of joy met his groans, both drowned by the sudden discordant wind chimes from the veranda.
The river of madness went on, until Rhianne knew nothing but the dark hot place inside her and Ben’s heat against her skin. She reached the peak of need, longing, and cried out with it, Ben encouraging her all the way.
The wave broke, Rhianne’s bare hips moving against Ben’s clad ones. Her voice was hoarse with her cries, Ben cradling her, stroking her hair to soothe her.
After a long, long time, the fire began to recede, Rhianne quieting as it ebbed into a restful, comfortable warmth. At the same time, the wind chimes faded into a faint jingle.
Ben held Rhianne close as she let out a long sigh, settling against him. He withdrew his fingers, taking away the smoldering embers.
“I think you needed that,” he murmured.
Rhianne snuggled against his shoulder. “Possibly.”
“Yep, needed it.” Ben kissed her forehead, and Rhianne brushed back her tangled hair.
“I’m a mess.”
“You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, and I’m not exaggerating.” Ben touched her cheek and gazed into her eyes. “The most beautiful.”
Rhianne warmed at his flattery. If not for her father wanting to kill her, or terrify her, or manipulate her, or all three, she could be content at this moment. She lay with Ben, surrounded by the protective house, with new friends waiting down the hall. What more could she possibly want?
She closed her eyes.
And was immediately flooded by a sharp memory of standing on the porch railing, making the decision to jump from it as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Spreading her wings.
Wings?
Rhianne gasped and sat straight up, icy fear swamping her. “Goddess. That wasn’t a dream …”
“You turning into a giant bird and flying away?” Ben put a comforting hand on her cold arm, but his eyes held wariness. “No, it was real. I saw the whole thing. I think you need to tell me about it.”
Chapter Eleven
The panic in Rhianne’s eyes made Ben’s heart squeeze. He realized that her shape-shifting ability hadn’t been a secret she’d kept from Ben—she hadn’t known about it herself. Ben saw that clearly in the expression on her face.
“This has never happened before?” he asked gently.
“Never ever.” Rhianne swallowed. “I don’t understand. I’m not Shifter.”
“Goblins can change their shape. Not that I’m saying you’re a goblin,” Ben added hastily. “Why shouldn’t Tuil Erdannan?”
“Because we’re so full of ourselves we can’t imagine looking like anything else?” Rhianne’s lips twisted in a wry grimace.
“Who knows what all you can do? You’re the most powerful people in Faerie.”
“I’m not young.” Rhianne gazed down at him from the halo of her brilliant hair, bracing herself on a firm and shapely arm. “I’ve been around for eight hundred years.”
“Yeah, well, I just passed my millennium. Happy birthday to me.”
“Then you understand. When that much time has gone by, you’ve learned what talents you have and which you don’t.”
“If you were anyone else, I’d agree.” Ben tucked his hand behind his head. “But the Tuil Erdannan are a mystery, even to themselves. You can do all kinds of things, including create a species of Shifter the hoch alfar couldn’t. Some even say they created the dokk alfar, just for shits.”
“That’s a myth. Dokk alfar have been around longer than anyone. They are the original inhabitants of Faerie.”
“You were taught that in a classroom.” Ben knew damn well who the original inhabitants of Faerie truly were, and it wasn’t the dokk alfar. Not important right now. “Trust me, sweetie, Tuil Erdannan have powers no one else understands. They do whatever they want. If you decide to turn into an eagle—why not?”
“It wasn’t a conscious decision.” Rhianne frowned. “My body took over, and I had to do what it commanded.” She tapped the back of her head. “I was here, in the background, screaming at myself to stop, and I couldn’t.” She sent him a stricken look. “Ben, what if it happens again?”
Ben wound a strand of her fiery hair around his fingers. “When I pleasured you just now, you lost control. Your body took over, but it seems like you enjoyed it. If that was a fake O, then you’re a damn good actress.”
Rhianne’s cheeks went flame red. “It wasn’t fake.”
“You see? You didn’t mind your body taking over then. And I’ll accept that as a hell of a compliment.”
Rhianne slowly lowered herself to him. In a way, that was too bad, because the view of her breasts shadowed by