The Purrfect Stranger (7 page)

Never magically. In the fight for dominance, his magic had been a hindrance, not a help. Shifters didn’t trust magic users and vice versa. Keith had to ignore the magical part of his nature in favor of being all cat, all the time. The strategy had gotten him where he was today, but perhaps he’d have to amend it if he wanted to keep the peace between his new mate and her family.

“I knew Andrea. We were at school together,” Louisa admitted. “We were friends for a time. I never knew what became of her. I’m sorry to hear she has left this world.”

No doubt about it, Louisa Faber was a spooky witch. Her eyes saw too much and not all of it on this plane of existence.

“Clan Thomasina is a proud one,” Edmund added with a frown. “Too proud at times. It is hard to believe they would deny their own daughter on the basis of who she fell in love with.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that.” Keith took the opening and ran with it. “I didn’t expect this to happen, but Valerie is my true mate. I cannot be happy without her. If she feels the same…” He turned his gaze to hers and was immediately trapped in the liquid blue of her gaze. She had tears in her eyes, but a smile on her face. The magic around them swirled higher, engulfing them in sporadic little tingles of zinging light.

“I think that’s our cue to leave you two alone. I believe you have much to settle before we speak about the family ramifications of this union.” Edmund took his wife by the hand and led the way out of the room, closing the door behind them.

Keith barely noticed. He was caught up in his mate’s gaze, her presence, her very essence.

“We bonded last night,” Valerie spoke in whispered tones. “I wasn’t sure if you realized it.”

“I knew the moment I tasted your skin that you were my destiny, kitten. I will never stray from your side… If you’ll have me.” Uncertainty entered his voice and he waited in fear for her answer. Keith sank to one knee before her, holding her hand and gazing up at her. “I love you with all my heart, Valerie. Will you marry me?”

“Yes.” The smile that lit her face beamed with the light of her happiness. Tears glistened on her cheeks as she tugged on his hand, urging him to stand. She stepped into his embrace, pressing close. “I love you too, Keith. And the kernel of love we share now will only grow in time. We are bonded together on a soul level. One cannot exist without the other.”

He pulled back from her a few inches, so he could see her face.

“Then how could you leave me this morning?” He didn’t mean it to be accusing, but rather something that he needed to know. The cat needed placating and hearing her reasons might help ease the pain he had suffered.

“I needed advice and instruction. That’s why I came here. You see, when I went to bed last night, I had no real magic of my own and what little I had was sporadic. Sometimes it worked. Most of the time, it didn’t. I was a failed witch in every way. No power. No control.” Her expression broke his heart. “This morning, I woke up and suddenly…it was all there. A deep reservoir of magic I’d been told about all my life but never quite understood. It was
you
, Keith. You and me together.” She stroked his chest as she gazed up at him, incredible happiness in her eyes. “I figured I needed some instruction before I fried us both with too much out-of-control magic. I thought I’d be back long before you woke, but learning how to bottle this energy isn’t something easily grasped or mastered. Dad has been working with me all morning and I only just got the hang of it.”

“You know, we’re both going to have to get used to being part of a couple. A mated—or bonded—couple. That’s going to mean being together a lot. For shifters, during the first few years of mating, it’s hard for mates to be parted. I can tell you from this morning’s experience, that my cat side did not like waking up to find you gone. My human side didn’t either.”

“I can imagine you as a cougar. You must be magnificent.” Her hands stroked over his shoulders in a soothing motion.

“You’ll find out soon enough. Next time you make me hunt you, I’ll do it in my fur.” He squeezed her close, knowing she understood he was teasing. They were so closely in tune now, he knew she wouldn’t misunderstand.

“I can’t wait.” She tugged his head downward to meet her lips and he lost himself in her kiss for the next little while.

Magic swirled around them, engulfing them, tingling along nerve endings in a delicious way. It was stronger than it had been the night before. Less primal and more refined. Like fairy dust in the air, forming a mini tornado of sensation around them. It felt wonderful. Like velvet stroking along his whole body. The velvet touch of his lady’s magic.

