Layla had told Luke everything. Sitting up in his room on his bed as her things had been put in storage over a week ago, Layla cradled a mug of ginger tea. She had changed from her rumpled silk gown into one of his old grey t-shirts that was ripped at the neck, but basically a sleep shirt on her. The night was chilly and she’d donned a pair of his wool hiking socks also, now curled up like a cat against his pillows as she sipped her tea. She’d finally finished her story, all about the Hotel and Adrian and about being a Dragon – and now Luke stared at her, his green eyes wide as he cradled his own mug of forgotten tea, sitting crosslegged with her on the bed.
“And you were marked by that wrist cuff from the gallery.” He frowned at her arm and Layla nodded, turning her wrist over. The cuff was gone but the stark hamsa-design stood out still in vicious red on her skin like a brand. It ached ever since she had thrown away her talisman, as if something in her life was incomplete now. Her bones felt painful deep to their marrow, and as Layla had that thought, she nestled her mug between her legs and rubbed at her wrist, wondering if the pain was her magic rebelling at losing the cuff or if it was just the wet Seattle cold.
Reaching out, Luke took up Layla’s hand to stop her from rubbing at her mark. Reaching his other hand out, he brushed his fingers over the hamsa-mark, tracing it slowly. His touch was sensational and something about it caused Layla’s inner heat to flare. A hot whip of magic rushed through her veins, no longer controlled by the cuff. It lashed out at Luke’s touch and he flinched back with a hiss, flicking his fingers like he’d been burned.
His eyes went wide. “Did you just do that?”
“It’s my magic,” Layla breathed. “It’s not controlled right now. When I had the cuff it was less intense. Now… I don’t know how to control it yet, and I think it’s gotten more intense as it’s opened over the past few weeks. I didn’t have time to learn anything about controlling it, before I left the Hotel. Yet another thing Adrian could have taught me that he never did. Damn him and his secrets all to hell.”
A searing scent of orange peels had gone out from her body with that lash of heat, and Luke sniffed the air, raising one dark eyebrow. “And I suppose that scent isn’t our tea.”
“No, it’s not.” Layla shook her head.
Settling back against the headboard and pillows, Luke blinked, frowning. Layla could practically feel him taking it all in, digesting her story in that practical, methodical way of his. Reaching up, he scrubbed a hand through his thick black hair, then glanced at her again with his clear emerald eyes. “So this Hotel. It was for your kind. People borne of magic.”
“It was for humans, too. Human dignitaries and royalty and CEOs. I met a lot of them in Concierge Services.”
“So it really was a hotel then.”
“Yeah, Luke.” A small smile crept over Layla’s lips, despite everything. “It really was a hotel. Strangest place ever, but it was an actual honest-to-god hotel.”
“Well, that’s something.” Luke set his head back on the headboard, gazing up at the ceiling, then looked down. Reaching out, he took up Dusk’s letter from the coverlet, perusing it for the umpteenth time. He set it down, his head settling back on the headboard again. And then he looked at her. “Are you ok?”
A small smile twisted Layla’s lips. “Aren’t you going to freak out? How are you taking this all so well?”
“I mean, what can I freak out about?” Luke gave her a frank look and a shrug. “In med school, they teach you about the normal human body, right? But then there’s millions of variations. Every person is individual, Layla. We all have a body that functions slightly differently than other people, or has a minutely different structure and DNA. I mean, evolution is a crazy thing. How did we get a platypus, for fuck’s sake? And if we’ve got those weird-ass ducks walking around, who’s to say we don’t have weird-ass humans walking around because of evolution, too?”
“So I’m a weird-ass human?” Layla’s smile twisted her lips more, teasing him as something lifted inside her for the first time since her fight with Adrian.
“It’s just an analogy.” Luke gave her a look, though there was tenderness in it. “But clearly there are others like you out there. Hell, you saw them – interacted with them for weeks.”
“So you don’t think I’m crazy.” Taking a deep breath, Layla realized how relieving that felt, that Luke trusted her and her story.
“I don’t think you’re in good shape right now from what this asshole Adrian did to you,” Luke growled pointedly, “but I don’t think you’re crazy, Layla. I mean, I’ve never met someone who can sting me with their skin.”
Layla’s smile curled more. It was strange being back; nothing felt like home anymore. And yet, sitting here next to Luke, trusting him with this incredible story and having him trust her, felt more like home than anywhere Layla could have been. A thought struck her suddenly, that if it had been Dusk sitting here, he would have taken it all in stride also. Luke was a strange combination of Dusk and Adrian’s personalities, and as Layla watched him, she smiled.
“What?” Luke’s green eyes twinkled, watching her back with a small smile.
“You.” Layla smiled, then set her tea mug aside on the table by the bed. “I met a few guys like you while I was at the Hotel, but no one’s as good as the original.”
“Layla.” Luke’s gaze got complicated, something hopeful yet pained in it. “We went through this already. You and me—”
“I know.” Layla shook her head, feeling foolish. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“I’m glad you did.” Luke’s gaze was penetrating; sincere. “I’m glad you’re home.”
“Me too.”
Silence enveloped the room. It was a Friday night and the housemates were all out, Luke only home because he’d been studying patient charts for his shift in the morning. Before Layla could say anything else, Luke had set his mug aside and shifted closer on the bed. Reaching out, he twined their fingers together. Layla’s magic didn’t burn him this time, only shifted restlessly under her skin, flushing heat into the air with a scent of orange spice.
Layla saw Luke’s eyes light as that heat flushed from her. He inhaled the air, his lips fallen open as if entranced by her Dragon-scent. Layla’s heart pounded, feeling him so near, his hand so warm in hers. So normal. Her beast shifted restlessly inside her, responding to the fire in his green eyes as he turned to her, slipping a hand up behind her neck and stroking her skin.
Layla felt the air heat between them; she saw a mirage shimmer around the bed, something that had never happened before with Luke even when she’d been with him after her magics had opened. Her magics were definitely stronger now than they had been then, and Layla suddenly saw something flash in the mirage, like a curl of golden fire in the air. Breathing hard now as Luke watched her with his bright green eyes, something inside Layla shifted again – knowing she and Luke were trouble for each other. Yet something else raced through her veins with a passionate heat, wanting to erase the past few weeks and simply be his again.
Wanting to be home in his arms.
Wanting him.
