I point to Devin. "He told me to," I defend.
"We needed cover. I wanted to make sure no one could see where we were going," Devin whispers.
He releases my hand the second before the door dings, and then he and Kry head over to grab scotch from the bar. Devin returns and bends to kiss me softly just as I step out with my shaky legs trying to betray me.
"Go get on some dry clothes. I've got some calls to make."
I nod and head off to the bedroom, but I can hear every word on both sides of the phone.
"Devin? Oh thank goodness. Was that-"
"Yes. It was Adisia and myself. Will you clean it up? It has already hit the news," he says to interrupt Theia.
I see him flip on the eighty-inch, custom built, flat screen to view the chaotic aftermath of our crazy first date gone terribly wrong.
"I'm already working on it," Theia comforts.
"When you get done, head on over. I'm calling an emergency meeting."
"We'll be there soon," she informs.
Devin slides his phone in his pocket and nods to Kry.
"Make the calls from the padded room. I'm going to go change," he instructs.
"No problem," Kry says gruffly while flashing into a side room.
I watch in amazement from the doorway of the bedroom as the news begins to change. The blurry streaks of our flashing war turn into a gaseous eruption instead. The broadcast stops talking about supernatural possibilities as if they've forgotten what they're reporting about.
"Fifty-three men were laid out when a fluke gas explosion ruptured the waterlines, causing a chain reaction of fire hydrants to burst. Only one fatality was suffered, and another man was critically injured, sustaining major breaks in his arm and hand. Several others suffered burns, and minor wounds."
Unbelievable. The news is changing in front of my gaping eyes. They move to an interview with a female witness.
"We heard a loud explosion and saw the men falling down as the water sprayed in the air. It was the scariest thing I've ever seen," she gasps.
I remember that woman. She looked right at me. She saw what I was doing, but she can't remember it.
"It's my mother," Devin says to answer my silent, twisting weave of confusion as he ushers me in farther and closes the door behind him. "She has the ability to replace the memories of mortals. She can shift the facts for all to see, and erase the memories of the truth. It's how we do cover-ups."
"Oh," I mumble.
He dries his hair, and quickly changes into a low-hanging, sleek pair of track pants that make him look too fucking good without his shirt on.
I walk over to him and resist the urge to rub my hands up his smooth chest.
"Can you unzip me?" I ask softly while turning my back to him and lifting my hair up to be out of the way.
I can feel his breath beating against the back of my neck as he slowly unzips the wet, confining dress. It drops to the floor to reveal my blue, strapless bra and my matching underwear. His breath hitches slightly as I deliberately step out of the dress with my heels still on. I smile slightly as the goddess tries to emerge, and I very gingerly remove my high heels.
"You're so beautiful," he murmurs sweetly.
I blush lightly as I walk over and pull out a pair of yoga pants and a sexy tank top. He smirks a little as I pull on the tight-fitted ensemble. But I frown slightly as I pull on a pair of fuzzy socks.
"I know this is a stupid question, but are you okay?" he softly asks.
I smile a little. Oh this world is so fucked up. I'm starting to find normalcy in all the chaos, and that's even more fucked up.
"Yeah. I just didn't get to give you your present, and now the moment is spoiled," I pout.
His eyes perk up with a childlike excitement. "You got me a present? Can I still have it?"
I laugh a little at his enthusiasm, and then I walk over to the bedside table. I pull out the small, wrapped gift I had tucked away for him.
"You can have it, but it's nothing special. It would have had more oomph earlier... before the chaos."
He holds it in his hands and stares at it as if it's the first present he's ever received. My heart almost dissolves as I indulge in his endearing gaze fixated on the small gift.
"What's wrong?" I ask curiously.
"This is the first time I've ever held a present without seeing what's inside. It's so exciting, different, and surprising. I've never been surprised," he says with a tone of awe.
That's a little shocking. He's more excited about a present he can't see than a wonderful gift I can't afford.
