Chapter 33
33
“ P ari Mae!” Uncle Al burst into the living room. “Are you alright?” He went to the couch where she sat next to Melvale.No one stopped him as he took her by the hands before she had a chance to rise, and pulled her against his stout body. “We were so worried!”
Obviously this man has a key,” Melvale said non-plussed. Pari noticed he made no move to get up as Uncle Al crushed her against him.
She put her arms around her uncle. “I’m okay.”
He drew back and cupped her face in his hands, tears in his eyes. “Are you sure?” He looked at Kwaku who stood on the other side of the room. “You!” He let go of Pari, rushed to Kwaku and hugged him. “Thank you!”
Kwaku smiled. “You are welcome.” His eyes met Zara’s as Uncle Al let go of him.
Pari’s uncle turned to her and looked at the floor. “May I hug you in thanks?”
“Of course,” Zara said with a smile.
His eyes lit up as he hugged her too. Pari noticed Kwaku’s eyes narrow slightly, but he didn’t move to stop him.
“Pariwink!” Uncle Leo burst into the room and took her in his arms. “What happened? Where have you been?” His eyes became riveted on Melvale. “Who is that?” He drew back. “And what is he doing here?”
Pari drew in a shuddering breath. “Um, well, he’s…”
“What did you call me earlier?” Melvale asked and waggled his eyebrows at her. She noticed his eyes were steel gray now. Okay, this was the calmer, awkward side of him. “Boyfriend, was it?”
Her uncles exchanged the same look of surprise. “Boyfriend?!” they said at once.
“I c-c-can explain,” she stuttered.
“Dere is no need, little treasure,” Kwaku said. He eyed her uncles. “Dese two were abducted. We rescued dem. Dey have… bonded through their shared experience.” He smiled and gave them a nod, as if daring them to challenge his explanation. One, Pari had to admit, was a good one.
“Yes, what he said,” she blurted.
“Not boyfriend?” Melvale quipped. “How disappointing.” He rose from the sofa and stood beside her. “We still have much to discuss, Kitten.”
“Kitten?” her uncles echoed. She could just imagine what Uncle Leo was thinking.
“I can explain that too,” she said. “I hope.”
Kwaku laughed. “Do not try, little treasure.” He bent to her. “Let him call you what he will. All are terms of great affection.”
Melvale gave her uncles a triumphant look. “See? Boyfriend.”
Uncles Al and Leo looked up at him. “Humph,” Uncle Leo grunted. “Did anyone call the police?”
“Did they arrest the kidnappers?” Uncle Al asked next. “Tell us everything!”
Zara put an arm around each of them and steered them toward the front door. “We will explain everything. Know that Pari is safe, and that her…” she looked over her shoulder at Pari and Melvale. “… boyfriend will do everything he can to protect her.”
“What does that mean?” Uncle Leo asked. “He’s not moving in, is he?” He turned in her arm to face Pari. “He’ll have to pay rent!”
“Shut it, Leo,” Uncle Al barked. “Leave the young people be.” He looked up at Zara. “My, but you’re tall. Did you used to model?”
She smiled down at him and continued to steer them to the door where she led them outside and disappeared.
Kwaku smiled and rubbed his chin a few times. “I will return shortly.” He left and followed Zara out the door.
Pari sank into a chair. “Are they going to try to explain what happened to us to my uncles?”
“Yes, and in a way they can understand.” He put one large hand on her shoulder. “And you must understand, Kitten, that your uncles cannot know too much. It would endanger them.”
She nodded then leaned back in the chair. “Thank you for bringing me home. I was so worried about them. I’m thankful they know I’m okay.” She sat up straight again. “But what am I going to tell them when we…” she looked up at him. “Um, I mean, when you go back?”
Melvale knelt before her. “Pari.” He took her hands in his. “Kahtala Miah. I cannot leave you here. I cannot be apart from you.”
“But why? I don’t understand.” She gazed into the depths of his grey eyes and saw a hint of desperation in them. They reminded her of the blue eyes seeking hers when there was a cell wall between them.
Melvale looked away a moment and let out a breath. “How do I explain…” he gazed into her eyes again and tucked a finger under her chin. “Pari Mae Lindir. I would very much like to be your boyfriend.”
Her jaw dropped as her eyes rounded to saucers. “But why?” Was all she managed to get out. She sounded pathetic!
He cocked his head and smiled. “Because I like you, for one. Do I have to list a lot of reasons?”
“N-n-no,” she stuttered. “It’s just…” her eyes roamed over him. “You’re a little much, you know?”
“No, I do not. Explain this to me.” He cocked his head the other way.
Her heart began to pound in her chest. Oh great, she wasn’t going to have a panic attack, was she? “W-well, guys like you normally don’t go for girls like me.”
He drew closer. “Why? Is there something wrong with you?”
She drew in a shuddering breath. He was close enough for her to feel the delicate brush of his breath. He was also on both knees and rested his arms on the arms of the chair. She was good and trapped. “Um, well, let’s just s-say that you’re out of my league.”
He raised a hand and began to play with her hair. “I do not understand what that means, my little one.”
“Ohhhh, well, um…” Good grief, was she growing warm? Oh yes, she was! “Y-y-you see, you’re what women of my kind would consider… hot.”
