Beguiled (Book 2 Immortal Essence series) (3 page)

“I’m—”

“Holy
cret
, you’re speaking
kelarian. How
?”
I
didn’t notice
right away because
he
spoke so naturally
.

Michael
grunted
. “Not to
o
long after your incredible
change
, I had
a transformation
of my own.”

“You did?” I wondered what
happened and
stepped closer,
examining
his features
for
a telltale clue to his origin.
At the base of his neck hung a silver medallion, bound by a leather chord. “What’s this?” I brushed my fingers over it. The steel rippled
at my touch
.
The medallion had a picture carved into it.
Of a book.
It lay open. On the left page
was the image
of three beautiful girls. On the right an irrihunter clutched something round, like a disc
,
in its front paws. On its back sat a boy
and a girl. They reminded me of . . .

“Ith and Aetha gave it to me
. A sort of present, like your buckle
,” he said
, clutching the medallion within
his
palm.

“N
ice.”

“Nice,
”
Michael
repeated with a
grumble
.
“Your gods have quite the ideas about you and me.
About
Kelari.
About a lot of things
actually.
I stayed with them a while before . . .” he let the unfinished sentence hang in the salty air.

“Before,” I prompted.
I gav
e him my best questioning look and h
e laughed. I realized
he
didn’t want to tell me everything
. What was he?
A kelvieri
,
like me?
I touched the taut thickness of his chest, ran my fingers down his arms. Michael grinned, and I flushed,
self-conscious
.
He pretty much looked the same. He even smelled like him—like
warm
sunshine and pears.
Without the overwhelming stench
of cigarettes.

“Finished?” he asked, tugging playfully
on my braid.

“
Something
is
different about you.” I couldn’t put my finger on it.
“If you aren’t human, then what?”
I
moved
away from the friction our bodies created together. Hi
s nearness caused me
to
doubt
my
decision to pick Zaren.
I didn’t need that.
I knew I
cared
for
Zaren, adored him really. There wasn’t a person alive who understood me the w
ay Zaren did
. Zaren was
also
completely
dazzling
. Not to mention kind,
sweet, and an incredible kisser. At the thought of his lips on mine, my toes curled in happiness.

“
I want to explain, tell you exactly what I am. It’s-” He blew out his breath. “Complicated.”

An explanation
didn’t seem
com
plicated
.
Michael
was hedging. Whatever his species, he wa
s either embarrassed, or
scared I wouldn’t like him because of it. If he wasn’t kelvieri, it didn’t matter whether
we
had feelings
for each other
or not. According to the law of the Universe, different species weren’t allowed to be together.
Physically
or otherwise.

“
Venus?” Michael touched my cheek with his thumb, and I jumped.
My skin flushed and responded in a way it never did with Zaren.

“Don’t touch me.
” More quietly, “
Don’t
.” My
deliberations
made
me angry
.
Irritated, my body
was so drawn to him, like two ends of the same piece of string. 

“Chill.” Michael
said
, uncomfortable.

“Sorry
.” I
t didn’t make it right
to lash
out. He had no idea
of the thoughts running
through my head, the sorts of emotions
eroding
my insides.
The excited butterflies.
It wasn’t fair to Zaren.
“It’s
my family. I sti
ll ha
ven’t found them, and it’s
been difficult.” Tears filled my eyes
again
.
Cret
, I swore internally, wiping them away.

Michae
l coughed. “They are the reason
I’ve come.”

“
What? You know something about
Amberlee?
About m
y mom and dad? Six weeks in Kelari and you
know it
all.” I huffed.
Did
he come
to
upset
me
, to cause me
pain?
It was possible
, I guess. I
hurt him
when I didn’t reciprocate his feelings in the cave with the gods
, and I’m sure seeing me with Zaren made my rejection of
him even more painful.

“My father—”

“Ugh.
I know, Michael. I’m sorry.
For everything.
But go home. My problems aren’t your problems. This is kelarian business.
”
He
said he wasn’t
all
human
, but that didn’t mean he was ke
larian. I wondered why he
stayed on Kelari
? What
were his motives
?
But then it wasn’t like he had a lot of reasons to
return
to Earth.
His alien-murdering father.
High school football.
Cheverly? Maybe.

He shook his head, and blew out his breath in frustration. He was angry.

Great, here it comes, I thought, bracing myself for his worded
assault
.

