He turned up the car stereo, and a soft rock song filled the car.Queensrÿche’s “Silent Lucidity” scrolled across the screen, and the guy sang about the dream being over…or was it just begun?
The words filled her chest.“We let ourselves have something, Archer.Maybe we’ll never have it again?—”
“We won’t.”
The needle went higher, but he said nothing.
“Because it hurts too much to not have it.I know.I felt it, too, and, well, you probably felt me feeling it.I’m trying not to unleash everything I feel.”
“Don’t repress your feelings.”His order came out harsh.“It makes you cold and dead inside.”
It hurt that she couldn’t touch his arm, or any part of him now, that he couldn’t let himself feel.
“Is that why you’re so cold inside?”At his surprised look, she said, “I feel your cold, like stepping into the cooler at the bakery.Is that why you were craving my heat?”
“I let you get too close.Nothing good comes of that.”
She turned toward him, hands gripping the seat.“Something good did come of it.Look what we shared.It was beautiful.”
“And it hurt like hell.”
“But you said it wouldn’t hurt when you were full Caido.”
He kept his gaze ahead, which was good since he was going ninety-five.“Not physical pain.”
“Heartache?Is that what you mean?”
“I’ve spent my life feeling others’ emotions, taking in their pain and suffering as my own.”He paused, and the speedometer ticked back a few MPH.“I have never felt my own heartache until you.”
His low tone made each of those words land hard on her soul.She had made his heart ache.For the first time in his long life.Gods.The thought made her flop back in her seat.
Awhoopsound definitely wasn’t part of the poignant song pouring from the stereo.Archer’s gaze flicked to the rearview mirror as blue and red lights flashed behind them.
She twisted around, seeing a police cruiser closing the gap.A Mud, of course, because Crescent police, the Guard, didn’t concern themselves with minor offenses such as speeding.They came in when someone used their magick abilities inappropriately.Or fatally.
Archer pulled over, the cruiser right behind him.The officer spent a couple of minutes running the tag, most likely.Or maybe letting the offender’s anxiety build up.But Archer didn’t look anxious in the least.
“We’re okay with time, aren’t we?”she asked, looking at the clock.
“We’re fine.Just a minor delay.”
“How often are you stopped for speeding?”
Lights pulsed against the dashboard and Archer’s face.“Just about every time I get on the interstate.”
The cop approached, and Archer rolled down his window.
He was young, Hispanic, and very annoyed.“What in the hell are you thinking, that just ’cause you have some hot car, you can go as fast as you want?”
“Officer, I appreciate that you’re going to give me a warning, because you made an error.I was only going sixty-five.”
The man’s angry furrows on his face smoothed.“I was…mistaken.”
“You were, but it’s all right.You’re regretful, and we can go on our way now.”
“Yes, sir, and have a nice day.”
He walked robotically back to the cruiser, and Archer pulled away.
