Under His Skin

by Stacey O'Neale

  “We look human because our DNA bonded with human bodies, and we sound human because we spent a year learning about languages and dialect. Watching television and movies also helped, but it was a long process.”

  “You bonded with human bodies?” Stepping backward, she put some distance between them. “No, no, no. This isn’t real. None of what you’re saying is possible. It doesn’t make any sense.”

  What was he doing wrong? There had to be a better way to convince her that he wasn’t crazy. Maybe telling her wasn’t enough. She needed to see what he could do. Glancing around the room, he spotted a withering houseplant she had sitting in the windowsill. He grabbed the plant and set it on the end table closest to her. “Don’t take your eyes off the plant.”

  “Okay,” she said, caution clear in her tone.

  Slowly, he ran the palm of his hand over the foliage. One of the dried brown leaves vibrated, then sprang to life. She came closer to take a better look. The leaf color changed to green while the stem thickened as fluid filled it. She jolted as another dead leaf returned to its original shade. Every other leaf repeated the same process, and in a matter of seconds, the entire plant was completely regenerated.

  She let out a gasp. “How did you do that?”

  He didn’t want to freak her out any further, but she needed an explanation. “Some of my kind are gifted. We’re able to shift molecules in solid objects. The ability manifests in each one of us in different ways. For instance, Hayden can influence the parts of the brain that deal with emotion and memory. Camden’s ability allows him to trigger electronic pulses that can be used as a defense mechanism.” He rolled his eyes. “However, he’s found other uses for it since we arrived in town.”

  “And you?” she asked, rubbing her trembling hands together. “How do you explain what you can do?”

  He ran his finger over one of the smooth leaves. “I can heal living things to a certain degree.” Sensing what her next question would be, he answered before she asked. “I can’t cure diseases in humans—even I don’t have that level of power.”

  Her eyes widened as if she were either incredibly fascinated or completely horrified. He wasn’t sure which, so he decided to go a different way with his explanation. “It’s the same in this world. Some humans have elevated levels of intelligence, artistic, or athletic ability. But those humans make up a small percentage of your species. It’s all relative.”

  Annabelle stayed silent as she nodded her head like the bobblehead football player sitting on her bookshelf. “You’re really…an alien?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  She sat down on her sofa, staring out the window. Kaden said nothing as she remained still for an uncomfortable number of minutes. All he wanted to do was sit next to her and take her in his arms. Comfort her, assure her. Whatever she needed. Instead, he stood still like a statue, waiting for her to speak. When she finally glanced over at him, her eyes welled with tears. “Everything about you is a lie.”

  It felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach. He cringed. “I had no choice. I—”

  She wiped the bottom of her eyelids with the back of her hand. “I trusted you. Told you things about me. Things I never told anyone. Not even Hilary. And from the moment you introduced yourself, it was all lies. None of it was real.”

  Seeing the pain in her eyes gutted him. As he came toward her, she got up and headed toward the kitchen. Although he had rehearsed this a hundred times in his head, he had somehow managed to screw it up. He wasn’t sure how, but he needed to fix this. “You’re right. The details of my past were a necessary lie, but the rest of it was real. The time we spent together, the things I said to you. That was me.”

  Standing under the bright kitchen light, her skin appeared pink and blotchy while her eyes welled with tears. “After everything you just told me, how can you expect me to believe you?”

  His mind raced, unable to find the right words. “I don’t expect anything from you. All I want…all I’m hoping for is a chance to explain. I want you to understand why I didn’t tell you the truth.”

  She wouldn’t look at him.

  Taking a knife through the chest would’ve been less painful than watching her fall apart right in front of him. But the worst of it was knowing he was the cause. “You’re upset.”

  Her bottom lip quivered. “Of course I’m upset. I thought I knew you. I thought you were—” She cut herself off. “I feel like I’ve lost my best friend.”

  Desperate to make things right between them, he said, “Tell me what I should do. What do you need? I’ll do anything.”

  She backed herself into the farthest corner, hugging her arms around her waist. “I want you to leave.”

  Anything but that. Telling her would only make the situation worse, but he had no other options. She had to know everything. “I can’t leave you alone. It’s not safe.”

  “What are you talking about?” she asked, eyebrows raised.

  He let out a long sigh, wishing this conversation didn’t have to happen. All of this information at once was too much for anyone to handle. “Do you remember that symbol you saw on the brick that went through your window?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  Running his hand roughly through his hair, he said, “That symbol is what humans call a family crest. My family crest. Someone was trying to send me a message through you. Someone not of this world. I don’t know who it is, but until I find out, I need to make sure you’re protected.”

  Her eyebrows furrowed. “You knew I was in danger and you didn’t think to tell me until now?”

  In a short period of time, this conversation had gone from really bad to nuclear. It was as if every word he spoke set off another explosion. “I had to alert my brothers. But I made sure the officers stayed with you until I returned.” He lowered his voice in an attempt to defuse the situation. “You were never left unprotected.”

