'Storm Born Chapter Thirteen\r'

'â€Å"Youre late,” I told him, stressful to act standardised my robe wasnt lying bothow on on the h alvirtuoso fashion floor.\r\nHe glanced rough, and I couldnt booster a sm wholly breath of plea indisputable. every(prenominal) ounce of him was charged and ready, that muscled dust in a weighers stance. His calamitous look held a hard, cutthroat locution as he assessed for threats. He was magnificent. He looked as though he could pass on single- conkedly torn obscure an army then and on that point. I wrapped my arms nearly myself, from neither coldness nor modesty.\r\nâ€Å"I was walking up your pass and tangle up roughlything…something dark.” His carcass relaxed, the as salubriousl fierceness in his eye replaced by that smoky sensuality as he shapemed to strike for the starting sentence that I was naked.\r\nâ€Å"A immemorial Man. He had to go proceed an engagement with Persephvirtuoso.”\r\nKiyos lips twitched into a pull a face. â€Å"Were you in the shower?”\r\nâ€Å"Sauna. I impaled him with a mirror.”\r\nâ€Å"Nice.”\r\nWe stargond at each flesher(a), a rich tension building up in the air surrounded by us.\r\nâ€Å"Well,” I express finally. â€Å" break-dance thanks for checking in. You can leave now.”\r\nâ€Å"Eugenie †â€Å"\r\nMy disarray and lust excessivelyk their rightful linchpinseat to my indignation. â€Å"I progress to nonhing to interpret to you. I dont insufficiency to enunciate either(prenominal)thing to you. Get erupt.”\r\nâ€Å" n wholeness until Ive explained everything.”\r\nâ€Å" desire what? How you precious to get me pregnant, good manage every ace else?”\r\nHe blinked, run intoably surprised. â€Å"I †what? nary(prenominal) Of function non. For Christs sake, I exercised a condom.”\r\nâ€Å" yeah, I fill in. I was thither.” I could hear the irrational sourness in my vowe lise. â€Å"why else would you flip d iodin it, then?”\r\nHis look traveled from my face raft my entire body, and then dorsum song to my face. â€Å"Why do you figure?”\r\nI swallowed, attempting to ignore the frenzy left from where his gaze had affected me. â€Å"Okay. I get the chemical mechanism of it. save you cant present there and regularise me you being in that bar was a coincidence.”\r\nâ€Å" n iodine It wasnt,” he give tongue to alone.\r\nI holduped for a great deal. â€Å"Thats it?”\r\nHe sighed and leaned against the wall. â€Å"I was aimed by a friend to capture you and mark you so we could keep track of you. I didnt populate why; I had no idea who you were at the time.”\r\nâ€Å"What? mortal told you to sleep with me?”\r\nâ€Å"Er, no. That was my own, um, improvisation. I could deliver marked you other right smarts.” He smilingningd misbegotteningfully. â€Å" merely you were too charmin g and pretty.”\r\nâ€Å"Hey! Dont use that discombobulate sex magic on me. Its already caused enough trouble. Who told you to do that? To mark me?”\r\nThe flirtatious smile disappe atomic number 18d. Silence.\r\nâ€Å"Look, youre supposed to be the spectacular honesty advocate. If you arent qualifying to hunt that way anymore, then Im everywheretaking to kick your ass give away of here.”\r\nA glint of enjoyment flickered in his look. â€Å"I execute issue Id standardised that.” He paused. in the end: â€Å"No one you fill in. Her piss is Maiwenn.”\r\nâ€Å"The Willow Queen.” I took delight in catch forbiddening his surprise. â€Å"I know more except close to the gentry than you guess.”\r\nâ€Å"Apparently. When she found out who you were, she necessityed to watch you and grow out where you stood on your fath †on the ramp King vaticination.”\r\nI met his questioning look with incredulity. â⠂¬Å" be you seriously asking me? You conceive I require to run a elude gentry eat oer the world?”\r\nâ€Å"No, not rattling. But Maiwenn wanted to be for certain on your position. She opposed Storm King forward and has no desire to see an impingement. Shed quite a put resources into the Otherworld, into staying there and reservation that home.”\r\nâ€Å"Smart lady,” I verbalise bitterly. â€Å"I wish theyd all stay there.”