‘We celebrate!’ Artie called, causing more cheering.
Noland came up to us and patted my back. He grinned at Hope and put a hand on her waist.
Please don’t look into my eyes.
I heard her thought and froze. I’d not even contemplated Noland’s gift.
If only I could read her.
I managed to hear his thought over the noise but soon it became too much and I had to block it out. I’d noticed Noland’s attention on Hope for most of the day. It must be frustrating to not be able to read someone when you were so used to it.
‘I thought you might step up.’
I turned to see Alia in front of me. Her hair was braided down her back and the dress she wore was tighter than the others I’d seen her in. I was tracing the line of her figure when Layla stepped forward and put her arms around me.
‘Well done, gorgeous!’ she said, planting a kiss on my mouth. I could smell her feminine scent and moulded my hand onto her lower back. It had been a long time since I’d been with a woman. Would I get away with picking her up and taking her somewhere? When she pulled back, I saw Noland whispering to Hope and Alia watching me with an amused smile. I let go of Layla as an image of her and Noland came unwanted into my mind.
‘When you’ve finished, Layla, I want to talk to Purple about his motive,’ Alia said, pulling Layla away and pointing at a bench. I caught my smile as Layla huffed and stormed away, muttering something about bloody politics.
‘My motive has just been ruined. I was debating whether to take her to bed there and then, or wait until later.’ I lowered myself onto the bench, laughing when Alia punched me on the arm.
‘You know I didn’t mean that,’ she also laughed, gesturing at Layla as she tried to get Noland’s attention. He batted her away as he tried to make eye contact with Hope. I’d smile if I didn’t know how well Hope could handle herself.
‘So, dragon man,’ Alia said, causing me to look at her.
‘That’s a new one, I like it,’ I chuckled.
She grinned at me and I couldn’t help but smile back.
‘Why have you decided to stay here?’
‘Because there are too many gorgeous women and I’ve not slept with them all yet,’ I replied looking around us.
‘Yes, there is that,’ she replied, looking at the other women too. I glanced at her and saw that her answer was sincere. The insecurity I’d heard in her thoughts the first night I was here, was gone. Her gaze landed on me. My skin started to tingle as she looked at the ridges on my arm. Some Avoidables called me scaly, but my skin was actually very smooth.
‘You don’t seem anything like your brother.’
I looked away, catching sight of Deep as he spoke to Leon.
‘I’m not. I used to wish I was though.’
‘Yeah, I used to feel the same about Noland. I changed my mind when I saw what he was like here,’ she laughed. We looked over at her brother. He‘d given up on Hope and moved on to someone else.
‘I never knew that he had a sister,’ I said. ‘You don’t want to be like him, you’re fine as you are.’
‘Why, thank you.’
She smiled at me and I shook my head. This was probably the longest conversation I’d had with a woman. She was easy to talk to. I could see us becoming friends. Like Hope and I.
‘What’s your motive then?’ she asked, taking a sip from a wooden cup.
‘Back to that are we?’
She nodded and raised her eyebrows. I laughed and snatched her drink from her. It was just water. The rebels had been making their own alcohol, which was a restricted drink on the Lower Side. I raised my eyebrows at her as she punched my arm.
‘I don’t drink,’ she said, shrugging. ‘Everyone thinks that you should get drunk but I don’t enjoy it. I’m not going to let a group of people tell me what I should and shouldn’t do. Life may be a little rubbish at times, but there’s other ways of feeling better about it.’
I felt a grin lift my lips. She shook her head at me and rolled her eyes.
‘I agree completely, nothing wrong with not being a drinker. I’m not much of one myself. The other way to feel better…I love that way too.’ I looked over at Layla. It was obvious she was a drinker by the way she swayed over to us when she caught me looking.
‘I didn’t mean that either,’ Alia said under her breath. I glanced at her as Layla turned and threw herself on my lap.
‘Are you two still going on about politics?’ she huffed, pressing her back into my chest. I felt heat wash over my skin at the contact.
