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  Emma noticed her companion had stopped and turned to look at the huge dog. “Come on, boy, let’s see if the pond is anything like I remember it,” she said and patted her thigh. The Puca barked and trotted up to her.

  The pond came into view, and Emma stopped for a long moment. The Puca looked up at her and saw the tears streaming down her face. She looked down at him and sighed heavily. “How am I going to make this work, Pookie? I don’t know how to run a business. I can’t even run my life right.”

  He whined at her and nudged her toward the large slab of rock by the water.

  Emma sat down and looked back at the house. “I 37

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  don’t really want to sell the place, but I don’t see any way out of it,” she said softly.

  The Puca barked at Emma and galloped off into the underbrush.

  Emma watched the dog run off and smiled sadly.

  “Wish I could run away like that.”

  She got up and dusted off the seat of her jeans.

  Time to head back and go over the accounts one more time, she thought. Not looking forward to the long walk back, she started down the path. Idly she wondered if she should look for Pookie, but decided against it. He wasn’t really her responsibility.

  * * * * * *

  The Puca followed Emma silently for a few minutes before circling around to get in front of her. He rose up and flowed into his human form. Stopping for a second, he plucked a small red wildflower from the forest floor and then stepped out onto the path.

  “Emma, my sweet, what are you doing wandering about the forest?” Kian asked with a smile.

  Emma looked up and returned his smile with a faint one of her own. “Oh, nothing, I just had some thinking to do.”

  “Ah, such a tragedy, a pretty girl like yourself shouldn’t have to be bothering herself over thinking,”

  he said silkily. “Feeling is so much more entertaining.”

  “Feeling?” The skeptical note in her voice surprised him.

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  “Oh, yes, pretty girls should not be bothered with anything other than looking beautiful for her lover.”

  She gave him a look that told him she wasn’t buying his fine words.

  He sighed and tried again; he reached up and slipped the flower he carried into the honey-gold hair over her ear. “There now, that suits you quite well.”

  Emma reached up and touched the petals. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Are you always this silly?” she asked, amusement tingeing her voice.

  “If it brightens your day, my lady, always.” He bowed low before her.

  She laughed despite herself and he caught her hand, walking back toward the house with her.

  Emma felt a slow, warm rush of emotion flowing over her from his touch. She had never felt this strong of a physical reaction with anyone else before.

  They walked along, the silence between them comfortable. Kian could see the telephone company truck parked near the front porch as they neared the house. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingertips. “I’ll be back, love, I’ve a bit of business to take care of.”

  He waited until she had entered the house, then shimmered and shifted into his favorite dog form.

  Running into the forest, he fought down a wave of panic. Sell? Sell our home, he thought, but where would we go? He needed to talk to his father, to tell the other Pucas of this new development.

  * * * * * *

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  Dismissed from the deliberations of the elder Pucas, Kian turned to head back to the house. He caught the eye of his brother Aiden and joined him on the path.

  “So your lady love is going to sell the forest. Talk her out of it, isn’t that what you’re good at?” Aiden studied his impeccably groomed fingernails.

  Kian did not miss the sarcasm and reined in the urge to hit him. “Emma is special, little brother, she’s not for silky words and empty promises. Nor is she for idle flirtations from scoundrels such as yourself,”

  he warned.

  “They’re all special with you. Until you get what you want from them and another catches your eye.”

  Kian growled and bared his teeth. “Be staying away from her...”

  “Oh, lighten up. I’ve no interest in stealing away your human conquests, and no understanding of their attraction, for that matter,” Aiden said.

  “Ah, Aiden, it’s because they’re real that I love humans so much.” Kian punched his brother’s shoulder and flowed into the shape of a lithe black panther for his run back to the house, where Emma was entertaining the telephone repairman. If he remembered right, the man was old enough to be her grandfather, and no threat.

  * * * * * *

  Walking into the kitchen as a man once more, the Puca heard the sound of Emma’s voice coming from 40

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  the library. Smiling, he walked to the door and froze.

  The repairman was not the one he had expected. This one was young—and flirting with his Emma.

  Kian watched Emma and the man from town, his eyes narrowing, flashing red fire. Emma was leaning over watching what the man was doing, smiling and laughing at something he had said. Did she not know that enticing strange men was dangerous? He frowned, gritting his teeth and turning his back on them.

  Seething, Kian walked back into the kitchen.

  Emma's gentle laugh reached his ears. He spun, stomping out of the kitchen and into the library.

  Emma glanced up, hearing Kian, and her mouth went dry. He strode into the room, a vision of confident male sexuality in his faded blue jeans and tight black Harley-Davidson T-shirt. His heavy black leather biker's boots sounded like thudding heartbeats on the polished wood floor. He gave her a smoldering look and then glanced at the phone repairman, stopping behind her. She could feel the heat of his body, smelled the musky scent of aroused and angry male. He rested his hands on her hips and pressed against her. She felt like her bones were melting.

