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She could feel everything. The sway of each individual hair as the wind swept past. The warm brush of Cain’s breath near her ear. The tightening of tiny muscles along her skin as goose bumps hit her hard. The blast furnace of heat sinking into her back, battling the chill in the air.
Energy pulsed through her body, making it swell and throb. A tingling ripple of power gathered in her belly, coiling tight with silent purpose.
Cain lifted her hand toward the little clump of weeds. “My power is yours now. Tell it what to do. Make it obey. ”
His words made her feel powerful, filling her with confidence. She could do this. Right now, she felt like she could do anything.
A bright bolt of sparks shot from her hand, igniting the weeds in a flash of flame and smoke. A giddy sense of elation exploded in her chest, screaming of victory. It shoved her up off the ground in an excited jump only to find that when she landed, her knees no longer worked.
Cain caught her around the waist and pulled her back against his solid chest. She could feel his heart beating slow and steady, while the frantic little organ in her chest tried to flutter away.
“You did it,” he said. The low rumble sank into her, easing some of the frenetic nervousness racing through her.
“I did it. ” Her words came out in weary pants, humiliating her.
“It’s okay,” he told her, as if sensing her anxiety. “It’s supposed to be tiring at first. ”
“I’m not a pitiful weakling. ” And to prove it, she forced her legs to take her weight and found another target, this time a few yards farther away.
“You don’t have to do this. ”
She did. She had to be sure the first time wasn’t just a fluke.
Rory sucked in a deep breath. Cain’s hands were at her waist as if he expected her to fall over. Without his ring touching her luceria, it was harder to tap into his power. She could feel it there, shimmering like a distant sea, but couldn’t quite reach it.
“Focus on the luceria. ” His deep voice rumbled into her. She could feel it all along her back, distracting her for a moment.
Rory focused. She tuned herself in to the skin that lay just beneath the band. It seemed to heat and buzz, as if excited.
“Reach through it,” he said. “Find the narrow ribbon that connects us. ”
She found it. She wasn’t sure how, but she could practically see it, and it was glowing like the filament in a lightbulb. But instead of burning her when she touched it, the ribbon jumped and seethed with anticipation.
“Just like that. ” Cain’s mouth was right by her ear now. His lips brushed her skin, wringing a shiver from her. “You have it. Now tug on that ribbon. Pull it into yourself. ”
Yes. That was what she wanted to do—let it become a part of her, let it fill her up.
Instincts took over, and Rory needed no further instruction. She drew that strand of energy into her body. It heated her skin and heightened her senses. She could smell Cain, so hot and delicious. She could feel his body cradling hers in a protective embrace. She could hear the beat of his heart, in time with her own. As the power inside of her grew, she recognized Cain’s strength and intensity shining through. It was a part of him, and now it was a part of her.
She didn’t want to let it go. She wanted to hold on to it forever so it could keep her warm.
“You have to let it go,” he said, as if he’d seen her intent. “It’s dangerous for you to try to hold on. ”
“I like it. I want it. ” She didn’t care if she sounded petulant. She had to make him understand that she needed this.
His tone was calm, reassuring. “I’ll give you more. Whatever you want. Just let go. ”
The coil of energy inside of her continued to grow, thickening as she pulled more into herself. And as it grew, it began to push against her insides, making her feel too full.
“Let it go, Rory. ”
He was right. This was too much. She couldn’t hold it all, no matter how much she wanted it.
She tried to lift her hand as she had before, but she couldn’t move. Her arms were too heavy, too weak.
Cain whispered soothing words across her mind. He was right there with her, holding her body and her mind. She didn’t know how that could be, but she didn’t have the strength to ask. She simply accepted it as one more strange mystery to add to the pile.
His fingers wrapped around her wrist, holding her carefully, as if she might break. “I’ve got you. Let it go. ”
Rory did. She shoved out the giant coil of power she’d collected, letting it spring out at her target. Heat blasted her face as a blob of fire hit and burst like a watermelon filled with explosives. Weeds and dirt spewed up in a geyser. As the flash of light faded, she could see a small crater left dug into the cold ground. Little fires ringed the area as weeds burned.
A sense of elation filled her, only to be swept away by the grueling weight of fatigue. Her legs seemed to evaporate, but Cain’s grip on her body held her up.
Without that power glowing inside of her, she felt cold and empty, as if something vital was missing. For a moment, she considered pulling just a little into herself, but she wasn’t sure how smart that was. Control had never been one of her strengths, and what if she got sucked back into that high? She didn’t think she was strong enough for another round of magical whack-a-mole right now.