‘No, we were talking about ways to wind down other than drinking,’ Alia said, smirking at me when she caught me looking down at Layla’s body. I shrugged. The grin on my face was self-evident. I was enjoying having a female on my lap.
‘I love a good bath but it’s so rare to get it alone. Sharing it with the other women is a pain,’ Layla said. The image that popped into my head made my smile even bigger. I glanced over at Alia. She was shaking her head but a smile played on her lips too. She was a cool person, I liked her.
‘Layla, please will you excuse us?’ Leon said, walking up to us with Deep in tow.
Layla huffed as she stood and went over to a scowling Noland. The cool air brushed my skin and I missed the contact. I noticed that they’d not asked Alia to leave.
‘Purple, I just wanted to say thank you. It’s not often I meet an Avoidable from Lower Side that’s willing to put everyone’s interest before your own. You’re right, Sandor is happy being where she is.’ Leon smiled at Alia and I saw a hidden glance pass between them. Maybe they were involved.
‘It was Hope that was adamant and I saw the truth of the situation. I’ve got nothing to lose.’
Leon nodded at me and offered his hand.
‘Good, then we’ll talk about the plan tomorrow. I’ll send someone with our answer to the Perfects first thing.’
I took his hand and shook it. He nodded again and walked away.
‘Getting to know the lovely Alia are you?’ Deep said, sitting down between myself and Alia and putting his arm around her. I laughed as she pushed him and he fell to the ground. ‘You wound me,’ he said, clutching his heart.
‘Deep, you womaniser you, you know by now I’m just not that into you.’ She winked at me as she spoke.
I laughed out loud as Deep fell back on the ground, feigning death. ‘Well, you’ve fatally wounded my brother. I’m supposed to fight for his honour, but I fear he has none.’
‘Hey!’ Deep shouted, sitting up and looking around him.
Alia laughed and I joined in with the infectious sound. I’d not had this much fun for a long time. It felt good to not have to check over your shoulder all the time. I’d not had a break from working since I’d started with Artie five years ago.
‘Deep, you fool, come and save me from these hounds,’ called the same woman from the night before.
‘Is my brother actually in a relationship?’ I asked Alia as he stood.
‘Yes, that’s his wife, Hana,’ she said.
‘I am not afraid of love, brother. It has been the making of me.’ Deep wrapped his arms around me. I went still. I’d not hugged a man since Deep had walked out five years ago. ‘Loosen up, Purple!’ he said, patting my back. I returned the gesture with a small clap on his back. He laughed as he let me go. Standing tall, he looked down at me. The smile left his face and I felt his emotion hit my skin.
I’m sorry for leaving you brother. I wish you’d come with me.
I heard his though loud and clear. Then he turned and ran to his wife. I shook my head as he pretended to fight the other men and then picked her up and spun her around.
‘At first she wouldn’t let him in, but slowly he wore down her resistance. She’d been captured by the Perfects and used. She didn’t trust anyone, but he never gave up. We all assumed he would be like Noland. He wasn’t though. He fell for her straight away and proved it to her. Most of us were jealous.’ Alia had a dreamy tone to her voice.
She was watching them as Deep looked into Hana’s eyes and kissed her.
‘You liked my brother?’ For some reason that shocked me. She didn’t seem the jealous type.
‘No,’ she laughed, hitting me lightly on the thigh. ‘I liked the way he looked at her. The way he treated her and the way he devoted himself to her. I’ll let you in on a secret, Purple. The only thing a woman really wants is to be seen. When a man allows her to be vulnerable by owning his emotional self, he’ll have her in the palm of his hand forever.’
My attention had come back to her face. Her eyes had glazed over as she watched the lovers and the flames of the fire were reflected in her gaze. I couldn’t look away.
‘But most women want to be independent now. Men prefer it when they are too.’
She glanced at me and shook her head.
‘Men that are not emotionally stable want women to appear as if they’re not interested. That way the man doesn’t have to step up emotionally. Just because a woman is independent, it doesn’t mean she is any less emotional. The true power a man can have is when he meets his woman emotionally in the middle. That way, he gives her permission to be her feminine self.’ She sighed as she stood.
