That helped calm me further, knowing Betty wouldn’t be alone. “I’ll do that,” I assured him, then waved as he drove off. I went to my van and began reading the only book he hadn’t taken. I should’ve realized the easing in my chest meant he was getting closer, but I’d been too into my book to notice. When the knocks began, I thought it was Jerry who had returned, but no, those blue eyes mixed with that sinful smile wasn’t Jerry.
I sighed. “What do you want?” I felt both pleased that he hadn’t left, but also pissed.
“I’m here to make a deal with you,” he replied, his eyes gleaming in the sunlight.
“A deal?”
“Yes. You want to live your life in this van, working here, and I respect that. So, I only ask for one year of your time. One year and then you can return.”
Was he for real? “You want me to go with you for a year, and then what?”
“Then you can do as you please, but hopefully by then we’ve managed to help at leastsomemages get their magic.” I narrowed my eyes at him.
“You think I’m just a selfish prick, right?”
He shrugged. “Had I pictured finding my soulmatch and we would be on common ground? Yes. Had I pictured you would share the same need to help others as me, yes. But I also realize that I can’t change who you are, and since it has to be you, then I’ll need to compromise.”
“Why is it so important to you to get your magic? Aren’t you angry at it? Aren’t you feeling so done with it, and our world, that you want it as far away from you as possible?!” I was getting fired up, finally letting my suppressed feelings out.
“No,” he replied calmly. “My magic has never been the issue. The issue is that the council of mages saw us as a threat and decided to dump us down here, hoping we wouldn’t find each other so they could continue to rule.”
“What?”
He gave me a weird look. “Once we get our magic, we will be the most powerful mages alive, you and I.”
“How?” I breathed. It was too much to hope for. I would be powerful. I wouldn’t be the weird and weak one anymore.
“According to the legends, those born without magic get to be in the council of mages, having animals to help them out, too. But it’s been so long that it is seen as just a legend. But my mother assured me that was the reason we got shunned. The council of mages don’t want to give up their positions.”
That changed everything. I hadn’t cared about payback, but knowing I would be stronger than them? I needed to see my father’sface as I stood as leader of our people. I could almost feel the revenge and it tasted so sweet on my tongue.
“Okay,” I said, ready to get started. “So how do we do this soulmatch thing?” I asked, getting outside and feeling ready for battle.
“What?” he asked, almost breathless.
“You know, how do we get our magic?”
“Oh, we have to do a ritual,” he replied, frowning.
I sighed. “You have no idea how to do the ritual, do you?”
He gave me a sheepish smile.
Fantastic.
Chapter 12
Xarius
“I’m already regretting this,” Niam muttered with an adorable frown on his face. “I mean, I don’t even know your name. What if the ritual is some kind of weird sex thing?” He seemed to be talking to himself as he kept muttering about blood play and other stuff I decided to ignore.
“My name is Xarius,” I said, interrupting his weird speech about a sacrificial virgin.
“Great, then I at least know your name before I’m sacrificed,” he sassed. I grinned at him; he was starting to grow on me.
“I doubt it has anything to do with blood and sacrifices,” I assured him. “Maybe it’s something as simple as just having sex,” I shrugged.
“What?!” he squeaked indignantly. “We arenothaving sex!”
