As Layla drove into Jewell, a small logging community north of the Sunset Highway, Quin pointed out a dilapidated parking lot bordered by forest. “We live about ten miles northwest of here, but it’s surrounded by trees, so you’ll need to leave your car.”
“How will we get there?” Layla asked, parking between two faded, yellow lines.
“Fly.”
“But I don’t know how.”
“It’s easy, but if you’re worried, you can fly with me.”
“Okay,” she agreed, trying to ignore her queasy stomach. “What about my things?”
Quin glanced at the stuffed back seat. “Morrigan made sure your house has everything you need, but if you want your things tonight, I can send them for you.”
“Really?”
“Yes, but it might take a while.”
Layla hated to ask for more favors, but would be more comfortable having at least some of her clothes with her. She looked at the back seat, searching for the bag containing some old favorites as well as the clothes she bought the day she found out she was adopted. “I don’t need them all right now, but can you send that one?”
“This one?”
“Yes.”
As soon as she answered, the bag vanished, making her jolt. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to things like that.”
“You will,” he assured. “Do you want to try flying by yourself, or would you rather fly with me?”
She looked at the dark sky. Learning to fly at night probably wasn’t the best idea. “I’ll fly with you for now.”
His dark eyes twinkled like the stars as his aura brightened like the sun. “Excellent,” he approved, pulling his cloak from his bag. “Are you ready?”
She squirmed in her seat, rubbing the side of her neck as her chest and throat clogged.
“We’ll land outside of the clearing and walk in,” Quin said, pulling her hand from her throat, “to give you more time to prepare.”
“Okay,” she agreed, but she couldn’t calm her swirling stomach.
“You don’t have to do this, Layla. We’ll wait as long as you need us to.”
Layla was tempted to take him up on the offer, but confronting her past would be hard no matter how long she waited. “No. I don’t want to put it off.”
Quin watched her for another ten seconds before exiting the car, and Layla closed her eyes, trying to steady her unreliable breathing. How was she supposed to fly when she was having such a hard time on the ground?
She jolted when Quin opened her door. Then she rolled her eyes and took his hand, letting him pull her from the car. With a flick of his wrist, he shut and locked the doors. Then he pulled her close, keeping one arm around her as they walked into the surrounding forest.
Once they were shadowed, he opened his cloak, and she slipped her arms in, loving the soothing warmth of luxurious velvet. “You never told me how you keep from freezing,” she remembered.
“Magic,” he answered, carefully pulling her hair from the collar. Then he covered the tresses with a roomy hood.
“That’s all I get?” she objected.
“Are you cold?” he returned, an ornery twinkle in his eye as hooked the platinum clasp.
“No,” she answered.
“Then you don’t need more,” he refused.
She scowled, and he grinned, slipping his hands under the cloak and around her waist. Layla’s breath caught in her chest as he lifted her from the ground. Then she was face-to-face with him, lips fluttering around tiny bursts of oxygen laced with his scent, heart thundering as her cheeks burned.
“Is this okay?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she breathed. Aside from her embarrassing physical reactions, she was quite content. “It’s nice.”
“I think so, too,” he replied, supporting her with one arm as he reached up with the other. “I’m going to cast a spell to protect your ears from the pressure, but you shouldn’t feel any affects. Tell me if you do.”
“Okay,” she agreed, and he cupped his hand over her ears one at a time.
“Feel normal?” he asked, and she nodded. “Good,” he approved. “Tell me if that changes. Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t be afraid.”
“I’m not.”
She meant what she said, but couldn’t help but squeeze her eyes shut and tighten her grip as he shot into the air, darting through a thick canopy of needle covered branches. When they reached open sky, he leaned back, letting her rest on his torso, and she opened her eyes, feeling foolish for closing them in the first place.
She was pleasantly aware of his solidity as gravity pulled her against him, and her cheeks burned brighter as she looked away from his watchful gaze, turning hers to the blur of treetops below. The reality of the absurd situation suddenly seeped in, and excitement replaced embarrassment. They were flying!
Quin ignored the superb view of the stars in the sky, opting instead for those sparkling in Layla’s enthused eyes. When her spirals fluttered around the billowing hood of his cloak, softly caressing his cheek, he smiled, mesmerized by the once in a lifetime moment. Nobody else would see the beautiful expression she wore the first time she flew, her aura polished by wonder, shining like the star she was born to be. The moment was his alone.
Captivated by the magic, she didn’t hesitate to touch her cheek to his. “This is insane,” she whispered, tickling his ear. “Amazing, but completely insane. How do you know where you’re going?”
“I’ve been flying here since I was two.”
“That young?”
“Younger, I learned the basics in Alaska.”
“That’s crazy,” she breathed. “And lucky; this is wonderful.”
“I’m glad you like it, because I’d love to take you on a longer trip. This one’s about to end.”
“Already?”
“Yes. I’ll be floating upright in about a minute.”
