Page 179 of The Curse Trilogy

“I’m sorry for the damage to your apartment as well as the other. I’ll pay for the repairs, and I’ll also move my things to another room to prevent any future occurrences. I apologize for any inconvenience my irrational and rash outburst caused, and I assure you I have myself under control now,” I very formally state, and I treat them as two officials rather than a lover and a friend.

“Araya, you don’t have to apologize,” Hale says with his heartbreaking tone. “You sure as hell don’t have to pay.”

He takes a step toward me, and I take two back.

“I want to do both. It’s the proper and professional way to act in the situation we find ourselves in. We’re not engaged, lovers, or even friends. I’m an interrogator and an officer, and you’re a captain. I’ll treat you as such from this point on, Sir,” I utter like a subordinate soldier, and Clay seems almost heartbroken now as he stares at Hale’s drooping eyes.

“Please don’t do this, Araya. This isn’t what I want. Just give me some time, please,” Hale pleads, and I swallow against the hellacious knot climbing up my throat.

“I’m sorry, Sir, but I can’t. I’d like to be dismissed now, Sir,” I say while saluting him very seriously, and he drops back to the wall behind him before giving me a dismissive salute.

Just before I turn to go, I feel Brazen’s arm possessively draping around me. Hale’s eyes teem with streams of pain as he stares at us.

He salutes Clay, and Clay does the same to him before Brazen speaks.

“I’ve gotten the tally of how many have arrived and how many are to come. I’ll have more in the morning, Sir,” he says very formally, and then his hand slides down my back.

“That sounds good, Captain. If you don’t mind, I’m a little tired of the formalities. If you could just act at ease, it would be appreciated.”

“No problem. Would you care to enlighten me on the situation that brought all of us here?” Brazen asks casually, and he intentionally keeps me from being directly in Hale’s line of view.

“Not until tomorrow. We’ll be leaving the humans out of this meeting. Please keep that in mind,” Clay murmurs very suspiciously, and I feel a little left out now.

“Why?” I muse out loud, and Brazen’s grip tightens on me.

“We just have to keep this conversation private. They believe it to be about our breeds finding a way to end the feuds, so let’s keep it that way.”

“I’ll head on up to my room now. Wendy gave me the information, and I noticed there was plenty of room for Araya and the newbies. I’ll just accommodate them all.”

Hale’s eyes tense up as though this news is tragic, and I quickly look away.

“Grayson and Angelica have all their things already stored in the other apartment,” Clay says in objection.

“We can move them,” Angelica chirps from behind me. “With so many people coming in, you might need that apartment. There’s a man up there fixing the wall right now, so it should be habitable in no time.”

“Go grab your stuff,” Brazen gloats, and Angelica gives him a sweet hug before Grayson walks over to check me out.

“You okay?” he whispers.

“I’m fine. I told you it’s not always easy being me.”

He then turns to Brazen and sighs, “I’m glad you’re back around. I need someone to teach me how to shoot a damn gun.”

Clay stifles a laugh, and I smirk at the huffed plea.

“I think I can manage that,” Brazen chuckles out, and then Grayson and Angelica rush up to start packing their things.

“The newbies seem rather familiar with you considering you only knew them for a day,” Clay says.

“Nothing bonds you better than a death match. It was pretty gruesome,” Brazen shivers out while brushing my hair from my shoulder and staring into my eyes.

“We heard,” Clay grumbles.

“We’ll see you in the morning, Clay,” I murmur softly, and then I salute Hale once again before muttering, “Captain Banner.”

He just looks away without offering the salute in return, and Brazen tilts his head curiously at me before ushering me away.

“So you blew up an apartment?” he muses.