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“What is a Powerpuff girl? Who is blowing Bubbles?”
Kaien’s utter confusion showed on his face, and Blair couldn’t help but burst out laughing at his boyishly befuddled expression.
A chuckle sounded from Nina. Dissolving into a riot of laughter, Blair clutched at her stomach, and one more glance at Kaien’s still perplexed features had her starting all over again.
Chapter Fifteen
Kaienhadneverfeltmore out of place. In between Blair’s riotous laughter and Celeste’s giggles that were punctuated only by her wiping delighted tears from her face, he realized he was the odd man out. Even his sister was chuckling.
Taking an earlier page from Nina’s book, he exited stage left.
The humidity of the August day greeted him as he stepped outside, shutting the door quietly behind him to block out the sound of their communal good spirits. A sinking feeling settled in his stomach as he stepped into the deserted street, his face falling.
As he’d watched Blair interact with Nina and Celeste, he’d realized something. Around them, Blair was a different person. Freer. Happier. Carefree.
Her laugh had been different than it was when she was alone with him. The melody of it had stilled him to the core, quieting his own breathing so that he could better appreciate the musical sound. It’d relaxed a part of him he’d never even known was tied in knots.
His vampire rarely laughed with him. She’d barely even smiled.
Blunt fingernails biting in his palm, he wrestled with the tumultuous emotions that roared under his well-worn mask. Out of place and out of patience, he went in search of the one space where he’d be able to collect himself and soothe his meandering mind.
Remmus, a far more easy-going man, was already at the gym. His shoulder-length, summer bleached hair was tied with a leather band at the back of his head, and for once, he was without his quintessential sunglasses.
Raeths, as a breed, were universally built of solid stock. Atypical were those of slender or slight frames, or any male that was under six foot two. Even their women were fairly muscular, though they were more commonly lithely muscled than built like a brickhouse. Remmus and Kaien typified the clichéd male Raeth to a T, though Kaien was taller than the other man by a good two inches at six foot five.
The other man frowned comically when he drew nearer. “You look to be in a killing mood, sport. Who stole your tricycle?”
Making an obscene gesture, Kaien jerked a chin toward the sparring mats. “Roll with me.”
“And get beaten to a pulp again?” Remmus laughed. “I’m still licking my wounds from last time, friend.”
“Pansy.” Kaien bit out gruffly, cracking his neck ominously.
“Better a pansy than a pancake.”
Kaien rolled his shoulders and strode toward the reinforced punching bags when Remmus showed no signs of moving. Not bothering to tape his knuckles, he set upon the bags with a growl. Releasing his pent-up frustration was precisely what he needed.
Though he had no need to maintain his physical form through the practice, Kaien found solace in the process. As with any Raeth, their immortality assured their continued health. No Raeth would ever succumb to sickness or old age, nor would they wither with time.
All immortal breeds, including vampires, werewolves, and Elementals, shared the same perk. While they each had their own weaknesses, the ravages of time would never claim their lives.
Dull thuds vibrated through the air with each punch. His knuckles burned, but they wouldn’t bleed.
Not yet, at least.
The chalky sound of his own teeth grinding together echoed in his ears as he vented his exasperation, but he didn’t find the solace he’d expected. His blood was pounding in his ears and every cell of his body yearned for a woman who desperately wanted herself rid of him.
After ten more minutes of the unrelenting torture he was inflicting upon himself, traces of blood smeared over the leathery surface of the punching bag. Kaien didn’t stop, not even when the crimson became a steady drip. Not even when Remmus voiced his concern. It was all drowned out over the roar in his mind.
“Kaien!” Remmus’ voice sounded behind Kaien’s back, his hand falling heavily on Kaien’s shoulder.
Growling at the interruption, Kaien turned on the other Raeth with a vengeance, his fists raised and eager for confrontation.
“What, Remmus?”
Kaien took pause when he finally studied the other man’s features. Shock registered in the depths of the seafoam green eyes across from him, alarm emanating from the way Remmus’ hand was still clenched on his shoulder.
“Hot damn, man.” Remmus’ head shook back and forth. “The bag’s dead. It’s sufficiently murdered.”
