Biting back a smile, on an impulse I pressed my fingers to his face. He lifted my other hand to press it to his heart.
"It's not bad," I admitted. "I thought it would be, but the more I think about it, the less scary being tied to you seems."
The, thing between us was complicated and tricky. I still hadn't told him about Maeve or the vampire-boy in my wardrobe. The thought distracted me, and tugged me from the dreamlike state I was in. I needed to get back to Temple. Tomas was probably beyond pissed off right now and pacing my room like a caged predator.
Breandan smiled wickedly, clearly delighted. He stole a kiss and jogged backward. His face filled with mischief.
"A race," he suggested and crooked his finger at me playfully.
I grinned; skipped to join him then ran, hearing his laughter behind me. I noticed my sense of direction since I had become a demon was stellar. My centre of gravity was rooted to everything around me. I moved and it shifted in relation to the direction of north. I knew how far I was from water, a deep cave or from a high place.
I got back first and wondered if he had let me win. Stomping my boots, mirroring the pound of my heartbeat, I did more happy spins, waiting to get dizzy and for Breandan to come catch me. Round and round I spun.
A figure, darker than the coming night stepped from the gloom and motioned to me.
I stopped dead.
Head spinning, a cry of panic was already bubbling in my throat. I drew in a deep breath, and reached to the Source. Not the best of ideas since I was hardly proficient, having only used it a few times before, but I was facing evil and it was no time to be scared of what I was, or what I could do.
A warm hand closed around my waist and pulled me back, shielded me.
My lungs collapsed, and a squawk of alarm was replaced with knee watering relief. I released my hold on the energy I'd gathered, felt it flow in a warm stream of power from my fingertips.
Breandan, eyes flashing blue fire stepped forward.
Devlin's laughter made my skin scrawl. "Breandan, you always were overprotective of your toys." He eased into a comfortable stance. He moved closer then I could see his face better. The sparkle in his eye seemed devilish now and the curve of his lips sinister.
"It is not overprotective to defend what is yours," Breandan replied and glanced over his shoulder.
I tried to do him proud and look less terrified. Yeah right. I was shaking like a leaf. Devlin had worked magic on me a few hours ago, and it had worked. I remembered the mumbling, quivering mess I had been and felt sick. If Breandan and Conall hadn't come along, I would have probably given him my amulet and agreed to go wherever it was he was trying to lure me to.
Losing his patience, Breandan shifted, easing his feet apart and asked, "What do you want?"
Devlin pointed to me. "She has spoken to the most powerful Seer of our time, the white witch. She is a fairy born of this region and by rights part of my Tribe unless she swears fealty to a usurper. I have a right to know what her future holds."
"Touch her and I kill you."
"By doing this, denying me the right to see her, you are naming her a prisoner or of your faction. If she swears fealty to Lochlann she will be named a rebel. She already has had a hard life at the hands of her mother. Will you truly subject her to a lifetime of being shunned by the majority of her true kind too?"
Breandan's face was ashen. He swallowed hard and looked at me over his shoulder, expression torn. I understood what Devlin was saying. Because I hadn't chosen a side I was automatically a Tribal fairy, but since Breandan had claimed me as his own he'd sentenced me to a life filled with death and destruction. I would have to always be cautious, always have to hide the amulet and myself. I was beginning to think even if I lost my piece I would still be tied to it. It would explain why Devlin did not grab the thing a month ago and take off.
Like Breandan said, there were rules to this thing. I just had to learn them.
