Meadow's Keep (The Gatekeepers Series) (9 page)

Morgan’s
eyes widened. “How did you know?”

Jasmine put her arm around Morgan’s shoulder. “Have you looked in
a mirror lately?”

Morgan rolled her eyes. “Not if I can help it.”

“Sweetie, you are way too big for that to be housing just one little Drake. I mean…I know Dorian is special and all…but really.”

“Well, there’s my lady love,” Dorian’s voice carried through the screen door. He stepped out on the porch to help her into the house.

“You know, I expect this treatment to continue after the babies are born,” she leaned on his arm and stepped into the kitchen. Her gaze turned from the face of her husband to the man now standing on the other side of the kitchen table. She stopped in her tracks, which left Jasmine on the other side of the open door.

Jasmine made a small sound in her throat.

“Oh,” Morgan blushed and stepped forward, extending her hand. “I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am.” She was looking at the spitting image of her husband, except for the brilliant green eyes—her eyes. He was a little leaner than Dorian and seemed a bit more fashion conscious, judging from the jeans and sweater he wore. She felt the energy pouring off of him.

Eryk
moved toward Morgan. Other than Jasmine, before him stood the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Heavy auburn tresses curled about her shoulders. Just slightly shorter than Jasmine, she glowed with happiness. He’d heard the term, peaches and cream complexion, but had never seen it. And, with those brilliant green eyes, his eyes, she was breathtaking. He stared at her, blinked, and held her hand while viewing her aura. He’d never done it with a pregnant woman before and he found himself staring at the two separate auras emanating from the roundness of her body.

“All well?” she asked.

He realized he was still holding her hand and let it drop as heat crept up his neck. He quickly blinked and, in that instant, saw her do the same. He smiled into matching eyes. “All’s perfect.”

“Same here,” she returned. “
Come on, sit down.”

Dorian set mugs on the table, a lar
ge pot of tea, and some scones. “Help yourselves,” he said and left the room. He returned carrying a large folder, set it down on the table, and settled in the chair next to his wife.

“Bask?” Jasmine
asked.

“Of course,” Dorian opened the folder.

Eryk sat quietly, watching the three others around the table. He seemed compelled by Morgan’s eyes to look deep into them. They were the same eyes he saw in the mirror every morning. Is this what other people felt looking into his?

She was talking with Jasmine, who was pouring tea into mugs and handing them out.
They fell into a camaraderie he’s never felt with anyone and he found himself actually hoping there might be a place for him with these people. Dorian’s ice-blue eyes watched Morgan as if trying to anticipate what she might want before she spoke. Their silent communication was evident when their eyes would meet and a nod, a smile, or a touch would follow.

Dorian pulled some papers out of the folder. “Here are the results of the DNA tests.” He handed Eryk the results.

Eryk frowned. “How?” He looked around the table.

Jasmine
cheeks turned pink and she looked down when he frowned at her. She took a breath and confronted him. “The day we met and knocked Jenn on her ass—” She stopped at Morgan’s laugh.

“Jenn told me about that.” Morgan patted Jasmine’s hand. “Apparently, you guys deliver
ed quite a jolt.”

Jasmine’s face only became more inflamed.

“It’s okay, Jas,” Dorian said and laid his hand on hers, “it takes time to learn to control it.”

As Eryk watched the intimate gesture he found himself feeling something new to him—jealousy.

Jasmine smiled at Dorian before pulling her hand back and turning to Eryk. “I scratched you when we pulled apart.”

He held up his hand,
showing a faint red line down the side. “I know. I’ll probably have a scar,” he teased.

“Don’t worry, she
’s not rabid,” Dorian offered.

“Are you sure?” Eryk
quipped back, pulled the papers out and leafed through them. Lab reports. A glance showed numerous matches between he and Dorian. Yet, they’d done this without his permission. “I don’t remember signing any releases,” he said without looking up.

Silence fell around the table until Dorian spoke his voice tight. “So
, sue us.”