“Okay,” she agreed, gripping tighter.
Several fascinating seconds later, he floated vertical, and gravity tugged on Layla’s legs. He kept her wrapped in a hug as they descended into the trees. Then he lowered her feet to the forest floor.
“That was fantastic,” she exclaimed, letting him help her out of the cloak.
“I like your enthusiasm,” he approved, stuffing the velvet away. “It’s lovely on you.”
She barely maintained eye contact as her face flushed with heat.
“Your blush is lovely, too,” he added.
“Good thing,” she mumbled. “So we just flew ten miles?”
“Approximately.”
She glanced around, trying to adjust to the dark. “How far away are we?”
“It’s about a five minute walk, but we’re within our property line.”
Layla scanned him, noting his aura gave the impression he was glowing, but it didn’t brighten the area outside of it. “I guess we won’t be using a flashlight to get there?”
“Not a conventional one,” he answered, raising a palm, and a soft beam of magical light illuminated their way.
“There’s one other thing I need to explain before we get there,” he said, taking her hand.
“Just one?” she quipped.
He laughed and bowed of his head. “For now. Remember our discussion about soul mates?”
“Yes. You were quite certain they do exist.”
“They do, and you’re going to meet some.”
She came to a standstill. “What?”
“Every magician has a perfect match,” he explained, “but it’s uncommon for the two to find each other. If they do manage it, they’re capable of becoming what we call bonded mates or a bonded couple.”
“Bonded mates?”
“Yes,” he confirmed, urging her forward. “It’s complicated to explain, but I’ll do my best. Like I said, it’s extremely uncommon, and there are several reasons why. First, the two soul mates have to cross paths. If they do, there’s a strong attraction between them, but they have no idea they’re perfect mates. The two of them have to make the decision to be together without that knowledge. Then they have to consummate their commitment. Only then do they become bonded mates. Once this happens, a lot of things change for them.”
“Like what?” Layla asked, raptly absorbing every word.
“Well,” Quin continued, “the moment they bond, they absorb a fraction of each other’s magical ability, an increase that lasts until one of them dies. Another change is their perception of each other. What was once beautiful becomes flawless, and it stays that way forever, no matter how much their looks change, no matter how much they change. They might disagree with each other on occasion, or accidentally hurt each other’s feelings, but their anger and betrayal won’t last long, because their intense love will quickly sweep it away. And neither of them will ever do something to irreparably damage the relationship, which brings me to another change. Bonded mates will never leave each other for an extended period of time. Separation would slowly kill them.”
Layla’s amazement grew with every word he spoke.
“Another change would be the way they appear to us,” he went on. “Not only are they surrounded by auras, they’re surrounded by golden hazes we call bonded lights. They’re beautiful, and one of the reasons why I’m telling you this, because you’ll see them. If you look for their auras, you’ll find their bonded lights.”
“One of the reasons?” she asked.
“Yes,” he confirmed, slowing his pace. “Another difference would be their children. Bonded mates conceive only if they both choose to do so. If one of them has doubts, they won’t be able to make a baby no matter how often they make love. Also, their child is capable of more powerful magic than other magicians. They don’t possess the amount of power their parents do as a unit, but they’re capable of more than their parents as individuals.” He stopped walking and extinguished his light. “Am I making sense?”
“Yes,” she answered. “So there are bonded mates in your coven?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“That’s another reason why I’m telling you this. Our coven is unusual, because we have two bonded couples, whereas the majority of covens have none. Tonight, however, our community holds three.” He brushed her hair behind her shoulders, letting his fingers linger in her curls. “Both your paternal and maternal grandparents are bonded.”
“Oh,” she breathed, unsure what to make of this. Interesting, sure, but it didn’t affect her. “Who else?”
“My parents.”
She found this far more interesting. “So you’re stronger than other magicians?”
“Generally. I’m what we call a bonded child.”
“Hmm,” Layla mumbled. “I don’t know if I like the idea that there’s a perfect match for everyone. It seems unfair to everyone else. I mean, if two people are together, and one of them runs into their soul mate, it’s lights out for the relationship.”
“Not necessarily,” Quin countered. “Remember, a person doesn’t know their soul mate when they see them, so if you’re in love and happy in your relationship, odds are you’ll never know you crossed paths. You just met an attractive and likable person.”
“That makes it a little better,” she conceded.
“Yes,” he agreed. “It keeps the playing field even. You’ll see when you meet everyone that the non-bonded couples are very much in love and committed to each other. An attraction to someone else isn’t going to end a relationship unless it’s already unstable.”
“I suppose.”
“There’s a reason why I’ve told you this now and not later,” he added. “I don’t know what exactly is imprinted on Rhosewen’s ring, but since she and your dad were bonded children, there will be references to bonded mates. I didn’t want you to be confused.”
“Oh.”
Quin looked forward then back, taking her face in his palms. “There’s one more tiny thing to prepare you for.”
