Maybe Fate: A Novel (New Adult Paranormal Romance) (27 page)

“
This
has gotten too serious, too gloomy,” he chuckled. Slipping his
fingers down till they held my wrist, he guided me towards the
opening in the alley way. “Gale Everette,” he said
suddenly, casting a sideways look at me that set my blood pumping.

“
What,
what is it?”

“
I
said I couldn't promise you that you weren't in danger. I've yet to
understand what, exactly, it is about you that is drawing all of us
twaelin so close. But.” He linked his arm around my elbow, a
gesture so normal, so romantic, I was amazed that I could still
walk. “I believe that Ethlyn and Valenforth have intentions
just as potentially dark for you. We are not, at all, on the same
side, but our interest in you shares a home.”

Watching
his mouth, how it slid from a thoughtful smile into a tight line, my
belly flexed with the sudden rush of energy that danced around
Nethiun.

It's
almost tangible, like I could see it, if I focused hard enough.

His
next words removed any chance of focusing.

“
If
either of them tries to harm you,” he said softly, colder than
the October breeze, “I promise I'll keep you safe. I'll
protect you from them, it's the most I am capable of.”

I
believed him. He looked my way as we broke back out onto the bright
streets, and in my very being, I knew he meant what he said.

It
would have been easy to let that sink in, to revel in the feeling of
someone saying such wonderful things. I was never good at letting
things be easy.

There
was still something he hadn't told me.

“
Why?”
I asked, biting back my fear of ruining the moment. Around us, the
blur of lights turned our skin different colors.

Those
colors didn't touch his eyes.

“
Why...”
He halted on the sidewalk, considering me carefully. “That's
amazingly hard to explain. Gale, there is something about
you—perhaps IN you—that pulls me, screams at me to stay
close. No, to keep getting closer.”

I
waited for him to say more,
craved
for him to say more. Instead, he smiled at me with sudden, brisk
cheer. Nethiun blinked, I saw his pale eyes glimmered again.

The
mask is back.

“
Come
on.” He pulled at me gently, leading me along with the stream
of people. To the world, we were a pair of new lovers; fitting in,
nothing out of place.

If
only it could have been true.

Nethiun

When
I kissed her, it took every ounce of control I had not to chase that
rising tide inside of her. To keep myself from seeking out how high
her flame could go, even if it meant quenching it and ending her in
that grime filled alley. Destroying her fragile body entirely.

Even
through my savage hunger, I knew I didn't want that.

I'd
pulled away, let her breathe, and in the end calmed the yearning
inside of me that wanted to consume every inch of her.

Now,
strolling beside her down the streets, I could still feel the
magnetic energy that danced in her. It begged me to make it grow,
but I ignored it.

For
now.

Gale
had asked me why I had claimed I would protect her. Truthfully, my
decision had surprised even me.

I
didn't remember the last time I'd ever kissed a human, I'd certainly
never sworn to guard one.

Something
is inside of you, Gale Everette,
I
mused silently. Glancing down at her, catching her shy smile, I
matched her with my typical grin.

Yes,
there's a power, some sort of energy. It's been calling to me for
some time, but now...

Now
it's like an endless roar.

I'd
told her that was what drew me to her, yet I was discovering there
was more to my intentions. Even if the odd, delicious pull of her
energy, combined with the sweetness of her wild emotions, had led me
to hunger for her...

Now,
there was something more foreign mixing with my lust.

“
Gale!”
A deep voice boomed, the girl beside me pulling up short. Turning, I
followed her eyes, spotting a burly man standing behind a small
stall across the street.

“
That's
Josef,” she said, yanking at me to get me to follow her. “He
owns the bakery on my campus.”

I
didn't tell her I already knew that.

“
Gale,
how are you?” he asked cheerfully, shooting a pointed look my
way that implied more than his question.

With
waves of anxiety fluctuating around her, the girl slid her arm from
mine. “Oh, uh, great.”

“
I
can see that!” He laughed, once more staring at me, as if I
should know some secret code to play along.

It
was obvious what he wanted, his desire to give Gale a friendly hard
time being broadcast clear as day. Turning up the volume, I leaned
in and planted a quick kiss to the red-head's cheek. I made sure to
be extra loud, smacking my lips. “She's not the only one,”
I teased.

The
resulting flush of pink that traveled all the way from her neck to
her nose sent hungry sparks into my center.

“
You
guys, stop,” she mumbled, looking away from us both.

