Reflections End (Book 5) Now published so sample only

Chapter 3

© Sandra Corton 2013

Chapter 3

Kale’s POV

She was just too darn perfect and sweet. I knew as soon as I asked her to lunch that I shouldn't have. She may have been my life bond but we were truly from different worlds, it could never work out between us. Still I couldn't resist her and the words were out of my mouth inviting her to lunch before I could stop myself.

Now as we walked away from that delicious pizza shop, I couldn't stop looking at her. From the top of those glorious chestnut curls to her bright blue eyes and a body that took my breath, I was side swiped by her every time.

"Have I got food on my face?" She asked with a comical little frown.

"No why?" I smiled at her.

"You keep staring at me." Those blue eyes of hers trapped me in their depths again.

"That's because you're beautiful." I replied simply and the smile she sent me was breathtaking.

"Well thank you. Can I ask you something?" Her face turned serious for a moment as we kept walking.

"Sure, haven't you been asking me stuff all through lunch?" I teased enjoying bantering with her.

"Yes I have but this might bother you." She scrunched up her face a little so I waved her onwards with her questions. "Why don't you like your eyes?"

I flinched at that one. In Argonia any eye colour is acceptable. It was really only because I was descended from the snow elves that my eyes were such an odd colour anyway. I couldn't tell her that though, she would never understand.

"It's different; out here it’s a bit weird to have violet eyes. I got them from my Mum, Matilda has them too." I replied lamely.

"They are a little on the unique side but they are really beautiful. Plus they suit your face." She stopped only to stand in front of me and stare. I definitely wasn't complaining because then I got to look at her. "Please change them." She said softly and I knew I couldn't refuse her. I let go of the spell just as I had quite accidentally earlier

"I just feel like I stand out." I muttered as almost instantly people began doing a double take to look at me.

"Maybe you do but it’s who you are." She said with a shrug.

"You sound like my sister." I grumbled.

"Then she sounds smart." She grinned cheekily at me.

"She likes to think she is." I replied dryly

"So what does she do?" Ellie asked as my eyes drifted to somewhere they probably shouldn't. I snapped my eyes back to her face at her question.

"Do?" I asked rather puzzled by the question.

"Well is she studying? Does she have a job? That kind of thing." She said as we went back to walking.

"Oh in that case I now understand. She is studying with the Corns at the moment. She is one of those people that wants to try everything while poor old Xander just follows right along. They tried to be apart for a while and boy was that a dismal failure." I chuckled to myself at those two being apart.

"You are a very strange individual Kale but I must admit it’s rather appealing." She smiled at me then and my heart started pounding harder.

When we turned a familiar corner and I noticed her shop getting closer, I let of a sigh. It was time to say goodbye to her again and ponder how to tell my family that my life bond was human. Matilda knew something was up when I got home yesterday. I just couldn't bring myself to tell her though. I hated the thought of disappointing my family but there was nothing more I could do.

"Come in and I'll introduce you to my sister." Ellie said happily as she lightly touched my arm.

My body thrummed in response to any time she touched me. It made me want to pull her closer and lose myself in kissing those soft looking lips. I wished I could spend the rest of my days with her but I knew I was just setting myself up for failure.

It was then I felt the jewel that Mary had given me turn warm. I frowned and dug the necklace out from under my shirt. Truth be told I had completely forgotten about the jewels existence. It was simply there and I hadn't thought about it at all.

I breathed a sigh of relief that the pendant was still that glowing white colour and hadn't turned pink. There were at least ten people in this room that I would have had to take with me to Dundoon if it had. That could have been awkward to explain.

Ellie led me to behind the counter and I followed a bit slower than I guess I should have. I tucked the jewel away as she reached for my hand and tugged on it. She then seemed to realise what she did and quickly dropped my hand. She sent me an apologetic look but I just grinned. She could hold my hand any day she wanted.

"Kale this is my sister Abigail and Abigail this is Kale." She said once we were in the huge back room.

I could barely focus on her sister with all the delicious scents from the baking in the room. Everywhere was filled with cakes, both cooking and cooling. There was icing of different colours and huge baking machines the like of which I had never seen before.

