Mortal Defiance

Chapter 14

 

 

 

 

 

Scott’s body was picked up by a couple of humans in a large jeep-type vehicle. They wore camouflaged clothes and grisly expressions. Ree saw the butt of a gun poking out from under a jacket and wondered why he needed it. It wouldn’t stop a Dark One if they set their eyes on him, and it was a definite possibility considering the quickly approaching night.

 

“What are they going to do with him?”

 

“Well, the great thing about living in South Georgia is the prevalence of swamps and alligators. I hear they’ll eat just about anything.” Roland moved closer to her, his eyes deep and unreadable. The only way she knew he was hurt was because of the emotion her power allowed her to feel. He didn’t always broadcast like this, but the last few times she had seen him she realized it was growing.

 

“Oh.” Ree wrapped her arms around herself and watched as the deadly-looking men drove away. A heavy, warm weight wrapped around her shoulders, and from the smell of leather, mint, and eucalyptus, Ree knew that Roland had given her his jacket. “I’m fine, really.”

 

“I don’t need it, Ree. I only wear it to fit in.” Smiling devilishly, he winked at her. “And because it looks good on me.”

 

“That’s true.” Ree replied before turning ten shades of red.

 

“Ah, so you have noticed.” Something warm swirled in the back of his eyes as he looked at her. “I was beginning to think the godling had managed to overshadow everything else.”

 

“Um, what?” Wincing, Ree thought, Good God, how much lamer can I get? I’m bumbling around like a ten-year-old.

 

Slowly, so she had time to resist, he reached out and touched her cheek. “I love it when you blush. Tria didn’t blush—she was much more forward than you. But I find that I love drawing out your response.” Moving closer, he leaned down so his lips were near her ear and her traitorous heart sped up. “I never expected that when Tria was reborn I would be able to fall for her new reincarnation even harder than I had the first time.”

 

Something warm tumbled in the pit of Ree’s stomach as she breathed in his scent. The thought that he was interested in her for her, and not just because of Tria, made her heart pound. But at the same time, a discomfort warred in her heart.

 

“I’m not Tria. I mean, I’m not the same as she was when she was alive. I’m me. Just Ree.” Fire slid through her veins as he placed a hand on her shoulder, gently pulling her forward. “You can’t be falling… I mean, you don’t even know who I am.”

 

“I know enough, Ree. I know you are loyal, brave, and fierce when you are determined to do something. You have a sense of humor, an ease with your friends, and even though you think everyone at the school hates you, they don’t. They are intimidated by your beauty, your spunk, your intelligence.” When he slid his hand up the back of her neck, Ree felt her knees grow wobbly. Part of her wanted to melt into him, give into what he wanted, but another part of her chafed at the thought. Her heart screamed for someone else. She leaned back until he released her. His eyes were bright with desire and hurt, but she just shook her head.

 

“I don’t know what it is that is floating between us, Roland. I’m not used to…”

 

“Being wanted?” He looked over her shoulder, a frown creeping onto his face. “Rest assured, Ree McKenna. I want you. And that isn’t going to change.”

 

“I thought we were supposed to be getting ready to go.” Angry, clipped words made Ree close her eyes in frustration. Turning around, she met Paden’s irate stare and tried to not wince.

 

“I wanted to know what they were going to do with Scott.”

 

Paden didn’t say anything else, just stalked toward her. His long, lean frame moved gracefully across the cracked pavement, and she realized his fangs were down. Something in his eyes reminded her of a lion hunting an antelope, and her heart picked up. Nearing her, he sniffed the air and grunted.

 

“You smell like him.” Ree blushed and looked over her shoulder, but Roland was gone.

 

“He left.” The quiet statement made her a little sad and guilty. Paden’s eyes flashed as he assessed her emotions and registered the sadness. Moving closer he slid his hands inside the jacket so he was holding her waist and pulled her against him. “You’re upset. Something in you really does remember him.”

