FinnsRedemption (7 page)

He tried pulling her away and was shocked when she lowered
her mouth.

Alli placed her sweet lips around the head and it was the
beginning of the end for Finn. As soon as her wet tongue slid underneath to
lick at the nerves there, he pushed his hands through her hair and his hips
bucked upward. He came on a long growl, repeating her name over and over.

Alli felt so empowered at the moment he spent himself inside
her mouth. His salty seed sliding down her throat in two pumps. When he would
have pulled out, she continued to suck on him, discovering that she loved the
taste and texture of him on her tongue.

Finn could only stare as she continued to suck his cock.
Slowing down enough to travel his length over and over again. Going further to
lick and suck his balls as they again became tighter. Running her tongue over
the ultra-sensitive spot behind his head, sliding down along the large vein and
sucking gently up the sides. Finn was in denial as body began another ascent
into heaven.

“Alli, oh Goddess, baby, you’re killing me,” he groaned as
he pushed himself deeper into her wet mouth.

He had heard that once in a while a man could have orgasms
back to back. He’d never come close to experiencing it himself. His body always
required some kind of recuperating time before coming again.

His moans became louder as she continued laving his cock
with her mouth over and over again. Suddenly the hand massaging his balls
delved deeper into his jeans. Finn almost leapt out of the seat, thinking,
She
wouldn’t?

Oh man, she is.
He almost cried out loud as her
finger found his ass and the sensitive flesh there. Alli’s finger teasing his
ass, her palm cupping his balls and her beautiful mouth loving his dick was
more than Finn could stand. Like lightning, the second release came quicker
than the first and sent Finn flying into a place he never thought existed. He
couldn’t hold back his cries of pleasure anymore as he again poured his essence
inside the sweetest mouth in this world.

Finn looked up as she rose, smiling at him. He watched her
tongue slide across her full bottom lip. His balls felt full again and for the
first time in his life he was in utter disbelief.

“Finn, I think we should be going now, don’t you?”

He was struck silent. He wasn’t sure if he was disappointed
by her reaction to the best blowjob he ever received in his life. He was hoping
that she would say more. He opened his mouth to tell her how wonderful she was
but she turned her back on him to check her lipstick in the mirror. Finn made a
face and became pissed. How could she be so casual about what had just happened?
Didn’t she feel what she had done to him?

Instead of saying anything, Finn started up the truck again
and drove them to the house. He stepped out of his vehicle. Going around to her
side, he helped her out. He laced his fingers through hers and led Alli inside.

It was such a grand place. Alli had always wondered what
treasures it held inside. The door opened into a long hallway. Large paintings
adorned both walls as Finn and Alli walked down the corridor.

“Dad must be in his study,” Finn said as they walked into an
open great room. “Let’s go see Heather first.”

Alli was nervous about being in this big house with Finn’s
family. Sully was the only one she knew well. He was a very good customer at
her store and they talked often though never about Finn. Sully knew that
subject was off-limits and was kind enough not to mention him to Alli at all.

Heather had come to her store several times before she had
taken ill and Alli liked the younger girl. She was tall and willowy, with
light-brown hair and large blue eyes. She was always smiling and loved to
giggle when came in with her friends. Alli had no siblings but she could
imagine how difficult it was for Finn and his family to see Heather getting
sicker by the day and not be able to help.

Finn led them up the stairs and came to a set of double
doors at the end of the hallway. He knocked lightly and opened the door. Alli
followed.

“Finn, come in,” she heard a small, weak voice say.

As she entered the room, there was Heather in a large bed
that seemed to swallow her tiny form. Alli held back tears as she saw the young
woman lying on the bed. Gone was the carefree girl she had known before. In her
place was a shell of a woman. She had lost a lot of weight, was barely more
than skin and bones. Large, dark circles under her blue eyes, which had lost
their mischievous ways. Her complexion, which had always been smooth, was now
gray. She was wasting away and Alli felt horrible. What in the world would
cause this kind of pain for Heather? Could a curse really do this kind of
damage?

Alli watched as Finn very gently kissed his sister on the
forehead and brushed her hair away from her eyes.

“Heather, I’ve brought you a visitor.” His voice was so
gentle and kind. Alli couldn’t help but be moved at the way Finn treated his youngest
sibling.

“Alice, how nice of you to come.” Heather’s voice was small
but clear. “Finn, help me sit up. Then leave me and Alli to talk.”

Finn pulled his sister up into a sitting position. Alli
could tell she had no strength to do it for herself and she wanted to cry. It
wasn’t fair that such a young, beautiful woman would be stricken like she was.

Finn pulled a wing-backed chair next to Heather’s bed and
held his hand out to Alli. She walked over and sat down.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes, okay?”

Alli nodded and Finn placed a kiss to her cheek. Even that
small peck burned like fire against her skin.

Looking over to Heather, Alli couldn’t bring herself to say
anything. Heather noticed and laughed aloud.

“I know I look like shit. You don’t have to say anything. I
know that you’re feeling pressure right now from Finn. Don’t let him talk you
into anything that you aren’t ready for. I imagine this whole thing is really
freaky for you, being a normal person and all.”

