“I don’t believe you.”
“You don’t have to, but I’m right.”
“How do you know?” he questioned. “I can’t imagine Seth confiding in you.”
I disliked telling people of my gift even more than speaking of private thoughts. Everyone, and I did mean everyone, reacted poorly. Maybe I didn’t have to tell him? I wasn’t obligated to. I could keep it hidden for one more night, though not for much longer. Vince would hear about it from someone else eventually.
I hesitated, but in the end, Vince had been harmed and he needed someone to protect him.
I carefully said, “I don’t know how much you know of drakcol, but we each have gifts called inner fires. They vary from person to person.”
“So?”
I couldn’t tell from his thoughts if he knew or not. “I have a rare inner fire.”
“How special for you. I’m sure you’re proud. Let me throw you a parade.”
“I can steal thoughts, or read minds is the more common way of thinking of it.”
This dude is full of shit, he thought.
I didn’t understand all of the words, but I understood the gist. Human speak, specifically English, had been fairly easy to learn. Both Seth and Caleb thought in it constantly. I could understand it, but I couldn’t speak it. Some things I didn’t know, but most people also thought in emotions and images, which assisted me in understanding the context.
“I’m not insane. I can hear your thoughts.”
Vince stared straight at me and thought,Then let’s play a game.
“Sure.”
He blinked.Repeat after me. Elephant. Pink. Detective. Diamond.
I tried to the best of my ability to repeat the words he thought at me. I had no idea what the first one or the last one was. The second was a color, and the third was a word Seth thought of often regarding his human entertainment.
“Well. Fuck,” he breathed.
Humans. They used that word for many reasons. Drakcol used it for a single reason—copulation.
“You know… everything.” He bobbed his head, which startled me. Why would he be conceding to my dominance? I shook my head. Humans used this bob or nod as an acknowledgement. So many differences I’d had to learn over the years.
“Only what you have thought.” Here was the part where he hated me. Everyone did. They despised my inner fire, and most of the time, I tried not to agree, but it was difficult. My life would be much simpler if I hadn’t been given this curse.
Vince smiled. “God, this makes it so much easier.”
He… wasn’t upset. At all. He was happy. I stared at him, mouth hanging open. Even relaxed Caleb and sweet Seth disliked my inner fire. Even my brothers detested it at times. Even my parents despised it when my inner fire revealed itself.
Vince leaned against his door frame with a cocky grin, which rang false in his mind, but the expression did… something to me. He said, “I’m not giving Seth up. I don’t give a fuck about what Kal wants. I gave Seth up once before, and I regretted it. Kal is not the best person for him. I am. And you can feel my sincerity.”
“I can, but it doesn’t make it the truth.”
He laughed, and I swallowed at the light sound. It was lovely. So very lovely.
“True, but let’s see.” Vince turned toward his quarters, then paused. “I would prefer if Seth didn’t learn of my feelings from you or about what happened to me.”
“I’m not in the habit of sharing people’s private thoughts.”
“Thanks.”
Vince disappeared, but I lingered, unsure of why. Eventually, I wandered to my own room.
