Chapter 3

Unveiled

The clock stares at me to remind me of the ungodly hour it has reached. I feel it judging me, rolling its eyes as it ticks loudly in disappointment.

I feel as though I've cheated, even though I'm no longer with Jase. I would cover my head and hide here in his underground lair forever if I knew I could get away with it. I'm sure the others will come looking for me though.

My mystery man is asleep - still wearing that damn mask, of course. I stare at the pieces of his face I can see, and my eyes follow the strong line of his jaw where my lips strolled over numerous times in the past five hours I've been here.

He seems so peaceful right now. His arm is still affectionately draped over me, and then he moves in closer when he feels my distanced body. His neck is now inches from my lips, and I want to kiss it. I want to feel him inside me again, and that's without the lingering effects of the blood.

How in the hell can I want a man I've never fully seen?

My overly stimulated emotions make it easy for me to want someone though. That's why I've never stayed with most guys past a few nights. It's also one of the many reasons I abstained from blood fucks.

Stupid.Stupid.Stupid.

In an effort to douse my twisted mind's plan of waking him up and fucking him again, I sneakily slip free from his grip and fill the vacancy under his arm with a warm pillow.

He fidgets once, but he doesn't wake. He hugs the pillow tighter, and I smile when I realize he's doing that because he thinks it's me.

I shake free from the confusing thought, and then I slip out of the room with my perfectly executed stealth. Considering my clothes are ruined, there's only one option for me.

I rummage through his bag by the door, and I pull out a button-up shirt to slide on. Then I retrieve my underwear - the only thing still intact - and slide them on as well.

No one will miss this walk of shame, but it'll have to do .

I sneak down to the garage, carefully avoiding all my spills of blood to keep from slipping. I flick on the light to see at least twenty vehicles, and I huff at the mess of keys hanging up with absolutely no markings that will lead me to their host.

I fumble around with them as I walk over to a car, and I grumble when none seem to fit.

"Those are for another garage I have. You'll need one of these," the sexy voice says from behind me, and I jump while squealing to turn and face my masked hero.

Oh damn.

He's now wearing a pair of low-hanging track pants, and he smirks as he walks over to me with another set of keys. He pulls one off, and then he motions to the right of me.

"Take this one. It's fast, so I know you'll like it," he smolders out, and my damn knees wobble.

"Thanks," I murmur in embarrassment while avoiding eye contact, and he lets a small laugh free.

"Suddenly shy?" he teases, and I shift uncomfortably from side to side in response.

"Not shy, just… isn't this awkward for you?"

He laughs harder, and then he pulls me to his warm, perfectly sculpted body.

"Not at all. You needed to heal, that's what you did. You keep forgetting you're hybrid."

I roll my eyes for the comment that has only started agitating me worse, and then he tilts my chin up to kiss me so sweetly and squashes my fleeting moment of irritation.

Mmm. He tastes so good.

"It won't be long, and I'll be coming to find you to ask for a favor," he murmurs softly while just barely pulling back.

"I owe you plenty," I huff out a little comically.

He smiles his beautiful, full-flashing-teeth smile, and I blush in response before his soft lips find mine again.

Though I should pull back, I fall deeper into the kiss I don't think he meant to extend past a couple of breaths. His hands grip me tighter as he forces me back against one of his cars, and my legs rise to wrap around his waist as the burning passion tries to explode.

I shouldn't be doing this. I'm sure there are still some effects of the blood fuck lingering in my system… I hope.

His hand slides under me and around to skim across my sex, and my blood jets through my veins in response to his touch. Just as his deft fingers start to move my underwear to the side, I draw back from the insanely wonderful kiss.

"I need to go. Everyone will be worried," I murmur with a breathless tale.

He smiles and then pulls me back for one last kiss before lowering me back to the floor.

"I was just giving you a farewell kiss. You're the one who wrapped your legs around my waist and pulled me in for more."

I blush feverishly, due to his teasing remark, and his thumb strokes one side of my cheek where the red stain glows.

"I… um… I…"

He laughs at my bumbling stammer, and then he steps back to pull a phone from his pocket.

"Drive straight through the tunnel. When you reach the end, press the red button under the steering wheel. The door will rise, and it will shut automatically once you're out of reach. You'll be in United territory, but you're a little farther away than we were last time, so it'll take you a while. Take this to call them," he says while proffering me the phone.

I look at the sleek onyx device, and I tilt my head curiously.

"Won't this help them locate you?"

He smirks, and then his soft lips find my cheek before he opens the door to the car for me.

"Not if you wait until you're out of the tunnel to call them. Nothing on that phone will lead to me as long as you follow that one detail."

I smile appreciatively, but I hesitate before getting in. My eyes slant up to meet his as suspicion gathers in my tone.

