Endless Night (Fate's Intent Book 3) (27 page)

“I’m not talking because I have nothing to say, Zayden.”

“Well, I disagree.”

“Of course. Something we do a lot.”

“Maybe but that’s what makes us, us and I love that. I love how different you are and I would never try to change that.”

“Really?” She finally looked over and I saw the hope in her eyes.

“Of course. There isn’t a thing you do that I don’t like except hating me.”

“Zayden, I don’t hate you.”

“Could have fooled me.”

My plan started to work. I switched our behaviors. “I don’t.” She was urgent to get me to understand. “It’s just that you say things and I don’t know what I should be believing.”

“I didn’t mean it when I said—”

“I know. It’s all I’ve been thinking about and now that I have, it makes sense.”

“No, Love. It doesn’t. I never should have said it because I really do think there is some kind of tie between us or maybe at least I want there to be because—”

“What?”

I slowly brought up my hand and touched her face. She was so easy to talk to and I told her exactly what she wanted to hear and it was all true. “I love you and I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to say it.”

Adele slowly started to smile and inched herself closer to me. “You don’t have to be sorry. I know it can be hard to say. When I did, it was in an anxious rush to save you but I meant it. I love you too.”

I smiled from hearing her say it right to me for the first time and I moved my hand to the back of her head. I was going to pull her closer to me for a kiss but she pulled away with her own smile and started to get up.

“Where are you going?”

She didn’t say a word. She just smiled and walked down onto the beach, getting out of her clothing along the way. I couldn’t seem to blink as my eyes traced her body and she kept her soft smile while taking her hair down next and letting it fall over her shoulders. “Want to go for a swim?” I still couldn’t take my eyes off her and it seemed I lost my voice while watching. “Zayden?”

“I’m coming!” I got right down off the rock in a hurry and followed her down onto the beach. I wasn’t about to let this opportunity get away.

Adele laughed and dove into the water. She swam out to sea until the water level just covered her breasts and looked back towards the shore.

I was already in the water and swam right up to her. “Don’t start without me.”

She put her arms around my neck and got as close as she could. “Wouldn’t dream of it but you have to promise me.”

“What?”

“Don’t ever take it back.”

“Why would I ever do that? I love you. That will never change.”

Adele smiled and tangled her fingers in my wet hair at the back of my head and kissed me with the passion and desire I’ve been missing. The motion of the water stimulated my senses and I brought my hands down around Adele’s hips and lifted her up. The water made her feel weightless and I effortlessly penetrated her body. Our fight was over and I was glad of it.

My rhythmic thrusts were becoming in sync with the rhythm of the sea and caused Adele to pant, helping me take in every desired sensation. She laced her fingers around my neck and leaned back, letting the water and my steady hand keep her afloat. I marveled at her reaction for my performance as her moans and motion of her own hips begged me not to stop. She pulled herself back toward me with a kiss while I turned and slowly started bringing her back towards shore, still continuing along the way.

The lower the water got, the lower we got until I had Adele laying with her back against the wet sand on the beach and the waves came rolling in over our bodies. We shared a passionate kiss and Adele held her arms tightly around me, only making me crave every movement pressed with the waves.

I clenched one hand around the back of her neck, pulling her into me as I started kissing her again. Our lips continued to be locked and our tongues entwined while the waves continued to crash onto us, intensifying the moment. Things were back to the way they were supposed to be and Adele taught me never to let go of the things you love. I loved her and I sure showed it on the beach with the waves still hitting us and her moans only seeming to get stronger until she finally got what she wanted. Everything just seemed perfect.

I stayed over her as the waves continued to come ashore and we let the sounds of the relaxing sea and our breaths ease the moment of the night.

“Woo! You going to tell us about it?!” Ruby’s shouting voice from the grassy knoll just before the beach interrupted the sounds of nature. Adele and I stayed exactly where we were but looked up and saw her with the others reaching her sides, all smiling.

“How did I not see that happening?”

I laughed and kept Adele under me as Jaylyn was the first to proceed down onto the beach with two blankets. “So, worked it out, I hope.” She tossed the blankets on us while shading her eyes and we used them to cover up while we got up.

“We shouldn’t have to tell you.” I said.

Troy laughed as he came over with Ruby and Darius and dropped a small pile of drift wood in front of us. “We’re just glad you’re over it. I know my feelings aren’t hurt if you spare us the details.”

Ruby laughed too as she dropped a burning torch on the pile, starting the fire. “You don’t know how glad you should be. Madam Carla would not have tolerated that attitude in her presence.”

“Oh, yeah.” Jaylyn agreed. “You would have regretted it.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that.” Adele smiled. “She’ll be happy by our visit.”

“And have you thought of what she’ll do when she senses them?” Ruby asked and looked around at us.

“What?” Darius asked.

“Oh, ah, she’s been kind of secluded from the world for a long time.” Adele explained. “So, I’m not really sure how long it’s been since she’s sensed a man. She references a lot of things to sex as it is but when she gets a sense of you, it’s going to be fun.”

“Gets a sense?” I didn’t understand why they kept using that phrase.

“Oh, she’s blind.” Jaylyn said. “But don’t think she can’t see you. She has other ways of knowing. Her powers are extensive. Never underestimate what she can do. You must always keep an open mind around her.”

Ruby sighed. “Yeah, or she’ll open it for you and that’s a slap-in-the-face experience.”

Jaylyn and Adele both laughed.

“Did she do that to you?” Troy asked.

