The markings on her back tingled. She felt them move everywhere his skin touched them. The tingle quickly became an itch, making her squirm and wiggle against his arm.
“Got an itch, mo ghra’?”
“Just a bit,” she answered, wanting nothing more than to fall into blissful sleep in Aaron’s arms, but unable to get comfortable.
“Let me take care of that for you.”
His large, calloused hand moved over her back, soothing her itch, taking away her pain…lulling her to sleep. Charlie thought she’d have to remember to thank him for the use of his magical hands. She let go of the breath she’d been holding and floated away. The last thing she heard before her world faded to black seemed like it sounded in her head and made no sense at all.
I gcónaí agus go deo. Mine grá.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Always and forever. Mine to love. He smiled, thinking of the words he’d sent directly into Charlie’s mind. Speaking the old language was not something Aaron did very often, but with his mate, it just seemed natural. Aidan and the others were going to give him seven kinds of hell when they saw what a marshmallow he’d become.
Like I give a shit. She’s worth all that and more.
Charlie squirmed in her sleep, her discomfort evident in her tiny moans. Every wiggle, every roll of her shoulders was like a knife to his heart. It was as if it was happening to him. His dragon growled, puffing smoke and pushing the man to ease their mate’s discomfort. Aaron’s frustration grew. Helplessness, especially in this case, was not something he took lightly. It was his job to see to her every need, keep her from harm…make sure she was cared for in every way.
There had been times, specifically over the last few years, where he had scoffed when the other Guardsmen had gotten all warm and fuzzy. It was a shock to his system that he was experiencing the same thing. He’d been so sure there was no way he could ever feel what they felt, ever have a mate to call his own. The funny thing was he’d thought he was okay with it. Hell, he’d run as far and fast as he could, but it was to no avail. All the stories were true. Fate definitely had a way of getting what She wanted. And if Aaron had to be honest…Charlie was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
Absently moving his hands across her back, he listened to his dragon purr, noticing that every so often, the beast would chuff. It was as if the big guy was trying to tell him something, something only the beast recognized. He listened intently but heard nothing unusual. Dismissing it as excitement from finally finding the light of their soul, his thoughts drifted back to his miracle…his mate…his Charlie.
She was unlike any woman he’d ever known. The glimpses of her thoughts he’d gotten while they made love had blown his mind. She was not only strong, independent, and incredibly intelligent, but her compassion and empathy showed him the true beauty of her soul. The depth of commitment to her profession was a true testament to her spirit. It was not only what she wanted to do; being a physician was what she was meant to do.
His dragon chuffed again, this time at the precise moment her marking wiggled under his hand. Sure he’d imagined it, Aaron gently moved Charlie off his chest, carefully placing her on the bed. Using movements so slow only his enhanced vision tracked them, he traced the outermost lines of her brand with just the tips of his fingers. With his extra abilities, he could see them move, as well as feel them. What he’d originally thought to be scars he now recognized as some type of glyph.
Connecting with Charlie through their ever-growing bond, Aaron searched for their origin, or at least everything she knew about them. He knew he’d catch hell when she found out he’d been picking through her brain, but figured it was worth it.
Besides, she’s sexy when she’s pissed and making up is gonna be so much fun.
Through her memories, he saw all the doctor’s opinions. The professionals stated they were nothing more than birthmarks; something they believed would disappear over time, or at least be so small they would be inconsequential. Obviously, modern medicine had been mistaken in this case.
One specific memory surfaced more than any other. Aaron saw Charlie and her mom talking about her back. His mate was adamant that her mother not look at it while her mother was just as determined to see it. It was obvious from whom she’d inherited her iron will. They reminded him of two warriors standing off on the field of battle.
Finally, Charlie had given in. It was then Mrs. Gallagher realized the marks were growing right along with her daughter. He saw their visit with another specialist who, like the others, had no answers. His pride soared as his mate told her mother not to worry, that it didn’t matter. She’d even gone so far as to say that she liked her ‘wings’. Those words spurred the Guardsman into action.
