Fierce Dawn (41 page)

Heather’s rounding belly, five months along now, peeked out from her t-shirt’s edge. “What’s the one everyone always talks about?” Heather asked. “You know the one in that movie?”

Sadie grinned. It was the fourth time Heather had asked and now, finally at the bookstore after a short lunch, had again forgotten. “What To Expect When You’re Expecting.” Sadie expected her sister to eventually bring up that day six months back, the day she’d transported her. But Heather never did.

Heather reached to the shelf and pulled out two different volumes. “These look good.” She handed one over. “Get both. I’ll return what I don’t want.”

“
Are you sure? There are a lot to choose from here. Why don’t we find a seat and page through a couple?”

“
Elijah won’t get antsy?”

Sadie laughed. “No. He’ll keep himself busy.” Circling the parking lot was good practice. His mediocre driving skills needed polishing if they were going to stay this side of realm lines for long. Transporting too much would draw attention. She’d learned how to drive in a parking lot. So could he. “What about the baby manual one Jen mentioned
?
Her co-worker recommended it?”

Heather yawned. “I can’t remember. I swear if Remy wasn’t with me each morning, I’d forget to leave the house dressed. I like these for now.”

“
You’re sure?”

“
Absolutely. Besides
,
I need a nap.” Her second yawn proved it.

They got in line.

“
Your make-up job is pitiful, by the way.”

Sadie automatically fingered the area under her eye. There might not be enough cover up on the planet to hide the results of the kick during sparring last night. Elijah felt terrible. “He isn’t beating me, if that’s what you think.”

A smile spread over her sister’s face. The new freckles the pregnancy brought on made her look so wholesome. “You’re probably beating him,” Heather said. “Poor guy’s finally fighting back, right?”

Sadie chuckled, her wings shaking with it, though no one noticed. Not an immortal in the place that she could hear. The clerk rang up Heather’s books. Sadie handed over cash. Their lunch date today had gone well. It reinforced Sadie’s security in the knowledge that Heather would be okay. She was well and safe. They were once again friends, a wonder in and of itself.

God, she would miss her these next few months more than words could measure.

The summer heat enveloped them as they exited and made their way to the curb. Elijah was somewhere out there on the expanse of asphalt, winding in and out of parking spaces. Sadie tamped down the emotion welling inside her. She didn’t know how long she would be gone. How much of her sister and cousin’s lives would she miss? How mad would they be at her for disappearing?

The silver Mercedes came into view. It was Sadie’s cue. She hugged Heather tightly, wings and all. “I’m so happy for you and Remy. I had such a great time today.”

“
Aw! Me too.” Heather swiped at wetness from the corners of her eyes. “I’m still getting used to this new you, all independent and cocky, but I’m happy for you, too. You know that, right?”

“
Of course.” Any more and she would cry. If she cried, Heather would get suspicious. Possibly feel bad or worried. “Listen, call me later. We should do this again.”

“
I’d love that,” Heather said.

Another hug and she walked to her car, waving at Elijah behind the wheel.

Sadie watched Heather go, finding her sister’s waddle beyond adorable. She’d been wrong about Heather and children. Now it made perfect sense for her sister to be starting a family. A wave of sadness swept over her. When would she get to meet her niece or nephew?

Elijah rolled down the driver side window. “Sadie?”

With a slight nod she came around and got in. Heather’s car veered around a far edge merging into traffic, then disappeared from view. Elijah pulled forward. “Better,” Sadie said, referring to his shifting gears. “Not a single jerk.”

Elijah squeezed the ticklish spot on her knee making her erupt in giggles. “I’m a fast learner.” His hand settled at her thigh. “Did you tell her anything?”

“
No. I think you were right. It’d only make her worry. Only make leaving harder.”

“
I have four enforcers who will give their lives for them, who will constantly be watching over Heather and Jen. I promise you they will be safe. I promise if they show signs of transforming, we’ll immediately be notified.”

“
I know. I guess I wish I’d known more back before all this. Maybe I would have appreciated her more. Not been so hard on her.”

“
She loves you. She’ll understand. Maybe not at first, but we will be back. You have my word.”

Sadie could only nod. Sadness clogged her throat. An uncertain future stretched out before them, a different landscape than her previous life. She felt the difference as much as she felt the hot wind, the tangy sun, as much as her heart beating in her chest.

She wasn’t scared, though. Because she had love. She had Elijah. And together, they could conquer anything.

The End

###

Dear Reader,

Thank you for taking this adventure with me. I hope you enjoyed Sadie and Elijah’s adventure. I wanted to also state that while I treat mental illness fictionally in Fierce Dawn, I also take it very seriously and realize how many lives it impacts on a daily basis. In no way do I mean to marginalize this issue.

I look forward to bringing you Lyric’s story next in Stealing Dusk. His vampire past will come back to haunt him as well as buried feelings for Orena, who is captain of the Renegade, Elijah’s former flame and a half-breed who has been smuggling changelings over realm lines. It promises to be sizzling adventure.

If you enjoyed Fierce Dawn, I hope you’ll come by my weblog at www.AmberScottBooks.com for news, give aways, the HOT Club and my Send a Friend program.

I get to live my childhood dream thanks to readers like you.