“Heather, I don’t know—”

Heather cut her off. “I know what an ass my brother was to
you. You have to understand that in my family to do what he did to you was a
sin. A big one against the Goddess. It’s why he was sent away and why he stayed
away so long. Finn is a stubborn man who only sees what he wants to see. Right
now, he knows that your necklace can help me. If you don’t feel anything for
him, I’m telling you I will understand. I would never expect you to live your
life with Finn. You have every right to hate him. I know if a man did that to
me, I don’t know that I could ever forgive him.”

Alli couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The necklace she
wore around her neck could help save this girl’s life. Here Heather was giving
her a choice and Alli felt humbled by it.

Such an unexpected surprise Heather was. Even though she
looked like hell and was weak, she carried a great strength within her. Alli
could see it in her blue eyes. Heather wasn’t afraid to die. She was willing to
give Alli an out. Incredible. Alli had been prepared for the girl to ask her to
help. Instead Heather gave her the chance to run away from all this and put
Finn behind her.

“It’s true that when I saw Finn yesterday I wanted nothing
more than to punch him in the face.” Alli smiled when Heather gave a small
laugh. “The truth is, Heather, I’m not sure what I want. Finn does things to me
that scare me and make me feel wonderful all at the same time. I want to be
able to trust him but I also don’t want to be made a fool of either.”

It was true, Finn did scare her but she also scared herself,
because in reality Finn still meant more to her than anyone else in her life.
How easy it had been when he walked into her store yesterday. It was as if all
the years fell away and there was just she and Finn picking up where they left
off. Alli wasn’t sure if she trusted her judgment but she wanted nothing more
than to help Heather.

Heather reached her hand out and took Alli’s, looking at her
palm and tracing the fine lines held there.

“I know what you are saying and I believe you’ll follow your
heart. Always follow your heart.” She traced a long line down Alli’s palm and,
smiling, she said, “Your heart will never lie to you.”

Finn opened the door again. “Heather, you need to get some
rest now. Come on, Alli, my family wants to see you.”

Alli bent over and gave Heather a small hug.

“Remember, don’t take any shit from him,” the younger woman
whispered in her ear. Alli laughed and walked out the door with Finn.

Chapter Seven

Finn led Alli back down the stairs and into the great room,
where she was greeted by Gavin Donovan.

“Hello, Alli, how are you?” Gavin, the youngest Donovan
male, approached her, giving her a hug. She returned his embrace.

Gavin was shorter than Finn by a few inches. He also had the
bluest eyes Alli had ever seen. They reminded her of a perfect spring morning
when the sky was clear of clouds and the blue went on forever. Tonight, though,
they were hidden behind sunglasses. Gavin had been in an accident two years ago
that killed his fiancée and left him blind.

While Finn was rugged, handsome Gavin was more the Hollywood
kind of hot. Alli always imagined him being a leading man in a movie. At one
time or another, every girl in town had tried to sink their claws in him.
Unlike his older brothers though, after the accident Gavin had become very shy,
overly private and rumored to be a bit mad. He lived in an old church that had
been converted into living space a bit farther out of town and was a successful
author.

His books had become extremely popular as the years passed
and a few had even been picked up by movie studios and turned into
blockbusters. The press thought his elusiveness was just an act to add mystique
to himself and his books. Alli knew better.

Gavin had suffered the night of his accident and continued
to suffer since. Losing the love of his life and his sight might drive a man
over the edge. Gavin was strong. He hadn’t allowed the pain to derail his
writing career. If anything, he’d used it to make his writing more intense,
more powerful.

She wondered who Fate had decided he would be paired up
with. Finn had said there were three jewels, so that would mean that Sully and
Gavin had to retrieve the other two.

“We are so glad you could come by this evening,” he stated.

Finn put his hand on Alli’s shoulder and Gavin’s smile lit
up his face. Alli blushed. What was Finn thinking? He squeezed her shoulder as
if marking his territory.

“So it’s true?” Gavin whispered as his hand came into
contact with the jewel nestled between her breasts. She allowed his fingers to
wrap around it.

Finn itched to push his brother away from Alli. He didn’t
like the fact that Gav had his hand on any part of Alli but he understood the
need his brother had to touch the gem. One-third of the triad that would help
heal Heather and remove the curse from their family was actually in reach. They
were so close. For the first time in more than two hundred years, the Oracle
said all the jewels were near. This time the Donovans would win, they would
break this fucking curse and that would allow not only Heather to live, but
allow any female born to the Donovan clan to survive past her twenty-fifth
birthday.

Alli allowed Finn to lead her to a large, comfortable couch.
He sat next to her, keeping their legs in contact with each other. She felt
warm and relaxed with him sitting so close. She was also melting inside. Finn’s
barest touch had her acting like a wanton woman. Even now, her nipples drew
tight from the raging desire she was trying to calm within her. How was she
ever going to go back to her old life now that Finn had strolled into it?

