Blacken by Alandra Rankin (i love reading books txt) 📕

thought that everything that they worked through, all the mysteries they were trying to unravel, how close they were because of it all… She believed Owen would keep his word to try because it was important to her. Yes, it was important to him too, but Avie was dead center in it all.

The woman walked into her apartment, throwing the stack of papers onto the floor, a loud sob following while she bent over at the waist. She cried distressed, never imagining Owen to react in such a way, changing as a person in what felt like the flip of a coin. Avie lied to him about part of the mystery in the past, she knew it had been wrong, but she apologized for it and never denied anything else. It was to protect Owen, and to protect Rhulle.

But look at where it ended up.

She wiped tears from her blotchy face, thinking about Owen was painful, but he said twice now that it should have been him, how it always should have been him to be the object of Avie’s affections, not Rhulle. What exactly did that mean coming from him? The redhead hadn’t done anything to hint she was alluding to more than friendship, sure she was affectionate, but never anything past platonic.

Avie figured it was because he didn’t have anyone else, which she pitied. She only had Owen when she first came into town. Even before while she lived alone, she struggled to make friends, and he came in like a breath of fresh air. She imagined it was much the same for him.

In the time she grew closer to Rhulle, it was very probable Avie channeled that energy to express something other than a friendship to Owen. She thought back, wondering if it was maybe her own fault that this situation came to the climax it did.

The woman shook it off, rather tried to focus on the elating information found instead. It did no good to dwell on all the negatives.

They found a way to stop the people of Blacken, new and old, from dying. If it weren’t for Avie befriending Rhulle, who knew how long it would have been before the situation would occur—even if it would at all. She mulled over it all as she started a shower.

Relaxing in the hot water, it helped in slowing her racing thoughts.

On the topic of Rhulle, something very unexpected did come out of it all. Emotions and feelings that surpassed that of kinship had developed. It was the mystery of him, the way he was, that initially drew her. Things may have started as a friendship, but she was not exactly sure when deeper feelings started to linger.

It may have been as early as the instance he admitted being confused by her actions, instead of running away.

It may have been when she first danced with him and he held her so close.

It may have even been there the whole time, growing, evolving while she learned more about him, without her realizing it until just last night; all her passions breaking through, coming to a head.

And yet, there was so much more she wanted to know about him and the planet Celisc he came from.

The thought of even kissing him drew butterflies to her stomach, as if she were a teenager with her first crush, the memories creating the ghost of a feeling of his lip’s touch. He said once a connection was established, the relationship was announced and then celebrated; but was she his partner? Were the two of them vovii? Did being vovii include mating?

What did mating, itself, include?

Avie thought of the taboo scenario, a coil winding tight inside of her.

She sighed, the heat getting to her as she got out of the downpour. Grabbing a fluffy towel to dry herself and the dampened hair, the redhead moved into her bedroom and began styling; attempting to get the curls to fall just right with her hairdryer.

With the towel still wrapped around her body, she threw on her shorts and tank top once the hair had been tackled, fully intending to lounge around. She flicked on the small tube television on her dresser and left to grab a snack from the kitchen. The woman returned to see Rhulle in her bedroom once again, fixing the black out shades on her window himself.

“I almost want to get you a bell,” Avie said with a smile.

He turned, happy to see her in proper lighting for the first time in her apartment, “I am like that of a bird, not a cat.”

Laughing, she went to hug him, her face once again brushing into the soft plumage of his chest, inhaling the scent of pine sap and firewood, “What brings you here, Rhulle?”

“I wanted to see you again,” he lifted her chin so she could meet his eyes, “it seems that you wanted to see me too.”

“Of course, I wanted to tell you about my blood, and I was hoping I could maybe ask something… About what you said earlier?”

Rhulle affirmed with a hum, her breaking apart to sit on the bed. He strolled over, joining in the action; sitting just across from her in the armchair with their knees practically touching, “And what was it I said?”

Nervous, she fidgeted with her ring once more, “Well, it was when you were talking about partners, sorry, vovii, and you demonstrated how they kissed. I guess what I wanted to know more about was… umm… what qualifies someone as one?”

A sly grin broke out on his face, seemingly entertained at her question. “Are you so keen? We have compatibility, are you certain you would like to follow my customs?”

He was teasing her, making Avie blush. God, yes, she wanted to be together with him in a sense of a relationship, learning to blend the two customs could be the easiest route, however in order to do that, she needed to know more.

“I would really love to know everything about your customs.”

Rhulle’s smile faltered a