See how ya fare? Aka, see how long you live.

This Pookah irritated her no end. He had obviously caught the scent of the village as well and was now calling her bluff. She didn't know what kind of creatures would be in this place, or how big it was. But even if she ran into a city full of Fionns, there was no guarantee she'd remain unharmed.

Crap, she did need him, but damned if she was going to admit it. He looked at her, a triumphant grin stretching across his face. He thinks he can make me beg for him! Well, he could take a flying leap before she gave him that kind of satisfaction. On top of that, she was hungry, dirty, and out of patience with the smug Scot.

Suddenly a rush of anxiety hit her hard. When would these waves wear off? Or at least calm down? Her chest burned. She clung to her shirt and felt the vial hidden beneath. Perhaps now was the time to test its contents.

From what she'd picked up on, her human scent was what gave her mortality away. She took a few deep breaths, calmly trying to control herself. The weight of tangled emotions in her chest began to unravel. Maybe she was finally getting better at harnessing them, thank God.

She dusted off her hands. "You know what, Kelvin?" It was her turn to smile. "I think I will take a little walk into town." With that, she straightened her pack and headed east. The last thing she saw before slipping away was the Pookah's jaw swinging open in disbelief.

She walked several yards, and Kelvin let her. He was probably waiting for her to turn around and come crawling back. Izel smirked. That was not going to happen.

She fumbled with the vial around her neck. Removing the top, she dabbed her fingertip at the opening. She lifted her finger to her lips and licked the wetness from it. Her grandfather had written "a sip at a time," but the container was so small, it was lucky to hold maybe a single "sip." It would be wise to start conservatively and try to make the liquid last as long as possible.

She waited. She didn't feel any different. Maybe she needed to drink more.

"What in the good goddamn bloody hell!" Kelvin cursed loudly as he sprinted toward her.

Okay. So it didn't take much at all.

"What in Christ's name just happened?" he barked, snagging her forearm and whipping her to face him. His gaze raked over her, eyes looking up and down her body.

She smiled and let him have his little fit while trying to "sniff" this out. He pulled her into him, planting his face in her hair. "I can no' scent you."

Izel wanted to clap. It worked! She had no idea how long the effects would last, but she didn't care. Finally, she had some control over herself.

His eyes narrowed on her. "What did you do?"

Giving him the most dumbfounded look she could, she gasped, "Why, whatever are you talking about, Kelvin?"

"You know goddamn well what I'm talking about! I can no' "-he examined her again-"I can no' smell you. You're human, but... it's gone." Did his words hold a hint of loss? Could he really enjoy her mortal scent? Odds were in favor of no. She shimmied away from him.

"What did you do?" he demanded again, obviously seething.

She pulled the small vial out from beneath her shirt, lifted the chain over her head, and twirled it with a victorious smile. "I told you, I'm ready to hit the town."

It was nearing sunset when Kelvin told Izel it would be another ten minutes until they'd reach the inner limits of a small Scotland burg. The tree line began to thin and give way to overgrown grasses and shrubbery.

Izel lost her footing and nearly fell face-first into mulch, but Kelvin caught her arm, steadying her. "Careful, lass, old railroad tracks."

With all the overgrown foliage, she hadn't even noticed she was walking on tracks. She glanced at Kelvin. At least he had finally broken his silent treatment. After showing him the vial, he'd muttered something in a foreign language and followed after her. She got the impression that magic and conjuring made him edgy. Although Fionns were used to magic, she got the distinct feeling that Pookahs were not.

The farther they walked, the more she scented the onset of civilization. She nearly ran out of her boots with excitement. "Still can't smell me, right?" she asked over her shoulder. She was walking ahead of Kelvin now, beyond anxious for hot food and an even hotter shower.

"Aye," he grumbled.

Small cottages lined the riverbank and she let out a giddy cry, bolting headlong toward them.

"Hold it there, female." Kelvin snagged her arm, abruptly halting her. "We need ta enter this cautiously. Since we donna know when your potion wears off, you must stay verra close to me, and as soon as I scent you, we leave." There was a slight tinge of unease in his voice.

