Rose smiled up at him, then ran her tongue along her lower lip. "I hope you liked being bitten because I'm going to want to bite you all the time now."

Duncan's nostrils flared at the desire in her beautiful blue-green gaze. Nuzzling her neck, he said, "You're the only one who could make me this out of control."

She kissed him on the jaw, then smiled. "I seem to have very little control when I'm around you, too."

Duncan withdrew from Rose and planted kisses down her abdomen until he reached her thighs.

He heard her heart begin to beat faster when he pushed her legs far apart. Rose lifted her head to stare down at him. "What are you doing?"

He gave her a cocky grin right before he laved at her clit. "You really didn't think I was done with my Anima, did you?" He rubbed his thumb over her swollen nub, enjoying the smell of her scent mixed with his. He couldn't wait until she was ovulating again. If she thought he was all over her now... "Say Sonuachar," he said.

"Sonuachar," Rose breathed out, then moaned and arched her back, her pink nipples jutting in the air.

"It's the Irish equivalent of Anima," he said with a smile before he lowered his head to suck on her clit, nipping and teasing the sensitive skin.

Her keening cry of pleasure made his cock rev back to attention. Damn, she did it for him like no other.

"Sonuachar. I like the sound of that," she purred.

Me too, a ghra. Me too.

Chapter Seventeen

Rose picked up Duncan's phone on the first ring, her heart racing. Intuitively she knew it was her Sonuachar calling. "Hey, how'd your first meeting go?"

Duncan laughed. "Two days as my Sonuachar and already you know it's me before I say a word?"

"Yeah, I'm special that way," Rose replied with a grin. "So, how'd it go?"

"It was tense to say the least. I told the clan members it was their choice if they wanted to remain bald, but they no longer had to hide who they really were. Then Ronan showed up and all hell broke loose," he chuckled.

"That good, huh?" She was glad to see Duncan had a sense of humor about it.

"Actually, once the Vite, Lucian and I got everyone calmed down, I think the Sythen clan members liked the idea that Ronan was going take James' place. I guess they saw it as his 'right'. Lucian and I agreed Ronan should take James' property as his own. Who the hell knows if he'll actually occupy the place. Now, if I could just get Ronan to call the clan members Sythens instead of Atruans."

Rose couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sure that went over well."

"Don't get me started." He sighed but she could hear the amused smile in his tone. "But the meeting isn't why I'm calling. I'm in the mood to celebrate. Why don't you meet me at the Five Star Pavilion at seven? There's a show I want to check out."

"You aren't coming home first?"

"No, I've got to debrief with Ian."

"Speaking of shows, how's all this Sythen politics stuff going to affect your gigs?" she asked, her stomach tensing. She knew how much Duncan's music meant to him.

"It'll all work out," came his positive response. "See you in an hour and a half."

Rose hung up the phone with a smile on her face, ready to spend an evening with Duncan. As soon as her fingers lifted from the receiver, a tingling sensation rippled up her spine. But she refused to let the fact that Ronan was near get to her. She turned to walk up the chrome spiral staircase and saw the Guardian standing halfway up the stairs.

He wore a black leather vest and black jeans and today he'd left his hair unbound. The wavy black hair surrounding his face made his sharp, handsome features even more distinctive and his persona appear even darker.

Rose took a deep, calming breath. "What are you doing here, Ronan?"

As he walked toward her, his feet made no sound on the stairs. How did he do that? she wondered. He moved like a cat!

When he was a step away, towering over her, he stopped and folded his muscular arms across his chest. A scowl formed on his face.

"Ye should've felt me coming, Roisin. Expect the unexpected."

Rose raised her chin a notch and narrowed her gaze. "I did feel you coming. I just chose not to respond. You can see yourself out."

She moved to go around Ronan's large frame, but he blocked her path. "Ye need to expand and sharpen yer powers."

She raised her eyebrow at his arrogance. "My Sonuachar and his mother can teach me what I need to know."

Ronan snorted. "Tressa can't teach you battle skills and Duncan hasn't even tapped into the extent of his own powers yet."

Rose vividly remembered her first introduction to Ronan and his version of what she now realized was "teaching her". "Your methods are-"

"Effective," he cut her off in a harsh tone.

As extreme as Ronan could be, Rose had to agree he had a point. In battle mode, she'd reacted swiftly and without conscious thought, shifting in sheer defense. Yet she knew there was no way in hell Duncan would let Ronan train her. But if Duncan wanted to keep an eye on Ronan, to know the man's head and heart...what better way than to know how the man fought?

"Then teach us both," she countered, hiding a smile. She knew the idea of teaching Duncan would rub Ronan the wrong way.

"No."

"Suit yourself." Rose gave a nonchalant shrug, then bent her knees and took a flying leap over him to land at the top of the stairs.

She turned to walk down the hall, but Ronan blocked her path once more. Damn, he was unbelievably fast. Like a blur.

"So be it. Ye both will learn."

Before she could respond, Ronan shifted into mist. He spoke in her mind as he slid through a windowsill on the main floor. I'll be in touch.

Don't be so sure you won't learn a thing or two from us, she thought as she headed down the hall and entered her bedroom to change clothes.

As soon as Rose walked in the main entrance of the Five Star Pavilion, Michelle called out, "Rose! Come on. We're waiting on you."

Rose's brows drew together in confusion when she saw Ian, Jax and Mark standing next to her uncle and Michelle. What were the other vampires doing there?

