Page 6 of Summertime Secret
“Edon,” she tests it out, squinting her eyes as if checking her own reaction to the ancient name. Smiling up at me, she nods. Yes, she likes it. I celebrate a little inside, not that I got to choose my name. “It is an old name, yes?”
“Yes, it is indeed. One good thing my mother gave me. Come on, let me try one of those muffins while I walk you home.”
“Why don’t you want me out here? That meadow I found last night...you don’t want me to know about that place.”
Shaking my head as I take her basket, folding her arm around my bicep, I let out a little sigh. “At first yes, I did not want you to know. It is a private place, sweetheart. I will explain it all very soon. I won’t hide anything from you. There is nothing you won’t know about me. We’re mates, after all, we will know everything about each other.”
“You said this is not magic.You’renot magic. Yet you talk the way Gareth does. He is my sister Luci’s husband. Did you know they got married two months after meeting? It was so romantic. He is older than her,” her voice trails off as her eyes circle the clearing before she lowers her voice to share another of her secrets with me. “I would bet he is hundreds of years old. Magic.”
Bessi says this so matter-of-factly, so without concern I have to pause on the dirt path leading from the woods. Could it be so simple? Can I just tell her that I am a shifter, and she will be too, once we mate properly? Will she accept it as truth, the way she seems to accept the witch she speaks of?
Inside me, my wolf is going mad. He wants me to mate her. To bind her to us in the ceremony we will share that unites us forever. And the dirty dog wants his chance to mate her wolf, once she shifts. He is roaring inside my head, drowning out any clear thoughts.
“I am an old soul, sweetheart,” I answer at last, starting us on the path again.
Taking one of her muffins, I take a huge bite, not even trying to suppress my moan as it melts in my mouth. It's chocolate and fluffy and so damn good, I demolish it in just a few bites. Glancing her way as I grab another, I grin at her as I take another big bite.
“Yeah, you don’t make these for anyone else.”
Bessi laughs and my heart sings along. We walk quietly, her steps matching mine, her body leaning against me the further we go. We do not talk but we don’t need to. I hold her close as I finish off two more muffins. I would share them with my campers but no, these are just for me.
We slow down as we reach an overgrown yard fenced in by wrought iron fence. I hesitate for a moment. That silver bullet thing is a myth, but iron can hurt like a bitch. Bessi leads the way through the fence, ducking beneath flowers and shrubs I suspect she has nurtured.
Guess my little spot of sunshine does love the wild.
“I am home. Safe and sound, Edon,” she whispers as she turns to face me, beaming a beautiful smile up at me.
Behind her, the moon shines down in a silver halo. In this light, hell I think in any light, she is breathtaking. Reaching out, I brush her dark hair back from her face, tangling a curl in my fingers. Bending my head, I scent her, inhaling her sweetness. I need to keep it with me, to calm my beast for just a little while longer.
“Even if you feel the need to come back to that clearing, don’t. I could not stand it if someone hurt you. I will come here, Bessi. Where it is safe. Can you promise me that?”
“Yes,” she breathes, nodding her head as I move closer.
“Good girl,” I husk, rubbing my nose against hers. Then, at last, I brush my mouth over hers, tasting her sigh, savoring her little moan. I lick her mouth before I pull back as my beast roars inside of me.
We both have to wait—she and her little wolf will be ours soon.
Chapter Five
Bessi
I am a girl who follows the rules. Even when I knew there was magic out there, I never went looking for it. I kept my head down, did as I was told, I wouldn’t disrupt anything. Now I want to make waves. I want to touch that magic that I know exists here in Moon Haven.
Filling a basket with triple chocolate cookies, I am beaming. I fuss with my hair in its messy topknot. Smoothing a hand over my tennis skirt and tank top, I consider changing. No time for that. I grab the basket and head for the back door, but I am stopped.
“Heading out with a basket full of sweets again? Who you trying to sweeten up, Bes?”
Flushing at my oldest sister, Cari, I roll my eyes. I wonder if she gave Luci the same troubles she is giving me. Luci found herself a handsome, mysterious man that neither of us had ever heard of. Last night I mentioned magic because I am certain that mystery man is magic. Not that I have room to talk—I am heading out to find my own magic man.
“His name is Edon. I met him on a walk through the woods. I just...it is nice talking with him,” I offer a shrug, not speaking a single word of truth. Well, his nameisEdon—but he told me to call him anything I wanted.
We did not meet on a walk, and we barely spoke last night. And yet I feel as if I connected to him on that short walk home more than I have ever connected with anyone. Even my two sisters who are my best friends in the world.
He called us mates—not that I know what he means exactly.
“Well, that is nice. Take some mace. Hell, take that whole keychain with the cute purple weapons. Be careful out there Bes.”
Hugging her and thanking her for not pushing, I do grab that monstrous keychain with the eye gouging tool and the rape whistle. I won’t need any of those things. Not with Edon out in the same woods I am heading for. I have never felt as safe as I do when he’s near.