Eternal Craving: An Eternal Novel Book 5

By K.G. Inglis

INSATIABLE DESIRE AND COVETOUS SEDUCTION BONDED TOGETHER BY BLOOD AND A SECRET TO DIE FOR

Book 5 – The Eternal Series

Duty, Desire or Destiny?

As a master spy, when Sebastian took the assignment to learn Megan’s family secret, he thought it would be boringly routine. But things didn’t go quite to plan. Unable to find what he came for he opts for plan B: Seduction. A brilliant plan, until he realises she might mean more to him than just a meaningless fling. Seb is caught between covetous desire and duty. Enter plan C: Wipe her memory of him and compel her to leave her Scottish island home for Oxford.

Megan loves her home, it’s all she’s ever known. She has no intention of leaving. Then, impulsively she decides to move to Oxford. She doesn’t know why, she just has a burning need to go. If only she’d reconsidered. Caught in a torrential storm her car dies outside a drug cartel’s meth lab. Forced to walk, her shoe’s heel snaps off, she’s sprayed with mud from a passing car and then mistaken for a homeless woman. And that’s just getting to her job interview. Things could only get better you say? Wrong. When the drug cartel blames her for their drug bust, and she discovers the Guild is also after her family’s secret, things get much worse. The only thing keeping her sane is the mysterious blonde vampire, Sebastian. As they grow closer and their connection becomes stronger, the compulsion he used on her to forget what happened in Scotland, starts to wear off, complicating things tenfold. The secret Megan holds unlocks a puzzle that could save the world, but for Seb, saving his feisty Mate is his only concern as both new and old enemies surface to threaten her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Sep 23, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796006599

K.G. Inglis

Kerryn is the author of the Eternal series. When not writing about the sexy vampires and alpha lycans and dragons, she can be found reading about them and spending time with her family. Native to Australia, she lives in a beach town on the Southern Coast which many call a holiday destination. After good success with her books on online book sites it was time to take the next step. Although new to the publishing world Kerryn hopes to make a big impact with her unique and entertaining books. If you like your men hot and the action steamy, mixed with a heavy dose of humour then the Eternal series will find a space in your `must read again' collection. Follow her on Facebook for updates at: https://www.facebook.com/kginglis.official/#

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Copyright © 2019 by K.G. Inglis.

ISBN:                Softcover              978-1-7960-0660-5

                          eBook                   978-1-7960-0659-9

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 09/19/2019

Xlibris

1-800-455-039

www.Xlibris.com.au

765299

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Once again, I would like to thank my family for being such good sports in supporting my writing endeavours.

Of course I’d also like to thank Glen Baker, who has spent so many hours editing this book. Thank you Glen, I couldn’t do it without you.

Someone else who has put in a lot of hard work to make this what as good as it is, is Anna Spies, Eerilyfair Design, who custom makes all my book covers. As with all the others, you have done a fantastic job with this one too.

I’d also like to thank Clint and Shelley who have both have continued to support me by helping me promote my books.

Thank you too, to everyone out there who is reading the Eternal Series, and for all your wonderful supportive feed-back.

1

Megan’s shoulders slumped with a heavy sigh as she folded the letter and slid it back into its envelope. Placing it on the table in front of her she stared at it for what seemed like hours.

What was she going to do now? For the first time in her twenty-seven years she felt lost. Like an insignificant leaf blowing in the wind, she floundered for a direction to follow. One that might give her life some much needed purpose. She’d had a purpose up until a few weeks ago, but that ended when her mother passed away.

Megan didn’t have a college degree or even a high school diploma, having dropped out of school at sixteen to become her mother’s full-time carer when she was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. A cruel and relentlessly progressive disease. Her father hadn’t been around for years, and with no brothers or sisters to share the burden, it fell to her to carry the full weight of responsibility. Not that she minded, she hated school, and despite her illness, her mother had always kept her good humour. In truth, she had enjoyed taking care of her.

