“And taught you well. I saw you fight.”
The stiffness in her posture relaxed a fraction. The hard edge of her jaw softened as her lips morphed from the tense, thin line to the plump, full, heart-shaped lips he’d come so close to kissing.
Finally.
The need to unite with her, if even just an embrace, nearly knocked him down. He bit the inside of his cheek in distraction.
She dipped her head. “Thank you. I was sprinting to my bike, even though I had no keys, when your guy, Aggie, rammed into me from the side.”
“You often disregard your perimeter?” he asked.
The stiffness and tension returned. “Of course not. I mean, excuse me all to
Hades
and back.” Her voice boomed, commanding, from deep within her stomach. “I’ve been through a lot this past week. I mean, you show up out of nowhere and mess with my entire life. Stir up things that don’t need stirring right now. Not with finals—shit, I have my last final tomorrow—graduating, starting a new job.” She launched toward him and slammed her open palms into his chest.
It did little to jar him, but still, it took him by surprise. Justin sucked in a deep breath behind him.
“And now you’re talking all
Mate this
and
Mate that
and a
thing
called Aggie wants to kill me.” She jammed her hands into her hair and squeezed her eyes shut. “My brain is going to leak out my ears.” She showed him her back.
That, too, told Theo she was beginning to trust him. She’d left herself vulnerable.
He started to step in and circle his arms around his distraught Mate, but paused. No. He needed to take things slowly. He glanced at his brother, who shrugged. Of course he didn’t understand how to care for a woman. The longest he’d ever been with one was to get his pleasure—possibly hers if she were lucky—then he cleared the female’s mind of him.
Theo was on his own with this wonderfully complicated woman.
The short time he’d known her, he’d already realized how strong, intelligent, and incredibly sexy she was. To graduate from college in only two years, and at the age of eighteen, showed she was determined, too. How could he not respect that?
“I’m sorry, Sadie. I know this is a lot to take in.”
She
humph
ed, but remained where she was. Not that her back wasn’t beautiful, but he’d rather see her eyes.
“It’s very difficult to learn about the supernatural world surrounding you. Most humans aren’t ready for it. Not sure they ever will be.” He cleared his throat. “But you’re a part of that world now. A
very
important part. You must understand.”
“So, I’m just expected to drop everything? I mean, you say I can’t go home, so what am I supposed to do?” She clenched her jaw and punched the air. “What do you expect from me, Theo?”
“You’ll come with me.”
Her back shot straight. Along the corner of his vision, Theo saw Justin step back, eyes wide and shaking his head.
And then Sadie whirled. Her fist collided with Theo’s jaw with force enough to crack it. His eye nearly exploded with pain. Heat seared up his neck and to his cheek, beginning to heal the vicious injury.
She crouched in fight stance and said, “Like hell I’m going with you.”
Chapter Fourteen
Today had been the longest day Sadie had ever known. And she’d known a few. What frustrated her beyond imagination was the fact that there was a six-foot-tall god of a man sitting in her dorm room across the hall at this very moment.
She stepped into the steaming spray and let the water course down her body. The wimpy, standard-issue dorm showers left her in want. Knots hardened her muscles along her neck and shoulders.
Tension. And not just from this supernatural nightmare she’d been thrown into. Her last final was tomorrow. Well, later today. It was nearly one in the morning by the time she’d convinced macho man to let her come home.
Of course she had to compromise and allow him to stay with her. He evidently thought it meant sleeping in her room since he’d plopped onto her couch. She’d meant one of the couches in the common area.
She’d clarify that with him after a refreshing shower.
Only a few days left of this dorm bathroom. At least no one else was in here since it was so late.
When her sign-on bonus hit her bank, she was all about setting up her own place. She’d saved up barely enough money to make the deposit to secure an apartment less than a mile from Bendz Chem so she could walk or bike to work. Then she had two weeks to get up to Colorado and find that nurse who’d been on shift when Sadie’d been dropped off as a baby.
And with such an amazing job, she could hire investigators to help find her parents.
A wave of nervousness churned her stomach. A new job. On her own.
Didn’t matter. She’d be fine. Everything would be—
“Sadie, is that you in there?”
It was Dasha’s voice. She spoke in a hushed whisper, but it was so loud she may as well have spoken normally.