‘Wait…’
‘The answer to all this is simple, Purple. Be responsible for your own happiness and then, when you meet a woman that intrigues you, see her for what she truly is inside. Men put blinkers on, even when they know the truth.’
She ruffled my hair and walked away. It was a slow, almost hypnotised walk. The darkness swallowed her up as she went towards her tent. I’d noticed that she’d glanced at Layla at the end of that sentence. That had been intense.
‘Have you noticed that they’re treating us like equals?’ Hope appeared out of nowhere to stand in front of me. ‘They’ve not guarded us tonight.’
I looked up at her and smiled. Her eyelids were drooping.
‘It’s been a long few days, we should go to bed.’ I stood and offered my arm. She linked her cast through it and we turned to go. I looked around and saw Leon watching us. He nodded once and waved his hand. He was trusting that we wouldn’t go anywhere. The funny thing was. I didn’t want to leave anyway.
Chapter Seven
The shouts woke me. I jumped up from my make shift bed and pulled on my leather trousers.
‘Purple, they’re here,’ Noland yelled as he passed my tent.
I ran to catch up with him. We were heading towards the entrance of the camp.
‘Who are?’ I called.
The shouting was coming from ahead. There was a clearing between the entrance and the tents and I could see a bunch of men gathered around. When we reached them, I pushed through and saw two men fighting. Leon had his back to me and was holding a taller man around the neck. The taller one flipped forward, sending Leon flying. When the man spun, I got a look at his face. Holy…
‘Purple!’ Jason panted.
I stepped forward just as Noland did. I tried to pull him back but he was bigger than me and I couldn’t stop him in time. He grabbed Jason and pinned him to the floor. Jason took his advantage when Noland looked up to smile at the cheering crowd. He brought his knee up and hit him hard in the place that no man ever wants to be kneed. Noland grabbed himself and rolled away. Jason jumped up and looked around.
‘Leave him,’ Leon called as some of the others went to attack. It went quiet as everyone watched the Perfect.
‘Jason…?’ Hope’s voice sailed over the crowd.
Jason froze as he looked over to where she was pushing through the men. He was panting hard. I saw the flash of relief on his face when she came to stand in front of him.
‘Why are you fighting? Why are you here?’ She didn’t touch him and I felt the sting that Jason didn’t show.
‘I had to know you were alright,’ he said, turning when Leon came to stand beside him.
‘You said that it had ended?’ Leon cocked his head and raised his eyebrows. His big nose was glistening from the fight. The heat was rising as the sun rose.
‘I…it was...he…’ Hope looked over her shoulder toward me.
I shrugged. I would’ve helped her out in the past, but this was her stuff. I felt a presence beside me and turned to see Alia and Layla on either side of me, both of them were smiling.
‘Hope…’ Jason started, but she turned and ran back through the crowd.
‘We have ourselves the Perfect bargaining tool,’ Noland laughed. ‘This just keeps getting better for us.’
The crowd laughed. I noticed that Alia was watching Jason. Her eyes were narrowed as she studied his body. He was tall and lean with a clean masculine face. Would she find him attractive? I glanced at Layla and found her watching me. She smiled when I caught her looking and licked her lips. The action made me swallow. Being around women was changing me. Leon had started to talk again but I hadn’t heard what he said.
‘Purple…?’
‘Sorry, what…?’ I turned my attention away from Layla’s lips and stepped forward.
‘Are you on friendly terms with this Perfect?’
‘I wouldn’t say friendly…’ I paused when Jason rolled his eyes. ‘But I’m probably the only one here who’s happy to put up with him.’
‘Then escort him to my tent, I’m going to bathe and then I’ll be there. Deep, Noland, go with them, I want to know everything that’s said.’ He walked away, spitting on the ground and the crowd stepped back. Layla slid her arm through mine and winked at me. How long had she been standing there?
‘Hi, I’m Layla,’ she introduced herself to Jason.
I looked over her head and caught Alia’s eye. She was laughing as Layla leaned into me. I winked at her. She shook her head and walked away.
