Vivienne closed her eyes. It was hard to mentally picture where the end of the block was, but after some seconds of concentration, she finally picked up on a conversation about two dogs. Something told her there were two women with small dogs, standing at the corner having that conversation.
“Two women, older women, talking about their dogs.”
She opened her eyes to find Evelyn nodding in wide-eyed fascination at her. “Mrs. Knox and her sister. They walk their dogs at this time every day. It seems as if you have the senses of a were, Vivienne,” she explained to Vivienne’s unasked question. “The druids were masters at spells and matters of the mind but the weres have always had the dominion of the senses.” She paused. “The incidents you mentioned: the bottle flying from your hand and the plate hovering above the ground, you are doing it, ma puce. Druids have always been able to circumvent spells to move things with their minds. I’m not sure but I think when you dropped the plate, your body reacted to protect you, hence the hovering.”
When Vivienne simply stood there, stunned by this information about her newly acquired powers, Evelyn said, “There is much to teach you and little time.” She clasped her hands behind her back and looked away from Vivienne’s searching gaze. “I am sorry, Vivienne, for keeping this part of your heritage from you. I thought that perhaps you would be able to live a human life with a human husband and never know, at least for some time. I didn’t think. I’m sorry….” She trailed off with an apologetic, uncertain smile. “Sit down, ma chère.” As Vivienne moved over to the breakfast table and took a seat, a large book suddenly materialized in Evelyn’s hands. Dark brown and worn, it looked like a relic from another time. Taking a seat opposite her, Evelyn placed the it on the table.
“This was my mother’s book of spells, given to her by her mother.”
Evelyn pressed a delicate hand atop the relic before opening it. It immediately went to the middle page. Vivienne stared down at the page. It was blank. Her eyebrows lifted in her mother’s direction.
“First, I will teach you to hide your powers.” Evelyn touched a finger to the page and the neat, cursive writing slowly began to bleed into it, until it was a bold black. Vivienne tilted her head and stared from the newly appeared writing to her mother’s face.
She was ready to learn.
***
After an intense day of learning and relearning spells and incantations, Vivienne was finally able to sit on the porch steps, as she’d done countless times in the past, and relax. After a few unsuccessful tries at hiding her powers, she’d succeeded, and it was for that reason Evelyn allowed her onto the porch. Not only was the house protected, but Vivienne could shield herself. She’d also learned a spell that could take her from the porch to the living room in a matter of milliseconds, though not without a feeling of nausea.
She sat alone, as Max and Drew had returned to the apartment to search through the mess. She hoped her mother’s jewelry was still there. Evelyn hadn’t mentioned it, but she knew how much her mother prized those pieces.
Her legs hung down before her, encased in skinny jeans that still fit—unsurprisingly—as the cold wind whipped her hair about her face. It was a chilly day. She didn’t mind though. She was actually beginning to understand Cassie’s fascination and obsession with all things nature. It wasn’t so bad: the sounds, the smells, the feeling of the sparse sunlight on her skin.
She’d just closed her eyes, tossed her head back, and leaned against her elbows, basking in the day, when her entire body went on the alert. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up, looking around for—she didn’t know what.
A black SUV was heading in her direction. Her spine stiffened, but she remained as she was. It stopped directly before their house and the window rolled down. Conall. She didn’t think it was possible to tense up and relax at the same time but that was exactly what she did.
Beautiful.
It was a whispered caress in her mind that sent little electric shocks across her skin. A look of horror entered her eyes as she recognized the new strength of her attraction. Yes, the man did wicked things to her body, but he was usually standing near her to instigate a reaction. One word and her body reacted as if he stroked her.
Thank you. You’re in my head again.
She was slowly getting the hang of being a druid, but she didn’t think she’d grow accustomed to him or anyone just popping up in her thoughts.
Would you like me to stop? It had to be his voice, because that statement was in no way erotic, yet the tell tale signs of her growing warm were beginning to start within her body.