She often wondered though, where would she be now if her mum hadn’t become sick? She used to tease herself with all kinds of wild fantasies, perhaps she would be a famous movie star. Maybe a handsome prince would sweep her off her feet and whisk her away to live in a lavish castle somewhere far from here. Here, being a small village situated on the Scottish Isle of Lewis, on the western rim of the Outer Hebrides. Population one hundred, famous for its fishing and…..nope, that’s it. Fishing. The island did have a castle though, but there was no prince.

In the end, her crazy dreams weren’t worth thinking about. Whether she liked it or not she was stuck with her crappy life. It is what it is, as they say.

‘Put ye big girl panties on Megan, and do what ye have to do to get through another day.’ Her mother used to say to her, more often than she cared to remember. Funny enough, as much as she hated hearing those words at the time, she wished her mother was with her now, telling her just that.

Megan lifted her gaze from the envelope to the unopened box which stood innocently beside it. It had stood on her table neglected but not ignored, in the same spot for a week, ever since it was delivered. It wasn’t a large box, nor was it heavy. In fact, it felt far too light. In spite of its innocuous features though, it cast a dark shadow over her heart. It was like Pandora’s box, once opened you could never put back what was released. For Megan, this box heralded the closing of one chapter in her life and the beginning of another. The problem was, she had no idea what was coming next, and that scared her.

As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t put this off any longer.

Megan stood from her chair wearily and opened the box, lifting out the urn it contained.

Well mum, I hate to say it, but ye seem to have lost weight.

Megan turned the opaque grey container over in her hands. It’s contents were all that was left of her mother. The sum of her life was in this urn. That wasn’t true, she realised. Her mother had left so much of herself behind. She was in the artwork on the walls which she’d painted. In the possessions she owned. Her beliefs and traditions lived on through the lessons she’d taught Megan over the years, and the sound of her voice and her laughter was forever etched into memory. Her scent still lingered in the air inside their home, and very soon she would forever be part of the land and ocean she adored so much.

Imelda Heughan had left her footprint on this world, but if she, herself, passed away tomorrow, what would people remember of her, Megan wondered.

Leaving her morbid thoughts behind, Megan tucked the urn under her arm and headed out the front door.

The rain had cleared, briefly leaving the sky clouded and a gentle, nippy spring breeze blowing. The wet grass glistened and the sprinkling of wildflowers on the hillside perfumed the air as she walked the familiar path. She had walked this path almost daily over the past few years, pushing her mother in her wheelchair. Rain, hail or shine.

All-in-all, it was the perfect day to scatter her mother’s ashes on the bluff, overlooking the ocean which she’d loved so dearly.

Staring at the urn, one hand on its base and the other on the lid, the moment stretching into minutes as she built the courage to twist the lid and say her final goodbye. Megan caught her bottom lip between her teeth, holding her breath as she twisted the lid, dropping it to the ground.

A gust of wind caressed the urn’s contents, swirling the ashes inside the vessel as though her mother was impatient to be free. Megan lifted it higher into the air and tilted it into the breeze and watched as Imelda Heughan’s ashes began to scatter on the wind in a fine grey cloud.

Goodbye mum, I’ll think of ye often. Rest in peace, she uttered, sniffing back a tear.

Megan sat for awhile on the bluff, soaking in the expansive, quiet solitude and listened to the sea crashing on the rocky shore far below.

It was done, but what did she do now?

A stiff drink was first on her list of things to do. She’d think about everything else tomorrow. With that decision made, she picked herself up and headed for the one and only café in the village.

Hi Jodie, hit me with a double-caff decaf. Megan ordered. Heaving a heavy sigh she slumped onto the stool at the counter.

That’s a strong coffee for ye, love. So, today was the day ha? Ye want a wee drop of whisky in that? Ye look like ye need it. Jodie said in a thick Scottish brogue, her brow furrowing with concern and sympathy.

Thanks, but no. Ye know I don’t drink. Megan waved absently, then thought over Jodie’s offer for second. Hang on a minute, ye don’t have a liquor licence.

Aye, but I always keep a bottle of whisky handy, fur medicinal purposes, she grinned, pulling a bottle of aged malt whisky from under the counter. Megan eyed the golden liquid as it sloshed around the walls of the half empty bottle and almost considered trying some. Almost. It wasn’t that she had anything against alcohol, she’d just never had any inclination to try it.

