hot and fast. We stepped back to avoid any accidental burns.
“Daniel has a natural flare for the barbaric,” Seth said.
“I do not.”
“Then do you want to tell me what that was?” Samantha asked.
I didn’t reply. I’d taken out my irritation on the Nightmares, transferring the anger mounting for myself toward them. Kayla had become an itch I couldn’t scratch. Tomorrow I would tell Giovanni to take me off her protection. As much as I hated to admit, I was emotionally compromised.
“Will you guys be okay if I pop out? My shoulder’s killing me,” I lied. Bartholomew’s serum had worked well, but I couldn’t stay here anymore. They’d ring me if things got out of hand.
“Sure,” Seth replied. He stared at me like he knew I was hiding something. Avoiding eye contact, I vanished.
I leaned against the side of the shower as hot water pounded my back. How long I’d been standing there, I didn’t know. Somewhere along the way, I just stopped thinking altogether.
Turning around, I rinsed the shampoo out of my wavy hair—that now hung to the top of my ears—and turned off the water. When I stepped out, I wrapped a towel around my waist and stared at myself in the mirror. My blue eyes were framed with black circles. I looked as shitty as I felt.
When I opened the door and entered the living room, Seth sat on the sofa, staring at me.
“Blast,” I said, jumping. “What the hell are you doing here?” The sun wouldn’t come up for hours. He should be helping Samantha catch, especially now that I wasn’t there.
“After we killed the round of Nightmares last night, no more showed up. Sam said she’d text if she needed help.”
Shaking my head, I crossed through the living room, closing the bedroom door behind me. After throwing on gym shorts and a T-shirt, I reemerged. Seth stood against the sofa, facing the bedroom.
“This is getting awkward,” I said.
“What’s going on with you, man? I’ve never seen you fight like that.”
Ignoring him, I grabbed a beer out of the fridge.
“Daniel, I’m not leavin’ you alone until you spill.”
I slammed the fridge door shut. “What do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know. Try the truth, maybe?”
I chugged my beer. Seth crossed the room and slammed the fridge shut when I reached for another, prompting a glare from me.
“It’s the girl, isn’t it?” he asked. “Sam told me you’d been spending extra time watching her.”
Raising my hands in exasperation, I pushed past him, running my hands through my hair.
“What do you want me to say? I’ve never had this problem before. I can’t stop thinking about her. I can’t stay away. Hell, I went corporeal by accident once!” He knew what happened when we revealed ourselves—our time as a Protector ended. Permanently. I continued, “I’m tired, Seth. Tomorrow I’m asking Giovanni to bench me before I do something stupid.”
He walked into the living room, his hands extended out in front of him. “Now, wait. Don’t go doin’ that.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and raised my eyebrows, asking him silently if he had a better idea.
Seth dropped his hands and sighed. “Look, don’t give up yet. You won’t last long if Giovanni puts you to work behind a desk. We’ll figure somethin’ out.”
For minutes we stared at each other, then finally I nodded. I’d give him one more night.
Just one.
y fists beat the punching bag mercilessly. I’d tried to sleep after my conversation with Seth, but Kayla’s hazel eyes taunted me, reminding me of my inability to do my job. I’d evaporated straight to our mansion’s gym, knowing if I didn’t start punching something soon, I was going to explode. As I expected, the room was completely empty. Protectors usually slept during the day, even when they were on leave from assignment.
I punched and kicked like my life depended on it, not bothering to wrap my hands or put on gloves. I wanted to feel the pain. No, I needed to feel the
“Daniel has a natural flare for the barbaric,” Seth said.
“I do not.”
“Then do you want to tell me what that was?” Samantha asked.
I didn’t reply. I’d taken out my irritation on the Nightmares, transferring the anger mounting for myself toward them. Kayla had become an itch I couldn’t scratch. Tomorrow I would tell Giovanni to take me off her protection. As much as I hated to admit, I was emotionally compromised.
“Will you guys be okay if I pop out? My shoulder’s killing me,” I lied. Bartholomew’s serum had worked well, but I couldn’t stay here anymore. They’d ring me if things got out of hand.
“Sure,” Seth replied. He stared at me like he knew I was hiding something. Avoiding eye contact, I vanished.
I leaned against the side of the shower as hot water pounded my back. How long I’d been standing there, I didn’t know. Somewhere along the way, I just stopped thinking altogether.
Turning around, I rinsed the shampoo out of my wavy hair—that now hung to the top of my ears—and turned off the water. When I stepped out, I wrapped a towel around my waist and stared at myself in the mirror. My blue eyes were framed with black circles. I looked as shitty as I felt.
When I opened the door and entered the living room, Seth sat on the sofa, staring at me.
“Blast,” I said, jumping. “What the hell are you doing here?” The sun wouldn’t come up for hours. He should be helping Samantha catch, especially now that I wasn’t there.
“After we killed the round of Nightmares last night, no more showed up. Sam said she’d text if she needed help.”
Shaking my head, I crossed through the living room, closing the bedroom door behind me. After throwing on gym shorts and a T-shirt, I reemerged. Seth stood against the sofa, facing the bedroom.
“This is getting awkward,” I said.
“What’s going on with you, man? I’ve never seen you fight like that.”
Ignoring him, I grabbed a beer out of the fridge.
“Daniel, I’m not leavin’ you alone until you spill.”
I slammed the fridge door shut. “What do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know. Try the truth, maybe?”
I chugged my beer. Seth crossed the room and slammed the fridge shut when I reached for another, prompting a glare from me.
“It’s the girl, isn’t it?” he asked. “Sam told me you’d been spending extra time watching her.”
Raising my hands in exasperation, I pushed past him, running my hands through my hair.
“What do you want me to say? I’ve never had this problem before. I can’t stop thinking about her. I can’t stay away. Hell, I went corporeal by accident once!” He knew what happened when we revealed ourselves—our time as a Protector ended. Permanently. I continued, “I’m tired, Seth. Tomorrow I’m asking Giovanni to bench me before I do something stupid.”
He walked into the living room, his hands extended out in front of him. “Now, wait. Don’t go doin’ that.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and raised my eyebrows, asking him silently if he had a better idea.
Seth dropped his hands and sighed. “Look, don’t give up yet. You won’t last long if Giovanni puts you to work behind a desk. We’ll figure somethin’ out.”
For minutes we stared at each other, then finally I nodded. I’d give him one more night.
Just one.
y fists beat the punching bag mercilessly. I’d tried to sleep after my conversation with Seth, but Kayla’s hazel eyes taunted me, reminding me of my inability to do my job. I’d evaporated straight to our mansion’s gym, knowing if I didn’t start punching something soon, I was going to explode. As I expected, the room was completely empty. Protectors usually slept during the day, even when they were on leave from assignment.
I punched and kicked like my life depended on it, not bothering to wrap my hands or put on gloves. I wanted to feel the pain. No, I needed to feel the
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