Total pages in book: 14
Estimated words: 13180 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 66(@200wpm)___ 53(@250wpm)___ 44(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 13180 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 66(@200wpm)___ 53(@250wpm)___ 44(@300wpm)
But Daniel could see that Noel was still raising his gun. The panic that filled Noel’s eyes speared through Daniel, and he couldn’t breathe as that gaze zeroed in on him, flooded with raw emotion. There was so much there. Fear, yes, but true regret, remorse, and a wave of love and apology.
Noel couldn’t speak, but his eyes told Daniel that he loved him. And that he was sorry it would end like this.
The gun reached his temple.
Daniel’s fear and panic reached epic levels, and his magic rose despite the amulet’s power. The scream built in his stomach and chest until it felt like it would explode through his ribs. With absolutely everything on the line, he didn’t stop it.
He let his scream free.
The high-pitched wail exploded out of him. Windows shattered, and the desk flew off the floor, knocking the wizard back. The amulet came loose, went flying, and Xavier caught it with his raised hand.
Still, Daniel screamed. Walls began to crumble and broken glass swirled into the air. PVC pipe spun about wildly along with plastic tubing. The other wizard fell to his knees with his hands over his ears. Lake yelled before he warped out of the building.
Still, Daniel screamed as more windows shattered. It was like letting a separate monster loose, the scream obliterating everyone and everything. His throat grew raw, his lungs burned, yet he didn’t stop.
Hands landed on his shoulders.
“Daniel,” Xavier ordered in a firm, but calm voice that somehow penetrated his scream. “You can stop now. Noel is safe.”
He shut his mouth.
The abrupt silence actually hurt Daniel’s ears as exhaustion slammed into him. He fell to the floor, working hard to catch his breath as his mind grew muddy with dizziness. Every muscle in his body felt weighted and sore, so he couldn’t move as Xavier turned his anger on the three preternaturals.
Daniel just closed his eyes and let the exhaustion take over.
Still, he heard their cries, and when he finally could bring himself to open his eyes, it was to find them writhing on the floor.
Xavier had stripped them all of their powers.
It was a sentence worse than death for a preternatural.
They deserved it.
Daniel slowly sat up as Noel knelt beside him, his hand gripping Daniel’s arm. “Holy shit, Daniel. That’s some power you have.”
He looked Noel over, seeing a few small cuts on his face from the flying debris. “It’s dangerous. That’s only the fourth time I’ve ever let it loose. But he was going to make you kill yourself.” He swallowed, his throat feeling full of razors. “I was so damn scared.”
Noel’s hand tightened on his arm. “Because you love me.”
Daniel stared at him, his heart beating hard. “I do. I love you so much.”
“But do feel you can trust me?” Those blue eyes went shiny with moisture, his need for that last step stamped on his face.
Daniel continued to stare at him while he searched his own feelings.
Yes, he did. There had been circumstances beyond their control and Noel was here now to make it right. Daniel needed to trust him again. “You can’t leave me again, Noel.”
“I won’t. I’ll stay with you and make you miserable someday when I finally age and pass away. I’m too selfish not to stay with you even knowing that.”
A smile pulled up one corner of Daniel’s mouth. “You are, huh?”
The corner of his mouth quirked. “Very, very selfish. I want time with you. I know that preternaturals have soulmates, and I can’t be one because I’m human. I know I’m asking you to give that up.” He paused, visibly swallowing hard. “But I want all the time I have left with you.”
Daniel’s heart just melted. “All your research, and you still got one thing wrong.”
“What’s that?” Noel asked.
Daniel cupped Noel’s cheek. “Humans can be soulmates. Humans with the ability to see through glamours. So, I won’t be giving that up and instead gaining something I’ve always wanted. We’re going to have many, many years to drive each other crazy.”
Pure joy spilled into Noel’s face. He turned and kissed Daniel’s palm, nestling his face there. He closed his eyes and whispered, “Thank you for trusting me. I promise to spend all those many years loving you with everything I am.”
And Daniel believed him.
Epilogue
Daniel
Turned out Noel wasn’t quite ready to give up investigation work. He opened a private detective agency in Seattle, where he spent a lot of his days digging into people’s private lives. He spent his nights with Daniel in the house they’d purchased together in the Belltown area. It was a custom built with sweeping Puget Sound views they’d been able to afford because both had been setting money aside for years. In Daniel’s case, many, many years.
The four-bedroom home was a mix of old charm and modern amenities, and it held a cozy yet elegant atmosphere that had appealed to them both the minute they’d walked inside. They’d just looked at each other, both knowing it was the one.