I finish pulling my black leggings on and throwing my off-shoulder grey shirt on before glancing at myself in the mirror. It’s one casual date. Don’t be nervous. I brush my hair so it falls in nice waves over my right shoulder, stopping just over my ribs before walking out my bedroom. I leave my phone on the side, knowing I don’t need it when I’m sure Nath has his. I walk down the stairs and slide my boots on before walking to the living room where Nath is waiting for me.
“You look perfect,” he remarks, and I can’t help but think the same of him. Nath’s blond hair is trimmed a little, but somehow keeping that sexy messy feel to it. It makes you want to run your hands through his hair. He has a black leather jacket on, jeans and heavy looking boots that compliment his build.
“You said casual,” I reply, feeling a little underdressed for a date.
“Yeah, you can’t wear a dress with what I have planned,” he says with a smirk, standing up and handing me a leather jacket. “Put this on, you might get cold on the bike.”
“Bike?” I ask, and he simply nods as I put the jacket on and zip it up. Nath slides his hand into mine and leads me out the house, where parked on the driveway behind my car is a dirt bike with giant wheels.
“Where the hell did you get that?” I ask, and Nath laughs.
“It’s a hobby of mine. I have a garage in the village and a few of them around,” he tells me. “I know most guys would take you out to a fancy meal or the cinema to watch a film, but those dates are forgettable. I don’t want you to forget this.”
“I have a feeling I won’t,” I mumble, and he tugs on my hand, leading me to the bike. Nath hands me a helmet before putting on his own and then helping me with the strap under my chin. He gets on the bike, and I sit behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist and pressing my head against his back.
“Ready?” Nath asks.
“Yes!” I reply and squeeze him tight as he speeds us across the street and into the woods right behind it. There is a dirt road already mapped out, and I laugh as he drives us at full speed all around the woods. We go up and down the hills and fly around bumpy corners until we get to a big field next to a lake. Nath parks the bike, and I get off first, pulling my helmet off.
“I brought us some food to eat,” he explains, taking my helmet from me.
“A romantic picnic in the woods. I thought you didn’t want to do the stereotypical dates,” I tease him, and he laughs as he hooks our helmets on the bike handles and pulls the seat of the bike open, pulling out a bag.
“It’s not that stereotypical,” he replies, chuckling, and I walk to his side, sliding my hand into his as we walk over to the edge of the lake. We sit down on the grass together, just before the lake, so we can look across it. I’m happy it isn’t raining today and it’s peaceful here. Nath opens the bag and offers me the food he brought and a drink. I smile down at the ham, cheese and salad sandwiches he always makes me and how he knows I love blackcurrant fruit juice.
“Thank you,” I mutter as he his own food out before pulling out a packet of Oreos, making my grin even bigger.
“I would never forget Oreos. Since you’ve been around, it’s all we buy so that you and Rick have them,” he says as he passes me the packet.
“Want to share?” I ask, opening the Oreo’s.
“Love to,” he replies with a small smile.
“I thought you could shift and have a run around if you want,” Nath tells me, leaning back after finishing his food. “I know wolves get twitchy when they haven’t shifted in a while.”
“Yeah, just shifting in the house isn’t good for my wolf. She gets testy,” I laugh and lie back on the grass. I stare up at the sky, feeling Nath lie down next to me and watch the sky with me.
“Tell me something completely random about you,” Nath asks me after a while. His fingers brush against my hand, and I move my hand closer, linking my fingers with his.
“I’m scared of the dark. Like the pitch black dark,” I tell him, and he squeezes my hand.
“I’m sort of the opposite. I’m scared of the light of day, of people seeing me since I was brought up in the dark. I was hidden in it, and it is somewhat comforting that, even now, I can protect myself from the people in the daylight,” he says, and I turn my head, staring at him as he looks at me. I have a feeling he hasn’t taken his eyes off me for a while.
“Nath…you don’t have to hide. None of us should ever have to hide because of what we are,” I whisper, and he rolls onto his side, resting on his arm and leaning over me, our faces inches away.
“You’re right, beautiful. Maybe there will be a world where we don’t have to hide one day,” he whispers. “Everything we are doing now is getting us closer to that goal.”
“Do you wonder about Frayan? About going there because it’s half of who we are?” I ask, because I can’t stop thinking about the place the more I read in the books my mum left. They describe a world full of beauty and wonder, and it speaks to me in a way. It makes me want to desperately see the world I was born in. I know I can’t ever go there, not after mum says someone is looking for me and it could mean death, but it doesn’t stop me dreaming of it.
“Of course. The Fray are half my people, but it’s not that easy. The Fray that came over in the war said portals only open twice a year for only a second if there is no one on the other side pulling them in,” he explains to me.
“Pulling them in?” I ask.
“The Fray believe all people have connections that are hidden deep in their souls. That these connections are stronger than distance, than other worlds, than anything. Magic and souls are linked in Frayan, and it can be seen apparently,” he whispers, and we both pause, staring at each other in silence for a second as tension builds between us. I go to kiss him at the same time he leans down to kiss me, and the first touch of our lips is like heat blasting all over my skin, and then it is quickly replaced by overwhelming pleasure. Nath must feel it too as he slides his hand to my waist, pulling me on top of him and never breaking the kiss in the movement.
“Adie,” Nath groans against my lips as I rock against the hard budge I can feel under his jeans. Nath’s hands slide into my hair, kissing me deeper.
“Well…this is not what I expected to find two cousins doing…” Mr. Graves’s highly sarcastic voice drawls, and I break away from Nath in shock, looking up to see Mr. Graves stood with at least twenty hunter guards, their guns pointed in our direction. I don’t reply to him, looking down at Nath who utters one word.
“Run.” Nath pushes me to the side and, in the blink of an eye, he is running straight towards the men, a blue shimmer spreading from his skin. I push myself to my feet, knowing I need to shift to help just as they start shooting at Nath with their guns. The dart bullets bounce off the shimmer surrounding Nath as he gets to the first two hunters, punching the one and sending him flying while the others run at him.
“Don’t think about shifting or running. This will only hurt more if you do,” Mr. Graves states and clicks his fingers. I scream as something slams into my neck as I go to run away, and pain shoots through my body. I fall to the floor, seeing Mr. Graves standing still as a statue as the wind moves his coat around. I focus on the sound of Nath roaring my name just as everything goes black.