Page 27 of Gifted Destiny

My climaxes before last night had been hasty or subdued with worry that I’d be interrupted or discovered. Locked doors weren’t permitted at the orphanage, and locks don’t prevent a ghost from slipping through. Avery’s patient selflessness allowed me to experience the kind of mind-blowing orgasm I’d only read about.

Avery doesn’t speak; he doesn’t need to. Knowing someone is privy to all of my emotions is disconcerting, but there are also benefits. The vampire knows which ones necessitate a response, and he doesn’t call forth unwanted attention. Perhaps he can teach Kodi discretion when the ghost gains the same ability.

The vampire unexpectedly places his palms on my thighs, and my entire body heats. My legs are overly sensitive and unaccustomed to touch. Although the bones didn’t heal properly, the nerves are fully functional. I keep inventing excuses to delay Garrett’s massage, but the shifter is more inflexible than the stone gargoyles. I’m worried my self-consciousness will negate the therapeutic quality of his attention.

Realizing that Avery senses my scattered emotional state, I reassure him by clasping his hands. “I’m okay. I’m overly emotional because I’m tired.” My words waffle between truth and dishonesty because I don’t offer details; it’s a lie of omission.

Avery nods with acceptance and leans forward expectantly, but he lets me decide whether to close the distance between us. Heat rises to my cheeks when our lips meet for a brief kiss. The others might be distracted by the contract, but I’m still not used to semi-private displays of affection – or any affection.

When Avery rises with a small smile, I maneuver my chair towards the table where Bren is currently reading the contract. Unlike other contracts, the text appears legible, and I’m tempted to read over Bren’s shoulder. Despite my urges, I force my gaze somewhere else. I want to trust Sage and Bren, and my mind has been overly influenced by the magicless world. Besides, being aware of the possible repercussions and consequences if something goes awry will only make me more worried.

Even from a distance, however, the contract seems twice as long as the oaths of guardianship. My head starts aching when I imagine the complex legalese and millions of caveats and exceptions.

Bren reads silently for several minutes. With each word, the frown lines between his dark brows deepen. His brother edges away from the table and begins pacing down the center of the room.

“It seems long,” I say to Duggar. Like Garrett, I’m conscious of breaking Bren’s conversation, but I can’t pace to ease my worries.

The goblin’s wings rustle and his dark gaze is unreadable. “Sage is apologetic. This contract is a singular anomaly in her lengthy history, and she had to pull language from several lawtexts to complete it.” His raspy tone is weary and agitated. It’s been a long day for everyone – not just the humans.

My gaze flits back to the book, and a single word catches my attention. Although it’s the same as every other word, my vision latches onto it as if it’s written in all caps, bolded, or in a different font.Eradicated.

Unable to resist, I move my chair forward until the wheel hits the nearest table leg. Still, the type is very small, so I scoot to the edge of my seat. “What does this mean?If the subject’s power is so great that it threatens the safety and integrity of the items stored within the library, the subject will be eradicated.Eradicated? What a horrifying word choice. Does it mean death? Also, which items? Any of them? All of them? How is integrity defined?”

Duggar’s wings flutter with such frantic energy that they propel him into the air. “The library felt she needed to include language that would cover every imaginable eventuality. She doesn’t know what to expect.” Gilly appears next to him, entwining their hands. It’s the first sign of any human-like relationship I’ve ever seen them exhibit. His wife’s presence must offer comfort because he stops bouncing back and forth in the air.

“There is too much at stake,” Duggar continues with a very human sigh. “The libraries are connected, so it’s not just this one we have to consider. The balance of the universe is at stake.”

“Here we are talking about the universe again.” Kodi’s mutter is mostly ignored, but I file it away in the back of my mind. He has a point.

“I understand,” Bren says from beside me. He’s no longer hunched over the book. Instead, he’s looking into the distance and a swirl of pastel color tints his gaze. “Contracts are meant to be precautions. They cover every eventuality, no matter how far-fetched. It needs to be unbiased in order to convince the bureau.The bureau can’t have any reason to believe the library might be making an exception for her guardians.” When Bren turns to me, his eyes have returned to their usual pale green. “‘No man is above the law and no man below it.’”

“Who said that?” I whisper. Bren’s gaze captures mine with such intensity that I barely find the breath to ask.

“Theodore Roosevelt.” Garrett’s angry answer shatters the moment between Bren and me. His emotions are so clearly written on his face that they don’t require a bond. Anger and helplessness war with resignation. “Is there no other way?”

Bren turns his attention toward his brother. “My visions are clear now. This is the only way forward.” A lie hides within his words, but it pertains to the nature of his visions; they are never truly clear.

Without further hesitation, he pokes his right thumb and signs his name. Why hadn’t I noticed he’s left-handed until now? The inconsequential detail must have waited for the perfect moment to distract me.

The lurid red blood stains the white page, destroying every protest anyone might have uttered. I have a single glimpse of his new surname before Bren closes the book.

“It’s done,” he states with measured calm.

The shifter’s massive shoulders sag under the gravity of his brother’s decision as silence envelops us. In that quiet, the book and pen disappear without fanfare. Nothing can erase a library contract.

My rational brain understands that he made the best choice under horrible circumstances, but I can’t help but feel responsible. What if he’s still captured? What if he dies because of me – like Kodi? Did my mother also die because of me? Ansel, my father, did to some degree. The sudden rush of emotions nearly suffocates me and tears cloud my vision. “This is all my fault,” I sob.

Bren grabs the arms of my chair and turns both of us until we’re sitting in the same position we’d been in when we worked together to save Kodi. This time, anxiety doesn’t overwhelm me at the idea of his legs touching mine. It’s a monumental change that I barely notice.

“Look at me.” The thread of command in Bren’s voice is so unexpected that I obey without thinking.

Kiwi.The word pops into my brain without warning, and it takes me a second to connect my thoughts. His eyes are the color of kiwis – the fruit, not the bird.

“Did you give birth to me?”

The question is just as peculiar as my mental search for the perfect way to describe the color of his eyes. “What?”

“You didn’t give me this power, Zosia Abram.” He grasps my hands and speaks the words clearly and firmly. “I understand that a lot has been laid upon your shoulders since you realized your birthright, but this weight isn’t yours. I chose to come here and be a guardian. It’s on me if something bad happens, especially since I can see the future. People make their own decisions, Zosia. Kodi chose to save you. Ansel chose to become the interim protector of the library. Your mother chose her path when she left the library. I chose to sign the contract. Our love for you might have influenced those decisions, but that doesn’t mean you get to take on all the responsibility for any consequences.”

---