Page 45 of Gifted Destiny

The library’s command to wake brings me out of a slumber that I barely started. I am surprisingly rested, considering I only got a few hours of sleep.

Kodi’s stamina might have been extremely short the first time, but he made up for it several times over. We didn’t just have sex, though; we laughed, talked, and touched each other until the early morning hours.

I’d never dared to hope for this with him, and the return of his ghostly form reminds me that our time is fleeting. Although he might be able to toggle back and forth without magic from Bren, he’s hesitant. He’d expressed his fear that he’d fade while we’re intimate. It’s an understandable and rational fear. I’m not eager to feel the static prickle of his ghostly energy against the most sensitive parts of my body.

The thought of my sensitive areas prompts me to stretch. My thighs, hips, and in-betweens ache. Still, the soreness is barely noticeable when compared to my usual pain level.

Kodi’s eyes are closed, and he doesn’t stir when I wake and start to move. I didn’t think he could achieve this state while incorporeal. I can’t check his pulse or count his breaths, but his energy pricks my skin when I draw near. Satisfied that he’s asokay as a ghost can be, I allow myself to study him. Only his gray shoulders and arms are visible, and the lack of freckles is almost more jarring than the color. I know without looking that he’s naked underneath the thin sheet.

How does one get dressed while in this state? I imagine him popping into existence, butt-naked, to scare thieving students. It’s both hilarious and horrifying. I don’t want any of our uppity patrons to see him naked, but it would be funny.

I purposefully push aside any thoughts of what the morning might bring. Spending all night intertwined with my first love has created an intense rush of endorphins, and I could easily grow accustomed to my improved mood. If there’s a direct correlation between my energy levels and my mood, bonding with the others should provide similar benefits.

Kodi’s eyelashes flutter open, but nothing else changes. It’s eerie to watch. Brief resignation flickers into his expression when he assesses his ghostly form, but it’s quickly followed by satisfaction and … contentment? I might not have been able to identify the emotion without the bond. I can’t remember ever seeing it before, not even when he was alive.

“What are you smiling about?”

My grin widens. There are many reasons, but I decide to tease him and purposefully sweep my attention down his body. “I was imagining a naked ghost among the stacks. I doubt the faculty will approve.”

Kodi eyes the linens, but the twinkle in his gray eyes doesn’t fade at the reminder of his ghostly form, which defies physics. Why doesn’t his body pass through the blankets or the bed as it does with walls and doors? ]

Contemplating the paradox makes my head hurt, so I focus on other issues. Can he wrap the sheet around him instead of his clothes? My lips twitch into an amused grimace. A ghost in a sheet is too stereotypical.

“Maybe Bren can power me up again – just for the time it takes to get dressed.”

I roll my eyes. “Now you’re just being lazy. You’ve done it before, boo; you can do it again.”

My best friend’s gaze glides with smooth purpose to my cleavage and lingers. A thin sheet is my only covering, too, but I’m not worried about my ability to dress myself.

“I prefer to get hard for other matters.” Kodi pouts dramatically. “It’s such a waste if my only goal is to dress myself.”

Despite the fact that I am utterly spent from our night together, my nipples respond to his suggestive tone. Rigid peaks push noticeably against the sheet, and I’m suddenly aware of their sensitivity. I grit my teeth and push all the sexy thoughts from my mind. “I can’t have students run screaming from the library for the second day in a row. Encountering a ghost is one thing. Encountering anakedghost is another thing entirely. You are perfectly capable without Bren.”

“Oh, yes,” he snickers. “Iamperfectly capable – several times over actually.”

When I don’t respond to his boastful teasing, a mock scowl joins the twinkle in his eyes. They appear less shallow and more nuanced after last night, but I might be projecting my wishes onto him.

“Yes, boss lady librarian, ma’am.” His eyes flutter closed as he concentrates. The strange plasma of his form flickers like a sputtering candle flame before it regains shape.

He tosses the blankets aside the second he’s corporeal again. He must have called upon lust for assistance because he’s fully erect when he stands beside the bed. Although distracting, that isn’t what makes me stare at him with my jaw open.

Throughout the night, I’d traced the scars that swirled across his torso. Ink has overtaken the raised welts and madethem nearly invisible. The beauty and intricacy of the design are masterful and decorate most of his chest and stomach, extending over his shoulders and halfway down his biceps. I’m transfixed by the complicated pattern, mostly because it looks like it’s always been there.

Kodi’s gaze follows mine, and he grunts. “What is it?”

“It’s your mate mark.”

He rolls his eyes. “I figured that part out, Zo. What is it, though? What does it mean?”

As if it’s become second nature, I sift through the available volumes of information. Several tomes are in different languages, but I translate them without difficulty. The search still requires several minutes because the answer isn’t simple.

Kodi memorizes the details of the design while he waits. Instead of black ink, which might have looked lurid on his pale skin, the lines are etched in rich copper. If it were a real tattoo, the time, price, and pain would be staggering. Similar to the vampire’s mark, Kodi’s includes his scars and makes them nearly invisible. The mate marks seem determined to erase my guardians’ brutal pasts.

“It’s a Celtic knot and is meant to represent the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. Yours is extremely complicated, but true representations have requirements – no terminated lines, no beginnings, no endings, and no loose threads.” I smile with satisfaction. “It’s perfect for you, both the interconnectedness and the lack of an end to your existence.”

Kodi winces. “So far,” he grumbles. “Show me yours.”

I open my mouth to tell him I don’t know where it is when my chest prickles. A tug of the blankets reveals a simple Celtic knot directly over my heart. Although the design shares similarities with Kodi’s, mine exhibits only a tenth of the intricacy.

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