Jason laughed. “Whatever you say, Ari.”
Ariana glanced down again at the message from Sergei. She'd asked him if she could stop by to check on his plant, but he was outside the towers visiting one of the Coalition camps. He wouldn't be back until that evening, but he'd sent over the code to access his living quarters.
It was a little strange to go into his quarters while he wasn't there, but she wouldn't have another opportunity until tomorrow. Hayden was expecting her at dinner, and then she was supposed to spend the night with Alec. Her face warmed at the thought of Alec and what had happened between them the night before. She wasn't sure if she was more nervous or excited to see him again.
Her stomach fluttered in anticipation, and she shook her head to clear her thoughts. She needed to focus on attending to the small bush she'd awakened from seed. Plants needed a lot of care, especially in the beginning when they'd been encouraged to grow so rapidly. Given that she didn't have much experience with this particular type of plant, she wasn't willing to risk not checking on it.
Ariana entered the code to Sergei's quarters, and the door slid open. She froze, startled to see one of Sergei's men standing at his desk. He spun around, his hand reaching for his weapon.
She raised her hands and took a hasty step backward. Sending a strong wave of calming energy outward, she hoped it would work on a non-sensitive. Her heart thudded in her chest as she said, “Forgive me. I wasn't aware anyone was here. Sergei told me I could come by to check on his plant.”
His cold eyes narrowed on her, studying her intently. “Who are you?”
She swallowed. The man's hand still rested on his weapon, but he hadn't drawn it. His suspicion permeated the energy threads in the air, and Ariana detected a trace of fear. It surprised her, but she couldn't afford to be distracted by it. She pulled some of the moisture from the air, using the water to reinforce her shields to block the man's strong emotions.
“My name is Ariana Alivette. I'm a friend of Sergei's.”
He cocked his head as though evaluating her words and gestured toward the plant. “You gave him gift?”
Ariana nodded. “Yes, I gave it to him yesterday. I told him I'd need to stop by every day for a while to make sure it was growing well.”
He removed his hand from his weapon and motioned for her to enter. “I remember. You are healer too.”
“Yes,” she admitted, now realizing where she recognized him from. He'd been in the control center during the Coalition's attack on the towers. Kayla's former camp leader, Leo, had been severely injured in an energy attack and Ariana had healed him. “I'm sorry, but I don't know your name.”
“I am called Pavel.”
He watched her closely as she walked over to the plant on the table. She could already feel her internal barriers straining against the threatening weight of his emotions. It was strange how certain people affected her differently. It was probably not a good idea to linger, but she needed to be polite.
She gave him a small smile. “It's nice to meet you, Pavel.”
He didn't respond, but instead moved closer. She supposed his curiosity was to be expected. Sergei had been equally fascinated both times he'd seen her interact with plants. Maybe if she tried to engage him in conversation, she could alleviate his more potent emotions.
“Have you tried one of the berries?”
He nodded.
Ariana bit her lip. He wasn't much of a conversationalist. She decided to try again.
“Would you like to help me care for the plant?”
He appeared startled by the question and shook his head. “No. I will watch.”
“All right.” She wondered if his reticence in speaking was because he wasn't comfortable with the language. It didn't explain the fear she'd picked up, and she wasn't willing to lower her protective energy barrier enough to get a better read on him. She'd gotten used to Sergei's tight control and had forgotten how much his kind could affect her.
She sighed, brushing her fingers on the leaves of the plant. If they enjoyed this one, maybe she could see about harvesting the seeds and planting more of them for the rest of Sergei's people. It would be a wonderful way to generate more goodwill between them. She'd like to try some different types of plants too.
Ariana used her fingers to check the soil for dampness, sending out traces of earth and water energy toward the plant. While she went through the process, she launched into an abbreviated explanation about what she was doing. “The soil is a little drier than I'd like, and since this is a new plant, I'm going to add a little water to it.”
Ariana pulled out the small hydrating pack she'd brought with her and showed it to Pavel so he could see it was just ordinary water. She poured a bit of it into the soil and tested it again with her fingers and energy. So far, the plant seemed quite content in its new home.
“It doesn't need very much since I just grew it yesterday. New seedlings always need more water at first, especially when they're encouraged to grow so quickly.”
Pavel frowned. “You grow yesterday?”
She hesitated and then nodded. Sergei already knew about her skills, and Alec had assured her it wasn't a problem that the Coalition knew of their abilities. “Yes. Would you like to feel the soil so you can get an idea about how damp it should be? Different types of plants need different amounts of moisture.”
Pavel approached her and placed his fingers against the soil like she showed him. She was careful not to touch him, wary of any contact which could break through her carefully crafted emotional barrier.
“You will grow more?”
She smiled at him, pleased by his interest and that he appeared a little more relaxed now. “Yes. When I chose this one, I spent quite a bit of time looking up the different edible plants from your homeland. There are a lot of different plants I'd like to try growing. I haven't tasted many of them, and I think it would be wonderful to try them.”