Her chest tensed as she approached them. Please, don't tell me you've told Michelle about me being a vampire, she spoke in her uncle's mind.

Nigel hugged her and whispered in her ear, "No, sweetie, Michelle doesn't know the whole lot of you are vampires."

Rose hugged him back, replying in a low tone, "Thanks, Nigel. One day I'll tell her."

When Rose pulled away from her uncle, Michelle clasped her hand and tugged her close, hissing in her ear, "Why didn't you tell me Duncan had a twin?"

Rose smiled and whispered back, "Because he's already taken. Why torture you?"

Rose's gaze landed on the handsome couple standing next to Ian and Jax. They appeared to be in their mid-forties. The woman projected a comforting vibe-like her mother always did. Rose smiled and put out her hand to the woman with strawberry-blonde hair. "I'm Rose. You must be Duncan's parents." Rose glanced at the dark-haired man and continued, "I see a bit of both of you in Ian and Duncan. It's nice to meet you."

Tressa ignored her hand and pulled her close in a tight hug. "I'm Tressa and my Sonuachar is Marcus. You're a part of our family now, Rose. Welcome."

Rose hugged her back, loving Duncan's family already. "Thank you, Tressa."

We'll talk later, dear, the older woman spoke in her mind.

Rose smiled and nodded, thankful for Duncan's mother. Tressa understood what Rose's mother had gone through. She hoped Tressa would be willing to help her explore the powers she inherited from her mother.

Tressa kissed her on her cheek and spoke in her mind, amusement in her tone. Of course I will.

You read my mind...without me knowing you were there? Rose looked at the woman in surprise.

Tressa gave her a knowing smile. As I said, we'll talk later.

Nigel rubbed his hands together. "Well, now that we're all here. Why don't we head down to the show?"

Rose glanced around, looking for Duncan as she addressed her uncle. "I was supposed to meet Duncan here. What's going on?"

"Duncan just said for us to meet him here, too," Jax said.

"Yeah, we were wondering the same thing," Mark chimed in.

"My guess is Duncan's a bit busy at the moment, since Nigel was able to get Strainseir to play another night...well, at least a few songs, then a new artist will play for an hour," Michelle said.

"Come on, everyone," Nigel encouraged. "Duncan said he'd meet us inside."

So, Duncan was playing tonight. Rose's heart swelled as she followed the group. When she'd mated with Duncan the other night and finally shared her mind, he'd opened his to her as well. She was surprised to learn that none of his family, including his twin, knew of his band's success. They just thought he 'played around town'."

Tonight Duncan was sharing a part of himself with the ones who meant the most in his life. She smiled as they followed Nigel to their front row seats. She couldn't be more proud of her Sonuachar than she was at this moment.

The fans screamed and rushed forward when the lights dimmed and the band took the stage, but Rose was too busy watching Duncan's family's faces, waiting for the lights to illuminate the stage. When the lights came on, Duncan sang and played his guitar with all his heart. His excited energy projected outward as he walked the stage, interacting and working the crowd with his amazing charisma.

Rose smiled at the sight of tears streaming down Tressa's cheeks and the proud look on Marcus' face as he wrapped his arm around his mate. Mark looked pleasantly shocked, but Ian's expression tugged at her heart.

At first, he went pale and deep hurt crossed his face. When Rose saw Jax kiss her Anima on the cheek and wrap her arm around his waist in a tight hug, Rose moved close to Ian and grabbed his hand.

She spoke in his mind among the loud music and cheering fans. I've been inside Duncan's mind, Ian. Your acceptance and approval means everything to him.

Ian turned his amber gaze to her as the bright lights flashed up on stage.

Next to Jax, my brother means everything to me. He squeezed her hand. Take good care of him for me.

I promise. Rose squeezed his hand back and was relieved to see Ian smile-a smile so much like her mate's.

When she started to move back to her seat, Rose heard Jax's voice in her head. Thank you, Rose. Tonight was a real shocker to Ian. He was truly thrown.

Rose met Jax's steady gaze. Thank you for helping us.

It was my pleasure, Jax replied with a wink and a smile.

Rose grinned at Jax, then moved back to stand in front of her seat next to the stage. The lights had gone down and only a spotlight lit up the stage.

Duncan set down his electric guitar in the guitar rack and picked up an acoustic one before he sat down on the stool a roadie had pulled to the center of the stage. Hooking his boot heel on the lowest rung, he moved the mike to the right height.

"You all having a good time tonight?" he asked.

The crowd roared their approval. Catcalls and whistles followed.

Duncan grinned, then began strumming his guitar at a slow, ballad's pace. "I wrote this song entitled 'You are My Music' for a special person in my life." He glanced in Rose's direction as if he could see her beyond the bright spotlight, then finished, "I hope she likes it."

I thought I had my life figured out, knew it backward and forward without a doubt.

But the day we met that all changed. In an instant, my life rearranged.

What had always seemed wrong, suddenly became very right. All I wanted was to hold you tight.

You are the flower in my life. The one who helped me grow into the man you see tonight.

These words come straight from the soul, 'cause baby I want you to know...

You've changed my life, my heart, my peace, made me whole and set me free.

You are the beat within my soul and I'll never let you go You are the song, I can't refuse it...

Baby... you are my music.

I might not always know what's on your mind, but that's all right, 'cause we'll be fine.

You were the one who taught me to share, what it meant to care.