Falling for Angels - Hazel Hunter Page 0,26

from all the other mares as their water broke simultaneously, and the whole herd went down.

Conor met my gaze. “Ready, love?”

“As we’ll ever be. Everyone, go to your assigned mare,” I told the men. “If she’s in any trouble, raise a fist.” I met Velvet’s pale gaze. “You’re about to become a father. You still okay?”

He frowned, but then his mares began to push out their foals, and he turned away.

Conor’s power merged with mine, but we used it only to calm and reassure the dams. As the foals started arriving they appeared all horse. Then the first pair opened their water-colored eyes and made strange keening sounds.

“Call demons,” Velvet said, and jumped out of the pen, where he stripped.

“Help him,” Lacey said to everyone around her. “We have to protect the foals from their sires.”

“He’s not the father?” I saw Velvet shift into stallion form, and Kendric jump on his back as bright blue lights began streaking toward us. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“He just told me.” She went to the next laboring mare.

Conor let out a sharp whistle, and clansmen with swords rushed out of the castle toward us. As hundreds of calpa galloped in our direction our guys circled the pen like a living wall, but there were too many shifters.

“Hey,” I said to Conor. “They’re still horses, right?”

Together we shifted our power toward the attacking calpa herd. We couldn’t compel them to fall or run back into the water, but we managed to halt them.

Velvet raced toward the shifters, stopping to rear up. Kendric raised his hands and released a burst of orange-red magic that set the pasture grass between them on fire. That sent the calpa running for the loch.

“Back to birthing,” I told my guy.

A day later Conor and I dragged ourselves up to the castle.

“All of the dams and foals survived,” he told Gill. “The lad’s helped greatly with the wee ones.”

The laird walked back to the stables with us, halting when he saw Velvet surrounded by a half-dozen foals with pale eyes. Their bodies glowed as they shifted, their hides changing to all the colors of loch water.

“Fack me,” Gill said. “They dinnae turn human.”

“They’re very sweet-natured,” I assured him. “None seem to have a taste for living flesh, either. But in water they’ll be basically invisible.”

As the laird went into the pen to meet the foals, Conor tucked his arm around me. “Come to bed with me, love. We’ll stay there a week.”

“I’m not that tired,” I murmured.

He kissed me. “You’ll no’ be sleeping all the time.”

Chapter 22

Unbound

Living with Ruiseart had never troubled me. Before he fell while battling the Romans we had shared everything as twin brothers. After his death our battle spirit drew his soul to mine. Dwelling in one body proved no challenge; I occupied it by day, and he did the same by night.

Ruiseart wished to leave me when I lost my heart to Caroline, but we could not be separated. The gods smiled on us by inspiring our angel to accept us both as mates.

At dawn and twilight my brother and I had a brief time to share our thoughts before we exchanged places. At one such awakening Ruiseart showed me his memories of the latest attack by the shape-shifting calpa, and how the halfling and Kendric Gowan had repelled them. I forgot it soon after when Caroline awoke and welcomed me with a sweet kiss. How could I resist the love in her doe-brown eyes, and the silken brush of her fiery golden hair against my chest?

In truth, I near forgot to report for duty. Thankfully I didn’t, for the laird and the druid headman stood waiting for me at my post.

I bowed. “Fair day, my lord. Master Gowan. How may I serve?”

The McGillean gave the druid a narrow glance before he said, “If you’re willing, Raibeart, Kendric would test your spirit bond. To recover our stolen angel, he must first part her from Ruith.”

Since Lady Deb had been taken by the dark druidess, worry for her had plagued us all. “Aye, if ’twill aid.”

I followed them to the chamber set aside for Kendric’s use, where he had drawn a large circle on the floor. As he beckoned me stand in it with him, I felt the air growing warmer, and saw his eyes light up with spellshine.

“Dinnae resist, Raibeart,” the druid murmured as he walked around me.

“I’m no’ fighting you, Master,” I assured him. “You ken that Ruiseart doesnae possess me. The Brothers chose