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EXCERPT:

Saoirse gazed at her own reflection in the crystal lake, mesmerised by the sadness deepening her emerald eyes. Then she sensed a presence next to her and saw a second set of eyes shadowed with concern, shimmering in the depths just behind her own. She gave a watery smile as her mother's hand came to rest upon her shoulder.

"I feel a great loneliness in my spirit," Saoirse sighed. "An incompleteness."

"I've sensed it, my daughter," Morganna commented as she sat beside her daughter. "You are now twenty years old and are embarking upon the age of Love. From now on, your body will age very slowly, allowing you to experience and enjoy life for a very long time. Why, in the world of the mortals I would be quite old-”at least to some. I'd be fifty!" Morganna laughed. "Nonetheless," she continued seriously, "you have reached a difficult time for any Sidhe. I don't know how to assist you, but I feel something within that frightens me. I want only your happiness, but for that you must follow your own path, as we all must." Her slim hand gently stroked Saoirse's long hair. "For you, though, that path will be rocky, uneven and filled with danger."

"How do you know?" Saoirse cocked her head, furrowing her brow.

"Because, my darling, a prophecy was told at your birth." Morganna gently rubbed Saoirse's back, offering what comfort she could.

Saoirse could only stare at her mother.

"Today I have finally been given leave by Cerdiwen to share that prophecy with you." Morganna wrapped her arms around her daughter and laid her cheek atop the fair hair.

"How I wish for a different path for you, Saoirse, but what is to be, will be. For you to understand, I must tell you a story.

"When I wasn't much older than you, I wanted to take a journey to other world, the world of mortals. I went to Cerdiwen to ask permission. But she cautioned me that the attraction to a mortal man, a human, could be an awesome force, powerful enough to cause me to forget my home, this beautiful land. I only laughed. How could a mere mortal ever compare to our fairy men? Cerdiwen continued her warning of possible sickness, hardship, hunger, even death, all of which I waved away. I wanted adventure, danger. I wanted it all. Finally she gave her permission and I was off.

"I walked through the mist that separates our worlds and entered theirs. I found myself standing beside a small stream. It was incredible. The greens of the grass shimmered with morning dew and a small waterfall gave music to the birdsongs that filled the air. I laughed and began to walk, following the stream. Suddenly I saw a man before me. He had been walking his fields and stopped there for a quick drink of the sparkling water. He stood up slowly, staring at me as if he'd seen a ghost. Make no mistake, daughter, by the standards of the Sidhe he wasn't handsome. His hair was brown and shaggy and he had stubbly whiskers on his face. Dirt was on his hands and under his nails. He reeked of sweat. Yet there was something appealing about his awestruck expression.

"'My lady,' he said to me, 'are you harmed? Please let me assist you.'

"At first I didn't understand why he thought I needed help. Then I remembered that humans wore clothing. There I was, standing before the first mortal I had ever met, and I was quite naked. The poor man was shocked but also plainly quite excited to see me.

"I assured him I had simply gone swimming and lost my way, that I had no idea where I was or where my clothes were. He removed his own shirt-”reeking though it was-”and placed it around my shoulders. I shivered when the homespun cloth touched me. Something deep inside me responded to this man.

"Let me assure you, Saoirse, that while humans are indeed formed imperfectly, their imperfections hold much charm. The man's naked chest was covered in a light brown down but was muscular and tanned golden. There was something dangerously appealing even in the smell of him. He took me to his cottage, a tiny hovel really, and offered me a simple meal of bread, cheese and mead. Then he gave me his bed while he himself slept on the floor. Then sometime during the night I awoke with the strangest feeling."

Morganna fell silent, staring into space. Saoirse looked up at her questioningly, sensing her mother's unease.

Morganna shook herself before continuing her story. "I'm sorry, my daughter, but the next part of my story disturbs me still. It might disturb you even more since your very existence is entwined in it." She took a deep breath and continued. "I'd heard of her, of course, but had never seen her. But there she stood before me, clothed in mist. There is only one, you know, but she can send out her spirit to any number of women-”human or fairy. Not a word did she speak. She simply held me in her gaze. I knew I belonged to her. My spirit and her own commingled, hers being dominant."

"Who was she?" Saoirse asked.

"She was the One. The Love Fairy. She was Lianhan Sidhe."

Saoirse's eyes widened with shock. "Oh, Momma. How frightened you must have been."

"Quite the contrary, my little one," Morganna said with a sardonic smile. "I was empowered. I was invincible in my sensuality. I looked across the room and there, lying before the peat fire, was the man who believed he had rescued me. I'd already felt an attraction to him, but now I wanted him. I craved his body, his mind, his soul. I would not rest until he became my slave. Of course it wasn't really me. As you know, once the Lianhan Sidhe's spirit is released, there's no stopping it. This poor man was doomed and I was helpless to stop his damnation. I was also helpless in my role.

