Unleashed (6 page)

The giant bird puffed up, bronze feathers glinting in the light. It shook its head as though displeased with her response.

“Sorry. Nice, birdie,” she said through a strained, almost hysterical giggle.

The giant creature didn't move.

It just sat there staring at her, silently watching her with glowing yellow eyes. Sam didn't know what to do so she stared back. Eventually her artist's eye began to study the specimen before her. Her fear soon became replaced by curiosity. It was a mammoth bird of prey, an eagle, she thought, but reminded herself she'd have to look it up later. Its feathers shone with bright streaks in varying hues of browns and bronzes. They glinted brightly in golden flashes with even the slightest movement. She eyed its large taloned feet and sharp, hooked beak. Sam shuddered at the damage they could likely do.

The eyes were the same piercing yellow she remembered from her dream. They didn't move from her face. As she stared into the eyes of her feathered visitor, she got the oddest sense of familiarity. She felt like it was intentionally sitting there so she could study it, like some kind of bizarre introduction. Feeling an unusual bravery, Sam slowly reached out to touch it.

Their odd meeting was abruptly interrupted by the slamming of the front door. They both jumped at the loud noise. In a blur, the eagle popped up, spread out its enormous wings, and swooped out into the night.

“Sam, I'm home. No need to call the police,” Nonie said with a courtesy knock and entered Sam's bedroom.

“What?”

“I know I'm late. I hope I didn't worry you, dear.”

“No.” She went to the window looking after her unexpected visitor, but it was nowhere in sight.

“Are you all right? Sam?”

“Huh? Oh, yes. Sorry, Nonie.” She closed the window.

“Nonie, have you ever had any trouble with birds here at the house?”

“What, you mean like seagulls? Usually just when I'm trying to picnic out at the beach. You know how pesky they can get with food around.”

“No. I mean like bigger birds. Eagles maybe?”

“Eagles.” She chuckled. “No, honey. The closest thing to that might be an osprey, but they stay away from the houses. Not too fond of people you know. Why do you ask?”

“No reason. I thought I saw something, but it was probably just a big seagull.” She waved dismissively.

“Okay, dear, whatever you say. I'm bushed, so I'm going to turn in. Anything big on your agenda for tomorrow?”

“Well actually…I've got a date tomorrow night.” Sam sat on the edge of the bed.

“A date! You've only been home for a day, and most of that time has been here at home. What? Old Davis hit you up for some fun?” She sat next to Sam on the bed, giving her long hair a playful tug.

“Close. Malcolm Drew.”

“Really,” she said hesitantly. “Well, that should be interesting. I've never actually met one of the Drews, so you'll have to get all the dirt and fill me in. Is he handsome?”

“Handsome? I don't think that would cover it. In fact, I'm not sure there's an adequate word to describe him. However, his beauty is tempered by the fact he is clearly arrogant.”

“Nothing wrong with a little confidence.” Nonie patted Sam's knee. “I think it's great you're giving him a chance. I'm sure he could use a friend, since he's new and all alone. Good night, dear.” She placed a kiss on Sam's head.

“Night, Nonie.”

After Nonie left, Sam went over and locked the window before crawling into bed. She lay there fiddling with the cross at her neck. Sleep eluded her as she tried to concoct a logical explanation for the giant eagle in her window.

Eventually she drifted off to sleep, but not a dreamless one.

***

Her dream was filled with the yellow-eyed eagle. It was flying alongside her as she ran on the beach with the waves crashing around her. Again, she was the large gray wolf running down the beach, the wind whipping along her fur-covered body. This time she wasn't afraid of the eagle. She was running with it, as though they were in complete unison. It was a liberating feeling to run with such abandon while the eagle matched her speed.

The two of them connected as though they'd done it a million times before. They stopped once they'd reached the jetty. The massive eagle landed directly in front of her on the rocks. The salty spray from the waves misted over them as their gazes locked, unwavering. They both stood breathless from their race. Sam felt a connection to something she couldn't quite put her finger on. It was a feeling of belonging, of coming home. The spell was abruptly broken by the same large, black-backed seagull. It dive-bombed the two of them, shrieking loudly. Swooping down between them, it herded Sam away from her yellow-eyed companion.

