you're worried. Why is that?"

"Because I am. But I wasn't intentionally sharing that. Your skill at reading my emotions is improving."

"Maybe so. But I don't have magic." Still, she felt stronger, and she could sense much more than she could before meeting Athair.

"Don't forget my healing ritual. You have a link to magic because you will be the next Keeper. And I think I have begun to share my magic with you as well."

"What does that mean?" She didn't feel any different, just slightly more aware. Was it because she would be Keeper, or was it because of Athair's superior abilities? How could she use his magic?

"Bonding is hard to explain, but I'll try." He frowned in thought. "When a Valàfrn finds a mate, we instinctively share all that we have, all we are. We don't control this. The bonding simply happens."

"But I'm still human?" At least, mostly human, if Granny wasn't on an acid trip and they truly were descended from a giant named Loki.

"This ability to bond allows us to mate with humans. With the bonding, my magic becomes yours. You will be able to do nearly all I can. Otherwise, I would be forced to watch you grow old and die."

"Will I be able to read emotions like you do?" That would be neat. "And share them?"

"Yes. But I thought you might be more interested in shape shifting." He chuckled when her eyes widened.

"Do you mean that I'll be able to change into a wolf?"

"After you learn how. That may take a while. Possibly years."

"So, I will become a werewolf!" She laughed. What a howling great joke on her! All her research and fears during the past month, and she would be one of the hairy hounds anyhow after bonding with Athair.

"Sort of."

"I've been worrying that by biting the one who attacked me, I would become a werewolf. And now I find out that I'll change into one anyway. I've been worrying about the full moon for no reason."

"You can't become one of us from a bite. His, or yours. I thought you understood that. Indeed, you still won't be one of us, but you'll be able to use my magic as your own."

"I guess I didn't believe you. I'm still not sure I should, since it looks like I will be changing anyhow." She thought it was funny how things worked out. She would howl at the moon, but now she would have company. The idea of him at her side made the picture much more appealing.

"I am lost for words. I thought you'd be happy about the bonding."

Hope felt the hurt that her thoughtless words had caused him and regretted bringing him any pain. She reached up to cup his cheek in her palm and gently kissed him until his body relaxed against hers. "I am happy about loving you, but I didn't know what all came with the relationship. Maybe if you tell me more, then I'll understand." She wondered how soon he could show her how to change.

"What would you like to know?"

He'd been in wolf form the night he'd been hurt, which hadn't had a full moon. "Can you change shape anytime you want to, or only on a full moon?"

"Unless we are hurt, we can shift forms at any time. If we are injured seriously, we usually revert to wolf form. Actually, without our magic, we would only have human form during the three nights the moon is at its fullest. Otherwise, we are trapped within the wolf. Because you are not affected by Vali's Curse, you never have to fear that fate. What else? Do you have questions about the different powers?" At her nod, he continued. "I told you about controlling the weather, and you have seen the healing. You have experienced empathy and telepathy. Dàn has the gift of foresight, which is quite rare. A few others can see ghosts and speak with the dead."

She thought about the good she could do at her clinic with the healing magic. "Can you talk to ghosts?"

"No, I can't."

That was a relief. She could just imagine ghosts seeking him out. "What else? I want to know everything."

"Some can change into other animal forms. Some have affinity with certain elements."

"What would an affinity with elements be like?" She couldn't imagine what that meant.

"Lasair can control fire; Leth has a link with wind. Both Leth and Lasair can speak with animals. Reultan can use his voice to channel his empathy. Allaidh can see into a person's heart as seen in their aura."

"Wow! What else?" Great, so one of them was a pyromaniac. And what use would seeing auras be?

"There are many more magical skills, but the most common are shape-shifting, empathy, healing and telepathy.

"What magic will I have?" She was intimidated by most of the magical skills, but wanted to learn more about healing as soon as she could. It was amazing she had already planned to open the clinic and now may have the chance to learn skills that would make her even more successful in healing animals in need.

"I believe you will have my magic and perhaps some wild manifestations, as well. I can do many different forms of magic, but I'm not particularly strong in any one area."

She had a lot to think about. She remembered he had been worrying over something earlier. "Are you going to tell what you are worrying about?"

"Two things." His breath blew lightly against her hair. "One is that I'm afraid tomorrow's meeting will not go well."

