Page 64 of Winter Unleashed
“Pixie venom is powerful. It brings on visions.” He shrugged. His eyes narrowed as he thought. “It makes us see things we wish for… in a way. I don’t know how to explain it. I believe because we are mates, your mind brought you to me to help comfort you while the venom works its way out of your system.”
“Why would it bring me to sixteenth century Liam? Why not current Liam?”
“In this time, I am over twelve hundred years old. You’re saying you met me four hundred years from now which would put me at over sixteen hundred years old. It would surprise me if you weren’t curious to know how I lived in my past.”
“I am.Reallycurious.” I scooted forward on the bed and leaned toward him. “You’ve given me bits and pieces of your past, but not nearly enough to appease my writer’s curiosity.”
He laughed and another pang of need hit my core. “Ah, you’re a writer.”
“I am.” We held each other’s gaze for a while. “Why are you out here all alone?”
He shifted in his chair and rubbed a hand over his beard. It was much longer than current Liam’s, but he looked just as yummy. “You’d have to tell me that. This is all from your head, remember.”
We both turned our heads to the window when a voice flowed in. We stood and moved to the door, but when I heard my name, I stepped outside. It was Liam. He was calling to me, but I couldn’t see him. All I saw was the meadow, for endless miles.
“Liam,” I called in return and his voice grew louder, more persistent.
“Red, can you hear me?” his disembodied voice called.
I turned to past Liam but there was just more grass and flowers where the cabin had been. He was gone. “Liam,” I yelled again. “Liam, I’m here.”
“Follow my voice, Red, you can do it.”
I did as he asked and ran through the meadow toward the sound of his voice until my lungs burned and I couldn’t breathe. I ran so hard and for so long my legs gave out and I crumbled to the ground as everything went black.
Something cold rested on my forehead. Someone was stroking my cheek with their hand. I tried to open my eyes to see who it was but my eyelids each weighed a ton.
“That’s it, Red, open your eyes,” Liam whispered.
When I finally got them open, I smiled up at him. “It’s you.”
“It’s me. I will always be here.” He touched his lips to mine for a tender kiss. “I got back just in time… I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop them.”
“It’s okay. You’re here now. What happened though?”
“Artemis prevented me from leaving. Things got ugly.” His voice was thick with anger.
“Oh? Is she upset?”
“She’ll get over it. She’ll calm down and realize saving you was more important than dinner with her.”
“You’re sure?” He nodded. I rubbed my groggy eyes and looked around the room. I was in our bed and the windows showed it was dark outside. “How long has it been?”
“You’ve been out for eighteen hours.” His jaw twitched, a sign that he’d been worried sick every second of those hours.
I slid my hand around his neck and pulled his face toward mine for a kiss. “I’m here. It’s okay now. But why didn’t the others come help me?”
“Celeste.” That anger in his voice peaked and prickles of his energy washed over me. “She’d cast a spell on them. Even Henry and Walter. They all saw and heard everything but couldn’t help.”
“Oh. That must have been terrible for them,” I said.
On a growl he kissed me again. “You amaze me. You nearly died again and you’re more worried about your friends having to watch it.”
“I blacked out. They didn’t.”
“Red, I…” He let his words trail off and kissed me again instead. “Are you in pain?”
“Uh-uh. I’m a little tired but I’m okay.” I moved my hand to tuck the hair that had fallen forward behind his ear. “What happened while I was out?” I asked because I could tell he was holding something back.