The Awakening (51 page)

              He chuckled.

              “When will I see you again?”

“Next week…Bradley’s affair…”

              She frowned. “You are not staying away from me for a week,” she protested.

              “I should” he sighed.

              Raina lifted her eyes to his shyly. “Can we go to the river tomorrow?”

              His silver eyes softened. “I can’t say no to you,” he whispered.

              “Nor I you.”

              He shook his head sadly. “You should practice doing so.” He drew a finger down her cheek. His eyes held hers. He wanted so badly to kiss her again. “In fact…make it a life’s goal,” he said huskily. “One day I may need you to say no.”

Chapter 17 Extinguish

            
 
The night of Bradley’s gala was so far a successful one. Many had showed up, and Raina wanted to be happy for him, but all she could think of was the turmoil in her own life.

              "He's an okay guy, isn't he?"

              Raina started at Bradley’s voice. She blinked up at him, as if trying to translate his question. She smiled and nodded, when she realized he meant Nolan. They were on the dance floor, enjoying a dance. "Yes, he's very okay."

              Bradley made a pitiful sound in the back of his throat, and then sighed. "Why didn't you just reject me, and ask him to dance?" He gave her a wink.

              Raina laughed, and pushed his shoulder. "He did not ask me...you did."

              "Thank you for that. Even if he would fall over himself to be here now.”

              Raina looked rolled her eyes. "Nolan is not the type to fall over any girl."

              "Oh, he’s done a heck of a lot of falling over you," he chuckled. "And you just fall right back."

              Her cheeks flushed. "And you and Emily have not enabled that in any way, have you?"

              Bradley chuckled. "Even without our help, you two have found a way to spend a lot of time together. In fact, you have your best friend there jealous for your time!”

              She shook her head.

              "You want to keep him to yourself then?"

              Raina laughed, nodding. "How can I help it Bradley? Just look at him." She was teasing of course. It was far more then looks that you drew you to Nolan Gregor.

              Bradley did just that, causing her flushed cheeks to burn a brighter red. "Him? Sure, if you like those obvious movie star good looks." He shrugged. “He and Thanatos…it’s unfair that men should get so much attention.”

              Raina made a face at the mention of Thanatos. The green eyed monster he was did not lessen the effect of his beauty, so he was correct there. He was beautiful...and had just a touch of kindness that confused her. He flustered her, made her tummy get butterflies...she could not help that. But to compare the two of them seemed a sin. "Don't even mention him...the two of them are like night and day."

              Bradley turned them easily and she again caught a view of Nolan's face.

              The gentle observer smiled, that tummy butterfly filled smile at her. His knowing silver/greys twinkled, as if he had heard every word. She was sure he had! Crazy, sensitive, immortal hearing.

              "I like seeing you like this, Rain...Emily and I have been so worried all these years."

              Raina felt a prick of shame, hearing him admit that. Her eyes lifted to his in uncertainty. "Do you think David would understand? I mean...that Nolan and I have become close? I can't help but feel...guilty.”

              Bradley's eyes softened at the mention of his friend. "David would more than understand sweetheart. Wouldn’t you have wanted him to find happiness, if it had been you who went on first?"

              She felt tears warm the corner of her eyes. "With all my heart I would have wanted that."

              He tapped her cheek gently. "So stop asking if it’s right," he chuckled.

              She sighed. "I suppose."

              With a bit of a start, Bradley stepped back suddenly. A deep voice invaded the space.

              "Excuse me, but may I cut in?”

              Bradley gave a quick nod. "Please, keep this one dancing," he said with a grin. He gave her a quick turn and handed her over.

              Raina frowned up at the arrogant face above her. "Good evening, Thanatos," she groaned, moving back into the steps of the dance.

              His green eyes danced. "Don’t look so disappointed! You want to hurt my feelings?" His handsome face was disheveled tonight, which actually made him a bit more handsome...if not dangerous looking. His face was covered in blonde stubble, and his usual neatly coiffed hair was rampant with wayward strands. He had been in a hurry to get here tonight.

"You look disheveled," she noted.

“I had to hurry,” he admitted.

“Hurry?”

“Yes hurry. Now before I get into that…can we talk about how angry Nolan looks right now? I don’t think he likes us dancing together.”

Raina sighed. “You like to provoke him, don’t you?”

Thanatos shrugged. “I’m jealous.” He squeezed her waist gently.

Raina rolled her eyes and glanced over her shoulder.             

              The silver grey eyes were hard as flint. His jaw was as tight and straight as a soldier at attention. The hands before him clenched and unclenched, as if he were trying to control himself.

              "I think we may have really upset him," Thanatos whispered in her ear.

              "Tell me Thanatos, did you rush all this way for a chance like this?”

