Page 242 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

A confident, spoilt little brat who doesn’t ask for what he wants but demands it with full expectation of fulfilment, no doubt.

It’s the first time Kade has ever come close to knowing Julian.

And as soon as he accepts it, the knowledge melts into what he knows about himself. Because Kade isn’t spoilt or entitled. He’s maybe a little bratty sometimes, but he knows how much it grates to ask and hope to get what he wants when he would much rather take charge and go make it happen.

He became the fulfilment of his own desires.

But there was a time…

‘You’re going to stay here and feel totally unprepared during the break-in. You’re going to react, but it’ll be slower than usual. You’re not going to blame yourself for any part of it because this attack blindsided you and you didn’t know any better. Then, after two hours of us being gone, you’re going to explain to Lachlan that Mimi and I have left of our own accord. We chose to do this, and we’re safe, and Lachlan just needs to stay calm and not give anything away.

‘You can do this, Danya. We need you to do this.’

There was a time he knew how to craft this power, and he can’t quite remember how; it’s on the tip of his fucking tongue. It’s…

Tongue.

Salt.

Sea.

Oh.

Oh.

He drags in a quick breath, focusing.

Calm.

Determined.

Expectant.

I expect it, I await it, it’s mine and I command it.

Kade calls the sea to his tongue and tastes salt when it answers.

‘Kiss me.’

Lachlan gasps softly, eyes wide. ‘Oh, wow.’

‘Did it work?’

‘It’s like when we were down in the holding room,’ he murmurs, studying Kade with wonder. ‘There are these… layers to your voice.’

‘Really?’

‘Yeah. Do it again.’

Kade draws the sea across his tongue a second time.

‘Kiss me, Bodyguard.’

‘Incredible.’

‘You’re not doing it.’

‘I’m not human right now, but that’s definitely the way you spoke to Seth. We should test it on a human. Something really benign.’