Read Online Open All Hours (Carnival Magic 2) by Eden Royce - Free Book Online
Authors: Eden Royce
Tags: BIN 07317-02359
Ads: Link
outside the woods, where sounds of splitting timber were just audible. Moving quickly but silently, the couple approached the entrance to the forest hand in hand, then slipped inside.
For a few moments, Leesa and Tip watched and listened, the latter rolling the silver ring in her lip around and around. Then Tip nudged Leesa toward the bright lights of the diner.
Chapter Five
The sound of ripping bark got louder as Ellie and Arthur walked deeper into the dense woods. Carefully, they placed their steps so as not to alert Vol to their presence too soon. If he was in the state Leesa said he was, and Arthur suspected it was hurt and pain, not anger, then it would be best to approach his cousin with some care. He glanced at Ellie.
Her little determined chin stuck out and he felt a rush of love for her. She never backed down from doing the right thing, even if it was the hard thing and he respected her for that. But she had no idea what was going to happen and he was worried. Only in times of extreme stress or danger did Vol allow his bear to rage. And the last time had been almost more than he could handle. He felt a shift in the air. Ellie was looking at him with a quizzical expression he could see even behind her sunglasses. She squeezed his hand and nodded. Strengthened, he moved them to the edge of the clearing.
Vol in bear form ripped at the trunks of the old oak trees. His huge paws battered their stout trunks and they gave under his onslaught. Some of the younger trees were uprooted as he raged and he roared at full volume. For a fleeting moment, Arthur wished he were able to shift into animal form as well. But then, it would turn into a battle of who was the strongest. Vol would certainly win in that fight, but there were other ways to get the upper hand.
“I need your help, dove,” Arthur said to Ellie and she responded, as he knew she would.
“Of course. What can I do?”
“I need you to watch my body.”
She frowned. “This is not sexy time. We need to --”
“No, I mean watch my body while I take him over.” He sighed. “Or try to, anyway.”
“Oh,” she whispered and ran a hand through her riot of coily hair. While Arthur wasn’t able to shift into bear form like his larger cousin, he was able to inhabit and take control of any bear-shaped object. A statue, a carving… He’d even taken over a teddy bear and formed it to his will. It was how he had first shown her his amazing ability. Later he used his unusual shifting ability in more seductive ways. She bit her lip. But as she’d said to him earlier, this was not sexy time. “Okay, what do I need to do?”
Another tree crashed to the ground. “You’ve never seen me do this, so don’t be scared. But I need you to protect my body as best you can. I’m going to get inside Vol’s head. Try to calm him down. It might take me some time.” He blew out a deep breath. “Won’t be easy.”
He took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply before pulling away. “I’ll be back, dove. Promise.” Arthur sat at the base of a tree facing the clearing and stared, trancelike, out at the destruction Vol was wreaking. Ellie sat next to him and he felt her take his hand. A few moments later, his shoulders slumped and his entire body relaxed, almost as if he were sleeping.
Pain slashed at Arthur as he tried to enter Vol’s mind. Damn. His cousin was enraged, but he’d been right: it was hurt and a sense of betrayal behind the anger. He pushed again, trying to gain entry without the large bear noticing. Thoughts and memories flooded Arthur as he circled, looking for an unguarded way in. He felt the wonder and kindness when Vol found the tiny black cat hiding behind the diner’s dumpsters. And the shock when he found the half-naked woman in his room who almost immediately shifted into the cat he’d so tenderly saved. An intimate moment between them flashed by and Arthur turned away to look elsewhere. Vol was entitled to his memories and
For a few moments, Leesa and Tip watched and listened, the latter rolling the silver ring in her lip around and around. Then Tip nudged Leesa toward the bright lights of the diner.
Chapter Five
The sound of ripping bark got louder as Ellie and Arthur walked deeper into the dense woods. Carefully, they placed their steps so as not to alert Vol to their presence too soon. If he was in the state Leesa said he was, and Arthur suspected it was hurt and pain, not anger, then it would be best to approach his cousin with some care. He glanced at Ellie.
Her little determined chin stuck out and he felt a rush of love for her. She never backed down from doing the right thing, even if it was the hard thing and he respected her for that. But she had no idea what was going to happen and he was worried. Only in times of extreme stress or danger did Vol allow his bear to rage. And the last time had been almost more than he could handle. He felt a shift in the air. Ellie was looking at him with a quizzical expression he could see even behind her sunglasses. She squeezed his hand and nodded. Strengthened, he moved them to the edge of the clearing.
Vol in bear form ripped at the trunks of the old oak trees. His huge paws battered their stout trunks and they gave under his onslaught. Some of the younger trees were uprooted as he raged and he roared at full volume. For a fleeting moment, Arthur wished he were able to shift into animal form as well. But then, it would turn into a battle of who was the strongest. Vol would certainly win in that fight, but there were other ways to get the upper hand.
“I need your help, dove,” Arthur said to Ellie and she responded, as he knew she would.
“Of course. What can I do?”
“I need you to watch my body.”
She frowned. “This is not sexy time. We need to --”
“No, I mean watch my body while I take him over.” He sighed. “Or try to, anyway.”
“Oh,” she whispered and ran a hand through her riot of coily hair. While Arthur wasn’t able to shift into bear form like his larger cousin, he was able to inhabit and take control of any bear-shaped object. A statue, a carving… He’d even taken over a teddy bear and formed it to his will. It was how he had first shown her his amazing ability. Later he used his unusual shifting ability in more seductive ways. She bit her lip. But as she’d said to him earlier, this was not sexy time. “Okay, what do I need to do?”
Another tree crashed to the ground. “You’ve never seen me do this, so don’t be scared. But I need you to protect my body as best you can. I’m going to get inside Vol’s head. Try to calm him down. It might take me some time.” He blew out a deep breath. “Won’t be easy.”
He took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply before pulling away. “I’ll be back, dove. Promise.” Arthur sat at the base of a tree facing the clearing and stared, trancelike, out at the destruction Vol was wreaking. Ellie sat next to him and he felt her take his hand. A few moments later, his shoulders slumped and his entire body relaxed, almost as if he were sleeping.
Pain slashed at Arthur as he tried to enter Vol’s mind. Damn. His cousin was enraged, but he’d been right: it was hurt and a sense of betrayal behind the anger. He pushed again, trying to gain entry without the large bear noticing. Thoughts and memories flooded Arthur as he circled, looking for an unguarded way in. He felt the wonder and kindness when Vol found the tiny black cat hiding behind the diner’s dumpsters. And the shock when he found the half-naked woman in his room who almost immediately shifted into the cat he’d so tenderly saved. An intimate moment between them flashed by and Arthur turned away to look elsewhere. Vol was entitled to his memories and
Similar Books