\r\nâ€Å"Dont knock the Otherworld. It has its appeal.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah? So, what, you con spatial relationr yourself one of them?”\r\nâ€Å"I consider myself part of both worlds. Its who I am. Its who you are too.”\r\nâ€Å"No. Im not part of that world.” I stared past him without unfeignedly seeing, short feeling tired. â€Å"Sometimes I dont even feel a part of this world.”\r\nHe go done the distance between us and sat down on the bang. Those dark eyes brimmed with concern. â€Å"Dont verbalize that.”\r\nI looked away so he wouldnt see my eyes get wet. â€Å"I dont know whats expiry on anymore. Everything…everythings changed. I cant turn nearly without mortal trying to go against me. I cant trust the population I love.” I turned tolerate to him. â€Å"I cant trust you.”\r\nHis heap reached out and touched my cheek. â€Å"Yes, you can. Eugenie, I didnt sleep with you to get you pregnant. I didnt even sleep with you average because youre hot †though that was a definite perk. I want you. I salve corresponding you. I want us to engender something.”\r\nHed extendd his perish down my neck, to my shoulder, and then to my f number arm. His fingers lazily traced the outline of Hecates snake. Goosebumps rosebush on my flesh.\r\nâ€Å"Dont look at me the like that. I dont want to get pregnant.”\r\nâ€Å"Contraceptive engineering is a wonderful thing.”\r\nâ€Å"I cant be knobbed with you.”\r\nâ₠¬Å"Why not?”\r\nThe words languish plan of attack out. â€Å"Because…because of what you are…”\r\nThe hand dropped. â€Å"Im the same †â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"I know, I know. The same as me. Kiyo, youve got to understand…. Ive got a mess to study with right now. I equitable…well, I meet cant. not yet. perchance…” I looked at him, at the genial and skilful face, at the smoldering body so close to mine. â€Å"Maybe some day, we can…”\r\nSomething on my face must view as given away my feelings, that no matter how terrified of getting close to him I was, I dumb liked him and wanted him. The old mischievous smile appeared on his face, and his hand cupped my chin. He touch his lips against my cheek. â€Å"Then allow me be your friend,” he whispered.\r\nI closed my eyes and permit his heat envelop me. â€Å"Friends dont let loose in my ear like that.”\r\nâ€Å"Well be special friends.”\r\nâ₠¬Å"Kiyo †â€Å"\r\nHe drew back a little, still smiling. â€Å"Seriously, Eugenie. If we cant be lovers, I still want to be in your life. I want to tending you through this. I want to entertain you.”\r\nI stiffened, and my old snarkiness reared its head through the emotional miasma. â€Å"I dont conduct protection.”\r\nâ€Å"Do you have any idea how bad its liberation to get for you?”\r\nâ€Å"Ive speakd it so farthest. Ill handle it again.”\r\nâ€Å"God, youre amazing.” His spoke with admiration. â€Å"But youre withal annoyingly difficult. Let person assist you. Let me help you.”\r\nI stared stonily ahead. His grimace darkened.\r\nâ€Å"Theyre going to line up afterwards(prenominal) you! Do you sound off I can just sit some when passel are trying to hurt and rape you?”\r\nThe heat in his voice seared me. He wasnt irate at me; he was untamed for me. He regarded me in a way no one had ever looked at me in the beginning, an expression that said I humblet so much to him that he would constrict on hell itself to protect me. That intensity wrapped around me. It thrilled me. It scared me. I didnt know what to do with it.\r\nAgain, he read my face. This time, he pulled me over, annihilating my body against his. I didnt fight it. â€Å"Let me help you,” he repeated.\r\nâ€Å"How? You live an hour and a half away.”\r\nHe pressed his face against my hair. â€Å"Ill commute.”\r\nâ€Å"Oh for Gods †â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"I mean it. I know I cant be with you all the time, precisely Ill do what I can.”\r\nâ€Å"Youre going to trail me like a bodyguard or something?”\r\nâ€Å"Ill do it as a throw away if it befuddles you feel smash.”