Search (The Empire Chronicles #2) (2 page)

“Hey. Am I too early?” He looked down at his watch before meeting my gaze.

Eric shook his head. “No. Casey’s free to go.”

“I am?” According to the clock it was still ten minutes to eight. Eric never let me out early. I was getting even more suspicious.

“Sure. It’s dead tonight. I’ll take care of things until closing.”

“Okay…” Suspicious or not, I wanted to get out of there. The knot in the pit of my stomach wasn’t going anywhere until I got this conversation over with. As much I was going to miss the way Toby looked at me with longing, he needed to hear the truth.

I went into the back to clock out and grab my bag. I gazed around. I hadn’t bothered with the lights, but I could see perfectly well in the darkened room. I’d always had decent night vision, but this was something altogether different. Had my first transformation given me the super senses Toby mentioned he had? I was just getting used to the wings idea—could I handle more?

“Bates? You okay back there?” Eric called me by my last name yet again. Some things never change.

“Yeah. I’m coming.” I closed my eyes then opened them again. Flying didn’t freak me out but having night vision did? I had problems.

Eric hovered in the doorway when I turned around. He had one of his large hands anchored on the door frame and his eyes fixed on my face.

“Quit creeping me out.”

“What? I’ve got grounds to worry when you take too long doing things.” He crossed his arms. Toby was surprisingly absent from the exchange. I guess he took the “Employees Only” sign seriously.

“If you’ll recall, the last time that happened, it was your fault.” I’m not one to lay blame on people, but come on, asking a girl to take out the trash alone, at night, when you know shifters are watching her—not the smartest move.

“Which is why I’m being more careful now.”

“Yet you don’t care that I’m going out with Toby tonight?” Going out? Maybe that wasn’t the best choice of words.

“Toby’s better than some other choices.”

“Right.” I pushed past him, pleasantly surprised when his huge figure easily moved with my shove. I guess super strength was another possible side effect. I didn’t mind that one.

Toby was still standing in the same place when I came back out, just a few feet from the front door. “Ready?”

I nodded. “Yeah.” I followed him out with no idea of where we were going. There were really only two places that could work. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but my place or yours?”

He got a twinkle in his eyes. “What way would I take that, Casey?”

I shut my eyes tight. I wasn’t supposed to get that shiver when he said my name. Not after what Nelly told me. Not after Jared. Not after finding out the truth. But I did. I reluctantly opened my eyes again.

“Let’s go with mine. It’s more spacious.” His eyes studied me, waiting for my reaction. We had memories at his place. Recent memories I’d been trying to forget.

“All right.” I tore my eyes from his face. He’d gotten a far off look, and I knew he was thinking about the first kiss. The one that felt more like perfection than any other kiss before or since. I shook myself.

In silence, we walked toward his apartment together. I’m pretty sure neither of us knew what to say. So much had happened in such a short period of time. In some ways, I didn’t even know Toby, but in others, I knew him better than almost anyone else. Before long, we turned the corner to his street and reached his modern apartment building.

The door was quickly pulled open by what looked like a middle aged doorman. I knew better. “Hey, Cody.” I smiled, knowing that underneath the disguise was a young Pteron.

“Hey, Casey. Nice to see you back again.” I knew what his words implied. He assumed I was back with Toby. On the surface, it looked that way, and he had every reason to want that. For all he knew, I was the human his boss wanted as his mate. I wondered how he’d feel when he found out I was a Pteron too. My gut told me we’d end up as friends.

Toby nodded in greeting, his body stiffening slightly. I had no idea what that was about, but I followed him over to the elevator.

“It feels like it’s been months since I’ve been here.” Greeting Cody had broken my silence, and I decided to continue talking. Hopefully it would make things less awkward.

“Yeah, I know how you feel.” He stepped out of the elevator on the top floor and unlocked his door. I walked in before he locked the door behind us. The sound of the lock turning was loud. I’d already added super hearing to my list of new abilities. The sound also signified I was alone with Toby. I shouldn’t have liked that thought, but my body’s response was out of my control.

“Can I get you anything to drink?”

