Forgotten Enemy (The Powers of Influence Book 1) Read online

  Collett looked back and forth between them, “You’re doing it again, acting as if I’m not in the room. I’m fine really, I promise. Cade, you can put me down now. I can walk.” But her voice was weak even to her own ears.

  “Not on your life. You just relax now and enjoy the ride. I won‘t have you falling down the stairs out of sheer stubbornness.”

  Collett glared at him as he moved past Cynda, making his way to the stairs. “Cade, really… I’m fine. You can put me down now. I just have a slight headache.”

  “You don’t look so fine to me. You look terribly sick.”

  “Well thank you very much,” she replied in a snippy tone, her voice gaining more strength.

  Cade stopped walking, his eyes filled with heat, his expression turned intense. When he spoke, his voice was deep, throaty, and just as intense as the look in his eyes. “You know very well that’s not what I meant. You’re also not blind, or dumb. You know exactly how I think you look, even with pale cheeks.”

  Looking into the depth of his eyes, Collett had nothing more to say, so she just ducked her head, averting his gaze and laid it against his chest. Surely the color was back in her cheeks.

  Cade carefully sat her on the bench at the end of the bed. He pulled back the plush comforter and sheets. He then quickly scooped her up again and gently laid her on the bed.

  As Cade pulled the covers up over her, he said, “Now, you just rest a minute, I’ll go check on your tea.”

  Collett watched as Cade straightened the comforter over her, effectively tucking her in. She felt uncertain. On one hand, she was somewhat embarrassed. After all this was the second-time Cade brought her to her room because of a slight headache. Admittedly, the first time wasn’t this dramatic. Her other thought was centered on how wonderful it was to have somebody care for her so much.

  Cade stood up then and carefully looked at her. “I’ll be right back,” he said softly, turning to leave.

  Before Collett could even think about what she was saying, she blurted out, “Stay.”

  His hand on the door, Cade stopped, turned around slowly and looked into her pleading blue eyes for one heartbeat. This was the first-time Collett willingly requested his presence.

  Not willing to chance her changing her mind, he quickly slipped off his shoes and rounded the bed. Cade sat on top of the covers, crossing his sock-clad feet at the ankles. Then leaning his back against the headboard, he wrapped an arm around Collett, pulling her over to him.

  Collett easily nestled into him, laying her head against his chest. Neither one of them spoke for a long while. They simply sat in the silent room, absorbing each other. Collett closed her eyes and enjoyed his crisp manly scent and his steady quiet breathing. Regardless of the fact that she remained unsure what prompted her to ask him to stay, lying here with him felt right.

  Cade absently tangled his fingers in Collett’s hair, silently thanking heaven for small favors. Or maybe he should thank someone else, he thought, because perfect golden hair such as hers should be sinful. It made a man think of all kinds of things.

  A knock at the door had Collett trying to sit up away from him. Cade negated her efforts and tightened his hold keeping her there. “Come in, Cynda,” he said.

  Cynda opened the door and came in with a small tray. She didn’t even blink twice at the sight of them cuddled together.

  Cynda set the tray down on the bedside table, “I brought up some toast too, in case you needed something to restore your strength. I’m sorry it drained you so much Collett.”

  Looking at Cynda’s concerned features made Collett feel guilty, especially since she was beginning to feel better. She simply hadn’t counted on feeling Jenny’s emotions so deeply herself. With Cynda it was not so intense, nor had images flickered in her mind.

  “We’ll have to be more careful until you get the hang of it.” Cynda told her.

  Collett smiled, “It was a powerful experience. I’m glad I got to see something of Jenny. Please reassure her I am fine. I know she was worried. I promise it was worth it…for me anyway.”

  Cynda still didn’t look so sure, but she nodded, “Alright, but before you go looking for more people to test this out on, maybe we should practice some more.”

  Collett nodded her agreement, “Still, I’m grateful to Jenny. Will you tell her for me?”