His eyes roamed her face as he drew closer. “Hot?” Their noses were practically touching. “Explain to me what is hot.”
“Ahhhh,” came out almost a moan. What was he doing?
“Pari,” he whispered. “Little Pari Mae. Am I not good enough for you, is that it?”
She sucked in a breath. Was he kidding?! “On the contrary. I’m not…” she couldn’t bring herself to say it. Tears stung the backs of her eyes as the truth seared across her heart. She would never be good enough for the likes of him.
Pari shook her head. “Let me go.”
“I cannot.”
“Why?” she whispered.
“Because I am yours to command.” He locked gazes with her. “I will be lost without you.” His eyes darted to her lips. “And I will do whatever it takes to convince you, Pari Mae Lindir.”
She swallowed hard as he rested his forehead against hers for a moment, then slowly stood and offered his hand. “Come, Kitten. You must be hungry. I will find food for you.”
Her stomach growled at the mention of food, and she realized she hadn’t eaten anything since the bread in the funny old west town.
Pari blinked the thought away and looked at him. Had he been about to kiss her? Why hadn’t he? But then, she knew the answer. Something else was going on here. How was it she could command him, and yet, he did not…
“Come,” he repeated and offered his other hand. “Let’s go shopping.” He gave her a dorky sort of smile, and all attempts to figure out what was happening fled. He was adorable when he was being a dork, and part of her believed maybe she did have a shot with a guy like him.
Pari took his hands and he pulled her to her feet. “What would you like?” she asked.
“What’s good around here?”
“I can cook for you.”
He arched an eyebrow at her. “Intriguing. But what about Kwaku and Zara? They’ll want to eat too.”
“I can make decent spaghetti.” Decent was all it was, but there was nothing to be done about that. “Or we can have something delivered.”
“Safer,” he mused. “But I am curious about something.” He went to the one window in the room that faced the same sort of window in the building next door. It gave a partial view of the backsides of some buildings that faced Franklin Street. “Might we go for a walk?”
“We could. But what about your friends?”
“I will tell them what we find for dinner.” He took her by the hand and looked her over, then took in his clothes and sighed. “Oh dear, I can’t wear my robes of office here.”
“Halden left some clothes here. You’re a lot bigger, but maybe you can find something?”
“Hmm, perhaps. Or I can send Kwaku for some. It wouldn’t take a minute.”
“Send… him back to the palace?” she hedged. Part of her wanted him to take her back, while the other was terrified of doing so. What if he did and she never saw her uncles or her home again?
“Yes. I need to check some things while we’re here.”
“We?” she swallowed hard.
He sighed and smiled at her. “Do not be afraid, Pari. I sense your apprehension. In fact, I can smell it.”
Her eyes widened. “That is so freaking weird.”
He smiled. “I’ve been called worse.”
She laughed, unable to help it. “You’re not that weird… okay, maybe a little. But you are an alien, so…”
He shrugged. “But you like me, right?” He batted his eyelashes at her, and she laughed again.
“Oh, stab me,” he said and giggled. “I do believe you like me a little.” He gave her a playful shove that sent her onto the cushions of the sofa. “Oh! I do apologize,” he said laughing.
Pari had never seen this side of him, and sensed this was the Melvale his companions knew. But if there were two sides of him, and they were merging as she’d heard mentioned, then what was he going to be like once that happened?
“Come, let’s go find Kwaku and Zara and tell them I’d like a change of clothes.”
Pari left the sofa and followed him to the door. “Wait, I need to get a key.” She had a spare in the top drawer of her dresser. At least she hoped she did. Was that the key Kwaku used to let them in earlier?
She went into her bedroom, took the key from the dresser (hurray, it was there!) turned around and bumped smack in the Melvale. “Oh!”
“Hello.” He looked down at her and smiled. “Are we ready to go?”
She gaped up at him. “How do you move so quietly?”
He shrugged. “It’s a Muiraran trait.”
Pari studied him. “What happened to your ears? Why do you look different, more… human?” She didn’t know why she hadn’t asked before, but Uncle Al and Uncle Leo’s sudden appearance, then Melvale’s almost kiss—she tried not to smile at that—sidetracked her.
“Camouflage instinct. Helps us to blend into our surroundings.” He smiled at her. “Shall we go?”
Out of curiosity she looked him in the eyes and said, “Bondrah?”
He straightened, and his eyes went blue. “Kahtala Miah…” He closed the distance between them. “What do you wish?”
Pari sucked in a breath. “Why do you ask me such things? I’m nobody.”
He frowned. “You are mine.”
Her heart stopped. He couldn’t possibly mean they were… together? “But… you’re um, not human.”
“And you are not Muiraran.” He locked gazes with her and his eyes grew bluer.
“We should go, right?” She hoped the change of subject would distract him. At least now she knew that if she called him Bondrah, it brought out the other side of him. But would it later on? Would there even be a later on? And should she even try to reason with this side of him? But, it was this side that brought her here. Would he leave her if she commanded it? And if so, was there any guarantee that Dr. Charles and his men wouldn’t return and take her again?
“Did you wish to leave?” he asked.
She nodded, more confused than ever. “Yes, maybe some food will help.”
“Help?”
Pari sighed. “Never mind. Let’s go find your friends.” She led him through the apartment and out the door.