  She swallowed hard. Tears ran down her cheeks. “Get out.”

  “Bells, it’s not safe for me to—”

  “Then go stand outside. I don’t care where you go, but I don’t want you in my apartment.” He was about to say something else, but she held her palm up to silence him. “Please don’t make this any harder on me. I need to be alone. I need time to think.”

  He had succeeded in doing the one thing he’d promised himself he would never do: he had hurt her. As his mind raced, he wondered if he could ever find a way to make things right. No matter what he said, no matter what the reasons were, he had lied to her. Although he couldn’t fix the damage he had done, he could grant her one wish. He took one last look at her and without saying another word headed toward the entrance to her apartment. The sound of her door shutting behind him sent a shudder right through him.

  By the time he reached the outside, his entire body was numb. He sat in his truck, leaning back against the cushioned headrest.

  What had he done? He’d bombarded Annabelle with information and scared her away. She was so hurt she couldn’t stand to be around him. That’s what level he reduced her to—she was pained to be in his presence. The thought made him want to vomit. The situation never should have gone down like that, but he only had himself to blame. He should’ve told her months ago, knowing she would keep his secret. Trusted her, like he had asked her to trust him.

  Now everything was a total cluster fuck.

  There was no way he could give her the space she had requested. Whether she believed him or not, she was in danger. He had no idea who this new visitor was, or what their intentions were, but he had to protect her even if she didn’t want him to. His brothers could be in danger, too. He was being torn in different directions with no clear path. Kaden picked up his cell phone. Normally, he’d never risk this kind of conversation being overheard, but he was desperate.

  Hayden answered. “Hello?”

  “I don’t know what to do,” Kaden said, rubbing his hand roughly over his eyes.

  “What happened?” he asked.

 
; “She kicked me out.”

  Hayden chuckled. “That good, huh?”

  A massive failure of epic proportions. “Picture how bad you think it is, then multiply that number by a billion.”

  “Someone has to stay with her,” Hayden replied, as if he was reading his mind.

  Kaden shook his head. “She’ll never let me back in her apartment.”

  There was a moment of silence. “I’ll send Camden.”

  That wasn’t a good idea. This situation was serious, and Cam wasn’t the right fit for that kind of thing. “I was going to suggest you come.”

  “Camden has a way with human females. She would likely enjoy his company.”

  Yes, Cam did have a way with women, particularly when it came to getting them naked. He was a scholar in that department. But that kind of attention was the very last thing Annabelle needed at the moment. “If he even thinks about making a move on her—”

  “Camden knows she is your mate, Kaden. He would never even consider it.”

  “You’re right, I know.” He immediately felt bad for entertaining the idea. He trusted his brothers—both of them. “I’m sorry. I can’t think straight. This whole situation has gotten way out of control.”

  “Come home, Kaden. You’re a mess right now.”

  He was more than a mess. He’d lost his goddamn mind. “What about Annabelle? She may not want to see Cam, either.”

  “If she doesn’t want him in her home, he could at least watch her from the street.”

  Kaden could do the same thing. He should be able to protect her. In any other circumstance, he would. But Hayden was right. He needed to come home. Once his head was clear, he could figure out how to win back her trust. Or, at the very least, win his way back into her apartment. “I’m on my way.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  The lock clicked after Kaden left.

  The sound was absolute, making her recoil. He was gone. Tears broke free, flowing in streams down her cheeks as Annabelle fell to her knees, her hands over her face. Hours passed by like minutes. Before long, daylight shone through her window. Was it already morning? She was shocked that she had been there all night. Her legs nearly buckled as she rose to her feet. She stared into the mirror hanging on her wall. As she expected, her eyes were red and puffy.

  She was a disaster.

  Her head throbbed from the riot of emotions swimming in her mind. She didn’t know what to believe anymore. What seemed like only moments ago, she was preparing to seduce Kaden—to show him it was possible for them to be together. But instead, she’d learned that his feelings for her weren’t real. He wasn’t the man she thought he was. He wasn’t a man at all. He was an alien from another planet. No matter how many times she replayed his words, she couldn’t wrap her head around what he said. What she’d seen him do.

  But surprisingly, that wasn’t what bothered her.

  The twisting pain in her chest came when she realized their relationship was nothing more than his effort to insert himself into a human community. The intimate moments they had shared weren’t real—to him, at least. He’d tried to convince her otherwise, but she knew better. She had always doubted she was enough for him, and now her fears were warranted. He was from an entirely different world with magical healing abilities. She was a bakery owner who had barely left the state of Maryland.

  How could she ever think he wanted her?

  I can’t continue on like this. In spite of her grief, she had a business to run. People depended on her. Her staff would be reporting to work in a few hours. The bakery needed to be shut down for the day. She needed to take care of things with her insurance company and get someone down here to fix her window. No matter how upset she was, her time to fall apart had expired.

  Annabelle’s cell phone rang, dragging her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the display screen.

  I swear, the woman is psychic. “Hi, Mom,” she said, massaging one of her temples.

