Through Glass (38 page)

Authors: Rebecca Ethington

BOOK: Through Glass

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She couldn’t move or speak. Like the men she had just seen, he was gorgeous, unbelievably so. For a moment the person seemed to flicker and someone else stood before her, equally gorgeous, and then he returned to his original appearance. She frowned, puzzled by the strange occurrence, but was quickly distracted when he spoke to her.

“Well hello, beautiful.” His voice was deep, resonating to her very soul. It was smooth and as flawless as his form.

Cassie still couldn’t speak. Her mind was too busy taking in his appearance. His hair, dark as midnight, fell across his forehead and was long enough to tuck behind his ears. Long lashes framed his silver eyes, which shined when they caught the light. He had high cheekbones and a straight, aristocratic nose. His lips were red and full, and appeared to Cassie as if they were made for all things pleasurable. He was tall and, like the other men that she had seen, muscular but not overly so. If his looks were not enough to disarm her, then adding the clothing would take care of it. If she had to describe his clothes in one word it would be ‘medieval.’ He wore black pants, that appeared to be the same material as the others, fitted to his form, a black shirt that was molded to his arms and over the shirt he wore a black vest that looked like it was designed for protection more than style. He had on black boots that came up over his pants and laced all the way around his claves. Her eyes ran slowly back up his body and when they returned to his face, she saw a smug, knowing smile. She blushed at having been caught obviously ogling him.

“Had your fill?” He asked her and the teasing was evident in the mischief dancing in his unusual silver eyes. He continued to watch her and seemed to be waiting for something but Cassie’s mind was lost in a fog of desire and longing.

“I’m wondering if someone as beautiful as you can speak,” he said. “And if so, will the intelligence level be so wanting that it ruins the outer package.”

That caught her attention and pushed through the fog.

“Are you asking if I’m an idiot?” Cassie asked incredulously after finding her voice.

He smiled a slow, Cheshire Cat smile and the look in his eyes made her shiver.

“She speaks,” he uncrossed his arms and one hand came up to cover his heart as he pushed away from the wall and took a step towards her, “and her voice is a caress to my soul. I suppose if you have a voice like that then I could tolerate you not being the brightest bulb in the box.”

Cassie’s mouth dropped open at the insult. She too pushed away from the door, not considering the fact that she was in a locked room with a guy that she didn’t know, who looked dangerous and unpredictable.

“What makes you an authority on intelligence levels?” She snapped.

He took another step towards her, his eyes never leaving hers.

“I’m a genius,” he answered with a look that said “duh.”

“Oh. Well in that case, you being an ass is totally okay.” Cassie let out an exasperated breath as she continued to watch him.

“Perhaps I am being a tad rude.” He stepped closer still and was suddenly only a foot away from her. He swept down in a dramatic bow and stood back up, looking at her with smoldering eyes that had her holding her breath.

“My apologies, my lady. Will you let me start our introduction over?”

Cassie could still hear the playfulness in his voice but there was something else as well, something that made her feel like he really wanted to know her. He reached his hand out, waiting for her to place hers in it. She looked at the hand and then back up at him. Something in her screamed, ‘don’t do it’ and yet she slowly lifted her hand and placed it in his. He wrapped his strong fingers around it and his eyes squeezed closed. She felt a jolt of power burst up her arms. She wanted to pull away, yet she also wanted to wrap herself in his arms, to have him touch her, kiss her, love her.

Her eyes, which had closed at some point, popped open.
Love
?
WTH
, she thought to herself.
Cassie get a clue, he’s dangerous, it’s written all over his lovely form
. Yes, he is, but I still want him. She frowned at the petulant voice her subconscious had suddenly become. She shook her head, trying to clear it. She felt her feet moving forward and realized that he was pulling her to him. She was standing mere inches from his face. She tilted her head back to look up at him and found his silver eyes staring back at her. His brow was furrowed and she could see the questions on his face.

