Page 91 of Stardusted
“Fine.” His stare didn’t waver. “Yes. I’ve been keeping an eye on you, Raven.”
“Why?How much of an eye?” I demanded. “You were at the university. Which means you saw thatthing. And did youfollowme to Crescent? Is that why you were there?”
He didn’t deny it. Instead, his body jerked, and his gaze snapped to mine. “You really do remember what happened at the school.”
The way he was looking at me, sharp and assessing, made my pulse jump. I ignored the question, too busy coming to terms with the fact I’d been freakingright.
“Oh my God,” I breathed. “Youhavebeen stalking me. Why?”
This was all so overwhelming. Breathing hurt. The question that’d haunted me since he’d gone silver on me at Oasis slipped out. “Do you…have a robot form?”
Sky stilled, then barked a harsh laugh completely devoid of humor. “The Enil,” he murmured, raking a hand through his hair, leaving it to fall haphazardly over his ears and forehead. It was starting to curl as it dried. I’d never seen it messy like that. “You do remember the Enil.”
I tore my attention from his hair and fixed him with an incredulous look instead. “You keep saying that. Whywouldn’tI? And you keep saying that word—the Enil. Was that the robot?” I paused for air and flung one arm toward the corner. “And that other personwasyou at TWU, wasn’t it? With your…with the skin-suit thing. You yelled my name.”
He didn’t say anything. He was still studying me. My legs threatened to give out again, and I pressed my lower back into the kitchen counter. My guts were so twisted, there was a distinct chance I was going to throw up. The room needed to stop spinning.
Sky’s dark gaze held mine, luminous and so serious. “But the question is,howdo you remember?” he mused aloud, more to himself than me. Which was fine, since I was having trouble thinking clearly.
Hehadbeen following me. All my gut instincts about him had been right.
I mean, I hadn’t imagined the whole alien-in-a-human-suit part. I’d knownsomethingwas off, but no one could blame me for not consideringthatpossibility.
Before I could blink, Sky closed the distance between us. I squeaked, every cell going on Red Alert. But there was nowhereto go. I was wedged between the counter and the looming alien looking at me likeIwas the mystery.
So I stayed in place, breathing hard as he closed the distance between us. I felt too exposed in my tank top and old yoga pants. Like a pinned specimen beneath a microscope. With my phone hand, I yanked my cardigan closed.
Sky didn’t stop until he stood right in front of me, and he tipped his chin down, his expression solemn. “You remember everything, don’t you?”
“I…” More than I wanted to; that was for sure. I licked my lips, transferring my weight from foot to foot.
Was I supposed toforget…? Like those security guards had apparently forgotten everything? Likeeverybody else except mehad somehow missed the angry alien robot rampaging through the anthro hall?
I didn’t say anything, merely stared up at him. I could feel the heat he radiated. The shirt beneath his coat clung to his torso like a second skin.
Or a third skin, technically.
He was close and he smelled like Sky—rain, leather, that fresh air scent. And that same awareness I’d always felt around him bloomed low in my belly. Made my cheeks heat and my mouth go dry.
Which couldn’t be right.
Because that meant despite everything, despite what I’d seen, despite the fact I’d spent the last days narrowly escaping beingkilledby aliens…I was still wildly, stupidly attracted to one.
As if he felt it, too, that pang ofattraction,Sky’s breath hitched—the smallest catch. His eyes swept over my face, pausing on my mouth so briefly I wondered if I’d imagined it. Like it had when we were dancing.
Had that part been real?
I forced myself to focus on the conversation rather than how little space there was between us. “How would I forget something like what happened in the lab?”
Why was it suddenly so hot in here?
Why did I have the inexplicable urge to move toward him?
Instead, I leaned back as far as the counter allowed. Cell phone in one hand, mace in the other. Searching for air that didn’t smell like him and failing miserably.
“You shouldn’t be able to remember,” he said, eyes finding mine again. “When I carried you out to the hallway, I wiped the memory.” Now his gaze dropped to my hand. The marked one holding the mace. “Unless…”
“Wait. Back up.” I recoiled. “Wiped my memory? What are you talking about?”