"Don't get too excited. It's nothing spectacular. Now I feel like the expectations are too high." I giggle nervously.
His face is so sincere though. There's no humor, just honest elation.
"You didn't get surprised as a child?" I muse curiously.
He shakes his head as continues staring at the present.
"No. I've had the visions my whole life. I couldn't control them until I gained immortality, but they've always been provoked by touch. I've always been able to see anything a person was going to get me before they even bought it. I never realized how incredible it is to not know what lies underneath the wrapping."
Oh my. He's so frigging cute right now. I really wish I had gotten him something better.
"Open it," I urge.
He smiles and sits down on the badly damaged remnants of his bed. He cautiously pulls the strings that bind the wrapping paper together and reveals the sleek, sophisticated white picture frame holding the black and white, close-up picture of us at Clara's wedding.
He stares at it with glistening eyes, and I'm so baffled by his reaction. He's acting as though I've just handed him a Rembrandt instead of a home-printed copy of a picture.
"I checked my emails today, and Clara had sent me the wedding photos. I really loved this one. I know you're not too crazy about personal photos, given the lack of them in all the homes I've seen so far, but I used your printer and printed it off in black and white to go with your neutral tastes. When Greer dropped off the mail, I asked him to pick up the frame and wrapping supplies."
He continues staring at it, and I'm not sure what else to say or do.
"Thank you," he murmurs with such an enamored tone. "This is incredible. I don't keep pictures because I don't usually have any memories I want to keep. This is one I haven't forgotten at all. I almost told you I loved you then," he nearly whispers.
I swallow hard against the excited wad of nerves in my throat. He takes my hand and pulls me to the living room. He places the small framed picture on the center of the table in front of the elevator.
"You don't have to put it on display. I know it's not your taste. I just wanted you to have a picture of us. There were so many, but like I said, I love that one."
He continues staring at the sweet exchange of his lips on mine surrounded by a frame.
"I love it, too. This is the first and best surprise I've ever had. I can't tell you how special I feel right now."
Aw. He's so adorable like this.
He pulls me to the padded room, and Kry nods to him as he slides his phone into his pocket.
"Most everyone will be here in a few minutes. I'm going to grab some more drinks and glasses. I think we're going to need them," Kry murmurs.
Devin nods to him, and I pick up behind the padded walls where we left off.
"You're very special to me. I don't ever want to be without you," I confess.
His arms slide around me and his lips pull mine to them. I feel his hands roaming freely around my body, and I fall into him without hesitation.
"You won't ever be without me," he swears against my lips that are still pulsing from his touch.
"I love you," I whisper.
He smiles salaciously while pulling back to stare into my eyes, and I feel my blood pumping harder to get through my veins in response.
"I love you, Adisia."
His lips cover mine again, and then he grimaces as he
pulls away.
"What?" I ask with a slight self-conscious stir.
Did I do something gross?
"I'm sorry in advance. I can't see you, or anything directly related to you, so I have no idea what's about to happen. Just don't leave my side."
Before I can question him, a girl walks into the padded room full of warm, taupe walls with splashes of red here and there. Kry smirks as he follows in behind her, his childish enthusiasm showing with a menacing twinkle displayed in his stride.
"Well. This is one I haven't seen before," the girl says with her silky, seductive tone.
Her soft auburn hair drapes artfully down her back with big curls, and her slender curves are hugged by a short black dress that appears to have been molded onto her body. Her jewelry glistens under the recessed lighting, and her bright red nails show off their perfect manicure.
"This one isn't usually up for viewing," Devin replies coolly while wrapping an arm around me.
She takes notice of me in my comfortable clothing, damp hair, and slouching posture while I nestle into Devin's arms.
"I swear. You'll take in a stray quicker than the damn pound. What's this one?" she snarks.
"Watch yourself, Gemma. This is my home. Show all of my guests respect, or you can leave," Devin warns.