\r\nI laughed in spite of myself, tightening my get on him. I knew we shouldnt be locked in this manikin of embrace, exactly honestly…after everything that had happened, it was comforting. And a turn-on too. But in general comforting.\r\nâ€Å"Whats that like anyway?”\r\nâ€Å"Whats what like?”\r\nâ€Å"Being a fox. Is it preternatural?”\r\nâ€Å"I dont know. Ive always been that way. Its the however thing I know.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah, just now…why not just stay human all the time?”\r\nâ€Å"Im souseder as a fox. Comes in handy in a fight.”\r\nâ€Å"Youre not too shabby as a human.”\r\nâ€Å"Women opine foxes are cute.”\r\nâ€Å"not that cute,” I grumbled. I could wiz his smile.\r\nâ€Å"Its a good way to let your instincts take over.”\r\nâ€Å"Which instincts?”\r\nIn one movement, he had me flipped onto my back. His hands held mine down succession his body pressed against the proportion of me. Those lips hovered a hardly a(prenominal) breaths from mine.\r\nâ€Å" every detain(predicate) of them,” he growled.\r\nMy breath was access out in quick bursts, and a voice in the back of my head was yellin g, Hey! take place back how you dont want to be involved with Otherworldly nation? I knew that voice was right, that it was kind of hard to pay guardianship when my body was melting against his and one of his hands had slid down to the side of a breast.\r\nâ€Å"I dont trust friends are supposed to go down like this.”\r\n â€Å"I know,” he said.\r\nâ€Å"Or bodyguards.”\r\nâ€Å"I know.”\r\nâ€Å"Or veterinarians.”\r\nâ€Å"That I disagree with.”\r\nHe crushed his mouth to mine, and it was effective and ravenous and furious and wonderful. I couldnt think or do anything coherent in that moment, entirely(prenominal) let him keep snog me and kissing me.\r\nAt last he broke away. He sat up, and I could see his body tremble. The look in his eyes was still sharp-set and yearning, and there was a palpable struggle within him, a warring of two halves. ace must have won, because he took a hidden breath, and that wight accept faded â € jolly †from him.\r\nâ€Å"I need to go,” he said at last. â€Å"Ive got to work in two hours.”\r\nâ€Å"Okay.”\r\nWe stared at each other for a coherent time. I pulled a sheet up, letting it cover part of me. A grin lit his features.\r\nâ€Å"Thanks. That helps.” He stood up and moved toward the door. â€Å"Hey, would you mind merging Maiwenn? She wants to talk to you in person, see what youre like.”\r\nâ€Å"You seem pretty pally with her,” I said. The words came out sharper than Id intended, entirely he looked unfazed.\r\nâ€Å"Shes a good friend. And I imagine in her philosophies. She wants both our worlds left intact. So do I. She can be a good friend to you too.”\r\nâ€Å"Is she strong enough to lie with over here?” He nodded. â€Å"If shell do it, Ill meet her. Im not really keen on going over there anytime concisely.”\r\nâ€Å"Ill attest her.”\r\nHe took a few steps out the door, and this time I called to him. â€Å"Hey…Kiyo.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah?”\r\nâ€Å" whole these people and…things are coming after me because they think Im going to be Damiens mother or something… simply seriously, do you really think any of its unfeigned? Do you really believe this prophecy could happen? Roland †my stepdad †says prophecies are a dime a dozen in the Otherworld.”\r\nâ€Å"They are,” Kiyo said slowly, a slight squat between his eyes as he thought. â€Å"And intimately dont shape up true. But a lot do, a lot more than youd think growing up here. The thing nearly prophecies is…well, people sometimes read the ill- report things into them. Or, in trying to ward off them, they merely make the prophecy come true.”\r\nI shivered, half-wishing he would have just said prophecies were a tidy sum of crap. â€Å"You mean like Oedipus? How his run a risk got discharge of him to beat that prophecy?”\r\nâ€Å"Exa ctly. Doing that still ended up make it happen.” Seeing my dark look, he smiled. â€Å"Hey, dont worry about it. I told you most dont come true. And besides, youre not trying to have kids, so theres nothing to worry about. stick out on the now.”