Born Of Nothing

25

The lights on the ugly gold chandelier overhead were suddenly too bright, and I wished there had been something stronger than water in my glass. It was probably best there wasn’t, because there was no telling what I would have said had my inhibitions been any less. Those couple of hours were some of the longest I could remember. I did my best to keep my head down and not act out the fantasies I was envisioning. While upending the table and spewing rage-filled words at my mother may have seemed like a good idea, I would regret it later. I considered the evening my parting gift to my mother, though she had no idea. I would lay low as I planned my next move, but in my heart, I was gone.

12 I had not been sure Cat would come for a third visit, but she surprised me yet again. Most people would have avoided the person who had seemingly rejected them. But not the little druid. I was aware that she had misunderstood my reaction to our kiss. While I had not intended to hurt her, the source of my shock was not something I had been ready to vocalize. For so many years I had wondered if my magic would return to me if I ever made it back onto Earth or Seelie Lands. I had imagined every possible scenario on the spectrum—from one end where my magic fully returned, to the other where it was gone forever, and everything in between. Centuries I had waited and wondered. The question had certainly not been forgotten upon my arrival on Earth. The first few nights after my return, I debated incessantly about finding a woman to put an end to the uncertainty. I had lived so long without magic, there was little reason to rush foolheartedly into the situation. Even more persuasive was the sizeable part of me that had been afraid to have the answer. When Cat’s lithe body pressed against mine, and I could feel the want coming off her in waves, I lost myself to the sensation. I had not yet mentally prepared for that moment, nor did I believe Cat was the proper person to use for that purpose. When we had initially met, yes, I had considered it. But the more I grew to know her, the more certain I was that she would require a close personal connection before letting a man inside her body or her heart. I had not expected to walk that road with her. When our lips came together, all thoughts were abandoned with the need to devour her sweet taste. Liquid fire burned through my veins and a long-forgotten possessive urge pounded like a drum along with my racing heart. I was instantly swept up in a tidal wave of hunger, that is, until I inadvertently discovered the answer to my question. Once my shock registered, it was all-consuming. The heavens could have opened and rained down horses, and I would not have noticed, nor cared for that matter. For days after, I thought only about the implications of what I’d learned that day—not only the condition of my magic, but also the realization that I would be disappointed if Cat did not return. I was too accustomed to isolation to have become attached so quickly, and yet I recognized a sense of loss when I thought of her. The moment she appeared at my door for her third visit, I should have corrected her misconception immediately, but I did not. Nor did I understand my reluctance to speak openly. Regardless, Cat did not seem to bear a grudge. Neither of us acknowledged the incident, as if the moment in time had never occurred. We spent a full day together in much the same way as we had before; however, this time the air around us remained constantly charged. I was acutely aware of every casual touch—a brush of the shoulder or the barelythere touch of her hand against mine as she handed me the latest book she had brought. Judging from the way her breathing hitched with every contact, she felt it too. There were so many reasons anything between us would be a terrible idea. The least of which was the fact that I had nothing to offer any woman so soon after my return. There was also her age, and the fact that I was Fae and she was a druid. Seven hells, I was an exile on the run. I had no business anywhere near a young woman like Cat. For those reasons, I kept my distance. She arrived each week as regular as the tide, and her visits became the highlight of my days. On her fourth visit, she arrived at my door in a rich kelly-green dress the exact shade of her enchanting eyes. I had yet to see her in a dress as she tended to favor more practical attire. The unexpected visage when I opened the door struck me speechless. The summer frock was simple yet designed perfectly to give a hint of cleavage. It clung to her trim waist before gently flaring from her narrow hips. The soft fabric was cut just above the knee, and her heeled sandals arched her ankles and calves in a way that mimicked the delicate lines of a handle on a porcelain teacup. She radiated femininity and grace, and I was utterly spellbound. I absently approached where she stood in the doorway and watched my outstretched fingers thread through her soft curls. Her guileless green eyes gazed at me longingly until she seemed to remember herself and backed away with her chin lowered. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to upset you,” I murmured, confused at my own lack of control. “No, it’s not you.” She eyed the empty hallway, reminding me of my lack of manners. I stepped back and invited her inside, itching to touch her as she ghosted past where I stood in the small entry. She drifted over to the table and chairs, but instead of sitting in her normal spot, she stood at the large window and stared vacantly outside. “Before I left to drive out here, I had a fight with my mother.” Her voice sounded hollow, and I was instantly alert. Had her mother discovered Cat was helping a Fae man? I hated to think my presence would cause discord between her and her mother. As much as it pained me to think, I would rather Cat ceased her visits than be the reason the two had a falling out. She collected her thoughts for some time before she began to explain, eyes still cast unseeing out the window. “Two weeks ago, my mother tried to set me up with a druid man. Her behavior was odd, and when I pushed for answers, she told me that the elders had decreed that druids must marry within our own people.” Cat’s voice was toneless, void of emotion and chillingly calm. “I didn’t say anything to you last week because I was still trying to process it myself. I’ve been looking for an apartment I can afford on my own and making arrangements to move out of my mother’s house. I refuse to allow someone else to choose who I’ll marry. I’d been able to avoid talking about it with my mother these last two weeks, but this morning … ” Her breath caught. “This morning I told her I wouldn’t comply with the elders, and we fought,” she choked out.