whatever he was about to say. “A linchetto is part of the Fata , one of the two magical races of the Etruscans. The Enu are the other. The Fata are what you would consider mythical beings…elves, fairies and so on. The Enu are humans with magical abilities, like the streghe and versipelli .” At her blank look, he added, “Witches and werewolves.”
Her mouth opened but she couldn’t think of a damn thing to say. A sudden heat flash engulfed her body and she swayed. Rio grabbed her arms as if to hold her up.
After about a minute, she felt the heat subside and took a deep breath.
“So you’re telling me those…creatures are real?”
He stiffened slightly. “We’re not creatures. We’re people. Just like you.”
The hurt look on his face stung her. “So what…what does linchetto mean?”
“Night elf,” he shot back.
Her eyebrows lifted. “And that means…”
“That means I can dissolve my body into shadow.”
Her jaw was going to come completely unhinged after all this. “Huh?”
Just like that, Rio disappeared before her eyes. As in, one second he was there, the next he was gone.
The short little shriek that left her mouth was involuntary. The one she uttered when he reappeared was just as embarrassing.
She stared at him in wide-eyed wonder. His expression was wary, uncertain.
“Oh my God. Rio, that’s…” She didn’t find words for it.
51
Stephanie Julian
Rosie had her hands out of her pockets and was reaching for him before she remembered they were dangerous weapons. Rio swayed at the force she threw at him but managed to move back only a few steps. He grabbed her hands then laced their fingers together. His growing smile nearly made her forget the entire screwed-up situation.
“I’m sor—”
He put a finger on her mouth. “Hey, babe.” That smile turned sinfully sexy. “No more sorry. This isn’t your fault.”
“Can you do what I can do?” she asked.
Pulling her closer, he guided their hands around his waist and flattened hers on his back. Then he moved his hands around her waist and pulled her body tightly against his.
“No. But I can work spells. And my brother Cam can translocate.”
At her puzzled look, he added, “He can move himself and others from one place to another.”
Right. “What about your other brothers?”
“Well, Antonin and I can dissolve. Teo can dissolve but he’s…different.”
“Different how?”
Rio shook his head. “I can’t really explain. It’s a long story. Just take my word for it.”
She was about to ask another question when he said, “You seem to be handling this pretty well. Are you sure you’re not in shock?”
No, of course she wasn’t sure. She’d never been this frightened in her life. If Rio hadn’t been here, she’d probably be on the floor in a dead faint. His presence helped calm her, steadied her enough to face whatever was going on. And something was definitely going on. Hell, things moved when she waved her arms. “Well, it’s not as if I 52
Seduced and Enchanted
fell into the Twilight Zone , right? I mean, I’m still me. I just have…an ability I didn’t have yesterday. Right?” Her tone sought reassurance.
Rio smiled again and a sense of calm invaded her. “You’re still you. With a new ability. So are you ready to get some answers?”
She could do this. Rosie nodded, trying to feel as confident as she hoped she sounded. “Lead on.”
Rio couldn’t believe how well Rosie was rolling with the punches.
Sure, she was worried. But she wasn’t hiding in a corner, crying. Her eyes were bright, maybe a little too big, but the smile he couldn’t get enough of had reemerged.
But now he was taking her to see Sal, and that might freak her out. He knew it would…
He’d given some thought to calling his brother Cam to ask for his help. But Cam would chew him up one side and down the other for having a one-night stand with a girl he didn’t know anything about.
Of course Cam didn’t have
Her mouth opened but she couldn’t think of a damn thing to say. A sudden heat flash engulfed her body and she swayed. Rio grabbed her arms as if to hold her up.
After about a minute, she felt the heat subside and took a deep breath.
“So you’re telling me those…creatures are real?”
He stiffened slightly. “We’re not creatures. We’re people. Just like you.”
The hurt look on his face stung her. “So what…what does linchetto mean?”
“Night elf,” he shot back.
Her eyebrows lifted. “And that means…”
“That means I can dissolve my body into shadow.”
Her jaw was going to come completely unhinged after all this. “Huh?”
Just like that, Rio disappeared before her eyes. As in, one second he was there, the next he was gone.
The short little shriek that left her mouth was involuntary. The one she uttered when he reappeared was just as embarrassing.
She stared at him in wide-eyed wonder. His expression was wary, uncertain.
“Oh my God. Rio, that’s…” She didn’t find words for it.
51
Stephanie Julian
Rosie had her hands out of her pockets and was reaching for him before she remembered they were dangerous weapons. Rio swayed at the force she threw at him but managed to move back only a few steps. He grabbed her hands then laced their fingers together. His growing smile nearly made her forget the entire screwed-up situation.
“I’m sor—”
He put a finger on her mouth. “Hey, babe.” That smile turned sinfully sexy. “No more sorry. This isn’t your fault.”
“Can you do what I can do?” she asked.
Pulling her closer, he guided their hands around his waist and flattened hers on his back. Then he moved his hands around her waist and pulled her body tightly against his.
“No. But I can work spells. And my brother Cam can translocate.”
At her puzzled look, he added, “He can move himself and others from one place to another.”
Right. “What about your other brothers?”
“Well, Antonin and I can dissolve. Teo can dissolve but he’s…different.”
“Different how?”
Rio shook his head. “I can’t really explain. It’s a long story. Just take my word for it.”
She was about to ask another question when he said, “You seem to be handling this pretty well. Are you sure you’re not in shock?”
No, of course she wasn’t sure. She’d never been this frightened in her life. If Rio hadn’t been here, she’d probably be on the floor in a dead faint. His presence helped calm her, steadied her enough to face whatever was going on. And something was definitely going on. Hell, things moved when she waved her arms. “Well, it’s not as if I 52
Seduced and Enchanted
fell into the Twilight Zone , right? I mean, I’m still me. I just have…an ability I didn’t have yesterday. Right?” Her tone sought reassurance.
Rio smiled again and a sense of calm invaded her. “You’re still you. With a new ability. So are you ready to get some answers?”
She could do this. Rosie nodded, trying to feel as confident as she hoped she sounded. “Lead on.”
Rio couldn’t believe how well Rosie was rolling with the punches.
Sure, she was worried. But she wasn’t hiding in a corner, crying. Her eyes were bright, maybe a little too big, but the smile he couldn’t get enough of had reemerged.
But now he was taking her to see Sal, and that might freak her out. He knew it would…
He’d given some thought to calling his brother Cam to ask for his help. But Cam would chew him up one side and down the other for having a one-night stand with a girl he didn’t know anything about.
Of course Cam didn’t have
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