Cuckoo in the Coven

Captain? High seas? A wave of sheer panic hit Sunny. Did this mean he went back and continued with his plans to travel out to the Americas?

“He was like the black sheep of the family, yes?” one of the other tourists offered, grinning at the idea of it.

Sunny risked a glance at Cullen. He was shaking his head and casting looks of aspersion at the guide.

“Yes indeed, Cullen Thaine was ‘like the black sheep,’ although I must stress it’s hearsay. Now, let’s move along, shall we?”

Sunny’s mind was in turmoil. She took a last glance at the family portrait, attempting to commit to memory the image of his mother and father seated, with the two boys and their pretty young sisters standing around them, a hound at their feet.

“Cullen, what do you think it means?”

“It doesn’t mean anything. The woman clearly has no idea what she’s talking about.” He rolled his eyes.

“But it could happen. I mean, if you went back, you don’t know what direction your life might take.”

“That’s true enough,” he agreed as they followed the red carpet and turned toward the staircase leading up to the second stage of the tour.

He was blatantly unconcerned about his future. Did that mean he’d already decided to return?

Her blood raced. He was so nonchalant about it. How could he be like that? “Doesn’t it matter to you, what becomes of you? Of us?”

He was craning his neck to look up at the top of the staircase but glanced away for a second to answer her. “Not right now, no, it doesn’t.”

She swallowed. Her chest was tight with anxiety.

The party began to mount the stairs, but he hung back, leaving a fair distance between them and the rest of the group.

“But Cullen, I’m wondering if it’ll even be possible for you to go back. If Fox has his way, he’s sending you to a different world, not the past, you know.”

“Yes, I had thought of that, my love. Let’s not talk about it here.”

She felt wretched. In fact, she was heartbroken. She almost tripped on the Persian stair carpet. “But I don’t know if I’ll be able to fight him, truly. And in my heart I’m not sure I could wish for your return, should you want to go back, because I love you so much I can’t bear to be apart and that’s what counts, the ability to wish for it...”

He ignored her, staring fixedly ahead as they arrived on the landing.

Damn, he was going to leave her after all, she realized. He didn’t even want to hear her concerns. “Cullen?”

She found herself jolted to a standstill.

“One moment, my love.”

He watched as the party ahead of them turned down the corridor, and then jerked his head in the other direction, toward a narrower, gloomier corridor.

She had barely caught her breath and almost dropped her bag when he hauled her along behind him at sudden, breakneck speed.

The corridor opened out into a smaller landing, and he stopped and dropped her hand.

He strode back and forth along the wood paneled walls.

She hitched her bag onto her shoulder, wishing she’d left it in the car. “Cullen, we’ve got to stick with the tour guide.”

He ignored her.

“What’s the matter? Why won’t you talk to me?”

He turned and looked at her, attempting to focus on her for a moment. He reached over to her and drew her to him with a swift scoop of his arm. “One moment, my love, and you’ll have all my attention. I promise.” He kissed her quickly.

Her body wavered when he freed her again.