AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She retrieved a crystal glass and filled it, glancing toward him before she took a sip. “His energy is strong.” She finished the glass quickly. “But he doesn’t know how to control it yet. He’s untrained.”
Declan frowned. He was hearing her words and yet none of it made any sense. He began to pace.
“So let me get this straight. That kid—”
“He has a name, use it,” Ana hissed.
Declan glared at her. “Kaden is what, sixteen?”
“He’ll be seventeen in December.”
“He’s a sixteen-year-old sorcerer with no clue where the hell he came from?”
Ana nodded but remained silent.
Declan paused in front of the fridge and yanked the door open. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for but it sure as hell wasn’t the bags of blood that lay upon the shelves.
“Sorry, I didn’t know you’d be visiting. I’d have stocked up on Guinness.”
Declan ignored her sarcasm and slammed the door shut. “I’m more into wine these days, but thanks.” His eyebrows furled. “There’s something off about him. I can’t put my finger on it, but he’s definitely got otherworld blood in him and it ain’t all magick.” He paused. “You gonna spill what that is exactly?”
She licked her lips and averted her eyes.
He took a step forward, not even sure what he was going to do, but the energy in him needed to be released. It burned so bad he felt nauseous.
“Stay away from her.” It was the boy.
Declan paused, his gaze not leaving Ana’s. He saw the concern, the need to protect that flickered in her eyes. Interesting. When they’d worked together at PATU, a paranormal antiterrorist unit, she’d been cold and aloof. It had driven him crazy. He used to fantasize about ways to break the glass that covered her skin.
Who knew a hormonal teenager would do the trick. He turned and faced him.
Kaden glared at him with the cocky bravado he’d shown earlier. Declan held up his hands. “It’s all right. Ana and I go way back, like before she died for the second time.”
The teen’s hands were open at his side and Declan could “see” energy drifting over his palms. He tried to hide his amusement.
The boy thought to challenge him?
“Who are you? Why are you here?” Kaden’s voice was deep, mature for a boy his age. Declan took a second to study him closely in the light. He was tall with the assured grace of an athlete and looked older than his sixteen years. His dark, wavy hair was worn long, touching the collar of his T-shirt, his features were well-defined, square jaw, high cheekbones. He was a good-looking kid, a natural leader.
“My name’s Declan.”
Kaden glowered at him. “We don’t need you.”
Declan dismissed the boy and his attitude. He nodded to Ana. “I’ll ask once more. Why did you grab him?”
She filled her goblet again and took a long drink before answering.
“I was ordered to. Bill wants him protected, and like the obedient little soldier I am, I do what I’m told.” She looked at the teen, and something stirred inside him. There’d been a time when he’d wanted that . . . the need to have her regard him in the same way.
As if he mattered.
Feelings . . . emotions . . . were a fucking bitch to navigate.
Declan’s cell went off at that moment and he automatically pulled it from his pocket. It was Nico, the other sorry-ass son of a bitch who’d ended up signing his balls over to the Seraphim. They were both part of a supernatural A-team run by Bill.
“Don’t answer it,” Ana said quickly.
Declan ignored her, watching the two of them carefully as he put the device on speaker mode and set it on the table.