"Or," she put her hand out as if it physically held the other option, "I could just drink more and stay." Smiling, she tried to step away, but Kelvin's hand was like a vise on her bicep.

"I mean it, Izel. You stay near me and outta sight of others." The way he said her name, with his thick accent, had her knees weakening.

"Oh, calm down. No one knows what I am. And if they care to ask, I'm a Fionn, which is kind of true."

"No one will ask because you'll no' be near them." The Pookah was getting obviously heated, and Izel felt like a child arguing about curfew.

"No one will know," she said through clenched teeth, getting thoroughly irritated that he insisted on bickering with her when they could be eating real food.

"That's no' all I'm worried about. If ya go into town, you'll draw attention to yourself."

His gaze roamed over her body.

"Oh, I get it," she eyed him back, "you don't want me around other dudes. You're jealous." Triumph washed over her. On some level, this Pookah wanted her. The thought sparked a weird sense of satisfaction.

He scoffed. "I'm no' jealous. I just donna want ta deal with other beings all night."

Despite what he'd said, she just smiled brightly and shrugged. "Whatever you need to tell yourself, Pookah."

Kelvin stalked closer, consuming the available space between them. His scent was spicy and raw with masculinity. Leaning in, his mouth at her ear, he grated, "Jest while you can, lass. One of these nights you'll be clenching my hips with those soft thighs of yours, beggin' for my mercy." He held her stare as he drew away. Was she leaning into him?

"Now then." His voice changed octaves so suddenly Izel almost fell over. "To ensure you'll no' try to flee me, I'll be takin' this." With a quick swipe, he removed the vial from her neck and clenched it in the palm of his hand.

"Hey!" she screamed, half startled, half dazed by his previous words. "But what if I-"

"Then you'll have ta come ta me and get it." He twirled the vial in the air like she had earlier. Huffing out an annoyed breath, she turned on her heel. She was not stomping away and throwing a fit like a five-year-old. She just happened to enjoy pounding her feet on the ground while she walked, that's all.

With the sun fully set now, they approached the main street of the little village and scoured for a place to stay. "Do you even know where we are?" Izel asked as they walked through town, having yet to see another creature.

"Aye, we're near the Lochness River."

She laughed. Wait, was he serious? "You're kidding, right? Lochness, as in Loch Ness monster?" Her excitement simmered as she realized they were in a freakishly small village, next to the body of water that housed this realm's largest water serpent.

"Ya know, for being a born Scot, you don't know much about your homeland."

Rolling her eyes at him, she continued on. "Is there a reason we haven't seen anyone yet?"

He shrugged. "There's no' many beings here. This used ta be a tourist attraction for humans, but now it's just a hold up for those passing through." He raised his chin and she followed his eye line. There was a string of small cottages just up the road. "Lodging."

Izel was eager for food, rest, and maybe even a beer. She was beginning to realize that every time she looked at Kelvin, her body responded with desire, as if it was a natural reaction. Of course, usually that was drowned out by anger, seeing as how the Pookah seemed to have the singular goal of making her crazed.

She walked slightly behind him and surveyed his long hair, wet on the ends from sweat, dancing along his tanned neck. Although his pack concealed most of his back, she could see his shirt cling to his broad shoulders, tapering to his narrow waist and, God, his ass. A thing of beauty. She wanted to dig her nails into- "Ugh!"

Kelvin turned with a perplexed look. Crap, she hadn't meant to groan out loud.

"I just..."

His brows rose in response to her stammering. "Never mind," she concluded. They walked on.

Kelvin was tense, trying so damn hard not to run his hand along the small of Izel's slim back as he led her to the little house. The darkness was weighing on him, fogging his mind with carnal thoughts. In the past these thoughts had consisted of a random woman's body, or the act of sex itself. But now, all he could think about was her body and what it'd feel like to be inside it.

He opened the door to a quaint cottage and ushered Izel through the small entryway. "You can't just let yourself in," she whispered harshly. Her green eyes darted around. "This could be somebody's home."

His mouth twitched. Her unease was adorable. "Nay, the keeper will be here soon. They keep eyes on the rentals." Stepping farther inside, he looked around, glancing back at Izel, who refused to move from the doorway.

