curved in my seat, searching the room until my eyes landed on a figure in the far corner sitting by himself. Like a blow to my lungs, air caught in my chest, and I sat up straighter. How had I missed him? In the sea of color, the huge man dressed in all black was a drop of blood on white paper.
His long, dark hair was pulled back, heavy scruff cut along his strong jawline, displaying his full bottom lip. His unnerving aqua eyes slid slowly over the room like fingers caressing a body. The bright color against his olive skin and black hair and lashes made them pop out like laser beams set on you. With one foot on a bench seat, he leaned against the wall, his arm draped over his knee, a king watching over his domain, taking everything in.
Everything about him was severe. Even sitting, I could tell he had to be taller than six foot six. His tattoo-covered arms, shredded with muscles, exhibited physical strength. Even the loose V-neck uniform curved snugly around his biceps, chest, and pecs.
Intensity, power, dominance, and violence danced around him as if they were the only things daring to be near him. He appeared at ease, but every touch of his gaze over the room suggested he could kill before the enemy even knew he moved.
Peering through his dark lashes, his gaze met mine, and making me feel I had been punched in the stomach, ripping the air from my lungs. My heart thumped against my ribs like it came to life or knew it was about to die, drumming the final chords in my life. Against the cotton, my nipples hardened, instantly reacting to the intense energy moving around me.
Fuck. Me.
It was too much, his stare ripping the clothes away from my body, peeling at my skin, and tearing through my flesh. The adrenaline rushed over me at seeing death head-on. Finally, his impassive gaze broke away, and I gasped in relief.
“Wha-what is he?” Heat still lit my cheeks on fire, my pulse tapping at my neck.
“No one knows.”
“What?” My head jerked back to Tad. “He’s fae, though. He has to be.”
“Does he?”
“No human has that kind of power.”
“As a Druid, I can see the energy of everyone in this room, their aura, sense what they are.” Tad set down his cup, clearing his throat. “Everyone but him.”
“You can’t tell if he’s human or fae?”
“There is nothing around him.” Tad’s attention pointed at me. “Or around you.”
“What?” I straightened. “Me?”
“Your aura is void of both life and death. Nothing.” Tad tilted his head. “Like him.”
“What do you mean?”
“Means either you have gotten unbelievably good at hiding your aura, or I’ve gotten so lonely I’m making up imaginary friends.”
“Believe me, I wish I weren’t actually here.” I ran a hand through my hair, which the harsh disinfectant had made brittle and knotted. “How would someone hide their aura? Is that why you said I was strange?” It wasn’t something I remember learning, but maybe I’d done so accidentally.
“I don’t know. Besides him, never seen it happen to this degree.”
“What do you mean?”
“Some people get good at hiding their energy, build up walls, but I usually still sense something.”
My stomach rolled, a rush of icy heat coating my skin.
“Don’t worry, girl. You’re looking a little peaked there.” He shifted uncomfortably on his backless seat, pain flickering through his features. “You are human. I’m guessing you’ve learned to protect yourself. Keep your guard up at all times.”
My shoulders lowered. I felt oddly relieved. It made sense I had put fortification around myself living with Istvan. Every day, I was either a soldier in training or attending a party upstairs with a false smile on my face. Always on the defense and ready for whatever was thrown at me. Some days it was a fist, on other days, a forced husband.
“Why is he the only one wearing black?” I couldn’t fight sneaking another glance at him. Even though he wasn’t looking at me, I somehow knew he was aware of my attention on him. Without his eyes on me, he still was like the sun, too much to look at for long.
“Because he’s in a league of his own. They don’t know what to classify him under. I’m warning you to be careful of him. He has pull here that no one has gotten close to. Whatever he wants, he gets, and the guards look the other way.