Page 60 of Tortured Soul
There was a good reason Nephilims were calledGiantsin religious writings. They were taller than any other Immortals. Where Arc wasreallytall with what I assumed was a good six foot seven inches, he couldn’t compete with Dimitri’s seven foot height.
And I wasn’t talking about the weird way abnormally tall humans looked, with strangely long gangly limbs. No, tall Immortals were something else. If their appearance wasn’t giving them away as inhuman, their height and frame usually did.
It was a mystery how we managed to stay hidden from humans for so long.
“Is he your mate too?” Francesca asked, while Savi adjusted the spaghetti straps of her sister’s dark emerald dress.
So Marcus didn’t exaggerate when he said that mostly everyone knew except me about Arc and Carter.
I nodded with a grunt.
“Lucky bitch,” Francesca said, but her grin was kind.
“Not that lucky,” Savi countered, nudging her sister. “She still has to deal with Carter.”
Francesca’s wince came from the heart and I groaned internally.
“I don’t have a soul,” I said, sliding my hand along my silk dress, watching the vibrant red in the mirror. “They’d do better to just ignore the mate link and move on with their life.”
Whether they understood that I was serious or not, the girls stared at me through the mirror, pity in their eyes. Savi took a step forward and placed her hand on my shoulder, making me turn toward them.
“You know they can’t, right?” Francesca asked. “Once the link has been felt, they can’t turn away from it.”
How I wished I could feel it. All of them. The little tug I felt instead couldn’t compare to how it felt when I first met Dimitri all those centuries ago, back in my hometown, in that damn cave. A tug was nothing when you already felt thatpull.
“We should go,” I said, forcing a smile. “Dimitri doesn’t do well in crowds; he’ll get anxious if I don’t show up soon.”
To be fair, I guessed there was going to be an event the first time I set foot inside the City Hall. Although, I never would have assumed it was going to be aparty.
What definitely used to be the main room of a religious temple was now transformed into a fancy reception. A large bar was installed on a platform at the far back of the room where an altar must have been placed back when humans still lived here. A round buffet was at the center, people picking at food in small groups and talking with each other. There were people dancing, people sitting at tables, people going in and out for a smoke break.
People everywhere.
But Dimitri was nowhere in sight. Nor were any of the Guardians.
My palms felt clammy as I wiped them distractedly against my sides. My heart was beating fast in my chest, so loud I could hear it pulsating in my ears.
Aymeric was in deep conversation with another angel near the bar, both holding glasses in their hands. Marcus was doing his best to avoid me, going from group to group and turning away every time our eyes met. The girls were kind enough to stay with me until they were called over by what appeared to be guards from their team.
I had no idea what to do with myself. I hadn’t exactly been forthcoming with people, avoiding them as best I could for the whole time I’d been here. Most of them either gave me curious glances or distrustful glares.
I don’t belong here, I thought, nervously playing with a strand of my hair.
At least my pheromones weren’t acting up and there was little chance those people would try to assault me in a corridor or a dark corner…
Small victories. Focus on small victories.
With a determined sigh, I kept my head high and strode toward the bar, my steps confident, red heels clicking on the marble floor, hips swaying.
I was safe. My energy was high, which meant my strength and power were enough to defend me if needed. After all, unlike my peers, Icouldturn into anything.
I sat graciously on an empty stool and called for the bartender.
“Good evening.” He smiled. “Lola, isn’t it? You’re the Succubus who keeps to herself.”
I tilted my head to the side. “Am I?”
“You’ve been the talk of the town for over a week. Becca’s been bragging about being one of the only ones who had actually talked to you.”
