Runaway Mortal

by Kant, Komal

“And why does it become me, Katerina?”

  I shrugged. “Because sometimes you use your cockiness as a wall to hide behind.”

  Loire seemed surprised with my explanation. “Not always,” he said in a distant tone. For a few moments it looked like he was millions of miles away.

  “Um,” I said, not sure whether or not to rouse him from his reverie. “It’s getting late. I better get back to my room.” I stood up and he snapped out of his thoughts, his eyes following my movements.

  “I guess you should,” he said, his eyes dark and brooding. He stood up too.

  It was impossible to imagine what he was thinking, but being drunk was the closest I’d ever seen him to being so vulnerable. There was something endearing about his innocent expression, and I couldn’t deny how attractive I found him.

  My pulse sped up and I made no attempt to move. Was it stupid of me to stay here? Was I going to regret this later on? In the back of my head, I finally realized I didn’t really care. There was an emptiness that he filled up; a spark that lit up inside of me when he was close. There was no way to tell if he felt it too, but a huge part of me was hoping that he did.

  “You’re still here,” he said with a laugh, taking a step towards me.

  We were inches apart, breathing the same air; our foreheads were almost touching and there was an erratic pounding in my chest. In disbelief, I realized what it meant.

  “It wasn’t the Mortal Blade,” I whispered.

  “What?” he asked softly, grazing his thumb against my cheek.

  “It wasn’t just the Mortal Blade calling out to me,” I said, as his eyes fell on my lips. “It was you.”

  This was what our hot and cold relationship had been leading up to. This was what our fights had been leading up to. The looks, the smiles, the touches.

  It had all been leading up to this moment.

  Wordlessly, our lips pressed together. Tentatively, at first, but then a heat burned inside of me, and I pressed my body against his. My hands travelled over what had been forbidden to me for so long; his arms, his face, his hair.

  Loire was kissing me back with an urgency that left me reeling. His hands were raking through my long hair; he was crushing his lips against mine. And then his hands went lower as they explored the small of my back, finding their way under my jacket.

  When he pulled away to look at my face, the look in his eyes was feral. “I want you,” he growled.

  His eyes raked over my entire body, sending shivers up my spine. I had never felt this way before. Ever. Not even with Talon. Loire’s actions were wild, intense—like he couldn’t get enough of me.

  “Then have me,” I whispered, arching my back and pressing against him.

  He didn’t need further prompting. His arms tightened around my waist and he pulled me in again, lifting me off the ground in the process. His lips found mine—warm and soft—kissing me desperately like he had an unquenchable thirst.

  His powerful arms snaked around me with force, crushing me, making it hard to breathe, making my head spin. I ran a hand down his huge arm, outlining the contours of his muscles, my nails digging into his flesh.

  He winced in pain, but didn’t stop me. I dug my nails into his skin harder, gripping onto him as we tumbled onto the ground together. He was on top of me, his eyes were bright and I could feel his pulse racing. I could feel it coursing through me like it was a part of me.

  My fingers fumbled at the buttons of his shirt, an urgency racing though me like it was a matter of life or death. He kissed the base of my neck, sending a thrill through me; his kisses were getting lower and lower. I managed to get the nuisance shirt off and paused, my breath catching in my throat.

  He was beautiful.

  His stomach was taut, his entire body encased in firm muscle, no doubt from years of training. My hands found their way up his body, relishing the feeling of the hard muscles. He was one of the hottest men I had ever laid eyes on him.

  The fact that he wanted me blew my mind. Not because he was too good for me, but because I never thought he could be this playful, this impulsive. There was something about him crossing a line which thrilled me. And from the way he was pressing his soft lips against my skin, it thrilled him too.

  My breathing was ragged as he began sliding my shirt higher and higher, his hands trailing slowly upwards and sending tingles across my body. His fingers teased my skin, making me push against him.

  I wanted him so bad. My body was aching for him. I wanted him to go further. I was so sure about this moment, so sure I wanted him.

  It was like Loire could read my mind, because he got to his feet and pulled me along with him.

  “Where are we going?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

  “To my room,” he whispered back.

  Before I could respond, Loire wrapped his arms around my waist and slung me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing. For someone so intoxicated he still had pretty good coordination.

  We were lucky no one was around to witness our intense make out session because we could both get into a lot of trouble for it. By some grace of the universe, we didn’t run into anyone on the way back to his room either. Which was a good thing because we were half-naked and I didn’t want “skank” added to my current status of killer.

  Loire placed me on my feet once we were inside his room, and studied me with a half-smile on his face. I chewed on my bottom lip as I paused to admire his body. The washboard abs were just as I’d always imagined—his stomach was tight and toned, and my heartbeat accelerated as I reached out and ran a hand across his stomach.

  Something inside him snapped and he leaned down, pressing his lips against mine. His kisses sent tingles shooting up my spine, and I desperately pressed my body against his. We somehow managed to make it to his bed without breaking apart. Loire pushed me down onto it, his kisses growing more urgent.

  “My turn,” he growled.

  His hand slid up my leg and underneath the shirt I was wearing. He paused at my stomach, stroking my skin, but then that wild look returned in his eyes and he pulled the shirt off over my head in one smooth motion.