              His eyes darkened dangerously, and a frown curved his mouth down. "With your help my sweet. You haven't ended this dance...you didn't object when you knew it was me. You could have returned to the table...left me in the dust...he would have loved that. Instead you stayed, in an intimate embrace with me. So thank you for your help." He held her still when she went to pull away. "Too late to protest or make a good showing Raina. He’s already angry, and quite honestly wondering about your easy manner with me.”

              "Thanatos!"

              "Raina, I realize you love him. I realize I have no justification in hoping I might have a shot! But you haven't exactly made it black and white between us."

              "I haven't?"

              He shook his head.

              “Well, let me make it black and white. I want Nolan, not you. You are impossibly full of yourself! Do you think because a man has a handsome face I'm going to fall all over myself? I may react to such things because I am human...but there is nothing else behind my response!" Her eyes glinted fire.

              Thanatos grinned wide and happy. "So you admit you think I am handsome?"

              "Quit picking and choosing what words you want to hear, and listen to me!" She took her turn to grip his chin, when he went to look away, amusement dancing in the ochre green eyes.

              The amusement darkened at her touch, his features softened. She could see he could not deny the response she made in him. He took her hand from his chin, and gently set a kiss to the inside of her wrist.

              She did pull away now, turning to go back to her table. She was just in time to see Nolan stepping out of the room. His shoulders were stiff, his step sure and fast. She could only imagine what he was thinking.

              She excused herself once she again joined her friends.

              Thanatos grabbed her hand gently, before she could escape. "Thank you for the dance, Raina," he whispered no guise or arrogance in his voice. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it softly. "I did not hurry here to ruin your evening." His voice lowered for her ears only. "And it hurts that you believe I meant to ruin his."

              Raina looked at him with surprise. “Well then, I apologize for my accusation.”

He drew in a breath. “I did, however, over stepped my bounds.”

She drew her hand from his, cast a parting nod to her friends, and then hurried to the exit.

              She rounded the corner as soon as she had cleared the door frame to the exit, and was instantly hulled into the shadows of an unlit hall and pressed against the wall. She gasped, but felt a firm gentle hand cover her mouth. Her heart raced, but she recognized her attackers scent.

              "What the hell was that?"

              The rich warm voice that usually made her heart flutter turned her knees to jelly with fear. There was an edge, a bite to the deep voice that she had never heard before. The hand at her mouth moved away, the tips of his fingers brushed her lips softly.

              She swallowed, gulping in a deep breath. "W...what was what?" She saw his granite jaw clench and unclench.

              "Why did you let...HIM...touch you?"

              "Nolan, it was just a dance," she whispered. She reached toward him, but he grasped both wrists and held them down at her sides. “He really meant no harm.”

              "You believe him too easily, Aelan," he whispered. Hurt edged the soft words.

              "I don't know what you expect me to do," she whispered back. "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings...." His hand, gentle over her mouth, silenced her. He took it away, just as quickly.  His face drew closer to hers. She knew he wanted her complete attention.

              "I don't want you near him again, not like that, not in that way. Do you understand that? I saw red when he held you. I saw even redder when you touched him." He almost looked ashamed to admit such a thing.

“You feel protective." She was mesmerized by the silver gaze. She bit her lip at the warmth, the possessiveness in his eyes.

              "I didn't feel just protective, Aelan," he whispered. "I wanted to tear his arms from his body...I wanted to break him...and I wanted to do it right there regardless of all the witnesses! Do you understand that? He was touching what belongs to me!"

              The words thrilled her, and they scared her. But they were true. He was hers, she was his. She smiled up at him. Her fingers lifted to his smooth jaw. "Possessive much?" she giggled. Her eyes softened. "Do I really belong to you?"

              His frowny face made another appearance. “Don’t look at me like that," he sighed. He stepped back from her closeness, and cleared his throat. He glanced out of the little alcove he had drawn her into, and made sure no one had observed them. "I need some air," he mumbled. "Why don't you return to the party?"

              She watched with shock as he turned and strode away from her. She felt the shock turn into anger.

              He heard the clicking of her heels, which meant he had failed to escape. He didn't really want to escape from the persistent female.

              He slowed his walk.

              “You can’t get mad at me for trusting him…just a little.”

              He stared down at his hands. "Maybe not... you are still drawn to him, for whatever reason. You care for his feelings...his well-being."

              "I do care for him, Nolan...for some twisted crazy reason." Raina did not wish to even go with that train of thought. She didn't understand why either...but discussing it with Nolan was not appealing to her.

              He took her hand and led her outside. “Let’s go somewhere more private.”

              She followed readily.

              He looked up at the trees, as they exited. His beautiful profile lit by a moon that peaked from the clouds above. He stared out into that opening between the trees. His troubled eyes searched as though the answer was somewhere out there.

              "I don't want to upset you further, Nolan," she whispered. "But...I trust him. There’s something in him that tells me I can. He wants freedom, as much as we want safety. His feelings are tainted by her...she has hurt him...scarred him."