Gravity (19 page)

you mean it. I don’t understand why you throw away my compliments as if you are undeserving.

You are nobility and grace. In another time, another life that I have lived in, a woman like you

would have been coveted by kings. I am only sorry—” He cut himself off and his lips tightened. “I

have not set a good example of how a gentleman should live.” Justus stepped back and tucked his

chin against his chest.

The wind gathered up a few scraps of paper and scattered them about. They stood quietly,

facing each other. Page struggled to absorb the gravity of the moment.

She hadn’t considered how lonely life could be if the opposite sex only wanted you because of

an imbalance of energy. At least, that’s how her scientific mind thought of it. There must be

chemistry in Mage energy, which would explain the variety of abilities among them.

“Apologies. I have offended you,” he said.

Page brushed away a brown tangle of hair that caught in her eyelashes. “No, you just…” She

sighed, not believing the admission she was about to lay on him. Maybe then he’d realize that he

was wasting his efforts. “Everything you just said about me—that was really beautiful. But I’m

nothing to be coveted. The truth is, Justus…” She lowered her head and turned to the right, facing

the street. “I’ve never been with a man.”

The silence was so deafening that every snowflake hitting the cement sounded like a grenade

exploding.

“I’m an outcast among Relics because I can’t have children. I’m not the sort of girl that other

Breed men go for because my job is demanding. I’m a dedicated worker who doesn’t have time for

socializing or even cooking. My shoes aren’t designer heels—they’re a pair of scuffed-up boots and

dress shoes. I read. I knit. My favorite kind of music isn’t the popular stuff on the radio—it’s Ella

James and Billie Holiday. Most nights I get home so late that I fall asleep on the couch almost as

soon as I walk in the house. I haven’t exactly had anyone knocking at my door.”

The admission hung in the frosty air like linen frozen on a line. Page had always been forthright

with her thoughts and opinions, but now she felt exposed. It was a real moment—one where she

didn’t think about the right or wrong thing to say. It was putting herself out there, right on the

edge of the cliff. The wind stung against her lips and she stared at the empty sidewalk before her.

The moon peered from above as a dark cloud passed over it, and it was bright and watchful.

A loud rapping sound startled her and she clutched her chest, spinning around as her boots

scraped against the concrete.

Justus stood with his arm outstretched to the glass window of a candle shop. His closed fist

rapped on the glass twice more.

“I’m knocking, Page. Let me in.”

Chapter 15

I spent hours at Simon’s apartment to see how much progress he had made in reviewing some

of the photographs. His place wasn’t huge, but he had a spectacular view from the fifteenth floor

of his high-rise apartment building. Casual was an understatement when it came to his taste in

décor. A chocolate-brown couch ran along the wall, and the shag carpet covering most of the

living room floor looked like an original out of 1970. He only owned one television set. If you sat on

the couch, you faced the front door with the kitchen area to the far left and the hall and a

computer station to the immediate right.

Simon was in the middle of cataloguing the photographs of the lab. Word searches didn’t help

with images, so I typed information for each picture on a spreadsheet for quick reference and filed

accordingly.

Most of the photographed files contained medical jargon I didn’t understand—patient this,

hemoglobin that. Not all the shots had come out clear, and I thought to myself that Adam would

have been perfect for the job.

“This is going to take forever,” I groaned.

“I enhanced the images to remove shadows and blurry spots.”

After clicking through a few images, I leaned back and glared at him. “What kind of editing

software are you using? You put a happy face on this picture. That’s not very professional.”

He snorted. “I was protecting her dignity.”

Among the documented images, Simon had taken a few shots of an adult magazine. “Unless

they’re brewing porn stars in that lab, I fail to see the connection.”

His office chair squeaked as he leaned back and stuck out his pierced tongue.

I was beginning to think that Simon just had a bad case of OCD, ADD, and PMS. With a little

BS and OMG mixed in.

“Simon, whatever happened to game night?” I rubbed my weary face with my hands.

“This is why real life is a drag. Anytime you feel like getting owned in Battleship, just give me a

ring.”

“I think you should get some kind of audio translator that puts all your words down on the

computer.”

“Do you really think a bleeding scrap of digital bits could understand my accent?”

“When you have it? No. But then again, you swear so much you’re liable to muddy up the files

anyhow.”

“Bugger off,” he grumbled in a weary voice. “Doesn’t seem to bother the ladies none. In fact,

most like it when I constantly talk in their ear while I’m changing their oil.”

I slapped the tattoo on his forehead and stood up. “You can be such a dickhead sometimes.”

Simon leaned his head back and soaked me in with his caramel eyes. “You’re so mature. I had

a woman tongue my forehead in a way that I’d never quite experienced. So laugh it up, Chuckles.”

I snorted at the mental image of Simon walking into a bar with that embarrassing tattoo and

what his pickup line would be.

“What’s your Mage gift, Simon?”

He pinched his fingers together and moved them across his lips, zipping them closed. Didn’t

hurt to try, and I sometimes asked in moments when I’d catch him off guard. It’s possible he

hadn’t discovered them yet, as Justus told me some realize them right away, while others it takes

years before their ability develops.

“Justus still training you?” he asked.

I nodded. “I’m learning to use my energy a little bit more. See?” I held my hand up and rubbed

my fingers together, creating a trace of blue light between them that was an energy spark. I had

acquired the knack of summoning my light at will, learning to harness it properly, and leveling

down as needed. Justus had also taught me how to extract healing energy from sunlight, although

he advised against crutching on energy to heal. I still had a long road ahead to get anywhere near

on the same level as these guys, but patience is a virtue, and I was not without virtues.

