The Order of Brigid's Cross - The Wild Hunt (Book 1): The Wild Hunt by Terri Reid

don’t believe in things that are impossible,” Sean
insisted, shaking his head. “Is this some kind of trick?”
    “No, Sean, not a trick. It’s never been a trick or a spell
or even a hallucination,” she said. “When you were poisoned by the Heldeofol
the only way to save you was to mingle our blood. We are bound.”
    “My apartment…,” he began. “You disappeared…”
    “Well that’s a little trick called faery glamour,” she
admitted with a shrug. “It lets you fade into your surroundings like a
chameleon.”
    “So, you were still there, in my apartment?”
    She nodded. “The entire time. It
was intriguing to watch you tear your dwelling apart looking for me.”
    “Yes, but…,” then he froze, and a slight red hue appeared on
his cheeks. “I, um, I took a shower.”
    A half-smile formed on her lips, and she met his eyes, her
own dancing with mirth. “Yes, you did,” she replied evenly. “And a fine,
strapping lad you are .”
    Sean opened his mouth and finally closed it when he realized
he had absolutely nothing to say.
    Gillian, feeling sorry for Sean, decided to intercede. “I’m
sorry. I called Em and asked her to check on you,” she admitted. “After what
Ian messaged me, I was worried about you.”
    Looking back and forth between the two women, he shook his
head. “You know each other?” he asked.
    “Aye,” Em replied. “We both belong to the Order.”
    “The Order?”
    Taking a deep breath, Father Jack leaned forward and nodded.
“And that will be the next part of our story,” he said. “So, Sean, why don’t
you sit down and let me explain the rest.”
    In a shocked stupor, Sean slowly sat back down in his
seat.   “Please, Father, explain so I can
assure myself I am not losing my mind.”
    But as he heard Em’s soft chuckle behind him, he wondered if
any explanation would help him keep his hold on sanity.
    “For the moment I’d like you to suspend your disbelief and
take the information I just shared as a possibility,” Father Jack said. “Can
you do that?”
    Sean nodded, still trying to take it all in. But then he glanced
over at Ian who was sitting back in his chair.   One leg crossed over the other, his chin on his hand, he was studying Gillian,
who was still standing next to Em. The usual look of adoration for his fiancée
had been replaced by another, more intense gaze.   This was a look Sean had seen before when Ian
was studying out a problem, when he was intense, calculating, logical, and
allowed no room for emotion.
    “Ian?” he asked.
    Ian turned, but it took a moment for him to stop his thought
process and answer. “I don’t know, Sean,” he finally said. “Gillian,
a moment please? In private.”
    Ian stood, walked over to the door, opened it and stepped
outside into the hallway.
    Gillian followed him and closed the door securely behind
them. Ian stood, facing away from her, looking down the narrow hall.
    “Ian, what is it?” she asked.
    “I’m a little overwhelmed here. I’m not only trying to
accept the information the good father is sharing, but suddenly I’m realizing
I’m not sure I know the woman I’m engaged to,” he replied, finally turning
towards her. “Who are you?”
    “Ian, I’m still me. The woman you met in Scotland,” Gillian
insisted, taking his hand. “I’m still the person you fell in love with. But in
the past few months, while you’ve been here in the States, I’ve had a whole
world open up before me.   Things I never
considered before, important things, are occurring
right before our eyes.”
    “You could have told me,” he said, shaking his head
emphatically. “You could have let me know what you were doing.”
    She took a deep breath and shrugged helplessly. “It wasn’t
my story to tell,” she replied, hoping he would understand. “I took an oath
that I wouldn’t talk about it. And now, as soon as I was able, I shared. All I
ask is that you keep an open mind.”
    He pulled his hands from hers and