Exiled Read Free

picked up her pistol from the grass. For a second, she thought about shooting someone or something, but she rammed it in the holster instead.
    “Casterix?” How long since anyone had dared to call her that? His voice sounded different, rusty as though he hadn’t used it in a while.
    Everyone and everything faded from her consciousness, leaving her focused on the man in front of her. He looked the same, fair hair fell to his shoulders. High cheekbones, gray eyes brimming with wonder, the most beautiful mouth she had ever seen on a man. She’d been drawn to him at first sight, had known in that moment that he was the one. She had chosen him, had loved him beyond reason.
    Now, with a rush of relief, she realized she could study him objectively. See him as a man she had once loved. But no longer; that had been another time, another world, another woman.
    She was different now and she didn’t do “love.” He reached out for her. No way could she allow him to touch her, at least not until she was certain she had her shit together.
    But the stone pressed hard at her back, the roughness scraping her skin.
    “Don’t,” she warned, her voice almost a whisper.
    The hand dropped to his side and pain filled his eyes. She couldn’t take this.
    So she bolted. Racing past him, through the gap in the stones, and down the hill. Her breath was coming hard and fast by the time she stopped at the parking place. Resting a hand on the roof of the car, she waited while her heart rate slowed.
    Callum was back from the dead.
    The man she would have died for, had nearly destroyed a whole world for, had somehow managed to overcome the laws of life and death and return to her. If a little late.
    Too late.
    Muted voices drifted down from the hill. She didn’t want to see them right now; certainly, she couldn’t face being stuck in a vehicle with them. After shrugging out of the shirt and the shoulder holster, she tossed them into the trunk. As she crossed the road, she entered the cool shadows of a stand of trees. She’d make her way back to town on foot, cross-country.
    She could cope. Nothing touched her these days. Soon she would be back to normal. She would go join them, find out what had happened on Arroway, and decide their next move.
    But first, she needed a drink. Or two.

Chapter Two
    Jarrod had done a great job of blending in with the people of Earth, but he couldn’t totally hide what he was or the power that radiated from his tall figure. All eyes in the bar were on him as he strode across the room to where she hid in her dark booth in the back corner. Cass glanced past him, half expecting to see Callum’s tall, cloaked figure trailing behind, but Jarrod was alone, and the tension seeped from her limbs.
    How the hell had he found her? Oh yeah, he was a warlock— he’d probably waved his magic stick a few times and conjured her up. She’d had way more than two drinks. But once she’d started, she couldn’t stop. Or didn’t want to. The scotch was a warm buzz in her brain. She could get rid of that in a second with her magic, but that would waste a whole afternoon of drinking. And what did it matter? She was alone or had been; she could do what she damn well liked.
    “Hey there, bro.” She raised her glass to him as he sank into the seat opposite, but then realized it was empty. “You want a drink?”
    “Why not?” She rose briefly and waved her glass in the general direction of the barman. He nodded and brought over a bottle of scotch and another glass. “There you go, Cass.” He quirked an eyebrow in Jarrod’s direction. Cass didn’t think she’d ever come in here with anyone before—this was a first. She didn’t introduce them.
    “You come here often?” Jarrod asked, taking a sip of his drink and grimacing. He wasn’t used to the alcohol on Earth yet. Probably wouldn’t have the time to get used to it. They’d all be heading back to Arroway. All except for her. She could never go back.
    “Sometimes.”