Seren has bided her time for centuries, waiting for the moment when two of her descendants fall in love and release her, finally, from the place between worlds. The many gifts Seren has inherited from her ancestors—time travel, entering dreams, telepathic communication—have been unsuccessful thus far. Will Gwen and Dante be the ones?
Gwen McFarland has always been in touch with her Celtic roots. When Seren—who looks to Gwen like a Celtic goddess—materializes and invites her to a love tryst in another time and place, she does not hesitate. That Seren sometimes brings along another woman is simply an added benefit.
Fast paced trial lawyer Dante Emmanuel has no time for sentimentality or relationships. A string of satisfying sexual encounters suits him just fine. He’s mystified when a recurring figure enters his dream life, but he won’t turn down Seren’s exotic sexual talents or the dreams that now seem more real than ever.
Who will make the first move in this three-part game of chess? Timing is everything.
Inhaling the strange yet familiar exotic scent, Gwen McFarland stretched her naked body to its full length and ran her fingers through her hair. She loved this place, though she didn't know exactly where it was. She beamed at her phantom lover, whom she'd visited off and on for over a year now, though she still had little idea who Seren might actually be. Seren was real. That was all that mattered. It didn't matter that Seren was from beyond the curtain—somehow beyond the veil of time and space. Gwen herself had come by time travel naturally. It was in her blood, in her Celtic roots.
She'd time travelled before Seren had beckoned her to this small cottage by an oak grove—a collection of giant, ancient oaks, so different from the sere desert of Gwen’s native Arizona. She’d never seen anything like them.
She'd had lovers in other times and other places. With few exceptions, they'd been female lovers. Most had only sought her out once or twice. Seren was different. Gwen had been called to the grove seven times, and Seren had visited Gwen in her own time and place twice. Gwen shivered slightly. She hadn't expected any of her time travel lovers to come to her. That wasn’t the way it worked. But she knew she hadn't dreamed Seren's presence. Seren was as real as anyone she knew, in whatever time or space.
Today? Today was even more unusual. All other times, Seren had appeared at night in Gwen’s dream and joined her there or traveled with her to the grove. This morning, Gwen had been at her desk, awaiting her next physical therapy client, when she’d suddenly found herself here in bed with Seren—and now it felt as if they’d made passionate, exquisite love all night.
"Come," Seren said softly, interrupting Gwen's thoughts. "Sit down next to me." Seren rose to her knees and patted the mattress. "Let me comb out your hair. Your beautiful dark curls get so unruly during a night of lovemaking."
"Thanks," Gwen said, repositioning herself on the edge of the bed. She leaned over and brushed her lips across Seren's. "You're so lovely."
"And so are you. If Dante isn't smitten by you, I'll be amazed."
Gwen caught her breath. Was that why Seren’s visit was so sudden? She’d mentioned Dante a couple other times, but Gwen had thought nothing of it until now. Dante Emmanuel was the client she’d been waiting for at work—the lawyer her best friend worked for. Why would Seren care?
Gwen chose her next words carefully. "From what Elizabeth’s shared, Dante doesn't spend enough time with any woman to be smitten by her."
"That might be his way of defending himself, of saving himself for the one who will matter."
Definitely a loaded sentence. “Elizabeth warned me away from him. She referred him to my clinic, but she wanted me to avoid taking him on as my direct client. He’s just there to rehab his injuries. I hardly think he’s looking for the one who matters, now or ever. Where are you headed with this?”
Gwen waited for a response while relishing the feel of Seren's fingers stroking her hair, tugging at snarls, patiently separating strand from strand. Warm lips settled on her nape.
"In due time, my love, all will be clear."
“Hmmm."
Seren worked Gwen's hair aside until she could nibble on an earlobe.
"That feels so good, Seren. But why would I like him any more than Elizabeth does?" A chill shot through her body and she turned to meet Seren’s gaze directly. “You’re trying to throw us together—you're not going to make me love him, are you?"
Seren chuckled and nipped Gwen's shoulder. "I don't have that kind of power. I wouldn't use it that way if I did. All our destinies are intertwined. I know that. I can't change that, but neither can I make things turn out the way I hope they might. You are mortals, and I have to abide by your rules."
“Well that’s a relief—if it’s true.” Gwen laughed softly. "Even so, I do trust that you must have some limits on how far you can interfere, or we wouldn't be having this conversation."
"Clever girl." Seren pulled away. "Your dark hair is luscious. You truly have the gifts and are in tune with our ways, with your roots. You are so much more in tune than Dante.”
“What do you mean?
"If you must know, Dante has the same gifts you possess, but he is only slowly becoming aware of them. Not enough to own them or name them. Perhaps you'll help him claim his gifts." Seren kissed her cheek. "Now you must return. I believe a mysterious man is on his way to seek your healing spirit."
"I'll do what I can. Physical therapy is what I do for a living."
"Yes, but Dante Emmanuel carries much deeper pain than physical."
