Existence (Existence Trilogy #1)(23)
“Leif, you’re always supposed to ask a girl to a dance.
Assuming is a bad thing.” Miranda’s corrective tone made me laugh. Leif’s frown eased and he slid his finger under my chin and gently caressed my jaw line with the pad of his thumb.
“Pagan, will you do me the honor of being my date for the Homecoming Dance? The prospect of not being able to hold you in my arms all night is heartbreaking.” Miranda sighed from across the table. “Okay, that was beautiful. Why didn’t you ask me like that?” She asked Wyatt.
Wyatt shot Leif an annoyed frown. “Thanks, buddy. Next time you decide to break out your romantic side, could you do it alone?”
I laughed and Leif continued gazing down at me. I nodded and he leaned down to kiss me. I mentally prepared myself for the growl and the moment I heard it, low and angry in my ears, I smiled.
Chapter Seven
The moment I tried to open the front door and found it locked, I knew I was in trouble. The note on the bar from my mother telling me she and Roger had gone out to a late movie sent a shiver of fear through me. I didn’t want to be home alone. I hadn’t asked Miranda to come stay the night with me because I’d planned on sleeping in bed with my mom tonight. I walked into my bedroom and scanned every inch of it for long blond hair. No sign of the freaky soul. I glanced back at the bathroom and thought of the shower I really wanted. Going in there and turning on the shower and closing the curtain scared me. I kept getting visions of horror movies I’d seen, where bad things happened when someone took a shower. I’d never be able to take a shower without Mom home. Maybe not even then. Oh crap! I was going to become the incredible stinking girl! If I tried to convince my mom to come into the bathroom with me so I could shower she’d think I’d lost it. I plopped down on my bed and let out a defeated sigh.
“What’s wrong?” a voice asked from my doorway. I shot straight up screaming. However, it died almost immediately when I saw Dank leaning against the door frame watching me.
“Dank.” I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart.
“Sorry, I didn’t realize you were so wound up about this,” he said, frowning and walking into the room. I sat back down on my bed and let out a shallow laugh.
“Well excuse me if strange souls showing up in my house, talking to me and touching me freak me out a little.” I shot him an accusatory look. “Then, I ask you about it and you curse into the darkness and get all angry.” He walked over and sat down at the end of my bed. “I’m sorry about that. I shouldn’t have scared you that way.” There was no mistaking the concerned tone of his voice.
“Well, can you tell me what is happening, who she is?” I asked. He shook his head and immediately turned his gaze away from me.
“No, that’s the only thing I can’t do for you. Ask me anything else in the world, Pagan, and I’ll make sure it’s yours but that I cannot do.” his voice sounded intense and pained at the same time. It disappointed me but I knew pushing the subject was pointless.
“Why are you here, then?” I asked remembering how less than an hour ago I’d left him in a corner booth with Kendra curled up against his side. He stood up and walked over to the window and stared outside.
“Until I know everything is fine…until I take care of what must be done, I’ll be spending the nights here in your room.” He turned back to me with a determined expression. “I have to protect you.” He motioned toward the door. “If you want to take that shower, I’ll make sure you’re completely safe while you do so.”
Heck yes, I wanted that shower. I started to get up and then sat back down, glaring at him. “Can you read my mind?” This wasn’t the first time he’d known what I was thinking.
He grinned wickedly at me. “Not exactly. It’s more like I can feel your fears so strongly I can hear them.” I nodded and thought of the time he’d chuckled where only I could hear him, as if he’d heard me in the cafeteria thinking about him and Kendra.
I stared back at him. “You heard me in the cafeteria when you were with Kendra, I wasn’t scared then.” He raised his eyebrows slightly. “You weren’t?” My face grew warm and I turned and left the room before he could see me blush.
I started to close the bathroom door when I turned and looked at the walls knowing a soul could come in at any time.
I stared back down the hall where Dank lay lounging on my bed. He couldn’t see the soul if she came into the bathroom.
His head turned immediately toward me. A slow wicked smile formed on his mouth.
“I would love to accompany you into the bathroom while you shower and if I were truly as wicked as you think I am, I would do just that. However, I can feel any soul intent on entering this house before they even come inside. I would be there before any other entered. You’re safe with me right here,” he finished with a wink. I closed the door quickly before he said anything else to embarrass me.
* * * *
I slipped on a pair of cut-off sweat pants and a tank top instead of my usual night gown. If I was going to have company while I slept, I needed to wear clothes. My heart raced at the thought of Dank being in my bedroom, on my bed and I took several deep breaths to calm my thoughts and emotions.
“Pagan, honey, are you in the bathroom?” Mom called from the hallway. I opened the door and glanced past her to the bed where Dank still lay lounging.