My Brother's Keeper(22)

He sat back on his heels. "Well, I know where you got your empathy from Amelia."

Amelia shook her head as if trying to clear it. "Wait, what?"

Aiden collapsed into a chair. "What?"

Kendrick moved so that he could lean his back against the coffee table. These two would be the death of him. Getting their empathy under control was exhausting.

"Is everything okay in here? We saw you carry Meryn and Amelia in and we were worried," a soft voice asked.

Kendrick looked up and smiled. Anne, Rheia, Elizabeth, and the rest of the Alpha Unit were walking through the door.

"Evidently, denka has magic," Ryuu replied.

"No, I don't. I would know if I had magic," Meryn protested.

Kendrick raised an eyebrow at the stubborn female.

"I don't!"

"Meryn, I was told that you didn't have it easy growing up, is that correct?"

Meryn quieted immediately.

Kendrick kept going. "You have magic, but it's a very small amount, just enough to be bothersome. You have empathy, the same gift as your cousin."

"No, she doesn't." The sentiment was echoed throughout the room.

Kendrick shook his head at their denials and continued to look at Meryn. "It's just enough so that you would know someone's true feelings, just enough so that you would know when they were lying. Amelia was raised in a warm and loving home, where people said what they felt, didn't lie, and were very kind." Kendrick gently held Meryn's hands. "Now, this is just a guess, but I bet that wasn't true for you."

Meryn shook her head.

Kendrick continued. "I bet the people you grew up around were petty and hurtful."

Meryn nodded silently.

Kendrick looked around the room. "If you have the gift of empathy and were raised in such an environment, what do you think would happen?"

Amelia hugged Meryn close. "She would turn away from people and keep to herself, because if she's alone, she can't be hurt."

Aiden got up and sat beside Meryn. He pulled her into his lap and rubbed his chin on the top of her head. "My poor baby."

Meryn settled in against her mate. "It wasn't all bad, and it brought me to you." She tilted her head back, and he placed kisses all over her face.

"It could also explain why she can see sprites," Gavriel theorized.

There was a knock at the door and then it swung open. A blond man Kendrick hadn't met walked in. "Aiden, we have just about everyone sorted. The units are escorting the people into the city and your committee members just left."

Aiden sighed. "Thanks Ben, I had forgotten about them." He turned to Kendrick. "Will there really be an article about Meryn in the paper?"

Kendrick nodded. "Yes. The committee should be well behaved little kittens after I pulled their fangs and claws." He turned to Elizabeth. "Though I must say, it was a much easier task thanks to you."

Elizabeth smiled. "One of the benefits growing up in a noble household."

Rheia clapped her hands together. "It's been a long evening, everyone should wash up and grab some dinner."

Ryuu stepped forward. "Tonight's meal is a variety of different soups. They have been simmering all day. If you leave me your choices I can have your dinner waiting for you when you come down."

Colton grabbed a pen and piece paper off of Aiden's desk and began organizing their selections. Anne shocked Kendrick when she chose the beef stew, he had pegged her for a vegetable kind of girl. He chose the lentil soup and made his way over to Anne. Smiling, he held out his hand. "Let's go check on our boy." Anne's face lit up and she grasped his hand. He took a moment to enjoy the simple act of walking hand-in-hand with her up the stairs. It was time to tell her the truth.





*****





Anne walked into the bathroom, her heart in her mouth. The walk up to her room had been too short. She wanted to enjoy holding Kendrick's hand a bit longer. Looking in the mirror, she had to face the realization that she was already half in love with Kendrick. She didn't know what she was going to do if they found out she was truly Keelan's mate. She took a deep breath and smiled at herself. This was something her mother taught her to do as a child. When things get difficult, smile at yourself in the mirror. Your body is tricked into thinking that it's happy, and your smiling face mentally bolsters you. Today, she bared her teeth then stuck her tongue out for good measure.

