His voice was strained like he had to force words out of his mouth when he slowly answered, “Uh, Sure.”
Scarlet wrinkled her brow and innocently asked, “Did you always hate me?”
It wasn’t a fair question, and it was a bit immature, but she didn’t care. Tristan had made her feel unwanted and unwelcome…but he was willing to share his pancakes with her?
It didn’t make sense.
Tristan’s face held no expression. “You think I hate you?”
Scarlet shrugged. “Do you?”
Tristan looked at the floor, then at the wall, and finally at Scarlet. “No.”
Their eyes locked for a minute and Scarlet’s chest tightened. He was so beautiful and guarded, like he had a thousand secrets and no one to trust.
She watched his green eyes and felt…sad. There was something hollow and hopeless about the way he was looking at her and she wanted to fix it.
Scarlet’s voice was soft when she stated, “You don’t hate me.”
He looked at her steadily. “No.”
Something warm and safe came over her as she scanned his face, trying to figure out just who Tristan Archer was.
He was more than Gabriel’s brother.
He was more than a guy with immortal blood.
In the back of her head, and the center of her heart, he was something…more.
Her eyes searched his for a long moment, before falling along his square jaw line. They traced down to his chin…then back up…eventually landing on his lips.
Lips just like Gabriel’s; full and perfectly shaped.
But something about Tristan’s mouth seemed…sexier….
Tristan shook his head, his voice raspy when he said, “Scarlet.”
It wasn’t a question, or a demand. Just her name. On his perfect lips.
And it made her stomach wild with butterflies.
Was he breathing harder than before?
Scarlet looked at his chest, covered in a white T-shirt, as it rose and fell with each breath. It was a lovely chest. So strong and sure. So familiar…yet different than Gabriel’s….
She took a step closer to him, sliding her eyes along his collarbone and broad shoulders.
She expected him to take a step back, to shy away from her approaching body, but he didn’t. He stood perfectly still, his breath uneven.
Scarlet looked back up at his eyes, now only inches from hers, and softened her face. “Who are you, Tristan?”
His eyes looked hopeless as they dove into hers. A moment passed, filled only by the sound of breathing. “Nobody,” he said.
Scarlet slowly shook her head. “No…you’re not nobody…you’re…somebody….” She could feel his body heat humming against her neck and chest as she stood before him. He was big and warm and she wanted to touch him.
Not in a bad way.
She just wanted to…press her hand…against his chest….
Scarlet didn’t move, but she thought about it.
She tried to tap into whatever connection she had to him—if any. She wanted to sense what he was feeling.
She let her soul reach inside his and felt….
Hesitation…conflict…danger…
His gaze darkened as his eyes left hers and slid down the side of her face to her neck. She could feel his eyes linger there, like her throat—her very pulse—belonged to him.
And the thought made her heart kick.
Still searching inside him, she felt...
…Desire…possession…
His eyes floated upwards…slowly and methodically…until they reached her lips. She watched him study her mouth and desire sparked in her cheeks before spreading into her chest.
…Longing…
And suddenly, the feeling—the feelings—were mutual.
She wanted him.
Tristan’s green eyes flashed, still fixated on her mouth, and Scarlet felt her heart squeeze.
Why did she want him?
Her eyes were burning.
Tristan’s eyes lingered on her mouth and, without thought or reason, Scarlet parted her lips….
His eyes shot up to hers, full of hunger and need—
Suddenly, he stiffened.
A look of alarm crossed his face as he examined her eyes.
His feelings morphed into…fear…anger…pain…and Scarlet blinked, confused.
He didn’t move. He didn’t back away from her. He just stared at her eyes. “I have to go.”
A beat passed, Tristan swallowed and then moved away from her, taking his body heat with him.
“I thought you were hungry.” Scarlet shifted her weight.
“I was.” Tristan turned to leave. “But I’m good now.” Without looking back, he left the kitchen.
Scarlet blinked.
What just happened?
As crazy as it sounded, Scarlet felt abandoned.
But worse than that, she felt heartbroken.
54
Gabriel pounded on the door of Nate’s penthouse apartment. He could hear loud music, gunfire and general chaos inside.
Awesome.
When Nate didn’t answered, Gabriel pounded again. “Nate! It’s Gabriel.”
“Not now, dude. I’m in the cave!” came a muffled voice.
Gabriel rolled his eyes. “I need you to come out of the cave, Nate.”
“No can do, buddy! I’ve almost….defeated…the great wizard….”
Gabriel pounded again. “If you don’t answer this door, I will knock it down and pour soda all over your computers.”
The door immediately swung open. “No need for threats, man. Computers are our friends.” Nate, dressed in mismatched socks, basketball shorts, a Wolverine T-shirt and a set of headphones with an attached microphone, stood before Gabriel looking like he hadn’t slept in days.
With noise still blaring in the background Gabriel said, “Sorry to interrupt your—” Gabriel looked at the large TV screen where an elf was stabbing a dragon, “…cave, but I need your help.”
“Aw, maaan.” Nate rolled his eyes, and motioned Gabriel in. He turned down all the noise and pulled his headphones off. “I don’t want to be ‘serious’ Nate right now, okay? I want to be ‘gamer’ Nate…or ‘rock star’ Nate…or, even ‘crossword puzzle’ Nate. But not ‘serious’ Nate. ‘Serious’ Nate is always getting involved in weird curses and trying to find fountains and watching people die, and blah, blah, blah. It sucks. So, why don’t you be ‘party animal’ Gabriel,” Nate pointed at Gabriel with a wink, “and I’ll be ‘funny guy’ Nate and we’ll go bowling. I’ll go get my coat.” He turned on his heel.
“Nate.” Gabriel pulled the black band from his pocket and set it on Nate’s coffee table. “Someone broke into Scarlet’s house last night while she was sleeping. And they had that. Do you know what it is?”
Nate turned back around and looked at the band. His happy countenance fell. “So much for going bowling.”
Gabriel looked at his friend. “Why? Do you recognize it?”
Nate nodded. “Yep. It’s a Head Ghost.”
“A what?”
“It’s used to extract information from the brain. Whoever snuck into Scarlet’s house was probably after her memories.” He sighed. “Which means, they probably know about her past.”
“Who would know about her past? She’s only been alive for two years and she barely knows.”
Nate shook his head. “I dunno, man. But Head Ghosts are illegal, and very hard to come by. Whoever came after Scarlet means business. Maybe they know about us being immortal. Or maybe they’re looking for the fountain.”
Gabriel’s head was spinning with questions.