I lean into the plush leather seat and the comfort that surrounds me almost overwhelms my senses. I’m ready to go home, and I’m ready to fight.
***
“You’re ridiculous, Lex! It was not like that!” Kassy is nearly in tears from the laughter flowing out of her as she bends forward in the white leather jet seat and complains to Alexa.
Alexa grabs her belly and her eyes close from the giggles that overtake her. “It’s true! You were practically yelling at every person you walked past, even sweet Liam.” She turns and shouts to the opposite end of the cabin at Liam. “Am I right, Liam? Kassy was a grizzly bear for an entire week after El left!”
Liam’s eyes go wide and he holds up both of his hands in front of him. “Don’t ask me! I’m too scared to tell the truth…”
Kassy gasps and her smiling eyes turn to narrow slits. “Betrayal!” she shouts across the jet cabin and the whole room busts out in joyous laughter.
“I still love you, though!” Liam adds.
I turn to Kassy and lay a hand on her arm. “I never should’ve left you, Kass. I know I would have lost it if you had run off somewhere on your own like I did.” My happy face drops as I think about what I must have put everyone through while I was out trying to be some sort of hero.
Kassy waves a hand at me, nonchalant. “Honestly, I never worried about you. I was upset obviously to not have my best friend around anymore, but I was proud of your effort to protect us all.” She leans back in her seat and flips her long brown locks over the back rest. Her eyes narrow at me this time and I flinch. “But don’t ever do anything like that again or you’ll have ‘Grizzly Kassy’ to deal with.”
I hold my hands up in surrender. “I promise! I don’t think I ever want to meet that side of you.” I grimace.
“You don’t!” Liam shouts again across the plane.
Kassy jumps from her seat and runs over to Liam, throwing fake punches at him. I laugh at the scene before me and look past them to see Gavin standing alone in the hallway that leads to a small bedroom, watching everyone with sad eyes.
I leave my seat and quietly sneak to where Gavin stands. He smiles as I approach him and I wrap my arms around his waist. The navy colored wool sweater he wears snuggles up to my cheek and his signature spicy pine scent surrounds me. Gavin rubs gentle lines up and down my back and I shiver from the feel of his warm hands.
I can feel a chuckle rumble within his deep chest and I glance up at him, still holding on. “What are you laughing at?” I ask him.
His golden eyes scan my face and spend a good few seconds on my eyes that watch him right back. He makes a “hmm” sound. “Last night when I looked into your eyes after you got to the beach, I could’ve sworn I saw specks of gold in them.” He strokes my cheek just below my eyes with the tips of his rough fingers. “Right now, though, they’re only brown. A beautiful chocolate brown of course.”
I grin up at him. “Maybe it was just a reflection of your eyes in mine.”
He shrugs and pulls me in tighter. His golden eyes darken to an almost bronze color and he starts to back down the hallway toward the bedroom, with me still in his arms. He looks around at the people in the room and I follow his gaze. Everyone is deep into their own conversations and not paying us the slightest bit of attention.
Gavin grins at me and raises a single eyebrow before pulling me through the door and shutting it behind me. His hands slide down my waist and under my backside. I squeal lightly and he lifts me off the ground. My legs wrap around him as he holds me up with his strong arms and presses my back against the wall next to the bedroom door.
I hold onto his shoulders and my face is even with his. He studies me again with his intense eyes and his gaze lands on my lips. “So, are you still experiencing that out of control puberty feeling?”
I pause, thinking about where my body is and the feel of Gavin against me. I shake my head. “I feel perfect, Gavin.” I slide my fingers from his shoulders and into his thick dark hair. His eyes close and he groans against my touch. “I love you,” I whisper only centimeters from his lips.
His eyes fly open and his smile stretches wide. “I love you, Aella.”
His eyes drop to my lips again and then his mouth connects to mine like a puzzle piece finding its perfect match. I pull a deep breath in through my nose, filling myself with the scent of him.