  “I’m sure she will be glad to hear that.” Cynda turned to leave, and as her hand touched the doorknob she remembered something else she wanted to tell Collett. Her lips twitched into a smile.

  Cynda craned her neck and shot out, “By the way… I was right, you know.”

  It took Collett a moment to understand Cynda’s meaning, when she did she asked cryptically, “You’re sure?”

  A smug smile spread across Cynda’s mouth. “I told you Collett, I’m not always right, but I am never wrong. Get some sleep. We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Goodnight Cade, Rederrick says don’t worry about coming down at all tonight. He’ll take care of it.” Cynda walked out the door and closed it quietly behind her.

  “What was she right about?” Cade questioned with curiosity.

  Collett shrugged her shoulders, “She thinks I can offer comfort and warm feelings to people.”

  “Really?”

  “That’s what she says.”

  Cade thought for a minute reflecting on her tone. “You don’t believe her?” he asked distractedly with his fingers still combing through her hair.

  Sighing she sat up, “I’m just not sure, it sounds pretty incredible and unlikely to me.”

  Cade laughed at her. His laugh was rich and full. It rumbled and vibrated in his chest. The sound of it warmed her.

  Collett smiled, “What’s so funny?”

  “You had no problem believing that I’m nearing three-hundred years old. No problem believing Selena could read your life, and you have seen Cynda use all kinds of incredible magic. Yet you can’t believe that you, a person who can feel and read other people’s emotions, could possibly make them feel better when you do.” As he finished he laughed some more. “You are a phenomenon, Collett.”

  She couldn’t help her smile from spreading wider, “Well, when you say it like that it does sound pretty ridiculous.”

  “Only a little,” he said lightly.

  She folded her arms, pretending annoyance, “When I originally thought it through in my mind, it didn’t sound so possible.”

  Cade thought about it for a second then replied seriously, “I suppose that is the nature of people isn‘t it? It’s easy to believe in strange things, and unnatural possibilities, or have faith in the unseen, until you’re the one doing it. Then you automatically question everything, trying to rationalize what happened, doubting what is before your very eyes.”

  After reflecting on Cade’s words, and thinking about how he said it with experience in his voice, Collett changed the subject, and asked, “Cade, what’s it like to live so long?”

  Her question took him aback. Forgetting all about her previous revelation, Cade thought about it for a minute. “Well, it isn’t always as easy as they make it in the movies or fictional books. It’s like any other life in some ways. You have to learn and grow as time goes by. Even after all these years, I continue to learn new things,” he answered solemnly.

  Laying her head on his chest again, she yawned, “Tell me, Cade, I want to understand you.”

  Cade closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of Collett snuggling in so close to him. He thought back, trying to decide where to start. “Okay… I guess the first thing I would say about immortality is, adaptability is absolutely necessary. The world has changed a lot since my birth, and continues to do so. Things never really stay the same, and yet, some things never really change.”

  “Like what?” Collett murmured against his chest.

  “The nature of mankind I suppose. It never really changes, always moving toward the better way, some people are looking for the easier road to the better life. Others…are willing to break their backs i
n order to earn it. I have seen men fight for freedom with nothing but faith and hope to see them through. I watched as a nation was born and grew to take its first small steps. Then watched again as that country made giant leaps, shaping a way of life others coveted.

  “It’s an awesome thing to watch the conviction of humankind striving for what is good and right. Faith, hope, and idealism are powerful weapons against any foe. In fact, to me, those are more powerful than any sword or gun, more powerful than any magic that can be wielded.

  “At the very same time, power, greed and betrayal can sway even the strongest of men, causing so much pain and turmoil in its wake.”

  Cade’s mind flashed back to a time when those very things had corrupted someone important to him.

  “I cannot be like you, Cade. I do not want to help these people! I am not willing to sacrifice myself for their causes. I do what I think is best and damn them! These people you want to save are the very same people that would gladly watch you burn, throwing kindling on the fire, if they ever found out about you. Think about if they ever knew your secret.”

