Page 58 of Seared Fates

I hear footsteps and finally see Kai and his other friend, Summer. It raises my hackles. Why does a man need so many people in his life? Don’t I share enough of him already?

I reach out and cup his face. “You’re back.”

His eyes roll back, but he still leans into my touch. I don’t think he even notices. Or maybe he does, but like me, he can’t stop himself. The thought makes me want to pound my chest and roar in triumph. Childish? Absolutely. I still draw him closer, grinning when he lays a hand on my stomach.

“I wasn’t gone,” he points out, like the clarification, not the distance, is my issue. “I was literally just in a different room for like thirty minutes.”

I stroke his cheek with my thumb. “Still too far away, little prince.”

When our eyes touch, it’s like all the air in the room is sucked out while simultaneously I’m breathing for the first time. To say I unconsciously stroke down to his chin and tilt his face up to mine, our lips so close, would be a lie.

My desire for him is instinctual. My actions, however…

“You’re so annoying,” he whispers, eyes dropping to my mouth. “You know that, right, bestie?”

The nickname meant to put distance between us only makes me crave him more. “I’m aware.”

Summer clears her throat, and Kai tries to twist away, but I keep him locked to me with an arm around his middle.

“What are you, five?” Kai shakes his head but stays in place and holds onto my forearms.

“So Kai and I decided we need a night out!” Summer cheers. “Luuk, Apollo, you’re coming, right?”

My arms tighten.

“Not me, Ari is cooking dinner for us.” Luuk sighs dreamily.

“Where are you going?” Apollo asks, not that it should matter, because I’m getting my ‘no’ ready.

“Sucker,” Summer tells him.

“Pft to listen to shit music and get felt up? Nah,” Apollo replies. “I’d rather go to a place with good music and get felt up, thank you.”

“I texted Golden and Ramy, they’re coming,” Kai says. His palm running up and down my arm, the back of his head resting against my shoulder, I don’t want to stop him, but we need to talk.

“Come with me.” I drag Kai to his office and sit him down. Then I see he’s clenching his hands. I clasp them in mine to find his fingers cold and start rubbing to warm them up. “Kai, you’re being hunted by a mad blood mage.”

“Not hunted since she already knows where I am.”

“This isn’t a good idea.”

Slowly, he tugs his hands away. “You need to feed, right?”

Frustrated, I huff out, “Yes, but it can wait.”

“No.” Kai raises a stubborn brow. “You said you starved yourself for a long time, so no, Vidar, it can not wait.”

I go to say something, but he stops me.

“Suckeris safe. Lucero owns it, he’ll be there and so will Ramy and…” His stubborn expression drops as he turns away. “It’ll be a test for us.”

Taken aback, I ask, “A test?”

“You can…” he swallows, “find a woman.”

My insides twist.

“Kai.” I flex. “Little prince, I just want to keep you safe.”