Free Turbulence by Elaina John

past week was rough on everyone. They were all wound
tight and ready to break at any second. It was his duty to guarantee they
didn’t.
    An image of Avalon rose up in his mind. He thought about her
a lot lately. Though they continued to eat breakfast together, they did so in
the kitchen. Greyson didn’t trust himself to be around her in private. Not that
he had much time to be around her recently with everything going on.
    He liked her. He’d be damned if he knew how that happened.
She wasn’t his type. Yet something about her called to him. Avalon was a
stunning woman with a kind, innocent spirit. She was graceful and elegant. He
wanted to stare at her all day long.
    Since she’d been eating more regularly, in just a short
period of time her face had filled out some and gave her a healthy glow. Her
breasts even looked fuller beneath the dresses she wore. And those eyes. When
he was around her, they flared violet, warming the cold air within him. She
couldn’t deny she was attracted to him as well. The emotions within her usually
blue eyes gave her away.
    Greyson couldn’t act on the attraction like he did with
other women. Avalon deserved better than sex. Excellent sex, but sex
nonetheless. She deserved a mate who loved her. Greyson couldn’t give that to
her. It wasn’t within him to give. He had to keep her at a distance for her own
sake.
    The phone on the desk rang. Who was it now? The thing was
constantly ringing. He sighed, opened his eyes and answered.
    “Yeah?”
    “We need to talk. Car’s waiting outside to take you to the airport.” Click .
    Jay Copeland. He was the head of the extraterrestrial and
paranormal sector of Homeland Security. Greyson didn’t usually have to deal
with the guy. So something must have happened, something serious for Greyson to
have to travel just to speak to him. It had to be more than Davie Riddick’s
murder since they would not care about something as “trivial” as one man’s
death.
    Dex’s dark head poked into the room. “Did you just get a
call?”
    “Yep. Better kiss your mate goodbye. No telling when we’ll be
back.” He smirked. Dex and Lily whined whenever they had to be apart. You would
think they shared a brain at times.
    “They tell you why they need to speak with us?” Dex asked.
    “Don’t know anything.”
    “Huh.” Dex worked his jaw around. “Guess you are as clueless
as you look.”
    “That’s not what Lily said last night,” Greyson quipped.
    “As if Lily would give you a chance. Her standards are
higher than that.”
    “Can’t be too high if she’s with you, Dexter.”
    Dex snorted. “Whatever. I’ll see you in a few.” He shut the
door.
    Not too long ago he and Dex were constantly at each other’s
necks. They had a rivalry that began when they were youths. Since they moved to
Nebraska, Dex got bonded, and work around the colony kept them busy, they
didn’t have time to hate each other. What a bummer.
    Greyson picked up the phone again and dialed.
    “Hello?” The soft, pleasant voice on the other end made him
smile.
    “Avalon? Where are you?”
    “In the laundry room, sir.”
    “Stop what you’re doing. I need a bag packed. A couple days’
worth of things.” He didn’t suspect he’d be gone any longer than that.
    “Right away, sir.”
    He could have packed his own bag. It would have taken him
only a few minutes. But there was a feeling he couldn’t recognize that he
received in knowing Avalon was taking care of him. Nobody else made him feel
that way.
    After completing a few last minute tasks, Greyson locked up
the office and went to the living room. Lily was lying on the couch. Her
usually tanned skin was ashen. Guess she was sick again.
    “You okay, Lily?”
    She flicked her wrist to dismiss his concern. “I’m fine.
Just a little bug. Nothing a little soup and orange juice won’t cure.”
    He wouldn’t know whether she was telling the truth or not.
Humans were so fragile, their immune systems so weak. Jhetans