Whisper Cape (15 page)

Without answering, he resumed kissing her. She started to pull away but then relaxed and tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer to her.

After enjoying the kiss for a few seconds, Addie came to her senses and shoved her hands against his chest, stopping the kiss. “Wait. You need to explain ...”

Cael ignored her, silencing her with his lips once more. Addie lost herself in his tender embrace, unable to focus on anything else, which she knew was completely wrong. Every instinct told her she should be afraid, but she didn’t care.

His mouth traveled down to her neck as she raised her head to accept the slight graze of his teeth and titillating touch of his tongue just below her earlobe, sending quick pulses of excitement though her body.

She sighed, “You can’t keep silencing me with your kisses.”

“It’s working so far,” he whispered, then brought his mouth back to hers, attempting another kiss, but this time she managed to turn her face aside.

“Please, stop. I need to know what’s going on.”

They stood for a moment, both lost in the sweet embrace.

He sighed. “If you insist.”

“How did we get here?”

He smiled. “I have the ability to teleport. That’s how I managed to save you at the cliff. I heard you scream but there was no way I could have run over there in time.”

“What do you mean ‘teleport'? What does that mean?”

“It means I can move from one place to another, instantly.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, what she had just experienced. Her sense of logic denied what he was saying. The word itself was absurd. This whole night had been absurd. She pushed herself away from him, trying desperately to find some vestige of understanding, some measure of strength to continue this illogical conversation.

“How does it work exactly?”

He shrugged. “I just think about it and it happens.”

“Show me.”

“Well, okay.”

He vanished before her eyes, and then tapped her on her shoulder from behind. “Hey.” He smiled a sexy grin.

“Holy incredible crap! This is unbelievable—do that again.”

He did. This time he disappeared for a bit longer and when he returned, he was holding a beautiful red rose that he handed to her.

She took the rose, feeling her knees go weak. “I think I’m going to need a moment.” She sat. “So ... you can do this anytime you want?”

“Yes, usually.”

“Take me somewhere.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know, anywhere.”

He pulled her against him. “Okay. You should close your eyes, though. It can be a little ... unsettling at first.”

Two seconds later, he said, “Okay, open your eyes.”

She did and gasped. They stood upstairs in his bedroom.

“Someday I'll take you somewhere wonderful, but not tonight. There are more pressing issues at hand. For now, you need to get past the shock.”

“This is just too amazing! All I felt was a slight swish through my skin and bones, like a brief, strong, cold breeze. And Darcy thinks riding a motorcycle would be exciting. Man, she has no idea!”

“You'd have gotten dizzy if your eyes were open. Close them again.” She did, and they were back downstairs when she opened them.

Addie ran her hands along his sides and felt something odd—something hard—then looked up at him, puzzled. “What is that?”

He slowly lowered his arms from her and eased back, removed his coat and showed her the concealed belt holster holding a small gun alongside what Addie could only assume were extra bullets.

“You have a gun? Why do you have a gun? Who are you exactly and why are you here?”

“You ask so many questions all at once. Let’s take it one at a time. We’ll talk, but we also need to eat. Let’s see what we have here in the kitchen and we can talk while I make us something. Come with me.” He took her hand and she followed him. She wasn’t hungry, but she knew she had to eat something.

He removed the holster, taking the gun out to show her. “This isn’t just a gun. It’s a sub-compact semi-automatic forty caliber pistol and it’s for protection,” he said, then placed the gun back in the holster and set it on the counter next to an extra magazine of cartridges.

“Don’t worry, I’m a private investigator and have a license to carry it. I assure you, Addison, it’s quite legal. I’m surprised you didn’t feel the gun when we were kissing this afternoon.”

“I guess I just didn’t think ... what do you mean protection?”

“Protection for you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you, Addison MacKenna. Your life is in danger.”

“So you said, but who would want to kill me?” She just couldn’t get a grip on everything happening to her. She had never hurt anyone in her life, and couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt her. She leaned against the cool granite counter top, wishing she had something to do with her hands. There were two black leather stools by the side of it, but the last thing she wanted to do was sit.

