A woman, who very much resembles Laila, breaks away from the group and walks to Aden with her arms wide open. He lets me go to embrace her and leans down to kiss her cheek. I can see the similarities in their looks and age, so I assume that she is another sister.
Aden turns to me with a wide smile on his face, “Mom, this is Shaylee.”
I’m pretty sure my jaw just came unhinged from dropping to the floor so quickly. I’m stunned speechless and I can only imagine how ridiculous I look. His mom?
His—uh—mother beams at me, grabbing my hands and giving them an affectionate squeeze. “I’m Elysia.” She chuckles at, what I’m sure is, a dumbfounded expression on my face. “Hearing about it and seeing it are two very different things. I can imagine this is a lot to take in,” she says, patting my shoulder sympathetically. I’ve managed to pick my jaw up off the ground, although I am still trying to wrap my head around what I’m seeing. I simply nod. She gives Aden a reproving look, “I’m so happy to finally meet and spend time with you, Shaylee. I’m just sorry my son didn’t give you a little time to adjust before throwing you in the thick of it.”
Kindness and love radiate from her and I find myself reminded of my mom, slowly ebbing away some of my tension and shock. Aden slips his hand around me and settles it on my waist. As much as I loathe admitting it, he chases away the rest of my fears.
“I do have a surprise for you, though.” Elysia motions for us to follow her, and she moves to the family room. We walk behind her, through the aisle created when the group parts for us. A couple sits on a plump, cerulean love seat, looking anxiously in our direction. When I’m better able to observe them, I’m stopped suddenly in my tracks. It can’t be. My eyes are glued to the man as he stands and takes a step toward me. I close my eyes tight and prepare to see something different when I open them, but the vision doesn’t change. It’s like I’m staring at my father.
The man peers at me with trepidation and takes a step closer. I’m rooted to my spot and as he nears, I see a small difference in his looks; his lips are thinner and his jaw a little more angular. I consider the woman next to him and see the lips, nose, and face shape of my father. It finally dawns on me, these people are clearly relatives. My family. Something in my expression must convey my conclusion, because the man hastens his approach.
“Are you related to my dad?” I question. I want so much to be right.
The woman’s expression brightens at the clear longing in my voice. “We’re your grandparents, Shaylee.”
Once again, I am stunned into silence. But, I recover much quicker this time as joy floods my heart. There is a certain amount of awkwardness as I try to fit two people who look as though they are twenty-five into the box labeled “grandparents”. It’s quickly forgotten when my grandfather, pulls me into a warm hug. He smells like my dad, a woodsy smell like pine trees. I melt into the comfort he offers and fight back the tears that threaten. He releases me and I’m enveloped in the arms of his wife. While I still ache for my mother, the empty space is now partially filled with the familiar comfort of family. After a moment, she releases me and, taking my hand, draws me back to the couch.
I feel resistance and realize someone is holding me back by the belt loop on my jeans. Knowing who the offender is, I turn back to Aden and silently raise an annoyed eyebrow in question. He ignores my pointed look and quietly tells me that he is going to say hello to the rest of his family. Before I can respond, he grabs a front loop and gives it a light tug, pulling me just close enough to brush my lips with a lingering kiss before pivoting and heading toward the kitchen. I watch him walk away and it’s then that I notice the stares of just about everyone, in the room, are on me, but they shift back to their conversations when they see I’ve noticed. The sly smiles however, stay firmly planted on their lips.
That freaking jackass! He practically branded me in front of all these people, people I don’t know! I scowl at Aden’s retreating back, and then roll my eyes in defeat. Whatever . . . I can’t even focus on his antics right now. I make my way to the seat next to my dad’s parents and am once again presented with knowing looks—or look. My grandfather is frowning fiercely in Aden’s direction. His eyes soften when they return to me and he gestures for me to sit.
