A Secret Fate (18 page)

“No. I’m going to go back down to the beach after we eat and take another look. I’m not sure what time the tide goes out, but I want to be ready.”

“Well, hey, how about you take some of this gourmet cuisine to Addie since you’re going over there anyway. I hear she hasn’t been eating very well lately.”

“Sure, I can do that. I guess she’s distraught over the missing crystal.”

Bart nodded and poured the noodles into a plastic colander, tilting his head to the side as steam rose close to his face. Cael chuckled to himself as he realized Bart must have used the entire package since there were enough noodles to feed a small army.

The best thing to do would be to go back to the spot where he’d found Addison unconscious on the beach. Hopefully, he wouldn’t need to wait too long for the tide to recede. He didn’t think he’d find the crystal in the sand, but it was worth a shot. With the dinner to share, he now had a real reason to knock on her door.
Thank you, Uncle Bart.

***

By the time Addie walked in through the door of the beach house after working all day, her feet ached, her back ached, her heart ached and her stomach ached from lack of food. The living room full of comfortable furniture seemed so empty without Cael. She looked at the sofa where they’d spent so many nights agonizing over their fate, not knowing if they’d live through the whole Eidolon thing. There were other wonderful memories of what else they’d done on that couch. She kicked off her shoes and headed up the stairs to a bath. A long soak in the jetted tub would most definitely soothe her physical aches, not much she could do about her heart. Her stomach issue was used to being ignored, unless Aiden came by with food. She hadn’t been into eating alone and she knew he’d be performing all night at the bar and grill, so chances of him bringing dinner by were slim.

She unzipped her jeans and shoved them to the floor. Stepping out of the pants, too tired to pick them up, she brushed them toward the closet with her foot. Addie tugged the hot water faucet on high, waited for the flow to warm up, then added some cold. Before shrugging out of her shirt, she glanced in the mirror and stared at the empty spot on her chest where the crystal usually made a bump under her shirt.

“Dad? Daddy? Please, Dad, I need to talk to you. I … the crystal … it’s gone. Dad?”

Why didn’t he answer her? Was it the crystal that allowed that contact? The crystal was gone and she’d let it happen. The emptiness overtook every nerve in her body as she collapsed on her knees, tears filling her eyes.

This is ridiculous.
Tears weren’t going to find the crystal. She picked herself up off the cold tile floor, pulled on her pants and shrugged into a sweatshirt. Sore muscles would have to wait, so she turned off the water and headed out the door. Glancing down at her bare feet, she remembered what Maia had said about shoes. She’d been right, of course, but Addie was never one to admit to being stupid. She was too upset now to worry about catching a cold though. Walking out on the beach at night without shoes and alone, well, she’d done worse things. Besides, she wasn’t going down to the beach this time, only to the archway.

Turning the outside porch light on, she opened the door. A cool breeze hit her and she lifted the hood of her sweatshirt over her head before walking out. The vibrant glow from the gibbous moon still bright enough to light up the entire yard, she needn’t have bothered turning on the light. Needing to talk to her father, she crossed the lawn to the spot where she had first made contact with him after his death. The archway seemed like a magical spot and maybe, just maybe… 

She ran to the edge of the cliff, stared at the majestic rock formation through the archway. Being early evening, the tide hadn’t been carried out to sea yet and moonlight glimmered against the constant movement of water, sparkling sprays of foam as they hit the rocks and settled back down into the cove. “Dad? Oh God, Daddy, please answer me.”

Nothing.

Other than the sound of the waves lapping against the side of the cliff, all she got was dead silence. No whispering. Nothing. What about the legend? Surely those rumors hadn’t been because of the crystal. Or had they? Was it possible the old stories of the whispering dead had been from someone in the past who’d had possession of the crystal? Well, that didn’t make sense, since her dad told Cael anyone could do it if they loved them. “Dad, please answer me.” This time, when her eyes filled with tears she couldn’t contain them and they dripped down her cheeks and over her lips.

***

As Cael appeared at the corner of the beach house, he noticed someone over by the archway. He stood staring for a while, and using his keen senses, he heard the whimpering and sniffling.

