Dave’s unconscious form. He hadn’t actually killed Dave. Just knocked him
out cold, as had been the plan. As soon as he could, he planned to pretend to
bury the guy. But it would be in a very shallow grave and with plenty of air to
breathe. A bit of a risk, but Nate doubted Adelaide would actually go check. Then
later, under the cover of night, Dave would return to Maddox.
Hopefully
he’d manage to bury Dave soon. He didn’t want Adelaide to look closely enough
to see him breathing or notice the guy twitching as he woke up. The entire
scene had one purpose: to get Nate in with Adelaide.
Now
it was up to him to win her over completely.
“You
have some kind of power, right? That’s why he was after you?” he asked.
Adelaide
looked down at the ground, scrunching her hands into fists so tightly her
knuckles turned white. She was taking this better than he’d expected. At least,
she appeared to be so far. He’d assumed there’d be screaming, that she might
even attack him. But so far she’d been fairly rational.
“You
can’t be here,” she said in a low, raspy voice.
“Don’t
be afraid. I won’t hurt you…. I just saved you!”
She
raised her gaze to his, and Nate was stunned to see that her green eyes were
now glowing bright yellow.
“You
don’t understand,” she whispered. “I could really hurt you. You need to leave. Now .”
Nate
took a step closer to her. He could see that her slender body was quaking from
head to toe.
Adelaide
held up both her hands. “I can’t hold it in much longer. You really need to
go.” The anguish in her voice concerned him. He could tell she was terrified.
But it seemed to be for him, not because of him. She bent over and put
her hands on her knees, sucking air into her lungs as fast as she could.
Nate
took a step closer and then hesitated. She’s a con artist, don’t forget.
But
he also wasn’t exactly sure what was happening to her. As far as he knew, none
of her powers were actually dangerous.
Suddenly
Adelaide fell to her hands and knees. He could see her chest heaving as she
struggled for control. Nate acted on pure instinct. Tapping into his speed, he
was at her side in less than a blink. He wrapped his strong arms around her
from behind, sat down on the ground, and pulled her in tightly to his body.
Leaving one armed wrapped around her midriff, he started running his other hand
through her hair in a soothing gesture.
Now
that he was touching her, Nate was amazed that her shaking wasn’t rattling her
very bones. It was that violent. Definitely not faking it.
“Breathe.” Come on.
“I…
can’t,” she choked out. He knew that if he could see her face, there would be
tears streaming down her cheeks. And he didn’t like it. It reminded him way too
much of his dreams. But he couldn’t think about that right now.
“Focus
on me. Feel my chest against your back as I inhale. Breathe with me. In and
out. In and out…” He sucked in a loud breath and blew it out his mouth.
He
kept that up, and after a few heartbeats of time, she started to try it with
him. “That’s it. In and out. You’re okay.”
Even
after her body had stopped shivering and started to unclench, Nate kept it up.
He stroked her hair, took deep breaths, and spoke in a soothing voice. He
didn’t really think about what he said. He just knew that it seemed to be
helping her.
After
a while, her breathing was no longer labored, and her body had relaxed. Nate
was just starting to wonder if she’d fallen asleep on him when she suddenly
stirred.
“You
can let me go now.”
He
released her and watched closely as she sat up and moved away, refusing to look
at him. But her expressive face showed a host of emotions: confusion… fear…
curiosity… doubt.
“How’d
you do that?” she mumbled.
Nate
cocked his head. “What?”
“Calm
me down. You said you’re Svatura, like me. Is that your power?”
“Oh.
No. It just seemed like…” Come to think of it, how had he known
out cold, as had been the plan. As soon as he could, he planned to pretend to
bury the guy. But it would be in a very shallow grave and with plenty of air to
breathe. A bit of a risk, but Nate doubted Adelaide would actually go check. Then
later, under the cover of night, Dave would return to Maddox.
Hopefully
he’d manage to bury Dave soon. He didn’t want Adelaide to look closely enough
to see him breathing or notice the guy twitching as he woke up. The entire
scene had one purpose: to get Nate in with Adelaide.
Now
it was up to him to win her over completely.
“You
have some kind of power, right? That’s why he was after you?” he asked.
Adelaide
looked down at the ground, scrunching her hands into fists so tightly her
knuckles turned white. She was taking this better than he’d expected. At least,
she appeared to be so far. He’d assumed there’d be screaming, that she might
even attack him. But so far she’d been fairly rational.
“You
can’t be here,” she said in a low, raspy voice.
“Don’t
be afraid. I won’t hurt you…. I just saved you!”
She
raised her gaze to his, and Nate was stunned to see that her green eyes were
now glowing bright yellow.
“You
don’t understand,” she whispered. “I could really hurt you. You need to leave. Now .”
Nate
took a step closer to her. He could see that her slender body was quaking from
head to toe.
Adelaide
held up both her hands. “I can’t hold it in much longer. You really need to
go.” The anguish in her voice concerned him. He could tell she was terrified.
But it seemed to be for him, not because of him. She bent over and put
her hands on her knees, sucking air into her lungs as fast as she could.
Nate
took a step closer and then hesitated. She’s a con artist, don’t forget.
But
he also wasn’t exactly sure what was happening to her. As far as he knew, none
of her powers were actually dangerous.
Suddenly
Adelaide fell to her hands and knees. He could see her chest heaving as she
struggled for control. Nate acted on pure instinct. Tapping into his speed, he
was at her side in less than a blink. He wrapped his strong arms around her
from behind, sat down on the ground, and pulled her in tightly to his body.
Leaving one armed wrapped around her midriff, he started running his other hand
through her hair in a soothing gesture.
Now
that he was touching her, Nate was amazed that her shaking wasn’t rattling her
very bones. It was that violent. Definitely not faking it.
“Breathe.” Come on.
“I…
can’t,” she choked out. He knew that if he could see her face, there would be
tears streaming down her cheeks. And he didn’t like it. It reminded him way too
much of his dreams. But he couldn’t think about that right now.
“Focus
on me. Feel my chest against your back as I inhale. Breathe with me. In and
out. In and out…” He sucked in a loud breath and blew it out his mouth.
He
kept that up, and after a few heartbeats of time, she started to try it with
him. “That’s it. In and out. You’re okay.”
Even
after her body had stopped shivering and started to unclench, Nate kept it up.
He stroked her hair, took deep breaths, and spoke in a soothing voice. He
didn’t really think about what he said. He just knew that it seemed to be
helping her.
After
a while, her breathing was no longer labored, and her body had relaxed. Nate
was just starting to wonder if she’d fallen asleep on him when she suddenly
stirred.
“You
can let me go now.”
He
released her and watched closely as she sat up and moved away, refusing to look
at him. But her expressive face showed a host of emotions: confusion… fear…
curiosity… doubt.
“How’d
you do that?” she mumbled.
Nate
cocked his head. “What?”
“Calm
me down. You said you’re Svatura, like me. Is that your power?”
“Oh.
No. It just seemed like…” Come to think of it, how had he known
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