To my surprise, we fall into conversation easily. Their names are Cerylia and Durin, and I’m told to call them the Cery and Pop. I can’t stifle a laugh at that, and he sheepishly tells me that he overheard it in the human realm and decided he liked it. We are often interrupted by others who stop by to be introduced to me, but I don’t mind. It turns out that many of the visitors are my relatives and are there to welcome me home. I learn that my father was one of eight, and I have many cousins in the area. Cery and Pop lived in another city, several hours away, but have since moved here and I am excited to get to know them. It’s going to take me awhile to get used to most of us looking the same age, with the exception of the children. I expect to find myself overwhelmed at some point, but it never comes. Instead, I feel relief that I am not alone; I am surrounded by family and those who will become great friends.
Despite the many things that are new and unusual, I discover that this world is amazingly similar to the one I was raised in. Everyone has jobs and hobbies, everyday goals that are commonplace in the world. But, a big difference is that there are no separations of class. Everyone is equal and share the same resources. Aden’s parents have a large house to accommodate a large family, and while a family of two could choose a large house too, they often feel more comfortable in a smaller, cozier home. Living with complete honesty means little room for being vain or jealous, although it cannot eradicate it completely. This is not the city of Enoch, lifted up to Heaven for being perfect. The Fae must earn their place by keeping the purity of their soul intact until they are given the opportunity to replace their fallen ancestors in Heaven.
Eventually, we are called for dinner, a buffet having been set up along the counters in the kitchen. When our plates are full, I’m lead to a seat where I can continue to get to know people. Every once in a while, I see Aden checking up on me, when he sees that I am not being suffocated and am enjoying myself, a warm smile comes over his face, and he returns to visiting.
Long after the meal is done and put away, the exhaustion from the last couple of days starts to weigh me down. The sun is just beginning to set, though I feel as if it were late into the night, and I wonder at being tired so early in the evening. The crowds have dispersed, and it’s just my grandparents left among a few members of Aden’s family. He has an incredibly large family, with nine brothers and sisters. A yawn escapes me and I look at Cery and Pop apologetically.
“The last few days must be getting to me; I’m not usually tired so early in the evening,” I explain.
Cery laughs, “You must be exhausted from it all, but it’s also later than you think. It’s almost midnight, Shaylee.” I gape at her in astonishment, “Our nights are only about six hours long. You’ll get used to it, but for now, we really should get going. I prefer not to be out at night.”
“Even Rien has parts that have shadows, as well as where there are none during the day, such as here in Mivo (which I learned is the name of our city), we cannot avoid them when the sun goes down,” she expounds upon her comment. She must’ve seen the confusion on my face.
I walk my grandparents to the front door. Aden follows, but hangs back, leaning against the door to the front room. They hold me close for a moment, before Cery pulls back slightly, “We’re so happy you’re here, Lirimaerea.” Lovely one. My heart melts.
Pop is studying something beyond my shoulder intently, slight frown on his face, and after a glance back, I realize that he and Aden are having a stare down. Pop breaks the connection and looks back at me.
“We don’t live far from the training center. You could come and live with us, if you’d like. There is plenty of room, so you would have your own space without feeling as though we are crowding you.” Their offer is incredibly sweet, but
as much as Aden pisses me off, I feel safest with him. I’m about to tell them this when I feel the heat of Aden’s body behind me, and I’m yanked back against his chest. His hands fall heavily on my shoulders, holding me in place.
“She’ll stay at the training center.” His tone brokers no argument.
“For the love of—Aden, would you let me make my own damn decisions?” I shout.
His fingers tighten on my shoulders, a warning to keep my mouth shut. Are you kidding me? Pop’s face seems to reflect the irritation that, I’m sure, is obvious on mine. He looks ready to challenge Aden, and I decide to let him hand Aden his ass. He opens his mouth but before he can get a word out, Aden mutters, “Saliysuli.” Forever. I’m still trying to figure out how I can understand the words from his language. But, even if I knew why, it wouldn’t clear up his cryptic message to my grandparents.