Eryk
snorted and looked at the three people watching him. He slowly shook his head, trying to tamp down the hurt he felt by his “parents’” betrayal. “Ironically, it’s not you all I want to go after.”

Dorian leaned forward. “Believe it or not, I know how you feel.
” He waited until he had Eryk’s full attention before he continued. “There is so much you don’t understand. About Ruthorford. Us. Yourself. But know this—we’ve got your back.”

“
Ooh,” Morgan hissed, sucked in her breath, and put her hand on her side.

Dorian’s attention
shifted in an instant.

Morgan rolled her eyes. “Bra
xton-Hicks. Nothing more. I’ve got another month.”

Jasmine’s eyes
riveted on her stomach. “You sure? It looked like your whole stomach tightened.”

“It did.
Whew,” she smiled. Her cheeks were flushed.

Eryk started to rise. “Maybe we should let you rest.”

Morgan waved him back down. “No. But, I am hungry and I don’t feel like traipsing over to the B & B. Why don’t you boys go over and get us something to eat?”

Dorian didn’t move. “I don’t want to leave—”

Jasmine interrupted, “What do I look like, Jell-O?”

Dorian looked at Eryk and, i
n very similar, fluid movements, both men rose.

With a frown, Dorian stared at his wife.
“I’m fine,” she assured him and waved them away. “And don’t hurry,” Morgan called after them.

Dorian blew her a kiss as he closed the door.

“There. That’s better. Too much testosterone was filling this space,” Morgan said and rubbed her stomach in a circular motion. “Wow, they are very alike, aren’t they? Especially given the fact that they were raised completely apart.” She turned to Jasmine. “Now, tell me what’s going on with you two.”

Jasmine didn’t hesitate.
“I don’t know. This attraction is unreal. It’s like I have no choice when I’m around him. And when I’m not—”

“—you’re in agony until you’re back with him.”
Morgan finished the statement.

“Yes.”

“Have you…?”

“Oh, no. I just met him.
”

Meesha’s bark had
Morgan pushing back her chair.

“I’ll get it,” Jasmine
rose, walked over to the back door, and let the Border Collie in. Meesha gave a quick lick to Jasmine’s hand before settling down at Morgan’s feet. Jasmine returned to her chair, ruffling Meesha’s fur as she passed.

“Don’t let her fool you. She’s still
Dorian’s baby,” Morgan said. “Let’s get back to Eryk. Are you all right? I mean…after what happened with…,” her words trailed off.

“You mean with Rob. Morgan, I thought you and I were done with the uncomfortable moments and
inappropriate guilt. I’m fine,” she added, maybe a little too emphatically. “Okay,” she amended, “I’m working on it. I have to admit this thing with Eryk makes me a little nervous. I’ve never felt anything like it.”

“
Jasmine, it’s okay to take your time. Remember, I’m here if you need me.” She hesitated only a fraction before continuing. “I can tell you he’s very healthy and very strong, both physically and mentally.” A twinkled sparked in her green eyes. “Very healthy,” she emphasized.

“Oh.” Jasmine’s brow furrowed. “Oooh!”

“Well, they are twins.”

“So, how do I fight this attraction?” Jasmine blurted out.

“Do you really want to fight it?”

“I don’t know if I’m ready. I mean, what if I can’t. I mean, what if I…
.”

“Jasmine, stop that. Talk to him. Tell him what happened.
If he’s one of us and he is, he’s not going to do anything to hurt you and I’m sure he won’t rush you, especially if you tell him.”

“I don’t know if I can
,” she said it in almost a whisper.

Morgan grasped the hand resting on the table. “You didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, you
probably saved my life. You were attacked by a madman. Period.”

Jasmine looked at her, tears welling. “I know,” she said in a whisper. “I’m much stronger. I feel like I can handle just about any situation. At least I did, until I met
Eryk.”

“Then talk to him.
Or not. I know you won’t let anyone push you until you’re ready.”

