Free Circle of Death by Thais Lopes

get into the taxi.
    “What?” I tried to pretend I didn’t know what she was talking about.
    For one second she seemed annoyed, and then she sighed. “Don’t try to fool me. There was a threat. Something put you on edge. What was it?”
    What would be her reaction if the knew about Seth? What would be the risks? Without knowing what that name meant to her I couldn’t risk saying anything.
    “I can’t tell.”
    I was ready for more questions, but she nodded, serious. I didn’t hide my surprise, and she smiled.
    “I know some things are better kept secret, and others have a time to be told. I respect it.”
    Those words were familiar, but I couldn’t place where I had heard them before. Still, “You can’t be real, Kelene.”
    Her smile widened, but she didn’t answer. Instead, she approached and kissed me. I kept her there for a moment, before she broke the kiss to take a breath. After another quick kiss, she left to her bedroom.
    Now I was at an impasse. Seth knew where we lived, and it would be easy for him to get in there, even without an invitation, and attack Kelene or take her with him. It didn’t matter if she was or not the woman he was searching for, he had seen us together and would attack her just to hurt me. And, even tough I could feel his approach, I had no guarantees that I would be able to reach Kelene before him. She was in danger. I wanted to be with her, more than I had thought possible but, that night, all I wanted to do was to protect her.
    “Kelene?” I asked, from her bedroom’s door.
    She turned to face me, already wearing one of her sets of old t-shirts and shorts.
    “I don’t know if it will be safe to leave you alone. You may be at risk because of me, and I don’t want you hurt because I have old enemies.”
    “Do you want to spend the night here?” Her question was soft and so natural that for a moment I couldn’t react.
    And when I could, I didn’t answer. I had no idea of what she would hear in my voice.
    “All right. You will only get bored, as I don’t have a TV here.” She said with a quick laugh, understanding my silence.

12. Kelene
    It was unreal when Lucio laid down beside me. It had been too long since I had a man in my bad, and I didn’t have exactly good memories of the last. Actually, the memories of the last man with whom I shared my bed had made me avoid any kind of relationship for a long time. I didn’t know what was going on, and I trusted that Lucio would tell me when it was safe. He had a reason to be worried, I was sure, and all my instincts screamed the same. I didn’t even think he would try anything, as had more trust in his control than he did.
    “I’m sorry about this, Kelene.” He said, clearly uncomfortable.
    I sighed.
    “I’m going to be blunt. There is some kind of problem, a threat. And no, I’m not asking for an explanation. Let me finish.” I shut him up with a sharp gesture. “You can’t or won’t tell me what it is, and I respect it. I believe you. I believe I might be threatened inside my own home. And I thank you for trying to protect me. Don’t offer apologies.”
    I kissed him, noticing how surprised he seemed. But I knew that sometimes even the lack of an invitation wasn’t enough to stop someone from the Otherworld. Without saying anything else, I turned around in the bed, getting ready to sleep.
    It was my turn to be caught by surprise when he put his arms around me.
    “May I?” His question was a soft whisper.
    “Yes.” I answered, settling myself in his arms.
    In a couple of minutes I was already in that trance I entered when I wanted to sleep but there was some threat near. Yes, I could feel something hostile, but didn’t know for sure who or what it was, even though there was something familiar about that presence. Anyway, the threat didn’t come any closer to the building, or I wouldn’t even be able to get into the trance. I could also feel Lucio, completely alert beside me. His presence there made me