by Lyla Oweds
Titus nodded, his lips pressed in a tight line.
So, they were against me helping here too. I couldn’t help downstairs. I couldn’t help figure out what had happened upstairs. I felt so useless.
“Where did Kasai go anyway?” I muttered, turning away from them both.
“Damen has to concentrate to keep Kasai here,” Julian replied. “He’s sent Kasai back until he’s finished with Miles.”
At least I was getting somewhere now. “And what is Damen doing with Miles?”
Silence answered my question. They were looking at each other again, trying to figure out what to say.
Julian raised an eyebrow, glancing at me, but it was Titus who spoke. “She’s not ready yet. If we tell her, she’ll go right downstairs and try it herself. It needs to come naturally the first time. Forcing it is dangerous.”
“True,” Julian muttered, studying me. “Besides that, we don’t know how long it’ll be before she’s at full strength. She’s been on that medication a long time, and it continues to block her. It could hurt her.”
“Try what?” I frowned, glaring at their stubborn faces.
Phooey.
“We can provide power boosts to the people we support in the cycle.” Julian’s face was stern. “In your case, you support Damen. You’ve already done so, inactively, simply by being near. That’s why Kasai can speak. But…” His voice turned commanding. “You’re not ready to try to do such a thing on purpose.”
Titus nodded in agreement.
I wouldn’t get anywhere with this tonight. Miles would tell me tomorrow. He was the only one who wasn’t against me helping.
“Fine…” I grumbled.
“Please don’t look so sad.” Titus pulled me toward him. “You’ll understand one day. When it’s safe, and when you don’t feel pressured.”
Pressured? But I didn’t feel pressured. I only wanted to help. To be useful.
“It’s about intention,” Julian agreed. “Going into this while anxious skews the process.”
I didn’t get it, but their words replayed through my head as Julian ate his own dinner. Throughout the rest of the evening, no one mentioned it again. Julian and I studied, or tried to, while Titus went over the footage, making sure to keep the basement screens hidden from my view.
Hours later, Titus decided it was late and Julian tucked the duvet around me as he kissed my forehead. I had gotten no closer to being at peace.
I wasn’t certain which was more distracting: the soft sounds of Titus’s breathing from the floor beside me, or knowing that Damen and Miles might need my help. But no matter what caused my restlessness, it was difficult to sleep that night.
Chapter Thirteen
Bianca
Gift
Despite my heavy thoughts, I had managed to rest. When I woke up, it was to Miles and Damen’s snoring as they lay near Titus.
Julian, on the other hand, was already awake. He sat near the monitors, a pensive expression on his face. But when he’d noticed me looking at him, he smiled and waved me over.
At my movement, Titus also woke up.
Titus stole my cellphone away from Damen, and the three of us prepared for the day. From the looks of things, Damen and Miles were going to be out of commission for a while. Even when Titus tripped over his leg, Miles didn’t stir. And Damen, although he was next to the spectacle, didn’t move.
They remained asleep until it was time for me to go to class. Titus, who’d been waiting to drive me in before going to work himself, met me at the door.
“I’ll pick you up at the library,” Julian said, helping me into my coat. “My lecture lets out an hour after your last class ends.”
I glanced behind Julian toward the living room, and he noticed. “Don’t worry about them. I’ll be here until my class. I’ll wake them before I leave.”
But still, I was concerned. “Are you sure there’s nothing I can do?”
“What did I tell you?” Julian poked my nose, a lazy grin taking over his face. “Don’t stress about it.”
But I still didn’t understand the point of his statement.
“Time to leave.” Titus pulled on his own jacket and tied back his hair. “We’re going to be late.”
We were? The last I checked, we were running early.
Julian glanced at him, amused. As if he was in on a secret. “All right.” He brushed his lips over my head then pushed me toward Titus. “Good luck.”
I glanced back at him, but Titus was already leading me to the car. Between the two of them and their cryptic messages, I was going to lose my mind.
Good luck.
What an odd thing to say. College wasn’t that unsafe, I didn’t think. So why in the world would I need luck?
If anyone might need luck, it would be Julian. He was going to have a terrible time waking up Damen and Miles.
My stomach churned in guilt at the reminder of their comatose forms. It was hard to enjoy Titus’s fancy new car or the fall foliage views. And I was alone with my thoughts as he drove through the small town leading to the university.
It felt wrong to continue my routine. When Titus pulled into the library parking lot, I couldn’t hold myself back anymore.
“I don’t understand. How can I concentrate on class at a time like this?” I pulled at my sleeves. “And now you’re late for work because of me. You didn’t need to wait.”
“Actually, when you own the company, you’ll find you can create your own hours,” Titus replied, removing his sunglasses.
His mouth was saying one thing, but my memory recalled something entirely different.
For example, the fear on Titus’s face at the very mention of Maria. I couldn’t imagine that she was okay with him coming and going as he pleased.
Titus was nervous too. He’d been bouncing his leg for the last few minutes. And after he parked, his anxiety seemed to intensify.
My worry for him succeed in distracting me from my thoughts. “What’s wrong?”
