The Lost One

Chapter 18

It was dark when Kaiden started awake. He turned to look at the alarm clock on the far side of the room beside the bed. 2 am he let out a small smile.

He let his eyes wonder around the room looking for her. He felt another smile when he finally spotted her sitting cross-legged on the coffee table just by where his head lay on the sofa in their room. He was surprised he hadn't seen her instantly but with his large black tee and her silvery hair she nearly disappeared amongst the shadows and moonbeams cast around the room. Kaiden could faintly hear Richards light snores coming from the outer room where he dozed lightly beside the bedroom door. It had almost come to blows between them when he had tried to insist on staying inside the room with Aislinn. In the end he had given in to the open door.

She sat still, her hands folded lightly in her lap. Her hair spilling around her shoulders in silky silver waves. Her head was cocked slightly to the side as she watched him, her eyes their normal steel-grey, her lashes so black and thick at the base making them appear even larger in her face the silvery tips so long and soft. His eyes landed on her mouth and he felt himself instantly harden. He had to stifle a groan as his gaze lingered on their soft pinkness. The shadows made the rest of her already sharp features harden but not her lips. Her lips stayed soft as always, just taunting him.

"Morning darling," he spoke gently his voice husky and deep from sleep. He wasn't sure if she would go back to not speaking to them after all the revelations that had come out the night before.

After everything had come out they were all left reeling and drained. Not ready to deal with any more information coupled along with Aislinn's complete refusal to answer or acknowledge anyone, even Richard, they had all agreed to just eat a quick dinner before going to bed.

Aislinn watched him as he wiped his palms against his eyes. Rubbing the last sleep from their crystal blue depths, before letting his long strong fingers run through the glossy black strands of his hair. The motion only adding to the soft disheveled bed head look he had. She didn't know what she wanted at the moment. Didn't know what had pulled her to get so close to him again. Well she did ... she just didn't like it. She could feel the mate bond growing, strengthening the longer they were around each other, begging her to trust him, like him, accept him. Of course the rest of her was telling her to kill him so she was a little torn at the moment.

He let out a resigned sigh as he let himself relax back into the plush sofa his eyes softening as he watched her. Cautiously he lifted his hand from where it lay beside him. Slowly, so as not to startle or scare her, Kaiden lifted his arm, moving it so it spanned the space between them, stopping when his hand was a foot from her, chest level - palm up.

He waited.

Aislinn felt emotions stir as she watched him move. Her eyes narrowing in her mind although outside she showed nothing. Watching like a hawk, her eyes hard as she followed the path of his hand as it drew nearer to her. Her breathing and heartrate though never hitched. Her body held perfectly still as she watched him move closer and closer to her. She forced her body not to react in the slightest, her control ironclad as she mentally kept everything perfectly calm within her not allowing even the hint of a reaction to show itself. She watched as his lightly tanned skin, his long strong fingers, the lean muscles of his forearm moved closer and closer.

Nothing. You feel nothing. You are nothing. She chanted to herself. She pushed at her barriers, her control.

But no matter how hard she tried she knew from Richard's sudden stirring from beside the door that her body, her mind was betraying her. 13 years of learning perfect absolute control was being shattered as her mate's presence settled before her, calling to her. It was upsetting enough, powerful enough, to wake her Guardian from his light doze. Even as she refused to acknowledge the emotions he stirred in her they were strong enough that her Guardian had felt them erupt within her through their bond.