Sadie pulled the curtain back enough to stick her face out. There stood her friend in short PJ bottoms and a tank top.
Dasha crossed her arms over her chest, probably to hide the fact that she wasn’t wearing a bra, and jutted out her hip.
“What’s wrong?” Sadie asked.
“What’s wrong?” She shot her hands up. “What’s wrong?” Her voice cracked on that one. Theater majors tended to be overly dramatic.
“I’ve been psycho-dialing your number. No answer. Here I am thinking you’re dead on the floor because you might have a concussion or something.” She shook her head and grabbed a quick breath. “But nooo, that totally hot giant piece of god answered your door when I tried to pound it down. What. The. Hell.”
“Mind if I finish my shower first?”
“Only if you’re done in about two seconds. Come on, what’s going on?”
Sadie dipped back under the stream of water and washed the rest of the conditioner from her hair. “Nothing. He’s just…um…sticking around for a while.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Sadie switched off the water and grabbed the towel from the hanger. “Just—well—that guy who tried to grab me. I’m nervous about it, so he offered to stay.” The curtain flew open. “Hey!”
“Oh, please. Get over your modest self.” Dasha waved her out of the stall. “Talk.”
A pounding at the door nearly knocked it off its hinges.
Jeez, everyone’s all up in my business.
“Sadie,” Theo said through the wooden door.
She slumped. Dasha’s eyes went wide.
“Answer me or I’m coming in.”
She wasn’t sure how, but Dasha’s eyes went even wider.
“I’m fine,” she said.
“I’m coming in.”
“No. Don’t. I’m—”
The door opened a few inches. “Get decent. I want to make sure you’re okay.”
“Holy shit, Sadie,” Dasha whispered.
Sadie held the towel tight around her and pulled her long hair over her shoulders to cover more of her exposed flesh, then stepped partially behind her friend.
Heat steamed her cheeks, and deep within her chest, the smallest flutter swam through her heart. Theo was overbearing and overprotective, and didn’t listen, yet the thought of his seeing her—or rather, needing to see her—did something to her insides.
Something naughty.
He’d been open and brutally honest about who he was, more
what
he was. All his actions showed he had her best interest in heart, to the point that he was downright bossy and controlling. Sure, it pissed her off a little, but mostly…it felt good.
Someone totally dedicated to her, focused on her well-being. For so many years she’d had to take care of herself—the only one she’d ever been able to depend on.
Theo stepped into the steamy bathroom and locked gazes with her. Instantly, the hard features that ruled his beautiful face softened. He let out a breath, then shifted his focus to Dasha. “Everything okay in here?”
“I told you yes,” Sadie said, hoping she came off as pissed, but she was pretty sure she sounded like a lovesick idiot.
“You yelled.” He held the door open with his body.
“Dasha scared the crap out of me. It’s fine. Go.” She shooed him away with her free hand while her other clutched the towel as if it were a lifeline.
He swept a look around the small bathroom. Three shower stalls lined the wall behind her. Sinks filled the far wall, and mirrors the other.
“I’ll be right across the hall.”
“Figured, considering that’s where my room is.” She crossed her eyes.
His brows furrowed, then a smile curved his lips. Slowly, he backed away, and the door clicked shut.
“That was…amazing.”
“Please.” Sadie came out from behind Dasha and went to the mirror where she’d left her beauty kit. Out came a pick, and she started working on her hair. Despite conditioner, her hair was so long it still was a pain to get through, even when wet.
“He’s staying with you?”
“Sort of. What the heck are you still doing up?”
“Um, hello. Worrying about you, dork.” She hopped up and sat on the counter. “Plus, my shoulder still hurts from smacking the wall. Can’t get comfortable and those pain pills make me puke. Stupid muggers.”
Yeah. Muggers.
That’s
what happened. Sadie could only wish. “But you’re okay?”
“Fine. You? Hey. You got sliced good. What—wait, where?”
Sadie slapped her hand over her forearm. “Um…”
“
No ums, girl, what the hell is going on?”
Sadie slouched. “Okay. So. You’re my best friend, right?”
“Your only one, genius freak. Spill.”
