A Kind Of Magic by Donna Grant

grips of a nightmare. He straddled her and took a wrist in each hand.

    “Elle,” he said. When she didn’t respond, he called out a little louder.

    “No,” she screamed and tried to kick him off of her.

    “’Tis me,” he said as he struggled to wake her.

    Of a sudden, her thrashing stopped, and he looked to find her eyes open and staring at him.
    “Elle?”

    He immediately noticed how close their faces were and the fact his body straddled hers. Her breasts pressed against his chest, and his rod, hard and throbbing, rested against her stomach. All he had to do was lean down and take her mouth in his.

    “’Twas just a dream,” he said as he released her hands and moved off her.

    She curled on her side but didn’t say anything.

    Roderick could only imagine what was going through her mind. So far, she had handled things relatively well, and it would depend on how strong she was mentally if she could believe them.

    He was about to walk away when her hand reached out and took his. He looked at their joined hands, then her face.

    “Thank you for saving me.”

    He knew she was referring to the Harpies. “They won’t kill you. You control them, but they are thirsty for blood and want more.” The moonlight streamed in from windows on either side of her bed, illuminating her face and light blue eyes. “Don’t let them take me.”

    “I give you my word I will protect you with my life.” He bent down and gently tugged his hand free. “Sleep, Elle,” he commanded as he moved the covers over her shoulders.

    He checked to make sure her eyes were closed before he rose and walked from her chamber.

    “Is she all right?” Val asked as he stood in the hallway.

    Roderick nodded. “I don’t know if she believes us.”

    “We may have to take the stone from her.”

    Roderick looked at the woman sleeping so soundly. “We might.”

    “She’s got until tomorrow. I wish to return to Hugh and the others.” Roderick nodded and thought of Hugh. He was their leader, and the best of them.
    Roderick missed them all, Hugh, Darrick, Gabriel, and Cole. They were his brothers in arms.

    He returned to his place on the sofa and stared into the darkness. What he should do was go in Elle’s chamber, find the necklace, and destroy it, but he had promised to wait for morning. And wait he would.

----

    “Morning, Elle,” a female voice called from the front of the house.

    Roderick and Val glanced at each other. Elle still slept, so Roderick walked into the front room to find Elle’s friend, Jennifer.

    “Well, hello,” she said and looked him up and down. “I didn’t realize Elle had company.”

    “I’m just a friend.”

    “Ah,” she said and nodded. “And needed a place to crash.” She walked past him toward Elle’s bedchamber. “I’m Jennifer.”

    “Roderick,” he said as he followed her.

    “I’m just going to borrow a shirt Elle said I could use,” Jennifer said when she reached Elle’s door.

    Roderick had no choice but to let her go in. He waited with Val in the front room, but as each second ticked by, Roderick felt the urge to drag Jennifer out of the chamber.

    “Well, hello,” Jennifer said again as she walked out of Elle’s bedchamber.

    Val immediately perked up at finding a woman interested in him. “Hello to you, as well.”

    “It’s too bad I’m already taken, or I’d be very tempted,” Jennifer said as she walked by Val, her finger trailing across his chest. “I just love the accent.” Roderick was hard pressed not to roll his eyes.

    “Tell Elle I’ll return this later,” Jennifer said as she held up a shirt just before she walked from the house.

    “Fairly decent in looks, aye?” Val asked him.

    Roderick shook his head and returned to the kitchen. “Could you keep your mind on other things than bedding a woman?”

    “Then what would the world come to?”

    Roderick couldn’t help but chuckle. “One day, Val, you will find a woman that will knock your