***

Sam was once again torn from her sleep by a shrieking alarm. This time, however, her heart sank with disappointment that the dream was over. She slapped the snooze button on her alarm and threw her arm over her eyes, wishing she could go back and recapture the dream.

Malcolm awoke that morning with a smile on his face for the first time in years. Samantha was slowly warming up to him. After experiencing her wariness of him, he knew that he had to earn her trust. He would have to earn it in both forms if she would ever believe who and what she really was. Last night's dream contact proved to be the most promising one yet. It had been progressing nicely until that blasted seagull interrupted them. His smile faded at the memory of the interloper. The second appearance of the gull in the dream proved that it was not a random manifestation. Someone was intentionally trying to keep them apart, but who would do that and why? There was no Seagull Clan.

Malcolm needed to go for a run and clear his mind. Flight was always better, but he needed to conserve all of his powers for later that evening. He quickly dressed for his run and went down to the beach. He loved running on the beach. It was as close to nature as he could get in his human form. Malcolm kept playing the dream from last night over and over again in his mind. The second appearance from that seagull nagged him. He needed another opinion and the one man he knew could help him, the Prince and leader of their race, Richard Muldavi.

Richard and his wife, Salinda, led their people with regal grace and extraordinary compassion. They found each other over a century ago. Their unity and their age gave them great strength. They desperately needed it to lead their dwindling race into the next generation.

Richard was a member of the Lion Clan, descendent of the fated couple from so long ago. He had been trained to protect their people and worked closely with the Vasullus family leaders to keep them all hidden from the Caedo hunters. Richard led their people with the help of the Council. It consisted of one representative from each of the ten clans and two Vasullus family members. Malcolm's uncle, Brendan Drew, represented the Eagle Clan. Together they all worked to protect their people and monitor any possible Caedo activity. They hadn't lost anyone since the murder of Samantha's parents all those years ago.

Their murderers had never been found and still walked free to hunt and kill again. The human authorities, of course, had assumed it was a faulty fuel pump that had caused the explosion. The Amoveo knew the Caedo family was behind it. They just hadn't found out whom. That unsolved murder haunted all of their people, especially the leaders of their race. The Caedo had become as elusive and invisible to the Amoveos as the Amoveos were to the humans. Malcolm knew that Samantha was unaware her parents were murdered. He was curious, however, that she never recognized any of her own powers.

His mind flooded with beautiful images of her. She seemed completely unaware of her beauty and that made her even more desirable. He remembered how sexy she looked last night, her skin damp from her artistic exertions, the long soft tendrils of hair that framed her beautifully sculpted face and her determined jaw. Even with the charcoal smudged in various places, she glowed, from the inside out. He had felt how self-conscious she was, and it only endeared her to him further. Desire simmered in his blood as his body tightened from the mere thought of her. He knew he was lost to her already.

***

Samantha took her morning coffee out to her studio. She only had one full day before getting back to work at the diner. She didn't want to waste a minute. As she prepared her canvas and materials, her eye was caught by movement on the beach below. She stepped closer to the large picture window and looked down to the sandy shore. Her breath stopped as she got a glorious eyeful of Malcolm Drew. His incredibly muscled chest glistened with sweat. He slowed to a walk just below her window. She took a small step back, not wanting to get caught ogling him, but who could blame her? This guy was built like something out of her fantasies.

Watching him, she couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to run her hands up those arms and back down again. She shook her head, trying to erase the spicy images from her mind. After all, she had a date with him tonight, and that reality was enough to leave her breathless. She was still a little shell shocked that this beautiful man would want to go out with her. “He must really be desperate,” she said under her breath. She stopped herself. Negative thinking had been her downfall in the past. “Just go with it. Just go with it.”