“You saw me?” He asked her disbelievingly. “My true form, you saw it.”

“What do you mean?” She asked, her voice wavering under his intense scrutiny.

“Cassie, beautiful Cassie, what are you? How could you possibly see my true form?” He still held her hand in his and with his other hand he ran a finger down her jaw causing her to shiver again. She wanted to take a step back, needed to take a step back, but she couldn’t move.

“How do you know my name?” She asked.

His lips lifted in a crooked smile. “I saw it in your mind.” He said it like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Cassie tried to pull her hand away but he tightened his hold.

“You think you can read my mind?” She asked slowly, as if speaking to a child.

“Not think, know,” his finger was now trailing slowly, so very slowly across her bottom lip. “I know that you think my lips are made for pleasure.”

Cassie felt the blood rush to her face in embarrassment. “Oh,” she squeaked out.

She cleared her throat and tried again. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” It came out more as a question than the firm statement she had been going for.

His finger continued to run gently across her jaw and down her neck to her collarbone.

“I know about the time you fell out of the tree in your front yard and broke your arm because you were trying to rescue the neighbor’s cat. I know that you aren’t sure you even believe in prayer or the One you pray to, but it comforts you. I know that you think that your best friend is prettier than you are and I know that you do not see yourself clearly if you think that.”

Cassie’s breath was coming in short gasps as she listened to this guy she had just met, and didn’t even know his name, tell her things that there was no possible way that he could know. She felt like she was suffocating; she couldn’t get enough air and her sight started to fade.

“Come on beautiful, breathe for me.” His voice sounded far away though she knew he was standing inches from her.

She felt his breath on her face as he spoke. His scent swirled around her and as she breathed in and out, she felt like she might be drunk on the smell. She felt him brushing her hair away from her face and then tilted her chin back to look up at him. She blinked as she looked at his inhumanly handsome face. She saw his features flicker again. For a brief moment, he had long, pitch black hair, pointed ears, and eyes so silver and clear that they shimmered like diamonds. His face shifted slightly. If she thought that he couldn’t be even more beautiful, she was wrong. Then, in the blink of an eye, she was again looking at the man with shorter dark hair, regular ears, and eyes that were a more subdued, yet stunning grey.

“Wwwhat was that?” She stumbled over her words. Finally getting her feet to move she pulled back from him staring up at his widened eyes. When he continued to stare at her instead of answering her, she gathered her thoughts. She turned to look back at the door where she had entered. She could hear the other men out in the hall, speaking in low tones.

“They are going to find me soon. I need to go.” She looked back and nearly jumped when her face almost ran into his chest. She tilted her head to look up into his face.

“They won’t look for you in here,” he told her confidently.

“They will eventually. It’s pretty obvious since its right next door to the room they were just in and I hid so quickly,” she reasoned.

His lips formed a wickedly crooked smile. “They won’t find you because I won’t let them.”

“And who
are
you, exactly?” Cassie raised a single eyebrow in question at him.

He leaned forward until his mouth was mere inches from hers.

“I’m yours,” he whispered.

Cassie snorted out a short, abrupt laugh to cover up the gasp his words caused. “Does that work on all the girls?”

Suddenly his head whipped up as the handle of the door began to jiggle. Cassie’s body tensed as she turned to look at the door, ready to bolt like a frightened animal.

“Cassie, are you in there?” Cassie let out a relieved breath as she heard the voice of her father.

She took a step towards the door but was stopped abruptly when an arm snaked around her waist. She let out a gasp of air as her back came in contact with a very firm chest. She felt his breath on her ear as his lips grazed her skin.

“I
will
see you again, beautiful.”

She closed her eyes briefly as she tried not to enjoy the sensation of being held so confidently. When he released her she headed quickly for the door and as she unlocked it and began to turn the knob, she felt his breath on her neck again and then a whisper.

“Trik, my name is Trik.”

She turned to look over her shoulder at him but there was no one there.

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