She peered up at him. "And how is it you know this is a rental?"

His eyes kept straight ahead, purposefully ignoring her stare. "I travel a lot." He knew his words would most likely draw her thoughts to the earlier conversation about his mating habits. No, he was not opening that can of worms again.

"Travel? In other words, running around bedding every chick from here to Glasgow," she quietly sneered. He thought he heard her mumble, "Whatever. I don't care."

Her petite foot finally took a small step while she called out, "Hello?" Her meek voice made Kelvin want to grin again. Polite little female, but no one was here.

Standing in the doorway, you could literally see the entire house. It was small, with a single bathroom and bedroom off to the right and a kitchenette straight ahead. Comfy and quaint.

"Hi, folks."

From behind him, Kelvin heard Izel gasp as the keeper meandered in past both of them, centering himself in the living room. He faced them and clasped his hands in from of him, as if preparing for a sales pitch. With one inhale, Kelvin scented the keeper as a hybrid of lowly species. No real threat.

"So this cabin is available and sixty-five dollars for tonight. I have others that are-"

"No' necessary. This is fine," he interjected, pulling money from his back pocket and handing it to the keeper.

"Alrighty then, you two enjoy your stay and be out by noon tomorrow, okay? Good night." The hybrid waddled out, and Kelvin shut and locked the door behind him before turning to face Izel.

"Well, that was easy," she said with a small smile. "You were kind of rude, though."

"He's a gargoyle-gnome hybrid. Dinna want him near you." Christ, he had to at least stop sounding like he cared. Seeming uninterested, she gave him a single nod, then headed to the bedroom.

He watched her drop her pack and begin to riffle through it. On his toes, he peeked in further and caught a glimpse of the black undergarments she withdrew from her bag. His cock went hard thinking of her olive skin lined with the smooth fabric.

"Going to shower now," she said loudly over her shoulder, snatching up her fresh clothing and heading into the bathroom. The door shut quickly behind her. He eased out of his own pack, rolling his shoulders, thinking of the next step.

He wanted her to stay here, out of town and away from others, who were probably residing at the local tavern just a block down the street. Keeping the human away from a rickety bar shouldn't be that difficult. Acquiring food and bringing it here before she got out of the shower was an easy way to keep her in the cottage.

He snatched the key the hybrid had left and locked the door from the outside. A pizzeria was right across the road, and he recalled it being a popular once. It looked to be still running strong.

He hurried across the street, thankful this town was so small he could keep eyes on the small cottage while placing the order.

Drumming his fingers on the counter, waiting for the pizza to bake, he told himself he wasn't eager to get back to her. Some unexplainable force of nature was at work here. Kelvin couldn't be in his right mind. He didn't want Izel Campbell. He could resist and dismiss her as easily as any other female that walked this realm: a concept he needed to start practicing.

Izel moaned loudly. The warm water felt wonderful streaming down her shoulders and back, unknotting her tight muscles. She sighed and stood, unmoving, for long, long moments, slowly relaxing in the rising steam. She finally popped the top of her travel-sized shampoo bottle, lathered her hands in her hair, never appreciating the scent of strawberries so much.

Her soapy hands trailed down her body. When her fingertips skimmed over her tight nipples, her mind drifted to the ruggedly handsome Pookah. She massaged her breast, amazed at the pleasure her own touch brought. She thought of Kelvin's strong hands, his intense eyes, and her hand snaked lower. Grazing past her flat belly, her legs parted of their own accord, and her eyes slid closed at the touch.

She lightly stroked the small bundle of nerves between her thighs. Little shudders pricked her skin from the inside out and a hot rush of lust coursed through her. She was on the brink of... something. Never had she touched herself in this way before. Up until a couple days ago, she'd never felt desire, never had these kinds of needs. Since her change, she'd been trying to rein in her emotions, or at least get back to reasonable thinking. Despite her efforts, she felt frantic, held captive by the raging feelings that bombarded her.

