Soul Mates: Magic (Soul Mates Series) (4 page)

I moved into an offensive position and attacked and blocked at the same time. I managed to knock Felicia on her back and flip Ferein at the same time. Something told me to kick out behind me and I took out James as he entered the ring as well. This went on for another half an hour, Gideon sending in more and more opponents until finally it was seven against one and I was overwhelmed. “Enough!” I shouted.

“We still have another ten minutes of training, Princess, continue!”

“No. I’m done for the day. Don’t think I don’t know what you are doing, Gideon. I realize that I cannot fight a group of Unseelie alone. I get it. However, I think I did fairly well considering I have no weapons except my body to fight them off, and in a real fight I will have all of my skills and weapons at hand.”

“Perhaps you won’t. Do you plan to go about completely armed all of the time
, Princess?”

I glared at Gideon. “Anything I need I can pull out of Never Never.”

“You cannot rely on that, Princess.”

“Then I will use whatever is at hand. Besides, it’s a moot point. I’m never alone. I always have at least one warrior with me where ever I go.”

“And what if something happens to that warrior?”

“Then I will fight for both of us,” I said defiantly.

Gideon smiled. “Go. Enjoy your evening, Princess.”

I dusted myself off and strode into the mound to my chambers. “Aurora?” I called to the pixie
that ran the household part of Faerie.

“Yes Princess?”

“Would you ask Trinia if she would make me some of her divinity?”

Aurora smiled. “Of course, Princess,” she said as she closed the
bedchamber door.

I sighed, sat down on the soft quilted bed and pulled off my boots. All I really wanted to do was
lie down, take a nap, eat a little bit of divinity and perhaps read, but I had a date to get ready for.

I finished stripping off my dusty, dirt covered clothes and stepped into the shower. I let the hot water sluice over me, taking all the grime of the day with it. I heard Aurora come back into my room and called out to her. “Thanks Aurora, can you just put it on the night table?”

“Put what on the night table, Princess?”

My eyes widened under the flow of water. It wasn’t Aurora in my room, it was Daire. I swallowed hard. The last person I wanted to see while standing naked in the shower covered in bruises and dirt was Daire. “Go away Daire! I’m in the shower!”

Can you hear a grin? I swear I could hear the wicked grin spread across Daire’s face as he spoke. “Rough training session?”

I gritted my teeth and prayed that he would leave. “Yes, now go away!” I know I couldn’t see him, but I was positive his grin grew deeper and more wicked with every breath I took.

“Sure you don’t need some help getting the dirt out of your hair? I’d be happy to help!”

“Daire, I swear to goddess, if you do not get out of here now, you will regret the day you were born!”

I could hear his laugh as the chamber door closed behind him. I sighed in relief and relaxed into the shower wall. A few minutes later I washed the soap out of my strawberry blonde hair and rinsed the last of the dirt down the drain. I wrapped myself into a large fluffy blue towel and went back into the bedchamber. I smiled at the bowl of divinity sitting on my night table. Trinia was a goddess in the kitchen. I took a bite and melted onto the bed.

“Are you decent yet?” Daire called from the opposite side of the door a few minutes later.

I sighed, snapped my fingers, dressing myself in tight black skinny jeans, black heels and a soft lavender vee neck top. I glanced in my mirror and with another snap of my fingers my hair was dried, curled and flowing gently down my back to rest between my shoulder blades. “Just a moment,” I called out as I once again snapped my fingers to achieve perfect make-up for the evening. I popped one last piece of divinity into my mouth, dug through the pockets of the Fae pants I’d previously worn for Taban’s timepiece, and opened the door.

“Are you ready to go, Princess?” Daire asked without looking at me.

I frowned. I’d at least hoped for a comment on how I looked. “Yes.”

“Good, I have to be at the field early. Auberon, Cole and Thane will escort you to the game.”

“Lovely,” I said, seriously thinking about going back to my chamber for the rest of that divinity.

“I will follow you and lover boy to Carter’s after the game, make sure you are safe.”

