Page 91 of All Your Bloody Lies

It does mean something more significant than that, and now I will never tell him, because he may actually run.

What have you done to me, Kai…

30

Kairhyse

The past three days have been quite incredible, yet an unsettling sensation lingers within me. While Xeraphine appears to be her usual self, there’s an underlying unease that I can’t seem to shake.

It’s just a feeling, because she still acts the way she normally does, but there is something I can’t ignore. Ever since she confessed to me about my tattoo and her gate, she’s avoided anything remotely close to her Amoro, or in general about what she is.

“Hey.” She slips through the patio doors as the sun begins to set, catching me aimlessly staring at my phone. I’ve just received a call from Achille, and I need to report in for my next job. Truth be told, I’d rather drop my role altogether, but something tells me I need to be right where I am for Xeraphine.

“Hi, little demon. How was dinner?”

She hums and stands next to me. “It was okay, better than anything I can do, but you still need some practice.” Her monotone reply tells me she’s sincere, and I can’t help but laugh. I love her honesty; at least she didn’t lie... like I did.

“Do you mind taking me home?”

I’m not necessarily surprised by her request, but I had hoped she’d stay for a week, if not longer. Before I can open my mouth, she surprises me. “I just want to get some clothes and make sure that Mister hasn’t gone insane. Staying under the radar for a while is probably smart; when I reemerge, I want the whole thing with Dominic and Dante to be a thing of the past.”

I don’t look at her, I just smirk. “Sure, not liking my shirts?”

She grumbles, “I’d like some panties... and a bra.”

“Oh, then never mind, the answer is no.” The back of her hand comes down on my arm with such force that I can’t help but wince. “Ouch! Geez, I’m kidding!” I manage to say between fits of laughter.

Without permission, I step toward her, wrap my arm around her neck, and pull her to me. “Come on, I need to take care of some business, and then I’ll swing by to pick you back up.”

Her attempt at pushing me away as I lean in to kiss her is cute, because she absolutely can throw me over this balcony, but she won’t. I press my lips against her cheek, brushing against the corner of hers.

“I liked you better stalking me,” she murmurs, but turns her head to allow for a quick peck.

“Yeah, yeah,” I release her and swat her butt as she turns back to the apartment. “Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll run away from me soon, and I’ll be chasing that perfect ass of yours across state lines again.”

I’m contemplating not asking, but I need to. It’s going to piss me off, and it’s not her fault, but my own.

She hasn’t moved my hand, which is holding onto her thigh, but she’s staring out the window as though she doesn’t recognize it’s there. I’ve purposefully slowed at every yellow and even made a wrong turn, just to give myself a little more time. Now that we are only a few lights away, I clear my throat.

“I meant to ask you something.”

“Mhmm?” she hums.

“You’ve mentioned before you can see when someone is lying,” I can see from the corner of my eye that she’s looking at me. “Do you always see it?”

“I usually have to concentrate or be seeking it. It’s like an aura that I can smell, taste, and sometimes see. Depends on how big the lie is.” I turn my head, seeing that she’s looking down at my hand, and then back up to my gaze. “Why?”

I wonder if she saw when I lied to her about the fate comment, but I won’t be asking directly. I saw how uncomfortable she was about the subject, and the last thing I want to do is make her mad at me before I have to go see Achille.

“You are nervous,” she continues, and I stop us at a light that I could have gone through as it had just barely turned yellow. “I have to pull it to see it, which I now am. Why did you ask?” She’s a bit more forceful with her question this time.

I chuckle, knowing that I cannot lie now, since she’s aware of my feelings. “I lied to you, and I was curious if you had caught it.”

She narrows her gaze, and I look forward as the light turns green, getting us moving. I focus on a meaningless lie, one that wouldn’t show as a lie when I told her. “You asked me if I knew why you liked tomato juice, and I lied. Butterfly told me. I wanted to hear you tell me the story.”

The loudest sigh comes from her, and she turns back to look out the window. “It really isn’t even that big of a deal! You and Syd, I swear to the Gods you both are insufferable.”

“I mean, it’s kind of cute.”