Josef
slapped the surface of his stall, getting her attention. “I'm
only teasing, no worries, no worries. Sorry I missed you in the shop
earlier, had a lot to get ready to bring out here.”

“
It's
fine,” she said, clearly forgiving his playfulness. “It
isn't like you owe the birds free bread.”

“
They
expect it by now,” he scoffed, glancing between her and I.
“So, Gale. Introduce me to your boyfriend.”

“
He—what—that's!”

Smiling
with satisfaction, I reached out to shake his meaty hand. He seemed
strong, no doubt the result of kneading dough all day. “I'm
Nethiun, nice to meet you. Gale told me your name was Josef?”

“
That's
right, that's right. Nethiun, interesting name. I always figured
it'd take a certain type to catch Gale's eye.” The baker
winked at her, sending her emotions ricocheting like mad.

Looking
down at the boxes on the stall, I saw they were full of various
little desserts. Gale, too, had shrugged off her embarrassment
enough to peer at the treats. “Wow, those look really nice,
Josef,” she said.

“
Indeed,”
I agreed, thinking they certainly seemed better than stale bread.

Beaming,
he pulled back the lid, gesturing to us. “Well, they're only a
dollar each. Why not buy the lovely lady a snack, sir.”

“
Ah,”
I said, putting on a sheepish smile. “I'm afraid I haven't
brought any money with me.”
Rather,
I don't have any. That was never something I expected I'd need to
bother with.

Josef
seemed dubious, but Gale piped up. I could sense her reluctance as
she dug into her pocket. “Here, just let me get them. Two
dollars isn't so bad.”

The
baker seemed hesitant to take her money. Still, he slid the paper
away, motioning for us to pick something.

Gale
grabbed out a thick hunk of brownie, reminding me of the one I'd
seen her eating the other day in the park.

Unsure
what to take, I just grabbed a round, shiny roll dusted with sugar.
I'm
eating a lot of human food tonight, it seems.

“
Thanks,
Josef,” Gale said, whatever had dampened her mood flitting
away as she nibbled the snack.

Nodding
in agreement, though I hadn't touched the bread, I smiled. “Yes,
thank you.”

“
You
kids have fun,” he demanded, pointing at us with false
seriousness. With one more big grin, he waved his arm, sending us
back off down the street.

Letting
Gale lead, she took us downtown, further from the blare of music.
“Here,” she said, leaning up against the doorway of a
building. Bending down, she dusted off the top step before sitting
down on it.

Delicately,
she nibbled at her brownie. It reminded me, deep in my memory, of a
peasant sitting on a roadside savoring the only morsel of food they
had. “You seem to be enjoying that.”

Glancing
up at me, she lifted her eyebrows until they vanished under her
frazzled hair. “Of course, it's chocolate. I don't eat this
stuff too often. Speaking of which,” she said, pointing at me
with the baked-good, “you owe me a dollar.”

Standing
before her, my shadow fell down on her face. Even so, her eyes
sparkled with merriment. “If you like them so much, why do I
always catch you with old bread? Why not eat such sweet things all
the time?”

Gale
paused in mid-bite, eyeing me with unease. Slowly, she chewed,
savoring the mouthful. Only then did she finally talk. “That's
not possible for me.”

“
Not
possible?”

“
Money,”
she said, sorrow clouding around her hunched figure. “I guess
you wouldn't really get it. You don't need money, do you? You can
just do whatever you want, you don't even need a place to call
home.”

I
mulled over her words, letting this new information click into
place. “Perhaps, you might be right. I've never not had a
place to return to, though home might be the wrong word. It's always
been there, always constant.”

She
seemed to be staring at something I couldn't see, some far away
memory. “That must be nice.”

She's
thinking about something, something that's made her morose.

Nimbly,
I settled on the step beside her. I felt her turn towards me, but I
set my attention on the roiling clouds above. They looked swollen,
ready to break and douse us with rain any minute. “Tell me
about it,” I said.

“
About
what?”

“
Your
home.” Peering at her wary expression, I shrugged. “It's
what you're thinking about, right? You know so much about me, Gale,
even if you aren't satisfied with the knowledge. Outside of your
place here, in this town, I admit you're a mystery to me.”

“
Me,
a mystery,” she mused. “I'd never think about myself
that way.” Looking down at the last bit of brownie, she
finished it off with a wistful sigh.

But
you are, you're quite the mystery. I'm keen to solve you, Gale
Everette.