“You don’t say.”
“Nothing major,” he assured, brushing a thumb over her smirking lips. “I just want to warn you about the size of our clearing. It holds eleven houses with plenty of room for more, and we’ll be passing by a few front porches, but there won’t be anyone around, so don’t feel self-conscious.” He watched her nervous eyes, combing his fingers into her hair so he could hold her cheeks. “Are you ready?”
She shook her head no, and he searched the air around her.
“You have questions,” he concluded.
“Yes,” she confessed, looking down.
“You can ask me anything,” he offered. “I promise I’ll answer the best I can.”
Layla’s gaze stayed glued to his torso, like it was stuck with rubber cement. She had no idea what the future held, and despite what he claimed, she had no idea how long he’d be around. The thought terrified her, supplying a dose of bravery.
Utilizing all the pitiful confidence she possessed, she met his stare, ignoring her flaming cheeks and clammy palms. “Why haven’t you kissed me?”
Utterly unprepared for the question, Quin tilted his head and searched her eyes, making sure he’d heard correctly. What he found in the emerald pools—intense anticipation and flaring nerves—shattered his willpower.
He eagerly lowered his mouth to hers, moving as slowly as his wounded resolve would let him. Then he parted his lips over her quivering pout, his heart skipping several beats as the tip of his tongue flitted across satiny flesh.
First his kiss surprised Layla. Then it swept her away. One of her hands got lost in his hair, and the other gripped the back of his neck, pulling him closer as her lips pulsed and parted. Their taste buds met, and they both trembled from head to toe. Soon his arms were around her waist, lifting her from the ground, and hers were around his neck, holding him close as her hum rolled over his tongue.
Eyes closed and bodies throbbing, they hungrily tasted each other until they couldn’t breathe, and even then they didn’t stop. They merely slowed down, leisurely savoring every detail, unabashed by their need for more. When movement ceased, their lips stayed together, spent but definitely not satisfied.
They opened their eyes at the same time, and Layla’s pout quivered with a choppy breath. “Wow.”
Quin tightened his hug as he softly sucked on her bottom lip, wanting more with every sample. He’d been dreaming about this moment for years, but never imagined it well enough. Nothing could have prepared him for her kiss, for her divine flavor, feel and energy. It had been the most physically and emotionally charged moment of his life. It had been heaven.
“You’re amazing,” he whispered, finding more in her eyes than before. He was staring into his future.
Layla wasn’t ready for it to be over, so she pulled him back for more. She had no idea a kiss could feel so good, so easy and so right, so powerful. It had never been that way before. Not one hormone fueled, teenage moment could compare.
“Why did you wait so long?” she mumbled.
“I’ve wanted to kiss you longer than you could possibly know,” he returned. “But I didn’t want to scare you.”
“I thought . . .” Her lips stilled as she closed her eyes.
“What?” he urged.
“I wasn’t sure if you wanted to.”
“Look at me, Layla.”
She opened her eyes, and he gave her a soft kiss. “From the moment I met you, I’ve been thinking about you, thoughts better left in my head . . . for now. I have to be patient, and that’s okay. You have a lot on your plate right now, and the last thing I want to do is add unnecessary stress and fear. If I’d come on to you like I wanted to, you would have thought I was crazy, because I would have kissed you within five minutes of meeting you.”
Layla carefully searched his gaze. Either he was telling the truth, or he was as good at lying as he was kissing. “I didn’t know a kiss could be like that,” she whispered.
“Mmm . . .” he murmured, slowly leaning in. “That makes two of us.”
Their second make-out session was even better than their first, and it lasted much longer, their minds submersed in bliss and immune to distractions. They didn’t have to think, just feel, and it was the easiest thing in the world to do.
When they stopped to catch their breaths for the fifth time, he slid his lips to her neck, kissing and breathing deep. “It’s one o’clock in the morning.”
Layla had been mesmerized by his touch, but when she heard the time, she stiffened. “Really?”
“Yes. Are you ready to go, or do you want to stay here and kiss me some more?”
She melted back into him. “That’s a no-brainer.”
He laughed, his lips pressed to her pulse. “You can kiss me there, too. I promise I’ll let you.”
“I can hardly pass on that offer.”
“You can do whatever you want,” he disagreed. “I’ll stand here ’til dawn if you’d like.”
Layla laid her head on his shoulder, trying to catch a ribbon of green darting through his aura. “That’s a tempting offer, but I’ve made you stand here long enough.”
“I’ll stand longer.”
“No,” she refused, lifting her head. “We can go, but only if you promise to kiss me again without making me ask for it.”
“That’s a promise I’m more than willing to make,” he agreed. Then he kissed her forehead. “If you’ll let me . . .” He kissed her nose. “. . . I’ll kiss you every hour . . .” He kissed both cheeks. “. . . of every day.”
She giggled, and he flashed deep dimples, finding her lips for another heavenly kiss.