Happy reading,

Amber Scott

Connect with Amber Scott Online:

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/AmberScottBooks

Twitter handle:
@amberscottbooks

Facebook:
http://facebook.com/authorAmberScott

**Weblog:
http://AmberScottBooks.com

**For exclusive giveaways, sign up for my newsletter!

About the Author:

In between naptimes and dishes, Amber Scott escapes into the fates, loves and complications of her characters’ lives. A native Nevadan, she makes her home in Arizona now with her husband and two young children. She is addicted to chocolate, often burns dinner, and still believes in happily ever after.

~ ~ ~

Sneak Peek:

Irish Moon

By Amber Scott

~~~

Chapter One

Tir Conaill, Ireland 1315

“Quiet, Finn. I canno’ hear with all your purring.” Breanne pressed her ear back against the gap between the heavy door and the stone wall. She swore the cat was doing it apurpose, goading her into leaving. He did not quiet, so she barely heard the voices discussing her future.

Finn licked his chest, ignoring her, but at least he remained in his wood floor seat this morn. Nearly every other one for the last fortnight they’d come to her mother’s chamber door to listen. And each became a waste when Finn grew restless and left, forcing her after him empty- handed. Her mother’s only rule of tolerance for the large cat taking residence with them was that he never be left on his own, a sure opportunity for mischief and destruction.

Today he stayed, and Breanne’s ever patient eavesdropping sounded as though it might bear fruit. For once, her instincts might prove accurate.

“I see no reason to press her,” her mother, Ula, said.

“She is well past a marrying age. Good men have asked for her hand. I am running out of excuses to give them.”

Breanne O’Donnell strained to hear her mother come to her defense. Soon, Niall would be Ula’s husband and have fatherly authority over Breanne. For now, he spoke merely as guardian and chieftain.

Ula replied softly but clearly. “She is interested in her studies and has only half completed her apprenticeship with Heremon. Allow her two more years to completion. Then, I promise, we’ll see her settled.”

“Two more years? She’s seen nineteen already,” Niall said, his voice rising. “You encourage the lass too much. Following the old ways puts her at risk.”

Breanne winced, but pressed her ear closer, careful not to breathe so loudly. It was worse than she’d feared.

“But, she may not be able to tell a husband of her training and I can’t deny her Ovate status, not when she’s so close. Even Heremon has come to agree it is her calling.”

“She is a healer. It is well known that Heremon is tutoring her in herbs and tonics. Why shouldn’t a husband be aware of the same? Dinna’ forget, there is her inheritance to be seen to.” Niall’s voice rose to a bellow.

Breanne pulled her head away a moment. She chewed her lip, knotted a strand of strawberry blonde hair around her finger. Her stomach clenched at the memory of her childhood home, left so many years ago.

“The keep is hers to do with as she will. Why not discuss the property with her instead? Mayhap she will rent it or even take residence in it, taking a guard along to protect it.”

“A husband will protect her.”

She would protect herself. Were she born a few hundred years before, she’d be allowed a hermit’s life if she wished. She’d be allowed to fight as a warrior, though she’d never choose to. The damned English Pale seemed to be influencing even their own northern tuath nowadays. Before long it might spread across the Giant’s Causeway to encroach the Highland clans.

“Ula, she’s been asked for again. If I excuse her unmarried state much longer, people will think me soft or worse of her.”

Breanne wanted to walk in and demand answers. Who had asked? Quinlan? Another? When had she been asked for?

“I don’t want to force her. She is no princess. Her marriage will not end a war or cause one. She should choose. And let them talk.”

Breanne silently thanked Ula. Her mother was the only one she had to stand up for her, and she was doing it well. Being stubborn went against her mother’s demure and nurturing nature, so her firm words bespoke the issue’s importance to her, as well.

There was a moment of silence. All she could hear was her heart thumping hard enough that her throat quivered. “Shane Ferguson is a good man, comes from a good family. A husband will give her a family, Ula.” His voice became softer. “And allow us one, as well.”

Finn’s tail swatted her skirt, shushing across the floor, leaving her unsure she’d heard the last of it right. She couldn’t have. Her mother was no longer young and though she bore Breanne at sixteen years, nineteen were certainly too many years for a womb to wait.

And allow us
fun
, as well?
Some
, as well? She searched her brain for a suitable word to make sense of what she couldn’t have heard correctly.

Alarm shot through her at the light tap of footsteps coming up the wooden stairway. She could not remain there. Besides, Heremon surely awaited her in the grove. If she arrived late again, she’d be punished with another deplorable jar dusting.

Five long years of study and she was finally nearing the topics that had sparked her ask to become an Ovate within the nigh extinct order. The Druid master didn’t like waiting and though her mother hadn’t finalized the decision, Breanne could not risk lingering.

She stood summarily, scooping Finn up with her, and shot down the hallway to the stairs. Few men lingered in the main hall, most busy outside practicing in arms, but of all of them, Quinlan was the last she likened to see. Reaching the bottom stair, Breanne scowled and lifted her chin, continuing her fast pace, hoping to look unapproachable.

She failed. Quinlan’s face lit up upon seeing her and he stepped in pace beside her. She glanced sideways and forced a small smile on her face. His smile grew and lit up his face. “I’ve been looking for you, Breanne. I thought you might enjoy an afternoon ride.”