Reaper (Dark in You 8)

“I’m good, thanks. It must have been a shock for you to learn that Piper—someone you’ve not only known for years but who’s the stepsister of one of your old bed-buddies—is actually your anchor,” said Larkin as she followed him into the spacious living area. “Tanner said you pretty much gawked at her in silence like a moron.”

Feeling his lips thin, Levi sank onto the leather sofa. “There was no gawking. I did, however, stare at her without saying a word. Little surprises me, but realizing she was my anchor took me off-guard.”

“Understandable,” said Larkin, taking the armchair. “You didn’t go to the party last night, so I’m guessing you went to see her.”

“I did.”

“How’d it go? Did you claim her?”

Really, he was surprised he hadn’t received a call from Harper with the same questions—the sphinx liked to be in the know. He didn’t doubt she’d contact him soon. “It could have gone better, but it also could have gone worse. And no, I didn’t claim her.”

“Why not?”

“At first, Piper was against the idea. Gradually, the more we talked, she went from being against it to simply being reluctant. I told her that we didn’t need to form the bond straight away but that I would claim her in the near future. She requested some time and space. I agreed.”

“But, of course, you’re not going to actually give her either of those things.”

Feeling his mouth cant up, he gave an unapologetic shrug. “I won’t rush her, but I won’t keep my distance either.” He splayed his hands on the armrests. “Her hesitancy seems to stem from two things—her awareness that Celeste will kick up a fuss, and some unnecessary reservations she harbors that I’ll start up another fling with Celeste.”

“It’s natural that Piper wouldn’t want an anchor who’d give less of a shit about her than about the stepsister who’s a total bitch to her,” Larkin pointed out, flicking her long braid over her shoulder.

“Absolutely. But I assured her I have no interest in Celeste, and I sensed that she believed me. Still, she’s leery. Which amuses my demon almost as much as it frustrates it.”

“To be fair, a lot of people hesitate to claim their anchor on the spot. Let her get to know you.”

“I plan to. I just don’t like having to wait.”

“And it offends you a little that she feels the need to know you better,” Larkin sensed.

“Yeah, it does. I mean, I’m not exactly a stranger to her, am I?”

“No. But at the moment, she only knows Levi the sentinel—that’s one part of you, not the whole. She needs to truly know all of you before she can fully trust you. Which means you need to be open with her. I know that being open with people isn’t really your strong point, but you’re gonna have to push past that. And you’re going to need to remain open with her over time, not later pull back. Unless, of course, you’ll both be content with a weak anchor friendship.”

Levi would be far from content with that. He wanted Piper to trust, depend on, and feel safe with him. Wanted her to feel more comfortable around him than she did with anyone else.

“I didn’t expect to be this affected by finding my psi-mate,” he said. “Intellectually, I knew she’d be important to me. I knew I’d be protective and possessive. I knew I’d feel driven to form the bond. But I didn’t anticipate how intense those feelings would be, even though I witnessed how much of an impact finding Harper had on Knox.”

“I think it’s one thing to see how it affects others. It’s another thing to truly understand.”

Levi nodded. “I get now why Knox was so determined to improve Harper’s personal situation and bring her into our lair. I want to make Piper’s life better. I want to be someone she relies on. I want us to be tied so she’ll be stronger and I can feel certain she’ll never turn rogue. Like I said, it’s intense. And yet, it doesn’t bother me. It feels too natural to be uncomfortable.”

Larkin studied his face closely. “You’re worried that it isn’t feeling so natural and comfortable for her.”

“It can’t be if she’s set on making me wait, can it?”

“Yes, it can. Like I already pointed out, she doesn’t know you well enough to feel at ease with you having such a massive role in her life. But she’ll be in the same boat as you. She’ll want for and from you all the things that you want for and from her. She won’t be able to help it. It’s too instinctive.”

He grunted. “I suppose.”

“And you can find comfort in knowing that her demon won’t let her hold back for long. It’ll take the matter into its own hands if it deems it necessary. I doubt the situation will reach that point, though. It’s not easy to stay away from your anchor once you’ve touched their psyche,” she added, her eyes dulling.