No! This girl is Gemma? Oh, I had so been hoping she was ugly. She's supposed to look like a troll. I hate her even more for being pretty.
She rolls her eyes and walks over to dig through her oversized bag. She pulls out a wilting, shriveled, tragic looking orchid.
"I brought you something for the home I've never seen. You know, for tradition's sake. The man down the street was killing it, so I offered him a cactus in exchange," she says with a tone that lets us know she swapped it without permission.
Devin huffs as he pulls me tighter under his arm and kisses my head. I watch her push her thumb into the soil surrounding the plant, and before my eyes, it blooms out full of life. The wilting process has been reversed, and now the vibrant plant stands with such pride.
And I thought I had a green thumb.
"Make sure to water it. All earth needs a little water," she says suggestively.
Her underlying meaning isn't lost on me. He's water, and she's the damn earth. Bitch.
"Thanks," Devin says dismissively.
She's persistent though, just like he said she was.
"I can always come help you out if you find yourself struggling," she provocatively suggests.
Oh hell no. I'm cutting that loaded-with-devious-intentions plant to pieces the moment she's gone.
"I've cared for orchids before. I can handle it," I interject, reminding her I'm sitting right in front of her.
Devin smirks as he relaxes and pulls me into his lap. She completely ignores me and looks around the room.
"Your homes need life. They're always so sterile and cold. This one is different though. It's a recent change, too. I can still smell the fresh paint mingling with the remnants of sweat from the painters that is barely starching the air. The artwork is new as well. I can smell the hydrangeas dancing off them, and I know you don't have any of them. What's with all the new styles?"
"I did it for Adisia," he says while staring at me.
I'm stunned. I had no idea.
"You did this for me? Why?" I gleam, trying not to giggle foolishly.
"Judging by your apartment, I knew white wasn't going to be too comfortable for you, but I'm not quite the color enthusiast or collective omnivore you are. I decided this would be a reasonable compromise. I wanted you to feel comfortable when you moved in," he answers genuinely.
I almost tear up. I start to speak, but Earth Girl beats me to it.
"She's moving in?" she gasps.
Devin seems aggravated by her rude interruption, so he answers curtly.
"She has already moved in."
Her eyes teem with envy, shock, and a loathsome appetite for my head on a stake.
"Why?" she blares.
"She has to live with someone. She's new to her powers, and Devin is her most prominent trigger," Ther says as he walks in and shuts the door behind him.
She glares directly into my eyes and fights the urge to do something rash.
"So you train new ones now? How are you a trigger?" She asks with an ice-cold tone.
Devin pulls me to him a little tighter, and I'm almost in his lap now.
"She was attacked by people trying to get to Devin. Her protective instincts kicked in and forced her immortality," Kry answers with a nonchalant indifference to the dramatic meltdown Gemma is facing.
She cracks one side of her neck, and her clenched jaw looks as though it’s about to break in half.
"Why did she feel protective?" she inquires with her ominous tone.
"Because I love him," I answer softly.
Devin lets a small smile escape, and he kisses my head in response to my answer. Her eyes spread so wide I'm worried she's about to have a stroke. Then she lets out a laugh, and her eyes relax. She opens her mouth to speak, but Devin interrupts her.
"Don't. I've had enough. You're not going to attack her anymore. You've had your moment, just leave it alone."
"You know I hate it when you do that. I should be allowed to speak even if you can see what I'm about to say," she mumbles.
"I can't see it. That's why I know it's directed toward Adisia. You can attack me all you want, but I'm not going to let you accost her any further," Devin warns.
Her eyes show her surprise all too clearly. "What do you mean you can't see it?" she whines.
"Devin can't see anything about or pertaining to Adisia," Ther answers. "It's pretty cool actually. She blew up a car before we figured it out and shocked the hell out of him. I've never seen him caught off guard," he chuckles.