Samantha spent the entire day working on the portrait for Nonie. It would be a watercolor eventually. She took her time, penciling every shingle on the little Cape Cod and each blade of tall grass that surrounded it on the dune. Around midday, she stopped and stretched out her sore muscles that were stiff from being perched at the canvas for hours.

With both arms stretched up over her head, she studied the portrait of the eagle from yesterday. She couldn't get away from the sense of familiarity. Those eyes—she knew that she'd seen them somewhere else. She stood lost in the eyes of the eagle. The two yellow orbs focused on her, returning her gaze. Curiously, her mind wandered to Malcolm and that sexy little smile. Sam shook herself from the trance. “Focus, Sam. Focus,” she mumbled. She shifted her attention back to the portrait. “What did I get myself into?”

***

Malcolm spent the rest of his day working on family business. Drew Shipping imported and exported various Italian-made products. His parents retired to their villa in Milan, and now Malcolm was overseeing the day-to-day activities. They had previously run the business from Milan and New York. Malcolm's situation with Samantha prompted a move to Rhode Island.

He couldn't get Samantha's portrait of his eagle form out of his head. She'd drawn
him
. All the details were there, but she'd especially captured his eyes. It gave him a glimmer of hope to see this portrait. She had seen his true self. Their connection was growing stronger by the minute.

The shrill of the phone on his desk tore him from his memories.

“Malcolm Drew,” he answered with more irritation than he intended.

“Yes, Mr. Drew. It's Barkley,” he said. His voice wavered nervously. “I wanted to inform you that we acquired the additional paintings you requested.”

Malcolm sat up straight in his chair and smiled broadly. Samantha's paintings were his.

Once he discovered where her artwork was being shown, he went to the gallery to see them for himself. The moment Malcolm stepped foot into that gallery he knew which piece was hers, and he had to have it. As soon as he'd brought
Woman and the Wolf
into his home, he knew he had to have the rest of them. Malcolm immediately put Barkley to work on it, since he handled all of the family's art acquisitions.

“That's outstanding, Barkley. When will they arrive here?”

“They should be at your home tomorrow morning, sir. I am having all of the pieces framed appropriately for your Rhode Island home as you requested.”

“Thank you. I'll be sure to inform my parents of what an outstanding job you did for me.”

“Good day, sir.”

“Good day indeed.”

Malcolm hung up the phone and swiveled his chair to look out the window at Samantha's house. He sighed and rubbed his unshaven jaw, so close and yet so far.

He relished the idea of incorporating such a personal part of Sam right here in his home. He wanted to be close to her on every level possible. Having her artwork in his home was crucial. She didn't know it, but part of her Amoveo heritage was directly reflected in her art. Every piece of her artwork carried her specific energy signature and having it brought into his home would help their connection grow at a faster rate. He needed all the help he could get. The call of seagulls outside interrupted his thoughts, and he was immediately reminded of the interloper. His gut told him that the seagull in the dream plane was much more than a coincidence. As much as he wanted to resolve his mating with Samantha on his own, he knew that he needed help. He knew that his best bet for help was their Prince.

Amoveos had very strong psychic abilities, telepathy among them. Connecting with Sam had thankfully given him most of his strength back. He went out to his balcony to contact his friend and leader. He closed his eyes, concentrating on creating a mental path to Richard.

Richard, I have connected with my life mate, but I'm encountering an interloper in the dream plane. It's a seagull. I need your help, old friend. Can you—

In moments, a tall man with long raven hair and enormous dark eyes materialized next to him. Amoveos could travel at the speed of thought when they were at full strength. He was over two centuries old, one of the strongest among their people, and an exceptionally gifted shifter. As leader of their people, he was ready to lend his help to any who asked. However, their two families were quite close. They were more like family than mere friends.

“How can I help you, my brother?” Richard delivered a small but regal bow.

“Thank you for coming. You didn't even let me finish my sentence. Now that's what I call service,” Malcolm said jokingly. He grasped him in a strong, friendly handshake and a pat on the shoulder.

