Bound by Forever - (True Immortality #3) Page 0,85
moon’s reflection on the water. A beautiful but unattainable dream. She was an emotion inside of him that couldn’t be described in words.
“Friends,” he agreed. It was the truth. But it wasn’t the whole truth. The whole truth was something he couldn’t admit out loud. And Kiyo felt fear.
For the first time since he’d been bitten, he felt true fear.
20
Niamh was suffering from emotional whiplash.
Just when she thought she and Kiyo had figured out how to treat one another, he turned around and decided the opposite.
It was frustrating to say the least.
At the market she’d been enjoying herself, mostly because Kiyo was finally relaxed around her. She thought he was relieved that she’d decided not to be friends. Perhaps he’d sensed her infatuation with him and now knowing she had no plans to pursue it, he was able to be himself?
And being himself was a wonderful thing. Kiyo was patient and interesting and seemed to enjoy introducing her to Japanese culture. Even if she was slightly confused when his eyes dropped to her mouth now and then or how his dark gaze gleamed with male appreciation.
But getting sucker punched because he’d been distracted by the idiot groping her and then staring deep into her eyes with that intense expression only to pronounce her his friend …
Niamh was bamboozled by the sexy, mercurial bastard.
She didn’t want to think about what the sight of him laughing in the cab did to her belly flutters.
So they were friends. It was decided.
Friends.
Did friends cause constant butterflies or hot flushes when you thought about them taking a shower a few meters from you?
Niamh didn’t think so.
And now, rather than being stuck in a hotel room with him with a big city outside to escape to if she needed a break, they were on their way to the mountains. Where she’d be trapped with him completely, in a cabin of all places.
Niamh had been blissfully free of any Astra-manipulated visions the last few days in Tokyo. But she’d also been free of any visions, period. She could tell Kiyo was growing antsy at the lack of direction, and it was only exacerbated by the moon, which was moving toward its full phase. The morning after their day at the market and Kiyo’s impressive fight with Daiki (that did nothing to quell Niamh’s belly flutters), Kiyo had announced at breakfast that they were going to the mountains in two days’ time. They needed to be there so he could turn in privacy for the full moon.
“I was intending to leave you here at the hotel, but now I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
“Because of Daiki?”
“Because of the pack and because of Astra,” Kiyo had answered. “She was following you in Paris, which probably means she’s in Tokyo or at least knows we’re here.”
While Niamh slept, Kiyo had been on the phone booking a place for them to stay in the mountains. That’s how she found herself three days after their arrival in Tokyo, in the passenger seat of a rented car as Kiyo drove them out of the city. Apparently they’d be staying in an out-of-the-way lodge in the mountains not far from Mount Mito. Niamh obviously didn’t know where that was, but Kiyo said it was about a two-hour drive west out of the city.
“Maybe I’ll get a vision while we’re there,” she said in a hopeful tone, knowing he wanted to expedite the mission. He’d spent the last few days playing tourist guide, showing Niamh around the city, taking her to the stunning temple at Senso-ji, and back to the pack’s Shinjuku ward but this time to Golden Gai to visit the narrow streets with their post-war bars that were stacked on top of each other via steep staircases. And also to see the Gyo-en National Garden. It was where Sakura’s fight would be held.
After strolling through the absolutely stunning Japanese garden, Niamh wondered how on earth Sakura got away with closing it down for a fight. And why would anyone in their right mind want to? What if the gardens were destroyed? There were not only traditional Japanese gardens but landscaped English and French gardens too. Niamh’s favorite spot was the Taiwan Pavilion, perched along a pond. Kiyo told her it was a pity it was just a couple of weeks too early for cherry blossom season. Niamh already thought the place was breathtaking. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like with the cherry blossoms in full bloom.