Page 38 of Rejected Darkness

"Don't go," I whisper, terrified if I'm making the right decision. Am I greedy for finding out what's between Phoenix and me just because he's my first friend here? Or is he really my mate? We won't know but I know if I let him walk out that door we really will never know.

"Arabella," his voice breaks. "You better be positive."

"I'm positive." I pull him to turn around and face me. "I want to explore this. I feel something for you. Stay and let's see howthis goes. I can't promise we're mates but I do care about you and maybe we can build this but there's something you need to know first."

"I know you have or had a mate, it's how you got here," Phoenix chuckles trying to lighten the mood.

"Yes and no," I take a step back. "Maverick wasn't the only person I was matched with during my mating ceremony he just happened to be the strongest connection and Maverick spoke up, my other mate did not and advised me not to say anything."

"What do you mean?" he asks carefully. "You had more than one match? Why would your second mate hide that? I would never hide you away. Ever."

"I appreciate that but my life in Aeris wasn't easy. My father is..." I pause trying to come up with the right word. "Complicated. Things between us are strained and he expects perfection. If it came out that I had more than one mate, especially who my second mate is, my father would have flipped out. He was protecting me, even if it meant being sent here."

I probably should have talked to Warrick first before telling someone else this story. He gave me permission to tell Harper and Isis but that was it. However, I believe that Phoenix can be trusted. I want to trust him and I'm not giving him the name of my second mate. Just telling him I have another one out there.

"I can tell there's a lot to unpack with this so all I'm going to say is that when you are ready to talk about it we can. Until then I'll take whatever you will give me. I would like to go through the fallen angel ceremony to see if we are mates but only when you are ready to take that leap. Until then we will go at your pace and just explore this connection." Phoenix steps forward and runs his hand down the side of my face softly. "Your pace. Always."

"Thank you," I whisper trying to hold back the tears. He really has no idea how much it means to me that he is going tolet us go at my pace. We at least have some truths out in the open between us. Not all but that will come.

"I have one more question for you and then we can get some sleep or dinner whichever you want." Phoenix pauses waiting for me to react one way or another. I just stand in front of him waiting, frozen to see what way this is going to go. I hope he doesn't ask me who my other mate is. I don't want to reveal that just yet. "Who put the bruise on your face? It's almost gone but I want to know whose ass I'm kicking for hurting you."

Gasping, I stumble back away from him. That was the last question I was expecting him to ask me. Honestly, I had completely forgotten about the bruise. Not once had Rhys brought it up and I've been avoiding looking in a mirror not wanting to see the reminder of what my father did for me.

"That's complicated but I can say that the person who gave it to me can't reach me here. Not anymore." I'm pleading Phoenix with my eyes to drop the topic. He can't go against my father. He would never win, and I won't let him try.

"This is one of those when you're comfortable to tell me things isn't it?" he asks carefully. Watching me for any reaction that I'll give him.

"Yeah, we need to wait on that one please."

"Okay, end of the conversation then on that. Ready for bed? Or do you want food?" he asks changing the topic completely.

"Bed, definitely bed," I laugh. Before I can take a step, Phoenix picks me up and carries me to the bed, placing me carefully on one side before he walks to the other.

"Get some sleep, Beautiful. I'll be here for anything you need and I promise to stay on my side of the bed." Phoenix crawls under the covers and does exactly what he says, staying on his side of the bed as he clicks off the lamp beside him. "Good night and sweet dreams."

"Night and sweet dreams, Phoenix," I mumble softly, cuddling down into the pillows and blankets. I didn't think sleep would claim me as fast as it did but within minutes I was out cold.

Chapter 21

Arabella

Islept like the dead. Even with Phoenix by my side, I was out cold all night. No dreams, no nightmares. Just pure blissful sleep. I'm not sure what that says. Was I just so exhausted from training with Rhys that my body decided shutting down completely was the way to go? Or was it because I had Phoenix beside me and I knew he would keep me safe? Logically, I want to assume it's the first. I was exhausted from training and my body didn't heal in the way a normal Angel's does. I've always had issues with healing thanks to the things my father put me through. I knew that sleep was a body's way of naturally healing so it's the best assumption. If I said that I slept so well because of Phoenix then that means I would need to think about the fact he makes me feel safe and why he makes me feel safe. He believes that we are mates. I'm still not sure, but I do feel a draw to him, a connection of some kind and even though it should scare me, I don't think that I am scared. If anything I'm intrigued.

Warrick has always made me feel safe. He was the person I ran to keep me sane, to pick me up when my father tore me down. With Phoenix it's different. I feel protective over him. When I first met him he seemed to just follow Rhys around. Hewas shy and kept to himself but he showed me kindness when his brother didn't. It drew me to him. Ever since he found me in front of my destroyed dorm, I've seen a different side of him. He tries to protect me and I've never been more grateful for it. However, I still feel an overwhelming need to protect him as well. That's why I won't tell him the truth about who hit me. Not now. Maybe not ever. It's the same reason I keep trying to leave his dorm. Whatever chaos is following me, I want to keep it away from him. If I stay here it will just drag him into it, but he won't let me leave.

Ugh.

Now with my mind running, I know I can't stay in bed any longer. I'll grow restless and I don't want to disturb Phoenix. Turning my head to the side, I see Phoenix sleeping soundly beside me. At some point in our sleep, he moved closer to me. Not quite touching me but close enough that if I needed him he could reach out for me.Ha, and he said he would stay on his side.If I had my phone nearby I would take a picture just to show him how wrong he was.

"Morning, Beautiful," Phoenix mumbles softly, his voice filled with sleep. His eyes are barely open as he rolls to the side and pulls me against him so he can place a soft kiss on my forehead. "How'd you sleep?"

"Like the dead," I laugh softly. "What happened to staying on your side of the bed?" I move my hand the couple of inches between us to emphasize my point. I don't actually mind as much as it seems with him being on my side, I'm just intrigued to know his thinking.

"What can I say?" he shrugs rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "I guess I just knew you needed me close by so you could get a good night's sleep. You did right?" His eyes widen in slight panic and fear.

It's tempting to let him stew and think about if his actions disturbed me at but I hate seeing the fear in his eyes. "I didn't even know you moved closer until I woke up. You're okay." I cautiously reach out my hand and pat his chest. The movement is awkward but I'm not really sure what to do to show him that it's okay. I never had these issues with Warrick. I wouldn't really call it an issue now either, more like it's new territory that I'm learning to navigate. Clearing my throat, I pull away, pushing the covers off of me, and get out of bed. "I, umm, should probably get dressed. I'm sure the girls will want to meet for breakfast. It's been two days since I saw them. They are bound to have questions."

It's an excuse. A lame one at that but I know if I stayed in bed with Phoenix I wasn't going to want to get out. I have to go to class today, and I need to see my friends. I can't keep hiding here expecting my problems to handle themselves. No, I'm a big girl and I can do it myself. The reprise was nice for a day. Now it's time for reality to sink back in.