He presses me harder against the wall and his warm kiss is urgent as his lips explore mine fully. His hands leave my bottom and slide up my waist. I tighten my legs around him to keep myself up without his arms holding me. One of his exploring hands wraps around my back and the other finds the back of my neck below my ponytail, holding my head in place.
My heart races behind my chest that is pressed firmly against Gavin and every tingle from his touch sends surges through me, charging my senses. I can smell the forest on his skin, I can feel more sensitivity across my lips from his, and I can hear loud footsteps pounding down the hallway toward us.
I press my hands against Gavin’s hard chest and he drops me to my feet. His breath is quick and my hands in his hair left it dishevelled and extra messy. I try to catch my breath as the extremely loud footsteps stop and a knock on the door pierces my sensitive ears.
My hands fly to my ears and I close my eyes, in pain from the pulsing drum in my head. Gavin lifts my head toward him and my eyes open to see worry across his handsome face.
“Aella, are you okay?” he asks me sweetly.
The bedroom door opens to reveal Gavin holding my face. I look over to see Aunt Mags watching us with wide eyes.
She starts to apologize but quickly stops when she sees my hands over my ears and pain on my face. “Honey, are you all right?” She steps closer and the sound moves past my hands and deep into my ears.
I close my eyes again and shake my head. “Everything is so loud!” I yell, but even the sound of my own yelling pounds inside my head, louder than I thought possible. I flinch and try to speak in a whisper. “What’s going on?”
Gavin talks next, quieter this time. “Your hearing is improving. Try to just breathe through it like I’ve told you about everything else.” He nods his head at me and his large hands cover mine on the sides of my head.
I take his advice and breathe in deeply and exhale slowly. I continue the deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves until the world around me slowly quiets down.
Gavin speaks to me again as he gently pulls my hands away from my ears. “Is it helping?” he asks.
His voice doesn’t hurt this time so I nod at him. “So much better.” I turn to Aunt Mags and grimace. “I’m sorry to worry you, mom.”
She smiles and shakes her head. Her green eyes are gentle. “I’m just glad you have Gavin to help you through it all.” She touches my cheek and studies the both of us. Her eyebrows raise again. “Now, come out here with the rest of us. We’re landing soon.”
Her eyes flick to Gavin’s messy hair and an evil grin stretches her cheeks. She chuckles softly and leaves Gavin and I standing together, caught canoodling by my mom.
Permanent humiliation… check!
Chapter 3
The sun is setting behind the large, white forest home in front of me. The backdrop framing the picturesque house brings me home with only the sight of it. The wrap-around porch invites me in to rest on its rocking wooden chairs. I left this house in the middle of the night almost a month ago, stealing from the occupants as I went.
Now I have to go in there and beg the two beautiful matriarchs for forgiveness.
Gavin squeezes my hand beside me and I smile up at the golden glow of the setting sun as it blankets his perfect features. Without his touch, I’d be tempted to turn and run from this place.
Neo stands by my other side along with Alexa, Kassy, Liam, and Aunt Mags. They each give me reassuring smiles to continue on.
I take a deep breath, but before I can make the next step along the crunching gravel below me, a wild red headed woman bursts through the front door with her
elderly mother-in-law calmly following behind.
“Oh, my babies!” Camilla shouts at us and leaps past the three steps in front of her with ease.
The hug that slams into me takes all of the breath from my lungs and I’m forced to release Gavin’s hand from the impact. Camilla squeezes me tight and I return her embrace with all of the strength I have.
“I’m so, so, so sorry Camilla. I hate that I lied to you.” I speak the words against her wavy red hair that smells of fresh shampoo and a hint of hairspray. “To both of you,” I say, hoping Gram is listening.
Camilla pushes me to arms length and looks me up and down. “Oh, sweetie. I know why you did what you did, no matter how angry I am that you didn’t trust us.”
I flinch at her words and want to recoil inside of myself. “You’re angry?” I ask like a helpless child.
Her golden eyes widen and her perfectly plucked eyebrows lift to the center of her forehead. “No, No! I’m not angry at you!” She sighs. “I’m angry at myself for not making you feel at home enough here. I should’ve talked to you more.”
