Page 60 of Ghost
In a blink, my annoyance dissipated. I frowned, wondering how Miles could come up with such a random statement at a moment like this. Damen mirrored my expression.
“What are you talking about?” Damen bravely asked.
“I had to call Julian for moral support.” Miles braced his arms against the railing. “In order to clear up a misunderstanding. When we told Bianca that we couldn’t date… She interpreted it—and our jobs—to mean that we were paranormal investigative monks.”
So? Weren’t we somewhat something similar?
Damen appeared less unfazed than me. He stared at Miles, his eyes wide. “What?”
“Yes,” Miles continued. “Watch yourself, Damen. She thinks that Kasai is a demon, and that he is trying to get you to lose your virginity. I’m guessing that is why she thinks you flirt with her.”
I coughed as Damen pinched his nose.
Damen, a virgin. That was laughable. But speaking of…
“Knock it off with the flirting,” I warned him, my insides cold at the thought of Bianca being hurt by Damen’s inherited nature. “Or, if you insist on continuing, you better be planning on some kind of commitment. She doesn’t understand. You can’t visit any of your friends.”
“Don’t worry.” Damen’s voice sounded odd. His reaction made me pause, because I expected his annoyance at being called out. But, instead, he appeared to be confused. “Playing around with her is something that comes naturally. I can’t seem to stop myself…”
“Why not? You’ve been worse than the rest of us,” Miles interjected. “If it’s keeping her around that concerns you, you’re the worst. You can’t try to sleep with her. You know what the elders would say if they found out. It’s going to be difficult enough to convince them that we’re not interested.”
“I’m nottryingto do anything.” Damen sounded torn. “I look at her, and these feelings and thoughts pop into my mind. It’s not like the others, where it’s only a good time. I don’t want to lose her. Everyone else now seems boring.”
“Damen…” I frowned as our gazes locked. For Bianca’s sake, I hoped he was being serious. However, even if he didn’t hurt her with his nature, it didn’t change the fact she was only a friend.
“Besides,” Miles continued, seemingly reading my thoughts. “It might not matter in the long run—the legalities. It’s never been an issue within our group. If sheisthe xing then—”
“She’s not him,” I cut Miles off, my heart pounding at the implications. “You weren’t there. You didn’t feel the pull. He’s dead.”
Damen was wearing a contemplative look, and it made me pause.
“Don’t tell me that you’re considering this?” I asked. “I thought you only suggested the idea in order to be safe.”
If she was the xing… Well, it meant we were wrong. But that was impossible. I’d never forget the way my heart shattered at the sight of the grey-faced newborn.
Alyssa Dubois’ pregnancy had been rough, and in the end she almost died. Despite the best medical care, her premature son had been stillborn.
He was unmarked, despite being the xing. But it was not unheard of for the mark to fade upon death. Yet, the adults still needed to be certain.
Julian and Miles were both too young. So it became Damen’s and my responsibility to see if we could feel anything—even a flicker of recognition—from the body. Everyone hoped even though he had passed, perhaps there was a flicker left and our souls would recognize each other.
The five of us had been together for thousands of years. But the idea that we’d recognize someone dead, whom we’d never met in this life, was only a theory.
But it had worked. The sense of profound loss—the brokenness—had been undeniable.
“Well,” Damen mused, tearing me from my memories. “She is powerful.”
“I’m not denying that,” I agreed. “But that doesn’t mean she’s the xing. She is strong, but at most, she’s probably tongjun level.”
“I dare you to tell him that,” Damen smirked.
I frowned, the image of the uptight, white-haired man crossing through my mind.
Xavier was not a person who took his position lightly, and the two of us did not get along. In fact, the last time we had spoken it hadn’t ended well. “I’d rather not.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Bianca
