Dani Harper - Storm Bound

George had awakened in his proper human form. He was stiff and sore for days, although he didn’t remember he’d nearly turned into a grim. He did remember Felicia’s unveiling, however, and he’d been almost as shell shocked as Brooke over the past few months. At first he didn’t date at all, but finally he met a woman, Shelby Yellowknife, who practiced mixed martial arts in the ring just as he did. They’d been inseparable for nearly three months now. A record , thought Brooke, and smiled a little. George had done something else that made her smile. Yesterday he’d come over with a new comic book—correction, graphic novel —which was nothing unusual in and of itself.

“Remember that time I wouldn’t show you my sketch pad, hermanita ?”

“Um, vaguely. I think you slammed it shut, but I thought you were just kidding around.”

He shook his head. “I had the preliminary sketches for this in it. I’ve been working on it for a long time, trying to get it just right.” He placed the freshly published booklet in her hands.

Brooke had expected the latest issue of Devina of Hades . Instead, her mouth fell open as she realized that the kick-ass heroine on the front cover had chin-length black hair marked by a single lock of white the width of a finger. The character even had Brooke’s white eyebrow and turquoise eyes. And damned if she didn’t have tiger-sized versions of Bouncer, Jade, and Rory at her side.

“It’s a brand new series, Bryanna Whitelock . She’s a witch who fights evil,” he said. “I modeled her after you.”

Brooke shook her head in disbelief, and laughed, “But G, my boobs aren’t nearly as big as hers.”

George only shrugged. “Hey, ya gotta sell comics. Besides, you could always get implants, and then you could come to all the Comic-Cons and I could introduce you as the real-life heroine behind the story.”

“Whoa, that is so not happening, bro.”

“Padded bra?”

“ No .”

“Well it was worth a shot.” He kissed her forehead. “You’ll just have to be my secret superhero then.” G left to meet up with Shelby for a road trip to Oregon to meet her parents , an announcement that stunned Brooke even more than the comic book had.

Her own love life was sadly lacking, but that was understandable with Aidan gone. In retrospect, he’d left her life as abruptly as he’d entered it. The Lord of the Wild Hunt had promised to return him to her, and even Morgan and Rhys said that Lurien’s word was good, but some nights when she was alone in her bed, she doubted. She’d hoped that Aidan would be able to call or write or whatever the hell fae did when they wanted to get in touch with someone, but there was nothing. Not even scrying brought her any sign of him. Olivia told her that this was because few things originating in the mortal realm could reach into the fae realm. Sometimes scrying would work, but sometimes it wouldn’t. Figures that it wouldn’t. It didn’t stop her from trying again every few days, and it certainly didn’t make her worry any less about the man she loved.

Damn it, she should have asked more questions before letting him go.

The only good thing that had come out of this separation so far was the fact that she now knew she loved Aidan and her feelings were rock solid. Real. Committed, even. She could admit that a tiny part of her had thought those feelings might fade—after all, she hadn’t known Aidan for two solid weeks before he disappeared! It could have been infatuation, attraction, just a fleeting whirlwind romance—

Except for the fact that her heart felt like it was missing from her chest. Her magic worked just fine, but after the intensity of the power they’d shared as a couple, it felt as weak as water.

Last week, Morgan was able to bring Brooke some news from the queen. Aidan was doing great work with the Hunt that Lurien had organized to guard the peace on this side of the waters. Because of it, the Lord of the Wild Hunt had been able to discover the names of more conspirators and bring them to justice. Even Cygnus was doing well, proving a far more reliable mount than the wild and often vicious faery horses. All good, all very good, and she was glad enough for the news, but Morgan’s update didn’t answer any of Brooke’s real questions. Not the nagging insecurities that seemed so silly in the daylight but all too real in the middle of the night in her empty bed. Was there a chance Aidan hadn’t contacted her because she was a painful reminder of his lost Annwyl? He’d volunteered immediately to go to the fae realm, as if he couldn’t wait to leave Brooke behind, and she hadn’t heard from him since. Over the months, she’d affirmed her feelings were real. Had he discovered his were not? The biggest question of all, then, was, how did she get over him ? Was it even possible to get over someone like that? Because she was dead certain there was no one like him anywhere on the planet. Although she supposed another grim could always fall through her roof…

Which reminded her, this afternoon she had to go see the glazier who was going to rebuild her skylight. Olivia, bless her, was going to mind the shop for her while she was gone.

Brooke poured another coffee, then picked up her new phone and ran her finger over the screen until she got to her tarot app. Her readings were simple now, and thankfully, nothing had ever repeated itself. She called up her daily four-card spread.

Nothing really stood out about the first three cards—it was like drawing threes and fours in a game of poker. Pedestrian cards, everyday affairs; their usefulness was all in how you chose to look at them.

The final card, however, the one that influenced the meaning of the previous cards, was the Two of Cups. No matter what deck was used, the card always depicted a man and a woman trading goblets. But this deck was one of her favorites, the artwork particularly beautiful. In the sky above the couple were cosmic symbols and glowing energies of brilliant red and gold. For her clients, it might mean a new relationship, full of passion, or it might mean a healing. For a witch, however, it meant balance in all things had been achieved.

Balance is good. Especially after she’d once worried that the balance of ten centuries might be turned on its head. And now, she was missing Aidan again. Crap.

She jumped up from the table to get her day started. Because so far, the only cure for those feelings was distraction. Lots and lots of distraction.

It was closing time when she returned from her appointment with the glazier. She pushed open the door to her shop with an apology on her lips. “I’m sorry, Olivia, I didn’t know it was going to take three whole hours. I just thought I had to pick out a picture and some glass.”

Her friend emerged from behind the counter and hugged her. “No worries, m’ija . You should see the cash register—I’ve had lots of sales while you’ve been gone.”

“Are you using a spell you haven’t told me about?” asked Brooke. “Because you always seem to sell an awful lot when I’m gone.”

“I simply help your customers to find what they’re looking for.” Olivia blinked innocently, and Brooke knew she’d never reveal anything more.

“Well, thank you again for watching the shop. With the loan I just took out to rebuild the skylight, I don’t dare close it for a minute if I don’t have to.”

“You know I don’t mind a bit. I enjoy being here, but I’m going to go home now because Lissy’s coming by. She has a few days off from her teaching job, and she says she wants to spend them with her dear old madre .”