Instead, she started re-arranging the salt and pepper shakers on the bench, then the napkin dispensers, and when she got to the straws Jodie grabbed her hand.

Put that down. I just finished arranging all those. Megan love, yer single, an beautiful an ye need a life. A boyfriend, a puppy, something.

I have a boyfriend, she huffed indignantly.

Edward Cullen dinnae count, no even as an imaginary boyfriend. Ye need someone that’s flesh an blood, no some fictional guy who sucks blood. At the very least I think ye need an adventure, a change of scenery.

I’d settle fur a bucket of choc-chip mint ice cream and a big screen TV to watch Chris Hemsworth movies on.

Chris who?

Ye know, the guy who plays Thor.

Ohhh, him. He’s got a nice arse, she grinned cheekily. Okay, I guess ye have to start somewhere. At least he does nae suck blood. Jodie shrugged.

What do ye have against vampires, who by the way, aren’t even real? Megan shook her head in exasperation. They’d had this conversation countless times and it always ended the same way.

I dinnae like anything that sucks blood. Mosquitoes…

Are on the top of yer list of blood suckers to exterminate. Aye, I know but…

Interrupting Megan’s argument, Jodie leaned across the counter to point out the blonde outside the café talking on his phone. There’s ye adventure right there. He’s cute. I’d have him myself if I wannae married.

What? No way, yer off yer head. Besides, he’s probably already spoken fur. All the good ones were.

He’s not. Come on. Live a little, love. Yer young and free, and he’s passing through town. What’s the harm? Ye’d never see him again so there’s no guilt required afterwards.

How do ye know he’s not married? Ye talked to him? What’s his name? Megan’s questions came out way too fast for someone not interested. Well, it had been some time since she’d had sex, with her mother being so sick and all. How long had it been? Megan thought for a moment and started counting on her fingers. At first she counted months, which depressingly turned into years. It had been two and a half years since she’d last had sex. No wonder Jodie’s crazy idea sounded appealing.

Had it really been so long? She thought again. Yep, it really had. She hadn’t had sex since Fergus, the little prick, and that didn’t just describe his personality. He had the smallest dick she’d ever seen, not that she’d seen many. At least now she knew why he was such an arsehole all the time, he was suffering a major case of penis envy.

His name is Sebastian Von-something, I think. He’s from Austria, here looking fur investment properties along the Scottish Isles. And aye, I talked to him. He came in here yesterday.

Hmmm.

Megan took another look back over her shoulder, sizing him up a little more thoroughly. He was movie star material, which instantly deflated her hopes. Who was she kidding, she was short, a little on the skinny side, with drab, sandy blonde, shoulder length hair and a light splattering of freckles on her nose and cheeks. In comparison, he looked like he’d just stepped off the cover of a GQ magazine, suave, sophisticated, and his fluid movements gave him an even more seductive appeal. He could have his pick of women just by smiling at them. He’d never be interested in her.

Have ye thought about moving to the mainland? Ye would have better prospects there than ye would here. I dinnae think there’s been a new job created here on the island fur a hundred years, let alone an eligible bachelor.

Are ye daft? Megan laughed, but her humour couldn’t quite replace the worry in her eyes. She really did need to make a decision about her future, and soon.

Is gas flammable? Ye cannae stay here all yer life missy, no unless ye want to end up like me.

There’s nothing wrong with ye, Megan argued.

Ye can say that because ye dinnae have to live my life. What I wid nae give to still be in my twenty’s, be single and have no commitments to hold me here. I’d be out of here faster than ye could poke a pig. Just like ye should. Jodie’s robust personality bubbled over in animated excitement at the unrealised possibilities of her unfulfilled life, before tapering off to become a little more subdued. "Although I, an I’m speaking fur the whole village when I say, I, would miss yer cooking. Nobody bakes like ye. D’ye ken me?"

I’m no going anywhere.

