With a sigh, she asked, “Will you eventually tell me the truth?”
Sergei's mouth curved upward. “You have my word.”
“Then I'll try not to ask any questions,” she agreed and pressed her hand to her nose. “But would you two mind relaxing or shielding your emotions? Guilt is a particularly offensive emotion. It smells bad. I've been picking it up since we were in the club.”
The men exchanged another look, and Lars took a step toward her. “Ari, do you mean to tell us you can smell someone's guilt?”
She nodded. “If I'm not shielding well enough, yes. All emotions have different flavors. Love, hate, anger, desire, fear, and guilt are all very distinct. Most people experience a combination of emotions at once, so it can become more challenging to pick apart the different threads unless an emotion is particularly strong. Some are more pleasant than others, but guilt is one of the worst.”
Lars's eyes widened. “I had no idea. How many people know about this?”
Ariana frowned. More people knew about her abilities now, but not many knew specific details. “Only a few outside my family.”
“So much painful emotion,” Sergei murmured, moving closer and taking her hand in his. “It hurts you.”
She lifted her head to regard him. His compassion enveloped her thoroughly as if it were a band of energy surrounding her. Ariana put her hand on his chest and smiled up at him, spreading out enough power to fully encompass both of them with her soothing energy.
“Not always. If all I could do was experience the emotion, it might be different. But I have the ability to temper and heal the more painful ones. If I can alleviate even one person's suffering, I'll gladly accept all of it.”
“I wasn't aware you could affect Shadows too,” someone spoke from behind her. “I can feel your energy affecting me from here.”
Ariana let her energy fall away and turned to meet Brant's considering gaze. She swallowed, suddenly uneasy. “I suspected, but I wasn't sure.”
Brant took a few steps toward her. “Can you read my emotions too?”
She hesitated and then nodded.
He took another step toward her. “What about negating our abilities? Do you have the ability to break through our talents?”
Sergei pulled her behind him. “Enough.”
Lars also stepped forward, putting himself between her and Brant. “Watch it, Brant. We're not friends, but our loyalties belong to Alec. He won't take kindly to you upsetting her.”
Brant faltered, the strong odor of guilt making her nose itch. “I apologize, Ariana. That wasn't my intention. Having your energy affect me was something of a shock.”
She placed her palm on Sergei's back to let him know it was okay. He took a half-step aside but didn't move away. “I understand. I'm still a little unsure about everyone knowing about my abilities. But to answer your question, I don't know. I suspect it's possible for me to circumvent your abilities, but I've never tried. I never wanted to draw attention to myself.”
Brant studied her for a long time. “That's why your family has never asked for our services and why your brother usually escorts you in public.”
She nodded. “We couldn't risk it.”
They fell silent for a moment, and Lars reached into his pocket to withdraw something. He handed it to Brant. “We managed a workaround, but I don't know what's in it.”
Brant studied the small, brown vial and popped the cork to inhale it. Ariana gasped. All three men turned to look at her, but she couldn't stop staring at the familiar swirling and pulsating colors. The taste. She knew that taste. She took a few steps forward and held out her hand.
“May I see it?”
Brant hesitated, and Lars said, “That's not a good idea, Ari. I don't think it's safe.”
Ariana shook her head. “If it's what I suspect, it shouldn't be possible. Please. I have to know for sure.”
Brant held out the vial for her, and she gingerly took it. With almost shaking hands, she opened the cork once again. The emotions resonated deep inside her, and she closed her eyes, almost swaying at the symphony of sound that erupted around her as the emotions clamored for her to acknowledge them.
“This can't be,” she whispered, blinking open her eyes and turning back to stare at the club in shock.
Lars frowned. “What is it? Do you know what's in that vial?”
She didn't answer. Instead, she turned back to Brant. “Where's Kayla? Is she still on the surface?”
“Yes,” he replied, his mounting anxiety swirling through the air the moment Kayla's name was mentioned. “She's at the underground river site. Why?”
“Contact her, please. I need to know she's safe.”