I smile a little as I think of the heated, silent moment we were sharing when I accidentally over stimulated the engine. He smirks slightly, and his lips cover mine. He pulls back quickly before the passion calls forth Aphrodite's green eyes.
"You... this can't... why can't you..." she stammers in disbelief.
"She's special," he murmurs with such an adoring tone.
"Well, you should know it won't last. I know better than anyone that Devin doesn't do love," she scoffs.
Ther and Kry exchange an awkward glance and disappear from the room. Devin takes a deep breath and sits back on the warm couch, pulling me with him as he does so.
"I do now. I'm sorry, Gemma."
Her eyes flash from angry to pained in that instant. She wipes her falling tears quickly, and almost chokes on her emotion as she lights into a tirade.
"You said you couldn't be with anyone like that. You said you couldn't have a committed relationship. I've been waiting centuries on you. I've done everything to be with you. How can you do this to me?" she cries.
I stand up to give them a moment alone. I've been there. I know how much it hurts to lose him. He frowns slightly as I abandon him, but he knows she needs closure. I start closing the door, but I hear Devin before it closes completely.
"I love her. I'm sorry, but I never told you to wait for me. As a matter of fact, I told you not to do such a thing. There're people on their way up. I need to go be with Adisia."
I smile and my eyes lock with his the moment he walks out. His beautiful smoky eyes are filled with regret and a twinge of embarrassment.
"I’m sorry," he mouths silently.
I just shrug. I can't blame her for loving him to the point of being obsessed. That's how I've felt since I met him.
He wraps his arms around me, and Ther's eyes lock with mine as I turn around. I quickly withdraw from the accidental gaze and stare at the floor while I cringe.
"I'm so sorry," I squeal.
"I'm fine. Hey, why am I fine?" he questions in shock.
Devin tilts my chin up and stares into my eyes. A smirk spreads across his face as he answers.
"She's got it under control now - earlier than expected."
&
nbsp; I smile a little and blush bashfully under his adoring eyes. The elevator dings, and Theia steps out with Phillip holding her hand.
"She's got control?" Theia asks in surprise. "That's excellent."
"Have any others shown up yet?" Phillip asks.
"So far just Kry, Ther, and... Gemma," he says with a lower, sour note.
"Don't sound too enthused with my being here," she scoffs from behind.
"Where are your parents?" Theia asks her.
"On their way. I was in the area," she murmurs.
Of course she was in the area. She's my stalker's stalker. That bitch.
"We've got more coming up," Devin adds.
The elevator dings and several men pile out. They are grungy, oily, and very unpolished to say the least. They're all staring at me with the Grinch's grin, and I'm starting to feel like the Christmas they would love to steal.
"Easy boys, this is Devin's girl," Ther teases.
"Of course it is. He always gets the pretty ones, but he doesn't keep them long," one of them gleams.
"I do now, Hector. Adisia is different, so watch yourself," Devin cautions.
Hector holds his hands up as if he's bowing out gracefully, and then he winks at me when he passes by. The others keep their eyes on me as they follow him into the padded room.
Theia's smile distracts me, and I see her staring at the picture Devin has proudly displayed in front of the elevator.
"You got your picture made? You hate pictures," she says with a distant tone as her eyes study the framed photo.
"I did. That's from Adisia's friend's wedding. Adisia surprised me with it as a present."
Theia's eyes glance up, and tears begin to form in the corners of both of them.
"She surprised you? Oh, I wish I had seen that," she chokes out.
Wow. This is a really big deal. I've always thought it was irritating to see a wrapped present and have to wait to find out what was inside.
Devin smiles a little bashfully, and then he kisses the top of my head. I feel his hand tightening on my shoulder as Gemma walks over to look at the picture in question. Her eyes burn against the photo for a moment, and then she shakes her head in disgusted disbelief before skulking off.
More people start piling out of the elevator as each descent returns with a new load. Devin takes my hand to return me to the padded room.
Immortal Dreams Page 69