Jodie continued talking as if Megan hadn’t spoken. Ye’ll have to leave me with a couple of recipes though. I’ve never actually told Grant I dinnae cook any of those wonderful meals I take home. I’ll forever be labelled the worst wife in the world if I have to own up an tell him it was ye whose been cooking for us fur the past seven years. He’s never even tasted my cooking, she confessed.

Ye know I don’t give out family secrets. Besides, yer talking as though I’ve already left. I’m no going anywhere. Megan informed her with a wagging finger.

Ye say that now, but ye’d be a fool to stay. There’s nothing fur ye here.

I’ve got ye and Grant.

Neither one of us will keep ye warm at night, an we cannae pay ye bills. Although…if ye lived with us, I widnae have to tell Grant I cannae cook. Jodie tapped her chin with a finger, contemplating the idea.

Of course ye can cook. Ye own a café for gods sake. Megan scoffed.

I inherited this place. An have ye forgotten who makes most of the pastries I sell here. Ye do. An, Hetty does the short order cooking. Seriously, have ye ever seen me do anything except run the counter an make coffee? Jodie had a point, Megan couldn’t remember seeing her cook anything.

Well, it’s no worth thinking about. I can’t see myself being anywhere else but here fur the foreseeable future.

At that moment the cute blonde guy, Sebastian Von-something, looked up and their eyes met. For the briefest second Megan was sure she saw his blue eyes glow, as though they were flecked with iridescent glitter. Of course she had to be mistaken, eyes don’t glow like that. It must have been the sun reflecting off them…on an overcast day? Before she could think about it too deeply, that thought was replaced by something else much harder ignore. His smile. He had the most magnificent, panty-melting smile.

And he was smiling at her.

And he was coming toward the café.

Here’s yer chance love, don’t blow it, Jodie encouraged with another of her shameless smiles.

No pressure or anything. In her sudden panic, Megan’s snippy reprimand sounded more like a hysterical squeak. What are ye now, my pimp?

Jodie howled with laughter. Of course no, just trying to get ye laid. Ye know, blow off a bit a steam ye been needing to shed. Have some fun fur once in yer life.

Maybe yer right. What have I got to lose, except my pride and maybe some self-esteem.

Ye might just gain some too. Jodie encouraged again.

2

Sebastian held his phone to his ear and paced back and forth on the pavement, outside the café where the woman holding his tentative interest now sat.

I’ve gone through her house with a fine-tooth comb and there’s nothing that even hints at a document or tablet with a cipher written on it. Nada. Zilch. Zip. We’ve been going from one dead end to another for a year, what makes you so sure Megan Heughan is the one who has it? Sebastian asked.

You know as well as I do, that after putting together all the intel we’ve gathered, there’s no evidence that the cipher has ever left the St Clair family’s possession.

Sebastian knew the history back to front, he’d been investigating every aspect of it for months.

In 1309, the Grand Master of the Knights Templar, Jacques de Molay first entrusted the cipher to another of the knights, William St Clair. At the same time, he sent out eighteen of their ships to every corner of the earth containing their most valuable treasure. St Clair was smart enough to realise that the cipher was likely to be traced to his possession, but he was unwilling to let it leave his protection. As such, he in turn entrusted it to his sister, since females during that time were considered unworthy of being trusted with anything important, and so would be overlooked as a possible accomplice to the cipher’s whereabouts.

It’s passed from daughter to daughter down through the centuries. St Clair left enough hidden clues in Rosslyn Chapel when he built it to confirm that theory, and Megan Heughan is the last female descendant of that bloodline.

And if she doesn’t have it?

She has to. Ariel told us to find St Clair’s heir and she’s it, we’ve ruled out every other possibility. Her mother recently died, she would’ve left it to her. What was in the will? Dray asked.

Not a lot. She left her daughter her house, which is about to be repossessed by the bank, and a few small trinkets. She has nothing that even remotely hints at a family treasure, and quite frankly I’m getting tired of traipsing all over the country chasing a myth. I’m beginning to think that angel Ariel, is just leading us on a wild goose chase. I’m almost tempted to give up.