She sat there among the boys, wondering what in the world
she was supposed to say, when in walked the senior Donovan. He was tall like
his sons, with a head full of silver hair and eyes that were kind. Alli could
swear they had a twinkle in them. Why should she be surprised? She was in a
houseful of witches, for heaven’s sake.

Behind him came Sully, Professor Sullivan Donovan to be
exact. He taught history as well as some philosophy courses at the high school.
He looked the part of a teacher, with short brown hair, a tweed jacket and
wire-rimmed glasses. His eyes were dark like Finn’s and held a great amount of
wisdom in them. He had always been the more serious one of the three boys,
devoting his life to study. Over the past few years, he had become a very good
customer at Alli’s shop.

Three years ago, Sully had tried to speak to her about Finn
but she politely informed him that the past was the past and she didn’t want to
talk about anything to do with Finn. It seemed to suit Sully just fine and he
dropped the subject. They’d become pretty chummy and Alli thought at one point
that he’d ask her out. She was glad he never had. While he was sweet and
attractive, her heart still wanted Finn.

He walked over to her and bent down to give her a hug. He
held her a bit longer than was needed. She spied Finn out of the corner of her
eye and hid her smile. The fact that Sully was getting a rise out of Finn was
too much fun. He winked at Finn as his hand stroked down Alli’s back. She stifled
a chuckle as she watched Finn actually make a fist.

“Alli, so good to see you. I’ve been meaning to come by and
get my order,” Sully said, putting on a dazzling smile.

“We aren’t here to talk about your books, teach,” Finn
growled, pushing his finger into Sully’s chest.

“Boys, now is not the time to be acting like a bunch of
roosters. I need time alone with our young lass here,” Patrick Donovan
reprimanded the boys and Alli had to smile as both Finn and Sully backed off.

Finn stood up and turned around to face her. Bending
forward, he kissed her cheek.

“Oh, Patrick, where do you keep the good whiskey?” came the
smoky voice of another female. Alli heard Finn take in a breath before turning
to his father. A sexy woman entered the room.

“What the hell is she doing here, Pop?”

“Now Finn, before you get yourself all worked up, you know
Claudia is the best healer we have.”

“You brought that woman into this house?”

Alli cringed as she saw the anger etched in Finn’s face.

“No, son, I did na’ but the council thought it was worth a
try. It seems to be helping your sister. She is not tiring so quickly these
past few nights.”

“Why didn’t you tell me, Pop?”

That wasn’t anger that Alli saw on Finn’s face, it was some
other emotion. Was he scared of this woman? She grabbed his hand. Finn looked
down at her and she noticed how red his cheeks had gotten. No. He wasn’t scared
of her. There was shame in his eyes. A deep-seated shame that was filling up
his face. Alli became angry. Who was this woman who could make Finn appear the
way he did at that moment?

“Well, well, if it isn’t my little stubborn one.”

Alli took a close look at the woman. She was beautiful, with
long red hair, thick and full, falling to her waist. She wore a long green
dress that fitted to her body. What a body it was, tall and elegant. She
sauntered up to Finn.

“What, no greeting? I have to say I’m disappointed, Finn, I
thought our time together taught you better than that.” Claudia put her hand
around his arm and tried to pull him down for a kiss.

Finn remained stiff and through clenched teeth, he said, “We
are no longer on the island, Claudia, you’ve had your pound of flesh.”

“True, but I still miss those fun evenings when I had you
under my lash, dear boy.”

Alli could only sit and stare as Finn pulled himself from
her and left the room. She started to rise but Patrick stopped her.

“Let him be for a while. He took seeing Claudia a bit harder
than I had expected.”

“What did you think he would do, Pop, run up to her and give
her a big kiss? He was stuck on Avalon for five years, and two of them spent
with that woman,” Sully spit out.

“Careful, boy, you may not like her methods but Finn broke
our laws and had to be punished.” Patrick’s voice remained even and in control.
“Now would ya please escort Claudia back to your sister’s room so that I might
have a talk with Alice?”

Sully followed Claudia out of the room, his face a hard
mask. Alli couldn’t help but wonder what the hell had happened to Finn when he
was sent away. The way Finn took off out of the room scared her. She’d never
seen him look so vulnerable. His handsome face had twisted and become dark when
Claudia approached him.

Alli rubbed up and down her arms, trying to warm her
suddenly cold body. The lash? Was Finn beaten because of her? Alli cringed at
the thought. In this day and age, to think that someone could be treated like
that. She was definitely going to ask Finn what had happened to him when he was
sent away. Alli needed to know what he went through.

Guilt twisted in her stomach. Was he harmed because of what
happened between them? Was this the kind of punishment the men of the witching
community received for hurting a woman? Empathy took the place of the small
amount of bitterness that was left. She wanted to run to him and wrap her arms
around him, assure him that everything was going to work out. She wanted him to
know that if that Claudia woman even looked at him the wrong way, she’d do
everything she could to protect him. Whether or not the woman was some powerful
creature, Alli would be damned if she’d let her do anything to bring Finn pain.