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The bottom drawer on the right contained the pajama pants Ruby had bought me in Cambria after we’d first met. She’d bought new pajamas for everyone in hopes that it would help us feel a bit better after spending so much time in Bard’s Forest without our belongings. Her kindness had unknowingly reactivated some of my Love element. Since then, I could feel it leaking out of me and into those around me, mostly my brothers.
And, for some reason, I was fighting my Love element the entire time I was around this woman. My Love element wanted nothing more than to bury itself in the Witch and curl up and stay there. How I could read so much from the power inside me, I had no clue. All I did know as I locked myself in the bathroom was that I had to bend over, hands on knees, and breathe deeply against the urge my element was placing on me to go pull the woman into my arms and send its power straight into her.
My healing element was conditioned to entering others on a constant basis and constantly scanned those around me for injury. Speaking of which…
I hurried and changed my clothes before I could change my mind. Bursting from the room, I was grateful I hadn’t caught Tessa mid-change. However, her nightwear wasn’t much better. She stood zipping her now-empty luggage with a pink pair of underwear on and a thin tank top in a light purple. When she turned to pick her suitcase up from off the bed, I could see the top was V-neck and had lace along the front trim.
If she heard me gulp, she was finally kind enough to not make a comment about it. The sight of her in a small amount of clothing had sent my Love element and male hormones into a frenzy. I couldn’t for the life of me understand why when I was supposed to be terrified of her. Her face made my heart skip a beat when I saw it for the first few hours. Now I’d become used to the fear, but I should not be attracted to her, and I was.
“What side of the bed do you sleep on?” she asked as I pulled myself together and moved further into the room to place my clothes in a pile in a corner. “Please tell me you have a basket to put those in and don’t carry them to the laundry like that.”
Would the woman continue to judge me? At this rate, I wanted nothing to do with the mate Lady Life said I needed. Did all women harp like this?
Closing my eyes, I turned back to the annoying Witch. “Fine. No, I don’t have a basket. I just moved into this place and am still settling in. The treaty meeting isn’t helping the settling part. And I eat cookies constantly because I’m expending loads of energy scanning Jazz and the twins on an almost constant basis to make sure the pregnancy is going well. I’m exhausted, okay? The sugar keeps me going. Yes, I can still protect Nate. I’m not that far gone. Now, get over here.”
Her eyes were wide at my outburst and she stared at my extended hand.
“Tessa, get over here,” I growled at her.
She glowered until her decision to follow my instructions was made. Then she took slow steps toward me.
“Give me your hand.” I left no room for argument in the demand. She would want to argue with me, and I was in no mood for it. It was the way this Witch rolled. How could Nate stand it?
She lifted her hand, but before we touched, she asked, “What do you want with my hand?”
“I need to know your aura better.” She pulled her hand back a little. “I know Nate’s aura, but I can only feel yours when we’re close. If something should happen to you while we’re separated by a distance, even a small one, if I know your aura better, I can know you’re injured and begin the healing immediately.”
Tessa stuck her chin out in a defiant act. “What if I don’t want you to heal me? Nate’s a good healer.”
“Your Warlock has nothing on me in the healing department, Tessa. You and he are my responsibility. I will not lose you due to your discomfort at me knowing your aura from a greater distance. Let’s face it, it’s inevitable for me to know your aura when we’re sharing a bed.”
Her shoulders sank and she glared at me as her hand clasped my own. Closing my eyes, I opened my Healing element to her. Unbidden, my Love element came along as well. Why did this woman make my always obedient and docile element lose control like this?
The Healing element memorized her aura quickly, and when I should have usually backed off, I didn’t. My Love element pushed harder against its bounds. I refused to let it, so instead, it opened as my Healing element did. This time, however, instead of seeing the physical health of my patient, I saw the emotional side. In front of me stood a woman who was filled with so much pain and anguish, it had me stumbling back and gasping for air.
Jeff?Carmon’s voice came over the links and my other brothers were attentive.Are you okay? What happened? Do you need backup?
I don’t need backup. I’ll be fine,I said, pulling myself together in gulping breaths.
“I’m going to guess that’s not normal.” Tessa stood glaring at me, arms crossed again.
“No, but it seems another component of my Love element opened up.” I walked to the bathroom and splashed water on my face. As I leaned against the countertop, I responded again to my brothers, knowing they waited for a more detailed answer.My Love element is giving me fits, but it seems I can now use a different facet of it.
How is that possible? You haven’t taken a mate like Chris.Carmon sounded concerned and I couldn’t blame him. Our elements were going crazy lately, it would seem. At the very least they were becoming unpredictable.
I know that Love can see the emotional state of people,I said, rising from the counter and drying my face on a towel.I’ve never been able to access that power. Not until now.
What changed?Chris asked.
I don’t know. The entire element has been acting weird around the new Witch girl.
Her name is Tessa, Jeff.Carmon sounded slightly amused. Not really the emotion I’d expected from him right now.A few of us caught you glancing at her over dinner. It’s okay to admit you have a crush.
I choked at my Commander’s teasing and didn’t respond as I got the coughing under control.There is no way on this planet that I have a crush on that girl.
It’s okay. We won’t tease you as bad as we did Chris. Don’t worry, we’ve learned our lesson.Adam’s voice was filled with mirth as my face paled in horror. They had it all wrong!
Get some sleep, Jeff.Drew’s serious voice brought everyone back around.We need you rested.
