last encounter.”
Axel’s fists clenched against his thighs. The wind grew painfully cold. Sand swirled all around us, and it was getting harder to see. What were they talking about?
“Yeah, well, last time it was just him and a dozen of you cowards.” Tyler drew out his dagger from the back of his pants. “This time, the playing field is a bit more even, don’t you think?” He pointed to three others that stood their ground, ready to spring into action.
Rolium’s smile disappeared. He growled. It sounded animalistic, a cross between a lion and a tiger. Tyler could be right. There were only six Goarders and five of the Dracians in a standoff.
“We shall meet again,” Rolium said, his gaze falling in my direction before he disappeared along with his Goarders.
I felt the abrupt change in climate. The temperature returned to normal, and as far as I could tell, no tornado was about to land near us. I knew the immediate danger had passed. I ran toward the group, feeling the sand kick up behind me. My body ached to grab Axel in a tight hug. It took every last ounce of my self-control not to do so.
“You’re okay.” I stated.
He nodded. His eyebrows furrowed and a vertical line appeared between them. “Why didn’t you listen and go, like I asked?”
He wouldn’t understand how hard it was for me to watch him run toward danger to protect me. He didn’t reciprocate my feelings, so he wouldn’t know. He couldn’t.
He sighed. “Are you hurt? Are you okay?”
My body trembled as the adrenaline started wearing off. I fisted my hands and clenched my jaw. I wanted to throw myself into a tear-fest, but I somehow held it together. “I’m okay.”
“Let me drive you home.” It wasn’t a question.
Axel turned around and talked to the other Dracians, including the girl that pinned me to the ground, in a hushed voice before he reached for my hand and walked me toward his car.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Since the night we were attacked by Goarders, I’d returned to avoiding Axel and was in dire need of a distraction. That distraction came in the form of Dean. We started hanging out at the arcades, the bowling alley, the movies, and several bonfires. Soon, I became his excuse when he wanted a way out of clingy flings or family activities.
But no matter what I did, how hard I tried to divert myself, Axel was always in the forefront of my thoughts.
I sighed and pushed my laptop aside. I walked to my window seat and pulled out my favorite book, sitting down for a relaxing read.
After what felt like mere minutes, my stomach growled in response to the aroma that reached my room. Setting the book aside, I followed my nose toward the kitchen.
“Muskles?” I called.
“Out here, killer.”
I walked out to the patio and gasped. Our backyard was lit up like the holidays with Tiki torches and music playing in the background. Dinner was set up on the patio furniture with candles and all. Joshua, dressed in a blue dress shirt and faded jeans, stood grinning ear to ear with a white gardenia in his hand.
“All right, spill,” I demanded as I skipped down the steps. I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
“I felt bad for not being around much.” He tucked the gardenia carefully behind my right ear. He pulled out the chair and waited for me to have a seat.
“You gave up on your dreams to babysit me… It speaks loads. You really have nothing to feel bad about,” I replied softly.
He smiled, pushing my chair under the beautifully laid table. I served food on our plates and he poured us drinks.
“Tonight, I wanted to celebrate and catch up.” He handed me a glass and toasted, raising his own. “To us.”
“To us,” I repeated.
We ate our dinner, talking about everything that happened over the past year, and I somewhat skimmed through my boy troubles.
“You know I’d be more than happy to permanently stick my foot up someone’s ass, if it’d help.”
“I don’t think that would work, seeing how you
Axel’s fists clenched against his thighs. The wind grew painfully cold. Sand swirled all around us, and it was getting harder to see. What were they talking about?
“Yeah, well, last time it was just him and a dozen of you cowards.” Tyler drew out his dagger from the back of his pants. “This time, the playing field is a bit more even, don’t you think?” He pointed to three others that stood their ground, ready to spring into action.
Rolium’s smile disappeared. He growled. It sounded animalistic, a cross between a lion and a tiger. Tyler could be right. There were only six Goarders and five of the Dracians in a standoff.
“We shall meet again,” Rolium said, his gaze falling in my direction before he disappeared along with his Goarders.
I felt the abrupt change in climate. The temperature returned to normal, and as far as I could tell, no tornado was about to land near us. I knew the immediate danger had passed. I ran toward the group, feeling the sand kick up behind me. My body ached to grab Axel in a tight hug. It took every last ounce of my self-control not to do so.
“You’re okay.” I stated.
He nodded. His eyebrows furrowed and a vertical line appeared between them. “Why didn’t you listen and go, like I asked?”
He wouldn’t understand how hard it was for me to watch him run toward danger to protect me. He didn’t reciprocate my feelings, so he wouldn’t know. He couldn’t.
He sighed. “Are you hurt? Are you okay?”
My body trembled as the adrenaline started wearing off. I fisted my hands and clenched my jaw. I wanted to throw myself into a tear-fest, but I somehow held it together. “I’m okay.”
“Let me drive you home.” It wasn’t a question.
Axel turned around and talked to the other Dracians, including the girl that pinned me to the ground, in a hushed voice before he reached for my hand and walked me toward his car.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Since the night we were attacked by Goarders, I’d returned to avoiding Axel and was in dire need of a distraction. That distraction came in the form of Dean. We started hanging out at the arcades, the bowling alley, the movies, and several bonfires. Soon, I became his excuse when he wanted a way out of clingy flings or family activities.
But no matter what I did, how hard I tried to divert myself, Axel was always in the forefront of my thoughts.
I sighed and pushed my laptop aside. I walked to my window seat and pulled out my favorite book, sitting down for a relaxing read.
After what felt like mere minutes, my stomach growled in response to the aroma that reached my room. Setting the book aside, I followed my nose toward the kitchen.
“Muskles?” I called.
“Out here, killer.”
I walked out to the patio and gasped. Our backyard was lit up like the holidays with Tiki torches and music playing in the background. Dinner was set up on the patio furniture with candles and all. Joshua, dressed in a blue dress shirt and faded jeans, stood grinning ear to ear with a white gardenia in his hand.
“All right, spill,” I demanded as I skipped down the steps. I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
“I felt bad for not being around much.” He tucked the gardenia carefully behind my right ear. He pulled out the chair and waited for me to have a seat.
“You gave up on your dreams to babysit me… It speaks loads. You really have nothing to feel bad about,” I replied softly.
He smiled, pushing my chair under the beautifully laid table. I served food on our plates and he poured us drinks.
“Tonight, I wanted to celebrate and catch up.” He handed me a glass and toasted, raising his own. “To us.”
“To us,” I repeated.
We ate our dinner, talking about everything that happened over the past year, and I somewhat skimmed through my boy troubles.
“You know I’d be more than happy to permanently stick my foot up someone’s ass, if it’d help.”
“I don’t think that would work, seeing how you
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