Sweeter Than Wine by Bianca D'Arc

stronger than you?”
    His eyes darkened. “So you’ll never be afraid. So you’ll know—for certain—that you’ll never be hurt again. So you can never be hurt again.”
    Christy’s breath caught and tears filled her eyes, but Sebastian moved away, toward the door.
    “This room has an attached bath and you’ll find some workout clothing that might fit in the drawer over there. Come downstairs when you’re ready. We have much to do this evening before Matt arrives.” Sebastian walked to the door as he talked in a business-like tone.
    “He’s coming back?”
    Sebastian turned at the threshold and she could see his eyes glint in the darkness.
    “After tonight, you’ll be more powerful than I, Christina. I know in my heart, you will use your abilities wisely.”
    She was floored. “How can you have such faith in me?”
    Sebastian looked away. “I know your heart, little one. There is no other I would trust with such power, but you need it. You now know what it is to be defenseless against those physically stronger than you. Tonight, with Matt’s help, that will change forever.”
    Sebastian left her and she had a moment to savor the new knowledge flooding her mind. She perceived things in much greater detail on a sensory level, but what he’d told her about his motivations and the consequences of what he’d set in motion completely floored her.
    But the question remained…why?
    Why would he go so far out of his way to make her stronger even than himself? Why would he want that? Why would he send her into the arms of another man to accomplish it?
    Did he love her?

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    Did he pity her?
    Did she dare find out?

    Christy cleaned up and dressed in the sweatshirt and loose pants she found in the drawer. They were a bit too large, but by rolling the cuffs, she made it work. She headed out of her room and toward the faint sounds in one of the downstairs rooms. Her hearing was so acute it was hard at first to discern one sound in the old house from the next.
    The ticking of multiple clocks in rooms all over the large place had her covering her ears before she discovered she could tune them out or turn them down with a thought.
    She heard the creak of each floorboard as she moved slowly through the space, the swish of water through the pipes, even the soft hum of electricity flowing through the wiring in the walls. It was incredible, and it only got stronger the more she thought about it.
    Just as she could turn the sounds down by thinking about it, she discovered. It was like magic.
    Then again, she’d done a lot of things that would have been out of character for her just a few days ago. She’d fantasized about some of the sexual excesses she’d participated in last night, but they’d only been fantasies. She never thought she’d have the nerve to try anything like that, but the new fire in her blood seemed to spur her on.
    She followed the soft sounds of moving feet on a wooden floor to a room in the lower part of the house that surprised her yet again. Hovering on the threshold, Christy was surprised to find another man with Sebastian. Both were wearing traditional martial arts uniforms that looked as if they’d seen a great deal of use. They were worn, with lighter spots on the elbows and knees, and comfortable looking. The soft swish of cotton greeted her ears as the two men moved side by side in some sort of pattern that took them through various defensive and offensive moves.
    She knew a little bit about karate , having once taken a semester of it in college.
    She’d enjoyed the class even though she was bad at it. She’d wanted to take another semester, but right about that time, she’d met Jeff and been dazzled by the young man whom she eventually married.
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    On trembling legs, Christy stepped forward into the peaceful room she now recognized as a dojo —the place to study and practice martial arts. It had smooth wooden floors and beautiful Japanese tapestries hanging on one of the