My question seemed to be what he needed. He unbuckled his belt and reached toward me. However, instead of opening my door, which I thought was his intention, he gripped my hands.
“I have a present for you.” His cheeks turned pink. Yet despite his shyness, his voice was strong and unwavering. And his gaze remained steady on mine. “I mentioned it before, but I wasn’t sure when to give it to you.”
I tilted my head, curious. I had forgotten that he’d gotten me something, and my insides twisted uncomfortably. The boys had done so much over the last few days, including buying me a cellphone and the equipment they’d bought. It seemed wrong to accept another gift.
But he looked so determined—and scared. This seemed to be important to him. I wanted to make him happy.
My racing heart wouldn’t let me deny him, even as my mind warned me it was too much.
“What is it?” Knowing Titus, he might have purchased something from the Tarepanda collection. I’d only ever seen items through Google, never in person. And it was a fact that owning floppy panda paraphernalia was a lifelong dream of mine…
That wasn’t so scary.
Instead of answering, he gazed at my hair. I’d left it down today, and it flowed in waves around my shoulders to the small of my back. My hair was naturally wavy, but the curls were more pronounced now because of the braids that he’d put in my hair last night. They’d half fallen out during the night.
Was he angry I took them out?
I was about to apologize, afraid that I’d hurt his feelings. Before I could say a word, his lips quirked. He appeared to have made up his mind about something. “Did I tell you that I like your hair? It’s so silky and bouncy. And it’s so soft to touch.”
… And he was surprised that I thought he was a stalker?
It was because I no longer feared for my life that my heart didn’t lurch in terror. Besides, what did this have to do with my present? Surely, he wasn’t looking for hair-care tips? We could have had this conversation last night.
>
“Thank you,” I said slowly, watching his face. However, his expression was unreadable. “I like your hair too. You can touch it again, if you want.”
Titus’s grin grew, and he leaned over me. I thought he was going to give me a hug, or perhaps smother me. But, instead, his fingers moved near my left ear as he gathered a portion of my hair and pinned it back.
I sat, stunned, as I’d not even seen anything in his hand. Then my hand covered the clip resting above my ear. “What is this?”
He seemed nervous now, pulling down the passenger side visor and exposing the mirror. “It might be too much for class, but I hope you’ll accept it anyway.”
Now that I could see it, the gift was obviously not a clip at all. Rather, he’d twisted my hair back with some sort of hairpin.
The gold item was small and delicate. Above the twist of my hair were three pearls, arranged into a bouquet. Tiny diamonds resembling foliage, rested around the pearls. And beside the gems were green-tinted golds molded into the shape of a leaf.
My fingers moved over the stones lightly—I was almost afraid to touch it. This piece had to have personal significance, otherwise why would he have been nervous? It looked antique, despite its shining appearance.
“It was my mother’s.” Titus watched me, a soft look to him. “And my grandmother’s before her. It’s a family heirloom. It was packed away once my parents found out I was the Xing. But I had Maria take it out. I want you to have it. You’re the only person in the world I’d want to have it.”
What could I say…?
“Are you sure?” It was hard to breathe with the intense look he was now giving me. Far from being someone who’d just been nervous, he certainly knew how to pull off smoldering. “I mean…” I backed up, putting distance between us. I couldn’t think with him that close to me. Nor his eyes that… sparkly. “It’s an heirloom. You said it was put away.”
“I don’t have any siblings.” Titus turned from me, bracing his arms over the steering wheel. “Did Damen tell you that the Xing can’t have children?”
“He did,” I answered.
Damen had mentioned something, but never explained why. Was it a biological reason? Or was there something else?
In either case, I’d avoided thinking about it. When Damen and I spoke two nights ago, my old dream resurfaced. There was too much going on to focus on it now. So avoidance was best. When there was a reprieve, I’d figure it out then. Not a moment before.
“But that doesn’t matter anyway.” Titus sighed. “No matter who we were, you’d have it anyway.”
“What do you…” I was stunned into silence before I finished my question.
Titus, who seemed so far away a moment before, nuzzled against my neck. His breath was warm against my skin. His hands, though shaking, were hot as they spread over my back while he held me to him.
“Titus?” I squeaked pathetically. I couldn’t think at this proximity. My heart raced and I tingled where he touched me. It was almost too much. “What are you…”
Again, my words trailed off as my heart fluttered. It moved in almost the same rhythm as Titus brushed something soft against the skin of my neck.
My face flushed. “What was that?”
Titus smirked against me, and then he lifted his face. His expression, which had been so torn before, now seemed lighter. “That, princess…” He put his dimples out in full force. “…was a butterfly kiss.”
Was he serious?
Titus, the largest and scariest-looking of the guys, giving out butterfly kisses. Besides that, who in the world had come up with such a ridiculous term?
However, at the same time, it was fitting. My heart was still fluttering.
But what possessed him to do that? The neck sniffing, the kiss thing. It had to be a strange shifter routine. In either case, I couldn’t think of a single response.
This felt like something significant. From the expectant look on his face, I knew he wanted me to say something. Yet, my mind had gone numb.