  Cade answered in a pleading voice, “You can’t do this! It is not right, and you know it. Have you no conscience? You do not have to be like them. You are better than they are. Come with me, we can leave this place. We don’t have to be a part of it.”

  “You’re right. I am better. We are better than every one of them! Don’t you see that? This is not our fight! I will not subjugate myself to any Ruler, not even this one and his ideals. Eventually, this will end like it always does. I intend to profit from it in the meantime. Their laws don’t have to apply to us. Why is it you cannot see the possibilities?”

  With a broken heart, Cade replied somberly, “Because I cannot be like you, either.” With conviction in his voice he continued, “I believe in laws, and justice. I believe in mankind! I believe in their capacity for good. I believe in this war. I believe in hope for a better way.”

  “Well then… I guess this is where we must part. Because, I can‘t believe in anyone.”

  “So be it.” Cade uttered as he dejectedly turned his back and walked away, knowing things would never be the same between them.

  “Cade?” The sound of his name on Collett’s lips brought him out of the painful flash of memory.

  He cleared his vision, trying to push back the images in his mind. “I’m still here, just thinking.”

  “Whatever you were remembering was hurtful. I can feel some of your pain. Who hurt you, Cade?”

  He pulled her in closer, “Someone I thought was important. It doesn’t matter anymore. It was a long time ago.”

  Collett rubbed her hand over his chest offering him comfort. The light touches distracted him well enough. In fact, they just about drove him crazy.

  Clearing his throat, Cade continued, “There is one thing I know that continues throughout the ages. No matter how much time passes, I have seen the wonder and pure power of Love.”

  Collett’s hand stopped moving at his words.

  Despite her stilled fingers he went on in a light, soothing tone, “I have seen many people like Rederrick and Cynda. People like Jenny and Sam. You were right when you told her that kind of love is everlasting.”

  “Cynda is the one who told me that,” Collett replied, almost whispering.

  Cade smiled, and in a natural gesture, kissed the top of her head, “That is because Cynda knows it to be true.”

  Yawning again Collett asked, “Cynda said Rederrick almost died once to save her. Did you know about that?”

  He thought back thirty years ago when his longtime friend had fallen in love with a troubled green-eyed witch and almost gotten himself killed trying to help her. He would have gotten himself killed had it not been for Cade‘s interference. “Yeah I know all about that,” he answered.

  “I had a feeling,” she mumbled.

  Cade smiled at the lost, sleepiness in her tone. “Get some sleep, Collett,” he ordered kindly.

  “Mum-hum,” she barely uttered, her eyelids already closed.

  Her breathing began to even out, and her body relaxed against him. As Collett drifted to sleep in his arms, Cade sat there in the dimly lit room, inhaling her sweet aroma, and appreciating the feel of her snuggled tightly against him.

  He closed his eyes just for a moment, and unbeknownst to him; he drifted off to sleep along with her. His arms remained tightly wrapped around the woman he was falling in love with.

  Chapter Twenty

  The next morning, Collett woke to the sunlight streaming in through the blinds in her room. It took her a moment to realize something was different. When her foggy mind finally cleared she realized it was the heavy arm draped across her waistline, and the warm body pressed against her back.

  Even without lasts night’s memories, she would have known whose body occupied most of her bed right away. Cade laid on a slight slant covering almost the entire bed. She was tucked tightly underneath his arm curled up in the little space he left for her.

  She tried to shift her body from underneath him carefully. To her dismay, the weight of his body on top of the comforter, and his arm wrapped around her stomach, kept her firmly in place. The only way Collett could see out of this predicament would be waking him.

  Frankly, she was a little surprised Cade had stayed all night. She was even more amazed that his bed-hogging tendencies hadn’t caused her to stir once in the night. To her knowledge, she’d slept soundly and deeply with Cade there scrunched against her.

