Page 13 of Dark Medicine (Strange Gifts #2)

Fiona patiently watched as Aislinn tried on her tenth wedding dress in the small village boutique. She was much shorter than Fiona was, her curves more prominent and feminine. Her long sable-brown hair lay in waves against her back, her almond-shaped chocolate-brown eyes so large and wide. She was a striking woman, thought Fiona. It was easy to see why Kane fell head over heels.

Growing up, Fiona wished for a sister. She adored her brother, but they never seemed to be in the same place for very long, and their age difference made it difficult to develop a friendship. Attending university in America, she discovered that her accent was a novelty and attracted friends, but only until the initial ‘newness’ wore off. The cliques would eventually take hold, and she was left on the outside of the group once more.

“What do you think?” asked Aislinn. She turned in an ivory, sweetheart neck dress. The lace sleeves stretched to a vee at the back of her hand, the fitted bodice showing her luscious curves. It was simple elegance, no frills, no bling, just soft, sweet elegance. Perfect for Aislinn.

“It’s stunning, Aislinn,” said Fiona, smiling. “Kane won’t know what hit him.”

Aislinn giggled a soft, lilting laugh.

“Oh, I think he knows all too well what hit him,” said Aislinn. “I think this is the one. It’s simple yet elegant and perfect for a garden wedding. I want a colorful crown of flowers for my hair.”

“I think it’s a lovely choice, dear,” said Angela, standing in the doorway. Caroline stepped in behind her, carrying a long, pale pink satin dress. The scooped neckline was subtle, the back scooping low but not too low. It was simple and clean, perfectly designed to give the bride her spotlight.

“Who is that for?” asked Fiona curiously.

“For you,” said Caroline, smiling. “The bridesmaid must wear something that doesn’t outshine the bride. Pink is a lovely color for you, dear, and will look beautiful in the garden.”

Fiona stood and touched the dress with the tips of her fingers, just barely brushing the soft, shiny satin. She looked at Aislinn, who smiled brightly at her, and then back at the two older women. Pink was one of her favorite colors, and the gown would suit her long, lean body perfectly.

“Yer fairies, aren’t ya?” she said in a heavy Irish accent. “The two of ‘ya are from the fairy hill on the mountain.”

Angela and Caroline laughed, but neither argued with the assessment.

“Try it on, child,” said Caroline.

Fiona took the dress from her and disappeared into the dressing room. Five minutes later, she walked out and stood next to Aislinn. The dress draped the lean muscles of her body perfectly, the small curve of her breasts beautifully highlighted in the slouch of the neckline. The pink color made her ivory skin appear porcelain; the smattered freckles looked rosy.

“You look stunning!” said Aislinn.

“Next to you, my looks are suddenly enhanced,” said Fiona, staring down at her friend.

“I think I’m going to cry,” said Angela. The women laughed, all nodding at the special moment.

“Well,” said the salesgirl, “I believe we’ve found our look. Shall I wrap them?”

Aislinn nodded at the woman and walked back toward the dressing room, where she removed the wedding gown. At the same moment, she and Fiona stepped out of the dressing area and handed the gowns to the woman.

Two hours later, a two-tier white cake with buttercream frosting and colorful floral spray was ordered, the flowers chosen, and the details completed. The women were seated at the bed and breakfast, enjoying a proper Irish afternoon tea. Aislinn looked down at her watch and frowned.

“The boys have been gone for hours. Do you suppose they’re okay?” she asked.

“I can’t see any scenario where those boys wouldn’t be okay,” said Fiona, smiling at her friend.

She took a bite of another mouth-watering scone and sipped her tea. Secretly, she was praying that Adam would walk through the door at any moment, safe and sound. Since he’d left, she worried that he might be hurt. Fiona couldn’t remember a time when she ever worried over a man. Ever! It concerned her that her emotions were so strong for Adam in such a short period.

“I see your wheels spinning,” said Aislinn, smiling. “When I met Kane, I knew he was the man I would be with forever. I literally knew it within just a few hours.”

“How? How could you possibly know that?” asked Fiona pleadingly.

“I wish I could explain it, but I just knew. I’ve never been able to touch anyone without the nightmares pursuing me within a day or two. He calmed everything. It was as if I were in the worst storm imaginable, and he was my anchor, my lighthouse. It all just settled.”

“I can see that,” said Fiona, smiling at the other woman. “When Adam reached his hand out to me there on the street, it was as if my world righted itself as well. His fingers touched mine, and my body didn’t just react in a lustful, physical way, but at a deeper level. It was as if we were puzzle pieces sliding together.”

Aislinn nodded at Fiona, knowing exactly what she was trying to say. She felt the same thing with Kane and wondered if their meeting was intentional.

“You know, I wonder if this is how we’re supposed to work?”

“What do you mean? Work?” asked Fiona.

“Yes, dear, what do you mean?” asked Angela.

“I mean, what if the intention was that for each of us, there is another half that makes us stronger or enhances our skills? Someone else with similar abilities or complementing abilities? What if this is all part of a master plan or something? What if… what if we were ‘created’ to have complementary gifts to be used…” Her voice trailed off into thought and fear.

“Oh my, that seems devious,” said Caroline, clutching the strand of pearls at her neck.

“Yes, yes, it does,” said Fiona, frowning. “It also seems possible. I mean, what are the odds that we would all find each other? That Spook, Kane, Flip, and Adam would join the military, and their units would work together? Those seem fairly narrow odds if you ask me.”

Aislinn looked at the two older women, the worry lines creasing their ancient faces. Fiona sat back in her chair, her long legs crossed, her delicate fingers splayed against the white of her napkin across her lap.

“Who would do that?” asked Caroline quietly.

“I don’t know. It just seems odd, is all. I’m a numbers girl, computing is my thing, so I deal with ratios all the time, and no matter how I change the math in my head, this doesn’t add up.” Fiona took another sip of her tea and frowned.

“What you’re suggesting is that the pink dust, if that’s the cause, wasn’t an accident at all,” said Aislinn. Fiona said nothing, staring at her cup of tea. “Holy shit! That’s scary. If you throw in the fact that we are all without our parents, it really gets creepy.”

“Do you think our parents’ deaths and my brother’s are somehow related?” She looked at Caroline and Angela, the older women staring up with bright eyes.

“Well, dear, you’re the numbers girl, but it certainly seems to raise more questions than it answers.” Caroline looked at her sister, who gave a slight nod.

“I think we all need to sit down and discuss this with the guys when they return,” said Aislinn. “One of the most important things in my mind is how many more of us are there?”

Silence ensued at the table as the women contemplated Aislinn’s statement. How many more, just like them, were out there?