Visions Unveiled Ch. 07

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Shane asked, focusing on her words instead of the way her body moved beneath his shirt.

"You asked how I knew something wasn't right with Sophie. And it sounds crazy, and I don't know exactly what it means, but I saw something. I know it's going to happen, if it didn't already."

Unfolding his arms, Shane approached her and fought to keep his heart from hammering out of his chest. Was she admitting to him what he suspected earlier? "Can you tell me what you saw? I will help you, I promise."

It was then that he saw it for the first time. Her eyes became distant as she recalled what she was speaking of, and he instantly thought of Ilsa's eyes during her visions. He watched closely as Faline's eyes glazed over, and then they did something he never saw with Ilsa. Just before Faline's eyes cleared, they glowed, bright silver for a fraction of a moment. If he'd have blinked, he would have missed it. It was startling and at the same time dazzling, and he found himself lowering to his knees before her without thought. When he was settled in front of her, Faline reached out a hand and placed it on his forearm, a touch identical to the one her mother had given him in the past.

Finally she spoke, "Three things in a row. Blue metal, white smoke and a yellow card. All where Sophie should be."

"This is what you see?" Shane asked her.

Nodding, Faline went on, "In that order."

Shane held perfectly still, waiting for her to say something else, but there was nothing. After a full minute of silence Faline shook her head as if to clear it, and he could tell the moment had passed. Just like Ilsa's trances, Faline's came upon her without much warning and left just as quickly.

"You've had premonitions like this before?" Shane asked her finally.

Faline nodded at him, "Usually it's when danger is coming. Sometimes it happens within a few hours, sometimes it takes days. I wish I knew which it would be this time."

"Okay," Shane said, "Give me a little bit of time, so that if there is a threat we aren't walking into it alone. I'll get some backup, and then we will go see Sophie."

Faline blinked at him for several moments. "Wait, are you saying that you believe me? About what I saw?"

Shane's eyebrows drew together in puzzlement at her question. "Of course I believe you, why wouldn't I?"

"It's just, people usually tell me I'm crazy the first few times, until the things start happening," Faline paused for a moment, looking at him seriously. "And in truth, I haven't told anyone new about this since I was a child."

A lock of damp hair had fallen over her eyes and Shane reached out a hand to tuck it behind her ear. "You believe without question that I am werewolf? Despite how many people would also call that crazy, right?"

Faline chewed her lip for a moment and then nodded, "Yes. I know what you are."

Shane smiled at her, "And I also know what you are. I don't think you are crazy. You saw a vision and I'm glad you trusted me enough to let me in. This way I can help you."

She frowned slightly at him, "How can you say that you know what I am?" she asked.

Shane lifted his hand to her face again, this time just a gently. "Because, as I told you already. You are your mother's daughter. In every way, so it would seem."

Faline pulled back from him, as if in shock. "Are you saying that my mother was also like this? That she could ... see things?"

"Yes," Shane answered her simply.

"And the things she saw, they came to light?" Faline asked.

Shane's heart raced as he stared into her eyes, realizing how quickly he had fallen for her. His eyes remained fixed on hers as he remembered Ilsa's last vision. The one in which she pleaded for him to wait for and protect her daughter. Finally he found his voice, "Yes, and in the most amazing of ways."

And then, again just as quickly as she had done earlier that day, Faline threw her arms around his neck and embraced him tight.

* * *

Faline couldn't help herself or her emotions. Ever since she had made the decision to go to the bakery on the morning of her birthday it seemed her life had jumped off the rails, and she had no choice but tumble along from one turn to the next. While she was deeply concerned for Sophie, she still could not stop the elation coursing through her body. Earlier it amazed her to learn that Shane was the one her journal foretold of, and how true it was that since the moment he'd found her, she did feel safe. He had answers to who she was and where she'd come from, answers she desperately needed. And most importantly, he listened to her and he believed in her.