“Daddy, please answer me. God, this can’t be happening. Why can’t I talk to you without the crystal?”

Cael sighed, feeling at a loss for words. His heart broke for Addison as he listened to her plead with her dead father. The idea of Addison talking to Ristéard made him remember something from several years back, an uncomfortable moment, at first, when he’d walked in on Ristéard while he appeared to be talking to himself. By his own admission, the man had been speaking with his dead wife. Addison must have the same ability. Was it only with the crystal, though? Cael thought back. He didn’t recall Ristéard mentioning that. There must be another reason why she couldn’t communicate with him now.

He took slow cautious steps across the lush green carpet of grass blanketing the yard on the way to the archway. He didn’t want to startle her. Addison sat crying, crouched down on her legs, her head in her hands, the hood on her sweatshirt bunched up at the nape of her neck. Cael placed the bag with the food on the ground and sank down in front of her. Something in his gut told him he needed to comfort her. Taking her wrists in his hands, he pulled her to him. She looked up at him and he was surprised when she practically threw her arms around his neck as if she’d done it a million times before and buried her face in his chest. He held her close, a comfortable fit, he mused, as he let her cry against him, wishing he could take away her pain. He had to find that crystal. He didn’t think he could stand to see her this miserable for very long.

She tilted her head up, studying his eyes and he found himself mesmerized with hers. Tears dripped down her cheeks and she ran her tongue over her lips just a short inch away from his own. He closed his eyes because he couldn’t stop the thought of how her lips would feel if pressed against his, or how sweet her mouth would be if he could only taste it. All of a sudden her lips were on his, hungry, urging, and damned if he didn’t kiss her back. He knew it was wrong, kissing someone else’s woman, but still, he found his lips parting to accept her tongue, tasting it. He groaned at the sensation and felt himself harden as she moaned before slowly pulling away, keeping her arms around his neck as her lips grazed his throat. “Take me inside,” she cooed into his ear with heavy sounds of breathlessness and excitement. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted another woman in his entire life, but she belonged to someone else. “Please, Cael, take me inside and make love to me.”

An uncontrollable growl emanated from deep within his throat. She had no idea how much he wanted her, the magnitude of the prospect surprising even himself. He could barely utter his next words. “Ahhh, baby, you have no idea how badly I’d love to do that.”

“Then do it.”

Pulling back slightly, he studied her eyes, searching for a sign she might not be in her right mind, and tried to figure out if she was serious. He wanted her, there was no doubt about that and she certainly acted like she wanted him. Why would she cheat on Aiden and would she regret it? Trouble in paradise? His fingers tangled in the soft strands of her long brown curls and his senses became lost in the sweet aroma of her fragrance. Wrong or not, Cael grabbed the bag of food off the ground and scooped her up in his arms. “Close your eyes,” he managed to whisper against her hair before attempting to teleport them inside the beach house, hoping he wouldn’t freak her out with the act. She was Ristéard’s daughter after all, and should be accustomed to people with these sorts of abilities. She was friends with his mother so she should be familiar with teleporting. Something was wrong, though. He strained to concentrate and realized he couldn’t dematerialize.

Chapter 14

“Damn it,” Cael muttered.

What the hell is wrong?
Addie mused, then remembered. When they first met, Cael had problems dematerializing when he’d been aroused until he learned to control his emotions. She smiled, delighted that she still—even if he didn’t remember it—had that effect on him. Repositioning her in his arms, he took large steps toward the house. She reveled in his desire, the fact he didn’t want to lose the momentum of the moment.

She’d been so distraught over not being able to talk with her dad, and then Cael had miraculously appeared in front of her, comforting her as if nothing had ever changed between them. She couldn’t resist the urge to kiss him. It made her sizzle inside, the sensation igniting a passion in her she couldn’t control. It had been so long she nearly forgot he’d lost his memory and almost told him that she loved him.