“Oh. No, that’s okay.” I wasn’t sure if I could handle a drink—alcoholic or otherwise—with the topic I wanted to broach. I walked across the room, careful to step over the pile of books on the floor. Toby’s place was usually neater.

“Are you all right?” His voice revealed a level of worry and nerves I hadn’t noticed before.

“Yeah. I’m okay.”

“Since when can you see in the dark?” His voice came from right behind me.

“What do you mean?” I spun around. His face was inches from mine.

“Are you really going to pretend you can’t see perfectly?” His eyes twinkled again.

“I’m not going to deny it. It’s kind of a new thing.” I decided to lay it all out there. Putting off our conversation would only make it more difficult.

“New as in…”

“Last night.”

He reached a hand out and touched my arm. I looked up at him. His eyes were kind, and it gave me the confidence I needed.

“Develop any other skills you want to tell me about?”

“I’m stronger,” I whispered. “And I can fly.”

“So it’s true.” His eyes widened and he straightened his shoulders.

“You knew?” I stared into his eyes, searching for the freak out that had to be there. I didn’t find it. He still looked at me with compassion and interest. “How long have you known?”

“I found out last night as well. I guess it was a popular night for revelations.” He smiled. It wasn’t a forced smile. It was the natural one that always melted my heart.

“I guess so.” I looked out the window. The city view brought me back to the fear I felt when I thought I was going to fall to my death.

“Your wings are black.” He said it as a statement and not a question.

“Yeah.” The color of a Pteron’s wings signified the bird they’re tied to. I’d never particularly liked crows, but they did have a certain spooky, ‘don’t mess with me’, feel to them I found attractive.

“Did you know he was your dad?” Toby watched me carefully.

“Robert Laurent? No. Of course not.”

“I didn’t think so.” He stepped away, giving me some more breathing room.

“I need help.” I let the words slip out. I didn’t feel like beating around the bush.

“I’d like to help you. I know what it’s like to suddenly find out you’re not human.”

“Wait. You weren’t raised by Pterons? What about your grandfather?”

“I didn’t find out what I was until I was a teenager. My grandfather showed up with my cousins. They nearly beat me to death before I transformed.” His face didn’t betray any emotion, but the experience must have been terrifying.

I decided to keep things emotionless too. “Murphy pushed me off the Empire State Building,” I said like we were discussing the weather.

Toby’s eyes bugged out. “He what? Are you okay?”

“My wings worked. That’s a plus, I guess.”

Toby smiled faintly. “I’m glad you still have your sense of humor.”

“If I lose that, then you know I’m in trouble.”

“Then we’ll just have to make sure you don’t.”

We’ll? I didn’t want to read into it, but did that mean he wasn’t going to shun me? Was he going to help even though I was a Laurent and related to the guy who took the love of his life? Did the fact that I had wings change the way he felt about me?

“How did it feel?” His eyes widened again, but this time it was with excitement.

“Amazing.” There really was nothing else like it. If I closed my eyes, I could relive that first flight again. I’d never felt so strong and free before.

“Isn’t it? It’s like nothing in the world can stop you or get in your way. You feel powerful and limitless.” His whole body seemed to come alive as he described the sensation of flying.

“Exactly!” Wow, it felt so good to talk about it with someone.

“Are the other side effects messing with you? I remember it took me awhile to get used to the night vision.” He seemed lost in thought like he was imagining his own experience.

“Does it always happen the same way? You get the new abilities after the first time you transform?”

“From everything I know.”

“This is all so crazy.” I smoothed out my t-shirt.

“Have you told anyone else yet?”

“No.”

“Not even Jared?” His smile faded as he said the name.

“No.” With all of the emotions I was juggling, could I handle that kind of rejection? “He’s going to flip out.”

Toby balled his hands into fists. “He has no right to. You didn’t know what you were, and anyway, who cares?”

“In his position, you wouldn’t care?” I hoped he understood I meant if we’d had sex. I refused to say the words.

“Of course not.” He grabbed my arms. “Why would that change anything?” His eyes were so open and honest. He was pleading with me to believe him. He really wouldn’t mind dating a Pteron?

“So what now? Do you think Levi knows?”

