Page 95 of Touched By Moonlight

Rain poured down, making the road slick, but Grayson navigated with skill. All I could do was cling to him and try to tamp down the power flaring inside me, wanting to fight back. Normally I adore the smell of fresh rain, renewing the earth, but this carried a foul smell, like rottingfood.

I could barely see through the sheets of rain, which turned into ice, making the road treacherous. Around us, cars skidded and horns blared. The humans were stunned to see a summer day turn to icywinter.

Even for Cheyenne, it wasextreme.

Finally we reached the park. Only a few cars were parked near the playground. Grayson drove past them, and lightning bolts struck the playground, turning the plastic slide into melted goo. Thankfully no one was there to gethurt.

It was only a matter of time before someone did,however.

Grayson must have read my mind, because he drove away from the cars toward the lake. Weather had driven people away from enjoying the water, and the banks of the lake were deserted. Roaring over the grass, Grayson drove the bike near some trees. He parked, hopped off and helped meup.

A chilling wind skirted over the water, freezing it and turning it into a layer of ice. Ishivered.

“We have to fight this,” Graysonshouted.

“No, we have to flee. You can’t fightthis.”

“The hell I can’t. I have to keep yousafe.”

“I’m safe enough.” Nails dug into my hands as I struggled against my surging powers. Pain centered me, but it wouldn’t for long. Faced with such power, my own magick would respond, like gasoline to a litmatch.

It was exactly what Kallan needed to draw out my power and absorb it forhimself.

“He can’t keep this up. If we run, his powers will fade. It’s only temporary,” I screamed at Grayson, but he ran off, ignoringme.

“Stay here!” he ordered over hisshoulder.

In a cloudbank of droplets, Kallan materialized on the bank. Silver robes flowed around him, snapping in the wind. But his hair had turned pale again, his body thinner and his nails black. Whatever power he’d leeched from Lavender was fading, due to the storm he hadcreated.

If we waited long enough, we could outlast him and besafe.

Grayson shifted into a timber wolf the size of a Shetland pony. He growled, showing rows of sharp teeth andfangs.

Face palm. How could a wolf duel a being likeKallan?

Kallan stretched out his hands at the water, and a wall of water rose up, two stories high. Brave, foolish Grayson snarled at the threat as if Kallan was another predator on fourlegs.

Not a being who could control the weather and send a lightning bolt into hisbody.

It was like watching a man armed with a butter knife faced an army holding machine guns. I couldn’t let thishappen.

Notagain.

Grayson had no idea what he faced. Who hefaced.

My powers could stop Kallan. No one elsecould.

I held out a hand and pulled off my leather glove. It glowed not the red of passion, but the blue ofpurpose.

Destructive purpose. For years, I’d avoided this. Denied my nature. Now, to save innocents who might get hurt in the crossfire, and Grayson, I had nochoice.

I had to use mymagick.

As I breathed deep to summon the magick, the wall of water advanced across the lake at Grayson. My lover would drown. Nothing could escape that destructive force. You couldn’t outrun it, or stop it. Tears clogged my throat. I didn’t want to dothis.

But Imust.

My hands glowed a deeper blue and I felt the magick inside me laughing, joyous to at last have free rein. Energy traveled from my chest, my heart that contained the magick, spread throughout my body. I directed it to myarms.

Before it reached my forearms, something astoundinghappened.