Page 75 of Touched By Moonlight
The vine drew back, and then raised up, like a spittingcobra.
It lunged forward, touching myhand.
Power rushed through me, so much power I nearly collapsed. Dark energy that flooded my senses, but energy is energy and I yanked hard, feeding it into myself, feeling my own magick. Deep inside the earth I heard ahum.
The ancient Fae magick wanted me, wanted my power to join with it. Together we could rule and become invincible, destroy our enemies. Smite them before they hurt us, and then we would take what was ours, destroying the humans who littered the earth and polluted theforests…
“Sienna!”
The tiny cry restored my senses. What the hell was I doing? Feeding off this darkplace?
“Screw you, ancient bastards,” I told the glen and dropped my hand. “I’m not playing your game. You can’t use me to manifest yourself. You’redead.”
The blue rabbit was in easy reach. I grabbed it and rushed to Carmen, tugging her out of theglen.
This time as we scurried along the pathway, the trees were bent back, so far we could see the blue canopy ofsky.
Unsure of what that meant, I focused on getting Carmen tosafety.
At the same spot where Grayson left me, the alpha stood scowling. With him were Nicolas, Stephan and four of Grayson’s securityteam.
Grayson bent down and caught Carmen in his arms. He trembled, and I knew how worried he’d been for thechild.
“I’m sorry.” Carmen’s mouth wobbled precariously again as she clutched herrabbit.
“I know, sweetheart. But you’ll have to be punished. You broke a rule to never wander beyond the boundaries without a guardian and rules arerules.”
Carmen took Nicolas’ hand and they walkedoff.
“As for you disobeying my direct order, I’ll deliver your punishment tonight, in my bed.” Grayson’s whisper was more of a sensual promise than athreat.
The urgency to leave the path and return to the security of Grayson’s land overcame all else. “Let’s go. It’s not safehere.”
Only when we were on the other side of the fence did I sigh with relief. The pathway marching to the cursed glen seemed like a gateway leading intohell.
I waited until the others headed for the house before addressing the realproblem.
“Level with me, Grayson. Dark Fae magick exists beyond your borders. That glen where I found Carmen spilling over with it. Hell, the entire landis!”
Quickly I explained where I had found Carmen and the trap she’d walked into. The alpha’s jaw tightened and he drew in a deepbreath.
“That magick is powerful. That’s why you’re anxious to ward yourland.”
Grayson sighed. “Ancient Fae magick has always been there. I told you the Fionn once lived here. They died longago.”
“How?”
“Legend has it they killed each other in a quest for morepower.”
I shuddered, for I knew well the malicious and destructive talents of mypeople.
“They lured Carmen into the glen to hurt her. The noose wanted to strangleher.”
He met my gaze. “No, Sienna. It was a trap meant for you. That’s why I didn’t stop with you at the campground. Somehow, it sensed you and flared to life. Like to like – Fionn to Fionn. The noose wasn’t aiming for Carmen, butyou.”
Grayson rubbed the nape of his neck. “I’ve warded my land against evil, and the power lurks there, for anyone to use. It’s a store of energy. I keep my people away because you can easily get lost in that forest. The glamour can fool them as it fooled Carmen. During a full moon, the shifters are allowed to rove that land. The Fae magick is weaker during the full moon and they see the forest for what it trulyis.”
“The full moon empowers your shifter magick.” I rubbed my forehead, which had begun to ache. “What the hell did you bring me into,Grayson?”
