“Ah. Well, good for them. I understand wanting a little independence.”
Storm cast him an arch look. “Do you?”
Nathan narrowed his eyes. “Just because I work for the guild doesn’t mean we all have some sort of hive mind.”
“That might be true for you, but I’m not so sure about the rest of your people.”
Nathan grimaced. It was hard to make a good case for himself after everything the guild had done lately. “That’s probably fair. But anyway,yes, I understand the value of independence. Now more than ever, perhaps.”
Storm smiled, inclining his head in approval. “Good to know.”
Chapter4
Storm
Nathan Accardi was radiant.Storm would’ve been embarrassed by the thought if anyone else could’ve heard it. He wasn’t like the others, okay? He didn’t have any interest in a human, but he could barely focus on the conversation, too busy drinking in Nathan’s sun-tanned skin, his slate-gray eyes, the way his clever fingers fidgeted with the cardboard cup clutched between them. His oak-brown hair was cut in the usual high and tight military style that most of the paladins seemed to favor, and his handsome, angular face was cleanly shaven. He wanted to bite that sharp jaw with histeeth, force his head back to watch that nervous throat bob.
Nathan’s rare smiles were like a dose of refreshing, cool darkness. Storm didn’t care that the sun prickled his skin uncomfortably. He only lamented that he couldn’t take his sunglasses off to see him properly. He’d planned to give the paladin an earful for choosing to meet at noon, but somehow his anger had dissolved when he actually sat down across from him.
When Nathan excused himself to the restroom as the meeting drew to a close, Storm waited a few moments and then followed him. The hallway beside the kitchen was mercifully windowless and dark. He stopped outside the men’s room, listening to the sounds within. He didn’t truly suspect Nathan of treachery after having spoken candidly with the man, but it was better to cover his bases. Blind trust was stupid, and Nathanwasstill working for the guild. He’d promised Talon that he wouldn’t fall for any tricks.
But all he heard from within was the flushing of the toilet, followed by running water and then the rustle of paper towels.
The door opened, and Nathan stepped out before he saw Storm, nearly running right into him. A quiet sound of alarm left him as the door swung shut behind him.
Storm pushed his sunglasses up onto his head. For the first time, he got an unhindered look at the human. His high cheekbones, his bow-shaped lips. The honey-sweet scent of his skin mixed with the bitter coffee flavor he’d been drinking, and Storm found himself pressing closer, angling his head down to inhale more of it greedily. Nathan backed away, and Storm followed, penning him in against the door.
Nathan was tall. There weren’t many who were close to Storm’s height, but Nathan’s eyes were level with his mouth. One broad hand pressed against Storm’s chest, but it lacked strength. Nathan wasn’t actually trying to push him away.
“What are you doing?” he breathed.
Whatwashe doing? Just because the human was nice to look at and smelled divine didn’t mean Storm could take what he wanted.
But he’s mine, an insistent little voice said in the back of his head.
“Fuck,” Storm murmured. This was so stupid. He’d watched the others fall for their humans. It wasn’t supposed to happen tohim.
Nathan’s eyes widened slightly at the rough sound of his voice, but he didn’t move. His throat bobbed, and Storm couldn’t resist, trailing his fingers, feather-light, up and down the sun-tanned skin. Nathan’s pulse fluttered wildly under his fingertips. He leaned in, his nose grazing Nathan’s short hair.
The hand on his chest finally firmed, gently pushing him away. Nathan’s eyes were wide, his cheeks rosy.
“You smell good,” Storm said, cocking his head to one side.
Nathan’s mouth opened, but nothing came out for a few moments. “I do?”
“Mm-hm.” He laid his hand over the one on his chest, and Nathan’s fingers tightened, pressing into the muscle of his pectoral as though with the urge tocling. The notion sent a fizzle of delight through him. Did Nathan want him, too? “I’ll tell the others that you mean well. Maybe you can come and see the Rink. I’m sure they’d like to speak with you, too.”
“Great.” Nathan’s eyes, gray as a thundercloud, fell to their joined hands. “You’ve got my number.”
Yes, he did, and he intended to use it. One meeting with him wasn’t going to be anywhere near enough.
* * *
When he leftthe coffee shop, Storm couldn’t bring himself to go back home. Instead, he drove straight to the one person he thought might have some answers.
‘Yes, I think that’s the right course of action,’their resident prophet had said. He didn’t think to question it at the time, but now he hadmanyquestions.Many.
He shot Wolf a text to let him know he was coming over whether they liked it or not, and twenty minutes later he was pulling into the parking lot outside their building. He rode the elevator in pensive silence, and when he reached the door, it opened before he could knock.
