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My mind whirred through possibilities. Lukas was flighty, but he was predictable. “He could be with Amir. He’s fine, Stefan. Would you know if…”
I didn’t want to think it, let alone say it.
“Would I know if he had met his final death,” Stefan answered for me. “Yes. He is still alive.”
I pulled away and our eyes met. His blue eyes were wide, worry lining his face. My hands smoothed over his face before I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.
“He’s fine,” I assured him softly. “He’s taking care of a lot of things. I’m sure he’s with Amir and we’ll hear from him in the next day or two.”
His arms crushed me tightly against his chest. His voice was a whisper in my ear, “I hope you are right.”
Chapter 7 - Black
Journal in hand, we set off to find Garrett's trusted friend. I'd met Liev Banin a handful of times when I'd tagged along with Garrett to study at the University library. I remembered him to be a brilliant man, much younger than my uncle. His image was unclear in my mind; but then again, it had been nearly ten years since I'd seen him, not counting the funeral. But that day had been a grief stricken blur where nothing made sense.
Stefan's hand squeezed mine softly and he pulled me to a stop under a tree on the University campus. He pushed his sunglasses aside and stared down into my eyes. "We do not have to do this. The memories..."
"Are our memories." I pushed my sunglasses on top of my head, enjoying the cool breeze that rustled the leaves on the giant oak we took shelter under. I drew in a deep breath and stood on tiptoe to kiss the corner of his mouth. "I have my husband at my side; my mate. With you, I can do anything. I want to understand what I am, Stefan."
He took advantage of my closeness to wrap his arms around me, crushing me against the strong security of his chest. "I can not bear to see you hurt or feel your pain."
I nestled my head against him, relishing the comfort of his embrace for a moment. I listened to his steady intake of breath, felt his soft exhale against the top of my head. "I know. But I have to do this. We need to do this. I want our past back. I'm greedy. I want our past and our future, min krigare."
Laughter rumbled deep in his chest, the pleasant vibration reassuring against my cheek. "I will never grow accustomed to hearing you speak my language, vackra. Let us see your friend. But I am not happy about this. There are so many variables."
He reluctantly let me go. Not only did I know how Stefan's inner mind worked, I knew there were things he didn't want me to know. Not out of fear that I'd leave, but the concern of how I'd handle his long past.
"Variables, schmariables." I reached out to link our fingers together as I led him into Ellis Hall. Liev was a philosophy professor, but from Garett's notes and instructions, he had degrees in psychology and parapsychology from The University of Edinburgh.
He was also a powerful witch.
The discovery of this fact alone made Stefan's teeth set on edge, making him nervous about the power this man could wield, both mentally and metaphysically. His mind was constantly at work, never resting. He was always calculating, worrying, planning.
"C'mon. Garrett would not steer us wrong. I trust him." I stressed the fact that I trusted Liev. I hoped that my voice sounded more confident than I felt.
Through the bond, I felt rather than heard his disgruntled acceptance. Even though he'd never met my uncle, Stefan trusted me. He also understood my lack of confidence. We were going out on a limb, relying on a man I barely knew to lead us to the truth.
Liev's office was buried in the bowels of the large brick building. We walked down a long hallway, our footfalls silent as we approached his office. We were both on guard, our predatory nature taking over as we crept towards the unknown.
We came to a stop outside of his office door. I snuck a glance at Stefan. Every muscle was tense, his powerful body slightly crouched as he stood at my side.
"Ready?" My thoughts reached out to him. The better question was if I was ready?
He gave me a swift nod, his pale blue eyes unblinking as they focused on the door. He was envisioning scenarios, planning strategy. His thoughts became confused as his mind began to see muddled visions of our meeting play out in his mind.
"How long has it been since you've seen this man?" His mental voice had an uneasy edge to it.
My eyes snapped to his. "Ten years...well, four if you count the funeral."
"Liev is not human, Josephine." Stefan’s mental voice continued bluntly. His eyebrow rose slightly. "He is a..."
Not human? Before I could fully comprehend Stefan's comment, the door swung open, revealing my uncle's trusted friend. He was of average height and thin, his black hair falling around his intensely handsome face in a tumble of curls. His hazel eyes sparkled as he glanced between Stefan and myself.
"You've discovered my secret, I see. I'm in good company. Josephine Anderson…it's been much too long. And Stefan Lifsten. Your name precedes you. It is an honor and a privilege to meet you. I've been expecting you both. Come in."
He stood aside and let us enter his cramped office. The walls were lined with shelves of journals, books and clutter. He picked up file folders off of two chairs and moved them to a credenza by his desk, dropping them with a thump, sending a flurry of papers flying in the air. Stefan and I both sat down, two identical images of suspicion.
Liev slumped into his desk chair, leaning his lanky frame back into the worn leather. His eyes traveled first over Stefan, then glanced at the journal I clutched to my chest. His hazel eyes met mine. "I see you've found it. You wouldn't be here if you hadn't of course. I knew it would be a matter of time. You can't fight destiny."