Aunt Mag’s voice joins into the conversation. “Trust me, that girl has a mind of her own, so do not blame yourself for her stubbornness. She gets it from her mother.”
I whip my head around to her. “Hey!” I turn back to Camilla. “But she is absolutely right.” I chuckle and shake my head. “How do I feel like I need to defend myself and apologize all in the same breath?”
Gavin grabs my hand again. “Because you are a whirlwind, Aella.” He winks at me and I want to kiss him right there on his mothers driveway in front of his grandmother and everyone else.
Camilla releases me, and she and Gram go around the group giving hugs and kisses to each person. They reach Neo and look him up and down in unison. Camilla smiles at him. “You must be the boy that helped El in Texas.”
He nods at her and glances to Alexa and then back at her mother. “Yes, Ma’am. I’m Neo.” He reaches a hand out to her and the rest of us snicker at him.
Camilla places her hands on her hips. “What, you don’t do hugs, Neo?” she asks him, having to look up to make eye contact.
He smiles at her and shakes his head. “I’m fine with hugs, I just don’t know what a person is supposed to do when they meet their Intended’s mother . I’m not all that great in family settings and…”
“Oh boy,” Gram says and Neo stops talking.
“What?” Camilla shouts at him, and Neo looks like a scared mouse in front of the small woman. She turns to Alexa and her freckled face flushes the brightest red I have ever seen. “Lex… I know he isn’t Gavin’s Intended, so explain yourself.”
I feel the entire group take a unified step back from the drama. I watch as Alexa shuffles in her spot and steps closer to Neo. “Uh, mom. This is Neo… my uh… Intended I guess.”
Neo laughs at Alexa’s stuttering and I’m completely taken aback by the once fierce woman as she cowers in front of her mom. Neo clears his throat. “Yeah, things have been a bit crazy today, Ma’am.”
Camilla squeals and practically jumps at Alexa in the same way I’ve seen her do to me. She holds her daughter in her arms and tears fall down her pink cheeks. “Oh, I’m so happy!” she shouts through her sobs. “Both of my babies are grown-ups and are in love!”
Alexa pulls away from her mom fast and gives her a death-glare. “Mom!” she whines and the tension leaves the night as we all laugh together, including Alexa.
***
Dishes clash and voices ring through the large dining room inside Gavin’s childhood home. Having dinner here with everyone again feels so easy and I almost can’t remember a single worry I’ve ever had. Almost.
The usually stoic Hagan smiles as he listens to whatever his son Cy is saying about his recent trip to London. Hagan’s big smile and squinting eyes cause the grooves in his face to deepen, which should make him look older, but only bring extra life to his handsome face.
Hagan’s doppelganger son, Cy has an arm wrapped around his strikingly beautiful fiance, Amalia and the two look so happy to just be in the presence of one another. I know the feeling as I sit beside my own Intended and can feel the heat from his thigh against mine under the dining table.
Kassy and her goofy Liam seem so comfortable in such a magical group of beings and I want to dive into their minds to see what they see from an outside perspective. Liam makes a silly face at little Ethan and the sweet Seer boy bursts out in bubbly giggles, his blue eyes shining.
Ethan’s dad, Uncle Jack lifts the boy onto his lap and the mom, Sophia whispers something into Jack’s ear. Jack’s eyebrows shoot up and he winks at his gorgeous wife. Sophia flicks her blonde hair over one of her shoulders with a mischievous smirk on her face.
I smile as the couple whispers who-knows-what to each other. That scene is how I imagine mine and Gavin’s life some day in the future. If the future is even an option for me at all.
My mood starts to fall as I think of the death looming over me, until my eyes fall on my Aunt Mags, Camilla, and Gram huddled together gossiping like ladies in a woman’s book-club. My smile finds its way back to me and I sink into my dining chair, wanting to glue myself to this moment in time and never leave.
I lay my head against Gavin’s shoulder, peace and exhaustion overcoming me. I slip into a deep sleep against my warm Gavin pillow and my mind is invaded by the one thing that can always kill a good time.
