Nodding, I grab my mug and make for the door. “See you later,” I murmur to Rebecca who’s blushing furiously.
“Yeah, sure.”
Following Kade down the hall toward my office is probably the most distracting thing I’ve done in a while. The slacks that hug his thighs also seem to mold to the sexiest ass I’ve ever seen. Everything about him makes me think of sex. He’s built for it, wears it like a cologne. The scent is an aphrodisiac. My nipples harden against the soft material of my bra, and my mind is a mess of desire and lust by the time we reach the safety of my office.
“I wanted to apologize for Presley’s behavior this morning,” he affirms as he settles on the edge of my desk, his ankles crossed, with those thick-muscled arms taught with tension as his hands grip the edge of the desk. I set the mug down because my hand is trembling. Not from fear, but just from the sheer force this man emanates.
“Look, I don’t know what’s happened with the two of you, but she was convinced there’s something going on between you and me, which of course isn’t the case.”
He snaps his dark gaze on me, and I can tell the words I’ve just uttered are a lie. There is something between us, only, I don’t know what. He rises to full height and stalks to the window. Staring outside, I watch as his gaze takes in everything below. When he turns to face me, a slight nod is all he gives me, then he murmurs, “There’s a lot you’re still to learn, little fairy.”
His words have confusion whirling around in my mind. “You know —” Crossing my arms in front of my chest, I regard him through narrowed eyes. “— too many people have been saying that to me recently. Also, I’m no fairy. If anything, I’m much fiercer than that. I’ve been through hell and back. This—” I gesture around me, “— is my first chance at a normal life.” I hate that my voice cracks on the words, but the way Kade watches me makes me even more self-conscious.
“You are fiercer. Perhaps you’re a little darker than I originally thought,” he utters with a sinful smirk that lifts the corner of his mouth in a seductive way. “Talia, as much as you want a normal life, that’s not in the cards for you, sweetheart,” he quips with his dark eyebrow quirking into an arch. “Till later,” he whispers and turns to leave.
When he reaches for the door, I ask, “Why me?”
He doesn’t face me when he answers. “You’re special, Tali.” He utters a nickname only my parents and Rhys have ever called me, which causes my heart to leap into my throat. He leaves me staring at the closed door, with my mind reeling, and the words ringing in my ears.
You’re special.
This is ridiculous. Leaving my coffee, I stalk out of my office and find the elevator just closing with him inside. Before it has time to move, I push the call button and wait. I’ve just missed him, but I know his office is on the top floor.
Once the second car arrives, I step inside and hit the button for the CEO’s office. As I ascend, I wonder what the fuck I’m doing. My body shivers in anticipation of being near him again. Of seeing those crystal-clear blue eyes, those full lips, and that incredible body. As my mind races with these thoughts, I realize one thing. I want him. I want Kade Montgomery, and there’s nothing he can do to stop it because he wants me too.
When the doors slide open, I notice a beautiful woman sitting at a large white desk. Her bright red lips are the only color in the area. She glances up and offers me a fake smile. “Can I help you?”
“Yes, I’m here to see Mr. Montgomery.”
“I’m afraid he’s busy. Do you have an appointment?” She smirks as if telling me I can’t see Kade is the highlight of her day.
“I’m new here. It’s important I speak with him immediately. It won’t take long. Please.”
“I don’t know who you think you are—”
“Thank you, Hayley. I’ll have that water now.” A booming tone startles us both as Kade strides out of his office. The suit jacket he’s wearing hugs his broad shoulders. His gaze, filled with a serious undercurrent, pins Hayley with a glare that could set her alight. When he turns to regard me, his lips lift into a smirk so fucking deadly, I’m sure my panties have disintegrated. “What can I do for you, Talia?”
“I need to speak to you” — cutting a glance at the she-devil, I can’t help offering her a satisfied smile — “privately.”
“Sure, come through.” With that, he ushers me inside the pristine office that steals my breath. The large, open space is decked in monochrome furniture, with the only color being the chilly blue sky outside. The contrasting black and white are beautiful, elegant, yet understated. “You like the office?”