  She liked knowing he stayed with her long after she closed her heavy lids and drifted to sleep. Her feelings for Cade were growing stronger each day, and each day Collett tried to explain it away, rationalizing why a relationship between them could never work. She was fast running out of reasons, and today that didn’t bother her at all.

  She didn’t care anymore. She wanted her little piece of happiness while she could have it. Even if their time together was short, she was going to make an effort to get to know this man. No matter what happens in her future Collett decided then and there, she was going to enjoy this part of her present. Starting today.

  With a little effort, she pulled her right arm free and moved to reach around to wake Cade. To her surprise, he was already awake. He grabbed her arm quickly, pulled it back down, pulling her tighter against him. He mumbled something she didn’t catch about early risers.

  Collett giggled freely, “You’re going to have to let me up sometime.”

  Keeping his eyes closed against her back, Cade smiled mumbling against the pillow, “Yeah? Why is that? I’m fine just like this, very comfortable.”

  “Because sooner or later, I’m going to have to pee, and it’s looking more and more like sooner the longer I lay here.”

  Cade opened his eyes and propped himself up on his elbow. He tugged and rolled her over onto her back and gazed into her crystal-blue eyes, “All right, I can let you go on one condition…” he said with a grin.

  Collett quickly realized that sometime in the night Cade had removed his shirt leaving his spectacular chest open for viewing.

  She had a heck of a time pulling her gaze from the amazing sight of him. When she did, she narrowed her eyes playfully, “That is?”

  He leaned in closer, “You agree to spend the day with me.”

  “Don’t we do that every day?” she responded teasingly.

  He spoke using a deep sensual voice, “Not the way I have planned, we haven’t.”

  “Oh?”

  “Today there will be no training, no magic, and no security. It will be you and me getting to know one another. Since all has been quiet around here, and we haven’t seen a single sign of the enemy, whoever they may be, I even have plans to take you out today.”

  Collett returned his intense gaze. She was hypnotized by the beauty of his eyes and the deep throaty sound of his voice. She nodded, and then finding her voice agreed, “I think I can manage that, although, my self-defense teacher might not like the idea of me playing h
ooky. He seems to think I still have a long way to go, or so he tells me regularly.”

  He smiled, “As it so happens, I know your teacher personally, I’m sure he’ll excuse you’re absence, just this once, mind you.”

  “Okay, you let me up to pee, and I agree to spend the day with you. Sounds somewhat fair,” she said agreeably.

  “I think so.”

  “Since we are barging and all, I would just like to add something to this little arrangement.”

  “Okay, I’m open to suggestions, occasionally,” Cade responded lightly.

  Collett boldly laid her hand against his bare and muscled chest. Cade looked down to where her soft hand rested, and then looked back with desire filling his eyes. Her stomach jittered, and her nerves almost had her changing her mind, but the wanting gave her strength. Locking her gaze with his once more she cleared her throat, “Kiss me,” she said quietly.

  Cade was somewhat taken aback at her feathery touch and her simple request. Never in a million years could he have predicted that would be Collett’s addition to their playful bargain. Wariness crept in.

  He didn’t get time to think about it though, Collett reached up, put her other hand behind his neck and gently, but firmly pulled him to her until their lips met.

  From there, pure instinct took over. All basic thought fled his mind as his senses were overloaded by Collett. The sweet, intoxicating smell of her, the enticing flavor of her lips moving against his, and the feel of her warm body pressed so close to his, stirred him. He felt a tingle on his skin as her fingers trailed up his chest to his head and tangled in his hair. A low growl escaped his throat.

  Cade could barely stand it. If he didn’t stop Collett soon, he would lose control, and he might lose his mind as well. No woman ever stirred him up so completely. Her soft slender hand moved back down to his chest, trailing down his sensitized skin in a blazing wake.

  Then, just as quickly as the amazing powerful kiss started, it suddenly ended. Collett pushed him back and whispered, “I didn’t imagine it then,” and licked her lips tauntingly. Then more firmly she said, “Well, a deal’s a deal, let me up.”