I always knew there was something keeping her from me. I thought maybe it was duty or her pride, but never did I suspect THIS. Knowing she had feelings for Noah was messing with my head. I couldn’t focus. I kept wondering how far he got with her for their connection to be as strong as it was…strong enough for her to risk her life for him…a DEMON. He wasn’t half demon or a speck of demon; he was a full-blown, heartless demon. No emotion, no guilt, and no idea what it means to truly love someone. He couldn’t possibly.
The sound of footsteps breaks through my thoughts. It’s Aria and she’s not alone. GREAT. She brought the demon with her. I fight myself on whether to leave or eavesdrop on their conversation. In the end, my curiosity gets the best of me. I decide to hide behind a white rose bush so they don’t see me.
“What you did today was stupid.” Noah scolds her. “Don’t ever put your life in danger to save mine.”
“Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing? Isn’t that why you stayed…to protect me?”
“Its different.”
“Why, because I’m a woman?”
“No, because I love you.” He says with conviction. Aria swallows hard and averts her eyes to the ground. “I know you don’t feel the same, and I know you have feelings for that asshole Havoc, so I don’t expect you to reciprocate my feelings, but damnit Aria…don’t ever put your life in danger for me. Not for me.”
“Okay.” She nods.
“What happened with Havoc earlier? He didn’t hurt you did he?”
The urge to beat him down with my fists has never been more tempting. I would never hurt Aria…never.
“Of course not. He’s not like that. I know he can be a bit of a hot head, but underneath all that rage is a decent guy who makes me laugh. There’s a vulnerability to him. He’s brave and he’s honorable-”
“Unlike me.” He cut her off.
“There’s good in you Noah. I know there is. I wouldn’t-” her voice trails off.
“You wouldn’t what?” His eyes practically will her to finish.
Please don’t.
“Nothing.” She flashes him a fake smile.
He takes a step closer to her and my muscles tighten so hard they’re starting to ache. His close proximity to her is driving me to homicidal depths and I’m forced to look away. I can’t. Aria may not be mine in title, but in my…let it go Thien. Just walk away and let it go. Let HER go. It’s not like she’s yours anyway.
I’m no longer watching but I can still hear them. “You know, you’re the only girl I’ve ever wanted to give my Yang to.” Says Noah.
“What about Qi?”
“Qi and I are what your precious humans call ‘friends with benefits’.”
“She’s in love with you.” Aria replies.
“No strings. She knows what sort of arrangement we have.”
“You make sleeping together sound like some sort of business arrangement.”
“It wouldn’t be with you.”
That’s it. I’m gonna kill him.
“Ahem.” I clear my throat as I step out from the rose bushes. “You shouldn’t be out here alone with this demon.”
“How many times do I have to tell you Noah wouldn’t hurt me?” Aria sighs.
“Why? Because he’s in love with you?” I wait for her reaction.
“At least he knows what he wants.” She snaps.
I nod and leave. Truthfully I’m hoping she follows me so I can talk to her alone. Footsteps behind me a few seconds later confirm she’s done just that.
“What do you want Aria?” I ask. I stop but I don’t turn to face her. Moments later I feel her arms wrap around my waist and her head against my back. We stand like that for what seems like an eternity. Its moments like this one that tormented for years while she was out of reach.
“I miss you.” Aria speaks barely above a whisper.
“I’ve missed you too.”
Aria lets go and walks past. I follow behind her and we make our way to the throne room where we’ve been summoned. Hydro and Wake cast an inquisitive eye in our direction.
“Now that we’ve all had a chance to calm down, I need to know if both houses can work together. Thien…Noah?” Marcum Bliss addresses us.
“Yes.” I nod. For selfish reasons I wanted to say no, but it wasn’t the right thing to do. If working with Noah meant protecting everything and everyone I love, then I would be selfless in this moment.
“The Elite accepts.” Noah nods.
The Republic sighs with relief. “A feast will be held in your honor this evening and accommodations have been made for all of you to stay here at the Royal House of Bliss until tomorrow morning when your mission begins.” Marcum announces. “Be warned that this invitation into our home can and will be revoked if any of you should behave in a manner less than noble.”
Everyone nods their heads and the Elite are shown to their quarters. My team and I head to the game room. Aria and I spent most of our time in that room when we were younger. She was just as deadly with a pool cue as she was with her swords. She motions for me to follow her over to the pool table and I oblige. It’s how we flirt and now that Aria was back, we’re kind of just picking up where we left off.
“Ladies first.” I motion to the table.
She slowly guides her pool stick back a few inches then strikes. Two stripes go in. Now it’s my turn. I slide the pool stick between my middle and index finger, in and out-in and out until I’m ready to strike. CRACK. The balls go flying everywhere and I don’t really care where or which ball.
The purpose of this game has always been to get a rise out of Aria. For me, it’s never about a cue stick, some balls and a pocket. It’s about the way her breath catches in her throat as she watches the pool stick slide in and out of my fingers. It’s about the way she licks her lips and pulls her bottom lip behind her teeth when I make eye contact with her as I forcefully strike the balls in front of me. It’s the quiet song and dance we always do whenever we come into this room. It’s the sexual frustration of two seventeen-year-old wings, coming together in one moment and space in time. It’s the things left unsaid with our lips but implied with our eyes. It’s foreplay.
“And that would be game.” Aria smirks.
“What?” I purse my brows together. “How-”
“You sank the eight ball.” She reaches into the pocket and pulls it out.
“You cheated.” I accuse.
“Like hell I did.”
“You distracted me.”
“You distract yourself Thien Youngblood.”
Aria rolls the ball over to me and joins our friends. They are all hanging out in a lounge area full of reclining chairs and comfortable couches. I follow her and take the seat next to her. “Remember when Aria and Thien got in trouble for painting mustaches on all of her family portraits with mud?” Willow chuckles to herself. “Her mom was so pissed and she had you two washing the walls for weeks.”
I laugh. Not because of what we did, but because Aria and I paid a wing in a nearby village to clean it while we escaped to Nightingale Forest. Aria meets my glance and we both smile.
The door to the entertainment room opens and in walks Noah and his team. “Mind if we join you?” Noah asks.
“Why not.” I swallow my pride and decide to be the bigger person. “If we’re going to work together we may as well start now.”
His team weaves themselves within our own and everyone starts to mingle. So far so good. I turn back to Aria but her attention is elsewhere. I follow her gaze over to Noah and Qi. She’s sitting on his lap, stroking his hair, and I can tell Aria is bothered by it. They kiss and she quickly turns away. Aria meets my gaze and I find longing in her eyes, but I’m not sure if it’s for him or me. She leans in to kiss me, but I stop her. I’m so pissed I cant see straight, and I storm out of the room as fast as my feet can take me. Aria’s on my heels but I can’t look at her right now.
“Thien wait.”
“For what?” I swing around to face her. “I can’t believe you just tried to use me to make him jealous.”
“You’re right, and I’m sorry. It was stupid of me.”
“No. What’s stupid is I actually thought...you know what, never mind what I thought.”
“Say it.” She demands.
I could say it and hurt her only to take it back tomorrow, or I could take a moment to think about how much she means to me, forgive her, and say what I actually want to say.
“It’s nothing.” I chose to do neither. I didn’t want Aria to be mine through guilt or by default. I want to her to want me as much as I want her. Until I’m sure, I choose to keep my distance.
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