“Good luck tonight,” I said as he dropped me off at the throne room.

“Won’t need it. We’re playing the Knights.”

“You never know, they could surprise you.”

“Doubtful, but I appreciate the sentiment,” Daire replied with barely at glance in my direction.

I watched him turn his back on me and stride out of the room, taking my heart with him as he went.

Chapter
Five

I sat on the bleachers near the fifty yard line wishing I could pull a jacket out of Never Never. The temperature had dropped significantly and I was shivering by the time half time came around. Even seeing Daire in his tight football pants didn’t raise my temperature.

“Abbey dear, would you like to borrow my jacket?” Mom asked me from a few seats away.

“No thanks, Mom, I don’t want you to freeze. I’m just going to go get my jacket. I’ll be back.” I started to rise.

“Cole
, go with her. Make sure she stays out of trouble,” Auberon said.

Cole nodded and stood as well.

“Really, I’ll be fine. I don’t need an escort.”

“Humor your great g
randfather would you, Abbey sweetness,” Tatiana said gently.

I sighed. “Fine.” I moved through the bleachers with Cole following close behind. I wound my way through the crowd to the ladies bathroom and pushed open the door. Cole started to follow me in. “What the heck do you think you are doing? You can’t come in here,” I whispered.

“I’m not supposed to leave your side.”

“It’s the women’s bathroom Cole, what is going to happen in here?”

Cole narrowed his eyes. “You might decide to flash home to get your coat. I can’t allow that.”

“I’m not going to flash anywhere. I was just going to go into a stall and pull my coat from Never Never. Can I do that? Without causing a riot?” I said in exasperation. I was starting to draw attention to myself speaking so vehemently to no one.

“Very well, Princess, but please wait until there are fewer ladies present.”

“Fine, fine, whatever.” I pushed the door open again and went inside to wait my turn.
A few moments later I entered a stall, snapped my fingers and my favorite jacket, a soft, furry black jacket appeared in my hand. I slipped my arms into the sleeves and enjoyed the warmth it brought me. I quickly flushed the toilet and left the stall, stopping at the sink to wash my hands.

“Did anyone see you?” Cole asked when I returned to his side.

“Of course not. I was in the stall with the door closed.”

“Well that is something at least. I thought you were going to stop using magic to get whatever you wanted.”

I frowned. “I am…I will. I was cold Cole. I needed my jacket.”

“You should have let me flash home to get you one. It would have been safer, Princess.”

“Next time. Let’s just get back out to the game, before someone questions what I’m saying or who I’m talking to,” I whispered.

Cole nodded and we returned to the stands. I watched Daire receive a pass and run for all he was worth toward the end zone. I cringed when a Knight crashed into him and took him down to the ground at the ten yard line. I know he was used to taking hits that hard, probably harder ones, but it still looked like it hurt. I looked further up the field to see Michael getting up off the ground, he’d been taken out too and it looked like he might be limping.

“Looks like your date may be cancelled,” Hunter said as I took a seat next to him and Ronny.

Michael looked like he might be in real pain as he limped off the field with the help of one of his
teammates. I decided to use my magic to look at his leg; it wasn’t as if anyone could tell I was doing it. I went to my quiet place in my mind and opened up my magical senses. I could see he’d broken his ankle; it would keep him out for the rest of the season if I didn’t do something and fast. Doctor Fisher was headed down to the field from the stands. I worked fast, sending healing powers into Michael’s leg, using every ounce of healing strength I had to repair the fracture, make the bone stronger. I could see it was working by the time Doctor Fisher got to him. Michael was able to put his weight on his foot. It now only appeared to be a minor strain. I smiled.

“What did you just do?” Cole frowned at me.

“What? I fixed his ankle. No one will ever know it was broken.”

“Abbey, he will know something was done. He had to know it was broken when he couldn’t stand on it.”

“He was mistaken. And nobody knows that I was the one repairing it.”

