Page 99 of Seducing Hope (The Hope Legacy)

She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth. “Sorry, I’ll pay for that.”

Chuckling, I shake my head. “No need—it will be back to new in an hour. It’s seen worse. The main thing is the result. Do you understand the emotion you need to access your magic?”

Her eyes flash before she hangs her head and tugs on my mind.“Fear. Will I always need it?”

“No, Natia. Tell me, could you access it now?”

Glancing up, she levels her gaze at the floor and points her index finger at some of the broken wood. It whips around in a mini tornado. She grins.

Laughter bubbles out of me as I press her hand down. “You don’t need to actually point to make it happen.”

She shrugs. “I know, but it looks good for dramatic effect.”

Everyone but Zac snorts.

Now, time to discuss us. We keep going around in stubborn circles. I want her, she wants me. This should be simple.Of course, it’s Natia, so simple is against her very nature.

“We need to talk about last night.”

She takes a step away, nibbles her lip, and glances at our audience. “Not now. Where and when for Khalkaroth?”

“Five p.m., the old warehouse district. We’ll fill you in on the plans then,” Barney says.

I sigh. I’ve lost her to the mission for now. She wants to distract herself with danger; it’s apparently easier than dealing with her whiplash feelings toward me.“It’s a capture, not kill mission,” I warn her.

She nods. “I’ll see you at the warehouse later.” Then, she turns on her heel and stalks out the door. Everyone but Zac follows.

He glances around the room as the floor starts to repair itself, the wood slotting back together. “She’s strong.”

I huff out a breath at his understatement. I know this is only the beginning… There’s something special about Natia, and I don’t only mean her magic. I intend to peel back her many layers, unlock her secrets, and make her mine. The desire is unbearable now. I’ll show her the love she craves is overestimated—what I can offer is so much more. Will she try to run when she finds out who I am, what I am? Probably. But there isn’t a rock in this universe she can hide under.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Natia

Taurus. I am Earth. Air cannot move me. Water cannot drown me. Fire cannot scorch me.

Dark clouds form an oppressive barrier over the sun, and the scent of ozone is strong, promising a storm, as we sit in the car waiting for Archan. I massage my temples. Grrr, Archan—what the hell am I doing? The guy has me twisted in knots I can’t even begin to undo. He’s proven he would protect me from anything… anything but himself, that is. I think I know his fear, even if he doesn’t. He claims he can’t offer love. Perhaps it’s because he thinks he’s incapable, or maybe—like me—he fears the power it gives someone. I can’t begin to fathom the lifetimes he’s lived and the potential heartbreak that comes with that length of time. Giving in to Archan would be like jumping into a tsunami and clinging to the hope that I could ride the waves when, in reality, the devastating undertow would pull me so far down—I’d never again see the sky. However, he might be my weakness, but he also makes me strong. I’ve never felt so sure about my own strength; in the span of a few short hours, he linked me to a world where I can protect those I love with a power to rival the most evil foe.

Jed nudges me in the ribs as he squirms to get more comfortable. He stayed with us; it’s as if he’s decided to join our gang.I shift around in the back seat, stuck between Jed and Zee; the now-familiar buzzing sensation dances across my skin, making me twitchy and irritable.

I push Jed. “I need out—I feel like I’m suffocating.” He jumps out and offers his hand, and I grasp it. My breathing is too quick, making me dizzy. The second I’m outside, I feel better and reach under the passenger seat to retrieve my swords.

Zee scoots across the back seat and jumps down next to me. “I didn’t realize you were claustrophobic.”

“I’m not.”

Gravel crunches as a car roars toward us. I roll my eyes—a black SUV.

Jed puts a hand on my arm. “It’s just Archan.”

“I know. I’m just disappointed at his lack of imagination.”

Zee starts laughing. “She has a thing against black SUVs—she thinks they’re cliché.”

Jed nods and tilts his head, chuckling. “You know, I’ve never thought about it before… but you’re right.”

I kiss his cheek just as the car comes to a stop, and Archan steps out, followed by Nathan, Barney, and a new guy in his late thirties with short hair the color of straw, bronzed skin, and sky-blue eyes. “I may just love you, Smoothie. You understand me more than most.”

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