Free Drawn (Moon Claimed) by Lilou Roux

hair, like a loving mother. “I left you some books that tell some of the other legends. I made notes when something needed clarifying. But if you have any questions…just come to me, okay?”
    Tess nodded.
    “I will leave you alone now. It’s a lot to take in.” Joanne crossed the room towards the door.
    “Wait.” Tess scrambled from the bed. “Can you do something? A little magic?”
    A wicked smile lit her friends face. “Oh, I ’d love to.” She turned around and walked to stand before the fireplace and an array of white candles standing on its mantel. “It’s a little dark in here, don’t you think?” Winking at Tess she leaned in and blew over one, igniting first a little huff of smoke and then a true flame.
    Tess stared wide-eyed as at the same time the other candles sparked to life – lit by invisible hands, or rather magic. And for the first time in her adult life she felt magic, it was a tickling breath along her skin, an addictive buzz in her blood.
    “It feels so…” Tess laughed, shaking her head, amazement and awe sparkling in her eyes. “I can’t even describe it.”
    Joanne grinned at her. “I know. A few days time and training and you’d be able to do that as well.”
    “ Okay.” She looked directly at Joanne. “Yes, I want to. I want to learn.”
    “I knew you would. But give yourself some time now and rest.”
    Tess promised she would and accompanied Joanne to the door. When her friend was already down the front steps, Tess stopped her. “Joanne, have you seen Nathan?”
    “He wanted to give you some time and space. Use it, and then simply listen to your heart and I’m sure you’ll find him.”
     
     

FIFTEEN
    Yes, she knew where she would find him.
    After Joanne had left she had spent all day going through the legends and stories of old. Different mythologies, Greek, Roman or Native American, it didn’t change much since in the end she still was a woman with a wolf as a lover and a witch as a friend. 
    Tess had sat in silence in her cabin and thought about everything that had happened and about the journey she had made. Granted the dreams were still there, but the tone had changed, and she wasn’t frightened by them anymore but could welcome their sensuality now instead. She wasn’t restless anymore. No, she had found a place here, surrounded by friends and love, by vast forests and an endless sky.
    When the sun was about to set behind the trees, Tess stepped out of the shadows of the woods and wasn’t at all surprised to see Nathan standing near the lake, water lapping at his bare feet. In that moment he was the man she had seen in her dreams. The man who was waiting, yearning for his love. Who was waiting for her .
    Just as in her dreams she was drawn to him, couldn’t do anything but go to him, and somehow he sensed or heard her and turned around. His eyes searched her face, an almost painful longing and uncertainty in them that broke her heart.
    Fear kindled. Joanne said witches and wolves were meant to be together. Which for her meant there was a possibility that her feelings were not her own. What if this thing with Nathan was just magical chemistry or some such?
    She shook her head at herself , extinguishing the spark of dread. Who was she kidding? It wasn’t the magic and it wasn’t the dream that had pushed her into Nathan’s arms. She had been the one going there, on her own - slowly maybe, but inevitably. She had wanted this man from the first moment they had met. Had been intrigued and, well, conquered with every step of the way. She loved talking to him, loved how he understood her so easily, and loved how they worked together. She simply loved him.
    A soft smile tugged at one corner of her mouth as she looked back at Nathan and stepped close. “Hey.”
    Nathan kept his hands in his pockets, but his silver gray eyes travelled over her face, memorizing every inch of her, as if she might be a figment of his imagination or could vanish at any moment. His