Twenty-five years of emotions never felt and experiences never known had come crashing into her, and she was caught riding out the aftershocks. Part of her was uneasy about all this internal chaos. However, the more dominant part of her thinking was excited to finally live... to feel. All creatures, especially humans, needed emotions, and she'd fight to the death to keep hers. But in this moment, with fingers on her sex and hot water on her breasts, she was eager to explore the feeling process.

The door boomed open and Izel screeched, scrambling to cover her private parts.

"You've been in there nearly a-" Kelvin cut off his own words. Through the transparent shower curtain, she saw him raise his head, looking as though he was sniffing the humid air.

"Get out!" she yelled. She had too many ample curves to hide with her small hands.

"You've been in here an hour," he said, finishing his previous statement, although his tone was rougher than it had been before. "I'd like some water there, too, princess." Without another word, he left, slamming the door shut.

She looked at the ceiling and groaned. Shutting off the water and reaching for a towel, her skin tightened around the movements and her belly knotted painfully. Another failed attempt at gratification. If she wasn't sure before, she definitely knew now that she needed some space. Needed a chance to regain perspective. Between her grandfather's disappearance, the Pookah's attentions, and still no real answers in sight, a touch of freedom seemed just the thing to set her mind right.

There's a bar right down the road and I'm going in for a drink.

Chapter 8.

Kelvin had nearly come undone at the sight of Izel in the shower. Being immortal, one of his many strengths was his eyesight. And that poor excuse for a shower curtain left little to the imagination.

He'd originally burst through the door because he was worried her scent was returning. When he'd returned from getting the pizza, he could distinctly scent Izel. Although it wasn't her human scent, it was just as intoxicating.

It wasn't until he threw open the bathroom door, inhaling the dewy mist, that he knew what such a scent was... her arousal. It was like walking into pure bliss. Then, to see her delicate fingers at her sex? It took all the willpower he had to not rip down the curtain and charge for her.

The thought of pressing her wet body against the tile and driving into her. Wrapping her legs around his waist as he fucked her hard. Her nails in my back and moans in my ear. Kelvin shook his head and cursed his body for once again responding so easily to her. He had just spent the last half hour in that damn pizza parlor, focusing on not responding to her.

What was he going to do? He'd never felt connected to a female like this before. It was almost eerie, because he could perceive her like he had a sixth sense. He scented her above all others, and his whole body was screaming to take her. To make her surrender to him and only him.

Worse than that, the thought-let alone the sight-of her hurt or in danger had his rage on a constant upswing. She was so fragile. So innocent.

Goddamn it! He needed to get hold of himself. "Campbell" and "innocent" didn't go together. Kelvin had warred against the Fionns for hundreds of years. They had killed his loved ones, weakened his clan. He hated them. They were anything but innocent. And Izel was one of them.

He raked a hand through his hair. His mind was little better than a scrambled mess. Not to mention that he was both exhausted and hard up. It'd been months since he'd bedded a female. Between the darkness, the approaching Solstice, and the sleepless nights, it was little wonder he was confused. Of course he was more susceptible to his lust for a woman. That was the reason he was reacting the way he was. Her scent, beauty, and the night were a heady combination, along with all the other factors. Yes, that was definitely the reason he was responding to her the way he was. And he needed to start believing in those reasons. For the alternative-Izel Campbell, the last known mortal and his most hated enemy-his fated female? No, not an option. She's nothing more than a means to an end.

His thoughts were interrupted when Izel sauntered into the living room, wearing the shortest skirt and the highest heels he'd ever seen. Or maybe he'd just never seen such things on the right woman before.

Her hair was loose, drying into thick curls that wound down her back. Her green eyes were bright, and he could barely see the exhaustion behind them. Lass was fighting bedtime, eh? Gaze roaming over his body before lifting to meet his stare, she smiled, and he sucked in a breath at the lovely sight.

Christ help me.

"I pay you for your magic and foresight, no' for vague cliches and riddles," Ian growled, stomping into the large dining hall. Ryo sat at one end of the massive table, glass in one hand, twirling a lock of blond hair in the other.

"Is that...?" Ian squinted as he approached her. "That's my Dalmore Trinitas whiskey!"