Sergei touched her arm, and she nearly jumped. Brant took the vial from her and closed it. She swallowed. It was just as well. Another minute and she probably would have dropped it. Her hands were shaking, either from anger or fear, maybe both.
“What is wrong, solnyshka?”
Ariana bit her lip, uncertain what her answer might mean but needing to tell them what she'd felt. “I don't know how it's possible, but there's energy contained in that vial—spirit energy. And as far as I know, Kayla's the only spirit channeler around.”
Chapter Eleven
Alec looked over the reports from the underground river. They'd made more headway into the excavations, but they were still having problems with their equipment. Kayla and Carl were working on designing some sort of remote control speeder to try to navigate through the rapids. He sighed and pushed the tablet aside, wondering if he should ask Ariana again. So far, they hadn't been able to find anyone else or a bonded pair with enough power to accomplish the feat. If Kayla had a bit more training, there was no question she'd also be able to accomplish the task with ease.
He'd been trying to distract himself with various reports, but try as he might, his thoughts kept going back to Ariana. The idea that she was out right now with Hayden was making him crazy. Even when Kayla had been with Carl, he'd never felt this level of jealousy. His only calming thought was that Ariana had agreed to come to him tonight after she finished with dinner.
Alec suspected the fire channeler didn't have his level of strength from an energy standpoint, but Ariana's father wouldn't have accepted Hayden's courtship request if he wasn't powerful enough. Devan would have made sure Hayden had the strength to hold Ariana's bond before allowing him to court his daughter. The older man had always focused on hoarding power more than anything, especially when it came to his family's bloodlines.
To make matters worse, Alec had felt Ariana's concern that what was between them wasn't real. If Hayden tried to play on that fear, it might be enough to drive a wedge between them. She was nervous about being hurt again, and Alec couldn't blame her. From the moment he'd met her at Kendra's party years ago, Ariana had intrigued and captivated him. Unfortunately, she'd caught Hayden's attention too.
That was the whole reason Ariana was at that party. She rarely attended those types of gatherings, but Kendra was one of the few people Ariana socialized with regularly. When Hayden's initial efforts to make inroads with Ariana failed, Hayden had developed a close friendship with Jason. Ariana adored her twin brother, and everyone knew it. If nothing else, the fire channeler was annoyingly persistent and driven. Alec was somewhat surprised Hayden hadn't made a move before now, unless Ariana's father had previously refused him as well.
Alec drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair, wondering if he could have tried harder in the past. If he'd engaged the same ruse he'd used to keep the energy shackle off Kayla, maybe he wouldn't have needed to walk away from Ariana. Although, it could have easily backfired, and Alec wasn't willing to risk anything happening to her. It was too late for regrets anyhow. At least he had another chance to prove himself to her. He just had to convince her he wasn't going to walk away again, not for any reason.
The door chimed its arrival notification, and he glanced at the panel beside him. Anticipation flooded through him at her name
on the screen. Finally. She was here. He stood and headed toward the door, relieved she was no longer with Hayden. He opened the door and froze, forgetting how to breathe.
Ariana was absolutely breathtaking, an angelic vision that made his heart skip several beats. Her long hair was swept over her shoulder, the inky darkness contrasting with the creamy expanse of her flawless skin. She lifted her gaze to meet his, and a tentative smile formed on her lips. He managed to relearn how to breathe and took her hands, drawing her into his quarters.
“Ari,” he murmured, pulling her into his arms. She was all softness, and he breathed in the alluring floral scent that always seemed to tease her skin. “I see now that I made a mistake by not taking you out to dinner. You're breathtaking, love. I'm not sure if I should be jealous Hayden saw you like this, or if I should be thankful you came to me afterward.”
“I wore this for you,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck.
A powerful surge of possessiveness and thrill rushed through him at her words. He lowered his head, capturing her lips with his. She tasted of wine, a hint of fruit, and underneath was the taste that was all Ariana, the most intoxicating of all. He pulled her closer, feeling her soft curves press against him. He could easily get lost in her forever, content to exist in this moment for eternity.