  The man, named Mike, glanced up at Kian’s arrival and smiled. Kian nuzzled her neck, running his hands over her hips to rest them on her belly. She shivered at his touch and felt herself blush.

  “How's it going in here, love? Is Mike here 41

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  behaving himself?” Kian softly pulled her close in a possessive embrace. She saw the repairman give a slight nod toward Kian, a silent acknowledgment of Kian’s dominance.

  “Almost done, man, another ten minutes and your lady will be ready to roll,” Mike said and turned back to his work.

  Kian turned his attention to her, leaned in closer and gave her a soft lick, kissing the side of her neck.

  He nipped gently before letting her go and strolling out of the library.

  Kian walked out the door, obviously very much pleased with himself for delivering his message to Mike. Glancing back at Mike, she smiled in apology; he looked as embarrassed as she felt. Mike went back to work, suddenly all business. Emma sighed and resolved to have a word with Kian about the proper behavior toward one's boss. Especially when said boss had almost had a date lined up. Between him and Pookie, she’d turn into a frustrated and cranky old lady before the summer was over.

  She watched Mike drive away and her anger boiled over. She slammed the door so hard she nearly broke the stained glass window. Turning, she stormed into the kitchen where Tilly and Pin were laying the table for lunch. Emma glared at Kian for a long, tense moment.

  * * * * * *

  The Brownies started violently at the sound of the 42

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  door and Kian smiled smugly, winking at Pin. She blushed furiously and he chuckled, looking up as Emma appeared.

  “It would seem someone is a wee bit angry,” Kian said and smiled at Emma. She was absolutely gorgeous when she was angry; her face all flushed and fire in her brown eyes.

  “Someone is way more than a little angry. And someone else is walking on very thin ice around here.

 
I could always hire a kid from town to come out and do the lawn and chop the wood for the fireplaces.”

  Emma walked over to where Kian sat looking at her with that smugly superior half-smile.

  “Ah, but poppet, you said yourself there’s no money for frivolities,” he reminded her.

  “Don’t you quote me back at me, buster,” she said angrily.

  “And don’t you be fooling with the men from town, Emma my girl, it would be more than you could be handling,” Kian said silkily.

  “More than... You have no clue what I can and cannot handle, mister. And you keep on like you’re going, I doubt you’ll ever find out.” Emma leaned on the kitchen table and glared down at him.

  “Ah, Emma my girl, you’re a fine woman when you’re angry,” he said and slid his hands over hers.

  The view of her soft breasts cradled by the fabric of her dress made his heart skip and his mouth go dry.

  Emma jerked her hands free and caught his wrists, pinning them to the table. Startled, he wondered where she had learned such a slick move. Jealousy 43

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  flashed through him at the thought of some man teaching her. Concern over just why she would have needed to learn something defensive quickly followed the jealousy.

  She gave him a bright, pleased smile, and he caught the name Jason floating to the surface of her thoughts.

  Kian’s eyes widened slightly, then narrowed and flashed rusty fire. He struggled silently, trying to get out of her grip, but stopped after a second. Pulling loose would likely hurt her, and he had resolved he would not cause her pain. Changing shape to get away, even for a brief moment, was not an option. It was not yet time for her to know what he was.

  Looking into her eyes, his stomach gave an unaccustomed fluttering lurch. He heard her voice, but what she was saying did not quite register over the sweet sound until he heard her say the word

  ‘leave’. How could she think he would be that easy to get rid of? He was part of the forest and the forest was part of him; they could not be severed.

  “So, one more little trick like you just pulled in there and you’re out of here. Understand me?” Emma let go of his wrists and walked toward the kitchen door, all business.

  “And who is Jason?” He cringed inwardly, unable to stop himself from asking; he had to know.

  Emma stopped and turned, her smile the expression of a woman remembering a favored lover, and it chilled his very bones. She raised one eyebrow slightly, and her smile widened as she lifted one hand 44

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  to rest over her heart. Without a word, she swept out and down the hall.

  * * * * * *

  He watched her go and sat there in stunned silence for a long moment. Tilly and Pin stood wide-eyed and rooted to the spot.

  The Puca stood suddenly, knocking over the chair, and stormed out the back door, his eyes glowing red.

  He would find this Jason and shred him. He would find every man that had even so much as glanced at her with lust. He would...

  But she could not send him packing, he simply would not go. She’d no idea the danger she’d be putting her heart in keeping company with the likes of Mike or any other man from the town, he thought, indignant.

  He strode around the side of the house toward the woodshed. His stomach churned with the unfamiliar feelings of uncertainty and cold fear. I would cherish her heart and love her like the fine jewel she is, if only she’d be allowing me. He sighed and picked up the axe to begin chopping wood. Inside he seethed, his anger growing and aggravated by the scared feeling that clawed at him.

  Kian ground his teeth and chopped a hapless log to splinters of kindling. Suddenly he turned and threw the axe, embedding it in the wall of the woodshed in a fit of anger. He had to escape the house before he went inside and did something he would regret.

