Treasured Secrets (The Coveted Saga 1)

I bit my lip, hoping he would just forget the sketch and answer the question.

He smirked even more smugly.

Then, with complete sarcasm, he responded, "Subtle."

I stifled a laugh. He was definitely cute when he was teasing me. He laughed a little more, but he decided to answer my question.

"I was curious as to why all the bodyguards were in town. They're hard to miss with all of their bulging muscles. I heard of at least thirty or forty witches coming into town, too. It was obvious that a young witch was soon to arrive, but I didn't know which coven they belonged to until the-"

"The coffee shop," I interrupt, sick of talking about that day already. It's like he was reassuring me he had no idea who I was related to. What's the big deal?

He chuckled and nodded,

"I know the Bradbury story like the back of my hand. I just wish the Bradbury's knew the whole story. Once you told me who you were, I knew you had heard your grandmother's story."

I swallowed hard, trying not to study him too intensely. My heart was thudding for new reasons as my eyes trailed the curve of his jaw to his soft lips.

So not the time for these thoughts.

Fortunately, Tallis didn't notice my wandering eyes and distracted train of thought, so he continued. "Less powerful bloodlines don't draw as much attention as the stronger bloodlines. Even though your essence is masked, it still screams for attention. It draws people in without them even realizing it.

"I've felt drawn to you since the first day I saw you. I felt you that day at the mall. I never saw you, but when I met you later at the restaurant, I felt that same tug. I didn't realize the reason for such a strong pull until you told me of your bloodline. You've pretty much got a target painted on you. I'm glad I followed you after you ran out of the gym."

I cringed very noticeably. I almost forgot about how Elaina humiliated me, given the more serious, life threatening events I just endured.

Then I smiled at him in a slightly mischievous way. "So, you're like … stalking me in a protective manner?" I couldn't help but tease him a little for a change.

He laughed harder. "No. I'm just trying to keep you alive. You have a knack for the whole 'wrong place, wrong time' scenario." I looked at him with a slight scowl. He smiled and shrugged at me playfully. "Just saying."

The car veered right, pulling down a long paved driveway. It had symbols, too. They were more tribal than ours, and they looked just like his tattoo. My mind flashed back to the matching tattoos Ash and Jay shared. Those lying, shady jerks!

My eyes fell and fixated on the tribal symbol Tallis had on his shoulder. He saw me staring at it.

"That's my family crest." He touched his shoulder where his tattoo was. Then he continued. "My mother and father constructed it centuries ago."

He reached over and unbuckled my seatbelt, though I wasn't sure why. I could have done that myself.

He continued speaking while driving slower. "Whenever you become fully eternal, your coven crest - or your family crest - marks you. If you should change covens, your crest will change as well. It's magic's way of claiming its children."

This driveway was massive, and gallant trees bounded in front of us, blocking all else. Everything was so lush and green here, like it was spring instead of fall.

"So why didn't you come to the big welcome party?"

Grandma Iris invited all kinds of beings from the magical world obviously, so I couldn't imagine why he wouldn't have been invited as well, or why he wouldn't have come.

He seemed distracted, looking around as he gave me a very nonchalant, vague answer. "Oh, well, you know. Family stuff. Long story."

He parked directly in front of a house that somehow managed to sneak up on me in my distracted frame of mind. It was so massive and contemporary. It was an A-frame type architecture - three or four stories high. It had amazing attention to detail. The stacking stones layered it, making it all the more breathtaking.

As soon as the car quit rolling, my door flew open and Tallis was scooping me up, carrying me swiftly to the door. He was so fast. I guess that's why he unbuckled my seatbelt before we even stopped.

I smiled at him, looking him directly in his breathtakingly mystifying eyes, as I spoke with a playful tone. "Show off."

He smiled bigger than I'd seen him smile yet, as he carried me in and placed me on the couch that felt like voluptuous folds of sheer heaven. It was so soft and everything smelled so good, almost tropical. The whole house had such a peaceful and relaxing feel to it.

I started to stand up as he walked out of the room, but he quickly rebuked my attempt.

"What're you doing? Sit back down."