Chapter Seven
ATALL, BROAD-SHOULDEREDtattooed Scotsman with chiseled blonde good looks, filled the doorway, his presence as all-consuming if not more so than Aidan’s. His fierce golden eyes remained locked on Aidan for a moment longer before they slid her way.
Straight to the point, his gaze raked over her with approval. “You must be a Broun.”
There was a wildness about him that was hard to describe. A sense of danger.
“You’re half dragon,” she whispered, positive she was right. Blown away by the unique sensation of being near one. “Aren’t you?”
“Aye, my name’s Cray.” He looked her over again, if possible, even more boldly this time. His self-confidence was palpable, his turbulent emotions dangerously close to the surface. “Cray MacLeod.”
“I’m Chloe,” she managed, edging closer to Aidan without realizing it. “And yeah, I’m a Broun.”
Striking her very much a predator, Cray inhaled as if pulling in her scent from across the room. “But you are not a dragon.”
“Not that I’m aware.”
Cray contemplated that. “Dragons dinnae always end up with dragons.”
“Okay,” she said slowly, not sure where he was going with that.
“His point,” Aidan grumbled, though his lips didn’t move.“Is that you could be meant for him.”
“What the,” she whispered, confused. Why had she just thought that? With Aidan’s voice no less?
Aidan scowled and sighed before his expression smoothed, and he appeared resolved. “’Twas me within your mind, lass.” He shot Cray a territorial look and stated the obvious. “Chloe and I are connecting telepathically.”
Come again? “Telepathically?”
“Aye, ‘tis how MacLomains and Brouns know they are meant for each other,” Aidan replied, not looking her way.
“Or at least ‘twas before Julie became part of all this,” Cray countered, having no such issue looking at her. “Now, we are not certain if it means what it once did.”
“It does,” Aidan bit out, sounding a bit too possessive, considering he was determined to never love again. But then she imagined this had more to do with Cray than her.
She swallowed hard and looked out the window, trying not to show how much Aidan's aversion to being in love again bothered her. She’d just met the guy so she shouldn’t care. Yet she did and knew why. She hadn’t truly moved on from what her ex had done to her. It had left her raw. Vulnerable. No doubt a little insecure when it came to the opposite sex.
“What are you doing here, Cray?” Aidan was once again cordial. As if he weren’t in an emotional tug-of-war with his cousin.
“Adlin requested I join you whilst Julie and Tiernan see to the stones in Ireland,” Cray replied, seemingly just as cordial though his posture said otherwise. “They will join us eventually.” He tossed a satchel on the bed. “Clothing was sent along for the lass.”
Ah, very good. Though she really did like her current attire.
“So, you were able to time travel without issue?” Aidan asked at the same time Chloe said, “You mean the Irish Stonehenge we all dreamt about? The one Adlin was conceived at in a previous life?”
“Aye,” Cray responded before speaking to Aidan, disgruntled. “My magic wanes more by the day, and my dragon remains repressed. I was able to travel here using one of Julie’s ley-lines because it led to you.”
When Aidan looked at him in confusion, he continued.
“It seems we have a line connecting us, Cousin,” Cray revealed. “One that will allow me to aid you on your journey.”
Aidan’s brow arched. A frown tugged at his mouth. “The others dinnae have such a line to me, then?”
“Nay.” Cray appeared equally unsettled. “Tiernan can travel with Julie to wherever we are, but I am the only other pulled your way at this time.”
She tilted her head in question. “Pulledhis way?”
“Aye, Julie describes it as a vacuum affect between Aidan and me,” Cray explained. “She suspects it formed when he first joined up with you.”
