Destiny's Fire (8 page)

As I became comfortable in his arms, he turned me around to face him. I finally opened my eyes, and he stared at me so intensely my breath caught. We stayed looking into each other’s eyes—my arms wrapped around his neck, his arms locked around my waist—for what felt like an eternity. Then he cupped the back of my neck, his thumb resting against my cheek. My lips parted as he guided my face toward his. I closed my eyes in anticipation. But at the last second, he brought me cheek-to-cheek. “I’m going back to the bar,” he said into my ear. “Happy birthday, Rug Rat.”

My heart plummeted into my stomach. But I recovered quickly and nodded, averting my eyes from his as he backed away. A brief, pained expression washed over his features, but it was quickly replaced with a simple smile. Then he headed off the dance floor.

I’m an idiot. What am I doing?
Was I really crushing on Jace? Ridiculous. I scolded myself as I weaved through the crowd toward Lana.

Her eyebrows furrowed into the middle of her forehead, but my expression must have said “not now” because she just wrapped her arms around me and began dancing.

I was finally enjoying myself, laughing with Lana as Nick attempted a dance move that involved jumping over his leg and falling on his backside. I felt flush, so I stepped off the floor and moved away from the steam pipes. As I leaned against the wall, I spotted Reese walking in from the side entrance. My insides knotted. But instead of turning around and avoiding him like I’d done the night before, this time, I met his challenging gaze.

His eyes widened, flashing an intense red glow as they traced me. His lips curled into a grin, and he headed straight for me.

Chapter Six

R
EESE
M
ADE
H
IS
W
AY
to me along the wall. Bracing myself, I balled my hands into fists by my side, forcing myself to stay planted. My Charge Dagger was sheathed in my boot, just beneath the back of my bustle. I didn’t want to make a scene, but if he started a fight, I wouldn’t have a choice.

I scanned the club, quickly locating Lana, Nick, and Jace. None of them were aware of Reese…yet. There was no way the Narco was here alone, but I hadn’t seen his friends. Reese’s eyes found mine, their red flames bright as he stopped right before me. I cursed myself for shaking. But at least it looked like our diversion plan was working.

He raised his hand, and I jerked back. Then he stepped closer and took my hand, bringing me toward him. “I’m not trying to scare you, Shythe Girl. I’m only here for a dance.” He pulled me into his arms. “That is, if you can refrain from threatening me tonight.”

My face heated, and I bit down on my lip as his hard chest pressed against me. He was patronizing me. Had he known I was Shythe last night when he first danced with me? “What do you really want?” I took a step back, putting a couple inches between us.

Hitching an eyebrow—which I noticed for the first time was pierced with a small copper stud—he gave me what he probably thought was a sincere smile. “Honestly? Just to dance. I feel bad about how things went down before. I don’t want to fight.” He held me closer, his glowing red eyes boring into mine, and gently ran his fingers along my arm. Heat rippled across my skin.

He ducked his head close to my ear. “You look amazing, by the way.” Brushing his hand across my back, he spread warmth over my bare skin.

I ignored his comment, looking past his shoulder, but kept dancing. As long as no one was attacking, I didn’t mind being near him. Although, the heat was distracting. Before last night, I’d never been touched by a Narco. It wasn’t painful, but I imagined it could be…if he wanted.

“Why are you here?” I asked flatly. “And don’t give me that Peace Act crap. You didn’t act like you wanted to be friends earlier today.”

He pulled back, tilting his head to the side. “It’s too loud. If you want to talk, let’s get some air.”

Yeah right
. “Sure, let me go grab my stupid stick, and I’ll be right behind you.” I glared up at him. “Answer the question.”

He halted dancing, then grasped my hand and led me to a corner where the lighting was dimmer and the steam billowed out, creating a wall between us and the crowd. My stomach sank. How stupid was I? He could off me right here and be out the door before anyone noticed I was missing.

Reese held his hand out to me. I rolled my eyes and took it. He pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me. “Now I can hear you better.” His lips twisted into a grin. “Though, I think I liked
seeing
you better…for the sake of dancing, of course.”

“Answer my question,” I said. “What are the Narcos doing here?”

Reese swayed us back and forth. “We’re trying to live peacefully among your race. The Treaty Act only put an end to the war. This new contract will ensure the Kythan survival.”

I squinted, confused. “And what’s your role in all this? You’re not a Council member. And today you were picking a fight with Jace.” I shrugged. “Your claim of wanting to live peacefully feels false for some reason.” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Jace, huh?” He laughed. “Yeah, that guy needs some serious anger management.” I opened my mouth to retort, but he continued. “I guess I could back off a little. He just rubbed me the wrong way.”

“You had me pinned against a wall. How was he supposed to rub you?”

His eyes flared, illuminating, as he smiled at me. “You’re so damn serious.” He cocked his head. “It’s cute.” Then his eyes trailed over my neck. “I see your neck healed up. That was Jace’s work, right?”

I huffed and turned to leave, but he clasped my waist. “Sorry…sorry.” He pulled me back to him, continuing our dance. “Last night you shocked me. I was startled. My anger got the better of me for a moment, and then”—he smiled—“you got so mad. It was hot. Kind of turned me on.”

Was he serious? Our kind didn’t mix. The trial repopulation test was the only time, to my knowledge, that our two races had ever
mingled
. The thought of a Narco and Shythe getting together was simply unheard of. More than that, it was blasphemy in Haven Falls.

Then something he’d said interrupted my thoughts.
Shocked?
“Wait.” I shook my head. “What do you mean by shocked? Like my attitude shocked you?”

He raised both eyebrows. “No, like you physically shocked me. It hurt like hell. So yeah, I was a little pissed.” My mouth dropped open as he continued. “But, I figured out later that since you haven’t gone through the change yet, you probably didn’t even realize you did it. Or am I wrong?”

