“Ella, are you feeling all right? Your aura isn’t as strong as a couple of days ago,” Raine asked.
She hadn’t been able to keep any food down, the early stage of pregnancy wiping her out. It hadn’t been this way when she carried Nate. There were no outward signs yet that she was even pregnant. So far, only Marcus and Isabella knew.
“I’m a little tired, but I can do this. I have to try.”
Raine nodded and clutched her hand to squeeze it. “I’ll be right here.”
As a soul-shifter, she was part goddess and part human. Raine, as a witch, held supernatural powers. As she lay back and closed her eyes, she thought about her previous lives, and wondered whether the women would help her in this quest. It didn’t take long for sleep to consume her. She hadn’t intended to fall so deeply asleep, but she did. Steel’s face flashed in her mind, and a scene she remembered from months ago, when Josephine died, jolted her. The roughness of his voice brought the vivid memory to life, and she focused on his voice to drift into the dream world.
Steel crouched down and pruned the bottom foliage on the bushes that surrounded his mansion. He used to have a gardener, but he dismissed him because he gained such satisfaction from the manual labor. Picking up the weeds from the ground, he turned and threw them into the small black wheelbarrow. Standing, he admired his hard work for the morning and wiped his sweaty brow. The row of rosebushes was his pride and joy. Raine loved them too. He walked to the patio and sat down in the white wrought-iron chair. After the morning’s work, he lifted the glass of fresh lemonade his wife had left for him, thirsty. Gardening in this warm June sun required plenty of fluids.
Steel, this isn’t real. Steel.
He sipped the lemonade and searched his large garden, studying the trees, bushes and flowers, frowning.
Steel, wake up. This isn’t real. We need you.
The man checked over his shoulder as if he heard her, and Ella called out again, trying to garner his attention.
Remember, boss, how you once pulled me out of the darkness because you needed me to help locate Marcus? Well, we need you. Henry is about to fly solo and Drayton is worried about him. He’s in the Veil of Shadows, and Isabella is—well, we don’t know yet, but it’s a mess. The Morrigan is reaching out and picking us off one by one. You need to wake up—now!
Her boss stood, rubbed his head and walked away, but searched around, as if looking for someone.
“Ben, are you all right?” A soft female voice reached out from inside the house and Ella waited. Out walked a pregnant Raine, with her long, flowing hair and bright-green eyes, stroking her large belly.
Steel strolled over to the witch and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He kissed her soft lips, and broke away. “I’m fine—too much sun for an old man like me, but better now you’re here. I hope you let Mom rest, Thomas?” He stroked her round belly and gazed up at her, smiling.
She placed her hands over his. “Hey, it could be Jessica or Emma you’re taunting in there, and yes, the baby stopped kicking and let me sleep. But there are other things Mommy needs besides rest.”
“Woman, you’re going to give me a heart attack at this rate.”
She pressed her palm over his cheek, and smiled. “Nothing is going to happen to you. I need you, and I’m not letting you go this time.”
Steel. Steel. Steel.
The tentative connection Ella created with her boss broke, and the scene evaporated. She opened her eyes and stared over at Steel, who remained motionless and silent. Raine lounged near his other side, asleep and resting her hand over his.
“Raine, wake up—Raine!” she shouted.
The witch slowly stretched her arms before she rubbed her eyes. “Did anything happen?”
Ella studied the witch. “You’re in the dream with him, Raine. Do you want to tell me about your relationship with Steel? Because from what I’ve seen, the reason he doesn’t want to leave is because of you.”
“That’s absurd. When I fall asleep, I reach out and call to him, but there’s nothing.”
“You’ve been saying that since you started. Whatever you’re doing, it isn’t helping him. Did you have an affair with him?”
The witch jumped out of the chair and pulled the pink cardigan from the bed, slipping her arms through. “You make it sound like I’m inflicting this on Steel. I wouldn’t do that,” she shouted.
Ella stood and folded her arms, observing the fiery witch. “Why should I believe you? I mean, I don’t know you very well, and even Isabella let me down. How do I know you’re not the one messing with Steel’s mind? It certainly looks that way.”
“How dare you—Isabella took huge risks for you, Ella. She played with dark magic to help you and it made her ill. She cares about you more than you realize.”
Ella shook her head. Was it her fault that Isabella had been attacked? She dug her nails into her arm, but Raine caught her
