“You about done, Jess?”
I spun and shrank into a crouch. How the hell had Louis crept up on me?
The sorcerer was leaning casually against the wall at the entrance of the alley. He had that smile on his face which he wore when he thought I was amusing. I didn’t ask him why he hadn’t helped me. He knew I wouldn’t have appreciated his interference. I strolled across to his side, and as he straightened his expression sobered.
“So besides that…” he said, waving toward the carnage I’d left behind, “are you doing okay?”
I swallowed, all the events of the past few days crashing in on me. “The Four are here, outside of the mountains.”
He nodded. “Yes, they have been seen on multiple occasions, but they are not welcome in the sanctuary. You’ll be safe here until we figure out a plan.”
My voice cracked on my next words: “I don’t know what to feel about Max.” My pain could no longer be pushed aside, and it seemed Louis was the one I’d bare my soul to. Despite everything I trusted the sorcerer. Well, trusted with some reservations.
He examined me, as if trying to burrow into the deepest of my emotions. “You don’t lose anything by this, Jess, you gain another sister into your pack. Maximus will not abandon you … I can’t imagine a supernatural who could willingly walk away from you.”
Well, that was uncomfortably intimate.
Since exhaustion and heartache had negated my already faulty brain-to-mouth filter, it was time to get this shit out in the open. “What do you want from me, Louis? Why are you helping me so much?”
His expression closed down, more unreadable than it had been before. I was sure he wouldn’t answer. Then he said, “I had a mate … a long time ago. She was killed by another witch. One who wanted her power.” His voice broke. I strained to hear every soft word. “I went crazy for a long time. I was unstable, no one could touch the bubble of pain and anger I had wrapped around myself. Eventually, I was able to control myself again, but no amount of time could heal the pain. Up until the day I touched a tiny twin with a dragon mark.”
My heart dropped, I really didn’t want to hurt Louis, but I wasn’t sure I could give him what he needed.
“It was as if your power wrapped around me and soothed some of the ragged edges of my soul.”
He reached out and grasped my hand, pulling me closer into his side. “I thought maybe you would be a mate-of-sorts for me, that the tie I felt toward you had to mean something. I watched you grow up, kept an eye on you, protected you when I could and waited for the chance to be in your life.”
Okay, a tad creepy, but on some level I understood.
“Louis–” I started, but he cut me off with a chuckle.
“Stop panicking. It didn’t take me long to realize that the emotions you created in me were not romantic, but … family. You feel like my kin and I consider you to be mine … in a purely platonic way.”
It was strange, but I felt something similar when Louis was around. I’d always thought it was to do with his power being the one to spell my mark, but maybe there was something more there.
“Do you think we share a common ancestor?” I squeezed his hand tighter, wanting to erase that agony which flashed across his eyes. Talking about his mate had cost him something, brought him back to a dark time in his life.
The gentlest of grins graced his lips. “All supernaturals share common ancestors, but possibly you and I are a little closer.”
I pulled my hands free, and when his sadness didn’t disappear I opened my arms and wrapped them tightly around him. I clutched him hard, trying to squish free those horrible memories. He returned my gesture and I felt him rest his chin on top of my head. We stayed like that until groans from the alley had me pulling back to see what was going on. The female shifter was starting to pull herself up, her friends still down for the count. They would think twice about taking me on again, and word would spread of this. Somehow, it always happened that way in these communities.
“Let’s go back, I need some sleep.”
I leaned heavily into Louis, and he took a lot of my weight as we strolled from the alley. It spoke of how absolutely drained I was, both mentally and physically, that I didn’t even notice the food piled high on the plates of the supernaturals eating on the street. We also ignored the many eyes which followed as we walked.
“Why didn’t the Compasses come after me?” I said, in a sort of slur. I fought for clarity.
Louis quickened our pace and gathered more of my weight into him. “I convinced them to stay behind while I checked on you.”
I let loose a few peals of laughter. For some reason the possibilities of how he convinced them were endless and amusing.
“I’ll just bet they appreciated that.”
The sorcerer joined in with my laughter. “Braxton especially was appreciative.”
The thought of my dragon shifter sobered any humor. What the hell was I going to do about him and all of these feelings plundering my soul? And lady parts.
Seeing Maximus with a mate had opened up something inside of me. I’d been so resolute in trying to keep everything the same, not risking the pack dynamics, but things had changed anyway. Change was going to happen and I didn’t want to miss my moment with Braxton because I was afraid. What if I waited too long and never had a chance? He could meet his mate tomorrow. The dragon king could rise and kill us all. The only certainty we had was right now and something told me that five minutes with the dragon was worth any minutes without him.