Chapter 5
five
DARIUS
Merrily handed me the sticky note, and I squinted down at the scribbled letters.
GTG
AFK, GL
"What the fuck does AFK, GL mean?" I asked.
"Away from keyboard, good luck," Grayson explained. "She's basically saying she's not going to answer her phone for a while, good luck with life while she's gone."
"How did she come up with that?" Merrily wondered.
"She plays a lot of online shooter video games."
"You rescued a teenage girl and set her up with a bunch of shooter games?" Merrily lifted an eyebrow.
"She needed a way to cope," Grayson said defensively. "She picked the games. She also wouldn't let anyone else get near her, and she scared the hell out of every therapist I introduced her to. All things considered, she recovered pretty fucking well."
I shoved a hand through my hair, fighting the apathy that loomed at the back of my mind. "She's fine. Video games are cool. Where do you think she went? I have her phone, so we don't have a way to contact her."
"I don't know. She won't even give me her apartment number. How did you find it?"
"Asked the internet where the Wraith lived. Someone messaged me. Beatrice. Her neighbor, I think."
"You'll need to move her to somewhere more secure," Merrily put in.
"Believe me, I know." I dropped onto one of their barstools, my usual exhaustion slightly easier to deal with even though I hadn't had any coffee yet. Her shadows were doing that for me.
Grayson rested his arms on the countertop, leaning toward me. "You guys are going to have a really hard time with this, but it needs to be said. Rae isn't just going to let you move her. If you try, you'll push her away, just like you did with the phone call."
"It wasn't the phone call," Merrily protested.
"It was whatever he said during the phone call that freaked her out," Grayson agreed.
They both looked at me.
"I told her we could do whatever she wanted for the rest of our lives. That my life revolved around finding my soulmate before, and now that I'd found her, it would revolve around her."
"That's good," Merrily said.
"No. Rae hates making decisions. She also hates people. She really hates it when people rely on her, want something from her, expect things from her, or want her to rely on them."
"That's basically every part of being a person or in a relationship," Mer pointed out.
"Exactly." Grayson nodded. "She doesn't want to be a person. Not after what she went through."
"Then how am I supposed to make her accept that I'm a part of her life now?" I asked.
"I don't know. If you want even a chance, you're going to have to do it her way."
"How do I do that?"
"Take things slow. Wait until she's ready, like you were doing before you knew she was your mate."
"I was taking things slow because I didn't think she was my mate, Darke."
"Will she ever be ready?" Merrily asked.
"She told me she'd burn my brewery down before she went back there, after her last shift as a bartender.
She went back for Darius. She'll be ready eventually, but she's not going to play along with your plan.
She doesn't know you, and she doesn't trust you.
You're going to have to learn how to speak her language if you want that to ever happen. "
"How do I speak her language? We get along fine."
Grayson held up his phone. "Rae doesn't do phone calls. She hates them. If you want her to like you, you text her. If she wants to talk, she'll call you or just appear."
"She doesn't have her phone with her, wherever she is. It's in my car."
"Wherever she went, she needs money," Merrily said.
Grayson strode over to a drawer nearby and grabbed his wallet. He glanced at it for a second before tossing it back. "She took one of my credit cards."
"We can use that to figure out what hotel she went to," Mer put in. "I'm assuming she needs somewhere to stay, since she's avoiding her apartment because of Dare."
"We can, if you're going to do things differently." Grayson looked back at me. "You have to realize that you're not just trying to win over your soulmate, Scorch. You're trying to win over Rae. She likes you for some reason, and she hates most people. Figure out why she likes you, and use it."
I let out a long breath. "Alright. I'll come up with another plan. If you figure out where she is, I'll send someone to deliver her phone and some takeout food, so I at least know she's okay."
Grayson agreed, stepping into the other room to make a call.
"Are you okay?" Merrily asked, studying me.
A flashed her a grin, though I didn't feel a fucking shred of humor. "Yeah. Great. Callum's probably on his way over to babysit me some more."
"I can take his place."
"I think we'll all be better off if you and Darke aren't involved in this situation for a while. No matter which side you and Grayson take, Rae's going to feel some way about it. If Darke is the only person she trusts, I don't want her to feel like that's at risk because of me."