“You did well,” said Cain. “As soon as you catch your breath, we’ll try something else—perhaps something on the defensive side. ”
Rory wasn’t sure how much more she could do in one day, but she’d be damned if she let him know that. If the women in his memories could sling magic around all day, so could she.
Right after she found the strength to support her own weight again.
He lowered her to the ground, settling her on his lap. She would have complained, but the fact was he made a great chair—all warm and scented like her darkest fantasies. She leaned back against his arm, letting him keep the cold chill of the ground away from her ass.
“How long does it take to get good at this?”
“Depends,” he said. “Every woman is different. Some take to it faster than others. Some struggle with certain things. There’s no way to know until you try. ”
The sky was still bright as the late-afternoon sun tried to break through the clouds hovering above in gray bands. The wind pushed them along at a quick clip, giving Rory a touch of vertigo. She closed her eyes to block out the sight, but it made her only that much more aware of just how cozy she’d gotten with Cain.
She hadn’t known him long enough to be this comfortable with him, and yet part of her felt like she’d known him forever—likely some by-product of being inside his head or having him in hers.
As her breathing steadied, she started feeling more like herself again. More in control and less exhausted. She opened her eyes so she could look at Cain to tell him she was ready to try again, but her words died on her lips as she caught sight of him.
He was watching her, but it was more than a simple act. There was something predatory in his eyes, some kind of silent intent, as if he’d made a decision involving her. Something important. Desire darkened his eyes and lingered around his mouth. His lips were parted and her whole body shifted with every one of his breaths.
She hadn’t noticed before, but there was a faint scar parting his hair just above his left temple. She’d witnessed him throwing himself into the path of danger before, but seeing the scar gave her a sick sense of fear, reminding her that he could be hurt, too. He wasn’t as invincible as he appeared.
For one ridiculous moment, she wanted to protect him—to stand by his side and blow up the demons before they could lay a claw on him. Her protecting a man like him was such a ludicrous idea, she was sure it was proof that she really needed a reality check.
His finger traced over her forehead and down her cheek. It came to rest at her throat, where his luceria lay close to her
skin. As he stroked the band, she swore she could feel his touch running along her spine as well, pulling another shiver from her.
“It suits you. ”
“Your necklace?”
His gaze hit her again, and this time, that dark, masculine hunger was far brighter. “My power. You like having it inside you. It makes you feel good. ”
She couldn’t deny that. In fact, she was aching for more right now, even as exhausted as she was. “It’s not supposed to be like that?”
“Oh, no. It’s perfect. I simply hadn’t expected it. I thought you’d resist using me—that it would make you feel weaker somehow. ”
She tried not to snort in amusement, but she couldn’t help it. “Yeah, ’cause I’m so tough lounging in your lap like this, shaking and too flimsy to stand. Besides, it’s just temporary. If I have to use you for a few days in order to stop these visions, then that’s just a blow my pride is going to have to take. ”
His smiled faltered, and his hand covered her neck, splaying wide. The magical jewelry connected again, and she was flooded with a rush of energy, like she’d just mainlined some Red Bull.
“Better?” he asked.
It was more than merely better. Tingling clusters of heat and light spread out through her limbs. Fatigue fell away. She felt buoyant. She swore her body even lifted an inch off his lap.
Cain held her down, feeding more power into her until she didn’t think she could hold anymore.
“Stop. It’s too much. ”
The flow of energy stopped, and Cain’s hand slid down to rest above her breasts. Her jacket was open in front, giving her no insulation from the heat of his touch. His fingertips hit bare flesh, sliding in small circles as if he enjoyed the texture of her skin.
Rory’s nipples tightened until her breasts ached. She should have moved his hand off of her, but it felt too good. Every one of his fingers was giving off happy little streamers that wove through her, knocking her stupid.
She didn’t let men she barely knew touch her like this, and yet if he tried to move his hand, she would have grabbed it and put it right back where it belonged, just above her heart.
The wacky urge to kiss him unfurled in her chest. He had a nice mouth, and as she watched, a knowing grin lifted the corners.
“You’re in my head, aren’t you?”
“Maybe a little. I only meant to help you channel my power, but I find I like seeing what makes you tick. ”
There was no heat in her words, despite her intention to scold him. “It’s an invasion of privacy. ”
“For a human, perhaps. For our kind, it’s the way things are meant to be. ”
Turnabout was fair play. If he was going to be nosy, she could be, too. She wasn’t sure exactly how all of this worked, but her instincts had been pretty good up to this point, so she followed them.
“So you won’t mind if I—” Speaking became impossible as she succeeded in her task, sinking into his thoughts, hitting a wall of need so hard she was sure she’d break apart upon it.
Desire, potent and seething, boiled below his calm surface. He hid it well, but now that she was facing it, she wasn’t sure how that had been possible.