She took the world's quickest shower and dried off with one of the softest towels she had ever used. She looked at the clothes she had chosen and sighed. What she really wanted to wear was her anime sweatshirt, but the only other person who dressed like that for dinner was Meryn, and she had a feeling Meryn could get away with just about anything. She compromised with herself and wore her favorite jeans, but picked out a dressier shirt. The bright coral color set off her teal eyes, but the buttons on her shirt pulled slightly across her chest. She sighed and accepted the fact that she wouldn't be comfortable again until bedtime.

She towel-dried her hair one last time before walking out into the room with her brush and a hair tie in hand. Kendrick was sitting on the edge of her bed, presumably waiting for her. Seeing him sitting there wreaked havoc with her body. She needed to stay away from him, especially him and any sort of flat surface, like the bed. Images of throwing the man backward and straddling him had her pulling a throw off a nearby chair and settling on the floor to do her hair.

Slowly she began to brush and finger-comb her hair.

"I spoke with Darian," he said quietly.

She froze. "And what did he say?"

Kendrick stood and walked over to sit down behind her. He extended his legs out on either side of her. Before he answered, he took the brush from her hand and began sliding it through her hair. Carefully he began to twist the hair into a braid.

"He said that Keelan admitted to him that he wasn't attracted to you." She felt him secure the hair tie around the briad.

The words stung. Not because she had to face the fact that Keelan hadn't been attracted to her, but because now Kendrick knew how his brother felt. Would that sway his mind?

"I wasn't really attracted to him either. I was too comfortable around him to be attracted. He was more like a best friend than boyfriend," she confessed.

"Anne, I don't think that you and Keelan are mates."

Anne stood and began to pace the length of the room. "Then why did he say he dreamt of me?"

"Because he did, but those were premonitions, not mating dreams," Kendrick explained. "Anne, who did you dream of?" His voice deepened, and she turned to face him. When she took in the scene at her feet, she gasped. Just like in her dream, he was sitting on a blanket waiting for her with a patient smile. She felt tears fill her eyes and then drip down her cheeks. "You. I so wanted it to be you." She closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands.

Seconds later, she felt him pull her close. "I dreamt of you, too, my love."

She pulled back and looked up at him. "What did you see?"

"The day your father died."

"Oh."

He held her close and started to sway back and forth. "You've always lived for others. First, your parents, then your patients, and now Keelan. Will you allow me to put you first? I've waited a very, very long time to meet you."

She wrapped her arms around his waist. "How old are you anyway?"

"Older than anyone believes."

"Older than Aiden?" Kendrick nodded.

"Older than Darian?" Kendrick chuckled and Anne looked up. He was looking down at her with such a sad look on his face. She reached up and soothed the area between his brows with her thumb.

He smiled. "There you go, taking care of me again."

"I don't mind as long as it's you."

He leaned in very slowly, giving her every opportunity to turn away. When he was about to kiss her, she couldn't help it and began to giggle.

Looking confused, he smiled at her. "What brought that on?"

She waved a hand at him. "You. Being so careful. If you're going to kiss me, kiss me, and be sure you do a damn fine job of it."

He took her at her word and took possession of her mouth. He gently ran his tongue along her lips until she opened for him. She gave him an inch and he took a mile. His tongue teased the roof of her mouth before he began to nibble on her lips. He explored and dominated every part of her mouth.

When there was a knock on the door, they broke apart, both breathing heavily.

"Dinner is ready, peeps," Meryn announced.

"Be right down," Anne croaked.

She looked up and felt a bit of satisfaction that Kendrick was just as affected as she was. "That was amazing."

Kendrick nodded then glanced back at the bed.

She swatted his arm, laughing. "Hold your horses Romeo, I don't even know your middle name."

Kendrick blinked. "I don't have one. Is that going to be a problem?"

Anne laughed. "No, of course not. Why don't you have a middle name?"

He shrugged. "We didn't use them back then."

She put her hands on her hips. "How old are you?"

Kendrick's teasing gaze made her knees go weak. "Kiss me again and I'll tell you."

She took a step back at his devilish expression. "Hmmm. Nope." She turned on her heel and marched toward the door.

He caught up to her immediately and wrapped his arms around her. He began to kiss the back of her neck, sending chills throughout her body. "Stop that!"