19

~Hale

I look at her over the crystal decanter I drink from, her back turned to me as she busies herself at the other end of the room with a notepad and a pen.

Glancing to my left, I see my friend admiring her with the same intent stare.

"I hate the way you look at her," I growl.

Vaela, and all her mortality, has no conception of what powerful men like myself and Larsen are capable of doing to her. We are natural predators, existing for wicked purposes only.

It took me a long time to accept that I don't have to lean into my true nature. That fighting it is far more rewarding.

Resisting being an Immortal Sin keeps me alive.

I see the restraint glimmering in Larsen. He wants to taunt her, play with her. Larsen is revered where he is from, but boredom plagues him as it does me.

But he will not entertain himself with Vaela. I won't allow it.

"She's easy to look at." He swirls the liquid around his cup, entranced.

Vaela is beautiful. Unnervingly so, in fact.

She looks our way, but only for a moment. Those sapphire eyes, framed by dark lashes, are so expressive, laying bare her thoughts for me to sift through.

Immortals, or in her case, mortals, shouldn't look like she does.

I've never been tempted by one before. Yet there's something about the way she holds my stares, the curve of her soft lips and the contours of her body that-

Shifting uncomfortable, I exhale in a long breath.

"I know," I mutter distractedly.

Larsen watches me with a smirk. "You want her."

I bite down on my lower lip, as Vaela angles her head, running her hands back through her ebony hair.

"I'm helping her," I respond bitterly.

I'm fascinated by her. Her company is beyond pleasant at this point. It's addicting. Where I once desired only solitude, I know find myself craving her presence.

"Have you fucked her?"

"Don't," I warn coolly.

I drag my reluctant gaze to my friend. He has that knowing smirk on his face. He sees my restraint, how I'm in constant conflict with it. As a Sin, I'm not accustomed to holding myself back. If I want someone, they want me too.

With Vaela, it's entirely different. I can't seduce her. It wouldn't be fair. She's not a sport, not a game.

"What? I'm curious." he shrugs, running a finger along his lower lip as he continues watching her.

"No. And I'm not planning on it." I can hear my own grating tone, unable to reign it in. Why I feel on the brink of stalking up to Vaela to make her mine right in the middle of the floor in this cave, is beyond me. I've never felt like this before.

Larsen turns to look at me. "Why not?"

"Because I have no intention of using her for my own pleasure." I drink the last of what's left in my glass, gritting my teeth.

It sure would make these long nights far more interesting, but my thoughts will remain a quiet fantasy. She deserves to find her mate, to be happy. I want that for her, and I'm going to do what I can to unite her with whoever he is.

Lucky bastard.

"Doesn't have to including using," Larsen muses.

Sometimes I get the feeling that Vaela wants me too. I can sense the way her body reacts for me, but other times, I wonder if I'm looking for what isn't there.

"She needs to find her mate," I grumble.

"You know, old Hale would be unbothered at another's downfall." Larsen amusement is lost on me.

"Not entirely true. I'm trying to be less bitter these days, anyway." My younger self gave into being a Sin far easier than now.

Years of long nights, this dark cave and unpleasant company the little times I sought it out made me snap.

I wanted something more for myself. Someone.

"And if your siblings-"

"They won't," I growl.

None of the Sins will know of Vaela. Until she finds her mate, and moves on with him, she's my little secret, kept in my cave for her own protection.

"People will be intrigued by a once immortal mortal," Larsen reminds me. He's not even from this Realm and he knows that.

My teeth grind together. I hate that he is right.

"Trust me, I'm more than aware. No one important shall ever find out." My fingers roll up into fists as I rest my glass down.

Vaela is in more danger then I'm inclined to inform her about. If anyone with power finds out, she won't just be a curiosity. She may be a way to draw power, a way to manipulate death, or even a way to crumble the entire fabric of this realm.

And I'm the one concealing her. If I didn't enjoy her company so much, I would be more concerned about the implications on me.

Larsen flashes a grin. "So, if she means nothing to you, you won't mind if it…"

"Stop," I growl. Vaela may not be mine, but she sure as hell isn't going to be Larsen's.