Without thinking at all, she had once again thrown herself against him, though this time it felt completely different. For one, she was not crying this time. Relief and happiness is what she felt, and she couldn't help the laughter that now escaped her. Second, she now suddenly realized that when he'd placed his shirt on her, it had left him bare-chested, something she had overlooked when her thoughts were clouded with nothing but worry for Sophie. Now, she felt his bare skin beneath her hands as she held him, and she swore she could feel his muscles pulsing under his smooth skin.

Instantly, she felt heat in her face as she realized he must think her foolish, and so she began to pull back from him. She needed to apologize for once again acting like an emotional dolt. But when she began to pull away, Shane reacted by tightening his arms which had already gone behind her back. He was pulling her closer against him and she heard a muffled sound coming from his throat.

Faline raised her face and began to speak her apology, but when she met his eyes she was at once powerless to look away. Shane's eyes, which she'd known to be a deep shade of brown, seemed to have darkened to near black. It took her breath away, and she couldn't speak. Then she felt him pull her even closer as one of his hands slipped up her back and came to rest against the nape of her neck underneath her hair. His hand was warm, his touch sure. It was captivating, and she had no desire to move away. His eyes held her locked in place for a moment and then suddenly he was kissing her. His lips were soft and dry against hers, and while she had been kissed before, she'd never felt a kiss so tender in all her life.

Faline felt his lips move slightly against hers and she leaned into him, wanting more. He took his time as he brushed his mouth against hers, and when she pulled back slightly to take a shuddering breath Shane leaned into her, deepening the kiss. Pleasure shot through her as she felt the warmth of his mouth against hers, and when he slowly pressed his tongue to hers she thrilled at the sensation. It was indescribable, the feeling of being held so tightly against him. He was a masterful kisser, but that paled in comparison to the complete feeling of rightness which she found while being held in his arms. It was as if she had been waiting for this moment her entire life, without even realizing it.

The kiss went on and on, and Faline felt herself dizzying from both intimate bliss and what must certainly have been a lack of air. She pulled her arms from his shoulders and leaned away from him slightly as she broke the kiss. Instantly, she felt his mouth lowering as he began to place small kisses down her jaw and against the delicate skin of her throat. She gasped as his teeth grazed a particularly sensitive spot, and in response she raked her nails against his chest, thrilling at the crisp feel of his dark hair beneath her fingers.

She felt his tongue, warm and moist, swirling against the skin of her throat, and Faline shuddered, unbelieving such a seemingly simple touch could cause such intense pleasure. Her entire body felt electrified, and as he tightened his hold on her once more, Faline felt for a fleeting moment as if she might be forgetting something important. But then Shane returned his mouth to hers, and suddenly she was lost again in his breathtaking kiss.

* * *

Madness, Shane was thinking. That's what this was. Pure madness. In the back of his mind he knew he should put a stop to this. Not only had Faline very recently been ill, but if her visions were to be believed, and Shane had no reason to think otherwise, then the woman his mate called mother was likely in danger. But when Faline embraced him unexpectedly, he was caught up in a wave of instant desire. Her warm hands squeezed the back of his neck, and when she pressed herself against him he felt the firm tips of her nipples grazing his chest, realizing nothing separated his body from hers besides the thin cotton of the shirt. And then there was her scent. She smelled fresh and clean, and her natural fragrance of rain-scented air was exhilarating.

It all happened in a brief moment, and his wolf rumbled deep pleasure inside of him, his desire awakening at the feel of his mate pressing herself so closely against him. The animal was more than ready to claim her, but Shane fought against the primal impulses of the beast. Man and wolf warred for dominance, and the human part of him seemed to have the upper hand, until he felt her breathy laughter against his throat, and the enticing feel of her body against his.

Shane felt his mate begin to pull away from him, and that is when the wolf asserted some of his control. He flexed his arms around her, disallowing her to create too much space between them, and when she raised her face to his, Shane gave in to his desires by kissing her. At first he thought a small taste of her would appease the wolf. But he immediately learned that it would be impossible to quell his need for her with but a fleeting touch of his lips against hers.