“Never
,” Jasmine hissed, almost too emphatically.

Morgan squeezed her hand. “
Now, let me show you the nursery while I can still get up the steps.”

They went upstairs, Jasmine insisting on following behind her, just in case
.

“Well, don’t get mad if I fall and squish you,” Morgan said.

Their laughter drifted out an open window into the street below.

“It’s so nice to have Jasmine home,” Miss Alice whispered to her sister as they walked
toward the B & B, each carrying several pies.

Chapter Six

“Now, isn’t this just double the pleasure,” Teresa trilled as the two Adonises walked into the lobby of the B & B. Both men blushed like little boys. Unable to resist, she rose on tiptoe and loudly kissed each one on the cheek. “You know you might as well just march up and down Main Street for a while and get it over with. In the meantime, why don’t you boys grab a table out in the sunroom while I fix up a basket of goodies.” She propelled them toward the dining room before heading through the swinging door into the kitchen.

Heads turned and stared as Dorian led the way out to the sunroom overlooking the back lawn that
Eryk had admired from his room. As they took a table by the window, a young waitress stepped up to the table.

“Tea?” she looked from one to the other and back again. “Dorian?”

Dorian lifted his hand. “Hi, Sandra. This is Eryk.” He didn’t expound. He wasn’t ready to declare him a relative, just yet, which was stupid, given the fact that they looked exactly alike, except for those eyes. He was staring at Morgan’s eyes, in his own face. Damn, it was weird.

H
e remembered his own twins nestled snug in Morgan’s belly and hoped he would remember this moment, so he could relay it to them, when they hated looking like one another, which he’d been told to expect. He prayed that didn’t happen. Thoughts of his and Eryk’s separation and not knowing his own brother slammed into him and he studied the man across from him. Well, he couldn’t get that back, but he could do his damnedest to make sure it didn’t happen to his children. It was up to him and Morgan to make sure it didn’t.

Dorian snapped out of his reverie to watch
Eryk flash Sandra a smile. Her gaze riveted on his face and she seemed unable to move. “It’s nice to meet you,” he said, throwing in the stage accent for good measure.

Sandra giggled, turned, walked a few steps, looked back and giggled again.

“Can you package that?” Dorian asked, laughing.

Without missing a beat, Eryk laughed. “I have.”

“I guess you have, at that. Nice touch, the accent.”

“Quelque chose que je pris sur le continent.
” Eryk replied in French, translating after eyeing Dorian’s expression. I said, ‘Something I picked up on the continent.’”

“O-kay,” Dorian raised a brow.

Eryk started fiddling with the edge of his napkin. “I had a lot of time on my hands growing up and an ear for languages.”

Dorian just nodded.
Sandra returned, set down two teas, flashed Eryk a smile and left.

“I suppose you do, too,” Eryk said and took a sip of tea.

“What?”

“Have an ear for languages.”

“I don’t know.” He thought for a moment. “Maybe,” he added, thinking of how he and John would switch back and forth into Musckogean. It worked great when they were away from Ruthorford. Not many people knew the Creek language.

“Can we talk about
Jasmine?” Eryk asked.

Dorian
stopped the glass in midair. “Sure.” He tried to sound nonchalant, but his eyes narrowed. “I’ve known Jasmine all of her life.” Dorian voice lowered in timbre as he said the last, like a warning.

“Lucky guy.
"

Dorian’s
eyes narrowed to slits.

“I have a question,” Eryk said. “Something happened to her
. She’s got one hell of a barrier up.”

“Yeah
? A barrier? I wouldn’t know.”

“You can’t read auras?
See barriers?”

“Not a bit.”

Eryk studied his twin. It had to be an eye thing, then. He’d known he had the ability but wasn’t sure, until now, just how. As a toddler, he’d fallen down, skinned his knee, and begun crying. As the tears filled his eyes, he tried to blink them away. His governess was running toward him and burst into an explosion of color right before his eyes. He closed his eyes tight and rubbed them and, when he opened them again, she was back to the drab woman she’d been before. From then on, he would entertain himself turning it off and on. One day, he did it on his governess and the beautiful colors had been replaced by a swampy gray-green. She committed suicide the next week. It took him a long time to use it again—until he was older and realized what he’d done hadn’t had anything to do with her committing suicide.