“Yes,” I breathe. “It’s incredible.” I make my way over to a large painting which covers most of the wall beside the door. “This . . .”
“That . . .” He shakes his head, then gestures to the chair, but I don’t move. “I’ll need you to sit down, Talia. There’s something I must confess.” His tone is gruff, yet filled with regret, or guilt. I’m not sure which, but it hangs in the air, swirling around us like an impending storm.
“I don’t like when people confess. It never turns out well,” I murmur, recalling the day Rhys told me about the disease that ate away at his body.
“No, confessions aren’t my favorite thing either. And I didn’t want to do it here, but since you’re in my office . . .” His words taper off when he turns to face me. I watch him shrug out of his jacket and toss it on the chair. Big, strong hands work the cuff links, and again he rolls up his sleeves. Once they’re at his elbows, he reaches up and tugs the silver tie from his neck. In one fluid movement, it’s lying on the desk.
“And?”
“Please, sit,” he asks again, pointing to the chair. Once I’m settled, he takes a seat opposite me. Azure pools hold me hostage for a long while before he starts. “Talia Craven, I’ve known about you for a long time. Too long, in fact. It’s taken me far too long to find the courage to take on the role that’s been asked of me.”
“I don’t . . . I mean, I don’t understand.”
He drops his gaze, and I miss it immediately. Pushing up, he stands and turns to face the window. “Your best friend, Rhys Parker, asked me, begged me to be there for you. I was supposed to arrive the day of his funeral, but . . .” He shakes his head as if he’s at war with himself.
“Rhys spoke to you? You knew him?” At this, I’m on my feet and stalking over to him. “Talk to me, Kade. What do you mean, he asked you?” As soon as I place my hand on his shoulder, a jolt like lightning shoots through me, and my eyes slam shut. I feel Kade’s hand on mine as he holds it against him. Memories race through my head. Pictures, images, they’re all a jumbled mess.
“Focus, Tali. Breathe. Listen to my voice and breathe through the confusion. Anchor yourself to my voice.” My grip on his shoulder tightens. It’s as if I can feel the blood racing through his veins. We’re linked. Connected. As if we’re one person. “Focus on the images. Rhys. Me. You. Three Souls. Come on, Talia. Focus.”
Everything feels surreal. Like I’m in some sort of vacuum. No. I’m in a whirlwind. Spinning. Out of control. But . . . There’s Kade. Then Rhys. Something snaps, and I find myself in Kade’s strong arms. His stare is intense, stealing my breath, but his lips are so close it’s as if he’s breathing me in. As if we’re sharing the same set of lungs. The same air. The same heartbeat.
“What? What was that?” My voice is breathy, almost needy. Desperate for him to tell me, talk to me. Explain what the hell is going on.
“I need you to sit down, Tali. You’ve just been hit full force with part of your abilities.” His words confuse me, but they also calm me. He lifts me effortlessly and sets me on the large sofa sitting in the center of his office.
“Abilities?” My brows furrow in confusion as I settle my gaze on him. Tiny lights flit just outside my vision, and my stomach rolls.
“Look at me,” he commands, kneeling before me on the carpet, my ass perched on the leather cushions. The man who looks so much like a commanding
officer at war is now on the floor, staring at me like he’s about to devour me. And something deep in my gut tells me I’ll let him.
“I—” His finger on my lips halts my words, but once again the current that runs through my veins is ever present. When we touch, it’s as if there’s lightning racing through me.
“How much do you know about your family?” he questions intently. Shaking my head, I want to answer, but his finger is still poised on my lips. I’m tempted to suck it into my mouth, to taste him.
I don’t know what this man is doing to me, but it feels as if I’m riding a roller coaster, and I don’t want to get off.
