Denial (Goblin's Kiss Series Book One) (28 page)

“Are you okay?”
I asked feeling worse for making her watch and knowing it was me
who did it. I even think it
’
s worse than just the act of it
because she probably noticed the lithe quick way of taking their
lives I
’
d become accustomed to doing. One lived though.
He
’
d wake up.

She nodded a
yes, but she didn
’
t really mean it. Not here.
I
’
d
talk to her alone.

“Guessing now Blue Ridge is not
safe either,” Trigger offered taking us both from our locked away
staring contest.

“The cabin is
safe. The line of Ares can
’
t enter. I need to know which
realm they are from first.” This was more than I should tell, but
they needed to know. Trigger needed to make his point or move on.
She didn
’
t need to know everything or she would just continue to
worry.

“O.kay! Either
you have friends in low places or man
’
s got some skills I am not aware
of.” Wicker piped out this time with his wisdom.

I
didn
’
t give him an answer as I shifted my weight to sit forward
again.

“Do I assume that the traps mean
that they can enter the land, but not the house?” Emma twanged out
still shaking, but trying to hide it. She was still searching for
answers and undoubtedly caught the innuendo.

“Yes.”

The haze would only keep humans
out though, but no need to worry her more.

I could see I
would have to drag out answers or at least show that
I
’
m
not unintelligent enough to have the wool pulled over my eyes. I
thought I'd made that clear. Ames had just killed a man...or
something. Killed. He didn
’
t look upset at killing him, just
upset that I was upset.

“And you have a bit more magic
than these guys?”

Ames
’
hand was braced over the steering like he might
rip it out and throw it at me. “I am...able...to take care of
myself.”

Yeah! Among
other things. From the sounds of it, it seemed that Joshlin had
turned him into the “
assassin
” they say, but I see
something different in him. In fact, the more I think about it, he
didn
’
t look scary when he snapped the neck on that guy, he looked
relieved. And by the way he was watching where I was the entire
time it was like he felt protective. My problem
wasn
’
t the killing as morbid as that may be, but the reason behind
it. Princess duty or because he actually worried about my
safety?

“And you
won
’
t mention the tiny weapons of destruction you keep hidden in
your sleeve because I saw what went into the neck of that one
guy!”

His neck popped both ways before
he answered, “They are not tiny, just useful. And they contain
jornete root to dull the pain.”

“You drug the ones you
attack!”

His face
reddened to a fast boil making me wish I
’
d shut up a line or two
back, but too late now. He fisted his knee and answered through
gritted teeth, “They attacked me and yes, I try to make their pain
subside faster. It only makes them pass out.”

Sure enough, I
knew I
’
d crossed a major line when Trigger laughed a little too loud
at the comment. I
’
d embarrassed him. It was such a
sticky subject for guys and they
’
re egos, but we
were
talking about life
or death. I couldn
’
t find the humor or humanity in
either guy
’
s reaction, but I was trying
really hard to see it from their viewpoint.

Figuring I
couldn
’
t gain much more from taking it further, I shut up. When five
minutes or so passed, I made some sound just to break the silence.
I threw in my own kind of humor to lighten the mood since it
appeared like Ames
’
hands may grind the steering wheel right off the
dash even now.

“Can I rub your
lamp and make three wishes, cuz
’
I need some about now?” I
meant
I needed some
luck. Saying it to my best friend Tonya had sounded
less…suggestive.

The backseat
warriors laughed their heads off and didn
’
t
stop.

“You can rub me anytime,” one of
them said behind me.

A hand whipped behind to the back
and a loud “OW” was heard. I turned in time to see Trigger had a
red cheek that strangely looked like a handprint.

“I only meant that I could use
some luck since my very existence seems to cause havoc to everyone
involved. Days ago I was this ordinary girl who lived among the
rest with a normal life and normal problems.”

“Yeah,
cuz
’
a normal girl has the kind of power your body holds. The
things your body can do,” Trigger whistled long and
low.

Ames growled all
caveman
again
and
his hand went up
again
. What was wrong with him?

“You stop all
that. I can handle their crude comments on my own without you
defending my honor. Something is seriously wrong with your pissed
off meter.”
I
don’
t know why I yelled at him, it just
irked me that he kept growling.

“She fits in just perfect don’t
cha think?”

I smiled at Wicker despite the
rudeness.

“Would you just
tell who you are already and get it over with? She would stop
acting all bossy if she knew who she was up against.” Wicker was
helping me out.
I think.

“Later.”

