unwanted

chapter twelve

He was kissing her back, his breathing irregular but it didn't take her long to figure out that he was making sure not to put his hands on her. They both laid at his side.

Growling, Jess flopped back onto her back. "No way you're going to be able to make me forget anything if you're not doing some touching of your own."

"I don't think you need to forget. I think you need to heal."

"I was getting to that part. Are you telling me you didn't feel anything?"

"You're beautiful and I'm human, so I felt something. I already feel a closeness to you that I don't feel with anyone else, so trust me, I felt plenty."

"That's something at least." She looked back at him to find that he had never looked away from her.

He wasn't exactly the most handsome guy she'd ever seen. That was hands down Alric, with Sin coming in a close second. He didn't have the golden boy or the kid next door good looks like Julian either. He wasn't a boy at all. His hair was just long enough to have a touch of curl to it, his eyes were golden brown and seemed to have a ton of life hiding behind them.

His skin was tan and his hands rough from work.

There was a ruggedness about him that was appealing. Anyone who fell for him would fall because he was down to earth and steady fast. When he picked someone, he wouldn't be going anywhere.

"What about Paula? You're close to her."

"She needs someone to guide her until she is strong enough again."

"What about Jessica? She's crazy about you?"

"She's just a______."

"That's what you said about me a few days ago. Do you still feel like that? I know I haven't felt like a kid in a very long time. Everybody has had to grow up fast."

He finally looked away and he looked up at all the stars above them. "That's true. Sad but true. I don't understand my feelings for you. I don't understand how it is that I didn't know you a few days ago when it feels like I have always known you. But I do know that I won't abuse my feelings for you."

Jess sighed. "What you're saying is hands off?"

His eyes were back on her. "For now."

"Gotcha. What do you think about all of this mated and marked crap?"

"I think when two species come together there's bound to be some trial and error. Kinks will have to be worked out and issues resolved. Neither parties are going to have all the answers."

"Tell me about it."

He took her hand again. "There will be changes to both sides and there will be a lot of changes we can't even anticipate."

"You've decided to be pro alien?"

"Haven't you?"

These days she needed to be pro Jess. Lord knows she didn't have any of the answers.

"It's just as well that you don't have any feelings for Jessica. You'd just be setting her up for heartache. With you getting some gifts of your own that must mean that you're mated to a royal. If I had paid more attention to my classes, I could probably tell you who. The only girl who was a royal I met was Fray, at least I think so, and the only powers I know like yours belonged to Savion. Thank God he's not your mate, it's bad enough poor Macie is stuck with him."

"Julian has told me a little bit about your friends. I know how worry you are about them."

"I can't talk about them. I was supposed to keep them safe and I didn't."

His hand tightened around hers. "Okay, sweetheart. What did you think of Marty?"

"I think she might be as angry at the world as I am."

"With good reason. You don't believe her story?"

Marty believed that aliens adducted her boyfriend. Back in the day people would have labeled her a quack, but it was hard to do that now. "I believe her. What I don't understand is why they didn't take her. If Kell's people found them they would have taken both of them. Not just one. And that whole story about the white flashing lights above them and her boyfriend getting beamed up is a load of shit. Kell's people would have just walked up to them and asked them if it would please them to be rescued."

"When I found her, she was pretty traumatized. I think it happened

just like she said it did. She goes back there every few days looking for him."

"I wouldn't mind going with her the next time she does. I have a few things to get off my chest where the four ugly asses are concern."

He must have felt the rise in her blood pressure because he moved closer to her. Both his hands held her hand to his chest. She calmed instantly.
"Do you know of any others who have developed gifts like ours?

"As far as I know, I'm the first and I can promise you that was never talked about in class. I would have remembered if becoming a superhero was a side effect."

"If that's what's going on with me then I think that would be pretty wonderous. Two people so close that they are connected in all things. That would mean that they are meant to be here, and we are meant to be with them."

"I don't want to talk about that either. They had me ready to sip the

Kool-Aid too. That was before I found out______." Her voice broke and she couldn't go on.

His arms pulled her closer until she was resting against his chest. "We don't have to talk, sweetheart."

"I've punched people for calling me that."

"Somehow I know that. Just like I know that you'd never punch me."

"I feel like I know you too, but I don't know anything about you like that."

"Not much to know. I like to sing and play the harmonica. I like to play chess. My life hasn't been exciting and I'm okay with that. During school, for the most part, I went unnoticed and I was okay with that too. I've been on dates, but I've never had a real girlfriend." He smiled. "I shouldn't answer that, but I will. No, I'm not a virgin."

"I didn't ask." But she was fixing to. "Why haven't you played for everyone?"

"I used to nearly every night, but I stopped when you and Julian arrived. Somehow I knew that it might bother you."

"Maybe it would have." She admitted after a while, then she looked at him. "Would you sing for me now?"

His look was tender. "You'll cry if I do."

"Then sing to me, Adrian. It's been a long time since I've cried for a good reason and not because of heartbreak and grief."

If his touch could heal and sooth then his voice could perform miracles. Tears filled her eyes and ran down her face. The weight that had been sitting on her chest vanished. For the first time in one hundred and two days she felt truly alive and not just going through the motions of living.