“Maybe it’s more of
what
wants to kill you. At this point I’m not sure.” He pulled out some eggs and bread from the refrigerator, and setting them down on the counter, he paused. “Addison ... your father was recently murdered and ...”

“Wait, how do you know? Did you know my father? Were you a student of his or something?”

“Do you always ask several questions at once?”

“Just answer.”

“Okay, yes, I was a student of his, but in a sense, Ristéard was more like a father to me. He taught me almost everything I know about fighting demons. He had more abilities than anyone else in the whole organization.”

“What the hell are you talking about ... fighting demons? What organization? You must have me mixed up with someone else.” She let out a trembling laugh and shook her head. “This is utterly insane. My father’s name was Richard. Professor Richard MacKenna and he was a professor of ancient history and he investigated ancient artifacts—and yes, he was killed, but by a bear.”

“Addison, you don’t really believe that. Stop kidding yourself. Look at the facts. Think back.”

“The police said it was a bear, plus you have the wrong name.”

“Look, I saw the photo on your table of you with your father. He’s the same man I knew as Ristéard MacKenna. He was a powerful man who belonged to an ancient secret society called the Sectorium. I believe he took on the name Richard to disguise his identity and to help keep you hidden. I didn’t even know you existed until the other day. I suspected something about you when I saw you use your power, but I didn’t know you were Ristéard’s daughter until you told me your name.” He cracked open a few eggs and started scrambling them as he watched her pace.

“This is crazy.” She walked from one end of the kitchen to the other. Dragging her hand through her hair, she stopped and looked at him, “You’re on the level here, aren’t you?”

He nodded.

“But why would he change his name? And which is it, Richard or Ristéard? God, I can’t believe this.”

“Ristéard is Gaelic, meaning ‘powerful ruler’ so maybe the Sectorium gave him that name. I’m really not sure.”

“Well shit, how could I be so stupid? All the moving around we did—I was always starting a new school—and all those times my father would go away for months at a time. I just thought he was searching for ancient relics. You know ... I went to school to study everything I could about ancient history and art just so I could work with him. That’s all I ever wanted to do ... until he died. Now I can’t bring myself to even look at any historic pieces.”

He poured the eggs into a pan and pulled out two slices of bread. He was just about to place them in the toaster when Addie placed her hand on top of his to stop him.

“Wait.” She looked into his eyes and hesitated for a second, taking in his puzzled expression. She slowly took the slices from him and placed them on a plate. “Watch this,” she whispered, then toasted the bread with her sparks. She looked at him, tears welling in her eyes.

“I can do this ... as well as turn machines on and off.”

He brushed away the tears glistening on her cheek.

“Oddly, this all started happening to me when you showed up. The same day I almost hit you with my truck.”

He took her in his arms, comforting her trembling body in his warm embrace. “I knew that was you. You damn near killed me, you know.”

“I’m sorry, I should have said something, but I was afraid you were going to have me arrested for hit-and-run.”

“Arrested? No, you’re safe, especially since you didn’t hit me. You know, Addison, we’ll figure this all out, I promise. I know this is a lot to comprehend.”

Eyeing the bread she’d just toasted to perfection, he raised an eyebrow and said, “Now that’s a handy little talent you have there. Very handy indeed. Let’s butter it and eat.”

“I have to say, as frightened as I am about these powers and everything else you’ve told me, I am a bit relieved to know I finally have someone to confide in who knows as well as I do that a bear didn’t kill my father.”

Addie didn’t think she could eat anything and the idea of swallowing seemed impossible, but after the first bite of soft, buttery eggs, the rest followed with very little effort. Feeling somewhat dehydrated from the beers earlier in the evening, she drank two large glasses of water.

“Okay, let’s say—for argument’s sake—you’re right and this man Ristéard was my father. If you knew him so well, why didn’t he ever tell you about me?”