That was all
from the big, bad caveman. The
we
’
re not talking about it now
look was
boring a hole into Wicker
’
s face.

“Sooner or later
you
’
ll have to tell me what
’
s going on other than the fact
that the evil goblin king, who you deny any relation to, wants me
and you
’
re hiding me out. And I
’
m not stupid. I caught that you
said there were other realms. What I
’
d like to know is what they think
hurting us will solve. What bigger picture are you hiding from me?
I can
’
t live like this forever, Ames. It has to end soon or
I
’
ll just...
”

“You
’
ll what?” he looked away from the
road to me with his hair drooping in his eyes. I followed it
diagonally down to his open mouth. His lip curved up on one side
with that deadly dimple like he knew affected me.

Then it changed to something
hard.

I feared him in
that moment. The look was deadly and haunted. But I stuck with what
my head wanted to say, “I
’
ll run away when
you
’
re not looking and solve the problem
myself.”

So that was the
most unintelligent declaration I
’
d ever announced of
myself.

He
didn
’
t say anything. He didn
’
t make a caveman grunting sound
and the backseat was unusually quiet.

At the cabin,
Ames got out of the Jeep as the two in the back did. Thank goodness
it
’
s
a four door. I pushed the handle, but it wouldn
’
t open. The three of
them stood at the front right fender talking as I kept trying to
get out. Panicking, I made exaggerated efforts to make them see my
stress and come rescue me. It wasn
’
t an old car or anything, but it
wasn
’
t budging.

Ames was talking at them rather
than a three way conversation. His finger went into both their
faces and after they both gave a short bow, my mind switched into
autopilot. Something about that gesture made me curious.

Trigger and Wicker nodded in
unison to him and left my sight as Ames aimed his fierce eyes at
mine through the tinted glass now keeping us two feet apart with a
door between us. Suddenly, the door clicked and opened on its own
accord.

Did I imagine that?

He strongarmed me out of the car
and half dragged me into the house without unlocking the door with
a key. Was it left open or was that another magic trick?

Once in the door and him with it,
the slamming shut vibration made me jump half out of my skin. I
pressed against the door watching him pace and push his hands
through his hair over and over.

I was not
scared
of
Ames, I
was scared
for
him. He seemed to have some kind of immense pressure on his
shoulders that he kept inside and only shared little. The guys knew
some of his secrets, but I was guessing there was more to
it.

I figured I better say
something.

“I get that you
have secrets you
’
re afraid to tell me.
I
’
m
not afraid of you and I won
’
t be bullied either. I get that
you
’
ve had to do terrible things, but it doesn
’
t make you evil or
able to change your own future. I will stop badgering you. But you
have to give me more than you’re giving. You took me from my home,
my family, took me to a weird place where they want to keep me as a
pet, took me again saying you were going to save me from them who
are now the bad guys in my fairy tale, and hide me where we are
socially allowed to do nothing. I can
’
t live like this. Either we do
something about it, or I just give in and destroy the place because
I’m not staying there. I
’
d love to forget it all and go
back to my life.”

That
’
s when he finally looked at
me.

“You
’
d just forget it
all?”

Was that hurt in his
eyes?

“Yes.”

Something
flashed across his face that looked definitely like hurt, but it
was gone so fast I couldn
’
t be sure.

“I mean that I
could do without the drama. Meeting you was nice, but
it
’
s
all too much.” I blushed so heavily at my admission, I had to move
away to keep myself from saying something else
foolish.

He caught my arm and pulled me to
him. He hugged me.

I
still haven
’
t seen any sign that the almost
kiss was real though I know from the tingle on my lips that it did.
It had to have happened.

But right now Ames Cahn stood so
close to me I thought I might die from the heat.

Maybe this is
what a protector does when he feels twined with who he is
protecting. She
’
s my target now. This is why,
even as I find myself leaning toward her and unable to look away, I
tell myself I don
’
t want this.

She leaned in to me
too.

A voice choked and cleared
signaling we are not alone.

She took a step back at the same
time I did, my own heart beat two at a time.

“Are we...should we leave.”
Trigger was noticeably looking down.

“No,”
my voice cracked.
“We are through. We came to an understanding. We
will travel to Joshlin in the morning and I will make a claim that
Emma is stepping down from her position as princess. He will accept
it and take his reign and she will be free to go. Assuming that is
what you want?”

I directed the entire speech to
her. If she wanted out of all this, that is what she would
get.

She shook her
head saying nothing. The guys stayed kind of in a dropped mouth awe
before Trigger opened his big mouth and said to her, “You really
just don
’
t care what happens to any of us?”