CHAPTER 3

Merlin woke up very early with a very strange feeling in her chest. To be more accurate, on her chest. Opening her eyes cautiously she peered down to find a hand other than her own resting over her heart. As soon as she saw the hand, she remembered. She remembered telling Morrigan how her mother died, she recalled the writer telling her how Merlin made her feel, and she remembered falling asleep with her arm around Morrigan. Which was why she felt so stiff now. She was tempted to get up now and start the day but it felt so good lying beside Morrigan that she let the temptation pass. When the smaller woman began to shiver Merlin wiggled a blanket up from the bottom of the bed with her foot and managed to cover them both without moving too much. When Morrigan rested her head in the hollow of the Merlin's shoulder Merlin sighed. She was complete for the first time in a long time. It was as if her heart had come home. Without meaning to, she drifted off again.

When she woke up again she found herself achingly alone. Her heart did a double beat then seemed to stop as she stepped quickly down the stairs. She found Morrigan in the kitchen making coffee with her back to Merlin. The bodyguard let her heart lead her as she crossed the room silently and wrapped her arms around the body in the emerald robe.

They didn't say much to one another over their bacon and eggs. Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture was playing in the living room and they were both reviewing their plans for the day. Morrigan looked up over the rim of her coffee cup and watched Merlin eat. She had gone to bed the night before in a pair of boxers and a black, sleeveless, cut off t-shirt. Morrigan grinned to herself and thought that this was a sight worth waking up to. Merlin was focused on some inner point and Morrigan watched a transformation play over the sculpted face. It was as if she assumed a mask that allowed her to slip from one persona to the other; from her inner, unguarded self to the skeptical, suspicious bodyguard. When Merlin took their plates to the sink Morrigan's eyes followed her: watching, remembering, memorizing, wanting. Merlin went back upstairs and Morrigan felt the sharp pang of disappointment.

'What did you expect dolt?' Morrigan cleaned the kitchen with sharp, abrupt motions that reflected her frustration while she mentally berated herself. Without even realizing it she began to mutter while she started the dishes.

"Did you really think she'd be all warm and fuzzy all morning? She does have a job to do you know. Quit being so selfish...She says you make her feel better, but how do you know it wasn't just emotion of the moment talking? For all you know, you may be nothing more than a pleasant distraction that she'll forget when this job is over."

"And for all you know she may have been telling you the truth." A quiet voice said.

Morrigan turned to see Merlin standing at the foot of the stairs. She had dressed in a red sleeveless t-shirt and faded jeans, and was leaning against the wall watching Morrigan. Merlin pushed off the wall and crossed the room with a concerned look in her eyes. Taking both of Morrigan's hands in her own, Merlin studied her intently for a minute.

"Why would you think I would let the moment carry me away? I don't say things that I don’t mean Morrigan. I do want to be closer to you believe me, but I also can't forget what I'm here to do. I have to listen to my head while I follow my heart. Otherwise..."

"I know..."

"But you don't believe." Merlin's voice was gentle and yet passionate. "You must believe me Morrigan, I don't want to lose you. I want to be able to sit down and have dinner with you, to snuggle on the sofa, I want to watch you write. I want...you. If I'm distant or distracted, don't take it personally. I need to focus on keeping you safe and it's going to take all my concentration because frankly, you're very distracting." Merlin grinned widely, then bent her head and kissed Morrigan soundly before going out to the barn.

Morrigan stood stunned, unable to think about anything but the feel of those lips on hers. When she finally spoke it was to an empty room.

"Wow..."

Merlin smiled all the way to the barn. She had enjoyed that. Maybe a little too much. When she opened the barn door, the smile disappeared. All the chickens had been locked into the barn, where the barn cat was harassing them. Merlin scooped up the cat and took it out into the yard. She could see the chicken run had been left open, but those birds hadn't locked themselves in the barn. Someone had done it, knowing the chickens would be found, seemingly wanting their presence known. But who? And why? Paul had said that he didn't know who had threatened Morrigan, but the things that had happened so far were too personal, too subtle to just make Paul nervous. No, the slaughter in the front yard and this obvious sign that someone else was here were intended to scare just one person. Morrigan.

It took Merlin the better part of fifteen minutes to get the chickens back into their pen, but finally they were all there. Merlin went back into the house to answer the call of nature, and when she came back downstairs she found Morrigan at the table hunched over her notes. Morrigan looked up and smiled, then got up and went to stand in front of the taller woman. She put her hands on Merlin's hips then stood on her tiptoes to kiss her. It was not a long kiss, but a soft and tender one full of compassion and feeling.

