Elemental Love by L.M. Somerton Read Free Book Online Page B

There was no doubt in his mind that Evrain was a predator on the hunt.
    “Going so soon?” Evrain smirked and raised a dark eyebrow.
    “I should… I mean… I don’t…”
    “You’re very welcome to stay for some supper,” Aggie said, rescuing him from his tongue-tied misery and renewing her invitation. “There’s plenty to go round.”
    “Thanks, Aggie, but—” He took a steadying breath. “I should be going.” Dominic was halfway out of the door and pulling on his boots in the storm porch before she could stop him. Aggie stood by the stove, hands on hips, ladle in her hand. She glanced from Dominic to Evrain then back again.
    “Another time then.” She sounded amused rather than disappointed.
    Dominic peered past her and met a very intimidating gaze. Evrain’s strange eyes seemed to pierce his soul.
    “Yes, of course. Another time. That would be great.” He pulled the door closed behind him, cutting off Aggie’s response.
     
    “Evrain, you scared him!” Agatha latched the door, which had banged open again after Dominic’s hasty exit. She swiveled toward the table where Evrain was playing thoughtfully with his mug and didn’t seem to hear her. Agatha nodded. She grabbed a candle from the shelf above the stove and deposited it on the table in front of Evrain. “Light it,” she said quietly.
    Evrain moved his fingers automatically. The wick ignited with a soft pop and a delicate flame flickered happily.
    “I thought as much.” Agatha plopped down on another chair and smiled. “Tell me what you were thinking about when you did that.”
    Evrain blinked. “I don’t think that would be such a good idea, Grandma.”
    “Don’t be coy. Perhaps I should have asked who you were thinking about rather than what .”
    “I don’t know what you mean,” Evrain replied, his tone stubborn.
    “You were thinking about him , weren’t you?”
    “Who?”
    Agatha hissed. “You were thinking about Dominic. Your emotional energy was channeled toward him, allowing you to control your power and light the candle without the usual pyrotechnics. You’re attracted to him, aren’t you?”
    “Even if I was, Grandma, I’d hardly confess it to you! And we just met.” Evrain’s pale skin flushed slightly.
    “Why not? I know all your secrets. Who was it you first came out to?”
    “You, but that doesn’t count since you knew before I did that I was gay.”
    “That’s because there’s never been a warlock born who wasn’t.” Agatha rolled her eyes. “You were never going to be the exception to that rule.”
    Evrain grinned. “True. But can we get off the extremely uncomfortable topic of my sex life and eat? I’m starving.”
    Agatha ladled the stew into big, earthenware bowls. She put them on the table along with a crusty loaf and a carving knife. Evrain immediately sawed off a huge chunk of the bread.
    “You baked! I love you.” He slathered the bread with butter and took an enormous bite. He groaned. “So good!”
    Agatha took her seat and sampled a small mouthful of the stew. She hummed her appreciation. “This is delicious—flavored with herbs that Dominic grew in my garden.”
    “It’s excellent.” Evrain didn’t take the bait. “One of your best, in fact.”
    “He’s very shy you know. Painfully so. It’s taken me months to get him comfortable here and now you’ve frightened him away.”
    Clearly Evrain’s attempt to alter the course of the conversation had not succeeded. “Well, I’ll apologize next time I see him. Not that I did anything wrong. How was I to know he was more skittish than a newborn foal?”
    “You use your senses, boy. Or does a pretty face completely destroy your ability to read an expression, to interpret body language?”
    Evrain chewed his bread thoughtfully. “He is exceptionally pretty.”
    Agatha chuckled. “He’s one of the best-looking boys I’ve ever come across. I could imagine him smiling from the pages of one of those fashion magazines you read, or