9781618854704HolidayGemBeckNC (14 page)

* * * *

On the winter holiday-the Winter Solstice-Gemma woke to a bundle of
warmth at her side. She first thought it was Seamus until she heard tiny
whimpers. When she ran her hand toward the sound, she felt something soft and
furry and then she felt a wet tongue on her hand. Shoot, then teeth on her
finger.

“Ow.” Gemma shot up from the bed, suddenly wide-awake.

Seamus sat in the chair in the corner of their room. She saw him
watching her but then immediately turned her attention to the bundle of energy
pushing against her leg. It was a puppy. Her heart leapt. Gemma had always wanted
a puppy but her parents were worried for it to grow up with a little girl who
needed everything to be planned and scheduled. Puppies couldn’t necessarily
live on a schedule. Now because of Seamus, she could have this dream.

“You?” she asked Seamus, grinning ear to ear. Her fingers found the
puppy’s belly and stroked the little bundle of fur.

Seamus nodded with a grin to match hers.

“How did you know?” She continued to rub the puppy. He was white and
brown, a striking ginger brown with a nose to match his fur. His sad brown eyes
peered up at her. This little puppy immediately captured her. He would hold a
special place in her heart now and always.

“Your mother gave me the idea. She said it was something you had always
talked about and wished you’d had.” Seamus stood up and moved towards her but
the puppy drew up onto his paws and growled at him. “Ah, the only problem is
that fur ball doesn’t like me very much.”

Gemma laughed. “That can’t be true. He just has to get to know you. Come
here,” Gemma put out her arm and gestured for him to join them on the bed.

The puppy growled louder; the fur on his back stood on end.

Seamus paused halfway to the bed. “I apparently have this effect on
dogs.”

Gemma couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of her at this grown man
seemingly afraid of a little puppy. “You aren’t afraid of this little puppy,
are you?” Gemma teased Seamus before talking to the puppy next to her in a
voice one might use with a small child. “Hey, Growly, you stop scaring Seamus.
He’s scared of you. Yes he is.” She pulled the puppy onto her lap and tried to
calm him with gentle strokes. His ginger and white curls were soft in her
fingers. He quieted, placed his head on Gemma’s arm, but continued to rumble
low growls in Seamus’ direction.

Seamus made his way to her side and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Apparently they get attached and protective of their owners. I had assumed
that feeling would extend to me as well but he seems to already know who he
belongs to.”

“What breed is he?” Gemma had no idea about dog breeds and would need to
spend some time researching it.

“The official title is Lagotto Romagnolo. Its literal translation is “Romagna
lake dog” since it originates from Romagna. My parents knew a breeder there
just north of Tuscany.”

“A lake dog?”

“It likes to swim,” Seamus explained, “And hunt too, but not animals.
It’s bred to hunt truffles in the wild.”

“Truffles?
That’s great.” Gemma turned her attention to the puppy. It had gone to
sleep and finally stopped growling at Seamus. She ran her hands through his fur
and leaned down to rub her face against him.

“Jealous over here,” Seamus interrupted. “This puppy better not get more
attention than me.”

“No one gets more attention than you,” Gemma promised as she reached
over to embrace Seamus and the puppy picked up his head to begin barking again.
“We’ll work on this. I promise.”

* * * *

Gemma spent the morning of the day everyone was set to arrive with
Abigail and Chiara. They were giving her the details of the Pronouncement since
she hadn’t been involved with the planning until now.

“Dearling, I am so impressed by your willingness to let us plan this for
you,” her mother complimented her.

“We could’ve waited until the next full moon if you’d wanted to be a
part of it.” Abigail offered.

“No. We wanted to do it right away and it’ll be beautiful with all of
our Winter Solstice decorations up. I will love anything you planned.” Gemma
smiled at her mother and then at Seamus’ mother.

This year’s Winter Solstice was the best Gemma could ever remember celebrating.
She’d worried about not having her sisters with her but she was completed in
such a different way by Seamus that it made any potential hall non-existent.
Never in her life had she been so happy. Now she was ready to help with the
preparations for their Pronouncement.
 

“Now tell me what I can do. Do you need help?”

“Your sisters will arrive this afternoon and you can go pick out a
dress. We’ve arranged for a special showing at the shop in town where I
purchased my Pronouncement gown,” Chiara told her.

Her outing with her sisters was perfect timing because Gemma knew Seamus
had a meeting scheduled with Madden, Donovan and Caedon when they arrived.
Since recovering Donovan from his captivity, TEU had been a flurry of activity.
Gemma was grateful to be far from it. But Gemma suspected Seamus would use the
time she spent in preparation for the Pronouncement to be briefed on work.

Gemma was curious about something she knew the mothers could answer. “You
know I’ve read a lot during my research. I know the books tell of a power
exchange during the Pronouncement but I’ve already experienced so much rush in
power. Could there still be more?”

Both mothers laughed a bit before Chiara answered. “It’s even more so
than the blood exchange but very little is written about it to maintain the
solemnity of the event. But I’m sure you know that some of your powers will transfer
to Seamus.”

“The trouble is that the transfer is unique to the couple so there’s no
way of knowing how each couple will be affected,” Abigail answered.

“It is usually the gift most evident inside you,” Chiara added.

Abigail continued, “Or sometimes it’s one you never noticed because your
soul sin covered it up.”

“It’s all fated by the Goddess,” Chiara confided. There was a peaceful
silence as they each drank from their teacups.

“I do have another question, something I can’t figure out and wondered
if you had a theory, mother. Valendite Breeds can sometimes wait up to a
hundred years at the age of maturity before they find their mate and begin to
slowly age beside her. Yet three of us have now found mates that have been at
the age of maturity only a few years. We ourselves are so young.”