At the word, their eyes widen slightly, bouncing back and forth between Aden and me, like a spectator at a tennis match. Cery’s face takes on a happy glow, and I am even more confused. She places her hand on Pop’s arm, and a look of resignation crosses his features. He sighs and without meeting my gaze, leans in to kiss my cheek, “We’ll see you soon, Lirimaerea.” Then he turns, walking through the yard, but not before throwing a warning glance back at Aden. I feel Aden nod and find myself wondering what the hell that was all about. For the last few days, I’ve felt like all the world knows a secret that I’m not privy to, and somehow, I’m at the center of it. At the moment, my head is spinning with all that I’ve dealt with, and I am too drained to try and figure it all out.
Cery gives Aden’s cheek a pat and then places a soft kiss on mine. “He’s perfect for you,” she whispers in my ear, then dashes off to the car. I watch her leave and give a little wave as they drive off. I feel a feather light kiss on the shell of my ear and Aden’s arms slide down from my shoulders to hug me close. My tired body gives in to the comfort of his embrace until I remember his ridiculous caveman act and indignation replaces the fatigue.
I pinch the skin on his arms, deliberately yanking on his arm hair. To my satisfaction, he gives a little yelp and lets me go.
“What the fuck, Aden?” I snap. “This Neanderthal bullshit isn’t going to fly with me, so you can cut that crap out right now!” My voice has risen to a shriek and I know I look like a raving lunatic, but I’ve pretty much ceased to care. Then I look into his eyes and realize they have darkened to a deep green, the way they look when he’s got dirty things on his mind. He’s turned on by this? Oh, that’s right. Dirty mouth equals horny Aden.
I know I’m not getting anywhere, so I stomp past him, into the house, and see his mom standing just behind him. Flames engulf my face, and I want to murder Aden repeatedly for making me embarrass myself in front of her. But, she is laughing, and then gives me a wink. “Don’t let him get away with it, honey. Our men can get way too big for their britches,” she whispers conspiratorially. I grin at her as she walks back to the kitchen, still chortling.
I give Aden the silent treatment on the way back to our apartments. I’m too damn weary to deal with anything else today. The sun has almost completely disappeared from the sky and the horizon is painted in brilliant shades of color, more than I’ve ever seen on any rainbow. The colors are muted by the night, but somehow, they still contain vibrancy in their pigment. It entrances me and I barely notice when Aden parks the car, until he holds my door open, reaching in to help me out. I grasp his hand and allow him to guide me from the car, then inside, through the building to the doors of our apartments.
Aden leans his back against the wall and grasps my waist, bringing me close until I’m standing within the V of his legs, cradled to his chest. I give in for the moment and snuggle into his heat. He kisses the top of my head, then my forehead, each of my eyes, my nose, and finally, brushes a sweet kiss across my lips. Tucking me back into his chest, he sets his chin on my head and exhales a sigh. “I’ll try to rein it in.” My eyes fly up to his and although I know the words coming from his mouth are sincere, I see it blatantly in his eyes and all my irritation recedes.
His eyes probe mine, and I see the desire lurking in their depths as well. “Despite your stubborn resistance to admitting it out loud, we both know you’re mine. Body, heart, and soul, we belong together. You’re also mine to protect, Shaylee, and I can’t do that if I’m not there. I need you with me like I need air to breathe, baby.”
My lungs are choked with emotion at his words. I want to let go and fall into him completely, but my wounds are still a little raw and I need time for them to heal. I lift my eyes and contemplate what I see in the green jade staring down at me.
“I’m not ready, Aden. I’ll stay close and let you protect me. But, I’m not ready to open up my heart and soul to you. I don’t think I can survive having it broken again.” I place my finger on his lips to keep him from protesting. “Give me time.”
He studies me, searching my face for something, and I know he wants to continue the discussion. My insides uncoil with relief when he brushes his nose against mine and releases me. “Go, baby. Get inside before I throw you over my shoulder and spend the night convincing you. I’ll meet you in the training room around ten in the morning.” He nods toward the door. I back away slowly, open my door, and duck inside. As I close it, I look out again and see Aden watching me longingly. “I’m serious, baby, shut that door right now or you’ll be spending the night without any sleep.” I shake my head in mock exasperation, but grin at him as I shut the door. I lean heavily back on it and my body slides languidly down to the floor. I hear a thump and the sound of fabric rustling. My lips curl up when I realize that Aden is sitting as I am, on the other side of my door.