Their shared magic, if he didn’t miss his guess. Could be his mother’s heritage was awakening inside him and would require attention. When the kiss ended, they were both breathless. He had a joy inside him that made him feel happier than he had ever been.

“I suppose I might need some magical training before all this is said and done.” He watched the motes of light dance around the room and she followed his gaze, giggling in a joyful way that mirrored the feelings in his heart.

“Good thing this room is shielded,” she observed. “We came in here to work on my control. It’s a magical work room, in case you hadn’t noticed the décor.”

Keith took his first good look around and realized he’d never quite seen a room like this before. It was circular and filled with strange implements. The crown molding was bigger than any he’d ever seen and it glowed with strange glyphs. His eyes went to them, drawn by the glow of magic that was clear to his special vision.

“Protective runes. Father is a specialist at protective magics, among other things. He is the Chancellor of the Faber Magic School and one of the strongest mages in this generation. He’s also one of the best teachers. That’s why I came to him. You understand, don’t you? Magic like ours, out of control, could be dangerous. The protections on my house are strong, but they’re mostly designed to keep magic out, not hold it in. We could’ve fried the whole neighborhood last night.” She laughed at the image, but he understood the real concern she’d had.

“I guess I can excuse it this time, but I must warn you, my love, that if you ever run from me again, I might just have to spank you.” His tone was teasing and she grinned in response.

Her eyes twinkled up at him mischievously. “Is that a promise?”

Epilogue

Valerie’s wedding was a fairytale confection of every little girl’s dreams. Her father had walked her proudly down the aisle as magic swirled around her in public for the first time in her life. It was strong magic, unlike any the rest of their magical community had ever seen. It was special. Unprecedented in their experience. Born of the love of a mage and a shifter.

The groom waited for her at the altar. His side of the magical circle of stones was populated by other shifters of many species, though the dominant group were blond-headed cougars, led by his cousin, Grif, the Alpha of the Clan. Valerie had met them all over the past few weeks while the wedding was being organized. They’d welcomed her warily at first, but when they saw the deep and true bond between her and her mate, they accepted her as one of their family without any further question.

Keith had retained his position as Area Alpha, answerable only to Grif, the Clan Alpha. He’d also been taken on as a student by Valerie’s father, as had she. Together, they were working to master their newfound magics with the eventual idea of taking on students of their own. Keith and Valerie had been offered teaching positions within Clan Faber because their magic was so unique.

Valerie’s skill with familiars had multiplied exponentially and many neighborhood animals had come to her and Keith for help with their humans. Familiars weren’t always cats, but many were and they had learned—probably from Matilda—that there was a witch and shifter couple in town that could help them straighten their humans out.

When the first wave of cats had shown up at Valerie’s door, Matilda had sorted them out on the basis of the urgency of their problem and strategic phone calls to their owners helped clear up the rest. It was an odd sort of magic that allowed her to help, but her father said it grew out of her close relationship with the big cat shifter she had married.

He’d gone further to say it could be a valuable skill to add to the school and she’d been floored. For the first time in her life, Valerie felt the glow of her father’s approval over her magical abilities. Something she’d always wanted. But it paled beside the love and approval she felt from Keith. He loved her for herself, not for any abilities she might or might not have.

Unconditional and enduring, their love, she knew, would last the ages.

About the Author

Bianca D'Arc has run a laboratory, climbed the corporate ladder in the shark-infested streets of Manhattan, studied and taught martial arts, and earned the right to put a whole bunch of letters after her name, but she’s always enjoyed writing more than any of her other pursuits. She grew up and still lives on Long Island, where she keeps busy with an extensive garden, several aquariums full of very demanding fish, and writing her favorite genres of paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi romance.

For more information on other books by Bianca, visit the author’s official website:
www.BiancaDArc.com

Also by This Author

Lords of the Were
, Samhain Publishing