CHAPTER TWELVE #4
“Stop it,” Brie said. “You’re annoying him. What’s happening out there?”
Allie said, “They get their stamina from the gods. I guess a god can make love forever. Royce can go on for days. I’ll bet Seoc can, too.”
“Allie,” Brie choked.
“I healed him—he won’t hurt me. Not only that, his secret is out. He saved you. The Big Bad Wolf isn’t big or bad after all.” She gave the Wolf a very big smile. “And he’s insanely jealous. I can feel it. I’m empathic, too, remember?”
“Don’t torment him,” Brie whispered.
“If you decide Aidan isn’t the one, I think you should go after Seoc. He’s one hundred percent available and I saw the way he looked at you.” Allie smiled at the Wolf. “You might want to change your tune the next time you’re a man, Aidan. I think you have competition.”
“Allie!” Brie protested.
The Wolf snarled menacingly at her.
Allie ignored him. “They’re here. C’mon.” She seized Brie’s hand and dragged her past the Wolf and outside.
Although only a short time had passed, Brie was overwhelmed by so much medieval eye candy.
She took a breath. Malcolm and Claire had arrived, and they were speaking with a golden Highlander who looked exactly like Matthew McConaughey.
She reminded herself not to drool. Then she saw Seoc standing beside a dark, sinfully handsome Lowlander in a black leather vest, a hip-length padded surcote and indecently fitted hose.
The Lowlander was staring at her with open interest. When he caught her eye, he smiled slowly at her. Seoc smiled, too.
Brie refused to smile back. She quickly turned—and fell into Tabby’s arms.
She was so relieved, because she was hoping Tabby had a spell that could free Aidan from the Wolf. As she met her friend’s warm amber eyes, the changes in her struck Brie, at once.
Tabby was as impossibly elegant as ever, in a long, blue velvet gown, but there was a serenity and peace about her that she hadn’t had at home.
“Hi, Brie.” Tabby hugged her so hard that it hurt. “I have missed you so much.”
When Tabby finally let her go, Brie saw that she was crying. “How long has it been?” she asked carefully.
“I’m not sure. Maybe two hundred and fifty years,” Tabby said. “You’ve changed so much! It must be the glasses. They were so unattractive.” But her amber eyes were wide and searching.
“That was my first thought,” Allie said from behind them. “But she’s in love.”
Tabby started, her eyes huge. “Wait a minute. Our Brie, who never dates, who spends most of her life in front of a PC, is in love?” Disbelief changed to excitement as she finished the sentence.
“Brie has found a Master—well, he used to be a Master.”
“Who is it?” Tabby asked softly.
Brie tried to smile. She knew Tabby really, really well. She was an earth mother, caring of everybody, beyond protective, especially of her family. She was not going to like this. “He’s sort of stuck right now.”
Tabby blinked in confusion.
A dark, towering man stepped up from behind her, his expression hard.
Tabby softened and smiled at him and Brie instantly knew this was her husband.
Like Royce, he emanated a savage and ruthless power.
Tabby had always hated alpha men. It was so odd seeing her standing there with a man so medieval and so male.
He said grimly, “She dinna choose very well, Tabitha. Ye willna be pleased.”
Tabby glanced up at him, her eyes widening. “We don’t chose love. Fate chooses it for us.”
His mouth softened. “A man must make his own Fate,” he said, so softly Brie strained to hear. “An’ I chose ye the first moment we met.”
Tabby smiled at him and looked at Brie. “He started seducing me about two seconds after rescuing me.”
“And ye dinna mind verra much,” he said.
Tabby laughed. “This is Guy Macleod, my husband.” She spoke with quiet pride. “He, of course, thinks he chose me without any unearthly guidance.”
Brie wiped a tear, moved by their obvious affection. “Tabby? Don’t flip, please. He’s really stuck…in a wolf’s body.”
Tabby looked at Brie, clearly not understanding.
Then she glanced up at Guy Macleod, and Brie was certain a silent communication was sizzling up the airwaves.
“Aidan, the Wolf of Awe?” she cried in dismay.
“You have fallen in love with a half deamhan? He has taken pleasure in death. He lusts for power. Every lover he has ever had can testify to it. And worst of all, he has allowed innocent children to die!”
“Tabby, he was forced from the light. I am bringing him back, I swear it! And he isn’t evil. He has saved me repeatedly. Please help us,” Brie cried, seizing her hands.
“Innocent women and children died at Elgin!” Tabby argued. “Worse, he massacred the inhabitants of his own village at Awe!”
“He was trying to save his son.” Malcolm stepped forward.
Brie turned. Too late, she realized the clearing had become silent, and every single Master was listening to them.
Worse, the Wolf stood outside the tent, listening as well.
Tabby shook her head and helplessly began to cry. “No one can come back from that.”