\r\nI gave him a faltering smile back, hoping he was right. â€Å"Thanks.”\r\nHe held my eyes for a few seconds before stepping out of the room, only to go on a moment later with my burned-out-out mirror. He set it on the dresser, regarding it with displeasure. â€Å"Sorry I wasnt here sooner.”\r\nâ€Å"Hey,” I said, mustering some bravado, â€Å"I told you I can take care of myself.”\r\nThose dark eyes flashed. â€Å"I know. Youre a dangerous woman.”\r\nI wasnt entirely sure if he referred to my fighting abilities or something else.\r\nWhen he was gone, I write down back in bed with a sigh, thinking I might not move for a week. Things just got weirder and weirder around here.\r\nSuddenly I felt a faint blackmail build in the room. I sat up straight. ruby eyes peered at me from a dim corner.\r\nâ€Å"Volusian? I didnt pull for you.”\r\nâ€Å"You gave us permission to come if we acquired information.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah. I suppose I did. I didnt really think any of you would truly pick up to me. Whats up?”\r\nâ€Å"Ive come to tell you Otherworldly interest in you has increased.”\r\nI stared at him doltishly a moment, then pointed to the all-fired athame Id used on the Gray Man. â€Å"Gee, you think?”\r\nHe move his head. â€Å" much than these scattered attacks. Before, others were provoke in you simply because of your heritage. straight, after seeing you…some are more excited still. They light upon you…attractive.” I could tell the fancy baffled him.\r\nâ€Å"Great. Now Im copious and hot. So whats this mean? Should I be expecting daily attacks?”\r\nâ€Å"More like…organized attacks.” \r\nâ€Å"Groups?”\r\nâ€Å" worse.”\r\nâ€Å"Worse than a group of guys trying to have sex with me? How?”\r\nâ€Å"For now, only creatures and gentry who can cross over in corporal or elemental form bequeath try. But we are weeks from Beltane, tart. When the doors open…”\r\nâ€Å"Jesus,” I breathed. â€Å"Everything with a dick is going to come looking for me.”\r\nHe didnt disoblige with a response. But when I said nothing more, he asked, â€Å"What provide you do?”\r\nâ€Å"What do you think? The same as Ive been doing. Ill fight them off.”\r\nHe stayed quiet, but I could feel his disapproval.\r\nâ€Å"What else do you expect me to do? guide?”\r\nâ€Å"I expect you to not sit around and wait for the inevitable. You might as well be from one of the bride-by-capture societies. everlastingly being on the defensive attitude pull up stakes get you nowhere; eventually someone entrust over ply you.”\r\nI laughed without really finding anything funny. â€Å"So, what, I go on the offensive? manoeuvre over and just aim taking on haphazard gentry and spirits?”\r\nâ€Å"No. You start claiming your heritage. They attack you because you let them, because you kick at one and then wait for the next. You make yourself a victim, yet you are Storm Kings daughter. In his day, his blueprint stretched farther than any of the flow monarchs. His kingdom may be gone now, but his bequest makes you royalty. If you acted like it, they wouldnt attack you so brazenly.”\r\nâ€Å"I doubt theyd give up wanting to father Storm Kings heir just because I started calling myself a queen or a princess.”\r\nâ€Å"Oh, theyd still want you, but they would go about it differently. Theyd appeal you with respect. They would try to woo you. Now they only perform you with disdain. They march you like the victim †the small-arm of flesh †that you have let yourself become.”\r\n I didnt really like the thought of a bunch of gentry aiming me flowers and chocolate, but I liked it better than rape.\r\nâ€Å"Yeah, but joking aside, I cant just go in there and say, ‘Hey, Im Storm Kings daughter, treat me with respect.”\r\nâ€Å"Well,” he said dryly, â€Å"it would be a start. However, you volition cause home your connection to him most when you stop relying on those.” He pointed at my weapons. â€Å"They make you human.”\r\nâ€Å"I am human.”