Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 39245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 196(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 196(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
The man gripped his waist, real disappointment flashing over his expression. “You sure? We’re up for some fun if you are.”
“You’re all fucking hot, and I’m flattered, but I’ve got somewhere I need to be.”
“Too bad.” The guy moved back from him, going back to his partners.
Finn watched as they closed in ranks, reaching for each other, sliding seamlessly into dancing together.
That’s what he wanted. A connection. To no longer be alone.
So it was time for something different. Something more meaningful. He’d never allowed himself that, but apparently it was a need he was just coming to feel. Or maybe understand. Thing was, he wasn’t sure he deserved something like that. Or that he was even capable.
Because whether he liked to admit it to himself or not, he was just a little…broken. He’d spent all of his years with a deep-rooted fear that he’d never given a name.
He looked up at the strobe lights, smelled the sweat from the people dancing around him, and took a deep breath. He’d have to vent his frustration in a different way.
Making his way to the restroom where he was thankfully alone, he splashed water on his overheated face, then stared at himself in the mirror. It felt like looking at a stranger. All these thoughts he wasn’t used to having had his brows pulled together and his lips pinched tight.
The overwhelming emotions just swamped him, his skin feeling tight as the urge to smoke out took over. The blood started rushing in his veins. He didn’t want to deal with anyone else anyway, so he let his magic flow through him quickly, fading swiftly into vapor. He hovered in the air to momentarily get his bearings. He’d said he had somewhere to be, and that would be home. Home with thoughts he didn’t really want to be having. As he floated fast through the club, he tried to make sense of what he was feeling. This wave of restlessness that had washed over him like he hadn’t just spent hours dancing it off.
What the hell?
Three hundred and forty years of life. All of them spent completely alone. He solidified next to his truck and looked up at the stars. A cool, late spring breeze brushed over his arms, neck, and face. It felt good. Grounded him somehow. He stayed alone on purpose, had never needed anyone, having had his heart broken too many times as a child. He’d never had a true home until he’d come here to be a part of Protective Solutions, and he’d made real friends there. So he supposed he wasn’t truly alone.
But from the depth of these crazy new feelings, he knew it was definitely time to find someone just for him. Probably not a soulmate, because they were rare, but he could definitely let himself come to care for someone. Another preternatural perhaps. Someone to share his long life with—someone who understood what it was like to face too many years alone.
Someone who could love him, broken pieces and all.
Chapter Two
Finn
“Hey, Daniel.” Finn walked into the tech room at Protective Solutions and pulled up one of the rolling chairs to the banshee’s desk. His friend had a sweet setup in here, with three massive monitors connected to a desktop Daniel had built and tricked out himself. He’d even built a kick-ass computer for Finn which ran games like a dream. “You up for some Raft tonight?”
Daniel continued typing on his computer, his black eyes and claws not hampering him in the least. “You bet. I’m guessing the next story island is gonna be a bitch.” He glanced at Finn and cocked his head. “Why don’t you look more rested? Thought you told me you had special plans for your days off.”
“I did.”
“Plans beyond gaming. We do that every week.”
Finn shrugged. He’d spent most of his weekend tossing and turning, his mind whirling around all these strange new feelings. And he’d paced a lot, growing more and more frustrated. With himself.
He’d never thought himself lonely, but that’s what he was feeling. Hell, he was feeling lonely now, sitting right next to his friend and making social plans. His skin suddenly prickled with magic, and he turned toward the door.
Xavier walked into the room, elegant in fitted black slacks and a burgundy button-down. Finn really liked his boss, though he knew little about him. Xavier pretty much kept to himself and wasn’t one to share a lot about his life. All Finn knew was that the sorcerer was older than all of them—possibly put together. Oh, and that he held more power than anyone Finn had ever encountered. At one of their last jobs, the sorcerer had stripped a powerful warper wizard of his powers. Finn hadn’t even known that was possible.
So now, he was a little wary of the man. Didn’t plan to ever get on his bad side.