“I know of none that are strong enough to impersonate a specific person, no. That would require an immense amount of magic and skill. But they could appear as a wolf or a falcon and go under the sensors then shift into a random humanoid student dressed in uniform. It’s also possible for our enemies to manipulate one of the existing students. Most are afraid to turn on me, but if they were properly motivated or even brainwashed into believing the opposition… We just don’t know what could happen.”
“Would they really send spies after me?”
He stares at me with those deep brown eyes for a long while before answering. “You are my weakness, Candice. They may not know it yet, but I would do anything to keep you protected. They could have my world under their thumb in an instant if they used you against me.”
Is that proof that I’m his chosen? They are using Liz against him, and he’s not bowing to their demands. But would he if they had me?
A warm, fuzzy feeling fills my belly, but around the edges, there’s an ache of tension.
I feel like I’m so close. So close to having something incredible. Something that would paint the rest of my life in more extraordinary ways than I could have ever imagined. And I want it.
That’s the scary part.
Months ago, I didn’t want it at all.
Now, I’m desperate for it. And terrified at the thought of losing it.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Anything,” he says. His fingers drift over my arm. His eyes flit to the place the fabric of my ripped tank falls limp, just shy of exposing my breasts. I don’t move to adjust it. I like the tortured expression on his face.
“Why did you stalk her? Liz, I mean. That night you changed on Myre Island.”
Jarron swallows and looks me in the eye. “I’m not proud of that, you know.’
“Yeah, I get that.”
He sighs. “I was getting closer and closer to my manifestation. The signs were beginning to show, but I begged my parents to stay through the end of the summer. Looking back, that was a mistake, but even knowing it, I would have had a hard time leaving.”
“How does that work, though,” I ask. “You are born in your other form, right?”
“Our race is a transitional one—we shapeshift between two different forms even from the time we are born. But we are tied to the world we are in until we come of age when the shifting becomes controlled. As adolescents, on Earth we are human and on Oriziah we are demon. We cannot control our form until this manifestation. The process of learning to control this change can be difficult. We usually begin the process of training on Oriziah because it’s safer for those around us. My demon was instigated, though, and it brought him out faster than expected. I wasn’t ready. He was powerful, and I hadn’t been fully trained on how to control him. I wish… I wish that night had gone very differently.”
“What instigated you, though?”
He pauses and doesn’t respond for long enough my heart picks up its pace.
“Jarron?” I whisper.
“I think that might be an answer for another time.” His voice is hoarse. He doesn’t like it any more than I do.
“Does it have to do with not telling me outright who your chosen is?”
He nods. “You are trying to logically understand something that is supposed to be based on faith. Trust.”
He wants me to know the truth, but he wants me to trust him enough to allow him to claim me first. His demon wants me. Jarron wants me.
That should be enough.
It should be. I should open myself to the possibility.
But of course, there’s the deal with Bea. I cannot keep her secret if I let Jarron mark me.
Maybe it’s an excuse, but I use it for now. I sigh and curl into him. His arms slide around me, cocooning me in his warmth and his scent.
This is the place I never want to leave.
24