“Well,
little
brother,” Eryk said, implying his majority since their birth certificates gave him the distinction of being older, “I guess you can’t see the aura of your babies.”

“No.”

“Well, they look great.” Eryk said, wanting to assure the man sitting across from him.

Dorian smiled
, grateful. “Thanks,
big
brother.”

E
ryk’s expression changed. He looked down, moving the napkin. “I guess you can’t see Bill’s aura either?”

Dorian
shook his head. “No.”

“He’
s sick. Even Jasmine noticed it,” Eryk said.

“I know he’s sick.
It doesn’t take special vision to see that. Morgan wanted to give him a boost of energy but he wouldn’t let her.” Dorian started to say more and decided against it.

“
I’m guessing Morgan and Jasmine think I can help him,” Eryk said. “I’ve never done anything quite like that but I’d be willing to try.”

“I know when Morgan does it, it’s draining,”
Dorian started and stopped, saying instead, “Thank you. That would mean a lot. Bill is Ruthorford. Papa Ruthorford.”

“I’ll do what I can.”

They fell silent. “So, you grew up a Vreeland?” Dorian prodded.

Eryk shrugged. “Yes.
But I’d rather talk about Jasmine.” There was more to Jasmine than she, or anyone else, was sharing. Eryk wanted to know everything he could about her since she was getting under his skin. Deep under his skin. “What gives with her?” he asked, trying to sound casual.

“
That’s something she’s gonna have to tell you, herself. Ask her.” He looked at Eryk and narrowed his eyes. “But know this. You be careful with her. Because if you aren’t, and she gets hurt, you’ll have more than me to deal with, you’ll have Ruthorford.”

The air crackled between them. Teresa walked over carrying two baskets, set them on the table behind her and turned to them. They weren’t breaking eye contact. She
felt her own hair start to lift. “Shit,” she murmured and placed one of her hands on each shoulder.

The air immediately shifted. They each took a deep breath and turned, as if noticing her for the first time.

“Do I have to tell you two to take it outside,” she hissed under her breath.

“No,
ma’am,” they said in unison.

She plastered a big smile on her face. “Good. Now, I’ve got enough food for an army in these baskets. Plus, Miss Grace insisted I send Jasmine an apple pie. This ought to keep you two out of trouble for a little while.
” She shook her head. “You’d think you two grew up together.”

Eryk stood and reached for his wallet.

Teresa’s brow furrowed. “Don’t you dare.”

He caught Dorian’s slight head movement and leaned over and planted a kiss on her cheek instead.
“Can I, at least, tip Sandra?” He laid a five on the table.

“That you can do. Stay out of trouble, you t
wo. I don’t want stress causing those babies to arrive early.”

They each grabbed a basket and headed toward the front door
, heads turning as they went past.

****

The tinkle of the bell over the door was the only warning Morgan and Jasmine had that the men were back. That and the fact that a ball of energy flew across the shop and burst over a shelf of antique bottles, nearly toppling them. Morgan put her hand on her hips and looked at them with green eyes flashing.

“Sorry,” Dorian said
, turned and locked the door, flipping the closed sign over. “It’s a beautiful night,” he said, hoping to change the subject.

Eryk said nothing but burst out laughing as he watched the interplay between the two of them.
If ever there was a perfect picture of a gorgeous green-eyed witch, it stood before him in the stature of Morgana Drake. Jasmine stood behind her doing everything she could to keep from laughing, including biting that plump bottom lip of hers. Eryk’s eyes lingered on that sight a little too long and he felt his groin tighten. Jasmine swung away, opening and closing the cabinets, grabbing plates and putting them on the table.

