Except Eilidh’s not a wolf, and even wolves are in agreement with that. She isn’t a shifter.
She’snot.
And yet…
At one point during our flight from Alaska, while she was in the forward cabin with the others, and Chaldis and I were awake and alone in the private cabin in back, I opened my shirt collar and asked him to look at the mark on my shoulder.
He agreed it looks like a mating mark.
What does itmean?
I don’t know, but next to Lucius, Chaldis is the only other vampire I’d trust to ask this, because he’s spent time with Eilidh—far more than I have, ironically—and he obviously cares about her as a friend. I’m not even sure I’d trust Lucius to ask this, quite honestly.
It’s on my list of things to puzzle out once we’ve solved the question of hergwyllgi.
One conundrum at a time, if you please.
“Aww, I’m not Fangster Hunkadoofalus any longer?” I ask her. “I was growing rather fond of that.”
That finally wins me a smile and she snuggles even closer to me. “Only when you’re a jerk, Not-Ianto, Sir.”
I nuzzle my face in her hair. “You, my dear, are biased.”
“Damn right I am.”
If it wasn’t for my promise to her to get to the bottom of hergwyllgi, I would have simply asked Chaldis if Eilidh and I could lock ourselves in her bedroom and not come out for a couple of weeks. I wouldn’t mind spending some uninterrupted time with my girl in Alaska.
I spent nearly two months desperately searching for her. In that time, I imagined nearly every conceivable horror that could have befallen her, hardly daring to hope I would ever again be here with her right now.
The only reason we aren’t doing that is that I swore never to lie to her. Meaning I have to uphold my promise to her tofixthis for her.
Once we solve this, however?
My girl is taking a well-deserved vacation, whether she wants to or not. Because we’re going to relax and focus on each other, finally get to know each other in all the ways we need to. I want to know how she likes her coffee—if she even likes coffee. I want to cook brunch with her, and hear her childhood stories. I want to make her laugh as we dance in a midnight rain, and help dry her tears when something makes her sad.
I want to be the brightest moon in the galaxies in her gorgeous violet eyes. I want to earn every bit of trust she places in me and never let her down.
And that has to start here, by upholding this promise I made to her. My instincts tell me those answers will be found in Wales.
The men join us shortly, and soon we’re off to the hotel. I have two trusted men meeting us there who’ve prepared our rooms, and who will stay behind with Chaldis and Corbin, along with John and Mark, while we continue on to the UK. I want to be at the standing stones well before the full moon. Depending on how long this takes, either we’ll detour back through Atlanta to pick up Chaldis and Corbin, or my men will arrange for another private plane to fly them back to Alaska and help them safely return.
Chaldis stares out the window with Corbin contentedly snuggled against him as we speed through the streets. “The world has changed so much. Seeing it on television doesn’t do it justice. I feel guilty I am keeping you from this, boy.”
“I don’t want to be where you aren’t, Master,” Corbin softly replies with his face buried against Chaldis’ shoulder.
“Perhaps we should investigate Tucson,” Chaldis says. “Maybe start spending winters there.”
“I will attest that the winters in Tucson arenotsucky,” Eilidh jokes. “Not in the slightest.”
“We would be happy to host you as our guests,” I add. “If you’d rather come for a visit first before committing to purchase a home there.”
Chaldis nuzzles Corbin’s head. “Would you like that, boy? A few months in the sun instead of the cold darkness of Alaska?”
“But you would be stuck indoors all the time, Master.”
“I would not mind if you are there, boy.”
They are adorable together, and while my heart is full with Eilidh at my side, watching the men reminds me so much of my Robert.
