Page 8 of Spark (Damselverse #2)

Chapter eight

Dacre

O ne moment, Ruby is standing, and then the next, she's falling.

“Shit!” Nolan rushes to her side, but I get there before he does, scooping her up in my arms as I jerk my head toward Xavier.

“Nice going, asshole! You scared her!”

Xavier’s face actually cracks for a moment as he stares at Ruby, confused and shocked. There’s no missing the hurt and guilt, but then he acts all aloof and cold again as he puts his cigarette out against the banister, scoffing. “Not my fault she can’t help but swoon at the sight of me.”

Nolan sighs. “Yeah, I don’t think that was swooning. What did I tell you before we arrived?”

Xavier shrugs, stalking off toward his gallery in his big boots. “What do I care? I already told you I wanted no part in this charade.”

Charade? That fucking bastard.

“It’s not a charade,” I growl, but the Alpha is already out of earshot.

Nolan places a hand on my shoulder, shaking his head. Then he brushes aside Ruby’s hair as we both regard her.

What happened to her? One look at Xavier, and she passed out. I get that the Alpha is scary, but I never would have thought that he could knock someone unconscious.

No, there’s something more going on there, and I promise that I will get to the bottom of it.

Nolan leads the way upstairs. “Let’s hope he actually pulled through and prepared her bedroom.”

I doubt that. That Alpha only ever cares about himself as I hold Ruby close, hoping she can sense my purr.

Damn. She’s as beautiful as I remember, the same perky nose and full lips, and my Alpha breathes one word.

Mine.

I don’t care what Xavier says; she is ours, and she isn’t a charade.

Ruby and I have something. How else would I have heard her siren’s call after all in the fire?

We find the guest room, and lo and behold… Xavier did pull through.

More than pulled through.

The bed looks incredible, stacked with every kind of pillow and blanket as I carry Ruby across, placing her down gently.

Nolan chuckles. “Xavier really is full of surprises.”

I scoff, smoothing the hair from her beautiful face, and I can’t help but wonder what got into her. After all, we don’t know what she's been through.

Why was she inside a burning building for one? Had she been running from someone?

Nolan and I just stare at her for a while, and neither of us wants to leave her. She’s just so perfect, and my Alpha can’t handle it.

He spies her soft neck, and once again, my gums ache as I yearn to sink my teeth into her.

“Well, let’s go, D.”

Nolan starts moving toward the door, but I still can’t leave. I don’t want her to wake up and be alone.

The Alpha looks back at me. “She will be fine, Dacre. I promise.”

Not with Xavier running around loose.

In the end, I join his side, but not before I grab a pillow and rub my own scent over it. Xavier has already done the same, and I think of taking that pillow next and burning it lest it scares her.

Something about Xavier has deeply rattled her, and I will get to the bottom of it, I swear.

Now we march down the stairs toward Xavier’s art gallery, and there we find him picking up his canvas and easel as he dusts them off.

His gray eyes flash when he spies us. “Hey, what did I say? No disturbing me when I am working.”

Working? We all know he hasn’t been able to paint in months as I storm over, gripping him by the shirt. It’s covered in splotches of paint, but soon it will be covered in blood if he doesn’t start talking.

“What did you fucking do?” I ask, yanking on his shirt.

Xavier hikes up a brow, looking over at Nolan for confirmation. “What is this?”

When I growl, the Alpha stops, and I don’t know what he sees in my eyes, but he shuts his mouth and concedes.

“You know what. She took one look at you and then passed out. Why? Do… do you know her?”

The Alpha's eyes widen in shock. Then he pushes me off him and returns to his empty canvas. “No. That was the first time I ever saw her.”

“Then why did she look terrified when she saw you?” Nolan steps in now, crossing his arms.

Now we both demand answers.

Xavier just chuckles, grabbing some paints as he pretends to look busy. “Maybe I just resemble someone she knows.”

A storm gathers outside, absorbing all the sunlight as my Alpha’s hackles raise.

“It’s not funny, Xavier,” I spit.

The bastard just looks my way, amused, then rolls his eyes. “Perhaps she doesn’t like the smell of smoke.”

“Yeah, about that, “Nolan chimes in. “I thought you were quitting.”

“I was, but then I received some upsetting news today and reached for the box.”

Nolan narrows his eyes. “So, are you saying that Ruby is making you stressed enough to resume your disgusting habit?”

Xavier shrugs, mixing some dark paints. The storm is getting worse outside, and then rain splatters against the window.

“Maybe,” Xavier says, giving us his back.

My growl rises, and the artist of sorts looks at me, irritated. “You’re not allowed to smoke around her. You will not pollute her lungs."

As a firefighter, it is my duty to warn him about the dangers of smoking. He is only allowed to smoke outside and far, far away from Ruby.

If we have to build him a designated smoking area, then so be it. Maybe he can move in if he pleases, so long as he keeps away from Ruby.

I don’t want him scaring her again, whether it was intentional or not.

Xavier glances my way. “Duly noted.”

Good. It seems we’re on the same page.

The rain intensifies outside, and then lightning flashes, lighting up the shadows of Xavier’s art gallery.

Now the demons of his mind mock us from the walls as they sneer and jeer, and his art always gave me the creeps.

Xavier speaks his part now. “Let me make things clear. I want no part in this charade, or whatever you want to call it. So please—”

Thunder rumbles outside, and it’s enough to make even me jump, the Alpha who’s trained to run into any building burning.

It vibrates through my bones, shaking the whole world, and it takes me a moment to compose myself.

Once it’s settled, we look at Xavier.

The Alpha is completely still, and what has gotten into him?

Nolan steps closer. “Xavier—”

“Shh,” he cuts off, listening again.

Nolan and I strain our ears. Yeah, we don’t hear a thing, and are the demons in Xavier's mind talking to him again?

I snarl. “What the hell is—?”

Xavier pushes past me, moving out of the room so fast, I have to blink.

It's like he has a rocket up his ass.

Nolan and I move after him, and when we see where he’s going, my Alpha gets his fangs out.

I don’t fucking think so.

Xavier runs to her bedside, where Ruby is deep in the throes of a nightmare. Her mouth is open on a silent scream, eyes wide and unfocused as she stares at something only she can see.

What in the world…

Xavier rips off his leather jacket, then yanks off his boots. Then his shirt comes after as he places it by her nose, trying to wake her. “Come on, love, it’s okay. It’s just a nightmare… just a nightmare…”

Nolan and I watch, bewildered. How the hell did he hear her? She didn't scream once.

Now shame trickles down my back as I watch the asshole who scared her wrap her up in his big arms, placing her head by his chest.

He purrs for her, and what is happening?

Who is this Alpha?

When I look at Nolan, he has a knowing smile on his face, but just about. There’s no missing the worry in his eyes as we watch poor Ruby.

After all, we may be scent matches, but we’re still strangers.

Who knows what the poor thing has been through? I try to move closer, seeing if there is anything I can do, but Nolan grips my shoulder.

“No. He’s got this,” he whispers, and I give in at last, staring daggers at the asshole.

An asshole he may be, he’s exactly what Ruby needs now as she finally stops thrashing, snuggling in close to him.

“It’s all right, love, it’s all right… Just a nightmare,” Xavier whispers, keeping her close.

Love? That’s new.

I never even knew that word was a part of his vocabulary.

Finally, Nolan and I leave, but I can’t help but steal one last look at the Omega.

She shakes in Xavier’s arms, but she’s okay. That’s all that matters to me now as I follow Nolan down the stairs.

It seems Xavier's a part of the charade now, too.