Read Online ARC: The Seers by Julianna Scott - Free Book Online Page B

away, “I served in the Second World War as well, but only briefly.”
    I wanted to let it go, but I couldn’t help myself – I had to know. “So…” I paused with a cautious grin, “if you don’t mind me asking, how old are you, exactly?”
    He laughed quietly, though still looked slightly wary, as if he were worried the answer was going to freak me out. After a moment, he took a breath and replied, “I’ll be two hundred and eleven this year.”
    Wow. “I’m not gonna lie,” I said, not quite biting back a laugh, “that’s still a little weird.”
    Luckily he seemed relieved rather than offended at my admission, and smiled. “You think I’m old, keep an eye out for the gentlemen tonight with this same medal on a pink strap.”
    “Why, what’s pink?”
    “French Revolution.”
    He chuckled when my eyes popped open, but I didn’t have a chance to comment before I realized – or rather felt – that someone else was approaching our little meeting alcove. Alex.
    “I’d better go and make sure Cormac hasn’t gotten lost,” Jocelyn said suddenly.
    “Oh, yeah sure,” I nodded casually, playing it off. I was almost certain he didn’t need to check on Cormac, but rather he knew Alex was coming and was giving us a moment to ourselves. I wasn’t sure whether to be grateful or embarrassed, considering that the only way Jocelyn could have known that Alex was nearby was because I’d done something to give it away… and I really didn’t want to consider what that might have been.
    Embarrassing reveal or not, Jocelyn didn’t hang around to belabor the point. With a nod, he stepped off down the hall, and a moment later I turned to see Alex come around the corner.
    I didn’t mean to gawk, or blush, or get a goofy grin on my face, but as he stood there just inside the archway of the alcove I’m pretty sure I did all three. Though in my defense, I couldn’t help it – he looked amazing. I’d never thought of Alex as “hot,” or “gorgeous,” or any of the other terms that a lot of girls my age used to describe a good looking guy. That isn’t to say that Alex wasn’t any of those things, or that I didn’t find him attractive, as I did. Very much so, in fact. His dark blonde hair was always styled, he dressed very well, and his eyes – which had always been my favorite feature – were the most amazingly clear shade of storm cloud blue you could imagine. The thing was that the specifics of his appearance weren’t usually what came to mind when I thought about him. He was Alex. It had never mattered what he looked like.
    And while it still didn’t matter , I was not about to pretend like I didn’t notice . He was wearing a black tux like Jocelyn, but instead of the white shirt and black tie, Alex’s tie and shirt were black, and he also had a charcoal gray vest on under his jacket. His cuffs were French, his shoes shone as though they were new, and across his chest lay the same green sash Jocelyn was wearing.
    Not going to lie, there was definitely a flush rising up my neck….
    Though red as I was, oddly enough, Alex’s didn’t blush at all. I’d have thought with me ogling him the way I was, that his ears would be ablaze, but then again, he seemed far too preoccupied to notice the way I was looking at him. Preoccupied… looking at me. His eyes clung to me like condensation on a glass, with an expression that seemed to hover between anger and fear – though deep down I knew it was neither. Still, I couldn’t help but feel self-conscious.
    Why didn’t he say anything? Was he upset? Did he not like the dress? Was something wrong?
    I took a breath to speak, but before I could find my voice he was coming straight toward me. He didn’t look around, didn’t check the hall, or so much as shift his eyes away from mine as he crossed the small alcove in three strides, took my face in his hands, and kissed me.
    And dear God… what a kiss…
    His mouth moved against mine with more passion than