by Deanna Chase
I placed my feet on the cheap carpet and stood up. “You need to leave.”
“Are you refusing my offer?” His nostrils flared. “Think carefully before you answer.”
“I know it’s hard to believe a girl would turn you down, but yeah, I’m refusing you.” I shot him a defiant look, my fingers digging into my palms, anger bubbling up like a bad case of indigestion.
“You need to be measured.”
“Measured?” Okay, at that point I was yelling a little bit. “Maybe you’re a rogue, what makes you think I could trust you? I have a life to get back to that doesn’t involve playing with your magical wand.”
He widened his stance and folded his arms. “You have no respect.”
“Don’t you dare talk to me about respect,” I fumed, going over each syllable. “You think I owe you respect after what your kind did to me, what I was turned into against my will?”
I walked right up to this man who had turned my entire world upside down and pushed him.
“Get. Out.”
Adam went rigid, but he did not interfere. That’s what made me even angrier—because Adam always came to my defense. Now I was alone.
I felt a strong pull where my hand was placed on his chest, as if we were connected by some intangible force. Justus covered my hand with his and spread a devilish grin across his face. From fingertips to toes, a numbing sensation covered me as if Novocain were pouring out of him. There was a vibration, a culminating heat, and my eyes widened at the unfamiliarity of it all, and yet how strangely right it felt. Adam stepped forward to break the contact… but after his face looked into mine, he paused and actually stepped back.
“Holy shit, Z, your eyes,” he breathed.
Electrical impulses generated in every fiber of my being. My eyes were locked on Justus, and I was pissed. Justus rested his thumb on my temple and in the flecks of his eyes were tiny flashes of light. He looked surprised and suddenly broke contact, dropping his hand.
I could barely stand. I was spinning.
“What did you do to her?” Adam moved to grab me, but Justus knocked him to the ground, sending one of the chairs flying against the wall. Adam looked ready to knuckle up, but Justus held him firm with his forearm.
“Back off, human! She is a conduit; you shouldn’t touch her when she’s charged. If you do,” he growled in Adam’s face, “you will know what it feels like to be a bug in a zapper should she touch you back.”
“Make it stop,” I gasped. It was moving within me like an animal in a cage—growling, thrashing, and snapping.
Justus appeared in my line of vision. “Look at me, Learner. You must level down.”
My hand was pulled over his wound and I drew in a deep breath. Spider webs of thin, bluish light, barely visible to the naked eye, threaded between us. There was a connection forming, like a rush of wind down my neck and through my hair. Justus stepped closer—our bodies nearly pressed.
“Release it into me.” His voice was soft, yet demanding. “You know what to do, listen to what your body wants to do. It’s leading you.”
His breath touched my face as his lips whispered into my ear. I wasn’t sure what he meant, but my body reacted in a way that felt shockingly natural. A pulse of energy left through my fingers so quickly that once it was released, my knees gave. Justus caught me with his right arm and set me on the bed.
I was freezing and my teeth chattered.
Adam was perched against the wall, looking at us through his peripheral.
My confusion rose when I looked at Justus. His head was tilted back, eyes hooded and mouth parted as if he were being serviced.
Suddenly, his hand came down over my face and caressed my neck. A thumb settled over my throbbing cheek and a flash of white heat penetrated from his touch. Within seconds the pain simply vanished. He traced the outline of my jaw with his fingers as a lover might.
“I want you to leave.” My head jerked away.
“As you wish, Learner.”
***
I stood in the bathroom, pulling a tank top over my head. It was as if all the warm energy had been expelled when I released into Justus, and even after a hot shower, I still felt like ice was running in my veins. Adam was unresponsive. After Justus left, he avoided me.
Completely.
I went downstairs and heated up the Chinese food before deciding to give up the aversion game. I had a lot running through my head as well. Adam might hate me now, he didn’t sign up for this. But what really had me concerned was the danger I could be putting him in—if my Creator was after me, then he wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to hurt Adam.
When the door cracked open, Adam was lying on the bed in his black, cozy sweats, shirtless with his arms behind his head. He didn’t really have much chest hair; most of it was dark and fine against his tan.
“Hmmm,” he chuckled. “Shorts?”
I glanced down at my boy shorts panties. “You do the laundry; you should know.” There was an awkward pause.
The air-conditioning was cranked to level Siberia. I shivered, tiptoeing to the other side of the bed. Adam stretched out as if he were a cat basking in the sun, watching every move I made from the corner of his eye. A gust blew my hair forward and I captured it.
“So how are we going to do this?” I asked.
“I prefer to be on top, if you don’t mind.” A subtle wink.
“Excuse me?”
When he caught my expression, his body shook, muscles tightening as he laughed out loud. Snatching the pillow from beneath his head, he covered his face. I’m the girl with all the lines, so when the table was turned and I was caught off guard, it only peeved me off. I folded my arms and gave him an evil eye powerful enough to reduce the pillowcase to ash.
When he uncovered his face, he peered up at me, fluffing the pillow behind his head.