He studied the plant thoughtfully before turning back to her. “You will come back tomorrow to care for plant?”
“Yes,” she agreed, brushing the dirt from her hands. “It's a hardy plant, but I want to make sure it grows well. I'll come back every day around the same time to check on it. Once it's established, Sergei should be able to easily maintain it.”
“Good.”
She gave him another smile. “It was wonderful to see you again, Pavel. Take care. I hope to see you again soon.”
He nodded, watching as she headed toward the door. “Yes, very soon.”
Chapter Ten
Ariana finished fastening her earrings and smoothed out the silver dress. She regarded her reflection with a critical eye, not wanting to give Hayden the wrong impression but needing to give him the respect he deserved. The dress she'd chosen that night was one of her favorites. Its spaghetti straps supported a low, draped neckline, and it fell nearly to the floor in a shimmering column. It had just the right touch of elegance for dinner. She might have chosen something a little more conservative if it were just dinner with a friend, but she was wearing the dress as much for Alec as she was for Hayden.
A soft chime echoed throughout her living quarters, and she walked over to the door. Hayden's eyes warmed at the sight of her, taking the time to slowly peruse her from head to toe before meeting her gaze. His mouth curved in an appreciative smile as he took her hands in his, enveloping her in his heated fire energy.
“Ari, you're breathtaking.”
She blushed and gave him a small smile, returning his energy with her own softer greeting.
“You look wonderful as well, Hayden.” She admired the sharp lines of his dark tunic and how it hung on his trim physique. The darkness of his clothing complimented his nearly-black hair and made his amber eyes even more compelling.
He lifted her hand, placing a gentle kiss on it before tucking her against his side and leading her toward the priority elevators. “Thank you for agreeing to go out with me tonight. I promise, there will be no pressure. This will just be two f
riends enjoying dinner and getting to know each other.”
She beamed a smile up at him. “Which restaurant are we going to?”
“Ah,” he said, programming the elevator to take them to the designated floor. “I've been wanting to take you to my newest place, Club Sapphire.”
She blinked, suddenly even more unsure about the evening. “The one that's open to Inner Circle members and non-sensitives?”
“Yes,” Hayden replied, obviously pleased she'd heard of it. “Your father told me you occasionally have difficulties being around non-sensitives, so I have set up an isolated area where we'll be having dinner. Some areas of the club only permit Inner Circle members, but they have the option of mingling with the rest of the club. From our private area, you should be able to see the entire club, but you won't actually be in the middle of it.”
“It sounds as though you've been speaking to my father more often than I have lately,” Ariana acknowledged with a frown. “I'm sorry, Hayden. I truly appreciate you taking my feelings into account. I'm just a little upset with my father right now. He's been avoiding me ever since Jason was hospitalized.”
He looked down at her, trailing a light thread of comforting energy over her. “You mentioned he hadn't told you about giving me permission to court you.”
“No,” she said with a sigh. “He gave you and Alec permission, but he hasn't returned any of my messages. We argued in Jason's hospital room and haven't spoken since then. I don't like leaving things so unsettled.”
“I understand, but you shouldn't worry. I'm sure he didn't intend to upset you. Your father has his hands full at the moment with a rather complicated issue,” Hayden said as the doors to the elevator opened.
He placed his hand on her lower back and escorted her out into a busy thoroughfare with a wide assortment of restaurants and high-end shops that catered to the Inner Circle. They passed several known acquaintances, and Ariana gave them small nods in greeting. A few of their looks were more than covetous, and she had the sinking feeling they'd heard about the incident at the river. Thankfully, they didn't approach, but it was most likely because of her escort. She was going to have to be more careful when she ventured out alone.
“Do you know what my father's working on?”
Hayden nodded. “Yes. There have been several problems related to the influx of Coalition and surface-dwellers entering the towers. He's been working with a taskforce to resolve some of these issues.”
Ariana frowned, wondering if Pavel's discomfort around her was related to these problems. Sergei hadn't said anything. In fact, he'd been much more understanding and open than most humans. “I wasn't aware there were any difficulties. What's going on?”
“Part of the issue is, we simply don't know anything about the people working on this new tower,” Hayden explained, taking her down a different corridor. “We've had some conflicts since everyone comes from a different way of life. They don't understand our ways, and most of our residents have never interacted with any of the surface-dwellers. We've been too isolated since the war.” He paused for a moment. “To make matters worse, there are more rumors than ever about our abilities. Too many of our people used their talents to fight against the Coalition during the siege on the towers. It's not just contained to the surface-dwellers or Coalition either. Our human residents are being affected too.”
“They're afraid of us,” she murmured. This could be disastrous for everyone involved if they didn't find some way to alleviate these fears.
“Yes,” Hayden agreed, slowing his pace as they approached another intersection. “With the creation of this new tower, we're going to need to integrate our people more with the non-sensitives. Ever since Kayla Rath'Varein returned from the surface, there's been even more curiosity about the Inner Circle. It's gotten worse since the Coalition occupation. I created this club in response to that demand. So far, it's been an extremely successful endeavor.”
