Keeper(52)

Ty looked confused. “Uh . . . not following you.”

I burst into laughter. “She’s pissed I came here, and probably even more pissed that I hung up on her.”

“Still not following you.”

“I guess this is her revenge, calling you instead of coming to get me herself.”

Ty let go of my hand; he looked unsure. “And me coming here, that’s a bad thing for you?”

My cheeks warmed. Up close, I could see his eyes had flecks of gold in them. Ty was watching me carefully, but his eyes sparkled in the moonlight. My heart beat wildly.

“No,” I whispered, taking a step closer. I stared up into his face. “No, not at all.”

He lowered his head, our noses brushing. “Lainey . . . I . . .” The husky tenor of his voice sent a rush of adrenaline through me.

With a boldness that was surprising even to me, I stepped up on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his.





CHAPTER TWENTY


Ty stiffened at first, but a moment later, his hands found the curve of my hips and pulled me closer.

His lips were warm. I shivered as Ty reached up to cup one of my cheeks, his thumb tracing lines across my cheekbone. I tasted the spearmint gum on his breath, and I gripped the front of his shirt, pulling myself closer.

It wasn’t a hurried kiss, but as Ty’s soft lips moved against mine, a fresh rush of adrenaline surged through me just the same. Like fire, it burned through my veins, warming my skin and speeding my heart. I was so acutely aware of the loud hammering of my own heartbeat that I barely registered the rumbling sound in my ears. It was only when the rain began to pelt us that the noise made sense.

Ty pulled away first, looking around in surprise. Thick raindrops poured from the sky, but all I could focus on was the feel of Ty’s warm hand trailing what felt like fire down my arm. He smiled at me and leaned in once more, pressing his lips gently against mine. Standing on my tiptoes, I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck, running my fingers into his hair as the rain fell around us.

The kiss deepened. A strange sensation began to hum inside my chest. Warm wisps of energy danced across my skin, and a sense of magnetism enveloped me. The impression was so intense, I broke away from Ty with a gasp.

“I’m sorry, I—” I began, but stopped. Ty was staring down at me, his blue irises tinged with a ring of golden light.

“I knew it was you,” he said. His voice was low, almost a whisper.

“Ty?” I took a step back. A gust of wind whipped my hair across my face, and a low peal of thunder rumbled across the sky. “What’s going on?”

He stared at me for a moment. The golden light had faded from his eyes, returning them to their normal color. “Lainey, there’s something I need to tell you.”

I’d seen that look before. On Serena’s face. And on Gareth’s.

“Stop.” I held up my hand. My stomach rolled with nausea. “I know that look, and what you’re about to tell me is going to change everything again, isn’t it?”

He didn’t have to reply. His face said it all.

“God!” I cried. “I’m so sick of this. Every time I turn around, someone is lying to me or keeping some massive secret from me. I can’t trust anyone!” I rubbed my forehead where a pounding headache was building in my temple. “What is it this time, Ty? What’s your big secret? Tell me!” I spat out the words. A loud clap of thunder seemed to echo my anger.

A thought struck me, and I glared at him. “You walked by Auntie Marmalade like you were invisible.” I swore under my breath. “When Serena said I was a witch, you didn’t even blink an eye. What happened in the graveyard—you weren’t surprised at all, were you?”

I sucked down a quick breath, squeezing my hands into fists. “Of course you weren’t. Because you must have seen it all before.” Another loud clap of thunder responded to my words.

Ty looked up at the sky and then back at me, a peculiar expression on his face. I’d seen that look cross his face before but could never identify it. Now it made sense. My heart sank.

“You’re a part of this somehow. Aren’t you?” I took a step backward.

Ty hesitated, but reached for me, his eyes full of guilt. “Lainey, I—”

“Just answer the question.”

“Yes.”

That single word was a slap in my face. I recoiled, wrapping my arms around myself.

Ty started to move toward me again, but stopped when he saw the look on my face. He plunged his hands into the pockets of his jeans instead. “You’re right. I wasn’t surprised. I know about Supernaturals . . . because I am one.” He shrugged, his face one of resignation. “I’m a Praetorian.”

I stared at him.

“It means guardian,” he continued. “It’s what we do, what I do—protect other Supernaturals.”

“Like a bodyguard or something?” I asked through clenched teeth.

“Yes.” Ty moved closer to me. “We’re like . . . marines, or the army, or something, but we’re faster and stronger. We train our whole lives to be the best at what we do. Weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, tracking.” He ticked the items off on his fingers. “We do it all.”

“Right . . . and what? You just go around protecting and saving random people?”