“Always.”
Of course, Kaj had barely made it to his feet when Acadia spun around and fled the room. A true gentleman would’ve considered that and offered to give her the space she sought, but Kaj wasn’t a man in any sense of the word, gentle or otherwise, and the absolute last thing Acadia needed more of from him was distance.
His black leather combat boots were loud on the tiled floor as he followed her through the elaborate kitchen, past the formal seating area, down the long corridor that led to the front door. Despite the fact the fairy was making good time, he knew she wasn’t putting too much effort into it. If she had, he never would’ve caught up to her. While Kaj had a significant number of powers and abilities, the Fae had more, most of which no one was even privy to.
“Acadia, stop,” Kaj ordered when he managed to reach her on the stairs leading up to the second floor.
Her footfalls were silent when she came to an abrupt halt. Kaj would bet money that beneath the long, flowing skirt on that magnificent off-white dress, Acadia’s dainty feet were bare, as was the rest of her. This particular Fae never wore shoes unless it was absolutely necessary and refused undergarments of any kind. One of many of Acadia’s idiosyncrasies that Kaj found innately sexy.
In an effort to keep her from disappearing, Kaj slowly ascended, stopping on the step below where the Fae stood. He didn’t attempt to crowd or intimidate, merely admired. As always, Acadia looked flawless and delicate, her beauty radiating out of her. Her silky dark hair was piled in an intricate knot on top of her head, a few wisps hanging loose around her heart-shaped face, highlighting her soft ivory complexion.
His eyes drank her in, and once again, he wondered how the hell he’d managed to keep his distance for the last year and a half. He still remembered the day he’d walked out of the mansion, forcing himself not to look back. It had been duty and obligation that had sent him from her the last time, and it was the same that had brought him back.
“How have you been?” he asked, keeping his voice evenly pitched, non-threatening.
Those brilliant amethyst eyes dropped low. “I’m well,dyrlom.”
Ah, so they were back to that. Kaj had thought they’d long since left that nonsensical title in the past.
“For accuracy, it would bephaal,” Kaj corrected. “Now that I’ve taken the role as Alpha of my race. Or at the very least,tresmar.”
Acadia didn’t budge, didn’t even spare him a glance despite it being rude not to, considering he was of a higher station than she, based on those asinine formal greetings she preferred.
“Acadia, look at me.”
Her gaze rose slowly, met his, and held on.
Once more, he found himself entranced by her natural, ethereal beauty. Only Acadia’s eyes were enhanced with makeup, her long lashes dark, a hint of shimmer on the lids, the rest of her face aglow with what was graced upon her at birth. But it was her lips he was enamored with. He remembered how those lips had felt against his own, caressing every inch of him during those stolen moments they’d shared during his recovery.
Before he could stop himself, Kaj was cupping her face, brushing his thumb over the soft skin of her cheek. He’d missed her so much that, even as he looked at her now, he could still feel the ghost of that ache in his chest. Walking away from her had been the hardest thing he’d ever done.
Those glossy cupid’s bow lips parted slightly, her surprise glittering in her eyes. But shock wasn’t the only emotion she was feeling.
“I’ve missed you,balisra.”
She didn’t respond, but the slight flare of her eyes said she hadn’t expected him to admit as much. A memory flashed in his mind and he knew she was the one to plant it there. It was the night he’d left her, gone back to the vampire world.
“If I recall,” he said softly, “I asked you to go with me.”
Acadia didn’t respond, her eyes bouncing back and forth over his face as though trying to read his intentions. It was no longer possible. With his position as Alpha, his thoughts were shielded from everyone, including the Fae and the angels.
When Acadia stepped back, Kaj dropped his hand to his side, exhaling heavily. “We need to talk.”
“There’s nothing to talk about,tresmar.”
Feeling the overwhelming urge to dominate her, to make the female submit only to him, Kaj scaled the last step, peering down at her. When she stepped back, he pursued her until her small frame was pressed up against the wall, surrounded by him. He hovered there for long moments as her breaths became more rapid, her heartbeat thrumming loudly in his ears. She was still affected by him the same way he was her.
“Drop the pretenses, female,” he said gruffly, forcing his hands to remain at his sides rather than pulling her into his arms, where she belonged.
Once more, she seemed shocked by his actions, but Kaj didn’t much care. The truth was, not a single day had passed since he walked away from her that he hadn’t thought about returning, spending the rest of his days making it up to her. It had always been his plan to come back, to court her appropriately, to convince her he was the male she belonged with for eternity.
Of course, life had a way of interrupting the best-laid plans, and Kaj had been delayed far longer than he’d anticipated. He couldn’t blame her for being upset with him.
Tucking his finger beneath her chin, Kaj urged Acadia’s head back, forcing her to look at him. “You can pretend you don’t belong to me,balisra, but we both know the truth.”
“I know nothing of the sort,” she countered, a hint of steel in her words.
Kaj smiled. “Then I look forward to getting you up to speed.”