Someone cleared their throat, and he lifted his head, his eyes narrowing on Lars. He'd been so captivated by Ariana, he hadn't even noticed he’d accompanied her. “What are you doing here?”
Lars chuckled. “Enjoying the show.”
An endearing flush colored Ariana's cheeks, and she lowered her head but didn't pull away. Alec turned her in his arms, angling her away from his cousin. “You've always been a tactless bastard, haven't you?”
Lars shrugged. “Apologies, Ari. I didn't intend to embarrass you, only my cousin.”
She tucked her hair behind her ear and tilted her head to regard Lars. “It's all right. I suppose we got a little carried away.” She looked up at Alec. “Would you mind if I use your shower? I think the emotions at Hayden's nightclub were a little strong for me.”
A red haze coated his vision, and Alec clamped down tightly on their connection to keep his fury from leeching into it. “He took you to one of his clubs?”
She nodded, her brow furrowing at the unintended sharpness in his tone. “The Sapphire Club. It's very nice but a little overwhelming.”
Alec forced himself to release her, even though his instincts were telling him to hold on even more tightly. He'd kill Hayden for taking her there. That must have been where Lars found her. Making a conscious effort to gentle his tone, he said, “Of course, Ari. If you'd like to go ahead and use the bathing area through my bedroom, your bag was delivered this afternoon. It's in there too.”
She gave him a small smile and stood on her toes to press another kiss against his lips. “Thank you.”
“Take your time,” he said, watching until she left the room. Once the door closed behind her, Alec turned and headed for the bar. Yanking open a bottle, he poured two glasses. He paused, and then added a bit more. “That's where you found her? That bastard took her to his fucking club?”
Lars took one of the glasses and stepped away from Alec, as though wary of his mood. “Yes.”
Alec downed the glass of liquor, barely tasting it, and resisted the urge to throw the glass. He poured himself another drink instead. “I'm going to kill him. He knows what she is, and he had the audacity to take her there of all places? She's a fucking empath. You don't take an empath to a place of debauchery and depravity. His fucking clubs are under investigation, and he knows it. Sex on the dance floor, drugs, gambling, and who knows what else, and he dragged her into the middle of it?”
Alec turned away from the bar and started to pace, his fingers itching to put a hole through the wall, or even better, Hayden's face. “For fuck's sake, it was bad enough when I thought he'd take her to some intimate dinner. If I'd known he would do this, I would have intervened. I'll burn his entire club to the ground with him in it before I allow him anywhere near her again.”
Lars sipped his drink, eyeing him as he continued to pace. “If you do that, you'll lose her.”
Alec turned, narrowing his eyes on his cousin. “I will not lose her.”
Lars put his glass on the bar. “I know you're angry, but you need to hear me out. What would happen if you went after Hayden? You're both officially courting her. If Hayden provokes you and you intervene in his courtship, you know the end result.”
Alec paused in his pacing, considering Lars's words. “You're suggesting he did this intentionally?”
Lars nodded. “That's exactly what I'm suggesting. If he can put you out of the running, it clears the way for him. Don't you find it strange that Ariana's father hasn't agreed to anyone else courting her? Only you and Hayden. I know her father has received several requests, but as soon as Hayden pled his case, no one else was considered.”
“That bastard,” Alec swore and threw his glass across the room. It shattered against the wall. “Either Hayden has something on Ariana's father or they've come to some sort of arrangement. Tell me you learned something while you were there tonight.”
Lars flicked his wrist, and the shards of broken glass swept into the air, depositing themselves into the recycler unit. “We managed to get a sample of something called Drakar. They're distributing it only to select Inner Circle members, possibly as an incentive to get more of us to patronize the club. Brant and Sergei have taken the sample to the lab for testing, but Ariana said something puzzling about it.”
“Do not test me, Lars,” Alec warned, the energy threads around him snapping. “If you involved Ariana in this investigation, it will not go well for you.”
