Page 76 of Phoenix Fall


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“My brother told me that the Elders are considering releasing them,” Mari stated. “A small group is already out, working on ecological issues across the realms. He said that some escaped a few months ago—a rogue Bellati is leading a group of them on a rampage. Destroyed entire cities, but not much has been mentioned about it lately.”

Matt’s eyes widened. “That sounds—bad.”

I stared at him. “Just plain old ‘bad’?”

He grinned. “Already used dodgy. But remind me not to piss off this Bellati bloke. He might cactus me.”

I rolled my eyes and checked my watch. “Time to go. Don’t want to annoy him. If he is our running instructor.”

“Nothing runs like a Bellati,” Matt quipped as he shut his book and rose.

I groaned and stood. My butt had gone numb—the library chairs needed some padding. I lifted my armload of books, and we returned them to the shelves.

As they followed me out of the library, Mari asked, “What does cactus mean?”

“Kill.” Matt ran his finger across his throat.

As I also filed that away, Mari paused in the entry. “The instructor will not kill the students.” Her tone was almost offended, but also a tad nervous.

“There is more than one way to die,” Matt said over his shoulder as he breezed by us both.

22

Anna

The students had gathered out in front of the building. Matt, Mari, and I found spots on the ground level.

When everyone fell silent, I looked toward the doorway and spotted the distinctive tall figure. The milling crowd parted for the Bellati as he moved across the landing. He looked so human, and yet, so not. There was something about the way he carried himself that was graceful and powerful all at once.

He was the same race as Cara? It was hard to believe. Whereas she radiated a calm that indicated a balanced inner peace, this guy was all about restrained violence. While his face remained cold and remote, his eyes burned.

For just a moment, our gazes met. And once again, time stood still.

I ceased to breathe.

Then he ripped his eyes away and continued down the steps, leaving me with a pounding heart and far too many questions buzzing in my head.

Matt remained focused on the Bellati’s rigid back as he stalked away. “You don’t know that bloke, do you?”

“No, of course not. I saw him for the first time in the cafeteria.”

His jaw worked before he said, “He was staring at you then, too.”

I sighed. “Matt, you have to quit this. Every time some bl—” I stopped myself. Apparently, Aussie slang was contagious. “Um, guy, looks at me, you have issues.”

His eyes flared. “Just watchin’ your back.”

My butt was all pins and needles as the circulation returned, so I rubbed it. “I can handle my own backside—thank you very much.”

His eyes followed the progress of my hands and his brows wiggled as he wrestled with the diplomatically appropriate response. Then he lost the battle. “I’d handle that backside anytime, Angel.”

It should have incited a riot, that comment. But instead, warmth flooded through me, and as our eyes locked, the world receded, and my knees threatened to buckle...

I wrenched my gaze away. The risk to our future here didn’t just lie with arrogant bastard alphas.

The biggest risk was a certain gorgeous Aussie.

The moment I snapped our rapport, I became conscious of the instructor standing before the group. His pale eyes focused on me. Intense. And it once again robbed me of the ability to breathe.