Page 48 of Touched By Moonlight
Time to confess what I’d never told another living soul. “I have power, Grayson. More power than most Fionn can ever dream of. And I hate it. I hate it! I wish it never happened tome.”
“Power can be a curse.” He kissed my cheek. “Or a blessing. It depends on the individual. You have a good heart, Sienna. I have seen you in your dreams, seen how you loved the forest creatures and I felt your anguish as you wept when your mother died. Dreams reveal a person’s innermost desires. I saw no malice in you, no intentions of letting your magick corruptyou.”
Reaching up, I cupped his face. “I saw the heart of you as well, Grayson. I saw a strong, compassionate soul who felt so lost. So alone, despite having people aroundhim.”
He fisted a hand through my hair and then kissed me roughly. “Don’t leave me, Sienna. I need you. We need each other. I’ll make it good for you here. Myself, Nicolas andStephan.”
Now was not the time to think about the future. I roused myself from the ground. Around us, the plants thrived and the ground was rich andfertile.
Stunned, I touched the soil. We had fucked, hard and fast, in this garden, consummating all the feels we’d shared in our dreams. And this is whathappened?
Blue eyes ripe with satisfaction, Grayson watchedme.
“Does it surprise you?” His deep voice was a sexy murmur as he pulled me back into his arms. “You’re a powerful Fae, Sienna. When you share your magick, either through sex or other means, it makes life flourish. In your lovers and in the earth as well. It is the heart and soul of what you trulyare.”
It didn’t surprise me, but it did prove worrisome. The tight control I’d held over my powers and my own yearnings had slipped. Here, in this somewhat safe realm of Grayson’s territory, I suppose it would not matter. But if I grew too lax outside the perimeters, I’d become a beacon in the darkness for Kallan and the others to findme.
He stroked my hair. “How do youfeel?”
A multitude of answers rested on my lips. Confusion and delight, wariness and lassitude. “Okay.”
Grayson stopped his hand. “Just okay?” He raised himself up on one elbow. “We’ve had mind-blowing sex and you’re justokay?”
“Well, I don’t know about mind-blowing. My mind is stillhere.”
As he stared at me, I laughed and it felt so good to laugh again freely, without wondering who watched and who judged me for my odd sense of humor. Grayson grinned and gave a gentle swat on my ass. “Bad Sienna. I should punish you forthat.”
“If punishment means another session, I’ll takeit.”
“As you wish,” he murmured, before rolling over atop me oncemore.
By the time we finished,I was ready for a nap, so we fell asleep atop the ground. When I finally stirred, wonder filledme.
Around us, the garden was bursting with color and life. Grayson raised his head, lookingamused.
“Hungry? We could return to the house and makelunch.”
I picked a few of the rich, ripe tomatoes, a fat head of lettuce and a few big cucumbers to bring back to the house, my mouth watering at the idea of a salad. Grayson gave me his shirt to carry them, and accompanied me bare-chested, on our walk back. He had a nice body, all tanned and smooth muscle. Made a girl hungry all over again for more than a meresalad.
People were bustling in the kitchen, preparing lunch, grabbing things from the refrigerator. Grayson introduced me to a flurry of names. Everyone seemed happy to meetme.
Stephan was at the counter, preparing sandwiches. He saw me and his adorable face lit up with a boyish grin. He hurried to take the veggies away from me and washed them, and then chopped them into a hugesalad.
Nicolas joined us, munching on a roast beef sandwich. As we ate at the kitchen table, Stephan scurried away. I frowned. “Why doesn’t Stephan eat withus?”
Grayson wiped his hands with a paper towel. “Don’t trouble yourself about it, Sienna. He’ll eat when he’shungry.”
Huh. Nicolas and Grayson talked about the garden and how it flourished, thanks to me, though Grayson didn’t mention ourlovemaking.
Leaving them to discuss future plantings, I put my empty bowl and fork in the sink and wandered outside to look for Stephan. I felt bad that he hadn’t joined us and wondered if this was his usualroutine.
Near the house was a small copse of pine trees and sturdy maples and a trellis that formed an entrance to what looked like a garden. Wind whispered through the trees and the cool breeze felt delightful against myskin.
At the entrance there was a lovely carved wood bench. I walked closer to investigate. The bench sat on a patch of gravel, where one could sit and admire the view. It appeared carved from a single piece of hardwood, with two proud wolves, tails raised, at eitherend.
Whoever did this was a master artisan. I sat, running my hands over the warm wood. And then I heard an odd sound coming from the garden, and went toinvestigate.
As I cleared the wooden trellis, I entered a small clearing ringed by rocks, with a fountain burbling in themiddle.