“Only for you, my friend.” Richard smiled. Then his face grew serious. “Now, tell me about your mate and this dream interloper.”

They went into the study, and Malcolm relayed the events as they'd happened. Richard listened intently to the difficulty he'd been having connecting with Samantha, as well as the disturbing appearances of the seagull.

“You seem to be giving Samantha ample time to connect with you. You've given her much more freedom to choose than is necessary.”

“You don't know the half of it. Did I fail to mention that I'm taking her out on a date this evening?” Malcolm ran his hands through his tousled hair.

“A date? Like a human,” Richard said with some disgust.

“I don't have much of a choice, Richard.”

“It seems to me if you simply explain who she really is and explain the mating ritual and our ways…”

“She'll think I'm crazy.”

“She'll think you're crazy,” Richard somberly agreed.

“I'm more concerned about this seagull that keeps manifesting during our dream contacts. I know we have no Seagull Clan in our race, but it's clearly an intentional interruption.”

“Given her parents' untimely death, I can understand your concern. You're quite certain this is another individual in the dream realm and not a manifestation from her subconscious? She is a powerful psychic, whether or not she knows it,” Richard said. “Between her Amoveo blood and the psychic powers from her mother's side, it's quite possible she's sabotaging your meetings herself.”

“No. It's definitely not her. I'm gaining her trust. Slowly to be sure, but it's happening. No,” he insisted. “Someone else is intruding.”

Both men sat in silence for a few moments, contemplating the various possibilities. Neither one of them wanted to admit the most dangerous possibility of all.

“I've heard rumors…that the Caedo have developed psychic abilities over the years,” Malcolm began slowly. “To be honest, I dismissed it as paranoid fantasy, but now I'm afraid it's more than that. What if the seagull in the dream plane is a Caedo?”

“I know we don't want to think about this, but is it possible they have found you? Clearly they've left Samantha alone all these years, probably because she's shown no signs of shifting. She's done nothing out of the human norm that would raise any red flags. However, you can be sure they've been watching her,” Richard said, his mouth set in a grim line. His voice held a seriousness Malcolm hadn't heard in some time. “If they realize that Samantha has any abilities and that she has an Amoveo mate who has found her, then they'll stop at nothing to kill you both. If you are successful in joining with her, it will only be the second human and Amoveo mating in our history. The Caedo already see us as a threat to human existence. You know how quickly they hunted down and killed her parents. You and Samantha would be seen as an equal threat. They hate us and hate the idea of us mating with humans even more. They feel as though we're trying to breed them out or some such nonsense.” He waved.

“It's ridiculous, Richard. Our people have never harmed another, other than to defend ourselves or our clan members. We haven't even had fighting between the clans for over a thousand years. Ironically enough we have the Caedo to thank for that. We have a much more peaceful history than the humans. They have shed far more blood, and yet
we're
the monsters,” Malcolm said with frustration.

“True,” Richard said quietly. “Malcolm, you do realize how extraordinary this is, don't you? We have been hunted to the brink of extinction. They kill one of us, and it eliminates our mate and any possibility of offspring. If there are more women, or men for that matter, with psychic abilities like Samantha, then they could be mates for our people as well. It could mean saving our race. Your uncle Brendan has been researching this very fact for us. As you can imagine, the Council is very interested in finding out as much as we can. Obviously if we can identify these individuals early, then we can help make their transition that much easier.”

Malcolm sat in silence with his head in his hands. He couldn't think about the benefits of his mating for his people or the wider implications it had. All he could focus on was keeping Samantha safe. The idea that the Caedo would attempt to harm her sent a fiery rage through his blood. Even worse, her destiny as his mate was putting her in grave danger. He stood quickly and stalked out to the balcony. It was a feeble attempt to hide his fury from Richard. He grasped the railing as though it might absorb some of his anger. His friend came up behind him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“I understand your anger, Malcolm,” he said with quiet confidence. “When the Caedo came after Salinda, I was almost paralyzed with rage, but we banded together as a people and stopped them. I promise you, we will work together to protect your mate.”