Inside the house, he placed her bare feet on the floor, but her arms remained around his neck as she kissed him. When he returned the kiss with a passion matching her own, Addie unzipped his hooded sweatshirt and he shrugged out of it, letting the soft fleece fall to the floor. Her hands shook as she struggled with the buttons on his shirt, wanting desperately to lay those hands on his chest. Somehow, he must have known and his fingers easily unfastened the top three buttons. She immediately rubbed her fingers over the small soft patch of hair on his chest and down over his nipples. She wanted so much to taste him and let her tongue follow the path of her fingers. She almost lost control when he groaned with pleasure, causing her pelvic muscles to contract, a sensation she had only ever experienced with Cael.

When she reached the point where she could no longer get past the remaining fastened buttons on his shirt, he quickly pulled the thing over his head without even undoing the rest, revealing the chiseled chest Addie had only been able to dream about kissing and touching. The room had become dark since she’d stepped outside. In need of some better lighting, she held her hand out toward the fireplace and managed to spark up just the right amount of flames to give the room the perfect amber glow. She made the two candles on the mantle ignite as well, adding more radiance to Cael’s skin. She stared at the tattoo on his arm, stunned by what she saw. She quickly averted her eyes and looked down at her hands so he wouldn’t notice her shock at the woman in flames on his arm. The design baffled her. He must have had some premonition of her new ability, and that idea elated her.

He took her face in his hands and kissed her lips the way he used to. Apparently, there were some things about a man that never changed—thank God—even when they’d lost their memories. She pulled away and breathlessly huffed out, “Cael, I want you so much.” She had to be careful not to use the “L” word. Way too soon for that, and she was sure he’d never understand how she could be in love with him when as far as he knew, she’d only just met him. Would this sudden burst of passion make him think unfavorably about her? Would he think she was easy? Well, with him, she’d always been easy, never able to resist him, even more so now, being in his arms after losing him.

“I’m glad, because baby, I’ve wanted you since I first laid eyes on you,” he said, sending a trail of kisses down her neck and over her collarbone.

Addie rubbed her hand over his swollen erection, allowing herself the added aggressiveness that was so not like her—except with Cael—and was thrilled as he responded, hardening and growing even more. She closed her eyes, stroked him, enjoying the passion. She hadn’t had to take the initiative with him before as he’d led the way their first time. Then, even though it was very early in their relationship, she hadn’t worried about it being too soon or what he would think of her. This time, she was already in love with him and couldn’t bear the thought of losing him because of some stupid notion that she might be easy. The heightened longing and desire had her taking extreme and daring measures. “I hope you don’t think I do this all the time, because that’s not true.” Her voice sounded heavy, almost as if sedated with a drug. The love drug, she mused.

“I don’t.” He kept on kissing her, trailing downward. When he lifted her T-shirt, sliding his hand inside and caressing her breast, she just about lost it.

She wanted to say
I know you, and I really wish you could remember me.
Instead, she said, “I mean, we hardly know each other,” needing to keep up the charade but at the same time wanting desperately to throw the whole insane idea out the window.

When his hand slipped between her legs and palmed her core outside her jeans, she thought she would explode. Things only became more intense when he positioned himself against the outside of her thigh. The penetrating pressure of his hard shaft against her leg almost hurt. She was sure there’d be a bruise there later, but she didn’t care. When her fingers brushed against it, Cael actually shuddered.

As he rubbed and cupped her crotch, he whispered against her ear in a sexy deep voice, his breath warm against her skin. “Are you sure you want this?”

Fireworks shot off in her head as the sensual stirring between her legs increased. Her back arched so her pelvis tilted more against his hand. Her breath quickened but she managed to verbalize a strong and assuring, “Yes!”

***

Is she always like this?
Cael wondered, but not for too long. He really didn’t care. All he knew at that moment was how much he wanted her. Addison’s intoxicating scent was doing something to his brain cells. He couldn’t keep his hands off of her. If Aiden walked in on them right now, he wasn’t so sure he could manage to stop or care. The guy would literally have to pry him off and most likely, they’d end up beating the shit out of each other. As he kissed his way down to the edge of her T-shirt, he found himself lingering, brushing his lips gently over her flesh, her skin so soft, her breasts so firm under his hand. He wanted to flick his tongue over her nipples and take little nips at them.