Ariana glanced at him, thoroughly impressed by not only his instinctive business sense but also by his philanthropy. Perhaps giving all of their people an opportunity to engage in a safe environment would help reduce any tensions. “What a wonderful idea, Hayden.”
He gave her a small smile and gestured in front of them. “You'll have to let me know what you think.”
Ariana turned to look at the exclusive club in front of them, a spill of sapphire-blue lighting against the black-and-silver design. Hayden led her inside, where thousands of blue crystalline shards floated from the ceiling, reflecting their light onto the walls and floor. He gave the receptionist and security officer a brief nod and took her into the main area.
Hayden had been accurate in his description, but it didn't even come close to captivating the experience of being there. The club was laid out in three circular tiers, staggered in such a way a guest could watch what was happening from almost every location. A designated dance floor was set up on each level, allowing people to decide if they wanted to mingle or not.
He'd brought her through the middle-tier entrance and into a roped-off area separating them from the population. A table was set up on a dais, away from everyone but close enough they could watch all three tiers.
Hayden leaned close to her ear. “If you have any problems, let me know and we can leave.”
Ariana nodded, grateful for the offer. The energy, ambiance, and music were exhilarating and exciting but more than a little overwhelming. There was a slight pounding against her temples, but it wasn't anything she couldn’t handle. At least, not yet. They were far enough away from the throng that the tumultuous explosion of emotions shouldn't be too taxing, but she'd need to keep some water handy to be on the safe side. It was worth it for the experience, if nothing else.
Hayden led her to a private table and pulled his chair over to sit beside her. A moment later, a server appeared and poured them each a glass of wine. She glanced at it, deciding that a small splash of water in her wine probably wouldn't be enough.
“Would you mind if I also had a glass of water? It'll help with some of the stronger emotions.”
“Of course.” He motioned the server over again and indicated her request. As soon as the server disappeared, Hayden turned back to her. “I hope you don't mind, but I went ahead and spoke to the chef earlier. I asked him to prepare his specialty for us. Jason told me a few of your favorite dishes, and I think you might enjoy this.”
Ariana tilted her head to study him. “I feel as though I'm at a disadvantage here, Hayden. You know far more about me than I know about you.”
He placed his hand over hers, sending a light flare of energy over her. “I'm hoping that might change tonight, Ari.”
She didn't answer right away and took a sip of her wine before turning back to study the dance floor. Hayden was an incredibly attractive man, and his attention was flattering, but she didn't have enough room in her heart for anyone else. Even though he'd indicated this would be a friendly dinner and so far hadn't crossed any lines, the emotions she was picking up from him weren't exactly platonic.
The server placed a glass of water in front of her, and she took a long drink and used the water to weave her mental barrier even tighter. It wasn't fair to keep reading Hayden's emotions when he couldn't do the same.
“Most of what I know about you is from my brother,” she admitted, deciding on a light and friendly approach. “He's told me a few stories about your antics.”
He arched a brow, his eyes twinkling with amusement. He leaned back and rested his arm on the back of her chair. “I wouldn't believe anything he says. If it's your brother telling the stories, I was most likely the innocent bystander. Jason enjoys stirring up trouble whenever the opportunity arises.”
“You know him well,” she agreed with a laugh. “All right, I won't ask if the stories are true. I must admit, I'm not sure if I should be nervous or impressed anyway.”
“Maybe one of these days I'll tell you,” he teased. “I'd like to make it through one evening with you before scaring y
ou away though.”
“I don't scare that easily.” She took another sip of her wine but kept the water glass close. “Now you have me very curious.”
“No, I think you're right. You don't scare easily,” Hayden replied with a thoughtful expression. “I thought for a long time you were just shy, and that's why you avoided going out with our social group. That's never been the case, has it?”
Ariana shook her head, unsurprised by his assumption. Sadly, many people believed the same. She enjoyed being around people, but certain circumstances made it uncomfortable, especially since no one had known about her talents for years. It's impossible to guard against something if you don't know it's a possibility.
“No. I wouldn't say I'm shy, but it's sometimes easier to be alone. Some people are more difficult to be around than others, and too many people in close quarters can become overwhelming.” Ariana gazed out at the tiered dance floor. “They look like they're having fun, but I don't think I could ever join them.”
“Would you want to?”
She took another sip of her wine and shrugged. “I've never considered it. In a way, I suppose I've missed out on a lot of experiences. I've been trying to make up for them lately, but there are some things that will probably always be out of reach.”
He was quiet for a moment and then said, “I might have a solution.”
She tilted her head, curious to hear his suggestion.
“How about dancing with me right here? You won't be out there with all of them, but you can still have the experience.”
“Here?” She looked around in surprise.
“Yes. It's my club. I can make up whatever rules I want,” Hayden said with a grin. He stood and held out his hand to her. “Come on, Ari. Dance with me. Let's give you another experience.”
Ariana laughed and placed her hand in his. It was a little unconventional, but she'd had a lifetime of convention already. A little fun wouldn't hurt.
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