He must’ve
noticed
the stony mask I
plastered over my features because he softened. The skin between his eyes relaxed and the tightness of his jaw loosened.

“I’m sorry too,” he finally said.

“Don’t be. You didn’t take my parents.
Whatever’s happened,
it isn’t your fault.”
I
tucked my hands in my
lavender jacket
pockets, and
wrapped it around me.
“
Look,
I
can’t stay
. I’ve a meeting to get to.” I
regarded him
, imploring. “Please,
I’m glad you’re okay, and
I’m
truly
sorry for everything, but
I-I
need to go
.”
Even though I felt I had to say the words, to be fair to Zaren, each syllable hurt as I spoke.
I’d never told such a blatant lie in all my life.
As the soon-to-be Queen of Alayeah
there were
more important things to worry about
than a finicky heart.
“
Do you have a place to stay?” I
wanted
to be fair to Zaren, but I didn’t want to leave Michael without a place to sleep, or eat, or whatever his kind
required to survive
.
Those thoughts
brought me up short. What was he?

“Of course,” he said quickly.

“
Ma
ybe we can get together another time
. I’d really like to
talk to
you.
Find out where in the Universe you belong.
”
I gave a short laugh.

“
This can’t wait, Venus.”
Bite enunciated
his words.

“You’re so arrogant.” I started up the hill, ignoring the low-lying
plants
scratching my feet. They didn’t damage, only irritated. I needed space,
away from Michael, a chance to ponder my
feelings
.

He’s staying for you!
The voice
burst through my brain. It
sounded female, yet kind of growly. “No,” I whispered, but stopped.
Was he staying for me? My heart knew it was
true. He told me he loved me. He believed
I was his soul mate. But I rejec
ted him. Surely he was furious,
humiliated
even. I
would be.

He’s a part of you. He risked his life for you.

The snarling voice was right.
It didn’t matter
that I picked Zaren. What mattered was I wanted Michael around. I wanted him to be happy.
And I wanted to know all about what he’d been doing the last six weeks
. The Chans and their meeting could be rescheduled.

“
Michae
l!” I turned back
, and ran directly into his chest.
Michael had
followed me, but I hadn’t heard him.
Again.

He grabbed hold of my waist.
“I’m right here. You don’t have to shout.” He smiled as he spoke, and his white teeth shone in the moonlight.

“I’m glad you’re okay.”
I patted his chest
.

“I know, Princess.”

His soft voice pushed away all the barriers I’d built up. With those three little words the dam inside burst.
I swallowed, choking down a sob. Tears leaked onto my cheeks, and I let them. I didn’t care anymore. The past several weeks
I pretended
I could handle everything—being the leader of Alayeah—the perfect kelvieri princess, but I wasn’t. I couldn’t be what my country demanded. Not yet. There
should be
another couple of hundred years before such a mantle was passed on.

Michael brushed away my tears, his features scrunched in concern.
“Venus.
Stop.
Shhh
.
”
He pulled me into a
n
embrace
. I wrapped my arms around him.
My head rested against his chest, and I drew in a deep breath. I’d missed him. Michael. F
ull realization of how mu
ch
consumed me.

“
I know where your par
ents are. That’s why I’ve come,” he whispered into my hair.

I froze
, all cozy feelings toward Michael disappearing as quickly as they came
.
He kne
w nothing about Kelari.
About
me.
T
he pain and agony I’d gone th
rough searching for my parents. He was playing me. Whatever his real origins, they must be evil. Otherwise, w
hy
would he say
such things?
Lie to me.
I didn’t understand.
“How d
are you?
” I balled up my fists
, and releasing all of my pent up agony,
pounded on his chest.

“I hope you’re happy now. I hope you feel better. I hope you rot in
hel
—”

“Would you stop,” he said, grabbing my wrists in his hands and glaring. “I’m telling you I know where
to find your parents
. I want to help, so why do you keep freaking out?”

“Really
?
” I
tried
to read his strange expression. “
You can’t be serious.
”
I casually wiped my nose on the sleeve of my jacket as I searched his eyes.

“F
or
cret’s
sake. I’m totally serious
.” He dropped my wrists,
rubbing
his neck
.
I knew he used my favorite swear word to ease the tension
suddenly between us
, but it didn’t work. I was a wreck with emotion.

“Where are they
, then
?” The words quivered as they tumbled out.
I wanted to believe he spoke the truth.