Understandable, but not acceptable. We need that cipher. Charm her, threaten her, promise her the world. Do whatever you have to, just do it quickly and quietly, and report back.

Sebastian’s lips quirked with a smile. Finally, Dray was speaking his language. He was fed up with tiptoeing through people’s homes and lives in secrecy like some covert phantom. He much preferred the direct approach.

Although, to be honest, he really was getting tired of the whole venture. Nothing about this search had been a walk in the park. Not even getting the Knights Templar’s stone tablet from the Freemasons had been as easy as they’d expected. Ariel’s directions as to its exact location were spot-on, but that didn’t mean they could just walk in and take it, as was their usual method of procurement. Far from it. It appeared that some of the Masons were immune to a vampire’s glamour, which was a surprise, only a handful of humans throughout history had that ability. Compelling them into handing it over just didn’t work. In the end, securing the tablet came down to something far more fundamental. Money. And lots of it. But it was worth it, or at least it would be, if they could read it.

The information inscribed on the stone listed the location of each of the powerful artefacts hidden around the world by the Templar’s ships. Artefacts they needed to arm themselves against the coming war with Morganna and the Underworld. The problem was, they needed the cipher to decode it, since it was written in the Templar’s secret code.

Is that an order? Sebastian asked, looking up toward the café and the female who had suddenly become a whole lot more interesting to him.

Just do it! Dray snapped irritably, his deep voice booming through the phone.

Okay, if you insist.

Dray had a sudden twinge of foreboding, Sebastian sounded way too eager to comply. Seb was a good spy, one of the best, but his impulsive antics often got him into trouble. They didn’t need any messes to clean up. Not now.

Realising his error, Dray quickly tried to amend his last command. Seb, don’t go doing….

Can’t hear you, boss…Ksshhh….I’m losing you….Ksshhh.

Seb. Seb! I’m warning…

Sebastian could almost hear Dray’s curses as he hung up on him and couldn’t help smiling just a little more. He liked the guy, but he had a serious stick up his arse when it came to protocol and rules. Well, since he’d just been given instruction to do whatever it takes to get Megan Heughan to hand over the cipher, he fully intended to follow protocol. If he happened to have fun whilst doing so? Well, that also fell into the realms of protocol as far as he was concerned.

And he intended to have lots of fun.

Sebastian raised his gaze once again to discover her staring at him and broadened his smile, ensnaring her full attention.

He liked what he saw, she was just his type. Petite but not wafer thin, a pale delicate complexion to offset her blonde hair and a thin, but shapely nose. If he wasn’t mistaken she also had a sprinkling of freckles, just enough to make her features a little more interesting. Oh yeah, he was definitely going to have fun.

Sliding his phone into his pants pocket he headed for the café, almost gloating at how easy this was going to be. Like taking candy from a baby.

The bell on the door chimed as he entered, falling silent once more as he stepped past the sensors.

Good afternoon to ye sir. Have a seat anywhere ye like. Would ye like the same as yesterday, or would ye care fur a menu? Jodie chirped, spearing Megan with a look of encouragement, whom she had hastily ushered to a nearby table, suitably situated by the window, overlooking the sea.

Same as yesterday would be just fine, thank you, he answered, laying on his Austrian accent more thickly than usual. He hadn’t lived in his home country for many years and had learned to minimise his accent to impersonate an Englishman, but today it suited his purposes to play the travelling investor.

Sebastian cast his gaze around at all the empty tables.

Do you mind if I sit with you? he asked Megan.

Megan’s heart began to flutter with nervous excitement.

Sure. My name’s Megan, she answered, holding out her hand for him to shake but when their eyes met, all he did was stare at her. The seconds wore on into uncomfortable silence and she began to withdraw her hand.

Forgive my rudeness. Reaching out with lightening speed, he took her hand, causing her to jump in surprise. Seb silently cursed himself, he was botching this up. Rectifying the situation hastily, he forfeited the handshake in favour of a greeting far more gratifying. He leaned down and kissed the back of her hand and was relieved when he felt her hand relax in his grip and heard her soft wistful sigh. My name is Sebastian Renner, and it is my great pleasure to meet you.