I was flattered and excited.
But on the other hand, a sense of fear was threatening to break my carefully constructed reality.
They were all doing it now. This weird, flirtatious behavior. Miles and Julian moved subtly. Titus, in this awkward—but cute—way. And Damen… in however-the-world you’d describe his actions.
It had been happening since the beginning, I suspected. But I couldn’t deny it anymore.
They were not being very good best friends.
We had an agreement, damn it. We were supposed to be monks together. They weren’t supposed to do this to me. I couldn’t deny that I was attracted to them, but…
While I was panicking, the moment passed. Titus’s expression changed, masking over disappointment with indifference. “What class do you have now?” he asked, tracing a line over my shoulder.
I ignored the stab in my chest as my mind grasped onto this new topic.
This. School was always safe to talk about. Besides, we did need to address this. I had been suspicious of the advice I’d been given.
“I’m going to literature,” I told him, forcing myself to smile. “I’m excited. I’m working on a special project.”
That seemed to intrigue him—if his raised eyebrows were any indication. “What kind of project?”
“I’m doing research on dragons.” He’d be so proud that I’d taken on the initiative to learn more about him. I held up my finger, counting. “I’ve already started on The Hobbit. Miles also suggested Eregon and The Chronicles of Narnia…”
Titus’s face fell at the mention of the first title, and the horror spread over his expression with each following title. “Miles suggested these books?”
“Yes…” I tentatively responded, unsure if I was betraying Miles. “He said it would help me understand dragon behavior.”
Something flashed in his expression. Hope—that had dimmed after the entire kissing incident—flared to life. “You’re researching dragons?”
Hesitation still laced my thoughts, but I managed to respond. “Yes. I want to know more about you.”
Titus smiled then, the excitement back in his eyes. “Of course. Do your classwork, but don’t rely on any information from those books.”
What was he saying? It sounded as though he didn’t want me to learn. “But—”
He held up his finger. “I’ll bring you books from my library. You’ll learn anything you’d want to know from them.”
Chapter Fourteen
Bianca
Missed
The day dragged by, worry for Damen and Miles plaguing my thoughts along with recollections of what happened in the car with Titus.
I was sure that my face would stay warm forever.
I wasn’t sure why I was embarrassed. Or why my heart felt weird. It wasn’t like they had changed in their interactions with me, much. Even though it’d been less than a week, I had gotten used to their constant touches. Our strange, supernatural bond probably played a lot into this, because it had taken years for me to allow Finn to hold my hand.
Titus had stolen my phone from Damen and returned it to my bag. But I hadn’t yet glanced at it. If I was being honest with myself, I’d been avoiding communication since Titus had left. From everyone.
My thoughts were in disarray, and my nerves frayed. The incident with Titus, and the memories it brought up, had thrown me into a dark pit of worry that I probably should, but didn’t want, to address.
Instead of looking at my phone, or thinking about my messed-up past, when I’d gotten to the library, I threw myself into my reading. I never wanted to feel useless again. Even if I had to figure out things myself, I would become a valued member of the team. And so, secluded in a corner of the third floor, I researched.
Even with the latest in Chinese medicine, mythology, and paranormal texts, I was no closer to an answer. I had figured out, at this point, that we were in a paranormal college. So, you’d have thought we’d have updated information. Perhaps
my approach was wrong.
I had just begun another list when Ms. Protean’s accusing tone sounded behind me. “Miss Brosnan?” The unexpected noise caused me to slam my hand down, breaking the point of my pencil as I turned in my seat.
“Ms. Protean!” I sounded nervous even to my own ears. And my heart pounded, this time from surprise and anxiety. After all, Damen and I had gone to see her sister. I doubted she would be happy about it. “What can I do for you today?”
Even if she had noticed, would she blame me? Mrs. Cole had agreed to the interview, and it was Damen’s fault. He’d driven there. Ms. Protean didn’t own her sister. Mrs. Cole was older. And if my understanding was true, it was that the older sibling was always correct and to be respected at all times.
Heck, if my own sister had grown up with me, I would have respected the crap out of her.
Ms. Protean touched her half-moon glasses, gazing at me as she grasped her cane with her other hand. Her expression put me on edge.
“Hello again, Miss Brosnan,” she repeated, eyeing the books piled beside me. “I’m sorry to have startled you. However, I’ve sought you out for an educational purpose today. You see, I’ve received a strange memo. Then I just happened to notice you here all alone while I was passing by…”
I pressed my hand to my racing heart. She didn’t know that Damen and I had gone behind her back. I was saved.
“But as I drew near, I was reminded of my sister. Along with the tell-tale stench that is Mr. Abernathy’s suffocating cologne.” She narrowed her eyes. “Can you please assure me this is a terrible coincidence? That you, perhaps, picked up a new perfume? That, afterwards, you and Mr. Abernathy explored the extent of your youthful passions together?”
I gaped at her.
“From the expression on your face, I’m assuming no.” Ms. Protean sighed, her shoulders dropping. “I should have expected. You were up to no good the moment you left my office. Between you both, it cannot be stopped.”
