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“Some wild things,” Flidae began, “need taming.”
Reardon felt a tug and looked to Flidae standing beside him, her form more solid again. She held a long gold rope which bound him around the neck. Bound him to her. Chella’s house was gone. He was no longer in Brandy’s time.
He attempted to shift back to human so he could talk, but found he couldn’t do it.
Flidae’s laughter filled the air around them. “You’ve been so eager to turn everyone into wolves. I think it’s time you stayed in your wolf skin. Your human brain only gets you in trouble.”
Reardon let out a howl, but Flidae only tugged painfully on the golden rope, leading him to what he now realized was her realm back in Ireland. The last image burned in his mind was of Brandy, her lovely face creased with anguish.
She’s better off without me.
But he was definitely not better off without her.
****
“Reardon? Where did he go?” Brandy whirled around in a circle, helped Parker to his feet, then ran through the rooms on the first floor, but Reardon was nowhere.
“Mom?”
Dylan.She had to go to him. Taking the stairs two at a time, Brandy ran into the guest bedroom, Chella’s office, the bathroom. She skidded to a halt when she found Dylan sitting in the huge, claw-footed bathtub, looking very small and very afraid.
“Oh, baby.” She climbed right into the tub and gathered him into her lap.
He didn’t hesitate or hold back. Tears poured from his eyes as he clutched Brandy around the neck. Her heart broke.
Again.
“It’s okay, baby. You’re okay. We’re all okay.”Except Reardon.She had no idea where he’d gone. He’d been there one moment and then poof. He and Flidae had disappeared. What was that crazy-ass goddess doing with him? Would she return him?
She tended to think the answer to that was no.So how do I get him back?Because she had to get him back. She didn’t know much about wolf-to-human romances or soul mates or Irish warriors or time travel, but she did know she’d never felt a connection so deep with any man as she had with Reardon.
Living without him was not an option.
She ran her hands over Dylan. “You’re not hurt, are you? She didn’t hurt you?”
Dylan shook his head that was buried in the curve of her neck, and a mufflednosounded against her throat.
“Okay, good. Let’s get you home.” She stood in the tub, taking Dylan up with her.
After stepping out of the tub, she guided Dylan out and led him down the stairs. The boy didn’t leave her side, didn’t say much, and she absolutely hated that he was so freaked out. He never should have been in that situation. How did one get over being abducted by a Celtic goddess?
“Who was that lady, Mom?” Dylan wiped at his face with the end of his T-shirt.
“Someone who was upset with Reardon.”
“She looked like Chella, but it wasn’t her. I don’t understand.” He sniffed and wrapped his arms around Brandy’s waist.
“I know, baby. I promise to explain as much as I can to you when we get back home.”
“Okay.” He looked around the foyer, taking in the broken vase. “Is Reardon okay?”
“I hope so.” But right now she needed to find Parker and Chella who weren’t in the foyer where she’d left them. “Park?” She made her way into Chella’s living room and found him leaning over the couch.
Chella’s limp form was tiny and fragile on the cushions, her hair a wild mess and her skin pale. Not pale in the beautiful China doll way either.
“Is she… oh, God, she isn’t…” Brandy couldn’t form the question.
Parker shook his head. “She’s still breathing and she’s got a steady pulse, but she won’t open her eyes. I was giving her a minute. I mean, her body was hijacked.” He straightened and ran his hand through his hair, making the strands stand on end for a moment before they fell back into place. He looked pale as well, and Brandy hated that her friend and his fiancée had gotten dragged into this mess.