“Excellent progress,” he said in an impressed voice. Simon shifted around in his chair. “Where is

Justus?”

“He sent a text that he was with Page, installing alarms or something.”

“Justus likes her, you know.”

“Who, Page? I don’t see it.”

He snorted. “Some men say it with roses and candy. Justus says it with Tasers and deadbolts. I

don’t hear much of Logan these days. Sorry bastard not wooing you hard enough?”

With a heavy sigh, I slipped into my leather coat and pulled up the zipper. “Don’t ask me

another question about it, but we broke it off and I’m kind of seeing someone else. Look, Simon,

I’m whipped. I can give you a hand tomorrow, but my eyes are starting to cross. Don’t work too

hard,” I said, messing up his hair as he flipped his laptop shut.

Simon had a hunch something dramatic had happened. He was the one who’d done the

system check on the new retinal scanner while Justus spoke privately with him in the outer

hallway. He rarely pried in personal matters, something I simply attributed to him being male.

I glanced at a shot glass on the desk. “You know, you don’t exactly have top security in this

apartment. You should think about that while you’re up here putting sensitive data on that laptop

of yours.”

Simon was challenged by my accusation. “Throwing down the gauntlet, is that how it is?”

“I’m not attacking your ability as a strategist; I’m merely pointing out that a flea could break in

here. Maybe you should store this at our house. And don’t look at me like that.”

His tattered red shirt with ripped sleeves said “Undercover Lover,” which was more than what

he had been wearing when he answered the door. He’d made some croquettes on his brand-new

countertop and we’d nibbled on them while looking over the evidence. But I could only stare at a

computer for so long.

“I’m going to head out, so call me when you want me to come over and give you a hand. I do

miss our game nights,” I said softly, leaning over to kiss the top of his head.

Simon arched his brows so that his forehead wrinkled and I scraped his hair in front of his face

to cover up his hideous tattoo. Without warning, he clasped my fingers and scrutinized me with

serious eyes. A muscle in my face involuntarily twitched and I jerked my hand away.

“See ya later, Simon.”

***

On my way home I stopped by the Red Door. It had a quiet spot in the back, separate from the

crowd. Everyone knew the rules on the code of conduct, depending on where you sat. The cozy

booth had plush red seats and mosaic candleholders adorning the wooden tables. It had become

one of my absolute favorite places—more upscale than a human bar, but so casual. Maybe it was

nostalgia being that it was my first Breed club, but now I knew why Justus had made this his

home away from home.

I ordered a Green Dragon that was always too strong for me to handle; a green concoction that

looked like liquid kryptonite. Sickly sweet and one small shot glass was all a person really needed. I

hated the stuff, and it hit the spot. Christian slid onto a stool at the bar several feet away, peering

at me over his shoulder while the bartender wiped down the surface with a white towel.

Tarek’s threat loomed over me like an ominous cloud. My second glass arrived on the table and

I grimaced as it sailed down my throat.

“I thought you didn’t care for the specialty drinks.”

My eyes lifted to a man with color-shifting eyes, now resting on hazel. His ultra-soft brown hair

polished his shoulders, and the menacing dragon tattoo that stretched around his neck punched

out like a waking nightmare.

“Remi, I didn’t expect to see you here. Is Justus with you?”

I only saw Remi on the rare occasion. He was a Gemini—a Breed with a detached personality,

and good reason for it. Maybe that’s why Justus wanted me to keep my distance from him. They

had a switch not unlike a Chitah, except instead of running on animal instinct, something dark and

dangerous took over. The only way a Gemini could return from that state was to spill blood. I’d

never seen it, nor did I care to.

“Justus has been busy.” He bowed, keeping his eyes on me. “May I sit?” He removed his long

jacket and folded it across his arm. Remi was dressed like everyone else in the city—warm. His

long-sleeve cotton shirt fit his body well—a charcoal shade with a wide collar revealing the tattoo

he wasn’t afraid to show off.

“Sure. It’s a free country.”

He quietly slid across from me and laced his fingers together. “Sometimes it is, and sometimes

not so much.”

“I’ll drink to that,” I said, raising my empty glass. I felt a peculiar, almost dreamlike effect that

promised me hours of sleep.

“I’ve mentioned to you the importance of retaining your humanity, Silver. More than once, if I

recall.”

I lifted a brow, sensing the direction of conversation. “Yeah, I remember.”

“In your presence, I feel the need to mourn. It’s an intuition, one that often comes with loss.

Whatever pain you’re enduring, don’t shut yourself out. When you close off your emotions, you

become like—”

“You?”

I blanched when the words escaped and I shut my eyes in disgust. Remi had selflessly helped

us on more than one occasion and I’d just insulted him.

“I’m sorry,” I said in a low voice.

“No need to apologize, Silver. I’m not offended by the truth. It is the way of Geminis to shut

out our emotions, our… humanity. We are not able to control them as easily and as a result, there

are consequences. But you have a choice. I miss the charm you once possessed in your humor,

and there was a light in your eyes that is much dimmer now.” Remi lowered his gaze thoughtfully

and wrapped his fingers around a glass he had brought to the table, taking a small sip. “I would

very much like to quietly sit here with you and share a drink.”

Which he did.

Remi offered a mental hug even though I barely knew him. Sharing silence with someone is

underrated. Sometimes words are not enough, or they’re not the right ones.

Geminis were one of the most feared races among us. I found nothing threatening about him

except the level of control he possessed. It was almost robotic, and even his compassion felt

devoid of emotion.

My eyes closed and a sea of voices pulled me into a relaxed state of mind. When I opened

them, Remi was gone.