"What was that for?" Merlin asked with a raised eyebrow and a growing smile.

"Because I wanted to and I ...care for you." Morrigan was shy and her voice husky.

Merlin was silent and thoughtful while she studied the green eyes peering so intently into her own. She could see the emotions there so clearly; every fleck of sea green radiated growing affection and fondness, warmth and tenderness. Such feeling Merlin had only ever seen once before...She would not throw this opportunity away by making the same assumptions she had before. She would not wait until this contract was over before following her heart. Not this time. Knowing words often failed her where action did not, Merlin let her heart lead her body and reached out for Morrigan. One arm snaked around her waist to draw her closer while the other slid up the length of Morrigan's back where long fingers buried themselves in sumptuously thick blond hair. She bent her head down and sought out the soft, pale lips; claiming them in a purposeful kiss that became warm and loving. When their lips parted, a small sigh of disappointment escaped them both and a lustful quiver rippled through Merlin.

"You don't know how much I want you..." Morrigan gave voice to Merlin's desires as she ran her hands down a long, straight spine.

"Oh I think I do." Merlin captured an earlobe and nibbled gently, then ran a feather-light touch along Morrigan's neck and throat. "But what would your mother say?"

"Follow your heart, which is exactly what I'm doing."

Merlin lightly caressed the smooth skin of Morrigan's throat, dipped in the well at the base of her throat and met with resistance when her fingers grazed the neckline of Morrigan's sleep shirt.

"I could...do something about that." Morrigan hesitated for less than a heartbeat.

"Not here. Upstairs, where I can ravage you properly." Merlin had cocked one eyebrow and had a sly grin on her face.

"True, my first lesson should be given in comfort."

Merlin had the grace to look surprised. "You've never...?"

"Not with a woman, no." Morrigan got a mischievous grin. "But I enjoyed school, so I'm sure I'll enjoy a private tutor."

Merlin grinned lecherously as she picked Morrigan up and carried her upstairs. "I'll make sure you do."

Tucking the chicken under his arm, the stocky stranger glanced over his shoulder at the house. No movement yet. He made soothing noises to keep the bird quiet, relatched the coop and tiptoed quietly back into the shadows. With the chicken stowed safely in a box on the floor of his car, he went back and hid in the dark shadows of the house. He settled in the corner where the shadows were deepest and waited. He brushed his stringy brown hair out of watery eyes and plotted his next move. It hadn't been hard to leave the animals for her to find; he'd never liked the dog anyway. The tall woman seemed to be some kind of hired help, so he would have to be careful that he wasn't spotted. His eyes darted around the yard, searching out the next target while his warped mind schemed along with his broken heart.

"I'll show her who not to mess with..."

An odd noise interrupted his musings; he cocked his head and listened. It sounded like...panting, or moaning, as if someone were in great pain or...

"Whhooooooo"

"Too much all at once?" Merlin lay on her side and propped her head up with one hand while her free hand traced intricate patterns on Morrigan's skin.

Her skin was smooth and firm, and warm with the quickening of her blood. A flush had begun to creep up from the base of Morrigan's throat as she fought to get her breath back. "I had no idea that a body could feel so many things all at once. My skin has never been so sensitive, so alive, so..."

"On fire?" Merlin helpfully supplied.

"Definitely on fire." Morrigan watched Merlin's hand continue to sketch until logic began to seep through her haze. "Do you find it strange that we're in bed after only three days?"

Merlin glanced up and studied Morrigan for some sign of regret. "Do you find it strange that we both feel the same way about each other? Or that we feel so good together? Or that we were both seducing each other almost from the beginning?" she asked.

Morrigan found herself carried away on another wave of sensation. She grit her teeth and shook her head, closing her eyes against the onslaught.

"Morrigan, open your eyes. It'll heighten it; I promise."

Outside, the man in the shadows listened to the sounds coming through the open window. As Morrigan released a primal scream, he ran out into the yard toward the truck. As Morrigan let out a strangled cry, his knife ripped open the tires on her truck. When she cried out again, he ran back to the shadows to wait.

A little while later Merlin sat up and stretched. Morrigan had been asleep for a few minutes, worn out by an overload of sensations. Her earlier question played through Merlin's mind. 'Do you find it strange that we're in bed after only three days?' Merlin shook her head and whispered to her lover.