Merrily grimaced. "I get it. I know it's not what you expected, but—"
"Mer, I haven't expected to find my soulmate for at least a couple of decades. I've been searching just so you guys don't lose me to the apathy."
"Right. I hope you're not disappointed, though."
"No. She's fucking perfect. I just don't know anything about how to make her feel that way about me. People usually want me by default."
Mer bit her lip, clearly trying to hide a smile. "In her defense, I think she does want you. She just never pictured her life going this way. It's a big change."
Grayson stepped out of the room, and my phone buzzed with a message. When I glanced down at it, I found the name of a motel, along with a room number.
"Thanks," I said, rising to my feet.
"Take it slow," Grayson warned me. "Don't scare her off."
"She's already been scared off. Now, I have to lure her back," I called over my shoulder, on my way out. "Luckily, luring people is my specialty."
"GL," Merrily yelled after me, and I laughed.
Grayson did too.
A few hours later, I was sitting on Rae's ancient, unstable couch again, waiting for a message to come through. It had taken a shitload of effort to wait until I heard from her.
Callum and Kat were sitting at the flimsy kitchen table, working quietly, while music played next to them. I'd tried to convince him that I was fine now that I had Rae’s shadows, but he'd refused to listen to reason.
I wasn't fine, so I hadn't tried all that hard. Losing myself to my magic right after finding my mate would be a shitty way to go.
Rae didn't text me until dinner time, after the second takeout food delivery had gotten there.
Rae
I'm perfectly capable of ordering my own food
A relieved breath escaped me.
"She texted?" Callum demanded, from where he was now sitting on the other side of the couch. The thing was seriously straining beneath both of us, but it hadn't given up the ghost yet.
Sable was curled up at his feet, her head on his knee and his fingers buried in her fur.
"Finally," I agreed.
"Thank fuck." Callum relaxed just a little, looking over at my phone. He wasn't even trying to be discreet about his snooping.
I showed him the message.
"What are you supposed to say to that?" he asked me. "Shut up and let me feed you?"
I snorted. "If I want her to block my number."
Sable made a sound similar to a purr, then poked Callum's thigh with her nose so he would start petting her again. He did so without hesitation, and she snuggled in a little closer. The couch gave a loud grumble beneath the movement, but held up.
Me
If I let you order your own food, I wouldn't be able to sneak you pictures of me
Rae
I didn't notice any pictures
I grinned.
She was full of it.
The Chinese restaurants taped the photos on top of and inside the lid of the takeout containers. I'd paid them well to do it. They texted me pictures to prove it was done both times.
Me
Hmm
Maybe they need to be spicier, so you notice them
Rae
That's not what I said
Me
You didn't NOT say it
Rae
You're obnoxious
Me
Makes life more interesting
Rae
I told Grayson I was going AFK
Usually that means no phones, or at least no texting
Me
Have you been on the internet? Everyone's talking about our secret love affair
I don't feel particularly comfortable leaving you without a way to contact me while that's going on
Rae
What are they saying?
They want to kill me for fucking you?
That didn't technically even happen
Me
They're jealous, that's all
Rae
Now I have to search it
She didn't respond for a few minutes.
Then, she sent a picture of me that had been taken through a window of her apartment, from the outside. I looked sideways at the window it had been taken through.
I couldn't see anyone out there, but it had definitely been used for the photo
Rae
Looks like I can't go home, ever again
Thanks for that
Me
I've got a lot of houses, you can pick one
They’re all in better condition than this place, too
Rae
Fuck off
I wanted to continue the conversation, but I needed to let it end. I was supposed to be giving her space.
Me
I’ll have to leave your place tonight since my fam is still playing babysitter
Don’t let it make you think I’ve abandoned my plan to win you over
Also pls don't come back here alone while the internet is going on about us
Rae
Wasn't planning on it
Me
Thanks
She didn't text me again until I was settling on the bed in one of Callum's spare rooms after a quick shower. Kat had talked him into furnishing the rest of the rooms in their house at some point, but they were empty for a while.
Rae
Dessert deliveries too?
Really?
Me
Are you complaining about free dessert?
Rae
I don't eat a lot of sugar unless it's in sweet and sour sauce
Sugar makes me all bloodlusty
Me
I like the sound of you being all bloodlusty
Rae
You don't get to like the sound of that
Me
I'm the only one who gets to like the sound of that, actually
Rae
No
Me
No point in arguing about it
She sent me a gif of someone glaring at me.
