Page 56 of Embracing Darkness
“OK.”
I turn my attention to my friends, but my thoughts keep drifting back to Noah. I really need to tell Ayden about him.
Chapter 27
It’s a cool evening, and I pull my jacket more tightly around me. Yoru is sitting beside me, alert, looking out into the darkness. Sometimes, like now, he stares straight ahead, intensely focused as if he can see things that no one else can see.
“What is it? Have you spotted something?” I ask.
He doesn’t look at me; he just swivels his ears once as if to capture the sound of my voice.
At that moment, I see Noah emerge out of the darkness. I’m pretty sure Yoru must have had him in his sights for a while.
“What, all alone today?” I ask.
“I hope so,” Noah replies. “I told Frances if I catch her sneaking around after me again, I’ll kick her out of my parents’ house, and she’ll be dead to me. That seemed to work.”
“Pretty harsh.”
“Sometimes it’s the only way.”
An uncomfortable silence descends on us. I guess we both sense that there’s something hanging in the air. This conversation won’t be pleasant.
“You’re different somehow,” he says.
And he’s right. I’m not sure how to behave toward him or whatto say.
“Where’s that warm smile? That glint in your eyes?” he continues. “It must be more serious than I thought.”
“It’s not easy.”
I look at him. His open face, those kind eyes in which I find so much warmth and now such familiarity too.
He takes a few quick steps toward me and tries to anticipate my concerns, saying, “Teresa, I can imagine the kinds of things Frances might have said to you. But you don’t need to worry. None of the Noctu knows about us. And if someone saw us in the street, most of them don’t know you’re a Tempes and would assume you were just an ordinary person. As long as they don’t see Yoru. I’m allowed to have non-key-carrying friends. Trust me, Frances’ fears are unfounded. I wasn’t sure at first how she would react if she found out about us, but she knows that if she told anyone, it would come back on me. And she doesn’t want that.”
I know he’s right, and his words reassure me a little. But this doesn’t come close to addressing all of our problems.
“What about the Tempes? I heard Mr. Collins clearly. They seem to suspect us. What if they catch us together?”
He shakes his head. “If anybody was tailing us, Ran would sense them immediately. There’s no way...”
“Are you sure?” I ask, studying his face closely. I detect a slight hesitation, which answers my question.
“There’s no way he would miss it,” he repeats, as if trying to convince himself.
I’m not so sure, but that’s not even our biggest problem. I swallow hard and search for the right words. But I guess there’s no easy way to say this.
“Me and Ayden are together.”
I see him flinch at this news. His eyes widen in disbelief. But then he seems to realize I’m serious, and he nods slowly.
“Okay, that’s a surprise.”
“It hasn’t been long.”
He nods again. “Right. That kind of complicates our situation, I get it.”
“Aren’t you going to tell me what a stupid idea this is and that he’s no good for me? Even my girlfriends think so, although they didn’t come out and say it,” I say with a sad smile.