Awakened: Prequel GL Series

Chapter 14

14. FLYING UNDER THE STARS

Was he talking about soul mates? That would be ridiculous. Or maybe not. “Does that I mean I can feel your emotions from afar, too?”

“As your powers grow stronger, you will. Just like I did earlier.”

I recalled something his brother had said. “What if you drained my energy?”

Bran chuckled, squeezed my hand, and let it go. He flopped on his back and cushioned his head with his crossed arms, his gaze on the darkening sky. “Forget it. I’d never do that.”

I stared down at his sculptured face, and a pang of longing seeped into my chest. I wanted to know everything about him—his past, his dreams, his darkest secrets. “What if, Bran?”

His eyes grew stormy, like the thoughts whirling in his head were distasteful. “I’d be unbeatable, invincible—the most powerful being in the world.”

I tried to tease a smile out of him. “Don’t you mean the most powerful demon?”

His eyes sparkled. He pulled one hand from behind his head and punched my arm. “No, nosey. My demonic ways are way behind me. Haven’t you been paying attention?”

I had, and I believed him. Silence followed. Yin and yang. Two halves of a whole. I liked the idea of having someone special in my life, someone just for me.

I shifted so I lay on my tummy and propped myself on my elbows so I could watch his face while we talked. The move brought our bodies so close together his heat engulfed me, but I didn’t move away. Now that I knew about our matched energies, I felt like he belonged to me. How weird was that? “Tell me about your life in L.A.”

He scowled as though that was the last thing he wanted to discuss. “There’s not much to tell. I only lived there for two years.”

“Two years is a long time,” I pushed.

His scowl deepened.

I refused to give up. “Are there many demons there?”

He let out a deep sigh and then nodded. “A lot more than I’d expected to find, and not all are loyal to Coronis. They’re integrated in every aspect of the society, from small businesses to politics. I attended a private high school that’s owned and operated by them for a year during my senior year. They pick and choose who goes there.”

“No humans?”

He grimaced. “Not a chance.”

“Souled demons?” I asked him.

“Definitely not.”

“In Demonology Volume I, they say demons with souls are a myth.”

Bran made a disgusted sound. “Then someone ought to revise those books. The ones in L.A. are the nicest Nephilim I’ve ever met. Unfortunately, other demons treat them like crap. And the Guardians won’t even acknowledge their existence.” His voice rose and fell, anger and sadness flowing from him. “All they want is a chance to return home to Xenith, you know. To prove they’re Guardians.”

My heart squeezed, knowing this was how he’d felt all his life.

As though aware of my thoughts, he gave me a lopsided smile. “What else does your demonology book say?”

I wanted to hear more about his life in L.A., but it was obvious the memories were too painful, so I kept my voice light and playful as I answered him. I talked and talked, until the orange hues of the sunset faded from the western sky. Darkness crept onto the valley floor and a crescent moon rose above the mountain ridge to the east. “When Coronis left Xenith, most of the Werenephils and Nosferatus left with her. The few who stayed behind tend to keep to themselves. But the book doesn’t explain why. When Moira stopped by the dojo, the other Guardians reacted very strangely toward her, and I wondered if their reaction was out of fascination or fear.”