“Covers, I mean. I’m a perfect gentleman, so don’t give me your look.” His eyebrows wiggled mischievously. “Baby doll, I can’t sleep on that hard floor and be functional tomorrow. The bed is large enough, so I think you should be able to keep your hands off of me, being that I’m so irresistible to you,” he said wistfully, turning his back to me.
He was irresistible—he just didn’t have a clue.
Tugging the end of the comforter off the bed, I curled up on the floor. The sheets rustled and a voice hung over the bed.
“What are you doing?” he spoke softly. “I swear I won’t lay a finger on you; if you won’t trust me then you can have the bed.”
“No.”
“Then come up. I’m not letting you sleep on the floor,” he said as his anger began to surface. “Are you mad at me?”
“It’s not too late to back out, Adam.” I looked over my shoulder. “You don’t have any obligations to me and I won’t judge you, I won’t even blame you, so it’s not something you have to carry on your conscience.”
Adam threw his legs over the bed and scooped me up in his arms.
“I meant what I said—some men stick around. I’m one of those men. You think I’m going to turn my back on you just because of a little static?”
That set me to laughing, a welcomed distraction from the press of his bare chest.
Adam dropped me on the bed. I bounced twice before he threw the sheet over me and switched out the light. As promised, he took the other side, lying on top of the covers.
“I like you, Zoë. I’m going to be straight with you and I think you know it. I know how you feel and I’m not pushing you into anything. You need to figure things out—I get it. But I’m still here, I’m not going to bullshit you and tell you that if I didn’t mean it.”
I made a short groan and rolled over.
“What’s wrong?”
“If you hand me a book I could read to you in this light.” I laughed, staring at the window. The streetlight was right outside the window and streaming in.
A minute later Adam got up and went into the bathroom. After I heard a few noises, the light switched off and
he moved quietly back into bed. I pretended to be asleep.
A shadow went across my face and I felt something brush over my eyes. I reached up and saw Adam with a strip of material that looked like a long, carefully cut… blindfold? It was one of his T-shirts.
“And what is this for?”
He spoke very softly. “You said you couldn’t sleep. I want you to trust me, Zoë.”
That’s what it was all about; I’m not sure why it was so important that Adam gain my trust, but it was what he had always been seeking. He said it as if he were the kind of man who couldn’t be trusted, and he was trying to redeem himself. There was no need.
“I trust you.”
Adam reached around and secured the tie in the back, his thick fingers fumbling with the edges until they were pulled over my eyes comfortably.
“We’re going to take this one day at a time and figure it out, maybe there’s a way to undo what was done. I don’t want you to worry about anything.”
“If I didn’t know better I’d say you’ve done this before.”
His fingers hesitated as they adjusted the last bit. “All good?” he asked. “Not too tight?”
“Yeah, just lead me to the barrel of apples.” I chuckled.
“Zoë, what did you think of what Justus said?”
A thought twisted in me like a root and it was the way Adam looked at me when he saw what I truly was. “I wouldn’t have believed him before this happened to me, but I am different, and I know what I am now—a freak.”
“You’re not a freak. And if anyone ever says anything like that to you I will personally beat the shit out of them.”
The bed shifted and while I couldn’t see anything, I felt Adam turn his back on me. But in reality, I knew he never would.
Chapter 12
I did a cat stretch, arched my back, and let all the muscle tension drift away. It was morning, judging by the unmistakable sound of a distant lawnmower. I had a feeling Adam took off without me to get an early start, but I was okay with that. My stomach let out a bobcat growl in the silence of the room and I rubbed my itchy nose and pulled away the blindfold. My pupils went into shock from the light and I shut my eyes.
I hated the smell of musty hotels; it was depressing because they were an in-between place for travelers. Mid-yawn, I flinched when I opened my eyes and Adam came into focus. He was lying on his side, fully dressed.
“How long have you been doing that? I thought you were gone.” I pulled my pillow over my head, hiding.
“Long enough to know you need to run a bristle over those pearlies.”
I groaned in the oversized pillow.
“Zoë, I’d like you to come with me. I think you’d find it interesting to see what I do.” He was all serious this morning, as if last night never happened. “I could use an assistant; I need help with some of the equipment and changing out the lenses.”
“You’ve been on a million photo shoots and never needed help before. You just don’t want to leave me alone.”
“True that. You seem to get yourself in all kinds of trouble when I’m not around.”
I lifted a middle finger slowly and before he could grab it, I shoved my fingers through his hair. “You need a haircut. Do you want me to do it?”
“Have you ever cut hair before?”
I shrugged. “Sure. I shaved a poodle once.”
“And this gives you experience?”
“As long as I don’t have to shave anywhere near your butt it might come out pretty good.”
“Well that shouldn’t be a problem.” He pinched my nose and I snickered. I really, truly adored the relationship we had going at times—it was so effortless.
“Do I have time for room service?”
“At your service.” Adam reached behind his back and brought a large white paper bag around, setting it down between us. I unrolled the top skeptically and peeked inside. “Donuts!”
“They’re cinnamon sugar; hope you like them. If not, we can pick up something on the way.”
I was already shoving one in my mouth, dusting the granules off my fingers. He tried to take the donut from me and I tilted back.