"I find it wonderful that you were willing to share your body with me, it's beautiful that you let me glimpse into your soul and I ...care for you very much."

Merlin heard a noise outside and closing the door behind her, left to do her job. Before she had stepped out onto the porch Merlin had completely slipped into her bodyguard persona, all thoughts of the woman upstairs being her lover were left behind. The yard was quiet except for the sounds she expected to hear; the chickens, the cat and the remaining dogs. There seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary, but still she stayed in the dark shade of the porch and listened. Each time she thought there was no need for concern, a gnawing feeling churned at her gut and kept her hidden in the shadows. When she noticed the tires on Morrigan's truck, she knew her gut feeling had been right. Taking her gun from the waistband of her jeans, Merlin stepped off the porch. Cautiously she circled the truck, then dropped to the ground to peer up at the under-carriage. Satisfied it hadn't been tampered with, Merlin straightened up and cast her gaze around the property. Then she noticed her own truck was missing.

The tracks were easy enough to follow, they led into the barn. But Merlin knew that in all likelihood this was a trap. There were two doors built into the barn, Merlin headed for the back door instead of the front where the tracks led. With her body pressed against the rough wooden wall, she took the forty-five from her waistband and listened for any suspicious sounds from within the barn. Hearing nothing out of the ordinary, she eased the door open. Grateful that she'd already oiled the hinges, she waited once more. When nothing but the sweet smell of hay came out to her Merlin eased her body through the door soundlessly. Holding the gun at shoulder level, senses on the alert, Merlin swung her gaze around the cavernous interior. Her truck had been parked just inside the large front doors and left there, the barn cat cleaned itself contentedly in a corner.... nothing but the truck seemed out of place. But the hair on the back of her neck told a different story; it was standing straight up, every nerve ending sharp.

Deathly silent, Merlin eased up to the cab of her truck and peered quickly inside. There was no one there. But as she began to turn to the back of the truck, she felt a heavy blow at the base of her neck and the world went black.

When she opened her eyes again, Merlin had an incredible headache. Just opening her eyes made the pain lance through her skull twice as fast. Merlin gritted her teeth against the pain and looked around for some sign of who had hit her. There was no one. She was crumpled by the passenger side of her truck, completely alone. Merlin slowly staggered to a standing position and leaned against the truck for a minute while she waited for the barn to stop spinning. When she felt a bit better, she went to the door but then remembered her gun. Turning back, she found it was gone. Taken by whoever had hit her, she assumed. Now things were more serious, and deadly. She had to assume that whoever was on the farm with them was now armed and dangerous, and all she had left to protect Morrigan with was her wits. Trying to ignore her heaving stomach, Merlin stumbled through the door and out into the yard. She discovered two things there. First, judging by the way her stomach felt, she had a concussion. Second, the sun was lower than it had been when she'd gone into the barn.

She'd only made it halfway to the house when her stomach lurched again, driving her to her knees in the dirt. As Merlin struggled to stand up again, Morrigan appeared and put an arm around her waist.

"I've got you, c'mon."

"I guess this means you're okay." Merlin tried to grin but her head throbbed too much.

"Of course I'm okay. You're the one who's been gone for hours. Let's get you into the house."

Morrigan helped Merlin into the kitchen and into a chair. "What happened to you anyway?" Morrigan asked.

"I heard a noise outside and went to check it out. Your truck tires have been slashed and my truck was pushed into the barn. I went to look around and someone hit me. Whoever it was took my gun too..."

Morrigan stood behind Merlin and lifted the long dark hair out of the way. "That's quite a cut. Here, hold your hair out of the way while I try to clean it up. I thought you'd gone to town for something when I saw the truck gone. I didn't even go looking for you, I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry about it, you were probably safer inside anyway. I think I've got a pretty good concussion. My stomach is really queasy."

Morrigan swabbed peroxide on the cut until she was sure it was as clean. "There. Take some aspirin and I'll sit with you for awhile."

"I'm tired Morr..."

"I know, but with a blow hard enough to draw blood, you shouldn't sleep for awhile. Why don't you come into the living room and I'll read you my latest story?"

"Someone is out there with my gun Morrigan and it's my responsibility to protect you..."

"Which you won't be able to do if you're passed out in the weeds." Morrigan took Merlin's hand in her own. "Let me help keep you awake until you're feeling better." Merlin tried to stand up, weaved a bit and clutched the table for support. "Merlin, don't be so stubborn. Let me help!" Merlin sighed and held out her hand. "Okay, okay..."