Good And Ready

Storm scoffed when she heard Kaden's reply.

Stick around? The man must be nuts to think that she would take up visiting this side of Shappy town as a hobby because of him.

It was best she left here already before he started to talk about her working as a bartender in this crime infested bar. After all, he already paid in full, Mr. Tim's debt.

"Aren't you a little curious about who or what we are? Some people are actually dying for this piece of information, and here you are pushing it away even though it is offered on a free platter." Kaden mentioned, folding his arms across his chest, his blue eyes boring down on Storm. 

His reply caused Storm to snort. "Well, I am not interested. I will live just as fine as I was before coming into this bar today. I am not a journalist or among the paparazzi who would do anything for a piece of this juicy information you are offering me." She pointed out, her eyes already scanning the room for the exit door, even as she asked herself if all will be the same if she left here.

 Well, she knew for one that her mind won't! The feature was already besotted with images of the gorgeous man in front of her. Only if his ego was that beautiful…

"Why are you so against sticking around? I thought you would be happy being around people who have special powers like you do." Kaden pointed out. He had thought that telling her to stick around him would make her day, having noted the flushness on her face whenever she stared at him, but it seems that this mate of his would be a harder nut to crack.

Storm's decision wavered at this point. The thought of being around people like her was appealing, but would they be comfortable with a new face?

Kaden, as if sensing her inner turmoil, unfolded his hands from his chest and took a step toward her.

"Well, you're part of us now." He said, as he came to her, again stepping into her space, a dominant male wanting to make her aware just what her place was. "You're right that not all of my people would be comfortable with you or your healing magic, but my best friend has to know about your healing gift. And Lent has a right too."

"Fine," Storm said, as though it made no difference. "Tell them." She moved to the door, again deliberately turning her back on him. She knew he was an alpha male(in the sense of dominance) and would not like that. "You should go help clean up out there. Does the bar get shot up often?"

"Storm."

He was right behind her, his warmth like sunshine on her back. Storm stopped with her hand on the doorknob, her mind assailed with a certain question of why her name sounded so sweet and sexy on the lips of the hulk. 

Kaden rested his palm on the doorframe above her, his tall body hemming her in. She remembered the feel of him on top of her on the floor, the tactile memory strong.

"I believe something's been troubling you," He said. "Troubling you bad. I want you to tell me about it."

Storm shivered then. Damn! Could he read minds? Was that his own gift? If not, how would he know of the pressing issue that causes her head and heart to burn at night, making it impossible to sleep. Damn him too! And no, she didn't want to talk about it.

"Not now. Can I go?" She asked, voicing her last thought.

"It's my job to listen to your troubles," Kaden said, breathing hot in her ear. "Whether I'm your boyfriend yet or not. And you will tell me yours."

Boyfriend yet? What was that supposed to mean?

Storm's tongue felt loose, her pent-up emotions suddenly wanting to spill out to this man and his warm voice. She clamped her mouth shut, but Kaden stunned her by saying, "Is it about the nightmares?"

She hadn't told anyone about the nightmares. Not her father, definitely not her step mother, not anyone. Though Mirianda, her step sister, might have heard her crying out in her sleep. 

The nightmares had started a week after her father and she had moved in with his second wife. It was when they'd risen in her head like a many-tentacled monster. She didn't know what they meant or why she was having them; she only knew they scared the hell out of her. 

"How do you know about my nightmares?" She asked Kaden.

"Because my bedroom window faces yours, love, and I have good hearing." Kaden answered, a definite amusing allure present in his voice.

Storm's eyes widened as she strived to contain a gasp that was threatening to escape her mouth. She was aware that she had a new neighbour who had moved into the finely built house very close to theirs. But never had she, in her wildest imagination, did she see Kaden being her neighbour. The new information totally explained why Mirianda was always on more makeup these days, and always going out for a walk in the mornings.

"...to keep fit…" The latter had said.

Keep fit my foot!! Storm cussed in her mind. She hadn't been around when her step mother had gone over to the house to greet the new neighbour, so she hadn't known.

But the thought of Kaden sitting in his bedroom, probably watching over her while she slept, made her shiver with warmth. "There's nothing to tell. When I wake up, I can't remember anything." She mentioned.

Except fear. She had no idea what the images that flashed through her head meant, but they terrified her. "I really don't want to talk about it right now," she said. "All right?"

Kaden ran a soothing hand down her arm, stirring more fires. "That's all right, love. You let me know when you're good and ready."

From the feel of the very firm thing lodged against her backside, Storm knew that   Kaden was good and ready now. One part of him has already shifted.