“Probably,” he agreed.
Damn, this man was unfazed by my lack of tact. First test passed.
His power whistled over me again. “Besides, I heard there was an incident in class today. I figured you needed quiet and relaxing.”
Of course he’d heard about that.
“I can have a word with Melly if you like?” His calm tone wasn’t fooling me, I had too much experience with that false calm men got in their voices right before they killed someone.
I shook my head. “Thanks, but it has been handled already.”
“As you wish.” And he left it at that, which was a welcomed relief.
We crossed the town, moving away from the houses and into the industrial area where most of our manufacturing took place. Anything we couldn’t produce was delivered through our networks in the human world. Scattered worldwide were human liaisons who knew about these prison towns. They were pivotal to our being able to exist within a society but not be discovered. We called them the Guild Guides or ‘Guilds’ and it was a family business. They served us for their entire lives and passed the information down to their children; for most it was considered an honor to work for us. Plus we paid them a crap-ton and mostly they did very little. But it was through them we cleaned our money to be used in the human world, procured identification if we had to venture out, and safe housing. Not to mention their valuable knowledge of how to blend. They were becoming more and more important in the age of computers. Humans had a sneaky way of keeping track of everything nowadays.
It was obvious that Louis was not someone who felt the need to fill silence, he just held my hand and walked. Which was driving me a little crazy. I wanted to ask questions, but everything seemed so personal.
As if he’d read my mind, he started talking. “You were so tiny the first time I saw you. Jonathon contacted me, he was frantic. I’d been very good friends with your grandparents before they left for Spain, and I think your dad knew I was the only one who could help him.”
I wanted him to continue with this story, so I kept my mouth closed to my many questions.
“I had to touch you to place the protection over your mark, to make sure its energy could not be detected.” Using his free hand he rubbed at his chin. “I touched you first, before Mischa, and the power you contained was unlike anything I’d experienced before.” Our eyes locked. “For the first time I started to believe some of the stories, that the marked had a strength that would unite across continents and the supernaturals would fall again. I thought I should kill you.”
He said it so casually, and I shivered as I scented truth. This man had almost ended my life twenty-two years ago.
“But then you looked at me, your eyes so large and blue, crystal clear with the innocence only a young babe can have.” His arm fell to his side again. “I stayed my hand. I let you both live and convinced Jonathon to send away Lienda and Mischa. Together, the mark’s energy pulsed off each other. You were stronger around your sister, and I couldn’t risk that the hunters would find you. I needed to know you would stay safe.”
I was hanging on to every word. Fear and fascination flooded me simultaneously. “Is it safe to be speaking of this here?” My eyes darted around. I could sense no one near, but plenty were strong enough to hide from my senses.
A smile started slowly on his lips, before spreading broadly across his entire face. “Damn, you keep my ego in check without even trying.”
I had no idea what he was talking about.
“Our words are disguised. If anyone were listening in, it would sound as if we were discussing the weather. No one hears my words unless I want them to.”
I snorted out my laughter. “Right, I forgot you’re the big bad sorcerer.”
“And there you go again.”
We were still walking, past the industrial area and into the forest behind. It was not a place I’d ever ventured into. Which was weird because we had searched the forest all over for the prison.
“Doesn’t seem to have affected your confidence too much, so I’m not doing my best job,” I said distractedly. “Wait, what is this place? Why have I never seen this part of the forest?”
We were moving closer to a spectacular waterfall, surrounded on all sides by row after row of lush flowers. The scents were washing through me, I had to close my eyes and stop for a moment – tantalizingly sweet and spicy with hints of floral. Finally I looked up and found a pair of purple eyes regarding me. His expression was guarded. He no longer held my hand, so I tucked them into my back pockets and waited.
“I like my privacy.” His low words seemed to drift along the breeze and there was sadness layering them.
This was getting a little intense for me. I didn’t do serious relationships for this very reason. Subject change required immediately.
“Food,” I blurted out.
His grin wiped clear some of the sadness, and the heavy emotional tone lightened.
“Well, let’s get you some food then. I’ve heard stories of what happens if you get too hungry.”
I rubbed the bridge of my nose. “Don’t believe everything the Compasses say.”
“These stories were from your father,” he said with a laugh.
Great. Everyone was a comedian. Oh well, I might as well own it; the truth doesn’t change, no matter how much I pretend different.
Louis’ home was hidden in an alcove behind the spectacular waterfall. It was single level, simple and spacious. He didn’t need much and it showed. Still, there was a feeling of quality and warmth in the dark gray walls – comfortable furniture and a roaring fireplace. I sat at an island bench in the kitchen while he moved around, gathering, chopping and cooking. For all of my love of food I had no clue how to cook. His confidence in the kitchen was eye-candy.