Page 10 of Awakened Gifts
I could go, and possibly keep him, but do I want him if I can’t have all of him anymore? Mom loves Uncle Brazen, to the point it’s sickening, but when she had a choice to make, she chose her counter. What if we’ve been fooling ourselves into believing we could fight our destiny when the illusive Araya Crush wasn’t even strong enough to do so?
“Stop thinking like that,” Jase whispers, coming closer and resting his forehead against mine.
My tears start dripping harder as he puts his hands on either side of my face, his eyes closing as he tries to soak me in. And I put my hands over his while we stand here like two broken lovers. His hands slide down, and he wraps his arms around my waist, drawing me as close as he can.
“I want to marry you and forget this ever happened. I’ll never be with her, Aria. I couldn’t be. I love you too damn much to have room for anyone else. Please. Let’s just go and start over somewhere far away from here.”
The desperation in his tone breaks my heart that much more. We both know he can’t fight a pull this strong for much longer. It’s impossible. Stupid and selfish as it might be, I nod.
“I’ll pack my things.”
He breathes out in relief just before his lips find mine. My tears salt the kiss, but it only makes him kiss me harder. “I’ll have to call a meeting, and I’ll tell everyone we’re going to a different compound. I’ll make up an excuse. And after the peace treaty is signed, I’ll step down from the commander position.”
Still numb as I try to process everything, I nod again, leaning against him. I can’t give him up, even though I know I’m on a path for self-destruction.
“Let’s go back to the room for a while,” he murmurs against my ear, and like the monkey I am, I nod once more.
JASE
Aria has been quiet—well, more than quiet—since she figured out the hell I’m in. Her mind is constantly trying to shut me out, and the few things I hear aren’t exactly comforting. She’s convinced I’ll hurt her.
I won’t. I can’t.
“Commander Ericson, your papers, sir,” Captain Fricks says as he hands me the all the appropriate paperwork to acknowledge I’m getting the hell out of here.
“Thanks, Captain.”
As I look over the ungodly amount of shit to fill out, he blows out a hesitant breath.
“Care if I ask why you’re in such a hurry to leave? You can avoid the paperwork if you just move as we do. Is something wrong, sir?”
I shake my head, not lifting my eyes. I try to read his mind to see what else he’s thinking, but as usual, it’s Hale Banner’s mind all over again—too much clutter to make sense of.
“Nothing wrong. I just don’t like having Aria so close to the Unaligned border, and I also need to do some work that I can’t do from here,” I lie. It’s not even a good lie.
“Very well, sir,” he says with tight lips that tell me without reading his mind that he doesn’t believe me.
I shut the door as he leaves, smiling when I see the only girl I’ve ever loved. She’s curled up in the bed, resting peacefully despite the terrible day we had yesterday. I’ll give up anything in this world—except her.
Just as I turn around, something slams into my chest like a hammer. My veins begin burning painfully—a need and torturous thing that traps me and suffocates me. The papers fall from my hand, tumbling to the floor, as I fall to my knees, sucking in harsh breaths as unbidden desire consumes me.
No. Fuck no!
KELLAN
“So they’re moving to a new compound?” I grumble. Great. It’s not like I have any choice but to follow, considering it hurts to be away from her.
“Yeah,” Simone says distractedly, her eyes focused on the microscope in front of her.
“Could you at least give me some of your attention?” I gripe, glaring at the back of her head.
“I don’t think that’s wise. The last time I gave you any real attention, I was suddenly all over you like I couldn’t control myself. And you didn’t exactly fight me off too hard. I think you’re somehow transferring your frustrations onto me, and I’m feeling it. I think it’d be best if you left. You’re distracting me, and I’m busy.”
I almost grin. Simone is blunt and honest, and if I could have her without feeling the guilt that would ensue, I’d take her.
“What’s so important right now that you can’t talk to me?”
She huffs as she pulls off her glasses and moves away from the microscope while pinching the bridge of her nose. “I’m searching for a way to keep the emergent children alive. Some of them were older than we initially thought, and they don’t have but a few years left before puberty. They’ll die if I can’t isolate the variable that pushes their systems too hard and forces early expiration. If you ask me, it’s a little more important than being the person everyone wants to fucking vent to. I’ve got my own problems, but no one gives a damn.”