Thirty minutes and two more check-ins from Theo later, Sadie’s hair was almost completely air-dried, she’d changed into yoga pants and a tank top, and Dasha had nearly passed out twice from disbelief. Sadie had told her best friend everything.
“That tattoo just showed up? Kind of like Mr. Hercules?” Dasha grabbed her arm. “Demons? Really?”
Silence filled the restroom as Sadie let it sink in. Not just for Dasha, but for herself, too. She didn’t know what to make of everything. Especially the feelings she had for a total and complete stranger. He talked of her being his Mate…as in
mate.
That just didn’t compute with her.
“Can I ask you something?” Sadie asked as she leaned against the wall and hugged her knees.
Dasha nodded, straightening her legs out in front of her.
“Do you believe in love at first sight?”
“Never have…until now.”
“Really? Love? As in eternal, gonna-live-with-you-until-I-die love?” Sadie shook her head. “No matter what I’m
feeling
for this guy, it can’t be love. Lust, maybe, but not love.”
“And about thirty minutes ago, I thought demons, Hades, and superpowers were impossible, too.” Dasha pinned her with a stare. “Who’s to say this Mate thing isn’t for real? I mean, he got your mark. You said it formed on his neck when he took you from the security offices?”
Sadie nodded.
“That’s fracking amazing.”
“Fracking?” Sadie giggled.
“Yeah. Trying that one out. The real eff-word hurts my ears.”
“So, just to clarify things. You believe in love at first sight. Maybe even this Mate crap he’s spewing about?”
“You’re the scientific type, aren’t you? Have to have substantial proof, or whatever other fancy words you like to use, before you believe in something.” She shook her head. “I mean, that’s cool and stuff—you’re mega-smart, I get that—but you’re kinda dumb sometimes, too, girl.”
“Gee, thanks. And what do you know about love? You’ve never had a steady boyfriend other than flings in high school and then Joseph from Intro to Physics.” Sadie shifted her weight and rested her head against the wall. “I mean, I get the sense from Theo that this Mate thing is indisputable and eternal, and he has absolutely no doubts in the slightest.”
“What a fairy tale.”
“Please. I was in freaking Hades, Dash.” Sadie hopped to her feet. “Hell. As in devil, horns, eternal-suffering shit. I’m not okay with that.”
“That part sucks rocks. Try talking to him. I don’t know, like, get to know him or something.” She slowly rose to her feet, wincing and grabbing her shoulder. “Then maybe you’ll feel it, too, and go out and buy some diamonds or something.”
“Jerk.”
Dasha rolled her shoulders and tilted her head from one side to another. A chorus of cracks rang out.
Sadie grabbed Dasha’s hand and led her to the door. “Okay. The first thing I’ll ask my
Mate
to do”—she shook her head—“is to fix your shoulder like he fixed my arm.”
“Oh, man. If he can, I’ll be his Mate if you don’t want him.”
Chapter Fifteen
“Wow. It feels as good as new.” Dasha swung her gaze from Theo to Sadie, then back. “You really sucked it into you, and then it went away?”
Theo nodded, furious Sadie had told Dasha everything. He would have to ask Justin to work some memories from her. Humans couldn’t know about them. What was she thinking?
Sadie stood beside the door, watching. She’d been doing that since they’d walked in. He’d been on his way to pound on the restroom door yet again because they’d been taking such a long time.
And now he knew why. She’d told this human everything. He ground his molars.
Stay calm.
“Okay, then. I’m outta here. I have to get up in a few hours for my stupid psych final.” Dasha opened the door and gave her friend one last look, then whispered something beyond Theo’s hearing. He could have gone into Sadie’s mind to get it, but didn’t. He’d learned over the centuries to offer privacy when he could.
Sadie leaned against the door and toed the carpet with her bare foot, obviously uncomfortable with his presence in this tiny room.
If only he could take her to his home. It was a mere hour from campus, in the foothills surrounding the city, but it was a fortress. Magically hidden from everyone for centuries, he’d enjoyed the solitude and often lamented the sprawling city slowly making its way toward his sanctuary.
Sadie moved to her lofted bed, then pushed up onto her tiptoes and grabbed one of the three pillows. She hurried to the couch and pulled off the blanket. “Okay. Here you go.” She offered him what she’d gathered. “There’s a couch out there long enough for you. I think.”