I shook my head, pondering. I stopped dancing and stared down at my hands.
How the…?
“I’ve never heard of power coming before the change,” I said absently.

Reese resumed our dance, swaying me in his arms. “The Shythe Council really keeps you in the dark, huh? Look, its normal.” He half-shrugged. “I accidentally melted my communicator before I shifted.”

“Huh,” I scoffed. Then something else occurred to me.
I shocked him!
That could mean I was going to have Shythe Charge. I smiled. “Hey, I have to go.” I turned, ready to get out of there—excited to go tell my mom.

“Wait.” Reese moved in front of me. “Dez, right? So when do you shift for the first time?”

I was growing impatient. “Um…the day after tomorrow.”

“Wow, are you nervous?” He took my hand, and I looked down as blazing red heat engulfed it.

“No. Not really. Just want to get it over with.” Jace and Lana had to be wondering where I was by now. And I really wanted to tell my mom the good news. “Look, why are you even talking to me? I get the whole brotherly love thing, but—”

“I like you.” He flashed me a bright smile, his red eyes beaming. “I want to get to know you. Is that so wrong?”

My heart hammered against my chest. “And you believe that we’re all going to get along after centuries of war and murder?” I asked, staring into his eyes.

He cupped my face. “Guess it couldn’t hurt to try.” Then he ran his warm thumb along my jaw. “I think you’ll find that we’re more alike than you think.” He inched forward, dipping his head toward mine.

I jerked my head back. “What are you doing?”

“I just told you. I like you.” He squinted. “Are all Shythe girls as dense as the guys?”

I glared at him with what I hoped were flaming blue eyes of death. “You know what, even if this
experiment
works, you Narcos have a lot to learn,” I said with mock laughter. “I’m not that easy.”

Reese quirked an eyebrow, and a slow smile spread across his lips. “I told you, I like a challenge.” He turned on his heel and walked away, leaving me stunned.

I almost called out after him—to tell him he was the jerk with the problem, not me—when something over at the bar caught my attention.

I peered through the crowd. Jace stood face-to-face with the blond Narco. The Narco was being held back by his buddy, and Nick was doing his best to restrain Jace. Shoving through the throng of bodies, I found Lana and attempted to pull her with me off the dance floor, but I lost her in my hurry to get to Jace.

“That will never happen! You’re crazy if you think—” Jace broke off, noticing the clubbers around him. He ground his teeth, his jaw clenched tight. He was holding back from saying something he might regret in front of the humans.

The blond Narco stopped pulling against his friend. “Outside,” he said simply to Jace.

Jace’s eyes became wild. I pushed through the gathered bodies toward him. “What are you doing?” I pulled his head down to look at me. His eyes scanned my face, barely seeing me. “You know you can’t fight him. Let’s just leave.”

He stepped back, juddering out of my hold. “You didn’t hear what he said.” Then he leaned in close to me. “We can’t allow them to think they’re going to control us, Dez. We have to stand up to them. Even if the Council won’t.”

I glanced over and saw Reese watching us. I was half Narco, but raised Shythe. After talking with him, I was more confused than ever over how I truly felt about the two races coming together. But I couldn’t allow Jace to get into a fight—or worse,
killed
—over his beliefs.

“Jace,” I said, forcing him to look into my eyes. “Calm down. I’m getting Lana and you’re coming with me.” I paused. “Actually, Nick, you take Jace outside. I’ll get Lana.”

Nick saluted me. “Yes, ma’am.” He clapped Jace on his shoulder, giving it a shake. “Come on, man. These guys are a waste.”

Relieved to see the blond Narco backing away with his friend, heading toward the side exit, and Jace going out the front door with Nick, I turned to find where I’d lost Lana in the crowd. I scanned the dancing bodies, and a pair of glowing red eyes, staring right at me, caught my attention.
Crap.

I wheeled around and headed for the door, thinking Lana might already be outside. She normally bolted when things got too dramatic. I was almost there when Reese stepped in front of me. “Leaving? But we were having fun.” His voice sounded playful, but the humor didn’t reach his eyes. For the first time, I actually felt fear.

“Just let me leave. I don’t want to do this in front of a crowd.” I met his gaze, and his lips pressed into a hard line.

“Yeah, I guess it was stupid to think the Council might be right for a change.” His eyes flared. “And here I thought we could
possibly
be friends. But I guess the Shythe will always be too hotheaded for that.”

“
Us
hotheaded?” I gaped. “Look at how your friends are acting. If friendship is what you want, you should’ve made an honest attempt instead of trying to bully us around…bastard.” I sidestepped him, but he grabbed my arm. “Get off!”

“Hey.” He let go, hands raised in defense. “So, what you’re saying is, if I
want
, not wanted. As in present tense? That I still have a chance?”

“Are you crazy? Look at what happens when we’re in the same room. The Councils are mad. Both ours and yours. This phony truce is going to be the demise of us all.”

He stared into my eyes—his red glow so intense I felt hypnotized. And for a moment, his human guise shifted, and I saw his true form. Damn, he was hot. But still a Narco…and still a jerk. I shook my head, shaking off the illusion. But when I looked back up, his eyes were no longer glowing red. Two mirrored beams of what I saw every day stared at me.

His lips spread into a wickedly hot smile, and he winked a glowing violet eye at me before blinking and returning them to red.

Chapter Seven

O
UTSIDE
, L
ANA
S
TOOD
I
N
front of Jace, her arms outstretched, as if she was the only thing holding him back from bolting into the club. “Where have you been?” she asked me as I walked up.

“Was looking for you,” I said. Which wasn’t a lie. But there was no way I was telling them what had happened with Reese.
I
didn’t even know what had happened. My mind reeled. Had he really just flashed purple eyes?