“I believe it may be part of the prophecy where you girls are
concerned.”

“And a bit of luck and circumstance,” Abigail added, “With so many of
you now centered in one area, both women of the
Magdalena Circle
and Valendite Breed, you are discovering one
another sooner. It has been centuries since so many of congregated.”

“It is a sign of the changes to come. I believe our race will become
strong again.”

“There is so much unknown. I hope I can continue my research even now.”
Gemma worried her bottom lip. “I don’t crave it like I once did but there’s
still a piece of me that remembers the satisfaction I got from it.”

“Of course you can continue,” Chiara assured Gemma while she placed a
calming hand on her shoulder. “Why would you think otherwise?”

Gemma shrugged. “There’s so much uncertain. And Seamus seems a bit
old-fashioned.” Gemma blushed and looked at his mother from underneath the
strands of hair hanging into her face.

A deep clearing of a throat brought Gemma’s attention around to the door
where Seamus stood with Truffle. Gemma’s little puppy had started to get used
to Seamus and took to following him around over the last few days. Of course,
the treats he was feeding Truffle were a big help.

“A moment with my mate please?”
Seamus asked the mothers who quietly left the
couple alone.

Gemma walked to him, needing to touch him whenever he was near. She
leaned into him and felt the security of Seamus’ solid chest and the strength
of his arms as they surrounded her. She didn’t have to wait long to wonder if
he’d heard their conversation.

“You think I would stop you from your work?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know. Everything seems so uncertain. I’m trying not to
worry. This kind of thing would’ve put me into an anxiety attack not too long
ago. It doesn’t feel that terrible but I still feel a bit lost.” Gemma knew she
was talking fast but she needed to explain how she felt. Seamus looked angry
with her and she’d never seen him like this before.

“I promise we will work everything out together,” Seamus explained, “I
have to meet with Madden first. He wants to share some proposed changes to TEU
with me. Plus, I never debriefed after that last mission. Once we do that, I’ll
come back and you and I can talk.”

“It’s fine. I’m actually going to a shop to pick out my dress while you
meet with him.”

“I’ll send Nicolaus with you. He’s been visiting his family and is
stopping through here on his way back to the US,” Seamus brought her face up so
her eyes met his, “It’s just a precaution to be sure you’re safe. Until we know
we’ve eliminated this group after the Valendite Breed, I want to be extra
careful.”

“It’s okay. I don’t mind. I think Nico and I have become good friends.”
Gemma knew she’d feel safe with him. “Plus, I’m sure he’ll enjoy the trip to
the dress shop.” Gemma laughed at that thought and Seamus laughed along with
her.

“Did your mother set an appointment with the dressmaker?”

“Yes.”

“Then it’ll be a private showing. That’s perfect.” Seamus smiled as he
stepped closer and stroked a finger gently along her jaw. “Remember everything
we talked about. My job is one of discretion but now more than ever, we have
enemies who would like to see us exposed. And those enemies wouldn’t hesitate
to use any weakness against any of us.”

When Seamus stepped closer to Gemma, Truffle growled, began barking and
scratching at Seamus’ leg until Seamus reached into his pocket and handed
Truffle a treat. Truffle took his gift and laid by the doorway to munch on the
treat. His eyes still never left Gemma.

“You will spoil him,” Gemma admonished.

“That just bought me a few minutes to kiss you,” Seamus spoke against her
lips even as she opened them in welcome.

* * * *

Everyone arrived in two large Hummers as scheduled. After a casual
lunch, Nico escorted Gemma and her sisters to the same vehicles they arrived
in—only now just needing one—and drove them to the dress shop. Gemma felt more
complete just being with her sisters again.

“We can’t stay apart for that long again,” Gemma announced as they were
well on their way into the city.

“You were the one who went away on this research project,” Paige
reminded her.

“You’ve missed our little sister over here growing a little angel in her
tummy,” Eloise rubbed Layla’s rounded stomach as she spoke. Eloise was nearly
glowing as much as Layla.

“Hey! I’m not that large yet,” Layla insisted before changing the
subject. “Gemma, tell us about your time with Seamus. We know so little.”

“And we definitely want to know more,” Sadie added.

The sisters giggled but thankfully, the answer to her question would
wait. They had arrived at the shop. Gemma tapped her purse remembering the
tracker Seamus had placed inside should she be separated from Nico.

“Tracker?”
Eloise asked.

“Yes. How could you tell?”

“We’ve all got them now. Madden even gave one to each of the unmated
sisters,” Eloise explained. “You’ll get used to it. Caedon is a Neanderthal on
a normal day but with the heightened security on all of us, I’m fairly certain
he’s placed one in every pair of shoes I own.” Eloise rolled her eyes but Gemma
heard the affection in her voice.

“Seriously?
In your shoes?”
Gemma laughed at Caedon’s
ingenuity.

“It’s the only thing he knows for sure I won’t take off.” Eloise shared
in her laughter. It felt good to have some lighter moments with her sisters.
Gemma had missed this.

Gemma wondered if mated men actually forgot their mates were members of
the
Magdalena Circle
and had their
own powers. She felt certain she could defend herself if she really needed to.
Between her strengthened powers and the self-defense classes her father had
made them take as young girls, she could be pretty kick-ass if she needed to
be.

Lost in thought, the door suddenly opened and Nico informed them it was
clear for her exit. She and her sisters filed out of the Hummer and headed
straight for the dress shop where a tiny older woman was waiting.

“You all must be Chiara’s girls. I have known your mother since she
selected her own gown,” the elderly woman spoke in broken English.