3. Zander Crow Luciano

Chapter three

Zander Crow Luciano

U nlike my brothers, who had specific gifts from Mom, Fate had been there when I was born and accidentally cut herself. She’d given me the gift of seeing the future of anyone I touched. I’d lived most of my life wearing gloves, and being a builder helped with that. People weren’t offended if I didn’t shake hands.

And then, last night, Ozzi introduced me to Killian Di Gatti. The man was bleeding from a cut above his eye, which he’d gotten in the battle with the Witches. He bled on my hand and then wiped it away, apologizing. I didn’t get anything from him at all, but warmth, and the sweet smell of apple pipe tobacco, which was his natural scent.

Ozzi filled me in on who Killian was, and said he could sustain me if I wanted to pursue it. The problem was, I had a piece of unfinished business with Axl Donadieu.

When the man asked me to build his home, I discovered he would die at a party in Scandals at the ClaswArc Hotel. I warned him and even asked him not to go.

He’d said it was his duty to take Ignatius down, and if this was the way it happened, he’d take it. He showed up at my house that night, solid to the touch but without his Vessel, and trapped. I’d never read a ghost before.

I discovered that he had to finish his business before he could be reborn. The vision also came with sight, sound, and scent. He would be leaving the shower room of the bathroom I’d planned to build him, and he had to give the man taking his place information. He also had to make sure that his son, Jules, was taken care of.

The man in the vision was Killian Di Gatti, but we hadn’t met at the time. I snagged my brother, Judge, in the ballroom after my encounter with Killian because my gut told me Axl would need help.

He counted spaces with me to the new house, and we waited for an hour before Axl convinced Killian to come. I’d had to leave the key at the old house based on intuition.

Out of all my brothers, Judge didn’t doubt me. I’d helped him find several people with a drop of blood or a strand of hair.

When the pair arrived in the bedroom, Judge and I shielded ourselves and let the scene play out as it had in my mind. We waited in the shower room and made sure Axl had given Killian the pertinent details. Axl mentioned Gerald, and I was angry with myself for not being able to piece the information together.

Judge left with Axl, and I wrote the note for Killian, hoping he understood. Then I headed home. Six came early and I had a new client to meet in Spartanburg.

Humans were my regular customers. Pax had asked me personally to build the house for Axl and wasn’t upset when I told him about my premonition. He told me to finish the house precisely how Axl wanted it and was sure the man in my vision would also appreciate it.

I’d hoped so. I also hoped Killian would talk to me. Crow had reached out to Yael the moment Killian touched me, and Yael responded. Then Killian was gone and I had to deal with Axl.

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, playing Axl’s final warning over and over in my mind. It didn’t help. Couldn’t sleep, either.

My alarm buzzed at five, and I climbed out of bed to start my day, wishing I had Killian’s number to text him good morning. The connection was too strong to ignore, and I could touch him without learning anything I didn’t want to know. What would sex be like with someone I could put my hands on?

Condoms kept me from learning anything, and I’d never kissed another person. Mostly, it was hookups at Rina DuBois’ Den in Clayton when I was desperate enough to need relief. She’d specifically instructed my lovers and I didn’t have to touch anyone.

It took me twenty extra minutes in the shower as my mind replayed a vision of Killian naked and wet. I roared when I finally came, and banged my head against the tiles. My hand didn’t slake the want. It wasn’t enough. I wanted to be in Killian’s bed, above him, below him, and in him. Skin to skin.

How did I make that happen?