“Nice bit of magic
, Abbey dearest. You’re healing powers are getting stronger,” Auberon said with pride.

“Don’t encourage her
, Great Grandfather. She is going to get caught one day,” Hunter said with a frown.

“Oh don’t be such a fussbudget
, Hunter, my boy. Abbey knows what she is doing.”

I was thankful that Auberon had put a glamour over our section of the bleachers. Those of us that were human could be seen, but any words we said would be heard as cheering for the panthers. Auberon was the best at glamour of course, being the King of Illusion. Max ran a pretty close second. I know they both expect me to work that kind of glamour, and I suppose if anyone allowed me to attempt it I could, but they were all so busy protecting me.

Michael was cleared by the Doctor to go back in and they resumed the game. My eyes connected with Daire’s and I knew he knew what I did. He shook his head and went back to the huddle. I knew I’d hear about it later.

I watched the rest of the game, cheering at the appropriate moments, but my mind was not on the game. Instead it was on Daire and what he might say when he saw me next. Would he be mad at me? Would he be glad I fixed the quarterback so they could win the game, or upset because it was Michael that I fixed? He’d been hurt too, but Daire had his own healing magic. It was nothing for him to repair himself.

When the game was over, the score was twenty-seven to fourteen. We’d won, so the team was in high spirits when they came off the field. Cole escorted me out to the parking lot to wait for Michael.

“Are you sure you don’t wish me to accompany you
, Princess?”

I shook my head. “No, Daire will be enough I’m sure.”

Cole nodded as the football players began to emerge from the building. Michael jogged over to me and slung an arm around my shoulders.

“Did you enjoy the game?”

“It was exciting. Is your ankle all right?”

“Yeah it was the weirdest thing! One minute I was in a ton of pain and the next it was gone. Bet I’ve gotta pretty good bruise on it later, but the Doc said it was just a mild sprain. He wrapped it and now it feels fine.”

“I’m glad,” I said with a smile, catching Daire’s eye as he walked over to us.

“Great game
, Michael. Lucky about your ankle.”

“Yeah, would have taken me out for the rest of the season if it’d been broke. Guess I’ve got me a guardian angel out there somewhere.”

“Guess you do,” Daire said sourly, giving me a look.

Oh yeah, he was pissed and I was sure to hear about it later. “Well it all worked out well. We won the game…”

“There was never any doubt about that, babe.” Michael grinned at me. “Come on, let’s go to Carter’s. Hope you don’t mind, Daire and Meagan are going to ride along with us. Daire’s car is in the shop.”

I sighed. “Sure, no problem.”

“It’s having breaking issues. I wouldn’t want to take Meagan out in a car that won’t stop when it’s supposed to.”

Meagan giggled. It’s what she does best. That and tossing her golden hair over her shoulder like she’s in some shampoo commercial. “You’re so thoughtful, Daire,” she said as she snuggled into his arm. I wanted to gag.

I allowed Michael to lead me to his truck, a Chevy Silverado extended cab. It was midnight blue and a little cramped in the back, but Daire didn’t seem to mind. At least not that I noticed as he and Meagan were lip locked the entire trip to Carter’s. Thank goddess it was only five minutes from school.

We found a booth in the back of the room with the rest of th
e football team, and their girlfriends. Most of who were cheerleaders. Hunter and Ronny showed up too with their girlfriends and joined us in the back of the room. They were on the JV team so it was only natural that they hang out with the varsity players. They were well liked and pretty popular. Just like my brother. Something about them just drew people to them.

“Ya wanna Coke?” Michael asked when the waitress came by the table.

“I’ll have a bottled water.” I wasn’t much for drinking soft drinks.

“Bottle of water, a large Coke, a mountain of fries, and a double bacon cheese burger with the works,” Michael told her. “Ya want anything to eat, babe?”

I was too nervous to eat. “No thanks.”

“I swear you girls never eat nothin’. Ya gotta quit starving yerself. She’ll have a burger with lettuce, tomato and mustard, and an order of fries.”