Aden’s voice is muffled when he groans, “You’d better lock the fucking door, Shaylee.” A giggle escapes my mouth as I stand and flip the lock before I walk away.
Chapter Twelve
Aden
My lungs are burning, my legs are screaming, and every inch of my body is dripping with sweat. But no matter how many miles I run, I can’t wipe Shaylee from my mind. She consumes me, day and night. I’ve never wanted anything in the last seventy-six years like I want her. I don’t just crave her body either, although I’ve had a permanent semi since the moment I saw her again. I want it all. I want her to give me her body, her heart, her perfect soul.
No matter how many miles I run, I can’t get away from the fact that I’ve already given her all of those things. She fucking owns me, and I can’t out run the reality of it. So, it’s time for a game plan. I meant what I told her yesterday, she’s got until Friday. If she thinks I’m going to give her space, she’s out of her mind. I’m going to do everything I can to sweep her off her feet, and bring her to the brink of desire, so she is begging me to satisfy her need.
I hit the cool down button and take my speed down to a slow jog. Brannon hops onto the machine next to me and looks me up and down.
“You look frustrated.” His voice is anything but sympathetic. A knowing look enters his eyes and I can see that he is fighting a smile. Asshole. “Shaylee must be living in the other apartment.” I know he’s being a prick on purpose, so I just grunt a response, refusing to take the bait. Brannon gives in to his laughter, but wisely turns to his treadmill without comment and begins his workout. I slow down to a walk, and then hop off the machine after five minutes. Grabbing a towel, I give in to my childish side and whip it right at Brannon’s ass. He yelps (like a little girl) and stumbles, making me double over with laughter, before I give him a jaunty salute and make my way to the locker room and the showers.
At a quarter to ten, I head to the training room and get out the necessary items to begin Shaylee’s training. Out of the window, I can see others training on the fields, and I’m grateful that this space is almost empty. Laila is coaching a sparring match between two teenage boys, at the other end of the room, and gives me a wave before focusing back on her students.
Laila chose to become an instructor after a de
cade or so in the Mie'Lorvor. She wanted the real world experience, but decided quickly that she preferred to “get to the good part”, as she puts it. Most people underestimate her because of her size and short time in the field, but that just means they’ll get their asses handed to them that much harder. She’s one of the most powerful instructors at the facility and uses their ignorance to gain respect. Watching her take down an arrogant, know-it-all student is one of my favorite spectator sports. If I could sell tickets and popcorn, I’d make a fortune.
As I’m laying down footwork tape, I hear Laila call out a greeting. Setting the tape aside, I stand and turn toward the entrance, noticing that the boys have stopped practicing and are gawking at the door. I roll my eyes at their lack of focus and move my gaze to see what has their attention and stop dead in my tracks.
Oh, fuck no.
Shaylee is striding toward me, dressed in tight black running pants, molded to every muscle in her legs and showing off her spectacular ass. The straps of her purple top cross at the back of her neck, come down from behind and wrap around the front, just below her tits, before hooking in the back. The straps and support from the sports bra lift her generous tits up high and show off just enough cleavage to have every male mouth in the room filling with saliva. Way too much of her smooth, creamy skin is exposed. Before she reaches me, I hurry over, grab her arm, and lead her back out the door.
“Change. Now.” I demand tightly, my jaw grinding. She was startled by my reaction a moment ago, but at my words, her eyes narrow and her lips pinch in defiance.
“No.” She raises an eyebrow, waiting for my response, but when she folds her arms under her chest, I’m distracted by the plump flesh on display. The distraction just makes me that much more determined to get my way. Not to mention how difficult it would be to train her with a fucking hard on.
Protecting Shaylee Page 9
