Page 49 of Enchanting Her Monsters
He glances down at his crotch.
“It sounds like you went through a horrible experience. I’d be surprised if you didn’t have some blocks from something like that.”
He stares at me for a long time. I wonder if he’s pissed and is trying to compose himself.
“I suppose it might be that. I lose part of myself when I die, and the last one was a particularly traumatic death.”
I want to hug him and tell him it’s all going to be alright. Fortunately, I remember myself before I leap at him and encroach on his boundaries.
Calder surveys the area and flicks his chin toward the hothouse. “Let’s get away from prying eyes and go where it’s a bit more private. You don’t need the extra pressure to cause the yipping.”
I grin to myself as we walk to our destination, loving how he’s making sure I feel comfortable.
When we’re in what looks like a more private location, I stop and stare at the small building.
Calder’s powerful presence slides up behind me. It’s closer than I expect him to be. I feel the heat from his beautiful body.
His hands cup my shoulders, and he leans down to whisper over the shell of my ear, “You can do this.”
Goddess, how I want to press back into his muscular chest and feel his arms wrap around me. At this point, I’d settle for a friendly hug, just so he can get over his aversion to touch.
I wonder why I have such a draw to them, including Calder, other than the obvious. I’ve seen a lot of gorgeous guys in my life, but none has made me ache with the need to make them mine.
“You’re still denying this? They’re your fated mate matches,”Osen says wistfully.
“Isuppose I thought it only happens in books.”Then I ask him in my mind.“But what about what you had with him?”
“Yes, I believe Calder and I were a mate match, but it seems you’re matched with the entire pack.”
“Well, that’s not heavy or anything.” I had thought maybe the gravitational pull between us might have been a bit of Osen’s influence. But what if it isn’t?
“First thing to do is to relax.” Calder brings me back to the moment. “I watched you earlier and your instincts are good. You rooted your feet in the earth with the intention of grounding yourself. I would suggest that before you call upon your power that you visualize what your goal is.” He points over my shoulder at the weathervane, staying close. “Do you want to throw a ball? Or a lightning bolt? What does it look like in your head?”
“Yeah, okay. I understand.” I suck in a breath and shake out my hands. Instead of holding my palms facing each other like Amira prompted, I lift them up toward the building’s lightning rod. Then I call on my magic. I’m paying more attention since I don’t feel like I’m performing for a crowd.
The magic doesn’t flow until I think about how I could use it to protect my pack from Galiana and Rob. It must be triggered by the need to keep them safe.
Energy seems to gather from inside me and then draws from outside of my body.
“Very good,” Calder encourages. “I can feel it. Keep going.”
Excited that I’m a flipping mage and I’m doing this, I open myself even more to the magic.
My hair is rising on my arms and head.
Maybe too much?Shit.
I throw the energy like I did in hell, and it streaks out of me like Zeus’ bolt, fully formed.
It crashes against the lightning rod and obliterates it.
Metal explodes out.
Calder grabs me, spinning. He protectively expands and curls his wings to shield us. I can feel his feathers slide across my arms.
Glowing scrap metal lands all around us, sizzling in the grass.
Calder jerks as though he’s been hit with debris.