“No mustard, ketchup please,” I put in quickly. If he was going to order for me it may as well be something I would actually eat.

“See, I knew you were hungry,” Michael said nodding.

The conversation flowed around me, mostly about the game. I attempted a few times to join in, but Michael would just grin and pat my hand like I was some cute chick who didn’t have a brain in her head and needed to be indulged. It was really annoying. I ate my food slowly, trying to stay occupied as everyone practically ignored me. By the time I was finished I was sick to death of watching Daire play tonsil hockey with Meagan and of listening to them all rehash the game play by play.

All I really wanted was to go home, but I sat there in silence, waiting patiently for Michael to say he was ready to go. Twenty minutes later I got my wish. Sort of.

“You ready, babe? Thought we might go out to the Lock and Dam, what do ya say Daire?” Michael turned to get his attention.

Daire gave m
e a pained look. “I don’t know…what time does Abbey have to be home?”

I glared at him. “When I’m ready.”

“See, no problem there,” Michael said with a grin.

“Great. Sure. Let
’s go,” Daire bit out. I could tell he was pissed off, but apparently I was the only one.

“I’ll be right back,” Meagan said giving Daire a quick kiss. “I’m just gonna run to the ladies room. “Miss me?”

“Of course,” Daire answered with a smile.

“What’s your problem?” I
softly asked Daire in Gaelic while Michael paid our bill.

“The Lock and Dam. Really? You have to ask?” Daire questioned me.

“What’s wrong with the Lock and Dam? It’s pretty out there.”

“Don’t you know why guys take girls there?” Daire asked in exasperation. “If you think I’m going to sit idly by and let that cretin put his hands all over you, you’ve got another think coming
, Princess.”

I narrowed my eyes and glared at Daire. “It’s my choi
ce. You think I enjoy watching…never mind,” I said fuming. “I’ll do what I want and nothing more and you will stay out of it.”

Daire clinched his jaw, his eyes full of fire and promise. “We shall see, Princess.”

Michael returned and I took his hand as we walked to the truck. He clicked open the door, dropped my hand and went around to the driver’s side. I started to reach for the handle, but Daire beat me to it. I allowed him to open the door and help me and then Meagan into the cab. I didn’t enjoy the drive there. Daire and Meagan were once again locked at the lips, but this time I could tell Daire had his eye on me. I was watching him against my will in the rear view mirror. I just couldn’t look away. I was thankful when we finally reached the parking lot. I started to open my door when Michael put his hand on my arm.

“Where ya going, b
abe?” He looked at me curiously.

“I thought we were here to stroll along the river…”

“Babe, you’re so cute,” Michael said with a chuckle. “Come on, we’ll go walk along the river for a while.”

I was just glad to
get away from Daire and his date for a moment. I knew he wouldn’t be far behind, but still. Seeing him macking on Meagan all night was getting to me. I took Michael’s hand and we walked quietly along the bank of the river. They had the actual Lock part of the Dam closed off, so we couldn’t go out on that part. Michael pulled me over to an unoccupied bench and we sat down. He slid his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his chest. I could tell he was going to kiss me and just as I was about to turn away I caught Daire’s look in the corner of my eye, so instead I slip my arms up around Michael’s neck and allowed him to kiss me. It wasn’t a very long kiss, but it was okay as far as kisses went. Not really all that exciting, but nice.

I was acutely aware of Daire standing close by with Meagan. I could feel his intense anger at me, coming in waves of heat that rolled off of him like it was actually tangible. I don’t know how Meagan didn’t notice
it or Michael for that matter. He must have been performing some kind of glamour to hide it, I decided.

“You know, I should probably get home. I have to be up early to visit my great grandmother.”

“That’s so sweet, babe. Is she really old?”

“You could say that,” I said with a real grin. Tatiana was nearly five hundred years old, but then she was Fae, so that was like being maybe forty in human years.

“Will you be there all day tomorrow?”

“Probably be there all weekend, why?”