Page 48 of Touched

Yeah, because we’re hiding under my fucking leather couch, morons.

I grimace, thinking of the claim I’ll need to file with the leasing companyandmy insurance.

There is no way I’m getting my deposit back.

Fan-fucking-tastic.

The couch is shredded before being thrown onto my dining table. The legs protest outward before snapping.

Motherfucker…

Aeris regains my attention. “Well, um, you… uh, you sort of have wings now. They’re not like mine, but…”

I what?

“What?” I cut her off. “I have wings?” My voice rises as I try to turn my head around like the fucking chick onTheExorcistwith no luck. I can see a small part of what’s spawned on my backside. “Why did it burn when they came out? Do yours hurt when they release?”

“Uh, no. Mine don’t. But as far as yours, I have no idea. I can’t tell you that right now,” she answers, grabbing ahold of my arm. “There might be answers back in Laric in our books, but I’ll need to do research.” The Trahans pause in their destruction to harshly sniff the air. They growl and Derek’s head swivels toward the hall. Aeris whispers, “Callum, we need to get you out of here while you’re still invisible. While we’rebothinvisible. No one can see you like this. And when I’m touching you, no one can see me either. Not even them. And they can see through Glamor, so… we need to look into this.”

I think about this for a moment. “No human can see you and you’re full fairy. Now that I’ve come into my power, what’s the likeliness people will see me?”

“Honestly?” She nibbles on her lip for a moment. “Unless you’re touching me,Ican’t see you.”

My mouth drops open and I’m at a complete loss for words, outside of the obvious, of course. “Then how do I make myself visible again?”

“Um, I don’t know. Even with Glamor… I can usuallyseeother Fae. All Gifted can see other Gifted… even with Glamor on. This, I don’t know what this is. I’ve never even heard of it. It’s as though you’ve cloaked us. Maybe focus onbeingvisible,” she tells me. “But not right now. Right now, we both need to stay invisible. And we need to get away from here.”

She’s right. If they see us, we’re both dead.

“Right,” I whisper. “We definitely need to get out of here. It won’t be long before the Rougarou come looking for us. I think they can smell us, even though they can’t see us.” We both glance into my apartment and see all three brothers staring at the spot we’re standing, appearing confused, but still sniffing the air deeply.

She quietly asks, “Where can we go that’s safe?”

I think about it for a quick second.

Got it. Of course.

“My grandmother’s house. We’ll be safe there. She knows about all of this, and nothing would surprise her.”

“Then let’s get out of here,” she quietly states.

Derek, followed by his two brothers, leaps from the middle of the demolished room, knocking into each other, and slamming against the doorframe. It’s almost comical.

“It’s time. Hold onto me,” she says into my ear, though I can’t see her. Holding hands tightly, we race down the stairs and through the broken door to the street.

When we reach the sidewalk, she says, “Hold on, we’re heading to the sky.” Wrapping our arms around each other, we share a quick look before she jets from the ground.

If it weren’t for the rescuing bit of this plan, I wouldn’t mind this at all. Having her this close, it’s everything.

I breathe her in, relishing the scent of her hair as it whips past my face. I want to bury my face in her neck and feather my lips along her sensitive flesh, but while flying… not such a great idea. Besides, I didn’t handle this especially well the first time.

After providing the whereabouts of my grandmother’s place, it’s only a matter of minutes before we touch down on her lush grass. Everyone else’s yard is brown and dead. But not hers. As Aeris releases me, I wobble and try to steady myself. Everything is spinning.

Do not puke, LeBlanc!

Trevor, the troll I met at the library, is waiting for us as though he was expecting us. He’s grinning so wide I fear it may split his face.

“Well, well, it seems our Callum has come into his powers,” he states.

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