Ignoring my words, he changed the subject entirely. “Tell me about Arys. What happened with him tonight?”
I groaned and ran a hand through my hair. I didn't want to think about it but talking about it was the safest bet for me right then. The memory of tasting Kale's blood during an intense and unexpected kiss was still as vibrant and fresh as if it had been yesterday rather than months ago. No, that had to be avoided at all costs.
After stopping by an all night drive-thru to get me a coffee, Kale parked at a nice spot overlooking the river. From our location, we could see the lights from the vehicles on the bridges that spanned the rushing water, joining one side of the city to the other. I missed the stars. I knew they'd be visible in Stony. There were many reasons why I didn't live in a major city, but nature had to be the main one.
Kale listened attentively as I recounted my whole night, including my visit with Harley. Not only did I tell him about the argument with Arys, I even confided the things I'd seen in Arys' thoughts and actions.
It was easy to talk to Kale. He was neither my lover nor one of my girlfriends and that put him in a totally different category. I never worried about his reaction or opinions the way I did with the others that were close to me. Strangely, by the time I'd finished, I felt at ease with the many things roiling about inside me.
“You are not a naïve idiot, and you know it,” he admonished once I'd finished speaking. “You are young and mortal. That's different. This is just the beginning for you.”
“Not if Arys kills me like he apparently wants to.” The bitterness was heavy in my tone. “Talk about sleeping with the enemy.”
Kale shook his head. “No, you don't understand. How can I explain this? I'm not at all surprised to hear that. For a vampire, the only way we can fully feel everything that a person has to offer is to consume them. Arys feels that way because you are so strong and independent. He longs to have all of you and tasting your death, absorbing all that you are, is the only way to do that on the deepest level possible. It doesn't mean that he actively wants to kill you. In fact, I'm sure it's the exact opposite. He's afraid of losing you.”
Whether it was the coffee, the fresh air through the open window or the calming talk with Kale, I was starting to feel stronger, more in control of myself. His dark power still taunted me, but it was a tease, not a need.
“It sounds like I should be coming to you for the answers I need rather than Harley.
Your insight never fails.”
“Oh, I don't know about that. I think I'm the last person you need to be placing your faith in. I can barely control myself half the time.” He chuckled, but it lacked humor.
“You see everything for what it is, so clearly. I wish I could see past the fog and tangled webs. It feels like I'm walking in circles, always coming back to the same point as if I never made any progress at all.” I sipped at the hot coffee, focusing on the taste as it warmed my insides, such a simple pleasure that had nothing to do with bloodlust or vampire power.
Kale nodded in agreement, and a comfortable silence fell. There was barely an hour until sunrise. He'd have to head for home soon, and so would I. As much as I would love to bury my head in the sand and feel sorry for myself, I had other things to deal with, like unwelcome wolves hunting down my dead lover's daughter.
The sound of his leather jacket moving was familiar and comforting when he reached for my hand. I tensed, ready to pull away, but nothing happened. The slightest sensation of heat could be felt through my palm, but the energy lay quiet and still. He squeezed my hand gently, reassuringly, before letting go.
“See,” he said. “Not every action has to be about the power inside. With the right frame of mind, it just is what it is.”
Why did I get the feeling that meant more than he was letting on? My woman's intuition warned me to tread carefully. Kale's touch had been warm and soothing. I found myself wondering if I'd be thinking along the same lines if Jez or Ky had squeezed my hand. I doubted it.
“Thank you, Kale. For dragging my ass off that guy and for listening. You're easy to talk to, and it always really helps.” I smiled at him in the dimly lit interior.
His heavy gaze was shadowed, but he returned my smile with a grin that revealed fangs. “Hey, no worries. That's what friends are for.”
I knew right then that there was something more, something he wasn't saying. It didn't matter. Nothing was going to ruin this relaxed moment. In the past half hour or so I'd spent with Kale, I had gone from raging animal to unsettled but collected.
“We can head back to my car now,” I offered before draining the last drop of coffee from my disposable cup. “You don't want to cut it too close getting home before dawn.”
“You're sure?”
“Of course. I can't rely on you to listen to my woes if you're a pile of ash and dust.