“Don't threaten me, cousin,” Lars retorted, crossing his arms over his chest. “You asked us to investigate the club because you couldn't take this to the Council. No one at the club was willing to engage me in dialogue, so I had to use my connection with Ariana. Hayden had taken her to the VIP area, where they had a very public dinner together. That was enough to convince one of the sellers to provide me with the sample. Sergei stayed with Ariana in the VIP area the entire time while I handled the transaction. She was never in any danger.”
Alec slammed Lars against the wall with his wind energy. “You've implicated her. If word gets out, they may go after her.”
Lars shoved back with his own air energy, struggling to break Alec's hold. “Dammit, Alec, I'm not your enemy here. Hayden wants her. He's not going to jeopardize that, not if he's intent on removing you from the competition. Ariana knows next to nothing about our reasons for going there. If he asks, she can tell him the truth. His surveillance system will protect her. She was never directly involved.”
Alec clenched his fists and turned away, not faulting his cousin's logic, but it still grated. Ariana was his to protect. His need to keep her safe warred with his desire to give her the time she needed to accept his claim. Alec released the energy holding Lars in place and began pacing again.
“There's more,” Lars continued with a sigh. “Ariana saw me hand off the vial to Brant. She claimed it contains the emotional energy of a spirit channeler and demanded we contact Kayla to make sure she’s okay.”
“How is that possible?” Alec shook his head. Inanimate objects didn't have emotion, unless Ariana was reading the echoes of emotion like she had in the ruins. “Did you do as she asked? Is Kayla all right?”
Lars nodded. “Brant reached out to her. Kayla's still at the underground river. The guards have been put on notice to keep a close eye on things. I don't know what Ariana sensed, but she seemed very confident that whatever was in the vial was tied to spirit energy.”
“There has to be some connection,” Alec mused, not willing to discount Ariana's comments simply because it didn't fit neatly into their perceived reality. Over the past year, he'd seen too much that was outside the normal realm of expectations. Besides, after seeing her dramatic display in the rui
ns and experiencing her energy firsthand, he'd be a fool not to trust her judgment. “I want to be notified as soon as the lab results come back.”
“Of course,” Lars agreed. “Brant and Sergei took the sample to the lab researcher you suggested. We need to keep our suspicions only within your most trusted circle. If Hayden learns you're investigating this, he can insinuate it's a setup to disqualify his claim on Ariana.”
Alec glanced at the closed door to his bedroom. He wouldn't take any chances he could lose her. “That's why you and Brant are handling the investigation. I'll only step in if it's necessary. But I suspect you're right and Hayden's trying to force me into showing my hand. I'll need you to continue coordinating the efforts.”
Lars nodded and headed toward the door. “I'll let you enjoy the remainder of your evening.”
Lars paused at the doorway and turned back to him. “Alec, I know you cared for Kayla, but I hope you know she wasn't right for you.” He gestured to the closed bedroom door. “Ariana's different, though, and you're different with her. When you're around her, it reminds me of how you used to be, before hell broke loose in these towers. Don't let her get away. She is the right one. She needs you just as much as you need her.”
He'd known, but hearing the words loosened something inside him. He gave Lars a curt nod. “I have no intention of letting her get away. Ariana's mine. It's just a matter of proving it to her.”
Lars chuckled and gave him a mock salute before the door slid shut behind him. Determined not to waste another minute, Alec turned and headed toward his bedroom. He opened the door, noting Ariana's bag had disappeared and the bathroom door was closed. There was no sound from the shower, so he guessed she'd finished.
He tapped on the door. “Ari? Do you need anything?”
She opened the door a moment later dressed in a similar lounging robe from the night before. It was partially sheer, the ivory color the same as the silken nightgown she wore underneath. The intimacy of her attire affected him more deeply than if she'd been standing nude before him. His mouth went dry, and he wondered how the hell he was going to keep his hands off her tonight. He'd promised to be on his best behavior, but he was now kicking himself for making that claim.
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