Rae
What's with the coupon in the bag?
Me
That's a free ticket to a nicer hotel
One with security, so your safety wouldn't be in question
No risk of bed bugs there, either
Rae
Bed bugs fear me too much to make a move
Me
Well, the offer stands
I haven't tried to make you leave, so there's nothing suspicious about it
Rae
You could have installed cameras
Me
I'm not really into stalking
I could tell them to let you pick a room number, but my suite is the best
Rae
You could have had them install the cameras in all of the rooms
Me
Sounds like a waste of money
If I was Callum, maybe I'd bother, but I'm too hopeful
Rae
Hopeful about what?
Me
You
Rae
You've misplaced your hope
Me
Nah
Rae
I don't want to be anyone's mate
I don't want to belong to anyone
I don't want anyone's world to revolve around me
Me
Okay
There's probably something you do want, though
Rae
To be alone
Me
You didn't want to be alone last night
She sent me a different glaring gif.
Rae
I wanted an experience
I got it
Now I don't want it anymore
Me
You sure about that?
I want the experience again
Rae
You got nothing out of it
Me
I got everything out of it
And I got to watch you come, too ;)
She sent me another glaring gif.
Me
Bet I could get you off faster next time
Rae
Not possible
Me
You haven't experienced oral sex yet
Rae
Maybe I found someone else to experience it with
Me
Go ahead and try
Rae
Is that a threat?
Me
Nah
Rae
You're lying to me
Me
There was no threat
But the media is following you because of me, so if you were with anyone else, I'd find out
They wouldn't survive long
Rae
You don't get to be possessive, you were the first person I was ever with, and you've been with plenty
I should get to experiment
Me
You can experiment with me
If you really want to try new things, I'll take you to a sex club, and you can experiment with someone else while I watch
Rae
You would NOT watch me with someone else
Me
If you really felt like being mated to me was unfair to you, I'd try
Wouldn't risk you developing feelings for them, though, so I'd sure as fuck be there with you
Rae
We're not having this conversation
Me
You brought it up
Rae
I'm not taking you up on your hotel offer
Me
Okay
Did you order a new gaming console? I saw yours at your place
Rae
Why?
Me
We could play together
I'm shitty at video games, but it could be fun
Rae
You're still offering to make your life revolve around mine
No
Go back to work at the coffee shop tomorrow
Me
I don't want to go back to work at the coffee shop
I was there to find a mate
Rae
Then find something to do that doesn't involve finding a mate, and maybe I'll consider moving to the other hotel
I sent her a glaring gif, since she was such a big fan of them.
Me
I'll go back to work at the coffee shop tomorrow if you stay at the nicer hotel tonight
Rae
We're not bargaining
Making a deal with you was a bad call from the beginning
Me
It's a trade, not a deal
We'd both get something we want
Rae
I don't want you to work at the coffee shop, I want your life not to revolve around me
Me
I don't want you sleeping at the hotel, I want you in my bed
She didn't answer.
Not for a solid two minutes.
I debated sending another message, but she finally sent a text.
Rae
Fine
Send a car to drive me there, I can't transport with the shadows bc I've never been there
If this is a trap in any way, I will disappear even if I have to sleep under a fucking bridge to get away from your family
Me
No tricks
Need anything else?
Rae
Pajamas
And a better headset
I bought a cheap one bc I was using Grayson's credit card and felt bad
Me
Darke wouldn't have cared
Rae
I know
I would've, though
Me
Any preferences on PJs?
Rae
Whatever's cheap
Me
Lol
No
Rae
If you send me a thong, I'm not answering your texts for three days
I want real pajamas
Me
Noted
Text me when you get to the hotel so I know you're good
Rae
I'm always good
Me
Me too
Some of us just have that talent
She sent me an eye-rolling gif, and didn't reply.
I now had a whole list of shit to do before the 4 AM shift I was apparently going to be working at Kat's coffee shop, so I made a phone call and headed out to my Ducati, texting Callum to let him know where I was going and that I'd come back to sleep in the guest room as soon as I was done.
He tried to stop me, but he didn't try hard.