Barron.
He watches me with dark brown eyes and long, wavy brown hair. He has the hint of a beard, but not quite developed. There’s no smile on his face as usual and his hands are hidden inside the long black robe that he wears.
I scan the room around me and I’m no longer in the dining room with everyone. I’m alone in Camilla’s guest bedroom, surrounded by luxury silk bedding and a single night light to help me see in the dark space. I’m completely alone with the demon.
The last time I saw Barron was only a day ago, and I clearly remember him telling me that he was done visiting my dreams.
“Liar,” I say to him, knowing he doesn’t normally go back on a threat.
Barron sits at the foot of my bed and leans forward with his elbows resting on his knees. “Yes. I am a liar,” he says without looking at me.
Something is different about him, not that I really know him at all. We’ve only talked about my impending death and his never-ending hatred of the Ganis family.
Still, he is just more sluggish than usual. I scooch up in the bed and pull my knees to my chest. “Barron. I’m really confused about why you’re here like this.” I shrug. “I mean, I get that you’re evil and you hate me… but sometimes I feel like you enjoy being here.”
His head turns to me and his eyes narrow in anger.
I groan and roll my eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I’m stupid and naive and you’re a monster. We’ve done this before.”
I don’t feel in the mood to give a crap about Barron’s evilness. I see more in him than he likes to show me. Even though he will very likely come here and try to kill me and my family, I still feel incapable of that deep fear and loathing that I’ve felt about every other demon that has threatened me.
Barron doesn’t yell at me for once and instead he just continues to stare at me, seemingly calm. “I do not enjoy visiting your dreams, young Ganis.” His eyes stare off into the darkest corner of the bedroom. “I do not feel enjoyment, period. I am incapable.”
“How do you know that’s true, though? Clearly you have very strong feelings of hatred toward my great grandfather. Why couldn’t you also have other kinds of feelings?” I don’t want him to yell at me, but I also want to try and have some sort of conversation with the dead man.
He looks up at the ceiling and his shoulders straighten to their usual proper height. “You do not know much about anything.” The insult makes me roll my eyes again at him. Old fart. “The only reason I come here is because I can.”
I groan. “That doesn’t mean anything, Barron!” Now I’m the one gettin
g pissed.
Barron laughs, a short clipped sound, and it makes my eyebrows shoot nearly to my hairline. It’s almost a pleasant sound coming from a soul-stealing demon. His eyes fall on me again. “It really does mean absolutely nothing. For once you are right.” A nearly half smile shows on his long, dead face and he disappears before my eyes.
I fall back in the bed and my eyes fly open to reality. Yup, he likes me.
Chapter 4
I wake up to a nice surprise. Kassy is snuggled up to my side like a little snoring bear cub. It has been a long time since we’ve had some one on one time. Going from being glued to each other’s sides to having epic relationships and near-death experiences has changed us forever. She is still my BFF though, and that means forever.
I nudge my sweet friend and whisper to her. “Stop spooning me, I’m not Liam.”
Her eyes flutter open and she smiles up at me with a fake evil-eye. “I’m not spooning you, ya crazy!” She yawns and stretches her arms above her head, nearly shoving me off of the bed.
After having Barron visit me last night in this room while I was alone, I can’t help but wonder how Kassy and I both got here and why.
“Kass, why are you in bed with me, and how did I even get here in the first place?”
She runs her hands through her messy brown hair. “Last night when we were hanging out after dinner, you fell asleep on Gavin’s shoulder so he carried you into this room.” She waves a hand around the room. “I was disappointed because we never got to talk, so I told Liam and Gavin to go back to Gavin’s place and told them I was going to stay by you.”
My eyes widen. “Gavin was just totally cool with leaving? Wow, he must have great trust in us.” I chuckle.
Kassy shakes her head against her pillow. “Oh no. He didn’t want to leave but I told him that he needed to help Liam get settled at his house so he isn’t off on his own being hunted by who-knows-what. Alexa is here keeping an eye out and that helped.”
Intended Series Collection: Books 1-6 Page 31
