Foreseen (Suoja Guild Book 2)

by AJ Anders

  “Why?”

  “Why, what?” Brows drawn down in confusion, Dashiel looked younger than his years.

  “Why wouldn’t I have an issue, since I’m a first timer?” Evie clarified. She needed to understand before she consented.

  Alarm flashed across Dashiel’s face, then vanished in the next instant, replaced with his usual confident expression. “You teleported before with Max. You just don’t remember.”

  “I did? The same night I found out who he was?” Evie tightened her hold on Dashiel’s hand, unhappy with the holes in her memory. “It sucks I don’t remember that night.”

  Dashiel moved in front of her to place his other hand around her waist. Evie leaned against him for reassurance.

  “Hmmm.” Dashiel nodded, not looking at Evie. “We’d better go. I really need to visit Inian before the hour turns late.”

  Evie breathed deep and gathered her courage. She trusted Dashiel and that knowledge allowed her to utter her next words. “Let’s do this.”

  No sooner did the words leave her mouth, then a pulling sensation began in the middle of her belly. Dizzy, she opened her mouth to protest only to stare around in shock. The parking lot gone, they now stood in her room back at the school.

  “Wow. Did we really just teleport?” Evie pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

  Dashiel released her waist and moved away to give her a few minutes to re-orientate herself. “Pretty soon, you will be an old hat at this. We take it for granted and forget how awe inspiring it can be for humans.”

  “Surmata travel this way all the time?” No wonder they didn’t allow cars on the supernatural campus. For the most part, they were unneeded by all but the human faculty.

  “Most of the time we do. If we have items we need to be transported, we have runes to handle the larger loads. It’s a convenience.”

  “I bet.” Not ready to say goodbye, Evie fiddled with the sleeves of her hoodie, searching for more to say. Being surrounded by the guys or even one-on-one with them made her feel wrapped in a security blanket, snug and safe. She was becoming addicted to their presence.

  “Now, it’s my turn for a question.” Dashiel sauntered up to Evie, crowding her against the wall. His hands flattened against the drywall on either side of her head. He stooped, his eyes locking on hers like a target. “Was it true? What you said earlier at the restaurant?”

  Evie licked her lips, her brain short-circuiting at his nearness. “Earlier?” She breathed out, barely a whisper.

  “Yes, little human. When you insinuated Max offered to show you his fangs?”

  Evie shook her head back and forth, barely squeaking out a reply, “No, I lied.”

  He bent closer, pupils expanding. “Good. I was afraid I would be forced to kill my own brother.”

  “Why? For being with a human?”

  “No, for touching what’s mine.” Lips crashed down on Evie’s. Firm and insistent, they forced her mouth open. Dashiel’s tongue laid waste to her senses, overwhelming her with sensations as he pressed his body against hers, pushing her tight against the wall. He devoured her mouth, leaving no prisoners in his assault. Like a man desperate for a drink of water, he plunged his tongue in, again and again, exploring her every recess.

  Her hands gripped his shirt tightly, desperate for an anchor.

  Releasing her mouth, he trailed kisses along her chin, moving under her eye. A hand in her hair forced her head to one side, exposing her throat for his exploration. His lips left a scorching path down her neck. Nipping and sucking as he moved further down, he lightly bit into the flesh where her neck and shoulder met.

  Teeth scraped her skin, and she shuddered at the sharpness of his canines against her naked skin. Her body shook as he pulled her skin into his mouth, sucking hard. The slight pain had her clawing at his chest, unsure if she pulled him forward or pushed him away, but the feel of his mouth on her neck became almost too much.

  Breathing heavily, he retracted his lips from her neck, kissing her lightly. “You are a temptation, dove. I couldn’t resist another taste.”

  Evie raised her palm to her chest, waiting for her heart rate to drop back to a normal rhythm. “Another?” she questioned, not sure what he meant.