The woman from yesterday that had kept interrupting our conversation appeared. She had a flirty gleam in her eyes that was aimed right at me. Surprisingly she didn't look much like Ellie. Her hair was a darker brown, her eyes more grey than blue and nowhere near as beautiful as Ellie.

"Hello Abigail." I forced a smile on my face as I stretched out a hand to her.

"Hello sexy young Kale." The woman answered in a sultry voice.

When her hand touched mine I wanted to pull away as quickly as I could. Her hand felt furry to me which seemed incredibly odd. When she finally let go of me it was hard not to look down at my palm to see if she had somehow left stray hairs there.

"Hell I'm freaking shedding! What is going on?" Abigail looked to me as hairs as brown as the ones on her head began sprouting all over her hands.

"Not in here Abi!" Ellie quickly insisted as I looked away from the pair of them.

That was incredibly untoward when I thought about the fact that I was in the human world. It seemed like it was somehow my fault though. I wiped my palm down my leg finally and was surprised at the brown hairs that fell off. 

"Sorry about her." Ellie said quickly looking rather flustered.

"Will she be alright?" I asked because I felt that I had to.

"Yes don't worry." She said as she led me back our into the customer area.

"I sure hope she will be fine." I muttered still feeling responsible.

"Listen Kale I was wondering if you would like to go out tonight, like on a date?" Ellie asked quickly but incredibly nervously.

I smiled so hard then that I thought my cheeks might burst. I was just about to jump around like a girl screaming until the truth dawned on me. I had already been on earth too long today. I couldn't still be here tonight without the dreaded earth sickness getting me. Ellie must have been watching me carefully because I saw intense disappointment fill her face.

"Ellie that would be great but I can't tonight. Could we postpone until tomorrow?" I asked hopefully and she seemed to sigh with relief.

"Sure do you want to meet me here? I close at six."

"Yeah that will work for me." I assured her.

I smiled at her and wished that I never had to leave her side. In fact I was wishing everyone behind us that wanted coffee was gone so I could at least kiss her. Not for the first time did I wonder what those ruby lips of hers tasted like. How good would it be to hold her, touch her and press out bodies close together. That was of course the moment my body responded to my thoughts and I had to grit my teeth against the intensity of it.

"So I guess I'll see you then?" Ellie asked as I found I was lost in those glorious blue eyes again.

"I'll be here." I told her my voice overly excited.

I turned then and walked out of her shop grinning to myself. I had spent the last few hours with the most wonderful girl. I couldn't wait for tomorrow night. I made the decision then that I was quite simply going to roll with whatever happened between us.

I went back to the Ambassador complex on earth feeling more happy then I had in a long time. I hadn't realised I forgot Dad's coffee until he remarked about it, while sending me a sly grin. I went home soon after, I couldn't concentrate on anything and it was fairly obvious I was useless in trying to accomplish anything.

If only Matilda wasn't home early. I loved my sister dearly but she knew me better than anyone else. I was tossing silver orbs in the air when she came into my room without knocking. I should have known by the sheer determined look on her face that I was in for one of her questioning sessions.

"Kale what is up with you?" She asked as she sat down on the edge of my bed and stared at me.

"What are you talking about Tilda?" I tried to shrug her off but I should've known that wouldn't stop her.

"Hello all of this!" She pointed to my face and then to the balls floating in the air.

"I think you're imagining things." I told her with a roll of my eyes.

That's when she became the deviate girl that we all know and love. She set the orbs on fire. I cursed as they heated my hands when they passed through my fingers.

"No water element." I hissed the words at her while she just raised her eyebrows and left me to suffer.

"Tilly why are you annoying Kale?" Xander came into the room then, frowning at his life bond before snatching the fiery orbs from my grasp and extinguishing them.

"Thanks man." I muttered gratefully.

"Xander! You spoil all my fun."

Matilda pouted then which was all for Xander’s benefit. That expression never worked on me. If she had an honest emotion like crying I felt it. I knew whenever my sister had any upheavals good or bad.

I'm pretty sure it worked the same for her too, which was why she was here. She knew I was suddenly ridiculously happy so of course she would wonder why. The problem was I wasn't ready to tell anyone about Ellie yet.