Free Tara by Jennifer Bene Page B

like the bathroom light was on and she was in the path of the light, but as it grew brighter, edging from that dim amber-gold to a vibrant, pale golden light – it was obvious she was the source.
    Which was insane.
    He rubbed his hands over his face and realized he still smelled like gunpowder. He hadn’t showered yet because he didn’t know if he could leave her alone. After the conversation with Luca last night he hadn’t known what to expect – but it hadn’t been this. Luca had said he had learned more about the girl and that she was ‘ weird’ , and that he ‘ shouldn’t be worried if anything strange happened, just hold on to her until the drop time ’. Then, as usual for Luca, he had refused to elaborate.
    So, weird apparently meant the girl glowed, and healed herself. The girl also referred to him as human, and said she was created by gods. If he hadn’t seen the glow, and that deep cut on her arm all knitted back together like it had never existed, he would have called her crazy, but now?
    Fuck. What did he want to do with her?
    Looking up at her he was taken aback by how withdrawn she looked, her blue eyes were focused somewhere on the floor as she waited calmly for him to decide what was next. He believed her that she would do whatever he wanted, and that kind of control made him a little uncomfortable.
    “Why don’t you take a shower? They delivered a box of clothes for you yesterday, and I think there’s some other things in it.” He pointed at it where he’d tucked it against the wall. “Plus, I can’t have you walking around covered in blood.”
    Her eyes snapped up to his with a spark of hope. “You’re taking me outside?”
    How could he say no when just the idea of it had pulled her out of whatever melancholy her nightmares had brought on?
    “Yeah, I don’t want to spend all day inside, and I’d like to spend more than a few hours in that car.”
    “Okay!” Her A-List smile came back, lighting up her face even though most of the actual glowing light had faded from her skin. She moved over to the box against the wall and started digging through it. Out of it came skirts and dresses and shirts and undergarments, bars of milk soap, a bottle of perfume, and a small zippered bag that probably held makeup.
    Since when did Luca know about any of this stuff? Maybe he had a girlfriend. That would be a revelation.
    “Wow, it’s like you took all of this from Gianni’s house.” Her hands were carefully refolding the clothes that he had rummaged through the day before.
    “So, it’s good?” Alaric asked, trying not to stare as she knelt by the box, her robe gaping so he could see the round of her breast. He tore his eyes away.
    “If this is what you want me in, of course.” Her response sounded truthful, but it was too quick, too automatic. Gianni must have liked to play dress-up with her.
    “I didn’t buy any of that, it showed up yesterday. Would you rather have something else?”
    She turned and smiled brightly at him, a bundle of clothes in her arms and a bar of the milk soap in one hand. “I don’t need anything. Thank you, sir.”
    “Alaric.” He corrected her before he realized it and his teeth clicked together as he shut his mouth. Shit . He’d told her his real name too, and the name on the room was different.
    “Alaric.” When she said his name a shiver went down his back, those syllables rolling through her accent. He suddenly wanted her to say it again, but he wouldn’t ask.
    “What’s your name?” Okay, someone had taken over his mouth and was talking for him. He never asked these questions, he didn’t care about this information.
    Except, you do.
    Bloody hell.
    Alright, so he did want to know her name, and the way that the edge of her lips had curved into a slight smirk had him staring. It made her look so much different than the big smile she kept plastering across her face.
    “So, now you want details?” Oh, the challenge in her voice.
    He fought the urge