“I can see you two have been getting to know one another,”
Morgan said, trying to sound stern.

The guys started at once, talking right over each other. Dorian won out. “He can see the aura and still has my energy control. Probably just as strong.
He’s been using it in his act for years. He can also push and weave a barrier. I bet he can see the Gulatega.” Dorian sounded like a kid with a Christmas toy.

Morgan just shook her head and rolled her eyes, taking
Dorian’s basket and setting it on the counter.

Eryk set his next to it.

“The Guly-whats-it?” he asked.

Everyone went silent.

“Thanks sweetie, for easing him right on in….” Morgan patted Dorian on the cheek. “…kinda like you did with me.”

Dorian tried to think of something, anything in his defense. “It’s not every
day one gets a twin brother.”

Jasmine laughed. “He’s not a dog.
"

Meesha barked, easing the tension.

Morgan set the last container on the table. “Let’s eat. I work much better when these guys are full and sleeping.” Her hand made slow circles around her protruding belly.

As they ate, Eryk told them about his act and how he’d met Jasmine, including the burst of energy that had come flying back at him.

“So.” Dorian looked at Jasmine and popped a piece of herb biscuit in his mouth. “How long have you been able to do the energy thing?”

Jasmine shrugged.

Morgan spoke up. “I noticed it when we stopped by Safe Harbor last year.”

“Could you do it before the attack?” Dorian asked before he realized what he’d said.

“Attack?” Eryk didn’t miss a thing.

“Sorry, Jas,”
Dorian said.

Jasmine carefully
laid her napkin in her lap and raised her black eyes to look into Eryk’s green ones. “It’s okay, Dory. He was bound to find out sooner or later. She rested her hands on the table. Morgan reached over and patted one, nodding encouragement. “About a year ago, shortly after Morgan came to Ruthorford, Rob showed up.”

“Rob was an ex-boyfriend
of mine…or so I thought,” Morgan interjected.

“
He showed up in Ruthorford, staying at the B & B. He was handsome and very charming. Being a bit jealous of the new girl in town,” Jasmine looked over at Morgan and smiled, “I had dinner with him at the B & B, hoping…no, knowing…it would get back to Morgan. But, he spent more time talking about Morgan than anything else, so I let it drop. Anyway,” she said and took a deep breath, “I went on vacation later that week and who should I run into but Rob. He wined and dined me.” She gave another half-hearted shrug. “I suppose I let him think that, because I was from Ruthorford, I had abilities similar to Morgan’s.” Her face took on a reddish cast. “I…I was just plain jealous.” She stopped, took a sip of tea and continued, “I remember having a drink with him in the hotel bar. That’s the last thing I remember until I came to and found myself shackled in a mine in North Carolina. He had become a madman.” Her voice cracked and tears shimmered in her eyes.

“Don’t,” Eryk said
, not only seeing her pain, but feeling it as well. The green in his eyes took on a slow swirling pattern.

Jasmine
sent Dorian a silent plea, then lowered her gaze, remaining silent.

Dorian
took a deep breath and picked up the story. “There is much about us you don’t know,” he said to Eryk. “I’ll give you the short version. There are places, this town included, that rest on some sort of energy site. These sites can be activated by people like us…and some others,” he added, thinking of Ian, “to open a dimensional portal. There are small creatures, Gulatega—cat-like creatures—that slip through. They can cause Altzheimer’s-ish symptoms. People like Morgan—and probably you—can see them. With the help of someone like me—or Jasmine, possibly—you can open the portal and send them back.”

Eryk look
ed to each person at the table, waiting for someone to laugh, to let him in on the sick joke. No one did. Jasmine’s head was bowed, tears dropping from her eyes onto her lap. He wanted nothing more than to stop all this, take her in his arms, and banish the horror he felt emanating from her. Ignoring the fact that he wanted to throw down his napkin and say, “This is bullshit,” he studied the girl next to him and opted for: “We don’t have to go on.”

Jasmine never looked up. “Yes, we do.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.