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  Emma was human and a woman, and she just did not—could not—understand.

  Eyes flashing red and green fire, he slammed the door open and stalked into the shed. He went to the dust-shrouded shape that sat in the gloom of the makeshift garage. Grabbing the bright blue plastic tarp, he violently jerked it off the Harley-Davidson motorcycle and tossed it aside. Leather, steel and cold iron, dangerous to be sure, he thought grimly, just like his black mood. Exasperating, maddening, irrational woman, he thought sourly. He needed a drink and a fight.

  He saw Emma peeking out the library window.

  She watched him as he demolished the log and stormed into the shed. He saw her eyebrows lift when he pushed the sleek silver and black Harley-Davidson motorcycle out. She walked out to the front porch just as he got on the bike and started it. He scowled at her, his expression changing to a grim smile when he saw a shiver run through her.

  He swung his leg over and settled into the seat.

  The bike roared to life, and he sped down the drive.

  In the rearview mirror, he could see Emma still watching from the steps of the front porch. The urge to flip her off was almost overpowering. As he began to raise one hand, a tiny voice in the back of his mind whispered to him that it would be a very bad idea. He lowered his hand, accelerating into the growing darkness instead.

  * * * * * *

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  Emma huffed and went back into the house.

  Annoying, arrogant, Neanderthal man, she thought, narrowing her eyes in irritation. He could think again if he thought she would be the fawning airhead he seemed to be looking for. She went to find Pin and Tilly.

  * * * * * *

  The parking lot of Joe’s Bar was crowded. Kian parked and headed inside, his blood singing through his veins, ready for a night of hard drinking and spoiling for a fight. Stepping inside to the bar, he smiled at one of the waitresses, a feral, dangerous smile. The band launched into a cover of AC/DC’s

  ‘Shot Down In Flames’ as he walked up to the bar and ordered his first drink. Aye, he thought sourly, that title about said it all. The music was loud and raw, just the way he liked it, and smoke filled the air. The Puca tossed back his drink, looking for his first victim.

  He waved the bartender over. “Jack Black,” he said when the man walked up. The man set a shotglass down and poured. Kian caught his arm as he turned to go. “Leave the bottle,” he said.

  The bartender shrugged and set the bottle down before going to wait on another customer.

  Kian noticed Mike and picked up his glass and bottle of Jack Daniels’ Black Label with an evil smile.

  He walked over to where his target was playing pool with a couple of buddies. Mike looked up at him as 47

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  he set his bottle on the table with a heavy thunk.

  “And what did you think you were about this morning, chatting up my Emma?” Kian asked casually, watching a well-endowed waitress walk by.

  He silently tallied up the woman’s charms and compared them to Emma’s, a slight smile on his lips.

  The woman smiled and winked at him and he frowned faintly, signaling his disinterest. She shrugged and continued on her way.

  “Just doing my job and being friendly, man, that’s all,” Mike answered.

  “And I’m to be believing that? Next you’ll be telling me all the fairy stories are true and all you were after was a smile.”

  “Hey, man, she never said…” Mike began to back up and get a better grip on his pool cue.

  “She never said,” Kian said and tossed back his drink, slamming the empty shotglass down onto the pool table and turning toward Mike. “Of course she bloody well never said! Emma is a lady!” He launched himself at Mike.

  The fight was vicious and wild with thrown bottles, broken pool cues, and more than a few broken bones. Kian bit and kicked, head butted and wrestled, thoroughly enjoying himself and taking all his sexual frustration out on the patrons of the bar.

  * * * * * *

  Bruised and bleeding, the Puca sat on the floor beside an equally bruised and bleeding Mike. Se
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  were being tended to by a couple of the waitresses, veterans of other fights in the bar. Kian took a swig of whiskey and handed the bottle to Mike.

  “In the future it would be a good idea to be leaving my Emma alone, so it would,” the Puca said, out of breath. “But it was a good fight, Mike, a damn good fight.”

  “Yeah, right, and go through this again for not being polite? No way,” Mike chuckled tiredly. “You need to get laid more often, man.”

  “True, very, very true,” the Puca laughed.

  Kian turned his head opening his eyes at the sound of sirens drawing closer to the bar. He reached over and nudged Mike. “I fear we are about to be graced by the presence of the diligent Officer Daniels,” Kian said.

  “Well, damn. I wish he’d get a hobby,” Mike said tiredly.

  “He has a hobby; he harasses me.” Kian chuckled.

  “But tonight I’ve no mind and even less patience to entertain the socially challenged git.” Kian levered himself to his feet and dusted himself off.

  “Take it easy, man.” Mike lifted the bottle of whiskey he held in a lazy salute.

  “Aye, and I was never here,” Kian headed for the door. He liberated a nearly full bottle of his favorite spirit as he passed the bar. Outside, he climbed onto his motorcycle and headed off into the night. A short few minutes later, the police car pulled into the parking lot, and Officer Steven Daniels got out.