Page 49 of Reaper

Hunter dashed up the stairs and Ara glanced at Reaper with confusion.Hunter carried a metal bucket, a folding chair, and a wooden table into the room, and set them down before he turned to them with a look of excitement shining in his sharp green eyes.

“Ara, can you test something for me?”Hunter bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited for her answer.

Ara nodded, still not understanding where Hunter was going with this, but she stood and waited for his request.

“I want you to destroy these objects, but in a way I tell you to,” Hunter said.

Reaper watched as Ara’s eyes widened in shock.

“What makes you think that I can do what you’re asking?” Ara asked.

Hunter chuckled before he spoke.“You blinded everyone in the room, where before you could only manipulate part of our brains that made you invisible.I’m just wondering if your offensive skills have developed now that you’re a shifter.”

With a worried glance at Liv and Kai, and then Reaper, she shifted on her feet and bit her bottom lip.She glanced at the table where the chair and bucket lay on top, and glanced back at Hunter.“I’ll try.”

“Can you crush the bucket?” Hunter asked.

Reaper reached for her hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze.Her answering smile had him relax his tense shoulders, and he sat back to watch how her powers had developed.

Ara raised her right hand and the bucket hovered in the air.The moment she closed her hand into a fist, the bucket flattened into a 1/4 inch steel round.She placed it gently back on the table and glanced at Reaper.The shock on her face had him speaking up.

“Beautiful, you now have the power to defend yourself.There is nothing to feel bad about.You won’t destroy for the sake of doing it, so stop thinking of yourself and your powers as a bad thing.If it helps keep you safe, I, for one, am grateful you have them.You’re still Ara, and I love you.”

Ara blew out a breath and nodded.“I love you, too.”

He smiled at her before Hunter captured her attention again.

“Ara, can you reconstruct the chair into a ball?”

She did as Hunter asked, with practiced ease, and levitated the sphere into Hunter’s outstretched hand.The panther beamed at her, and the smile on her face wavered a bit.

Reaper knew that Ara wouldn’t hurt anyone or anything unless absolutely necessary.The gunman had tried to kill both of them, and although they had reminded Ara that it had been self-defense when she had killed him, he knew that she still felt guilt over it.Most people would use their power to get what they wanted, even if it meant death, but Ara hesitated with her natural gifts.It was another reason that he loved her.

“And now, can you splinter the table, using them as projectiles?”

Ara blanched and turned away from Hunter, but Liv, sensing her distress, brought logic to the situation.

“Ara, honey, I know you’re freaked out by the increase of your powers, but it’s natural.I believe that whatever talents you had when you were human increase when you become a shifter or vampire.I’m still investigating why the changes are so dramatic, but your powers are innate to who you are.There is no need to be afraid of them.”

Reaper watched the emotions on Ara’s expressive face as she contemplated Liv’s words.She chanced a glance at him and he smiled with encouragement.It stunned him when he realized that she worried about his reaction to the situation.

“You will always be powerful, Ara, and I’ll be right here if you ever need help.”He moved closer to her and whispered in her ear.“You are amazing and while I will be by your side to protect you, I’m glad that you’re able to take care of any danger yourself.”

At his words, Ara took a deep breath and faced the table.“Please step back.”

When the living area had been cleared, she turned back to the table and it exploded outward in a million pieces that shot in every direction.With a wave of her hand, Ara stopped the splinters in midair.They were able to move around the explosion, examining the pieces in awe.Reaper had thought that crushing metal cans had been impressive, but nothing compared to the table.

They heard footsteps coming from the kitchen, and before Ara could figure out what to do with the pieces, Seth stepped in the room.His eyes widened as he took in the scene in front of him.

“Holy shit, that’s cool.”

Liv snarled at the kid’s language, but Seth draped an arm over her shoulders and pulled her in for a hug.

Ara’s tense shoulders relaxed before she gathered the pieces into a tight pile and placed them into the trash.She glanced around the room, worried that she might have done something that freaked them out at last, but everyone looked impressed.

They moved the furniture back into place and Reaper pulled Ara onto his lap as they all settled around the room.Ara had grown quiet during the conversation Xander had started about mates and turning, but her relaxed posture calmed him.He hoped that her worry about her powers had passed, but he knew it would take time.Something they both had plenty of.

While they talked, he absently brushed over the spot where he marked her and he wanted to do it again.She shivered in his arms, and he pressed a kiss against her hair, smiling at her reaction to him.Her yawn gave him the perfect excuse to get her all to himself.With barely a word, he carried her upstairs and into their bedroom.He flicked the lock on the door and sat her down on her feet.

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