‘Hi,’ Jason said stiffly.
‘Come on,’ Deep said, taking Jason’s arm and guiding him away.
‘He’s gorgeous!’ Layla said, letting go of me and following the prisoner.
‘You recovered?’ I asked Noland.
‘I never thought the Perfect would have it in him,’ Noland said, scratching the stubble on his chin.
‘Me neither,’ I replied, following the men to Leon’s tent.
Once inside, we sat on the floor. Jason looked at me but said nothing. I tried to listen to his thoughts, but he was blocking them. How had he known to do that?
‘Hello,’ Alia greeted as she walked into the tent. I frowned when no one stopped her. She sat next to me and looked at Jason.
‘You think that I’m nothing like you,’ Jason said, reading the thoughts of my brother and Noland.
‘You’re not,’ Noland replied. He scooted forward and sat in front of Jason.
‘What’s he doing?’ I whispered to Alia.
Noland was staring into Jason’s eyes. Jason was trying to look away, but he couldn’t seem to.
‘He’s reading Jason’s soul,’ Alia whispered back.
‘Why are you here?’
‘Will you stop?’ Jason huffed. His cheeks grew red and before we could do anything, he thrust forward and head butted Noland. Deep grabbed Noland as he went to grab the Perfect. Pulling him back, he struggled to keep hold of him.
‘Leave him alone,’ Deep hissed.
Noland stopped struggling. He sat back and rubbed his now red forehead. He started biting on his lip as he looked at Jason. His eyes had turned grey and were narrowed. I could see that he was wound tight. I tried not to smile as Jason stared back at the angry man.
‘Do you think we could live as civilised as we do…,’ here Alia frowned, then shook her head, ‘sometimes…if there were no women in charge?’
‘In charge…?’ I stared at her.
‘She’s my top advisor,’ Leon said as he entered the tent.
Alia smiled and reached forward. She put her finger on my chin and closed my open mouth. I hadn’t realised I was staring with my jaw hanging open. The masculine energy of the camp had made me assume that the men were in charge.
‘Jason, that’s your name?’ Leon said, p
ulling out a wooden chair and sitting on it. ‘I’m old compared to this lot,’ he gestured, smiling at the Perfect.
‘Yes, Leon, I believe you may have seen me in Lower Side,’ Jason replied with raised eyebrows.
The others turned to look at their leader.
‘Ah, yes, the little show down with your father.’ Leon ignored the eyes that were looking at him. ‘I must admit I learnt a lot about you then. Purple assumed you were a coward for not sticking up for your woman, but I saw what you were doing.’
Jason cocked his head to the side and stayed silent.
‘Alia…?’ Leon said.
‘His aura is different from anyone I’ve ever seen,’ she replied.
She read auras? I knew she wasn’t like her brother, but I’d assumed she had no powers as I hadn’t seen any obvious ones.
‘How is it different?’ Leon didn’t take his gaze away from Jason.
‘It’s just white. There are no colours.’
I glanced at Alia. She was studying Jason the way she’d studied me the first time I saw her. Now I knew why she’d been so intense.
‘Has everyone got colour then?’ I asked. This was getting dangerous. I had no idea what would happen if the Avoidable rebels found out that Jason was an angel. Had Alia read Hope’s aura and noticed a similar thing? She looked at me, and this time I could see she was looking through me. She was reading my aura.
‘Yes, they do.’
‘I’m not saying anything until I can speak to Hope,’ Jason said.
‘Are there other Perfects coming?’ Leon tried.
Jason laughed. Noland went to get up but Deep grabbed him again.
‘I’m sorry, I really am…I’m just here for Hope.’
‘Deep…?’ Leon asked, looking over his shoulder to my brother.
‘He’s blocking his thoughts,’ Deep said, looking over at me.
This was not going well. I could see a flash of doubt come over his face. Did they think that we’d set them up? I would not let this Perfect ruin our mission.
‘You will let me in!’
We heard a grunt outside and Hope stepped into the tent. She came and sat in front of Jason.
Avoidables 2 Page 3