  I only lay there in my jeans and bra for a few seconds; he quickly stripped me free of those too.

  Here I was, naked, lying beneath a guy who looked like a Greek God. I had to feel a little self-conscious, right? This was too good to be true. I wondered how he saw me. Was I a leggy brunette or a gangly girl?

  Loire sucked my neck before his lips went lower and lower. I moaned and dug my fingers into his back and his head snapped back up.

  There was a smile playing on those soft lips of his. “Getting a bit catty there, aren’t we?”

  His comment made me flush hot with embarrassment, and I bit down on my lip. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to…” I trailed off.

  Loire chuckled and nuzzled my neck. “Don’t worry, I like it.”

  Shivers shot through me as Loire kissed me slowly and deeply. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him closer. Within seconds, his jeans were off and I lost myself in the ecstasy of our naked bodies.

  ***

  During the time that I’d been with Talon, we’d had sex several times, but it was always in sneaky places around school. Once, we’d done it behind the dumpsters. Gross, but true.

  I had never had the luxury of waking up in the bed of the guy I’d just slept with. To be honest, when I woke up in Loire’s bed, it threw me a little. I had never thought that things between us would progress to this stage.

  We’d always had this love-hate relationship and were both very stubborn. Yet, here I was wrapped up in his sheets revelling in the aftermath of the amazing night we’d spent together.

  “Good morning.” I heard his voice across the room and sat up to find him pouring two cups of coffee.

  “What time is it?” I wondered, glancing around the room and failing to find a clock anywhere.

  “Early,” he said, approaching the bed and handing me a cup. “It’s almost six.” />
  Yeah, it was pretty early. The first exam didn’t start until nine.

  “I want to talk about last night,” Loire said, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

  Surprised, I reached over to place my cup on the bedside table and found the Mortal Blade sitting there. A sudden desire to hold it took over me, and I stared at it transfixed.

  “Kat?” Loire’s voice broke into my thoughts.

  “Yeah? Sorry.” I turned to find him watching me with a sad smile.

  “Power is alluring, isn’t it?” he asked, a knowing look in his eyes.

  Feeling embarrassed, I nodded. “But that’s not why I need it.”

  “I know.”

  We sat in silence.

  Then I remembered he wanted to talk about last night. “You were going to say something?” I prompted.

  He nodded, taking a sip of coffee, as though it would help him collect his thoughts. “What happened last night probably shouldn’t have happened. Maybe it wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been drunk.” He paused, a smirk lurking on the edge of his lips. “Do you always take advantage of vulnerable, drunk men?”

  “You are such a jerk,” I said, but my tone was light, playful.

  He smiled at my comment. “I want you to know that I don’t regret it. I do care about you, maybe more than you know.”

  The playful atmosphere dissolved; we were getting into serious territory now. If he was willing to admit some things, then I was too.

  “I care about you, too,” I confessed.

  He reached out and stroked my face, and my heart stopped. I had never felt like this before about anyone. I knew he was just a guy, and guys had a way of getting inside your heart and soul and having the ability to crush you, but I felt so differently about Loire. He wasn’t a bad person—there was just so much good he wanted to bring into our world.

  “It made me mad when you said I was like your ex. I do give a damn about you.”

  I nodded, unable to speak, waiting for him to continue.

  His eyes pierced into me. “I want you to know that I’m not that guy—the one who puts his needs before yours. I’m going to be there for you, always. Even when it seems like the whole world is against you, I’ll be there for you. I promise.”

  No one had ever said anything like that to me before. I had no idea how to even respond to that without sounding like an idiot. I wasn’t as eloquent as he was. All I could think about was that fateful night when I had walked into Palace and made an immediate connection with the bartender—my bartender.

  In amazement, I watched as Loire reached over and placed his cup down on the bedside table before picking up the Mortal Blade. He turned it over in his hands several times before sighing deeply—confusion, frustration, and regret were etched into his features. Finally, he held out the Mortal Blade to me.

  “Um,” I said, because what else could I say? I wasn’t sure what was happening right now.

  “Take it,” he said in a whisper, squeezing his eyes shut, like he couldn’t bear to see me take it away from him. “Take it before I change my mind.”

  Not feeling in complete control of my body, I reached out and took the Mortal Blade out of his hands. Something shot through me—like liquid fire—as the blade made contact with my skin.

  It was beautiful; the vibrant green ivy winding around the gold hilt seemed to be moving as I held it. It was like the blade was connecting itself with my skin—it seemed alive. A surge of power and hope and confidence rushed through me.

  I climbed out of bed, reaching for my clothes and getting dressed as the power surged into me. Loire had never described anything like this to me. As I glanced over at him, I wondered if he’d actually ever felt anything like this.

  I walked back over to him—he was standing now, studying me sadly—and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me.”

  Loire wrapped me in a hug, running his fingers through my hair. “Figure this out, Kat. I know you can.”

  Stepping away from him, I headed towards the door. When I pulled it open, I hesitated in the doorway, glancing back at him. “Will I see you soon?”