It was his intention to seduce her with his charm, but seeing her close up took him off guard a little.

Wow, her eyes were such an unusual hazel colour – smoky blue with spokes of brown radiating from their centre and flecked with green speckles. Until today he’d only seen her photo in the portfolio he had studied, but it didn’t do her justice. Not that anything in that file did, it was only two pages long.

Taking a seat opposite her, Sebastian leaned cautiously closer, taking in a deep lungful of her scent.

It was…

He sighed.

So good. She smelled like his family’s country estate used to when he was a boy. Like spring rain. Fresh and clean and new.

Megan couldn’t help but admire how well his expensive suit fitted his toned, lean body. It was loose enough to allow easy movement, whilst still outlining his broad shoulders, the bulging contours of his chest and arms, tapering to a slender waist. She couldn’t help wondering if there was a six pack of abs under there that she could run her fingers over. Not to mention the way his trousers hugged his muscular legs.

She also liked how he wore his short blonde hair stylishly messy.

He was charming and endearing and sexy and exquisitely hot.

He looked surreal, angelic and mesmerizing.

And he was still staring at her.

Megan was ready to hyperventilate as she continued to rack up all his attributes in her mind. He was every woman’s fantasy man. The total package. And what fantasy package would be complete without heartbreak. Sebastian looked like he specialised in that.

Jodie said yer name was Sebastian Von-something, she blurted out nervously, spearing Jodie with a silent plea for help when Sebastian looked away to admire the brief burst of sunshine.

Sebastian’s smile broadened and his eyes glinted. She couldn’t help wondering how they sparkled the way they did. No. I’m here looking for investment properties for a company called Von Helstein. It’s easy to get confused. My English isn’t very good, and my accent sometimes makes it hard too, he shrugged innocently.

Hmmm. She supposed that was true. Their Scottish accent was probably no easier for him to understand.

Oh look, there’s a cruise ship. Megan blurted, pointing out to sea, trying and failing miserably to make small talk. They have the most incredible lavish buffets, bars, activities and ship-borne viruses. I’d like to go on one of those someday, she sighed wistfully.

Sounds delightful. Sebastian laughed.

There’s lots of things I’d like to do one day. Her voice tapered off near the end. It only now occurred to her that she really did have dreams and aspirations, none of which she would accomplish here on this island.

Here ye go. One mocha latte fur the gent and one double-caff decaf fur the lady. Jodie offered, rushing to her friend’s aid. Placing the coffees down, she hovered for only a moment to give Megan an encouraging nudge.

Sebastian couldn’t help but smirk. "Isn’t that a contradiction? A double caff decaf?"

No. Megan answered contritely. I like the taste of coffee, just no the caffeine rush. It makes me feel all jittery.

I intend to make you feel more than a little jittery, Sebastian thought to himself. Before he met her face to face, he thought seducing her would be a fun way to pass the time and recover the missing cipher in one go. He hadn’t imagined he might actually find her interesting.

Now? Now it felt like it was more than a whim that was driving him to seduce her. There was a fundamental need deep down inside to find out everything there was to know about this woman.

I see. In that case, that’s sound logic.

Awareness washed through her as their eyes met and their gazes tangled. A hot liquid rush of oh…my…God. No man had ever affected her like that, especially not from just a look.

If she hadn’t been almost tripping over her tongue, she would have swallowed it. Megan’s blush coloured her cheeks making her freckles stand out all the more.

She’s no really shy. She’s holding back her awesomeness so she dinnae intimidate ye. Jodie called from behind the counter, adding a flirty smile and a wink that was anything but discrete. Megan’s cheeks burned with colour, darkening another ten shades of red instantly.

Jodie! she reprimanded sharply, wishing the floor would suddenly open up and swallow her.

Sebastian tried to hide his smile with his hand, covering his snicker by clearing his throat. Don’t take it to heart. I’m sure your friend means well, he said, leaning closer toward her to whisper conspiratorially. In fact, I have a friend who has a habit of being inappropriate too. His name is Alex. And while you want to knock his block off more often than not, he’s good to have around in a tight fix, just like your friend Jodie, I’m sure, he added. Megan could only nod as she fanned herself with a napkin.