“No. We’d know it if he did. I think we need to tread carefully, but we need to tell him. Keeping information from him will only make you look guilty, and you need him on your side.”

“So you think I should see him?” The thought terrified me.

“I’m going to call Allie, if that’s okay with you.”

“Allie?” I’m sure my face looked exactly the way his did when he said Jared. I liked her, but I also felt so much jealousy it hurt when he spoke her name. “Are you sure? I know it’s hard for you to talk to her.”

“Hard? Why?”

“Come on. With your history…” Was he really going to make me pull it out of him?

“So?” He dropped his hands but didn’t move away from me.

“I know how you feel about her. Nelly told me.”

“Excuse me?” His body shook. “What exactly did Nelly tell you?”

I looked away. “That you’ll never get over Allie and that I remind you of her.”

“What?” He stepped away and put his head in his hands before turning back to me. “When did she tell you that?”

“In New Orleans.”

“Is that why you ended things? Why you went with Jared?”

“I’m tired of being unwanted, of being the girl that always comes second.” I looked away, hoping the tears I felt stinging the corners of my eyes wouldn’t fall. I didn’t need to show him just how vulnerable I was.

He wasn’t having it. He cupped my chin in his hand. “I’m over Allie, and I like you because you’re you. I can’t believe Nelly lied to you like that.” He looked down. “Or that you believed her.”

“Why would she make it up? It makes no sense.” I felt a twinge of guilt. Why had I believed her so easily? Was it because of Jared? Was I looking for a reason to date him instead?

Toby groaned. “My cousin was right.”

“Right about what?” I assumed he was referring to Tim. His other cousin, Tom, barely talked. I wasn’t positive what that relationship was, but they kind of seemed like his henchmen.

“Nelly likes me. I know how ridiculously narcissistic that sounds, but it’s true.”

I laughed dryly. “Your witch assistant likes you?”

“Why are you laughing?” he asked with alarm.

“Because of how dumb I am. I was so damn insecure I fell for it.” And so willing to. The self-loathing didn’t feel good.

“So you believe me?” For the second time that night, his eyes pleaded with me.

“Yes.”

“Does that mean you’ll give me a second chance?” The hope in his voice was palpable. Was he really so quick to forget what I did? More and more, I couldn’t understand how I’d moved on from him so quickly.

I dodged the question, because I couldn’t give him another chance. Not yet at least. “I’m sorry for hurting you. I was a bitch.”

“No, you weren’t. Nelly can be pretty persuasive when she wants to be.”

“I was a bitch, but we both knew that already.”

“Do you love him?” Toby’s voice was low, vulnerable.

“No.” I didn’t know what I felt, but it wasn’t love. It was more lust and passion. My feelings for Toby were passionate too, but they were twisted with friendship and companionship more than lust.

“Good.”

“Good because you know he’s going to break my heart, or because you don’t like him?”

“Both, but if you don’t love him, he can’t break your heart.”

“He can still hurt it.” I looked down.

“Yeah, but a hurt heart is easier to fix than a broken one.” His lips quirked into a small smile.

“Is that offer for a drink still available?”

“I have a better idea.”

“Yes?” I asked expectantly.

“Let’s go for a flight.”

“Really? Now?” I didn’t bother hiding my excitement. The thought of being airborne again thrilled me.

“Yes, but let’s call Allie first. I want to get it over with.”

As much as I wasn’t ready, I agreed. Luckily, the flight would probably make things better. I already sensed it would be like exercise and would help relieve stress. The difference was, flying was fun.

I took a seat on the couch and waited nervously as Toby placed the call. “Hey, Allie. We need to talk.”

I gripped the cushion below me. That phone call officially meant there was no turning back.

I’d just drifted off to sleep when my phone rang. I’d switched it to vibrate, but the vibration against the wooden nightstand woke me up immediately. I picked up quickly, hoping it was Casey.

“Jared.” Levi’s voice bellowed at me through the phone.

I dialed down my disappointment. I wanted to see Casey, but I wasn’t going to chase her. She’d have to come to me—at least for now. “Yeah, man.”

“You need to get down here.”

“Now?” I glanced at the digital clock. “It’s almost one a.m.”