“Well, there’s no way around this, Tali. I wanted to take you out, somewhere where I can prove what I’m saying isn’t a lie, but I can’t move you for a little while. Your body is still trembling.” His words cause me to lift my hand and realize he’s right. I’m shaking like a leaf, and Kade, he’s the stone keeping me grounded. “You are part of a royal family, Talia. To be completely honest, you’re . . .” His gaze darkens, considerably so, and those azure pools are now midnight blue. As if his pupil has dilated so much so that the color has been overrun by black. “You’re a princess. Your line are descendants of the Blessed Witch, a powerful race that has extraordinary powers, and you . . . You’re the next in line for the throne.”
A laugh, soft and musical, falls from my lips, which turns into a throaty chuckle, and then I’m laughing so much my stomach aches. The tension that hung heavy around us now dissipates and Kade steps back.
“Listen to me, Tali. I need you to calm down. Please.”
“Why? Am I going to conjure up a spell and turn you into a frog?” I giggle. It’s not a long one filled with humor. Instead, it’s laced with confusion, anger. Now I know what my clothes feel like when they’re in the dryer. Spinning out of control.
“Talia.” The deep rumble of Kade shudders through me, jolting me, but sending a wave of unbidden desire through me. I don’t know why I want him. Why my body is reacting to him so strongly, but I need space, so I rise and move to the window. Placing both hands on the cool glass, I inhale deep breaths while my eyes adjust from what I’ve just seen, and my vision clears from the small spots that appeared.
“Kade.”
“Talia, look at me. My eyes. I need you to focus on me. I can help you, but you need to trust me.” With those words, I finally spiral out of control. Spinning around, I lift my hand to slap him, but with lightning speed, he grabs my wrist, holding me steady. With my other hand free, I try again, but he’s faster. Too fucking fast to be human.
“What the fuck are you?” I screech. Anger swirls between us. It’s malevolent, yet turns me molten. “I asked you a fucking question!” Without warning, I’m pinned between Kade and the thick glass. My body wriggles, but he’s too strong. He leans in with his mouth poised at my ear.
“If you don’t stop fucking screaming, I’m going to gag you. And the only time I enjoy gagging a woman is when she’s impaled on my dick. So, I suggest you shut the fuck up before I have to drag you from this office bound and blindfolded.”
His hiss startles me, his eyes blaze fury, but his body shudders with need. The heat of him overwhelms but calms me. My breath is ragged as he regards me with a stare that’s both heated and confused. As if he’s fighting his own war beneath the surface.
“I’m going to step back. Are you okay?” Nodding, I sigh when his body weight releases me from its hold, but his grip on my shoulders holds me up.
“I’m . . . This is all too much. I mean. It doesn’t make sense. I’ve never heard of anything like this before.” He nods in agreement. My mind is still reeling when I recall my mother’s phone call from last night. When she begged me to come home. That she had something to talk to me about. This must be it.
“Tali?” Casting a glance at him, I wait for him to say something more, to attempt to help me make sense of this in my mind, but he doesn’t. Instead, he watches me. As if I’m a circus act on display.
“Let me go, Kade. I need to talk to my parents. I don’t know what or who you are. Also, how did you know Rhys? None of this makes any sense, and right now, I’d rather be far from you and these stories you’re telling me.” My retort comes with the sudden urge to find out what’s going on, and it jerks me into action. Stepping by Kade, I don’t get very far when his strong hand grips my arm, spinning me to face his pleading gaze.
“Talia, please trust me. Your parents . . .” His words taper off, but he releases me. “They’re going to tell you the same thing, but, they’re also going to tell you who I am, and I want to do that. I’d like you to hear my truth from me. Not from them.” The plea in his gaze is genuine. It tugs at the strings of my heart, playing me like a puppet, and even though I want to say no, I find myself nodding.
8
Kade
This is it. If she believes me, then I’ll be able to finish what I started. If not, I’ll have to work harder to make sure she doesn’t run. It’s my choice. I could either be her end, or her salvation. What happened moments ago, that connection, is something I’ve never felt before. As if she’d reached inside me and gripped my being. That thing I’ve hidden from everyone, the light inside that I allowed to dim long ago when I chose to live in the dark. Her hand wrapped around my very soul, and she drew out the sin with her purity.
