26.
Lex
He didn’t stay in his wolf form long, switching back to human form right about the time Petal began to speak rapidly, sentences overlapping one another as she asked about ten different questions at once.
“Whoa, okay, okay. Listen, I’m going to explain everything to you. But first, can we go inside and sit down? I need to eat, and you probably do too, and I’m exhausted. I know you’re going crazy right now, but I think I answered your question.”
To his surprise, Petal laughed. “I suppose you did, didn’t you? Not quite the answer I expected, but nobody can deny you were straight with me. Holy shit. Damn! Werewolves.”
Suddenly she stood ramrod straight, looking around. “Should I be worried about you? How do I know I can trust you?”
He’d been expecting that question, preparing himself to face it since he’d realized just how much Petal meant to him. Still, with all the time to get used to the idea that she’d asked it, hearing the words still hurt more than he’d expected.
“You don’t need to be worried about me, no. I don’t lose control and turn into a ravaging beast.” He paused. “There are types like that, yes, but I’m not one of them. I can control my abilities. They do not control me.”
“So there’s other things out there?”
“Well, you saw a wind sprite earlier today. What do you think?”
Petal’s face had a little smile to it. “Is that what they’re called?”
“Um, well, that’s what they are. Beings of the air. They call themselves the Auri, but in most circles they’re simply called Banshees.”
“Banshee. Yes, that would make sense. The howling of the wind. I get it. Very appropriate.”
Lex smiled. “I’m glad you agree.”
“Okay, so, there are werewolves and Banshees. What else?”
“A lot. Ever read fairy tales?”
“Sure.”
He didn’t respond. Petal was smart; Lex didn’t think it would take her long to understand. He was right.
“You’re kidding. Those are based on real things?”
“Yes, mostly. Some exaggeration or twist.”
“Wow.” She shook her head. “But that doesn’t answer my second question, Lex.”
“I know. I don’t have an answer for you. That’s something you’re going to have to decide on your own. No matter what I say, you’ll still have doubts unless you decide for yourself.”
He smiled sadly and opened the door to his den.
“I know what I want you to pick, but I can’t make you do anything.” He stepped inside, leaving the door open for her to follow, if that’s what she decided.
He wanted her to, desperately. But unless Petal decided that she could trust him, they could never have a relationship. He needed her to believe fully and completely that he wasn’t dangerous to her. And that was something only she could decide. It was something that would take time, and that she would have to think long and hard about before—
The door closed behind him and Petal kicked her shoes off.
Or not.
“Nice place.”
He smiled. “That didn’t take long. What made you so positive, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Something the Auri said, actually.”
Lex simply lifted his eyebrows, inviting further explanation.
Petal smiled. “She told me that she would be able to use my blood to destroy Surrey. That it would be the worst storm yet. Because I was not only in love, but it was True Love. She said it like it was an actual thing, something quantifiable, not just a hopeless dream. Something she could use to give extra fuel.” Petal shrugged. “There’s only one person that I could possibly be in love with. If it is True Love, then why would I have fallen for someone who is going to kill me? It makes no sense. I choose to believe that you care deeply for me, and that you fought her today to protect both Surrey and me.”
“I did,” he said solemnly.
Petal nodded. “We’ll talk about you and me later. For now, talk. Tell me everything.” She finally moved past him out of the entryway and slightly off to the left, plopping down in one of the couches laid out there, giving a nice view out the massive bay window.
Lex bobbed his head several times, grabbing some beer from the kitchen.
“One for me too, please,” Petal said. He nodded, bringing the bottles over to the table before returning to the kitchen. He snagged some junk food, chips and a bag of premade popcorn—mmm, white cheddar, his favorite—and returned to the sitting area.
Petal promptly popped open a beer and grabbed the bag of popcorn before he could claim ownership to it. He sagged in defeat before grabbing the chips. Petal gave him a wink.
“Okay, let’s see. There’s a lot to tell, so I’m going to give you a condensed version for now. We can go more in depth in certain things. But first and foremost, the most important thing.” His voice grew harder than granite.
“What’s that?”
“If you speak of this to a human without approval, you are condemning both yourself and them to death.” He shrugged helplessly. “That’s not my choice, but you will be found out, and the punishment carried out. There is nothing I can do about that. Got it?”
Petal’s hand had gone still halfway to her mouth, popcorn falling from it slowly.
“Uh, yeah. Of course,” she said weakly. “Keep my mouth shut. Got it.”
He nodded, convinced that she would keep the secret. “Okay, well, the easiest way to say this, is that all sorts of creatures and things exist unbeknownst to most humans. There are far too many to name, but you can imagine some of them. Werewolves, elemental beings like sprites, golems, and others. Fire, wind, water, earth, etcetera. Dragons, trolls, goblins, blah blah. I could go on.”