  Caressing her cheeks with his thumbs, he smiled gently at her. “I’ve got to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  With another quick kiss, he disappeared from sight. Her body ached, missing his touch.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Evie woke groggily. She dreamed last night about Dashiel and Cyne. A dream where she ended up between them while they took turns kissing her. She didn’t understand why each member of Shadewolf team inspired such carnal fantasies from her, but it seemed like they filled her thoughts, awake or asleep. Each man called to her, made her want impossible things. She’d already kissed two of them. She needed to stop this insanity and bury her attraction. She was human, nothing could come from it. She would keep her distance until she dealt with her feelings and put her silly crush to rest.

  Getting ready for the day, she recalled the conversation from the other night. The sorrowful details Max and Caleb shared with her about their mate. While Evie now knew what afflicted Cammie, fear held her back from sharing that knowledge. The past year spent dealing with her newfound ability, learning the ins and outs of how it worked, isolated Evie from those around her, even Max.

  At camp, she hid the ability from everyone. If her father had found out, he would’ve pronounced her a deviant and possibly ordered her death. He didn’t tolerate differences of any kind. In hindsight, she wished she had shared her secret with Max, but she thought him to be human. Uncertain of where his true allegiance lay, it kept her from bridging that final gap in trust to cement their friendship.

  Should she take a chance now? She wasn’t under her father’s thumb anymore. Surrounded by other unique individuals, people she trusted, she no longer needed to go it alone.

  Indecisive, she bit her lip. Would Max believe her?

  Even though she knew it was the right thing to do, fear drove her uncertainty. What if Max ended their friendship over her failure to speak up sooner? She’d be left with no one. But if she stayed silent, that would make her a pretty crappy friend. This shouldn’t be about her. It should be about what was best for Cammie.

  “Son of a bitch!” Evie exclaimed as she tugged on her shoes. She had no choice; she had to come clean.

  Checking the clock, she still had a few hours before her first class. She needed to do this, and she needed to do it now. Otherwise, she might lose her nerve.

  She grabbed her books and stuffed them in her backpack. She’d leave them here and circle back around to her dorm before class. In case things went bad, they wouldn’t weigh her down if she needed to leave in a hurry. With a resolute sigh, she headed for the door.

  ~

  She arrived at the Shadewolf dwelling too quickly. Not enough time elapsed on her walk over to allow time for her nerves to settle. Evie sat on the front stoop and tried to convince herself to knock. The house, quiet behind her, was the perfect backdrop to lessen her nerves. The morning air stirred, the calm breeze kicking up leaves from the forest floor. It promised to be a beautiful day.

  The sun crept over the horizon by the time she stood up and rapped on the door. Anxious, she straightened her spine and waited for someone to answer. Was it too early, and they weren’t up yet?

  A deadbolt turned, and the door swung open to reveal a chiseled, naked chest with a spattering of hair. In pajama bottoms only, with his bare feet sticking out, Jaoel scowled down at her.

  “You know, if you keep hanging onto Max’s tailcoats like this, it’s going to piss Caleb off. They told you last night they had a mate.” Jaoel’s snide tone cut deep. “Are you really desperate enough to continue to embarrass yourself this way?” His lack of interest in her answer became clear when he yawned loudly into his hand while his other one rubbed his chest.

  “Don’t be a prick, Jaoel.” A deep voice came f
rom the interior of the house. “Let her in.”

  Jaoel sighed and shifted to the side to make a small space for Evie to brush past. When his skin came into contact with hers, a tingling spark rolled up her arm, halting her next breath. She shrugged it off as static electricity and moved forward.

  Behind Jaoel, Cyne stood dressed in a pair of jeans and t-shirt. Evie needed to give herself another one of those pep talks when aching disappointment crashed through her to find him fully dressed. Memories from her dream bombarded her, and her face warmed.

  “What’s wrong, love?” Cyne’s eyes drooped with fatigue. Last night’s assignment must have kept him out late.

  “I need to see Max and Caleb, please. Are they up yet?” Uncertain, Evie chewed her thumbnail, Jaoel’s condemning words still ringing in her ear.

  A rude snort came from behind her, but she ignored it, focusing all her attention on Cyne. He stared at her hard for a moment and then shook his head. “They’re up. In the kitchen with the rest of the guys. Come on.”