"What? I might be serious." He isn't serious, he's trying to bait me. He wants me to admit I want her, and that the thought of her with anyone else would send me into a fit of rage.

He's already gotten enough out of me.

"I'm going to go ahead and save you from embarrassment. She's only looking for her mate, got it?"

"Have you touched her?" he asks.

"Don't need to. She isn't my mate," I mutter. Were I mated to Vaela...I don't know what I would do. Nothing would change about how fervently I want to help her.

But I wouldn't hold myself back any longer, that's for sure.

"Is this about-"

"Don't say his name here," I snap.

My entire body grows tense at the insinuation of him. He of all people does not need to know who Vaela is, and what has happened to her. But he is not exactly someone I can challenge, if he does come to know about her.

Larsen grins, knowing his power is infinite in this realm. "I need to return home. Restrain yourself around her."

"Like I said, she's only looking for her mate."

She shifts, looking back over her shoulder at us. There is a flash of fear in her eyes, directed at Larsen. Only recently that exact reaction has diminished toward me. I wouldn't say she trusts me, but she doesn't think I'm going to kill her.

She smiles tightly at us, before swiftly turning back to what she was doing. I take a long, slow drink from my glass.

"And don't go after that guy who killed her. She'll hate you for it," Larsen mumbles, stretching his legs out.

I probably shouldn't have told him that, I just had no one to vent to in that moment.

"It's the only reason I haven't," I mutter.

For whatever reason, Vaela feels the need to protect the man who killed her. She was in love with him, and it's twisted her reality.

I've indulged in many thoughts about viciously murdering the man who thought he could kill Vaela without consequence. My anger is now safely buried deep, restricted by Vaela's desire for self-preservation.

I'm not going to betray her trust by killing him. Even if the urge to is overwhelming.

"It's not worth it."

"Why does it make me so angry? The thought of someone harming her like that? It makes me consider long, torturous murder," I tell him. My hands instinctively roll into fists, the blunt edge of my nails digging into my skin.

Larsen watches me. "I can say it, if you like, but I doubt you want to hear it."

My eyes remain pinned to Vaela, narrowing. "You can go, friend."

He laughs. He may enjoy torturing me with the mate issue, but I know he is haunted by his own reality. We don't speak about it, though. He guards his vulnerabilities, and knowing he won't ever find his mate. It hurts him.

He winks at me as he departs. "Good luck."

I watch him stride from the room, toward Vaela.

She stiffens at his approach, not moving as he stoops down to speak to her. Their conversation is brief, Vaela looking withdrawn and wary, often glancing down to look at his hands.

Once Larsen vanishes, returning to his home realm, Vaela stands, wandering over to where I sit.

"I'm glad he's gone. I feel like I can finally relax," she murmurs, leaning against the doorframe. The light behind her casts a shadow over her features.

She's so beautiful, it almost causes me physical pain.

"He wouldn't hurt you. He keeps those gloves on at all times," I remind her. I've never feared Larsen in my time of knowing him. Sometimes I don't understand his motivations, but he would never kill someone without cause.

Her eyes wander down to my hands. "Kind of like you do."

"Habit, I suppose." I've worn gloves for centuries. My intentions for doing so when I was young, childish and selfish. I hate who I was then.

"Scared of finding your mate?" she asks lightly, although the burning curiosity in her eyes betrays her.

"No. But I used to be."

"Why?"

"Because I wasn't capable of loving someone like that. I was going, foolish and valued nothing," I admit.

Vaela pauses. She looks thoughtful, sad. I envy how much he allows herself to feel things, and how forgiving she is of people who may not deserve it. She is mourning the loss of a man who never deserved to be with her, and now she tolerates me.

"You've surprised me, Hale," she breathes, holding my gaze intently.

Her finger taps against her lower lip. "Is that so?"

"Considering I thought you would murder me, a lot has developed since." She laughs gently, and I can't help but smile too. Yes, a lot has developed since then.

"I'm going to protect you, Vaela. With everything in me," I tell her. And I mean it.