AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Gavin jumped at the sound of a voice behind him. He spun around on the stool just in time to catch a short man with fire engine red hair gelled into spikes heading into the pantry.
Atlas sighed. “Fred, I was only telling Gavin who lived here.”
Fred popped back out of the pantry, a box of crackers and a canister of cheese whiz clutched to his chest. Gavin tried not to stare and was pretty sure he failed miserably. Fred must have been shorter than Gavin, who was only 5’8”. He was wearingSquishmallowslippers, tube socks, neon blue basketball shorts, and a white tank top underneath a knee-length leopard print robe.
The outfit alone was enough to warrant a second look, but it was his eyes Gavin couldn’t look away from. The man didn’t look a day over twenty-five until Gavin met his gaze. The same deep lines framed eyes the color of pennies in Fred’s pale face. Gavin wondered what his real name was and how old he really was.
Fred tsked at him. “Sorry, Gavin. You’re a nice guy, I can tell, but I prefer to keep my secrets. Atlas,” Fred said, turning to the mage. “We’re out of cheese whiz.” Then he was gone.
Gavin blinked at the empty spot Fred had been standing in. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”
Atlas chuckled. “Oh, you’d be surprised.”
Gavin watched while Atlas went about making them some sandwiches and pulling packets of chips and cakes out of several different cabinets. His phone buzzed in his pocket. As he was reaching for it, he asked, “Why do you keep things all over the place?”
Atlas leaned over the island and said in a whisper, “Because seers can’tseeobjects. Just people.”
Ah. Gavin chuckled.Poor Fred. He must have more than just a cheese whiz addiction. Looking down at his phone, he saw a text from Charlotte. A picture. He opened the text. Charlotte’s face, tear-streaked with a piece of duct tape over her mouth, looked back at him.
Charlotte:You’ll meet us where and when we tell you. Tell no one. Come alone. Fail to follow these instructions, she dies.
5
Something was wrong. Atlas couldn’t say exactly how he knew because Gavin was putting up a pretty good front, but ever since he’d looked at his phone earlier, he’d been…off.
Not wanting to pry, Atlas carried on as if everything was okay. He made sandwiches and answered Gavin’s questions about the building. Strange that Gavin hadn’t asked a thing about how to unlock his power or what would happen if he chose not to.
Looking down, Atlas carefully placed their dirty plates in the dishwasher. He didn’t want to think about what it would mean if Gavin chose to let his power remain dormant. With HAP knowing who Gavin was, they’d have to move him out of the city. Atlas swallowed. Their connection was too new to say he’d follow Gavin anywhere, but that’s how he felt.
“Atlas?” Gavin asked, voice subdued.
Atlas turned from the counter to find Gavin standing beside the island.
“Um, would it be okay if I laid down somewhere? I’m pretty tired.”
“Of course,” Atlas said, feeling off balance. “We’ve got guest suites. You can stay in one of those.”
He led a quiet Gavin back to the elevator. Their hands brushed together in the hallway, but Gavin didn’t reach for him. Atlas tried not to read into it. The day had thrown more than a couple surprises at Gavin. He probably just needed some time to sort through it all.
When they made it to the guest floor, Atlas walked Gavin to the first suite. He pushed the door open and reached in to turn on the lights. “There’s a house phone you can use to reach any of us, but if you want, I can give you my cell. That way you just text if you need anything.”
“That’ll be good.” Gavin pulled out his phone and poked around, then looked up at Atlas expectantly.
Atlas rattled off his number. “Will you text me so I have yours, too?”
Lifting his face from his phone, Gavin had his lips pulled into a little smile. The first one since after Fred had shown up in the kitchen. “Of course.” He swallowed as his gaze swept over Atlas’s face like he was searching for something.
“Gavin—” Atlas started only to be cut off when Gavin lifted up on his toes and wrapped a hand around the back of Atlas’s neck, bringing their lips together. Atlas kissed him back, half startled by the desperate way Gavin’s lips moved against his and the demanding entrance of his tongue, caressing against Atlas’s.
Reaching up, Atlas slipped his hands up Gavin’s back and over his shoulders to cup his face. He tilted Gavin’s head, getting a better angle and slowing the kiss. Making it deeper.
Gavin sighed into it, both hands wrapping around Atlas’s shoulders and holding on like he never wanted to let go. But he did. All too soon, he pulled back, pressing one last kiss to Atlas’s lips.
With a strangely shiny blue gaze, he looked over Atlas’s face again. “Thanks again for saving me.”
“Gavin,” Atlas said, voice still rough from the kissing. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”
He smiled and pulled away, stepping into the room. “I’m fine. Just tired. Goodnight.”