  Cyne threw an arm around her shoulder, hugging her close as he led her toward the kitchen. The further they walked into the interior, the more noise she heard. She’d thought most the house asleep, but from the commotion coming from the kitchen, it sounded like they were all awake.

  Laughter rang out as Cyne cleared the doorway with her in tow. Evie glanced around as she shifted from one foot to the other, suddenly uncomfortable. Dashiel, dressed in similar attire to Cyne, leaned against the counter, coffee cup in hand. Next to him, working a pan on the stove, stood Caleb. His disheveled hair, combined with the same clothes he’d worn last night, made him look like he’d just rolled out of bed and started his day.

  Xander, Jaxon, Aaron, and Max sat around the table with half eaten plates in front of them. All conversation stopped upon her entry, and they turned to stare at her in expectation.

  “Hey, sweetheart. What are you doing here so early? Wanting to skip classes already?” Max joked, his mouth half full of food. “Half the men in this house are your instructors. I may have to pull some strings.”

  “Um…yes…I mean, no.” Evie shook, not wanting to confess why she came over. She didn’t want things to change, but she also knew it was inevitable. Max and Caleb deserved the truth.

  She took a deep breath and rushed out, “I need to talk with you and Caleb.” She twitched side to side before adding, “It’s important.”

  “Sure. Do you want some breakfast first? Did you eat?” Max sat back in his chair to rub his belly.

  Shaking her head, she stepped out from beneath Cyne’s arm, afraid he would pick up on her unease. “No, I need to talk to you both. I should have said something sooner, but I didn’t, and I’m sorry.”

  Evie’s eyes dropped to the floor, ashamed she waited this long. She should have spoken up when she first arrived and noticed the oddities. At the very least, she should have confessed last night. Instead, she’d been selfish, enjoying her time with the guys. Then later, the time she spent alone with Dash.

  “What are you talking about, Evie? Tell us what’s going on.” Caleb’s brows creased with concern, the contents of the frying pan forgotten. Evie gestured to the stove and waited as he turned off the burner and moved the pan to the center. Placing the spatula on the counter, he came around the other side of the island to stand behind Max.

  “Well…uhm…” Evie stalled right away. She hadn’t anticipated the others hearing her confession as well. Tongue tied, she regretted her rash decision to come here. She should have waited until Max and Caleb were alone.

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake. Spit it out already.” Jaoel snapped in disgust. “Some of us have more important things to do. Like sleep.”

  His nasty comment struck home, but she kept her mask in place. She didn’t want to allow him to witness a single hint of the pain she felt.

  “Evie, please excuse Jaoel’s rude behavior. He had a long night and has yet to sleep.” Dashiel narrowed his eyes at the angry healer for a moment. “Please proceed with what you need to say. At your own pace. No one in this room will say another word.” Steel reinforced his words as he glared around the room, silently issuing his command.

  Evie took a minute to center her thoughts. Not sure where to begin, she started with the truth. “I think I know what’s wrong with Cammie.”

  The whispered words sounded ten times louder in the quiet room. At her words, Max and Caleb both froze. Evie wasn’t even sure they breathed.

  “Evie, please explain.” Dashiel placed his empty coffee cup in the sink. “Cammie was examined by our best healers. No evidence of anything physical was uncovered.”

  “Cammie, sh-she’s marked.” She cringed as she said the words, knowing the impossibility of them, but positive in her assessment.

  Jaoel was in her face before the last word left her lips. “Bullshit. I was on the team that completed her physical exam when she returned from her mission. Plus, Surmata are immune to being marked.”

  She stood her ground, forcing herself to meet his antique gold glare. “I can’t explain why I can see it and you can’t. But it’s there.”

  “Fucking humans, always thinking they know everything.” He turned away in disgust. “Most humans lack the ability to see a marked soul.”

  “Easy, Jaoel,” Dashiel cautioned. “Evie’s trying to help her friend.”