Adele laughed again. “Yeah. Ruby was brought into this life based on logic and facts since her mother was already an Assassin. She didn’t believe in anything spiritual really. That is, until we met Madam Carla.”

Jaylyn laughed again too. “I think she got over it. You shouldn’t have that kind of problem. You’ve already seen the things we can do so you should believe by now.”

“Oh, there’s no doubting that.” I said, holding Adele tightly in front of me. “I don’t see there being a problem.”

“Good but I hope you don’t mind.” Ruby got up. “This isn’t very comfortable to sit in. I have to get out of it. I don’t know why I haven’t done it yet.”

“Oh, no. Of course not.” Darius replied. She smiled and kissed him then walked off back towards the shelter. Darius watched her and was even looking that way when she was out of sight.

“I think maybe someone wants to follow her.” Jaylyn said playfully.

Darius quickly turned his head. “What?”

“You should.” Adele replied. “She’s probably naked by now. She could always get out of her clothes a lot faster than she gets in them.”

“Thank you but no.”

“You can’t hold off forever.” Jaylyn said. “Ruby’s not known for her patience.”

“Yeah. I know what she’s known for. Thanks.”

“Same as you.” Adele smiled. “And she’ll only wait so long. Same as you.”

“Don’t!” Darius snatched. I held on to Adele a little tighter in front of me in case I had to move her to get in the way. “We’re passed that and I’m not the only one that wants to wait. She’s afraid she might still be able to kill me.”

“Though I’m sure that if you go in there she’d be willing to take that chance. You have to get over it at some point, otherwise she will—without you.”

Darius’s eyes narrowed and he began to get to his feet. He didn’t say a word and turned from the fire, walking back towards the shelter and Ruby. It was better for him. I was actually proud that he didn’t say anything because he really didn’t want to make things worse.

“Do you think he will?” Jaylyn smiled.

Troy and I looked at each other and spoke plainly as one. “No.”

“He just wanted to get away.” I said.

“Why is he like that?”

“It’s a complicated story. He wouldn’t like us talking about it.”

“We won’t tell him.” Adele said. “We want to know. I mean, you yelled at me about it, protecting him.”

“Yeah, sorry about that.”

“It’s okay. We just want to know.” She looked over at Jaylyn and she nodded to agree.

“Well, you already know part of it. It has to do with his parent’s death.”

“But there has to be more than that.” Adele said. “How did they die?”

“His father died in the war like most men do. He took that hard enough being just a child but his mother took it a lot harder. She couldn’t cope and it didn’t take long before she took her own life.”

“That’s horrible.” Jaylyn muttered in a growing tone of sadness.

“But not the worst part.” Troy said. “Darius was the one that found her. He’s never been the same since then, never wanting any woman getting close to him because they’re all evil. That’s why he doesn’t sleep with the same one twice. He doesn’t want to deal with all the baggage that comes with it. Women have never been good for anything else.”

“Oh, that’s nice.” Jaylyn sighed, completely losing her sad moment. “Thanks for sharing.”

“It’s not our opinion. It’s just his. He’ll get over it but we don’t really know what it would take.”

Adele and Jaylyn looked at each other and Adele started to get up with a sigh. “All right. Come on. Since you say it won’t be tonight, we should believe you and just get some sleep. We’ll be seeing Madam Carla tomorrow and I don’t want to show up exhausted.”

“You’re not going to tell Ruby about any of this, are you?” I asked.

“No. I’m sure she’ll find out for herself when she gets pissed enough. Let’s just get to bed.”

The fire was put out and we walked back over the grassy knoll and back to the shelter. Ruby and Darius were laying in their bed holding each other either sleeping or not taking notice to our return.

Adele tiptoed passed them with one hand in mine and put her finger over her mouth. I agreed and we snuck into our bed to sleep for the night. I hope it meant that they weren’t the ones fighting now. It wasn’t something we should be taking turns on, especially now.

Chapter 40

Jaylyn

We readied ourselves for the long awaited meeting with Madam Carla. Adele nor I mentioned anything that was said the night before but watched Ruby and Darius interact with each other like there was nothing wrong.

“Look at them.” I said while I stood with Adele a distance away. “I don’t get it.”

“I suppose we don’t have to. As long as they’re happy.”

“I guess. It’s just weird.”

“Hey! Shh!” Zayden snatched. “No talking about it within range.”

“We weren’t, per-say.” Adele said.

“Well, you don’t have to be. He’ll sense it and that will be bad for all of us.”

“Relax.” I whispered. “It was harmless.”

“We should be going, shouldn’t we?”

Adele playfully sighed and hopped up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “All right, your highness. Let’s go then.”

“Don’t do that.”

Adele just laughed and took down the shelter while the horses were being prepared and we soon began the ride east towards the sun.

We stayed along the southern coastline for about an hour until we were looking out to a small island with smoke coming from it.

“We’re here.” Ruby smiled.

“Really? Okay, there’s something you forgot to mention.” Zayden said. “She lives on an island. How are we supposed to get there? I don’t see any boats.”

The three of us who already knew her laughed.

“You have to keep an open mind, remember?” I said. “Things aren’t always what they seem around here.”

“We better get going.” Adele started to bring her horse towards the water first and Ruby and I naturally followed but the Great Seni Fighters didn’t move.

“Come on.” I said. “It’s okay.”

They looked even more shocked when our horses began to walk on top of the water instead of through it.

“How are you doing that?” Troy asked.

“There’s a bridge here no one can see unless for those who already know it’s here. Come on.”