Moving as carefully as possible, while making sure to keep one hand moving across her back at all times, he rose to his knees so he could see all of Charlie’s back. She’d been right. The markings did resemble wings. They were breathtaking in their intricacy and detail. So realistic, Aaron imagined them lifting off her skin and fluttering in the breeze.
Caressing her porcelain skin, he continued to delve into Charlie’s mind and spirit. There, hidden deep inside, was a spark of magic, very small but vibrant in its bid to thrive. Its origin was undeterminable, at least with his limited knowledge of anything but dragon magic, and his mate had no knowledge of its existence. She’d been adopted at such a young age the only thing she remembered of her birth mother was the softness of her skin and the melody she sang as she rocked her babe.
He closed his eyes, imaging a young woman with white-blond tresses and expressive blue eyes holding a child that looked so much like her the woman thought she would burst with joy. The melody was beautiful. The woman’s voice so high and clear it sounded like magic itself. And she sang in a language he recognized from his youth.
Hush-a-bye, baby, my darling, my child
My flawless jewel, my piece of the world
Hush-a-bye, baby, isn't it a great joy
My little one in bed without any sorrows.
Child of my heart, sleep calmly
And well all night and be happy
I'm by your side praying for blessings on you,
Hush-a-bye, baby, and sleep for now.
On top of the house there are white fairies
Playing and frolicking under the gentle moonlight
Here they come calling my baby
To draw her into their great fairy mound.
The recollection was buried so deep he imagined Charlie thought of it as a dream, if she thought of it at all. Sighing in her sleep, he felt her finally relax. The lullaby gave her comfort, if only subconsciously, and for that he was grateful. Aaron knew the day would come when he would tell his mate about it and help her to remember such a beautiful memory.
His investigation of Charlie’s mind and back continued until the wee hours of the morning, but he uncovered nothing new. Lots of dead ends and memories of a wonderful childhood with great parents that adored their adopted daughter. She thought of her birth mother often, but only in a dream that never quite made it to her reality. Charles and Marian Gallagher were the people her heart recognized as her mother and father.
He’d taken a few extra minutes to ‘listen’ to what Charlie thought of her father. After all, Aaron would be asking for her hand in what the humans called ‘marriage’ very soon. Charles Gallagher was a retired cop, a hard ass, but incredibly fair and rational–except where his daughter was concerned. Aaron tried to imagine what a conversation with the man would be like, but came up empty-handed and at a loss for words for one of the only times in his life. He’d faced every imaginable enemy without a second thought, but just the idea of the man his mate held in such high esteem made him nervous and jittery. Deciding it wasn’t something he could control, but most definitely something that had to happen, he moved on.
Taking one more look at the magic buried deep in Charlie’s soul, he just knew it was inherent; either her birth mother or father, or maybe even both, had been magical. He wondered if it had been intentionally buried, but knew that was a question for the experts. The spark was definitely a part of her, but completely unrealized by its host, and because of that he couldn’t tell if it was dragon or not.
Aaron shuddered while thinking about what Devon had gone through with Anya, and decided to tell Charlie what had happened first thing in the morning. He would admit he’d poked around in her brain and convince her to let Siobhan, their clan’s Elder Healer, and Kyra, take a look. There wasn’t anything Siobhan didn’t know about healing, and magic was the little white witch’s specialty. Besides, Royce had mentioned she needed something else to think about while she waited for word from her aunt about the hunt for Calysta.
Keeping his hand on her back, he settled back into bed, carefully placing Charlie across his chest once again. His possessiveness made him chuckle. She grumbled at the motion but immediately settled when he kissed the top of her head. Her actions, even in sleep, showed that she felt the mating call just as much as he did.
Cuddling against him, a sigh slipped from her lips while her legs entwined with his, securing her place with her mate. The skin-to-skin contact calmed man and beast as well as their mate. The scent of fresh roses and their lovemaking filled his senses, while Charlie’s presence in his heart and soul made him feel more complete than he ever had. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and just enjoyed the beginning of a very long and happy life. It was the most peaceful he could ever remember being in his entire existence.