  “Why haven’t you called me?” her mother asked in a panicked tone.

  Since she was a child, Annabelle had confided in her mother. There had always been a special bond between them. Their relationship had had some rough patches when she was a teenager, but everyone’s did. Now that she was an adult, they were best friends. But the situation with Kaden was on a level of complicated she didn’t even think she understood. And for the first time in her life, she couldn’t tell her mother the truth. The thought made her cringe. Although she was devastated by Kaden’s revelations, sharing his secret could put his life in danger, and she would never do that to him or his brothers.

  Just as Annabelle was about to speak, her mother said, “And before you say anything else, you should know I saw your bakery on the news.”

  “Someone threw a brick through one of the windows.” She’d never intended to worry her mother. All the crazy stuff had gotten in the way. “It was probably some stupid teenagers.”

  “It was more than that,” her mother insisted. “Elise said the police officers stayed there for several hours. That seems awful long to investigate a simple teenage prank.”

  Elise, one of her mother’s oldest and closest friends, had a flower shop a few stores down from her bakery. Like Annabelle, she lived in the small apartment above it. She should’ve known Elise would tell her mom everything. The old woman always seemed to know what was happening on the block—and every block in the surrounding areas. If the town newspaper ever needed a gossip columnist, Elise would be hired on the spot. “The alarm system was triggered and the police came out to investigate. That’s all, Mom.”

  Her mother huffed. “Elise never mentioned the alarm going off.”

  Feeling frustrated, her tone turned sharp. “Would you like to read the police report or should I just make a copy for Elise?”

  Her mother gasped.

  Annabelle regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. Her mother didn’t deserve her attitude—she had always been her number-one supporter. When her father wanted her to pursue a stable field like nursing or accounting, her mother had been the one to push her to follow her dreams. Without her parents cosigning on her small business loan, she wouldn’t have her bakery. “I’m sorry. I know you’re worried. I should’ve called.”

  “Yes, you should have,” she agreed. “If you hadn’t picked up the phone, I was ready to drive down there.”

  The very last thing she needed was for her mother to drive the fifty miles between their towns just to check on her. Kaden insisted she was in danger. No way would she want to put her mother in the line of fire. For the time being, it was best that her parents stay as far away from her as possible. Not to mention, she had too many other things weighing on her mind. “I swear. I’m fine.”

  “Has someone come to fix the window?” her mother asked, making sure Annabelle followed all the proper procedures. Before she had retired a few years ago, her mother had spent thirty years as an insurance adjuster.

  “I’ll be calling them as soon as their office opens,” Annabelle replied.

  “Good,” she said. “How was your date?”

  Annabelle breathed a sigh of relief. She hated lying to her mother about what happened beyond the broken window. But there was no way she could explain it without exposing Kaden and his brothers. She was more than happy to change the subject to get her mind off all of the current craziness—even if that new subject was her love life. “Michael is a great guy—”

  “I’m sensing a ‘but’ coming.”

  Yeah, more like she’s hoping for a “but.”

  “I don’t see a future with him.” After her wine-guzzling episode, she doubted she could ever look Michael in the eyes again.

  “That’s a shame.” She could actually hear her mother’s smile through the phone.

  “Yeah, it sure is.” Annabelle rolled her eyes.

  “Well, you know how I feel on the subject,” she said, voice confident, and full of I-told-you-so. “No need for me to repeat myself.”

  “Exactly.�
�� Annabelle was well aware of her mother’s feelings in this department. She wondered what her mother would think if she knew who Kaden really was. Or better yet, what he was. She chuckled when she imagined telling her mother that the man she wanted to date her daughter was really an alien from another planet. That would go over real well.

  “What’s so funny?” her mother asked.

  “Nothing.” She needed to come up with something fast that made sense. “Mr. Crisco just did something cute.”

  Using her sixth sense once more, her mother said, “You’re avoiding the topic.”

  “I thought you said you didn’t want to repeat yourself?” Score one for me!

  “Touché.” Mom laughed. “But in all seriousness, what’s going on? I know you’re not telling me the whole story.”

  There was no point in continuing to try to hide things from her mother. She would be relentless until she discovered what it was. Plus, there was a good chance she would come for an unexpected visit to try to feel her out. Maybe there was a way she could talk about her situation without revealing Kaden’s secrets. “You’re right, Mom. I have been hiding something from you.” No point in beating around the bush. “Things have changed with Kaden.”

  “Changed how?”

  The call box buzzed. Someone was at her door. “Hold on a sec, Mom.” She pushed the speaker button. “Hello?”

  “Hey, Annabelle. It’s Cam. Camden Chance. Can I come up?”

  Not counting the handful of times he had stopped by the bakery for a quick breakfast, Camden had never come to visit her. He was usually too busy entertaining every single female in town to get to know her. “Okay, sure.” She pushed the button to unlock the door downstairs. “The door is open. You can come right up the stairs.”

  “Okay,” Camden replied.

  Suddenly frazzled, she said, “Mom, I have to go. Kaden’s brother is here.”