“Now, Zoë, you’re getting crumbs all over the bed,” he said sternly. Adam hated crumbs on the furniture and it drove him absolutely mad that I liked to eat crackers on his leather sofa. So I obligingly took a donut from the bag and shoved it in his mouth, scattering tiny flecks of sugar all over the sheets.
“That’s what maid service is for.”
Once I showered, I slid on a pair of cotton shorts and a yellow shirt that tied around the neck. The weather was warmer than back home as summer was extending itself.
The first location was in front of a beautiful historic home. During the setup, Adam smuggled a pair of jeans from the wardrobe lady and gave them to me. It was the first time I ever changed in a car and most definitely the last when one of his crew walked by the window and whistled.
The last location brought us back to town, and it was closing in on sunset. A pretty model sat by Adam, touching his wrist whenever he spoke, and I had a slight pang of jealousy to see him give attention to someone else, but it was actually nice to see someone flirting with him. Adam needed some normalcy, and he was a handsome guy. He deserved to have someone throwing affection his way.
I walked to a sandwich shop up the street for a bite to eat. When the door swung open, a small bell jingled, announcing my entry, an old-fashioned touch I rather liked. Leaning over the counter, the scent of lemon cake had me inhaling deeply, but I stuck with a ham and avocado sandwich with a tall lemonade. I still couldn’t take my eyes off that cake, but I pried myself away to a small table by the window.
After I finished my meal in what seemed like five bites, I dusted the crumbs from my fingers.
“Are you planning to eat that?”
I looked up without surprise to see Justus eyeing my pickle.
“Help yourself.”
He slid in the chair across from me, setting a small plate with a slice of lemon cake in front as he grabbed the pickle.
“You can’t be with him, you know.”
“Who says I’m going to?” My finger swiped at the icing and brought a taste to my lips.
“Well, you can’t.”
Today Justus looked a little less like the playboy I had seen the night before as he was dressed in a button-up shirt and slacks. His demeanor was still smug, just toned down. There was one other woman in the shop and she couldn’t take her eyes off him.
“Knowing what you are, how long do you think it would be before you hurt him? You can do some serious damage, you know. You could kill him. If you accept me as your Ghuardian, you can learn to control it enough that, should you want,” he said and nodded at the window, “you could be with a human.”
“You say ‘human’ like we are some kind of alien,” I said flatly.
“Have you ever seen Invasion of the Body Snatchers?”
I pursed my lips.
“I’m giving you a chance to live a worthy life. You must know about the world you belong in—the world of Breed. You must feel this. Being among humans is no longer your place. You cannot run from what you are; you will not be able to protect yourself when another Mage finds you. And they will find you.”
I sighed and watched a passing car. I didn’t want to live my life on the run, in hiding.
“Yes, you should be afraid. God help you without a Ghuardian who could protect you. You would be used in the worst kind of way. You need to be taught.”
“So I can wield the power as you do? Sending out your energy to the nearest pair of panties is such a great example of the power you have. I’m not stupid, you know. You’re good-looking,” I reluctantly pointed out, “but you aren’t that good-looking. That was quite a show you put on last night.”
He leaned back and laced his fingers behind his head. “Power has its perks.”
“Power also corrupts,” I added.
Justus’s eyes fell to his lap and his
brow formed a single, vertical crease on his forehead. Completely switching gears, his voice suddenly thundered, “Turn around. Now!”
I blanched as I whipped my neck around and hunched my shoulders, thinking that someone was coming up from behind to attack. But all I saw was a man at a nearby table whose eyes sank low and turned away. When my heart came out of my throat, I realized he wasn’t yelling at me, but the guy behind us.
Justus gazed over my body. “You really should dress more appropriately; too much skin draws attention and you do not have enough fabric in the back.” He swirled a finger in the air.
“I’m wearing a sleeveless shirt, not a thong.”
“I can’t force you, but I can promise you one certainty.”
I raised my head and looked directly at him as he rose to his feet.
“You cannot control it on your own. I tapped your energy and there’s a lot of it. You are not tempered enough to protect yourself. The wrong kind of Mage will find you and make you their pet.” His lip curled when he said that and I was surprised at how much it angered him. “And I’m not about to go into the many details of why you don’t want that to happen. Time is ticking and you can’t hide from who you are. Leave this life behind, Zoë, while you still have the freedom to do so.”
He took my wrist and pressed a card into it, making a crisp snap from his finger pulling off the edge.
“Keep it, should you change your mind. My offer still stands. Goodbye, Zoë.”
When he left the shop, I studied the card. It was charcoal grey with the name Justus De Gradi in white raised print and a phone number below. I ran my finger over the finely embossed gold ring before tucking the card in my jean pocket.
The trip to Memphis ended soon enough, and we were back at Adam’s house, but there was tension beneath the surface. Things had changed, and he didn’t look at me quite the same. His look was sad and distant. I didn’t like who I had become either and it had nothing to do with being a Mage. Living off his generosity only proved that I had become nothing less than a mooch.
There was a light knock on the bedroom door.
“Come in.”
Adam stepped over my legs and took a seat on the floor across from me, leaning against the wall with one leg propped up and his arm casually draped over his knee.
