the ground.
The pasty color of her skin brought a wave of panic over him. He lowered her to the ground and brushed her hair from her face. Her head fell to the side. “Mom, are you okay?”
“She’s fine, Simon. Fetch some water.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t be doing this.”
“No, you did fine. Your mother will be okay.”
Tara drew Simon by his arm and led him toward the water. “Come on, bird-boy. You know your mom, she’ll be all right.”
“I really started to change, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did.” Tara and her nephew turned away, talking.
Fin glanced at Duncan. “She wasn’t ready for this.” And watching her crumble to the earth with 51
Catherine Bybee
her eyes rolling in the back of her head wasn’t something Fin had been ready for, either.
Liz stirred under his hand. Slowly, she opened her eyes. After blinking several times, recognition flashed over her face.
“I fainted?”
Fin nodded.
“Simon?”
“Is retrieving water for you.”
Liz started to sit up only to fall back on her elbows.
“Lay down.”
“I don’t want him seeing me like this.” Her eyes locked with his. “He’ll blame himself.”
“I’ll keep him away,” Duncan told them before leaving their side.
“Dammit.”
The simple curse brought a smile to his heart.
She was feeling better.
“I thought I could handle this.”
“’Tisn’t easy to watch him change.”
Liz sat up with his help, but he refused to let her stand until her color returned to normal, which it hadn’t.
“What if he can’t change back, Fin?”
Fin reached over and clasped her trembling hand. “’Tis in his nature to be human, not animal.
We have to believe he will be able to change at will.”
One small tear dropped from her eye. Her fear ripped him apart. How could he protect her, reassure her that everything would be fine? All he could do was drape an arm around her shoulder and tell her to have faith. The fact that she didn’t pull away when he drew her close was a testament of just how deep-seated her concern was.
“He scared the crap out of me,” she confessed.
“I know.” And he did. He kept his own fears and feelings to himself.
52
Redeeming Vows
He sat there holding her in his arms until he felt her trembling subside. When Liz lifted her head from his shoulder, her color had returned to normal.
Her gaze rested on his lips and hers opened slightly.
Was it an invitation? Would she want his kiss?
God’s blood, she was beautiful. At times like this, when she allowed her vulnerability to show, Fin was lost. Without thought of the consequences, he lowered his lips to hers.
At first they simply sat there, lips touching, neither pulling away or moving to deepen the kiss.
Then Liz sent out a simple tiny mewling noise that roused his passion and had him kissing her completely. Her mouth opened and her tongue darted into his mouth. Fin wove his fingers in her hair and deepened everything. Plunging where he probably shouldn’t, touching where he’d wanted to for months but didn’t.
A flame built within him at such an alarming rate, he thought he would combust. Liz’s hands and nails dug into his shoulders with desire. Fin brushed his hands down her back and rounded to the side of her breast. She arched toward his touch and quivered. Although he knew the kiss could go no further, he tantalized her more, his tongue danced with hers.
His body hardened, signaling to him to end their embrace. Against his will, he removed his lips from hers. Her eyes remained closed, her breathing as sporadic as his own.
“Oh, God. That shouldn’t have…”
Fin placed a finger to her lips, stopping her words. “We both feel this way, Elizabeth. This spark between us.”
“Yes, but…”
“No buts . Don’t think on this now. It will only confuse you further.” This was exactly what he told himself, even though his mind worked just as 53
Catherine Bybee
quickly as hers to come up with a logical explanation to their
The pasty color of her skin brought a wave of panic over him. He lowered her to the ground and brushed her hair from her face. Her head fell to the side. “Mom, are you okay?”
“She’s fine, Simon. Fetch some water.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t be doing this.”
“No, you did fine. Your mother will be okay.”
Tara drew Simon by his arm and led him toward the water. “Come on, bird-boy. You know your mom, she’ll be all right.”
“I really started to change, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did.” Tara and her nephew turned away, talking.
Fin glanced at Duncan. “She wasn’t ready for this.” And watching her crumble to the earth with 51
Catherine Bybee
her eyes rolling in the back of her head wasn’t something Fin had been ready for, either.
Liz stirred under his hand. Slowly, she opened her eyes. After blinking several times, recognition flashed over her face.
“I fainted?”
Fin nodded.
“Simon?”
“Is retrieving water for you.”
Liz started to sit up only to fall back on her elbows.
“Lay down.”
“I don’t want him seeing me like this.” Her eyes locked with his. “He’ll blame himself.”
“I’ll keep him away,” Duncan told them before leaving their side.
“Dammit.”
The simple curse brought a smile to his heart.
She was feeling better.
“I thought I could handle this.”
“’Tisn’t easy to watch him change.”
Liz sat up with his help, but he refused to let her stand until her color returned to normal, which it hadn’t.
“What if he can’t change back, Fin?”
Fin reached over and clasped her trembling hand. “’Tis in his nature to be human, not animal.
We have to believe he will be able to change at will.”
One small tear dropped from her eye. Her fear ripped him apart. How could he protect her, reassure her that everything would be fine? All he could do was drape an arm around her shoulder and tell her to have faith. The fact that she didn’t pull away when he drew her close was a testament of just how deep-seated her concern was.
“He scared the crap out of me,” she confessed.
“I know.” And he did. He kept his own fears and feelings to himself.
52
Redeeming Vows
He sat there holding her in his arms until he felt her trembling subside. When Liz lifted her head from his shoulder, her color had returned to normal.
Her gaze rested on his lips and hers opened slightly.
Was it an invitation? Would she want his kiss?
God’s blood, she was beautiful. At times like this, when she allowed her vulnerability to show, Fin was lost. Without thought of the consequences, he lowered his lips to hers.
At first they simply sat there, lips touching, neither pulling away or moving to deepen the kiss.
Then Liz sent out a simple tiny mewling noise that roused his passion and had him kissing her completely. Her mouth opened and her tongue darted into his mouth. Fin wove his fingers in her hair and deepened everything. Plunging where he probably shouldn’t, touching where he’d wanted to for months but didn’t.
A flame built within him at such an alarming rate, he thought he would combust. Liz’s hands and nails dug into his shoulders with desire. Fin brushed his hands down her back and rounded to the side of her breast. She arched toward his touch and quivered. Although he knew the kiss could go no further, he tantalized her more, his tongue danced with hers.
His body hardened, signaling to him to end their embrace. Against his will, he removed his lips from hers. Her eyes remained closed, her breathing as sporadic as his own.
“Oh, God. That shouldn’t have…”
Fin placed a finger to her lips, stopping her words. “We both feel this way, Elizabeth. This spark between us.”
“Yes, but…”
“No buts . Don’t think on this now. It will only confuse you further.” This was exactly what he told himself, even though his mind worked just as 53
Catherine Bybee
quickly as hers to come up with a logical explanation to their
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