There’s nothing I can do but give her honesty. To show her who I really am. To show her the Warlock who lies beneath the veneer. “Please, Kade. If you can’t tell me then . . .,” she murmurs. “Then I need to go.” Her big brown eyes pin me with a pleading gaze that seems to shock my heart into beating against my chest painfully.
“No, just, give me a moment. I’ve never had to do this before. In the past I’ve always just . . . It’s always been different. But then again, so are you. Sit.” My order isn’t harsh, but she trembles, and I wonder if it’s from my abruptness or if it’s from the desire that swirls around her in an incredibly hypnotic fog. It’s beautiful, the deep purple and bright crimson reminds me of passion and violence.
“So.” She watches me, and I nod. It’s time.
“I need you to hold my hands. Close your eyes, and I need you to focus. My voice is your anchor. It’s meant to keep you grounded when you’re honing your skill. Trust me,” I implore her, and without hesitation, she nods.
I take her delicate hands in mine. Immediately the connection awakens.
Forged together.
Broken in two.
Only to find each other when the magic is nearing its most powerful.
This is us.
And this is why my brother will stop at nothing to make sure I spill her blood and watch as she lies in the pool of crimson at my feet.
I shut my eyes and hold onto her. The smooth skin of her hands warm me, and I allow her into my mind. Accept her into my heart. And permit her into my soul. The images of when our souls were ripped apart, her parents, her years growing up, and then losing Rhys. All of this is new to me. I’ve only got access to her memories when we’re connected, physically. Once all the images from her mind run through, I show her mine. Me as a kid. Teenager. And then me as the adult before her. Before now. What I hide, though, is the last part of it because she’s not ready to see the Warlock inside. It lies below the surface. Mine and hers. It will be too much for me to show her now, so I cloak it. I know her powers will only grow, and she’ll be able to see all of me, but for now, I’m able to hide what I don’t want her to know. I only give her enough to answer some of her questions.
The black and white.
The light and dark.
The right and wrong.
The yin and yang.
Us.
Slowly, I release her. Allowing her a moment to breathe, to absorb, and I pray, I fucking pray like I’ve never done before that she doesn’t run. That she allows me in. Even though our paths will end on her birthday, I know this is going to be my most difficult choice. Breaking my other half isn’t going to tear me apart. I
t’s going to kill me in the process.
For the first time in my life, after seeing her like that, growing from a child to a woman, I want to feel what humans so painfully fight for every day.
When her gaze meets mine, I find myself needing it.
Wanting it.
The emotion that will be my end.
Love.
Before she turns twenty-one, I want us both to know what it is. If my plan doesn’t work, and we can’t join while holding on to our more dominant parts, then I’ll need to kill her, and right now, I’m not sure I can do it.
I’m the dark, she’s the light. I live off the strife, agony, and heartache. Whereas this sweet girl needs happiness, love, and pleasure.
“So, we’re . . .” She frowns wrinkling her nose in confusion. It’s the cutest thing in the world, and I smile. “Are we alike? I mean . . . How did you do that?”
“We’re two parts of the same whole. It’s difficult to explain, but I can show you. We can . . . I don’t know, just spend time together. You see, this tether is unique. There’s only one in every lifetime. This story is long, confusing, and I need time to tell it to you. Will you give me that? Will you grant me a chance to explain?”
She’s silent, thinking. I want to touch her again, to feel her anguish, and see the war waging through her mind. The moment I saw her thoughts, I knew I could never want anyone else. The fine rope that binds us is there, strong and resilient. Then he’s there, Rhys. She has him in her mind, and it frustrates me. His face, smiling at her, has jealousy surging through me. Emotion startles her — when I place a finger under her chin to raise her eyes to mine — because she shudders, her dark eyes on mine.
“What was that?” Her question is purely out of curiosity, but I can’t tell her I’m jealous of a dead man. Even though I know he’s in her heart, I realize I want it to be me. I want to be the one she thinks of when she’s hurt, angry, turned on. I want to consume her every thought.
“Nothing. Please, Talia?” Once again, I implore her. Needing her for the same reason she needs me. To find the strength in our powers.
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