Enchantment (70 page)

“No.
I
gue
s
s
I
don’t
real
l
y
kn
o
w
w
h
y
th
e
y
w
ould want
m
e.”

“Let
me
tell
y
ou
w
h
y
.
If
y
ou
could
be
m
anip
u
lated
in
so
m
e
way
to
follow
instructions
from the
m
ost
evil
of
creatures,
y
o
u
w
ould
be
a
weapon
capable
of
m
ass
d
e
struction,”
Kerrigan explained.
“
I
have
no
doubt
there
are
those
who
w
ould
u
se
y
ou
for
their
own
gain,
but
trust
m
e. I’ll
never
let
the
m
. I’d
die
first.”
He
pulled
her
tighter
against
hi
m
.

Her
face
lost
all
color,
and
a
tear
escaped
from
the
corner
of
her
e
y
e,
sliding
down
her cheek.
“
K
errigan,
I
just
want
to
go
ho
m
e.
I
don’t
want
to
hurt
an
y
bo
d
y
.
Please,
send
m
e
back
to Earth.”
Her
lips
quivered,
and
her
voice
broke
as
s
he
placed her
hands
on
his
chest.

Her
sadness
was
ripping
his heart,
and there
wasn’t a
da
m
n
thing
he could
do
to
help
her. He ached
to
hold
her
in
his
ar
m
s
and
kiss
her
tears
awa
y
,
but
he
had
to
push
her
awa
y
.
He
knew
he
w
ouldn’t
be
able
to
stop
the
dragon
inside
him
from
claiming her
next
ti
m
e.

“I’m sorr
y
,
precious,
we
haven’t
figured
out h
o
w
to
send
y
ou
ho
m
e
y
e
t.
I
don’t
m
ean
to hurt
y
o
u,
but
y
ou
need to
know
the
truth, and
y
ou
need to
learn ever
y
t
h
ing
y
o
u
can
about
y
o
u
rself and
y
o
ur
powers
to
protect
y
o
urs
e
lf.
I
think
we
s
hould
get
y
ou
back
ho
m
e
so
y
ou
can
eat
and
get
s
ome
rest
for
to
m
orrow.”

* * * *

She
dried
her
tears,
knowing
Kerrigan
w
a
s
right.
Her
heart
sank
along
with
her
confidence. She
w
a
sn’t
the
si
m
p
l
e
girl
she
had
been
a
s
hort
time
ago.
Now,
weary
and
sore,
her
defenses weakened.
She
was
falling
in
love
with
m
an
who
had
two
sid
e
s.
She
wanted
the
w
armth
and securi
t
y
she
felt
when
he
held
her
in
his
ar
m
s.
She
w
anted
him
to
ki
s
s
away
all
her
fears
and
to drive
her
crazy
with
uncontrolled
passion.

“I
think food
and
rest
would
be
a
good
idea.”

He
took
hold
of
her
hand,
and
in
a
blink,
th
e
y
were
back
in
his
home.
Catz
followed, appearing
at
her
side.
The
ho
u
se
s
m
e
lled
w
onderful.
Then
she
heard
Padd
y
’s
voice
hum
m
i
ng from
so
m
ewhere in
the
house.

“Thank
heavens
for
my
m
o
m
.
”

The
kitchen
w
as
even
larger
than
the
one
in
Padd
y
’s
ho
m
e.
Paddy
greeted
her
with
a
giant s
m
ile.

“I’m
so
glad
y
o
u
are
ok
a
y
, dear.
I
w
a
s
worried
about
y
o
u
.” “Thanks,
Pad
d
y
, but
I’m
fine.”

Paddy studied her
face and
then
m
a
r
ched
over
to Kerrigan.
“
S
on, she looks
exhausted.
What did
y
ou
do
to
her
toda
y
?
”

“You
s
hould
see
how
Str
y
ker
looks.”
He
s
m
irked, and
winked
at
Meeka.

Her
blood
raced
with
excit
e
m
e
nt.
He
could
make
her
pulse
change
with
a
si
m
p
l
e
s
m
ile
and wink.
Would
the
unfairness
ever
en
d
?

“Where’s
Threeo,”
M
eeka
asked.

Paddy laughed.
“Oh, those
babies.
They
escaped
again,
and
Threeo’s
still
tr
y
i
n
g
to
clean
the room
up.”

Kerrigan
cursed,
closing
his
e
y
e
s.
“
H
ow’d
they
get
out
this
ti
m
e
?
”

Threeo
appeared
around
the
door
into
the
kitchen.
He
looked
gru
m
p
y
.
“This
t
i
m
e,”
he
said, “The
puppy
Threeo
chewed
his
way
out.”

Meeka
couldn’t
help
but
burst
out
in
laughter.
“This
t
i
m
e?
What
happened
the
other
ti
m
es
?
” “Well,” Threeo explained with an ann
o
y
e
d tone.
“
Last t
i
m
e, the burrowing owl ba
b
y
m
anaged to
f
l
y
out,
and
the
ti
m
e before,
the
hippo
head
-
butted
his
way
out.”