“Like you’re trying to figure something out.”
“Perhaps that’s because I am trying to figure something out.” Moving his gaze away from Noah’s face, he stared at the cup on the rolling table for a long moment before pinning Noah with his golden eyes.
“I’ve been wondering for a while now . . . are you ever going to reveal to the others that you’re a Halfling?”
Noah’s jaw dropped open and he stared at Blue, stunned. “Say what?”
“A Halfling,” the prince repeated. “Half Fae, half human.”
“I know what a Halfling is, but why in the hell would you think I’m one? I’d know something like that! Wouldn’t I?”
Blue blinked at him. “You mean you didn’t have any idea?”
“Oh my God! Of course not!” He winced to hear himself practically yelling at Sariel. “Sorry. I’m just sort of shocked. How can you tell?”
“I’m a very powerful and ancient Fae,” Blue reminded him. “If another Fae were to cross into the human realm, I’d sense him from across your world. Sensing you in the same building wasn’t much of a challenge.”
“Huh. I don’t know whether to laugh or be insulted.”
“I don’t mean it to be insulting,” Sariel said quickly. “My abilities are simply fact, just as yours are.”
“Oh sure,” he said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “My near-useless dab of elementary magic is a fact. Maybe I can look deep into their eyes and tell them what color underwear they have on, or levitate a rolling chair. I’ll be the envy of the whole Alpha Pack. I can’t imagine why I haven’t told them what I can do.”
His friend made a noise of disapproval. “That’s no way to talk, especially when you can learn to open up your abilities and sharpen them.”
“How?”
“I can show you, if you want.”
Noah stared at Blue, unable to believe this stroke of uncharacteristic good fortune. “Hey, if you can lift me anywhere above the level of magic school reject? That would be totally awesome.”
“Great! Kalen can help us.”
Kalen Black was the team’s Sorcerer/Necromancer/black panther shifter. He was also Blue’s half-brother. Kalen and Blue were badass, and together they could probably rule the world if they wanted. Fortunately for mankind, they were nothing like their evil sire, Malik, the deceased Unseelie king.
“That’ll be cool—if you’re sure he won’t mind.”
“The only thing he would mind is if he found out I helped you and he didn’t get to be a part of it. It won’t be a problem, it’ll be fun.”
“All right,” Noah said, excitement growing. “Blue, this could be it. This could be the thing that shows Nix I’m worthy of him.”
“Oh, no. You have that all wrong.” The prince’s lips turned up. “Your mate is going to finally see whether he is worthy of you.”
*
That kiss.
Nix had no real clue where he was going as he left Sanctuary. In a daze, he walked down the front steps, bypassed the hangar, and kept right on going until he reached the edge of the forest. Once there, he picked a trail at random and plunged forward, not really caring how far he went.
No matter how many miles his feet carried him, it would never be far enough.
He couldn’t shake the memory of Noah’s lips against his. So soft and yet with the right amount of firmness. Their mouths slowly devouring each other, Noah’s body responding so quickly to his attention. He’d enjoyed his mate’s hand in his hair, too, and wanted him to do that often.
And didn’t that just freak him the fuck out?
He wasn’t supposed to love the hell out of touching another dude. Kissing him. Wasn’t supposed to want to bury his cock inside his sweet nurse so badly he thought he’d die from the anticipation if he made himself wait much longer.
Sure, he’d been with both boys and girls in high school. And men and women later, when he joined the Navy. But his hookups with men were furtive, secret. Women were a cover for his true self and he knew it. Not a single one of those experiences could compare to the explosive reaction when he’d kissed Noah. Not even close.
None of them were his mate.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” he growled in anguish, stopping to stare at the sky through the treetops. “Why him?”
That was as much self-honesty as he could handle for now.
Stripping off his shorts, he shifted into his wolf form and ran. As fast as he could, he raced through the forest along the familiar trails. Wildlife stirred, small game that he chased but didn’t bother to kill and eat. He was out for the air, to clear his head. Maybe if he ran his wolf into exhaustion, the damned beast would be too tired to bitch and whine at him about not taking his mate yet.
As if.