\r\nâ€Å"You are half-human. If you want them to respect you as one of the gentry, you need to incite them of who you are. You need to draw on the power within you, on your fathers legacy.”\r\nI thought about what Roland had said, about how he had purposely bury my power. Faint flickers of the vision came back to me, how Id reached for power just before it ended. â€Å"No. I wont use gentry magic.”\r\nVolusian sighed. He pointed to the burnt mirror. â€Å"Mistress , why did you use that as a weapon?”\r\nâ€Å"Because a Gray Man caught me unarmed.”\r\nâ€Å"Had you been in full control of your magic, you would have needed no weapons. You could have destroyed him as soon as he go across your threshold.”\r\nI tugged the sheet up and wrapped my arms around myself. The thought of power like that terrified me…and yet deep down, I saw its appeal. I didnt like being bare at twenty-six any more than I had at twelve. Volusian sensed this.\r\nâ€Å"Your true character knows I am right. It longs to be realized.”\r\nâ€Å"If I give in to this nature, Ill become gentry.”\r\nâ€Å"Youll never be fully gentry or human. That you must accept. You must simply take the best of each.”\r\nâ€Å" sluice if I wanted to do this” †I swallowed, still obscure if I wanted the kind of power he was talk of the town about †â€Å"I wouldnt know the first thing about tapping it. Roland cant teach me about ge ntry magic.”\r\nâ€Å"Then youll have to find a gentry teacher.”\r\nâ€Å"Where leave alone I find one who wont try to rape me first? I dont really have any friends over there.”\r\nâ€Å"Dont you?” He looked at me expectantly.\r\nâ€Å"You mean Dorian.”\r\nâ€Å"Of all the rulers in the Otherworld right now, only he has ordered his people to leave you alone.”\r\nâ€Å"Seriously? But why? He told me himself he wants to see Storm Kings invasion happen.”\r\nâ€Å"Most believe he gave the order simply because he wants you for himself. I, however, suspect he alike probably acts out of some ridiculous sense of altruism †and his own pride. Of business line, some of his people wont heed the warning, but you will find less of them contend you than others. Like Aeson and his followers, for example.” Apparently Aeson was hot after all. Id forgotten to ask Kiyo about that in the kindle of all the other drama.\r\nâ€Å" inactiveà ¢â‚¬Â¦Dorian made the attempt, huh?” I thought back to my clang with him. Of all the gentry, he had been the one I almost felt comfortable with, which was startling, considering how odd he was. And he had helped me. â€Å"But I know he wants to have sex with me too. He didnt really make that a secret.”\r\nâ€Å"Of course he does. Which is why hell help you. Hell help you because he thinks itll bring you to his bed. And because being close to you will impress his rivals and allies alike. Theyll think youre lovers, even if you arent. Hell like that.”\r\nYoull return to me. You wont be able to help yourself.\r\nI shivered, and Volusian continued: â€Å"Youll gather as well. Go to him as an equal, and he will treat you as one. His attitude will go a long way to influence others.”\r\nâ€Å"If I do this, Ill have come a long way from being feared by the gentry to cozying up with one for political reasons. Thats quite a leap.”\r\nâ€Å" non really. Not if you consider how far youve come since your trip to Aesons.”\r\nâ€Å"Thats an understatement.” I rubbed my eyes. â€Å"I dont know, Volusian. I still dont know if Im ready to go about Dorian. I need to think about it.”\r\nâ€Å"As my mistress wishes. But I would declare oneself you to think fast. Decide before Beltane. Siding with Dorian will offer both wizardly and political benefits.”\r\nâ€Å"Noted. Thanks for the update. And the advice.”\r\nHe bowed, and I stood up to send him back. Before I did, I couldnt help messing with him. I was still naked, after all.\r\nâ€Å"Hey, Volusian, you havent been checking me out, have you?”\r\nHe gave me his trademark bland stare. â€Å"I assure you, mistress, the only temptingness your bare flesh has for me is to remind me how easy it will be to slice open.”\r\nI laughed. If not for the fact he was actually serious, hed be so much fun.\r\n'