 

“I don’t…” Ree stuttered to a halt when he shook his head.

 

“No, don’t deny it. I can’t imagine what it must feel like for you. Or for him. But I can imagine what it would be like to live forever without you, and I don’t want to miss the time we do have. I’ve wasted enough time over the years, denying what I felt for you. I thought I was doing the right thing. I really did.” He leaned down and gently nuzzled her neck. “I don’t know how I fought it for so long, but I’m not going to anymore. Maybe I needed a good kick in the ass, but I’m not going to let you get away.”

 

Her breath shuddered in her chest and her mind swirled with the emotion he was exuding. It was powerful, and it called to part of her that she couldn’t deny. She leaned into him and let him hold her until someone came barging through the back door.

 

“Oh ho! What have we here? Well, don’t let me interrupt. Just pretend like I’m not here.” Whistling, Weylin walked to Melanie’s car and put a bag in the trunk. Covered in the descending shadows, his face looked haggard. As if sensing her thoughts, Paden nodded his head and let go of her waist. She walked over to her friend and leaned against the trunk, pretending to check out the stars that were beginning to peek out.

 

“I was kind of hoping to put this talk off a little longer.” Shoving his hands in his pockets, Weylin grimaced and looked down at the ground.

 

“I think that’s a luxury we can’t afford, buddy.” Ree turned so she was looking at him and thought about her friend and his odd behavior. The hair on that side of his head wasn’t covering the missing ear as well as it would in a few weeks. He had taken that hit so she wouldn’t have to when he blocked the Dark One at the cemetery, and he had suffered for it. Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek and squeezed his arm.

 

“What was that for? Are you trying to get me killed?” Ree couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her mouth when Weylin looked over his shoulder in mock fear.

 

“Thank you. What you did for me I won’t ever be able to repay. I’m so sorry you got dragged into this.” Ree swallowed, her throat sore with repressed emotion. “I owe you my life, Weylin. That Dark One would have killed me.”

 

“It’s no big deal, Ree. Really. If you want to apologize for something, apologize for almost throwing up on me that night. I think that’s the only thing I remember, and it haunts my nightmares.” He placed a hand to his chest as if he was wounded.

 

Ree dug her elbow into his side and groaned. “I couldn’t help it, okay? Cut me some slack!”

 

“I will if you will.” Weylin turned to look at her, his face contrite. “I freaked out today. I don’t know why it bothered me so much. And, really, Mel has already talked my ear off about the drinking. That was really stupid. Something could have happened, and I wouldn’t have been able to help.” Sighing heavily, Weylin slumped back against the trunk and looked away from Ree. “I just didn’t want to deal with all of it, you know? I wanted a break. Our whole lives changed almost overnight. Monsters are trying to kill us, I have fangs, and then, Claire…” Trailing off, he blew a big gush of air out of his mouth before looking back at Ree. “And then when Sheila said something about my ear, it was like I just snapped. I wanted to not think about it all. But ditching school just made it worse, because I had nothing to think about except all of this. So I thought maybe if I was drunk enough, I wouldn’t think about anything, period.”

 

Ree threaded her arm around his waist and leaned her head against his shoulder. “I totally get it, Wey. I do.” Throwing an arm around her shoulders, he hugged her back. “All of this sucks, big time.”

 

“Yeah, but at least Paden seems to have finally come around. God, I was tired of watching him stare at you with puppy eyes and then deny it.” Weylin shook her shoulders, making her laugh.

 

“Yeah, yeah. Not everyone can be as suave as you are.”

 

“But they all dream of it.”

 

Ree squeezed his waist before stepping back. “Well, we all need unattainable goals. Gives us something to strive for.”

 

“I’m sorry I let you down today, Ree.”

 

“You didn’t let me down. I was just worried about you.”

 

“You won’t have to again.”

 

Ree smiled and jerked her head toward the door. “Let’s go in and find out what it is Sophie wants. Then I have to call my parents.”

 

 

 

 

 

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