Page 35 of Air of Seduction
“Noah. His name is Noah.” I relax my shoulders and give her a smile. “He wanted to help you, but he was a little persistent about it.” More than a little persistent, if you ask me, but I think it’s better for Olivia if I try to emphasize the positive side of his actions. Because even though I don’t have a full grasp of what Ronan meant by true mate, I have no doubt that Noah’s pursuit of my friend has just started.
She visibly swallows. “There are more than just vampires in the world, aren’t there? What is…Noah? He didn’t feel like a vampire.”
My eyes widen. How could she tell the difference? Does that mean she won’t freak out if she sees him again? “You’re right. He isn’t a vampire. He’s an elemental. I don’t know which element he’s tied to though or what he can do. I haven’t talked to him much.”
She pushes herself up into a sitting position. “When did you meet those people?”
I give her a small smile. “About twenty-four hours ago. I was stalking one of Barry’s friends, hoping he would lead me to you, but he discovered me and decided I was his. But then I ran into Ronan, literally, and he helped me. Long story short, Ronan and his friends already knew who Barry was, and after one failed attempt, they managed to find out where you were staying.”
Olivia nods and gives me a weak smile. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I still can’t believe it’s over.”
“I’d do it all again a hundred times over if I had to, Olivia. But it is well and truly over.” Tears fill my eyes as I reach out and take her hand in mine. It’s the first smile I’ve seen on her face since we found her, and although it’s not an all-out happy grin, it’s so much more than I thought possible only an hour ago.
Her fingers tighten around my hand. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you. You’re amazing, Payton. Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.” Her eyes close for a few seconds before she opens them again. She still looks exhausted.
I give her hand a squeeze before pulling my hand from hers and getting to my feet. “You should get some more sleep. I’ll be in the living room if you need anything.”
She nods and lies down, pulling the covers up to her nose.
After closing the door to her bedroom behind me, I go to sit down on the couch. I should probably get some sleep, as well, but with everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours, I’m not sure how I’m going to be able to rest.
Olivia’s smile and calm questions were a positive surprise. Perhaps she’ll recover faster than I first thought. But I know it can just as easily take months as days. It’s impossible to tell. Everyone reacts differently and heals differently. There’s not a set path or set time that suits everyone.
I pull my phone out of my pocket and smile. There’s a new text from Ronan.Thank you. I hope to see you again soon.He’s added a kissy-face emoji.
My eyes go to the bedroom door. I’d like that too, but I don’t know when it will be possible.
∞∞∞
Ronan
I turn over on my other side and close my eyes. No more thantwo seconds go by before they snap open again. My mind is racing, and my body is restless. Some sleep would be nice, but it doesn’t seem like that’s going to be possible anytime soon.
Is Payton my mate? Or is this just a temporary fascination? I can’t decide. She’s beautiful and strong, and I want nothing more than to explore whatever this is between us. But if she’s my mate, shouldn’t I have known as soon as I met her like Noah did?
I forwarded the video of Olivia to Noah, and he accepted it as a substitute for checking on her himself—for now. His desperation for his mate is like a vibration in the air around him. All he cares about is Olivia and her well-being, and after what she’s been through, I completely understand. But how did he know she was his the moment he met her? Or actually before that. He knew the moment he heard her voice.
“Fuck this.” I fling the covers back and get out of bed. It doesn’t matter how tired I am. I can’t sleep, so I might as well do something useful.
Pulling the curtains back, I’m surprised to see the light of dawn already coloring the sky. I’ve clearly been tossing and turning for longer than I thought.
After putting on some jeans and a T-shirt, I go downstairs. There’s no one in the dining room or the living room, and I’m not surprised. They’re probably all in bed, getting some rest before a new day.
I head toward Aidan’s office. I left the discussions too early last night to know what was decided, but at least I can check the local news to see if anything relevant has happened during the night.
But when I walk into the office, I’m surprised to see Markus standing with his back to me, staring out of the window. There’s no one else there, keeping him company.
He turns around when I close the door behind me. “Ronan. How’s Payton?”
My eyes widen. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised he knows I’ve been in contact with her, but I am. I assumed he was too busy talking to Gawen and dealing with the revelation about his parentage to check up on me. “She’s okay.”
“Good.” He nods. “I spoke to Noah. He’s more than a little desperate to talk to his mate. We’ll have to keep an eye on him until Olivia is ready. Hopefully, it won’t take too long.” His expression is tight with his concern.
I know without asking where his thoughts are. An elemental can’t be without his mate for long. It’s one of the few things that can kill us. One way or another, it’s crucial to persuade Olivia to accept Noah, but it’s just as important that it happens because she wants to be with him.
I can’t worry about that right now, though. I need something to do to take my mind off Payton, and worrying about Noah and Olivia won’t do that. “What happened last night after I left? Did you come up with a plan? I need something to do.”
He studies my face like he’s looking for something, but I just shrug. “Gawen and I will try to locate his kelpie father. They haven’t spoken in years and have never been close, but it’s the only parent we have left between the two of us, and he might be the only one who can give us some answers.”