Petal munched away busily on the popcorn.
“Now, most of them don’t live in this reality, I guess you would call it. Most of them live in a place called the Underworld. Real original, I know. But your lore actually stole it from us, so, stick a sock in it.”
The beautiful blonde laughed lightly. “Okay.”
His heart ached at the sound.
“So, werewolves. You’re not the only one then?”
“No. We’re not as populous as we once were. Humans hunted us close to the brink of extinction. Our numbers are rebounding, but for how ignorant most of you are, you did a damn good job of it several hundred years ago.”
“I don’t feel like saying thanks, since you’re talking about a genocide, but you act like I should,” she said awkwardly.
“Sorry. Don’t worry about it, nothing to do with you. I, at least, don’t hold a grudge.” He very carefully didn’t mention his father, who did.
“Okay. Now, the Banshee said something about remembering you from last time?”
He nodded. “Yes. A century ago she started to lose her mind, and I banished her back to the Underworld. I knew she’d be back, but it takes time to build up the energy to come forth for a sprite, or any of the spirit-type beings really. Those of us with true physical forms can come and go as we please.”
“So you fought her and won, and she came back for more?”
“Kind of. Her name originally was Gabrielle Wortley. She—”
“Used to live there,” Petal said excitedly. “David mentioned that to me at the shop. Said the place had been abandoned for a century since the last Wortley died…Oh. I see. She didn’t die. You killed her.”
“Banished. This time I killed her.”
“With salt?”
He shrugged. “It binds a spirit of the wind to the earth. When you do mortal damage to one while bound, they are unable to return to the Underworld, and so die for good. I didn’t want to, but after what she’d done, I knew it was the only option.”
Again, he didn’t mention his theory that she’d had help on the other side. He’d have to check into that himself, but sending her back for another century of aid before she could re-emerge was not a happy thought.
“Wait. You said a century ago. How old are you?” Petal asked.
“A hundred and forty-seven,” he answered promptly.
“Huh. And yet you told me you were only forty-seven.”
“I did? Damn. I guess I missed a number.”
“Kind of an important one, don’t you think?” Petal asked before tossing another handful of his popcorn into her mouth.
“I guess.”
She shook her head. “How long will you live for?”
“Not sure. Another two centuries probably. Maybe a little more, or maybe a little less. Depends on the stress of those two centuries. How much nagging I have to deal with,” he said with a tease.
“Hah. Well, you’ll only have me to deal with for another sixty or so years. I doubt I can shave a hundred and fifty years off your life.”
They both laughed, though Lex was thinking over another piece of lore he’d heard, wondering if she was limited to just those sixty years.
“So, you’re going to stick with me then?” was what he said instead. Petal hesitated and he held up a hand. “Look, I know it’s a lot to ask, a lot to go over. I’m not going to ask for an actual answer now. You just had your world rocked. Most humans can’t cope with what you’ve just learned, and they think they’re crazy. You don’t have to answer about staying with me now. I’ll give you some time to think about it.”
He rose, intending to refresh their beers, which had disappeared while they’d talked. But as soon as he got to his feet Petal stuck out a hand, grabbing him and pulling him on to her couch.
“Listen,” she said, meeting his eyes without flinching. “This is crazy. Unreal. Or it should be. But do you have any idea how frigging cool this is? You can turn into a wolf, Lex! That’s amazing. I read so many stories as a kid and teenager about this sort of thing. Now to find out that it really exists? So cool.”
He smiled, unsure of what to say, but amused by her enthusiasm over his world.
“But Lex, I got on a plane to come back to Surrey for a reason. That reason had nothing to do with you growing a bit more chest hair than normal.”
He snorted, unable to contain his mirth this time. “Yeah, sorry about that. At least I don’t shed?”
Petal grinned, a brilliant smile that lifted his spirits and sent them soaring.
“I can’t promise that I won’t go kicking and screaming. That it will be all roses and whatever for me. This is going to be difficult, especially not telling anyone. I’m going to struggle. You’re going to have to deal with a lot of questions. But it’s you that I came back for.” She poked him in the chest. “You that I’m crazy for. The Auri said that I was in love. That it’s True Love. I can feel the beginnings of that, though it’ll take some time to come to the acceptance that love at first sight—or is it bite?—exists. But dammit, don’t think you’re getting rid of me anytime soon.”
He swallowed hard. “You know I can’t leave Surrey, right? This valley is mine to protect. I’m its guardian.”
“I know. Which means I’m coming on out here for the long haul. Trust me when I say my body agrees with that idea. Freedom from the metal and concrete press of the city never seemed so amazing. I can’t wait!”
He grinned, pulling her close.
“And I have the perfect idea for a job.”