The former gray clouded start to the morning had faded, and blue skies graced the Oregon sky. I had my hand hanging out the window, soaking in the sunlight saturated by the sticky ocean mist. William and I hadn’t said much since leaving his family a half hour ago—neither one of us wanting to breech the topic of Nathanial’s odd behavior. My guess was that he had some insight as to why Nathaniel had acted so oddly, but I wasn’t going to push him to tell me—I knew he would when he felt the time was right.
“How are you planning on finding Paul?” William asked, breaking the silence. “You know you can’t go marching around the campus looking for him—”
“I know that,” I broke in, pleased I was a few steps ahead of him for once. “I had Cora make an anonymous call to him this morning. She told him she had some information regarding my whereabouts, and to be at a diner downtown at two o’clock today.” I smiled, waiting for the impressed look to come across his face.
“You called him?” he questioned, his expression guarded.
“No, Cora called him.” I stopped, understanding the reason for his question. “I had his number.” I shrugged, trying to sound casual about it.
He was obviously a little put out—even jealous perhaps—that I had Paul’s number, but there was no reason for William’s jealously. No reason at all. Paul held about as much interest to me as any other human being that walked the earth. Basically, there were only two kinds of people now—William, and everyone else. By definition, Paul fit into this everyone else category.
“He gave it to me when I first moved into the dorm. He knew I was new and wanted to be nice, I think.” I felt ridiculous explaining this after everything, but then I remembered how bitterly jealous I’d been when Patrick mentioned the Council had selected several women throughout the years to be United with William, and empathy created understanding.
He didn’t look fully appeased with my answer, but his eyes returned to their normal openness. “Patrick talked with me this morning after you two came back from your walk. He told me what he explained to you.”
I watched his face, looking for any signs of distress. There were none showing. “I’m sorry I wasn’t the one to tell you about my Mortal life and the events leading up to our Immortalization. Those brothers of mine mean well, but they’re always trying to protect me from anything painful. It’s rather irritating,” he admitted with a half smile.
“I want you to know if you ever have any further questions on the topic—despite what Patrick would have you believe—I am plenty strong enough to talk with you about this part of my past.”
He closed his eyes for one moment, but I’d noticed the pain that had punched its way to the surface. When he reopened them, it was already gone. “They have no idea how strong I am . . . what I can endure,” he said, turning his head to me. “Do you promise you’ll never be afraid to ask me anything—anything at all?”
I gave his hand a quick squeeze. “I promise,” I vowed, while I leaned towards him and kissed the neck area just below his ear. “I know how strong you are and how much pain you’ve been through, but I won’t deny that I’m just like one of them. I’d do anything to protect you from more pain as well.”
“I know you would,” he said, sounding grave. “And because of that, I fear you doing something for me that could put you in harm’s way.” Lifting our intertwined hands up, he kissed mine. “But that means you have to understand and accept that I would do the same for you.”
I just nodded and basked in the after-burn of his words.