My face flushed. “Diversion tactic,” I said under my breath.
“What?”
I huffed. “That’s not my normal attire.” I straightened up, lacing my fingers through his. “Jace thinks the Narcos are here to find a way to harness Shythe Charge for themselves. He believes we have to train to protect ourselves from an attack.”
Reese quirked an eyebrow. “Wow, and here I thought that paranoid tough-guy persona was just an act to get girls.”
“Reese…”
He smiled. “Say that again.”
“What?”
“My name.” He leaned forward and traced his finger across my jawline. “You’ve never said it before. Sounds sexy when you do.”
My insides flipped. Now I understood how he got underneath my skin. “So,” I said, switching the topic back. “You’re saying that the Narcos really are here to try to live in harmony?”
“As far as I know. I was only told that the Shythe were struggling in their haven, and that part of the Treaty Act stated the races had to help one another.”
“I’ve lived in Haven my whole life, and no one has ever talked about the Narcos in any other way than with fear and revulsion. How is it I know nothing of the details of the Treaty Act?”
“Maybe your Council wants to protect you. Or maybe they thought you’d find them weak for agreeing to it. If they hadn’t, I don’t think Haven Falls would have survived.”
“You have a point.” I checked the time on my communicator. “Oh, my God. My mom will kill me if I’m not home when she gets back.”
Reese stood and pulled me up with him. “Then let’s get you back. Don’t want to piss off Mom.” He winked.
“How is it I came here feeling so lost and alone, and now…” I shook my head. “Reese, you’ve changed everything. I swear, I think my mom was about to pack us up and run again. She didn’t want me going to the Academy.” I looked down at the ground. “Now, I feel safe—better than safe. I don’t feel alone.”
He lifted my face and stared into my eyes. “I promise. I’ll find a way to protect you.” For a brief moment, something flashed in his eyes. It looked almost painful, as if something hurt him. But he quickly smiled—a brilliant smile that illuminated his face.
He lowered his head and brushed his lips across mine gently before deepening the kiss. Where his hands touched me, heat built and spread, warming my skin. I could get used to this Narco power.
Reese took me home on his levibike. I felt safe seated behind him, my arms wrapped tightly around his waist. There was no hesitation as I leaned my head against his back. He removed one hand from the steering bar and rested it against mine, threading our fingers together.
“Stop here,” I told him as we approached the head of my street. “I can walk the rest of the way.”
Reese pulled over, the hover-bike idling. I pulled my hand from his to jump off the bike, but he tugged it back, keeping it against his chest. “Will you meet me tomorrow?”
“I think I can probably swing that,” I said, reveling in the feel of his thumb caressing the top of my hand. “I’ll have to use my communicator to at least let Lana, Jace, and Nick know I’m all right. But I think they’ll understand that I don’t feel well enough for sparring or hanging out yet.”
Reese nodded. “I hate that you have to lie to your friends.”
“No.” I swallowed hard. “It’s better this way. They would have too many questions about the change that I don’t know how to answer right now. And Jace is dying to spar with me using my power.”
Reese huffed. “Yeah, that’s just what he’s dying to do.”
I sat back, angling myself to see his face. “What do you mean? You saw our practice—he’s all about sparring. And I can’t fight him yet.”
He grimaced and shook his head. “Right…nothing.” He released my hand. “Contact me when you can get away. I’ll pick you up here.”
I squinted, but brushed off his statement about Jace. “Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.” My insides fluttered. “I can’t believe this is all real. I’m going to learn how to use Flame and Charge and…I’m bursting.”
He laughed, then took my hand and kissed it tenderly.
I bounced off the levibike and waved, and he hovered off. My mind reeled, but in a good way. I felt completely different from the way I had only a couple hours earlier when I thought my world was ending. Reese was a mixed breed like me. I wasn’t alone. And I was going to learn how to control this crazy power that had scared my mom half to death.
Mom. Crap.