Shards: Book One of the Anderian Series

Chapter 28: Bellamy

"Bye Bart," I called out, waving vigorously as our new friend climbed into his car and pulled out of the parking lot. His hand jutted out the window and returned the farewell with equal energy, and I waited until the red glow of his taillights disappeared over the hill before lowering my hand.

"Bria."

"What a good guy. Didn't you think he was the best?"

"Bria."

"He even got me a new pair of gloves, since my other pair had a hole in them. Didn't even ask me why I was wearing them. Of course, it is chilly out here. I think maybe that's why I love winters, you know. People don't give me funny looks when I'm wearing clothes from head to toe."

"Will you shut your mouth for one second, woman? For fuck's sake," Cian shouted, grabbing for me—no doubt to shake me the way he so often did when he grew frustrated with me.

I dodged him. My body wanted to let him catch me. It wanted to feel his calloused palms against its skin. Three rounds with the Andarien had only fanned the flames of lust higher, but after his admission coming out of the woods, I was more interested in kicking him between the legs than I letting him between mine.

"Are all human women this frustrating?" He fumed as he followed me toward our hotel room.

"I wouldn't know. I'm not human."

"This is not the reaction I expected."

Cian caught the door before it hit him in the face. A couple walking by our room paused and peered into our room. Noting their concern, I gave them a thumbs up and a smile. They continued on their way, but I wasn't certain they were convinced. If the police knocked on the door in the next thirty minutes, I wouldn't be surprised.

"What reaction did you expect?" I demanded, throwing myself into the center of the bed and glaring at the man when he attempted to join me. "Should I have asked Bart to step aside while I showed my appreciation with my mouth? Should I have dropped to my knees—"

"Stop," he commanded. When I tried to continue, he lunged onto the bed and clapped a large hand over my mouth and pinned me in place with knees on either side of my hips. "You've done nothing but ask me to find another way since we discovered you carried the Shard, but when I tell you I found one, you get pissed."

"Get off," I snarl, bucking up my hips, meeting nothing but resistance and several inches of steel that make me ache. It would be so easy to channel this rage into an intense bout of sex, but I had a sneaking suspicion our new level of intimacy was fueling most my rage. Why else would I be upset that he was doing exactly what I wanted in the first place? I was being a dumb girl. Getting angry because he only found value in me after I met his physical needs. Of course, he claimed he came to this decision before the wreck and before what happened after he healed me, but how could I ever be certain he wasn't lying? Then again, how furious would I be if we had sex, and he still wanted to hand me over for sanctioned murder?

"Bria, what is going through your head?"

"I don't know," I admitted, pushing my palms into my temples as he eased himself off me. We leaned against the headboard and stared at the wall. "I don't feel like myself. Everything is twisted."

"Maybe it's the Shard. I've heard stories that Shard carries can experience personality shifts."

"It would make sense if the Shard is someone else's soul."

I remembered what happened at Amaya's when I changed my signature. There had been a distinct sensation I was sharing my head space with someone else. Cian suggested it was the Shard. I dismissed it then, but now that I had time to think about it without being caught up in the experience, I realized he was probably right.