Holding her, kissing her, was nothing short of exquisite. Everything about her was luscious, intoxicating and delectable. She matched his kiss with a passion that had him reeling and before he could stop himself, his mouth had lowered to sample the pale skin of her neck. She arched into him, raking her fingers against his chest, and that is when he practically snapped. Seizing her mouth with another kiss, Shane moved suddenly, growling deeply as he raised his body against hers. He lowered his hands to her hips and tightened his hold on her as he slid her back onto the bed, and pressed her down into the mattress.

When he positioned his body above hers, both he and the wolf growled in mutual satisfaction at finally having their mate's body beneath them. Without breaking his demanding kiss, Shane rotated his hips slowly, pushing the firm length of his cock boldly against her thigh. He made no effort to conceal his arousal from her. She shivered in response and when he moved to close the space between them, her thighs parted naturally, allowing him to press into her even more intimately.

Breathing deeply, Shane drank in the scent of her arousal. He ran his hand up her bare thigh and when his fingers touched her hip, he found himself trembling with the need to take her. She was irresistible and in a trice of delirious lust he realized that all he needed was to unfasten his trousers and he could be inside of her within a moment's time.

Fighting to control his own need, Shane knew he had to be certain she was ready for him. He broke their kiss to trail his mouth against her throat, searching again for the spots that gave his mate the most pleasure. Sliding his hand from Faline's hip, Shane slowly caressed the skin of her flat abdomen until his fingers came in contact with the soft fur which covered her mound. Gently, he pressed his fingers against her folds, delighting to discover that she was already wet for him. Slowly, he circled the sensitive flesh around her clit and growled his approval when she arched against his hand.

Returning his mouth to hers, he kissed her deeply while lowering his hand to press a finger against her wet opening. Vaguely, he was aware that she tensed slightly, and when he eased his finger slightly deeper inside of her, he was astonished at how incredibly tight she was. Suddenly, Faline arched her throat back and cried out as if in distress, while at the same moment his fingertip came in contact with her frail barrier. Realization dawned on him instantly, and he withdrew from her as if he had been burned. Opening his eyes, Shane was acutely aware of her discomfort and it was as if a bucket of ice had been thrown upon him.

In a flash, any wayward thoughts that she might have already delivered children were flung from his mind, as he'd just witnessed the very proof of her innocence. Instantly, he pulled his body from hers to settle beside her on the bed. "Faline," he whispered in a broken voice, "Forgive me, did I hurt you?"

Shane watched as she flushed deeply while meeting his eyes. Shaking her head, she backed away from him slightly while smoothing her hands down the shirt to cover herself once again. "I'm sorry, I was just surprised. This just happened so quickly, and I'm not, I mean, I've never ..." Faline's words trailed off as a darker blush stained her cheeks.

Sitting up beside her, Shane couldn't help but to blink at her bewilderedly. She was confessing her inexperience to him, and yet as a man he found it nearly impossible to believe. She was well above the age most females had their first sexual encounters, be they married or not. Not to mention, she was stunningly beautiful in face and body, as well as an intelligent, kind person. How could she have gone this long in life without some male pursuing her, courting her, seducing her?

In contrast, the wolf was greatly pleased. The wolf cared not how old she was or what went on in human society during the current day-and-age. The knowledge that his mate was pure filled him with an undeniably male pride. When he claimed her, he would be her first, her last and her only. The wolf wanted to howl his satisfaction over this discovery to the sky.

Shane closed his eyes and willed the beast to be still. Now was not the time. After taking several deep breaths, Shane opened his eyes again, gazing at his mate with open respect and adoration. "Please, let me be the one to apologize m'chroi. I forgot myself and lost control, which is unforgivable."

Faline turned towards him and brushed his arm with her fingertips. "I am also to blame. This went so far, so quickly. And I am not like that. But when I'm near you, something comes over me, and I keep forgetting myself."

Shane took in a deep swallow of air, breathing through the moment. He knew exactly how she felt. "The same thing comes over me it seems. But I will make an effort to keep a rein on myself so this doesn't happen again. I don't wish you to be uncomfortable. Are you certain that you are all right?"

She gave him a shy smile, "I am fine. Thank you for understanding."

