Undertow by K.R. Conway (1st book in trilogy)

Chapter 11

It wasn't exactly the explanation I was looking for, that's for damn sure. But my need-to-know-what-sort-of-weirdo-mutants-we-were instantly fell to a distant second.

Dangerous? Me? That was just laughable. I must have been holding my breath, because Raef slowly reached up toward my face and tucked one stray curl behind my ear. "Are you okay?"

"I uh . . . have a lot of . . ." I shook my head. "Dangerous? Are you sure? There is just no way."

I was arguing, but my train of thought skittered off the tracks as he took my hand in his. He slowly traced the lines that crisscrossed my palm, his pensive silence worrying me. His touch was electric; the voltage a lot higher than it had been previously.

"See this," he asked me, his finger following a deep line that crossed my palm.

"Yes," I croaked, as my skin seemed to spark under his touch.

"This is supposed to represent your life line. Yours is very deep," he continued, but he seemed to be speaking more to himself than to me. 

He traced it softly again, and the sensation sent my nerves ablaze.  He reached out with his other hand and sandwiched my lifeline between his own, holding it there for several seconds. "Eila. I am trying desperately to protect this lifeline. Never doubt that, alright?"

 I nodded as the gravity of his words hit me. From the look on his face, I began to believe that I might actually need to have a shield in the form of this handsome boy. A shield against what, however, I wasn't quite so sure.

He took a deep breath, as if to clear his thoughts, and then smiled at me softly. "You have to be hungry. Let's go have some breakfast."

"What about the thing in the water? You never answered me."

"I will answer all your questions, but you really could use some food first. Brain processing power, you know?"

I sighed. "Fine."

Raef gently pulled me to my feet, but my leg throbbed and I winced, sucking in a quick breath. "Allow me," he said and in one gentle motion, he picked me up and carried me out the bedroom door. I could feel the warmth of his strong arm around my back, cradling me softly to his heart. 

Once again, he carried me effortlessly. Apparently exceptional strength went along with black eyeballs. I noted that he had never sparkled nor fried in the sun, so I scratched "vampire" off the insane list of possibilities for Raef . . . and me.

"Do the others know? About you?" I asked.

Raef nodded, "They know about both of us."

I was a bit ticked off, "Seriously? And no one wanted to clue me in? Well, thanks for nada."

"We weren't sure about you, at first. Last night confirmed some . . . stuff," said Raef, finally reaching the first floor. I opened my mouth to demand further clarification, but Raef cut me off, "Food first. And we need to check your leg. That was the deal."

I gave a small growl and Raef smiled. As we approached the kitchen, I could hear a whispered, but heated, debate raging between Ana and what sounded like Kian. Raef had slowed his walking, as if he too was eavesdropping. I could hear Dalca's voice, followed by Kian's, which was seriously short-fused.

"Like hell! You had no right to push her into this!  Ana, you can't be here! It's obviously not safe." Kian was really pissed.

Ana's angry voice rolled over Dalca's attempted reply, "Don't you dare think, for one second, you get to tell me what to do. I told you to stay the hell away from me, and yet . . ." Ana's voice dropped so low I could no longer hear what she was saying.