Disarm you with a smile

Larkin wasn’t the least bit interested in her shoes.

He wrapped his arm gently around her waist, pulling her close against him. He caught her scent again, the musky smell of earth, and it held a strange appeal. He smiled gently, gazing back into her eyes, now a very pale blue. Though, he liked it when they had been violet before, reminding him of Tic, the blue was very beautiful. It made her smooth, unblemished face glow.

She’d hesitated coming to him, but he didn’t notice. If she were a danger to him, she would have run, he thought. No one deliberately risked their lives to conceal their identity, not from The Shrike. As long as he didn’t let her go, there would be nothing to worry about. And what could she do to him now, trapped in his embrace?

He did not say anything about what she had heard, did not offer an apology for letting her, and did not caution her to be silent about it. She knew. He stared into her eyes for a few more moments, smiling at her as she smiled back at him. Then, he looked to his other side, his fingers gently gripping Tic’s shoulder.

He had no idea of the suffering, could not fathom the pain that he made. Larkin couldn’t understand why Tic refused him, refused everything he offered. Silk sheets to sleep in at night and beautiful, clean clothes to wear did not affect him. He was immune to the temptation of everything, and would run the very second escape was in his reach.

“Stelon,” Larkin said, ushering her around him to stand in front of Tic, “this is Tic Synkrat Ideo.” He smiled down at Tic, saying, “Tic, this is Stelon.”