  “Fuck that! I don’t know what game she’s playing, but I’ll be damned before I let some little slut of a human try to insinuate herself into my friends’ lives. Especially when they’re vulnerable.” Jaoel paced away from her, anger rolling off him in waves. “She needs to get it through her head they’re taken. Hell, she’s probably a fucking spy working for her father. The minute he makes contact with her, she’s going to go running back to him. She can’t be trusted, and the lot of you are fools to try.”

  Jaoel stormed out of the room. His heavy footfalls echoed as he stomped up the stairs, quickly followed by a door slamming shut.

  No one spoke. Trying to keep the tears that welled in her eyes at bay, Evie looked at Max. He slumped over in his chair, head cradled in his hands, sorrow evident in his defeated posture.

  Not wanting to make the situation worse, Evie decided to retreat. “I’m sorry, Max, Caleb. I don’t mean to cause you pain, but I’m telling the truth. Do with it what you will.”

  Evie beat a hasty exit to the front door. She half hoped Max would call out to her, forestalling her, but the room she left remained quiet.

  Chapter Twenty

  Leaving the Shadewolf home, she circled back around to her dorm, grabbed her bags, and walked to the library. Too miserable to eat, she decided to study until class started. She hoped it would help keep her mind off what happened. She didn’t want to remember the utter devastation on Max’s face.

  This early in the morning, few people lingered in the library. Most students were still in bed or rolling out and heading to one of the dining halls. Evie chose a table at the back of the room to avoid being bothered by the noise of students coming and going. Dumping out her bag, Evie snatched up the switchblade that spun across the table and shoved it back into her bag before anyone could see it. She’d taken to carrying it with her since the attack, afraid her father’s spies would find her at the guild and attempt to kidnap her again.

  With it safely hidden back in her bag, she settled in and opened her book.

  “Good afternoon, Evie.” Selja Inian stood before her, his bright eyes taking in everything around him.

  “Hello, Inian.” Evie tried to smile at the aging Surmata, but it came out as more of a grimace.

  “You’ve been sitting there studying for several hours without moving. As it’s past lunchtime, I believe you’ve missed your morning classes. Would you care to join me for lunch, young miss?”

  Shocked, Evie glanced at her watch. “I really need to…”

  “You wouldn’t leave an old man like me to eat on his own, would you? Besides, I’m the best person to give you an excuse for your lack of a
ttendance.” Inian’s eyes danced as he backed her into a corner. The Surmata might be old, but he was sharp.

  Evie didn’t stand a chance against him.

  She packed away her books and sighed, “Of course. I would love to join you for lunch.”

  Inian led them to the second campus coffee shop situated beside the library. Evie had seen it on the map, but hadn’t had the opportunity to check it out. It was surprisingly spacious with plenty of tables and chairs, inside and out, for the patrons to sit down and enjoy a cup of the specialty coffee they served. The menu also consisted of a variety of breakfast and lunch offerings. Evie chose a sandwich and a carton of orange juice. Inian followed suit, but ordered tea instead.

  They sat in a corner that overlooked the courtyard.

  From across their small table, Inian studied her. “It’s Monday. What’s a young girl like you doing studying so hard that you missed your morning classes? I mean, we have students who skip class time to time, but you should be out with your friends if that were the case.”

  Evie shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny. He leaned forward in his seat, placing his napkin beside his plate, and took a bite of his sandwich while he patiently waited on her answer.

  Evie played with her food, not wanting to voice her misery.

  Inian arched a silver eyebrow. “If you don’t share, I can’t help. You want to make an old man feel useful, don’t you?”

  Evie snorted. There he went again, trying to use guilt to manipulate her into revealing her troubles. Her father would do the same, but for different reasons. He’d guilt her into doing things. Inian, though, seemed truly interested in her problems. Did she really want to shut him out? She messed up her friendship with Max and Caleb. Who knew what the Shadewolf team thought of her. Surely, she was a pariah now. Anger burned at the memory of Jaoel’s accusations. She was not that kind of girl, and it hurt Max hadn’t stood up for her.