Both Sebastian and Megan watched Jodie leave the counter and disappear in the storage room out the back of the shop. Letting out a defeated sigh, Megan sat back in her chair. Jodie an her husband Gavin, are my only friends, at least the only ones under the age of sixty. With a village this small, I have no social life either. An sex? she said with a dramatic wave of her hand. Don’t even get me started. I haven’t had sex with anything non-battery-powered in…in awhile, she blurted out just as Sebastian took a sip of his latte, resulting in him snorting into the milky foam and wearing it on his shirt.

Why the Hell am I telling him this? This was not good. Bad hormones.

I’m sorry, I have no idea where that came from. I dinnae mean to…Um…Damn. I’m no normally in the habit of telling people stuff like that when I first meet them, or ever. Megan was flustered in more ways than one. She was attracted to this man, a stranger, more than she thought sensible, and she suddenly felt compelled to open up her darkest thoughts to him?

Seriously, where was all this coming from?

Don’t worry about it, it’ll come out in the wash. Maybe I can wash it in her laundry while I have crazy hot sex with her in her bedroom.

Sebastian leaned forward to take one of her hands in his, locking his gaze with hers. In spite of how much he was enjoying her company, he needed to move things along a little faster. Maybe if he compelled her. Just a little.

Megan suddenly felt a little light headed. The chair beneath her felt like it was the only thing connecting her to her body as everything else around her faded into the background. Everything except Sebastian’s smooth, even voice and dazzling eyes.

Megan, I’m your friend. I want you to relax and listen to my voice. Do you trust me? he asked.

Aye.

Very good. I’m going to ask you a couple of questions and I want you to answer them honestly. Okay?

Aye. Her mind felt foggy, as though she was half asleep.

The Templar’s codex cipher, do you know where it is?

The Templar’s what?

The codex cipher, have you heard of it?

No. Never, she answered.

Okay, so maybe she didn’t know the correct name for it. He had to try a new tack.

Is there something in your family that has been handed down through the generations? Something that your mother may have left to you?

Aye.

Finally! Sebastian almost jumped out of his seat with excitement.

What is it? Where is it? he asked enthusiastically.

This. Megan pulled a chain from beneath her top, dangling from it was a small brass key.

Sebastian reached over to touch it, but Megan pulled it back and hid it again beneath her top.

Megan, what does that key open?

I cannae tell ye, it’s a family secret.

Sebastian pushed into her mind a little harder, trying to secure his hold over her. Megan, what does the key open?

I cannae tell ye. Megan seemed to shake off the glamour when Seb’s eyes flashed with annoyance and frustration.

Well, this was new. He’d never had someone shake off his mind compulsion before. She wasn’t completely immune to it though. Perhaps if she was physically worn out her mind would become more pliable, able to be bent and moulded to his will.

Megan placed her hand over the key at her chest, drawing Seb’s eyes to her pert, rounded breasts. They weren’t overly large, but they were the perfect size to cup in his hand.

Why are ye interested in my key?

I’m just curious, he answered with a lazy casualness in his tone. Fortunately she didn’t seem to recall his questions about the cipher, although he probably needed to distract her before she delved too deeply into her memory.

Megan, would you be offended if I tell you that I find you attractive?

Offended, no. Surprised, aye. Are ye having a lend of me?

Not in the least. My interest in you is genuine, he told her without a hint of dishonesty. Even so, he doubted she would hold his interest for longer than one roll in the sack. No female ever did.

Jodie cleared her throat as she approached their table. Megan, I hate to ask, but could ye do me a really big favour?

Sure.

Grant just called, Butthead has gotten into McTavish’s vegetable garden again, I have to go an fetch him before he eats his whole crop of cabbages. Could ye lock up fur me?

No problem.

Thanks, I owe ye one. I’ll leave the keys on the bench, drop them over at the house later fur me would ye? she said, grabbing her bag and coat and headed for the door, pausing only briefly to shoot