She moved into the kitchen and washed her hands. The whirlwind returned. She hauled eggs, butter and bread out of the fridge, shutting the door with her foot as she moved swiftly away. When she started cracking eggs into a bowl, she called over her shoulder. “Turn the news on, would you? I want to know what’s being said about the bombing of Sentinel.”
“Will do.”
He found the remote next to the small flat screen that she kept across from the dining table.
He pressed the power button and, no surprise, a commercial came up first.
“Just mute it.”
He pressed the mute button and settled the remote on the table. He sat down, but had nothing to say, his guilt still dragging him down. The time to speak had passed and he let it go. For now.
He sipped his coffee instead, with one eye on the TV. When the news anchor returned, he watched for pictures of the bridge, but the focus appeared to be on a sex scandal involving an elementary school teacher who operated a porn site at night.
Iris remained busy in the kitchen. She occasionally glanced at the TV, but didn’t appear to want to make conversation. Maybe her thoughts were drawn inward as well.
~ ~ ~
Iris buttered the toast, then swirled the eggs in the hot pan now and then. She’d made triple her usual portion; Connor was a big man.
She’d awakened with something on her mind, but she didn’t know exactly how to frame it. Her thoughts from the time she’d risen from bed had been focused on one particular part of the lovemaking last night, when Connor had fed from her. It had been extremely erotic, one of the best sexual moments of her life. But that wasn’t what snagged her thoughts.
She tried to recall Connor’s exact words right after feeding. He’d said something about feeling ‘better than all right’. And he’d seemed so much more powerful. Even physically his muscles had looked pumped. She could only suppose it wasn’t normal for him since he’d seemed surprised by it.
When the eggs were done, she slid them onto a pair of stoneware plates then added the toast. She put a fork on each plate and had just started over to the table when it hit her, what was really on her mind. “Your energy, Connor. It merged with mine.”
She moved into the dining area and Connor, his mug to his lips, returned the cup to the table. “What? What are you talking about?”
She set the plates down, sliding one toward him. Glancing at the TV, she decided to shut it off completely. Apparently, the sex scandal was the only thing the news was going to focus on.
She sat down and forced herself to eat a few bites.
“You realize you’re holding me in suspense.”
She aimed her fork at his eggs. “Eat. Then I’ll tell you.”
“They smell wonderful, so I won’t argue with you.”
She glanced at him and saw the twisted smile on his lips. She felt it all over again, the raw attraction she felt for him. Suddenly, she was out of her seat, leaning toward him before she knew what she was doing. She caught his face in her hands and planted a kiss on his lips.
When she drew back, his brows rose. “What was that for?”
She shook her head as she resumed her seat. “Just wanted to.”
She focused on her meal once more, forcing herself to slow down because she kept wolfing her meal.
Connor finally reached over and grabbed her hand. “I need you to calm down. Your witch energy is riding my skin like a dirt bike going downhill.”
She lifted her brows and laughed. “That bad, huh?”
“Yes. I don’t know what it is, but I seem to be very sensitive to you.”
She settled her fork on her plate. “And that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. You’re not going to like this, Connor, but I think I need to enthrall you.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Iris doubted Connor would go for it. After all, any citizen of Five Bridges brought under a witch’s thrall was completely vulnerable. And that included powerful vampires, who served as Border Patrol officers for Crescent Territory.
Connor set his own fork down, then leaned back in his chair. He’d made good work of his scrambled eggs and toast. “Okay, why? And what’s this about our energies merging?”