  “Yes.” He nodded, and then forced a smile onto his face. “Go kick butt on your exams today.”

  Smiling in return, I left him, realizing what a big sacrifice he’d just made for me. I didn’t know how I’d ever be able to repay him for what he’d done. Now I just had to figure out how the Mortal Blade was going to lead me to Melkane’s killer.

  I quickened my pace until I was almost sprinting along the dim corridor. Taking two steps at a time, I entered the main courtyard. I couldn’t get back to my dorm fast enough. I was going to pull the covers off Misha and jump on her bed. She was probably hung over from last night, but this was too exciting to not wake her up.

  I suddenly stopped, my heart pounding as I heard loud voices coming from somewhere to my right. Soundlessly, I pressed myself against the wall and peered around the corner. There were two figures standing there, huddled together.

  Mentally, I swore to myself. I should’ve known people would be up and about already. It wasn’t going to do my reputation any good if someone saw me doing the walk of shame from the direction of Loire’s room in the early hours of the morning.

  The voices were muffled now, but I could tell that one belonged to a female and the other to a male.

  I squinted, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. The two figures had their arms wrapped around each other and were kissing. I almost laughed out loud when I realized that I’d walked right in the middle of a couple making out.

  As I was about to sneak around them, I heard a familiar name. Veritas.

  My eyes shot back to the two figures, and my mouth dropped. I didn’t know why it had taken me so long to realize—why I hadn’t recognized them immediately.

  The two lovers, unable to keep their hands off each other, their bodies melting into one, were Veritas and Tyrone.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The next morning, after breakfast, the eleventh graders filed into the hall for our first joint exam: Supernatural History. The joint exams were spread out over a week and after that, each race had their own exams for another week.

  As we entered the hall, Anna was mumbling dates under her breath at lightning speed. In front of us, Misha wore sunglasses to cover her bloodshot eyes. When she’d woken up this morning, she’d discovered that there were massive bags under her eyes that no amount of make-up could cover up.

  I’d barely had enough time to shower, get dressed, and scarf down my breakfast—during which time I filled Anna and Misha in on everything that had happened. Well, except for the part where Loire and I had had sex, and where I had walked in on Tyrone and Veritas making out.

  The events from last night were still swirling around in my head, making it hard for me to think clearly. At least I didn’t have a hangover like Misha did.

  The hall was almost unrecognizable; there were desks as far as the eye could see, spaced far enough so you couldn’t spy on your neighbour’s answers. A large number of exam papers were stacked up on tables at the front where the teachers stood. No, not only teachers; SRECON agents, too. Loire was standing at the front, looking as passive as I’d ever seen him.

  I groaned inwardly. The last thing I needed was Loire there as a distraction.

  Misha slowed down and nudged me, nodding in Loire’s direction. I grimaced to let her know I had seen him. My expectation of doing well on this exam was already slim, but now I was sure I’d flunk. I mean, I’d just slept with the man and there he was looking hot as hell.

  Loire caught my eye and winked at me. Feeling flustered, I weaved in and out of the tables, trying to locate my name. Anna and Misha separated from me, trying to find their own seats. The desks were arranged in alphabetical order, so my friends and I were never seated close to each other.

  “Kat, I saw your name back there,” a familiar voice said close behind me. I turned to see Greggy grinning a
t me.

  “Hey, Greggy,” I said in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

  “I take advanced classes after school so my curriculum is the same as yours. If I do well then I get to graduate next year with you guys, instead of in two years.”

  “Wow, that’s great.” It occurred to me that I didn’t know very much about Greggy, despite him being my best friend’s brother. Then something else dawned on me. “Oh, that’s why you’ve been spending so much time with Anna in the library!”

  Greggy nodded. “Yeah, we’ve been studying together. She’s helped me a lot.” I suddenly felt bad for thinking that Anna and Greggy were having an affair.

  “Well, good luck,” I said with a warm smile.

  “You too.” He headed towards the front of the room and I went in the opposite direction until I got to the ‘L’ section. Walking a few desks to the right, I found ‘Lyrille, Katerina Abella’.

  Taking my seat, I looked over my shoulder to find Anna sitting several rows behind me. Catching her eye, I gave her a thumbs up, and she flashed me a smile in return. Then her mouth formed an ‘O’ as her eyes went wide.

  Confused by her reaction, I turned around again and froze. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

  Talon was casually sitting on the desk to my left. Bewildered, I glanced down at my desk again to make sure I was in the right seat. Yep, there was my name, still the same. Had someone switched the labels around?

  I leaned over to the desk on my right. It said ‘Mace, Carter’.

  “Julianna Lawrence left school last month. Her family moved to Europe,” Talon said calmly.

  Ah, Julianna Lawrence; Cedee’s ex-roomie. “That’s good to know.”

  Damn. He had seen me freak out about sitting next to him. I needed to be more composed, the way he was.

  Then there was Loire, still standing at the front; an imposing figure in black, his expression blank. I really needed to work on my indifference.

  Professor Elba was standing at a podium at the front of the hall. She turned on the microphone and tapped it to get our attention. A crackle rippled through the speakers, grating on my ears.