Page 62 of Charmed

"I'm so confused." Ceara glanced at each of them. "Why Fiona? I mean, if he was going to make a play at one of us, why not Kaida? She grew up with distant relatives off the island. She didn't know we or the curse existed until a few months ago. He could've slain her before she got to Six Fates and all this would be moot. Plus, she didn't have the connection we do. She would've been the easier party to sway."

Tristan rubbed his lips in thought. "Could be he wanted to see how everything unfolded. He didn't try to kill her until after she and Brady completed their task."

"True." Kaida nodded. "But Brady and I had a bond already in place through our dreams. Your uncle never would've gotten me on his side, and I suspect he knew as much. Fiona, on the other hand, is different." She slid her gaze to the sister in question, expression one-hundred percent irritation wrapped in contempt. "It's no secret her and Riley don't always get along. Of the six of us, she's the one who stands all by herself. Independent to a fault. She doesn't need anybody. Better off alone. Isn't that what you said an hour ago?"

Riley whipped his attention to Fiona, but her hard profile offered no insight. Arms crossed, jaw set, she glared at Kaida.

So, there was truth to the comment. Fiona did feel alone and preferred it that way.

Pain sliced through tissue and bone, leaving his chest an aching mess. After all they'd been through, was he nothing more than a means to an end? Exactly what was he to her, a forced cohort and decent distraction until their time was up? He thought they'd been building up to something special the past couple weeks. At least, something deeper than familial loyalty, destined partnership, and physical chemistry. They'd shared more than great sex, hadn't they?

Then again, maybe he was as delusional as his ancestors. Twice, she'd slipped out of bed instead of facing dawn beside him. She adamantly avoided any topic that involved emotion, and just this morning, she'd tried to slap a casual label on their relationship. Actually, she'd outright denied they had a relationship.

Throat tight, he rubbed his gut like that would settle the acid eating away his stomach lining.

"You're out of line," Fiona snarled. "I would never help that piece of crap if my life depended on it."

"That's not what I said." Kaida leaned forward. "I said you're incapable of letting anyone in. There's more going on than the Minister. You have a week to finish your task. Celeste claimed anger would distract you, but she also implied you didn't have to do your part alone. Perhaps you're focusing on the wrong hint."

Teeth bared, Fiona slammed her hands on the table as if to rise.

Tristan tapped her arm, shaking his head. "Only food for thought, Fiona. Set the task on the back burner. You and Riley can discuss it." He gave Kaida the hairy eyeball. "In private."

Yeah, that would happen in the realm of never.

Speaking of tasks, though... Riley glanced at the tattoo on his wrist, recalling the weird anomaly this morning. "My mark burned earlier today."

Brady shrugged, his expression bored. "Welcome to the club. It happened to Kaida and me all the time."

"This was different. We weren't in physical danger. It occurred for a split second in the kitchen, then it stopped. Hers didn't react at all."

"That's strange." Ceara frowned. "What were you doing at the time?"

"Fighting." What else was new? Riley looked to Fiona, but she wasn't offering any assistance. "We disagreed about what it meant being together last night."

Ceara slowly nodded, ah-ha in her eyes. "And the tattoo kicked in when she resisted the topic of a relationship."

"Let's bring up my menstrual cycle next." Fiona eyed her cuticles like the conversation wasn't bothering her. "That'll be so fun."

It wasn't as if he wanted to air their dirty laundry, but they needed the group's input. "I'm sorry, but they should know. Nothing arose with the tattoo that night in the woods or in the alley. It's strange it burned when there was no threat. Neither of us understands what it means."

"I do." Kaida raised her hand. "We already brushed on the subject. Fiona is a loner. She was pulling away from you and...boom. Brady and I didn't resist our connection, thus our marks activated when we were in physical danger. Yours is probably emotional."

Well, damn. Could that be right? He was up shit creek without a paddle, then.

Fiona made a sound of agitation and shifted in her seat.

Again, Tristan stepped in. "Okay, also something for you and Riley to talk over. For now, we need to figure out what Uncle Greg is up to, especially considering there was a hunter with him in the last encounter."

"I agree," Ceara said quietly. "If we complete our assignments, he's free. If we don't, he lives forever, able to kill witches. Not to repeat myself, but I don't understand his agenda in trying to recruit Fiona. Either scenario is a win-win for him. He doesn't need her."

"Something was very off about the whole situation." Fiona took a deep breath, shrugging her shoulders as she exhaled. "They trapped us in the alley, but didn't physically threaten us. He had the blade on him, but didn't try to unsheathe it until I said no to his offer. There may have been a few insults tacked on to my refusal. Anyway, it was how he responded to my taunts. He gave off an I-know-something-you-don't-know vibe more than once."

Shaking his head to clear it, Riley refocused on the topic at hand. He'd discuss the rest with her alone later if he had to restrain her to accomplish the feat. "She's right. Fiona laid out both outcomes in the alley, but when she said he wouldn't be around for the aftermath if we won, he implied she was wrong."

"That can't be accurate." Brady laced his fingers behind his head. "All the accounts we have back up those two conclusions. And if we're really going to dig into motive, my bet is he would rather live forever and continue his vengeance than concede victory."

"Two days ago, I would've agreed with you," Fiona said. "But you weren't there. My intuition says he was doing more than goading me. Maybe I should take him up on his offer."

---