With a nod of his head, Shane rose to his feet, needing to put distance between them before he gave in to the wolf's urge to gather her back into his arms. Redirecting his thoughts, he quickly thought through his plan for the next few hours. He looked to where Kevin had set a small pile of Erin's clothing, noticing an array of nightclothes, jeans, some tops and sweaters. "These are my sister's," he told her, "She is taller than you, but I think you should find something fitting. When my Betas are in place we will go get Sophie."

Faline twisted her hands together, the worry quickly had returned. "Thank you so much, for believing me, and helping us."

Shane gave her a reassuring smile, "I wouldn't have it any other way." He began to step away from her, but turned back as a thought hit him. He gestured towards the plate and teacup Kevin had also set on the table earlier. "Please eat something, and see to your hair while I am gone." When he saw her puzzled look he ran his fingers through her damp locks and added, "Because there is no way I am taking you outside until it's fully dry. Understand?"

He noticed her eyes flash defensive for a moment, but then she nodded. It pleased him, how she was beginning to accept him and allow him to protect her. He vowed to keep distance between them, but he reasoned that the moment had since cooled, and so he allowed himself to lean down and brush his lips against hers in a brief kiss. Employing every bit of willpower he had allowed him to back away from her and this time he was finally able to leave the room.

* * *

Faline stared at the door for long moments after it had closed, willing her heart to stop pounding so fast. She knew she should be focused on getting home to Sophie, but when she was near to Shane all rational thoughts ceased to exist. She had experienced attraction towards men in life before, but never anything like she felt when she was with Shane. It was mysterious and thrilling. She took deep breaths until she was able to concentrate on Sophie once again. She hoped that when she got home, she wouldn't be too late. Remembering her vision sobered her thoughts fully, and with a sigh, Faline began sorting through the pile of borrowed clothing for something warm to wear.

The jeans were long, as Shane told her they would be, but she cuffed them up. The sweater was soft cashmere in the color of cream, and Faline thought that once she had on her winter coat and scarf, she would be plenty warm. In the washroom she ran a fresh towel against her hair until it was practically dry. She then finished dressing by pulling on a pair of thick socks followed by her boots. Finally she repacked her satchel, picked up her coat, and ventured out of the suite for the first time.

She found herself standing in the middle of a long hallway and looked down the length of it in both directions. The décor was clean and classic. The walls were a crisp off-white color, and the floors a shining, dark hardwood. At one end of the hall the area seemed to open up into a sitting area, and at the other she could see a banister which must have lead to the stairs. She turned towards the banister and walked slowly to the end of the hall.

Once she reached the banister, she realized there were not one, but two sets of stairs. One set lead down to the floor below, and the other lead up. Her initial impulse was to take the stairs up for some reason, and Faline found herself gazing upwards, wondering what waited at the top of the staircase. But in the end, she knew her goal was to leave this place to find Sophie, so that meant she had to head downstairs instead. The sound of distant voices drifting up towards her cemented her decision that she was going the in the right direction, and so Faline took a breath, and started her descent.

She followed the voices until she came to a large, open room which held several comfortable looking couches and chairs. The walls of the room were made almost entirely of glass, and Faline thought that on a bright day, the room would be a wonderful place to sit and read. In the center of the largest wall were a set of French doors which were currently ajar, and Faline could tell that the voices she'd been following were coming from outside. She stepped cautiously towards the doors, but as she got closer she recognized Shane's voice was among those speaking, and so she relaxed slightly.

When she was in the doorway, Faline realized that Shane had acquired a t-shirt and was joined by several others. She intended to announce herself, so that they were aware of her arrival, but when she heard one of them growl, fear rendered her silent. Standing with Shane out on the lawn was the one other she recognized, the wolf she met when she was so sick. He must have been some sort of doctor or healer. Kevin, she remembered Shane calling him. He was polite and kind, and treated her nicely each time she saw him. Standing across from Shane was another who looked almost identical to the healer. Twins, she recognized. Faline thought the twin seemed stressed, and spoke heatedly towards Shane. Standing between that twin and Shane was a pretty redhead. The redhead held the arm of Kevin's twin, and spoke to him in a calming voice.