“My guess is he kept you hidden from us for your own protection. His powers were far greater than any of the others’ in the Sectorium. I believe he kept you a secret because he knew your life would be in danger. Addison, there are only about ten people known to the organization—in the world—who possess such prodigious powers as we have. These powers are only obtainable through inheritance, and it only strikes one gender per generation, skipping genders each time. If you had been born a boy, you would be powerless.”

“Oh, so then ... my aunt has no powers.”

“Correct, and she can never pass any powers down to future generations, one of the reasons why there aren’t very many of us. Not every person born with special abilities has a child of the opposite sex. As I said, if you had been a boy, then the power would have stopped with your father, but fortunately,” he raised his eyebrows and smiled, “you were born a girl. We were aware of Maia MacKenna, but no one had any clue about you. Your name—Addison—isn’t it also a boy’s name?”

“Usually, yes.”

“Maybe they named you Addison to hide your identity.”

“Maybe. Almost everyone calls me Addie, though, well, except for my father, he always called me Addison.”
And you.
She lowered her head, not wanting to reveal her emotions. She wanted to say how she loved hearing him say her name—how she felt beautiful and special whenever the melodic sound of it passed through his lips.

Then she felt guilty. How the hell could she allow herself to think about this man that way when her life was in danger?

Cael’s intense blue eyes focused on hers as if he could hear her thoughts.

“Addison,” he said in a deep whisper, causing her stomach to flutter.

“Yes?”

“Come with me.”

He stood, reached for her hand. She took it and followed him to the sofa in front of the fireplace.

Addie sat as Cael lit the fire then joined her on the sofa. He faced her, taking her hands in his. “Addison,” he repeated. “What I’m about to say is very serious ... I’m sorry this has all come as a shock to you, but I need your help. I’m sure your father loved you very much. I knew him well. He was my mentor, perhaps more. I suppose you could say he helped raise me. I loved him and respected him. He was a great man with great powers. Because I knew him so well, my instincts tell me your father hid you away to protect you from the dangers to our kind and from the monster who wants to kill you.”

A lump formed in her throat and she held back tears. She wouldn’t cry. She stared at him, searching for some hint of a lie or trick, but nothing in those pools of deep sapphire revealed anything but sincerity.

“Our kind? What do you mean?”

“We are ... you are special. You have special abilities normal human beings don’t have.”

“Why didn’t I have them before?”

He shrugged. “Exposure, perhaps. We can explore it later, if you like. I need you to think—think hard. Is there anything you can remember—some deep hidden memory from your childhood, perhaps? What about your mother ... where is she?”

***

Addison was silent for a moment as Cael stared at her, waiting for her to answer.

“My mother died when I was a baby. I don’t even remember her.” She stood up abruptly, throwing her arms down, her hands clenched into fists, hitting her thighs. “No ... I can’t do this ... don’t make me do this. Why is this happening? I don’t want these powers. Why didn’t he tell me?” Her posture was stiff as she glared at him. She stepped away, as if to bolt and leave the whole mess behind her.

“I need him.” Her eyes softened and glistened. “He was always there. Whenever I had a problem, I could turn to him and he would make things better. He was my life.”

Cael grabbed her arm gently, pulling her back down. Her face fell onto his chest, her tears soaking his shirt.

“I miss him so much.”

“I know. It’s okay now, let it out. It’s good to let it out.” As he shared in the grief of her father’s death, he sensed she was weeping for the first time since her father died.

Cael’s own emotions balanced on a thin wire as he held her, thinking of his own childhood with Ristéard. He found himself torn between love for the man and now the strong desire for the man’s daughter. God, her hair was so soft, and her sweet fragrance had him mesmerized. Her skin felt smooth as silk as he stroked a finger down the side of her tear-soaked cheek. She was perfect. Her lips were full and trembling and he remembered how wonderful and soft they had been when he’d kissed her. Even though he grieved with her over a man he loved, he had to fight to control the erotic fantasies he had conjured up as he sat with her.

Chapter 16