39. Jasmine

39

JASMINE

I n the hallway, Jasmine leaned against the wall for a moment and let out a long breath. The emotional intensity of the last hour had left her drained, but there was also a spark of excitement. Rob's life was about to change dramatically, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy.

It was an awakening.

She remembered her own introduction to the world of immortals and the wonder that had accompanied that revelation.

It had been so marvelous to discover that the reality she had been aware of hadn't been complete, to learn that there were many populated worlds out there and that an entire civilization of gods was colonizing planets and patrolling the galaxy.

Rob wasn't going to learn all of that today, but he was about to start a very exciting journey of discovery.

Perhaps it would soothe some of the poor guy's pain.

Taking a deep breath, Jasmine composed herself, put a smile on her face, and opened the door. She didn't want to bring any residual tension into Ell-rom's space. He had enough to deal with without her adding stress to it.

The moment she stepped into the penthouse, though, she felt the tension in the room. The television was blaring in the living room, and Ell-rom sat rigidly on the couch. His eyes were glued to the news broadcast, his jaw was set, and his hand was fisting the remote control with so much force that the plastic was creaking under the pressure of his grip.

Without hesitation, she crossed the room and gently pried the remote from his hand, clicking off the TV.

Ell-rom blinked as if coming out of a trance. "Why did you do that?" he asked.

Jasmine sat beside him, placing a comforting hand on his arm. "You are not ready to see all that ugliness. Remember what I told you? The news editors like to pick the worst of the worst to broadcast because that's how they get viewers, and viewers bring advertising money. Showing people spending happy afternoons with their families is not newsworthy."

"So that wasn't real?" He waved his hand at the television set.

"Oh, it was real, but it was an ugly slice of reality. Not everything is like that."

That was true, but those pockets of evil were popping up more frequently around the world, and things were getting worse for most people. Still, she could shield him from that for a little while longer.

Los Angeles was still relatively safe, although not as safe as it was only a few years ago. Other major cities were seeing a more rapid rise in violent crime, and part of the world was receding into darkness. The sad part was that women and children were always the first victims when things were starting to deteriorate. It seemed like lately, travesties committed against women and young girls had become a daily occurrence.

Darkness was on the rise. There was no doubt in her mind about that.

"Even that much is bad," Ell-rom said. "How are things like that allowed to happen in human societies? What is this savagery?"

Jasmine was asking herself the same questions, but Ell-rom couldn't allow himself to get so upset. "You need to calm down. We don't want you to accidentally..." She trailed off.

Ell-rom swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "You're right," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I need to control my emotions. I can't allow them to boil over."

Guilt washed over Jasmine. She should have known better than to leave him alone with access to the news. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone with the remote. It's my fault."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she saw something shift in Ell-rom's eyes. The anger and dismay over what he had seen in the news were replaced by a flash of hurt.

"What's the matter?" she asked, though she had a sinking feeling she already knew.

Ell-rom's jaw clenched, his eyes meeting hers with an intensity that took her aback. "I'm tired of being treated like a child. I appreciate your concern, but I can handle watching television without your supervision."

The words hit Jasmine like a physical blow. She opened her mouth to protest, but the truth of his statement stopped her short. She had been treating him like a child, hadn't she? In her desire to protect him, to shield him from potential triggers, she'd been stifling him.

"You're right," she said softly, the admission difficult but necessary. "I'm sorry for having been overprotective. You're not a child, and you are perfectly capable of making your own decisions. My job is to supply the information that you might be lacking, but I shouldn't decide for you."

Ell-rom's expression softened, but there was still a hint of hurt in his eyes. "I know you mean well, but I need to learn to navigate this world on my own terms. I'm not an impulsive person, and I know what I can handle and what I need help with."

"You're absolutely right. I'll do my best to keep in check my overprotective instincts."

A moment of silence stretched between them, not uncomfortable but charged with unspoken emotions. Finally, Ell-rom broke it. "How's Rob?"

Grateful for the change of subject, Jasmine launched into an explanation of Rob's situation, and as she spoke she watched Ell-rom's face, seeing the empathy and understanding dawning in his eyes.

When she finished, he shook his head. "Poor Rob. To have someone you love turn on you like that must be devastating."

Jasmine nodded. "It is, but I believe that it's for the best. Lynda clearly wasn't right for him, and now Rob's world is about to change dramatically for the better, but it will take him time to realize that."

"Does Rob know about the spying device Margo put on his mate?" Ell-rom asked.

"No. But I imagine it will come out soon. All the secrets are about to be revealed."

A soft chuckle escaped Ell-rom. "I was in Rob's situation not too long ago."

"You didn't have a cheating fiancée," she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"No," Ell-rom agreed. "But I didn't know who and what I was. It was pretty profound to find out, and there is still a lot to learn."

The weight of his words hung in the air between them. Jasmine thought back to those first few days after Ell-rom had awakened, the confusion and fear in his eyes as he grappled with his new reality. She had been so focused on protecting him, on helping him adjust, that she hadn't fully appreciated the magnitude of what he was going through.

"I can't even imagine." She reached for his hand. "How are you really doing with all of this?"

Ell-rom was quiet for a long moment, his thumb tracing circles on the back of her hand. "It's overwhelming. There are moments when I feel like I'm drowning in all the new information, all the things I need to learn and remember, but then there are moments like this. Moments with you, where everything feels right. Where I feel anchored."

The honesty of his words brought tears to Jasmine's eyes. She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "I'm glad I can be your anchor," she whispered.