Chapter 10 - Chapter Ten

Just before they went into the alley, Luca let go of Ari’s hand and stopped her. “Let me go in first,” he said quietly. “Only come in when I say you can, okay?”

Ari nodded silently, feeling scared and hopeless. Why did he have to let go of her hand? She was feeling more vulnerable than ever. Luca smiled reassuringly at her, and after hesitating for a bit, leaned in to kiss her forehead. “You’re going to be fine,” he promised.

“But are you?” Ari thought. She nodded and Luca smiled at her once more before turning to step into the alley.

“Dace,” she heard him say, his tone icy and bitter.

“Luca, you wanted to see me?” A deeper voice.

“Yes, I did, actually. I hope you don’t mind me bringing a friend along.”

The other voice hesitated before saying that he didn’t.

“Arianne, you can come in now,” Luca said, his voice softer and gentler, so much more different then when he was talking to Dace.

Ari stepped in uncertainly and put her hand in Luca’s offered one. She looked at the only other person in the alley. A boy around the age of nineteen looked mockingly back at her. He was very well built, but not too stocky. He was tall, but not as tall as Luca.

The tension in the alley was almost tangible.

Then Dace snorted. “A girl? You brought a girl?” He smirked. “Well, at least she’s pretty.”

Ari heard Luca snarl softly. “She happened to be with me when the accident happened,” he said calmly, slightly emphasising on the word “accident”. He narrowed his eyes. “Let’s settle this. I don’t have all day.” He closed the distance between him and Dace in three long-legged strides and leaned in towards Dace so that they were face to face.

“I call the shots around here,” he growled quietly. “And if you don’t like it, you can leave. I’m willing to put this all behind me and forget about it, but if under any circumstances do I see you trying to give orders instead of taking them without my permission again, then getting fired is the last thing you should be worrying about. Are we clear?”

Dace tensed up, clenching his hands into tight fists, and slipping slightly into a crouch.

Ari stood at the opening of the alley, looking at the two boys. Dace, with his well built body, was obviously menacing, but Luca, in his tall and somewhat lean and lanky form was intimidating in a deep, dark, dangerous way. Ari gulped inwardly. Right now, she felt short and totally powerless.

“Are we clear?” Luca repeated his question a bit more forcefully.

Then suddenly, Dace grinned. “Crystal,” he said. “I’m sorry, Luca.” Then he turned to Ari. “And I’m sorry you had to see this…Arianne, right?” he asked, flashing her a smile.

“It’s—I…um, don’t worry about it.”

Luca however, seemed to tense up even more. “Dace, when you speak to my date, you’re to go through me first.”

The exact words he had said to Garrett, Ari noticed. Why?

Dace grinned. He was pushing Luca’s buttons on purpose, Ari knew. Luca squared his jaw, and his fists tightened slightly, but Ari placed her hand on his tensed up arm.

“Let’s go,” she said softly. “He’s not worth it.”

Luca relaxed eventually and straightened up. “I’m not going to be here for the next few weeks or so,” he said. “I want you and Chris to work together to take my place.” He narrowed his eyes. “Consider this as probation.”

Dace nodded and left through the other side of the alley. Luca was walking out of the alley when suddenly he sat down on the floor and put his head in his hands, groaning in pain.

“Luca? Are you okay? Luca?” Ari knelt in front of him. “Luca?”

He looked up at her. “Pain,” he managed to whisper. “Headache. Wait. Will…stop…in a few…minutes.”
So she waited next to him until the pain subsided. At one point, Luca was in such agony that silent tears ran down his face and when Ari took his hand, he squeezed it so hard till it hurt.

After what seemed like hours later, Luca relaxed completely and leant back with his head against the wall. “Thanks,” he said.

Ari reached over and brushed away the tears that were resting on his cheeks. “Are you okay? What was that?”

Luca had closed his eyes. He was focusing on breathing straight as Ari’s cool fingers brushed away the tears on his hot cheeks. “Uh…what?”

“What was that headache about? Did you catch a cold?”

“I don’t think so…I get it every once in a while, I think it’s because…well, you know how I told you I was half dragon? Well, I think that dragon part of me is finally maturing or trying to become a more dominant part of me or something like that and my brain is trying to fight it. But that’s just one theory.”

Ari grinned. “That means I’m going to be getting a hell lot more headaches than you are. I’m part human, werewolf and witch, right?” She withdrew her hand from Luca’s face. “Can you walk?”

“Yeah.” Luca stood up and brushed away the dirt from his jeans. “Let’s go to the beach.” He took Ari’s hand and they headed out of the alley.

They twisted their way across the city until Ari had no idea where they were and how they were supposed to get back to Kieran’s flat.

“Uh…Luca? Where are you taking me?"

Luca grinned. “To a faraway place where nobody can hear your hopeless screams and your pathetic attempts to fend me off while I rob and rape you before I kill you.” He leered at her and waggled his eyebrows.

Ari didn’t know whether to believe him or not. He was that good an actor. She wrinkled her nose and tried pull away from him, but he suddenly grabbed her and sprinted down the streets with her in his arms, laughing.

Ari shrieked at the suddenness of it and clung to him tightly; closing her eyes and burying her head against his neck until she felt him slow down.

“We’re here.” He gently untangled her arms from his neck and set her down on the sand.

Ari exhaled. “Wow…uh…that was some ride.” She looked at Luca, who was grinning. He wasn’t even out of breath.

Luca took her hand and pointed out to the beach with his other hand. “I told you it was beautiful here, especially during the sunset. Come on, let’s take a walk around, and then head back.”

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