“Hmm, straight to the point. You remind me of myself some times. You know that is not a characteristic of the Circle. They are much more… diplomatic.” She smiled. “No it wasn’t a requirement. But your grandfather didn’t know about the Circle and I didn’t know how to tell him. He was very Christian. Traditionally that isn’t a religion that is accepting of the types of things and beliefs that the Circle represented. In the day and age that we were in it was just easier for me to hide it than for me to try and explain it. The circle itself wasn’t at fault for my leaving. It was my choice and they let me go.”
“Should I be concerned about the things that I can do? Should I try and learn about it?”
“That’s up to you, child. You can ignore it all if you want. Though the fates don’t seem to be willing to let you. Now that you’ve bound yourself to a lycan it will be even harder if you want to attempt to ignore that side of yourself. The more you use it the stronger it will become.”
Aislinn nodded. “Then the visions. They’ve been happening more and more recently.”
Brinah tilted her head and stared into her granddaughter’s eyes. “That should only happen if you’re willing to let it happen. You must be becoming more accepting and open to it. Premonitions come when you allow them to.”
“What about controlling it? Can I have one when I want one?”
Brinah suddenly understood. She smiled knowingly. “That’s why they’re increasing. You’re trying to use them.” She shook her head. “That’s more complex an accomplishment then you might think. The fates control the premonitions and they’ll not let you have influence over them. It takes a powerful druid for that. The best you can do is will yourself to be open to allowing one to come to you. You control them by accepting that one might come. But you don’t control the content or influence them. The harder you try the less you will get. It’s kind of like your shifting from one form to another. To have a premonition you have to surrender your control to the fates and hope they give you what you want.”
“It seems that the druids are big on stepping back and allowing the fates to control them.”
Brinah smiled. “Traditionally we’re observers, philosophers, teachers. The people who seek to control things usually get replaced by time or someone else out to control. We move with the fates like the oceans and the tides.”
“What else am I capable of?”
“Now that is a very complex question. Everyone is capable of whatever they like. It all comes to what you apply yourself too and if you choose to use your natural talents or seek to develop an ability that may be more difficult to come by but may be more helpful to you.”
Aislinn stared at her. “No straight answers then?”
Brinah smiled again. “You have the answers. You just don’t know it yet. They’ll come to you as you need it. I’ve given you advice that is more helpful than you may think. Is there anything else?”
Aislinn nodded. “I can’t convince Cullen to deal with Jenna and the books. He doesn’t believe it’s a pack matter. With the recent deaths and the pack dissention as it is, he doesn’t want to risk giving them a reason to doubt his leadership. I’m a big enough problem for him to justify. If he goes chasing down other packs based solely on my word he risks loyalty issues.”
Brinah’s face fell a bit. “It will become pack business shortly. If he ignores it long enough it will come looking for him. It would be easier dealt with now than later. But the fates will play out as they wish.”
“Can’t you tell me what the problem is? What does Jenna want with the books?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know everything. I only get impressions of paths that could be taken. It’s like when you have a premonition and you walk in knowing whether it’s the future or the past. You don’t know how you know. It’s just a feeling the fates have allowed. A hint to help you find your way. Perhaps the warning I have given you is enough all by itself to help you survive your path, even if you do nothing other than wait for it to come.”
Aislinn sighed. “I don’t do well with just allowing things to happen. I’d rather do something about it.”
Brinah smiled. “That’s because you were raised human. Different philosophies. I suggest you do what you feel you need to.”
Aislinn could feel Cullen’s impatience at her absence. “I need to return.”
“I understand. Lycans can be very possessive. And the alpha is very controlling. But if anyone is going to be able to handle him I believe you can.” Brinah walked up closer to her and kissed her cheek and then she vanished into a fog of sparkling silver blue dust.
Aislinn looked around for Brinah but she was nowhere to be seen. As she stared into the shadows of the dark silent stones she felt a presence beyond Brinah. Or more precisely many presences. It was only then that it occurred to her that the stones had been here for a very long time. At one point they were uses regularly for rituals and spells. If Brinah’s soul could be trapped here, what was stopping other souls from being trapped here as well. As the uneasy feeling grew she turned and left the Circle with the firm intent of being very careful about who she was thinking about when she entered the stones.
Cullen was waiting for her when she stepped through the border of the stones. He was leaning against a tree with his arms crossed. Aislinn smiled at him as she felt the fog blocking her mind from him clear. There was a strong sense of concern coming from him. It ranged from concern about the pack seeing Aislinn’s pursuit of her druid abilities as a threat to them to her pursuit of her abilities taking her away from him. Aislinn approached him and walked into his arms.
He held her close and took in her scent. “I don’t like the fact that that place blocks you from me even a little bit.”
“I know. I’m sorry,” she said and hugged him harder.
He growled. “Did you find what you wanted?”
“Some yes. Some no. Druids can be very enigmatic,” she said and grinned at him.
He grinned back and shook his head. Then leaned down and kissed her. His tongue slid over her lips and she opened her mouth to let him in. It only took moments for the kiss to grow heated. Let’s go back to our room, he suggested.
Aislinn broke the kiss and nuzzled into his neck, biting him gently. “Okay,” she said and they headed back up to the cabin.
***
The next day was a great deal like the previous day except that it involved saying goodbye to everyone diplomatically instead of saying hello. Cullen, Aislinn, Sarah, Drake, Keith, and Jaylyn as well as the rest of the main group of betas from the den were the last ones to leave that day. The plan was to arrive at the Madadh-Allaidh Saobhaidh, have dinner at the Taigh-Oèsda, do the last of the mourning and then sleep on it all. The next day would return to business as usual.
The first thing Cullen said when they all got in the car was, “By all the Gods I’ll be glad when this is done. Now I remember why I worked so hard to stop this kind of crap.” Aislinn decided to save her discussion about Brinah’s warning for a later date. She sat uncomfortably throughout the car ride. His scent was getting to her more than usual. All she wanted was to be alone with him.
When they managed to walk into the penthouse without further incident Cullen smiled and laughed wondering how long it would take for the next natural disaster to hit. Aislinn was torn between attacking Cullen and cleaning up. She finally decided that one would make the other more pleasant so she started dropping clothes on the floor and walking toward the bathroom. She was feeling guilty over the fact that she had just come from a funeral and all she could think of was sex.
Cullen watched Aislinn undress and head for the shower. He could feel her upset over everything that had been happening. She’d been dwelling all day, in between thoughts about getting him naked and alone. He smiled.
Aislinn heard the curtain slide and then felt Cullen’s hands across her body. “Stop it,” he said.
She scoffed, “What? You got something against me showering?”
“I know what you’re thinking remember?”
“No you don’t. You said you only know what I’m feeling. I could be upset about anything.”
“Smart ass. I know why too. None of this is your fault. You didn’t bring it here. Rafe would have come looking for the stones whether I’d fallen in love with you or not. At least that’s what people keep telling me. If I can come to terms with it all so can you.” He took the soap from her and started rubbing her body in way that had nothing to do with cleaning. “Besides,” he said softly, “you’re worth it.”