"What makes you say that? It might work out if the traitors respect Granny and will listen to reason." She had a bad feeling about the meeting as well, but she didn't want fear to mar their time together.

"Dàn will tell me nothing of what will come. He says it is still unknown."

"That might not be so bad. If it were, he would tell you, right?" Dàn's powers were awesome, even compared to the ones he'd just told her about. Having Dàn on their side felt like having an edge.

"Maybe, if we can change the outcome." So, Dàn held back information about the bad things to come if he could not change them. That was considerate to those who might be hurt but must be hard for him to deal with. Hope felt another surge of sympathy for Dàn.

Athair had said he was bothered by two things. "What else was bothering you?" She felt his concern even before he spoke.

"Us." Athair said.

"I didn't realize we were a problem." She pulled away from him so she could see his face. His eyes were serious. He really saw some problem for their relationship.

"You will be Keeper. Ella says the others may object to us being together. There has never been a mating between a Keeper and one of the Valàfrn. The ramifications could be drastic and might force many traditions to change. Ella's fear and my own is how our people will react to those changes."

"What changes? What could be so different about us that would cause others to object?"

"What about our children? They will have the long life spans of the Valàfrn, effectively ending the lifetime position of Keeper. The idea of one Keeper remaining and possibly holding grudges against an individual or a clan for thousands of years could be reason enough. Not to mention that being bound to one clan will eliminate any chance of neutrality. Many problems will arise and be cause for concern."

"Then I won't be Keeper." Now that she'd found him, she had no plans to give him up to be a glorified librarian.

"That is not your choice. Your position is extremely important."

"So let them object. What can they do about it? If they want a Keeper, I'm the only option." She challenged him to stand up for whatever possible future they might have together. "To get me, they get you. It's a package deal." She pressed close to him and gave him a deep and thorough kiss.

"Hmm, I like that answer."

"Athair, I don't really know what the future holds for us." She wanted him to understand that if they both wanted their relationship, they would have it, and nothing would keep them apart. As long as they stood together, not even the ruling council of the Valàfrn. "But I would very much like the chance to find out."

"I know what we have. I've waited my whole life to find you. I'll make sure we get that chance."

Athair was content to relax and hold Hope in his arms all day. He felt much more secure knowing she would fight for their relationship as much as he. The thought that the council might object to their bond was intimidating, but not so overwhelming now that he knew her mind. The council had a valid reason for not allowing Keepers to bond with Valàfrn, but that made little difference to Athair. She was his and he wouldn't give her up.

A light rap on the doorframe signaled Rath and Dàn's return.

Rath poked his head around the corner. "We passed Sgrios on our way back."

"Did he find Sandulfr?"

"Yes. He said Sandulfr agreed and will be here this evening, probably in about an hour." Rath disappeared again.

Athair laughed at the thought of Sgrios acting as a diplomat, but his brother had obviously come through. Now that he thought about it, Sgrios had always done whatever needed to be done for the clan. Not once in all their long years together had he failed to act responsibly. During their hardest time, he had made sure the young had food available even when game was scarce. And when times changed, he tried to bring his knowledge of the world back to them even when Acair and Athair hadn't wanted to hear the news. Despite what they all thought, Sgrios had managed to be a productive member of the clan even when not with the clan.

An hour later, Sandulfr drove up the driveway in a van. With him were Maura, Sundair, and three other men from the Bear Clan.

"Welcome. I'm glad you chose to come." Unsure how much the Alpha would blame him for the problems at the ceremony, Athair greeted Sandulfr cautiously.

"It's in our favor to work together to get this matter settled." Athair relaxed as Sandulfr seemed willing to accept his innocence, despite his violent actions.

"Indeed, it is. Have you been here before? If not, perhaps I can show you around." It was a risky offer because by making it, he was declaring his right over the territory. Yet he wanted to have the time to speak with Sandulfr, a chance for them to come to some understanding about what had happened.

"I have been here to speak with Ella, but not for many years. I see they have added onto the house. Perhaps you could show me the new portions after I pay my respects to the Keeper."

"It would be my pleasure." Athair was pleasantly surprised by how easily he could speak with Sandulfr. Perhaps they would be able to discuss the situation after all and find a solution.