Blue Violet - By Abigail Owen Page 0,62

known him, to have been related to him.”

Ellie’s heart swelled. Alex had been loved, just like her. And just like her he had lost all of his family. But maybe even worse, since she’d had Griffin at least. Alex had been alone.

“That must’ve been so hard. When did Lucy find you?” she asked.

Alex grinned. “You know about that habit of hers, huh?”

It was Ellie’s turn to shrug. “Yeah, Griffin heard about it one night when we were just keeping tabs on you all from a distance.”

“Mmmm, well, Lucy found me not long after I returned to Louisiana after the Great War.” Alex paused for a second, a small half smile on his lips. He brushed a stray hair back from her face. “I’m lucky to have had three families in my lifetime.”

“But your mother deserted you,” Ellie said, confused.

“Yes, but I was very loved and happy those first ten years of my life. And I’ve long since forgiven her for her fear and ignorance.”

Ellie leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Alex in a tight hug. “How did I get so lucky to find you?” she murmured.

Ellie squeaked as Alex tumbled her onto her back. Leaning over her, he placed a sweet kiss on her mouth. “Not nearly as much as I am to have found you,” he breathed against her softly parted lips.

They spent the rest of the night talking, getting to know their other halves, their te’sorthene, and eventually falling asleep in each other’s arms until morning. Both feeling blessed by what they had discovered together.

Chapter 30

Ellie awoke to the sensation of a sweet, lingering kiss. She opened her eyes to Alex’s smoldering gaze.

“Hi, sleepyhead,” he greeted her with a tender smile. He softly cupped her face with one hand.

“Hi.” She returned a shy smile and leaned into his caress. As consciousness returned, she sat up with a gasp.

Alex put a finger to her lips. “Everything’s fine… I have a surprise for you. Come on. Get dressed. I have something I want to show you.”

She tipped her head to the side. He looked so pleased with himself. It would’ve been cute, if he hadn’t been so ruggedly handsome. Cute just wasn’t a word you’d readily apply to Alex…more like drop dead, gobsmackingly, hunkalicious…

“I’ll wait for you downstairs. Dress warmly,” he instructed and left the room, softly closing the door behind him.

Ellie hurriedly got dressed, brushed her teeth and hair, and headed downstairs.

“What’s up?” she whispered as she met Alex in the living room.

He gave her a fast, hard kiss and handed her a jacket. Taking her hand, he led her outside.

“It’s snowing!” Ellie exclaimed. It seemed way too late in the season for it to still be snowing. Smiling, Alex led her into the woods and up to the middle of the clearing where they had practiced earlier. Facing her, he took both her hands in his.

“You’re not using your power on me, right?” he asked.

“I told you I don’t do that to friends without asking permission first,” she confirmed, head tilted slightly sideways, still trying to figure out what he was up to.

“Then close your eyes.”

Ellie raised her eyebrows but complied. She felt him lean in and brush her lips with a feather-light kiss. The cold no longer bothered Ellie as lovely warmth washed over her.

“Now open them,” Alex said.

Ellie opened her eyes and let out an astonished gasp. All of the falling snow around them was frozen in place, mid-fall. It looked exquisite...magical…miraculous. Like glitter hanging on invisible strings all around her. She threw her head back and laughed with delight as she reached out to touch one of the snowflakes. Then, like a child, she put her arms out and twirled, her hair and clothes, catching bits and pieces of snow as she did. Alex chuckled beside her and she stilled, came back to him and linked her arms around his neck. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

“May I?”

“Be my guest.” He clasped his arms behind her waist, pulling her in closer.

Ellie laid her hand on his cheek. Closing her eyes, she concentrated. There it was... that light glowing inside Alex, a bright golden light. She could almost feel its warmth. She pulled it inside her, under her control.

She opened her eyes, a soft smile playing around her lips. “Wow! So you can freeze anything you want with your mind?”

“With a few limitations, yes.” He frowned. “I struggled with slowing the bleeding in your leg without blocking the blood flow that night. And apparently,