"I won't bore you with the details of my pursuit of this man but I will tell you this. Once the spirit of the Lianhan has set its mind on capture, only a man of extreme strength could deny her. While my rescuer was indeed strong, he wasn't strong enough. Eventually he pledged his body, his soul, his heart to her-”or rather my-”service if he could but lie with me. Naturally he had to cross over the mist for this to happen, for the Lianhan Sidhe will never lie with a man in the world of the mortals. To do so would weaken her power and the poor fairy to whom she had attached herself would become the human's slave-”unless of course he chose to release her. But it would be an extraordinary mortal indeed who would give up such a gift."

Morganna ran a hand through her hair, twirling a strand around her finger. Saoirse almost smiled. Her mother always played with her hair when she was nervous. "Anyway, once he crossed over to our world, he and I lay together. It was glorious. When he entered me, the stars and moon glowed brighter. The things he did with his hands, his tongue, his…well as I said, I won't bore you with the details. After our union, though, the Lianhan Sidhe left me. The poor man is now her slave, his Shade doomed to follow her spirit and do her bidding. He did not want to go. He wanted to stay with me, but no human can actually live here. Only his spirit remains. His body has turned to dust." Morganna wiped a tear from her eye and held her daughter's hand.

"I tell you this story not simply to entertain you but to prepare you. That man, that beautiful, strong, kind man. He was your father."

"What?" Saoirse gasped.

"'Tis true. You're half human. That's why their world is calling you. It's time for you to know and to choose." She reached out to grasp both her daughter's hands in her own.

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EXCERPT:

I can do this, Alicia thought as she suppressed the urge to lift her head and glance at the door. She knelt on the floor, her knees resting upon a large pillow, leaning forwards with her forehead resting on her crossed hands and her long hair draping the entire length of her back. Her arse, with the word 'toy' still readable on both cheeks, was slightly raised over her ankles. She had assumed this position half an hour earlier.

Maverick had called forty-five minutes before, instructing her to prepare for him. She had not expected him to call. Usually after an encounter as intense as last night, he allowed for a day of recovery. Nonetheless, Alicia had immediately tied her hair up, taken a quick shower, given a small prayer of thanks that she did not have to shave, administered a cool enema, dried herself, applied an oil lightly scented with Patchouli and, after relieving her bowels, had assumed this position-”all within fifteen minutes. She didn't wait long before hearing Maverick open the door of the flat, which she had left unlocked in anticipation of his arrival. She had hoped he would come to the bedroom where she patiently knelt before the door, but today he was in no hurry for his greeting.

Alicia felt her back begin to cramp, but she refused to move in order to relieve her discomfort. If Maverick needed time to unwind, so be it. He had trained her well enough that she could endure a short wait. Besides, she estimated she had only been in this position for thirty minutes now. She had waited longer than this before. Damn! She could feel her heavy hair begin to slide down one side. Now her appearance would be uneven, and she knew how Maverick appreciated symmetry. Her hair was one of her greatest treasures but also one of her greatest trials! Why did it have to be so heavy? The length was difficult enough to deal with-”the ends of her curls brushed against the small of her back-”but the thickness added a weight which was difficult to control. Normally she would have braided it, but Maverick had expressly told her he wanted it unbound and flowing down her back.

Well, she thought, I did the best I could. She decided she would rather leave the hair unevenly draped than risk moving out of position.

A moment later she was glad of her decision as she heard Maverick's footsteps. She quivered slightly as she felt him run a single finger along the curve of her buttocks. She raised her eyes enough to see his shoes-”he was wearing his black work ones. That meant he had just come from a shoot. No wonder he hadn't come to her immediately. He had probably sipped the whiskey she had left waiting for him and simply relaxed in the sitting room for a while. Maverick worked hard, and his models often needed coaxing into position.

"Greet me," Maverick instructed.

Alicia smiled momentarily then raised herself into a kneeling position. She unbuckled his belt, unbuttoned and unzipped his trousers. She gently lowered both them and his boxers to the ground and took him into her mouth, cradling his balls in her hands. Remembering his preference for symmetry and balance, Alicia tried to keep an even pressure and rhythm, savouring the taste of his flesh. When she felt him expand within her mouth, she sighed, knowing she had brought him pleasure. After a few more minutes, she felt his hand on her head and regretfully pulled away from him. She sat back on her heels, keeping her head down, and folded her hands in front of her.

"You please me, Alicia," Maverick said. "You've grown into an almost perfect companion." He reached down and stroked her cheek.

Alicia rubbed her face against his hand, thrilled with the unexpected compliment.

"Last night you exceeded even my expectations. I'm very proud of you. Considering the state you were in when we met, I'm astounded at your progress. Stand up, my dear. Tonight we will celebrate your success."

Alicia was so flustered, she stumbled a bit as she stood. She too was proud of her performance last night but had not been expecting Maverick's praise. She felt herself blush with the pleasure of his words. She knew, though, that he spoke the truth. When they had first met, she had been a mess. Now she was a successful businesswoman and a perfectly trained companion.