Mists of Velvet

what you mean.” And he did. He felt the very same thing whenever he dreamed of the woman. Yes, he wanted her sexually, but there was something more than lust connecting him to her.
    Keir shook himself. “I apologize for leaving you high and dry here. I’ve just—just been consumed with Rowan. And if I’m being honest, it’s hard to see her spending so much time with Sayer. That damned Selkie is using his Enchantment magick on her to help with the search for the king’s brother, but my gut tells me he has his own motives, and they aren’t pure and innocent.”
    “There’s no need to apologize. You’re not my babysitter, and I’m not your wife.”
    That earned a half smile from the wraith. “Shit no. I wouldn’t marry you. You talk in your sleep.”
    Suddenly, Rhys was on the alert. “Oh yeah, what do I say?”
    “Very naughty things. You’ve been dreaming of a woman for a week.”
    Amusement melded into jealousy. He didn’t like that Keir might be able to see his dream woman. Hell, he didn’t even like the idea of the wraith’s knowing about her.
    “Easy,” Keir grumbled. “I got my own female problems.”
    Only slightly relieved, Rhys pushed his chair back. He didn’t want to think about Keir’s knowing about the woman. For some asinine reason, he was starting to become highly jealous and possessive. “I have some business to do in my study. I’ll catch up with you later.”
    “Just stay away from the portal, right?” Keir reminded him.
    Rhys flipped him off, making Keir laugh for the first time in weeks.

    Keir watched Rhys walk out of the kitchen. The mortal was tightly wound this morning. It had been stupid to admit he knew of Rhys’ dreams and the woman. He was overstepping bounds. He knew it. But somehow he had to find a way to make Rhys realize that things weren’t always as they seemed.
    That woman Rhys was dreaming of? She was going to make things very difficult, and very complicated.
    With a groan, Keir sat back at the table, allowing his head to fall into his hands. Things were going to get downright ugly—and soon. Closing his eyes, he recalled how he’d been awakened in the night with the near-deafening screams of Rhys’ thoughts in his head. He could still feel the mortal’s desire swimming in him. And the things he had wanted to do with the woman . . . Christ . He glanced down at the button fly of his 501s. Ah, shit . Not again. Wasn’t it bad enough that he’d suffered through a hard-on all night while listening to Rhys get it on in his dreams? But now, too?
    Damn it. He couldn’t help it. Everything Rhys wanted to do with his woman was what Keir wanted to do with Rowan.
    Okay, he had to check it. To get the memories of Rhys’ thoughts and yearnings out of his head. But Christ, he couldn’t stop hearing him. Even now, Rhys was thinking of her. Keir heard his thoughts and his sexed-up voice. It was a terrible invasion of his privacy. He should have shut off the sounds—he had the power to—but he was so strung out, so fucking desperate that he didn’t have the strength. He was desperately in love with Rowan, just as Rhys was falling in love with a woman he could never have, for Keir was powerless to deny the destiny that was unfolding. The woman Rhys dreamed of would not belong to him. She would not be his mate.
    Instead, she would be Keir’s.
    In time, Rhys would have to know the truth, but not now. Let him have his dreams. As long as Rowan was alive, Keir would do everything in his power to change their fate—a fate that would destroy Rhys.

    “You will open your eyes and awaken when you feel my touch.”
    Rowan felt the gentle caress along her cheek. Lashes fluttering, she slowly lifted her lids to see Sayer sitting before her.
    “Well?” she asked.
    He shook his head. “Nothing new. The riddle is the same. No more or less was revealed.”
    “I’m sorry, Sayer,” she whispered. And she was. She had so hoped that by allowing Sayer to enchant her, she would be able to help uncover the location of Carden, the Sidhe king’s brother.
    “We’ll try tomorrow. I have other techniques I can use.”
    Rowan knew her mental resistance was the roadblock. Sayer, despite his powerful Enchantments, could not break past that one last barrier in her mind. This was the barrier that protected her innermost thoughts and feelings and the dwelling place of her horrible memories of being raped.
    Cupping her cheeks, Sayer looked deeply into her eyes. His pupils were