b of pain in my chest. Coughing, I slowed my run and shifted, leaning against a tree for support. Covering m

damn near festering. It hurt like hell and I groaned. Pressing my hand against it, I let out a roar a

oing to ask my father. My whole body shook at the thought. Just because I used something he gave me didn't mean my feelings hadn't change

be trusting either of them. Something I was not willing to do either. Sighing, I rubbed the back

, it was like this. So painful that it would actually stop me from working. Or make me cough up blood

nuing my run. My run turned into a jog and trying not to stumble with how bad the pain was. I continued past the te

e mud before I looped around the back. Shifting, I grabbed one of the extra shirts but gri

yes narrowed before he looked me up and down. Mo

do you

to Noah for a second. A

"Yeah. Give

job on security. Apparently, she had a few random properties that she had done that level of security in all of them. She tried to explain she wasn

the forest. Maybe it was something I should expand my territory to include thi

s sitting, an unlit cigarette in his mouth. He handed me the box and as I took

do you

hought we were

l. I doubt you would hesitate to try the same s

as much hatred toward your kind as

you actually doing here? You can't be here for a social cha

's been a littl

il

m, taking a drag

point. I have a m

my head. "I had a q

fully, tapping the ash off his cigaret

thing

n what I know. Everything I know is through Sol or Lo

bably know more than anyone in the p

on the bench. He pulled out another cigarette and lit it. I l

int where magi

ke...an act

. "Like a scar or woun

I mean, there are so many types of magic out th

im, interested. "Like my bo

her real limbs. It wasn't pretty. Some days were better than others, but it got to where Sol gave up. Lor had to do years of

like...an

er is fighting it. Depends on the magic, honestl

ad to the side

f. If any part of you rejects it, it's goi

Eros, but he was still out of reach. If it was him trying to fight the magic, then he was causing u

m. To want to make sure he was okay. During the times it hurt the worst, I co

now you're paying the price." With a smirk,

tever it is, let's hope whatever pa

ld you s

cision you made. It's telling you, unconsciously, that you were wrong. That there i

head. "It shouldn't.

il

prised by the much more

bend the will of the magic to do what they want. There is always a cost, though. A price to be paid and usually, someone loses something or everything." He pocketed the box of cigar

the numbers for the pad outside.

ince me? Or get me into contact

going to waste my breath on you. If there was something you had in common with Solaris, it's that. Second, if you've

lling my shirt out, I looked down at my chest. The rune marks still lo

your doin

was no

u're only making things worse!' I gro

, I shifted and pulled on clothes before going inside. One thing I didn't need was questions about the wounds.

was freaking out when

ent for a brief r

e didn't press me further. "D

ighed. "If you could. I'm going to jump in

ght,

g attention, and I reached out to grab him. The sparks were so intense that I near

" I asked

rse. He was quiet, looking at me. I could feel his emotions through the bond so strongly. It confused me. The

I was going." He looked away

is automatically every time we spoke? I loosened my g

her w

me. "Next time, maybe tell us you'r

wil

ttention, and I watched him glance down. Between us, the bond thrummed intensely and I could almost forget

...w-wh

le, he used to stand out in the rain by himself. Usually, he would end up with some kind of cold after it, but Nate

tumbling back for a moment. Nate watched me, frozen. The intensity of the

ore off my shirt. My chest was bleeding, and I turned on the shower, breathing through the p

ighting it. The mo

not talking about yo