Chapter Seven
Reine leaned against the restaurant’s wall. He stood to a side, hidden amid the shadows, away from everyone entering the place for breakfast. Lance’s Bar and Barbeque only served breakfast on Saturday mornings. On those days, entire families would make the climb up the hill to eat there and enjoy their famous blueberry pancakes.
He wasn’t hungry. To be honest, he didn’t even know why he was here. He wanted to be back in his little hell hole of an apartment, sulking and caring for his wounds. He hadn’t taken a thrashing like the one from the night before in a long time. Not even in Wrath’s lair had he received so many cuts and bruises. Although, what had happened to him there had been a thousand times worse.
Yet, here he was. He ran his fingers through his hair, wincing as he pulled too hard. He’d gotten into a fight at a bar, over a girl. Reine shook his head.
He had to stop fooling himself. He’d come because of her. Mystique. Her name rolled over his tongue like candy. He couldn’t get her off his mind. She was a brazen little thing. She’d ignored his attitude and persisted in her quest to speak to him. The little human had even gone as far as inviting him for a day out. Reine felt the corner of his lips lifting. She’d been nervous about it, but she’d done it. Not only was she sexy as hell, she also had a backbone. He appreciated that in a woman.
“Hey.”
Reine jumped at the sound of her voice.
“You’re sneaky,” he said, veering to face her. His mouth almost dropped open as he took in her attire. She wore black leggings and a long, sleeveless t-shirt which showed off her colorful sports bra beneath and accentuated her assets. Damn. He forced his gaze to her face. She was bright red. His cock twitched. Not touching her was going to prove quite the test.
“I’m not sneaky, you just seemed lost in your thoughts,” Mystique said. She crossed her arms over her breasts, clearly unaware the movement only brought them more to his attention. His mouth watered.
“I have a lot of things to think about.” He made sure to look her up and down again. Mystique’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. She stuck a lose strand of hair behind ear.
“Well, you’ll have to leave your brooding for another time. We have walking to do.” She started moving in the direction of the town. Reine stood back, watching her ass sway as she moved. He curled his hand into a fist. He wanted to grab those hips and ram into her.
“Stop staring at my ass and come on,” she called. “I thought we could take a walk around town and then head toward the trails.”
“Whatever you want.”
Reine hurried to catch up with her. Yes, honesty was the best policy. He was here to ogle her and possibly fuck her. There was no denying the sexual attraction. After all, he’d been fantasizing about her since last night. Even though he’d ached and hurt, he’d still masturbated to her image.
Abruptly, Mystique stopped. She grabbed his forearm and pointed toward a tall building in the center of town.
“Do you see that pointy sort-of tower?”
He nodded.
“That’s the Old Tower. It’s what’s left of a hotel built in the late eighteenth century. It’s been fully renovated inside and now only caters to the rich patrons who stop by our humble town.”
“I’m sure you get lots of them.”
Mystique shrugged, ignoring his sarcastic tone, and resumed walking.
“More than you’d think, our hiking trails are pretty popular come spring or autumn. It’s true that during winter the place is dead and during the summer it’s too hot and not tropical enough for most people, but the rest of the year, people come.” She glanced at him. “In any case, when we get closer, you’ll be able to see it properly. It has what I consider an old world charm, plus, some say it’s haunted.”
“Of course, it would be.”
Mystique chuckled. She nodded. “Like any good historical sight.”
“What’s the story?” Reine asked, seeing Mystique would say nothing else.
She smiled. “I thought you wouldn’t ask. Legend says a young woman from a wealthy family lived there. Her husband, a maniac, beat her day in and day out, but as it was back then, she could do nothing about it. Then, one day, he appeared.”
“He?”
“The angel,” she said.
“Angel?”
Reine’s eyes widened as Mystique proceeded to tell him a familiar story. However, the tale he had heard from his mother was from the so-called angel’s point of view.
In his story, Shirak the Guardian, had answered a woman’s prayers. Her husband’s anger was out of control, and she could no longer take his rage. Her name was Anais and she was no ordinary woman.