"Why won't you just ask for your favor now? What's so secretive about who you are?"

He just gives me his enigmatic smirk before shrugging secretively and backing away.

"Because I have one last thing to do before I pull off the mask. Besides, I need a big, dramatic reveal," he seduces.

My knees try to falter again, but I hold them steady enough to steel my dignity.

"You could reveal yourself to me now, and then reveal yourself to the others later," I offer casually.

He gives me a larger grin and then shakes his head.

"Not yet, but soon. You'll find out with the rest of the United when the time comes."

He turns to walk away, and his shirtless upper body reveals a sight I haven't seen yet. He has the gifted sparrow tattooed on his shoulder blade, and the revelation almost steals my breath.

"You were a part of the United fleet?" I gasp.

His stops, but he doesn't turn back around.

"I told you I was friends with Clay Jude. The commander wouldn't have just allowed a gifted hybrid to run around without alliance," he murmurs softly, and then he disappears through the doorway to continue his phantom charade.

I tilt my head as the desire to chase after him stings inside me. I pray he's not my counter because he has more secrets than Jase.

At least he's honest about being dishonest, and he didn't let me fall in love with him while pretending to be someone else.

The engine purrs as I rev it up, and then I squeal the tires while racing out of the garage area and into the tunnel, staying straight through the first separation.

I'll have to keep my mystery man's lair a secret from my mind reading ex. I'll just have to work hard not to think about where I've been… or what I've been doing. As much as I hate Jase for playing me like a fool, I wouldn't want to subject him to viewing the memories I made with… who-the-hell-ever this masked crusader is.

Ace. What a bullshit name.

I'm almost ashamed at the earth-shattering night we shared, since I have no fucking clue what he even really looks like.

What if he's actually ugly under that mask? What if he's hiding some heinous scars or deformities?

That's not possible. I didn't see his face, but I felt it. He's going to be hot, and whenever he does reveal himself, I'm going to be in trouble.

I'm still not over Jase, and I honestly don't know if I ever will be. I shouldn't have fallen so hard so quickly, but I was drawn to him the second I saw him, and even now.

That asshole crushed me with his deceit, and I'm still reeling over him.

The city comes into view , and my stomach knots. Simone was freaking the hell out when I called her, and Rex wasn't exactly thrilled with the several hours I haven't yet accounted for.

I pull up to the gates, shine my credentials, and drive down the streets, which are littered with United officials - more officials than I've seen in most compounds.

Damn. This must be their new central location.

With Seminole demolished, I suppose they had to find a strong location to make base in for the duration of the war. I've still never seen this damn many officials in one place though.

"Aria!" Rex yells as he rushes down to the curb where I've parked my new car.

How will I get his car back to him?

Rex's strong arms jerk me to his trembling body as relief floods from his touch. I feel the anxiety he's suffered through as it materializes and rolls off of him, and I nestle into the brotherly embrace.

"I'm okay, bro," I chuckle out with a mock strained breath to poke fun of him for his overzealously tight embrace.

He snickers lightly before withdrawing, but then I see the tears wavering on his lids. He has been more worried than he should of been, considering he can see me. With his visions mostly targeted toward me and Mom, he should have seen me safe.

"You didn't see me?"

He shakes his head, and then he wipes away a stray tear once it sneaks through the clutches of his lashes.

"No. I couldn't see anything at all besides a blur. The last vision I could force was of you bleeding to death in the arms of a man. After that, it all goes blank. I thought it was because you were… I thought-"

His emotional break forces him to stop talking before he loses it completely. I soothe him by pulling him back to me, and then I feel more arms wrapping around my waist.

Simone is crying wildly against my back as she squeezes me with the same fervor as Rex did. I turn around to hug her back, and her fear-ridden tears seep through my newly acquired ensemble that I have to replace before the entire compound has a chance to gauge my blood fuck walk of shame.

"You smell like… him," she murmurs hesitantly while sniffing the soft fabric covering my almost bare body. "And you're not wearing any pants," she adds with a menacing smirk.

I laugh lightly, but Rex casts his worried eyes on us to break up the light moment.

"Who's him ?"

I sigh out loudly, and then I start walking away with Simone's arm looped through mine.

"The guy who keeps saving me… all of us, actually. He gave me a panic button to press if I needed him, which I did, and he showed up to free me from the group of people about to carry me off to who knows where. Then, well… I had to heal. He didn't exactly have loads of packaged blood on hand."

"Aria, who is he?" Rex almost demands, but I don't have a chance to answer when I see the commander of the United standing in the foyer of the gallant hotel.

His body visibly relaxes as his pale eyes connect with mine, and before I can look away, he has zipped across the room to me. Soft lips collide with mine, his tongue invades through my parted lips, and sex and candy floods my mouth with his delicious taste.

My hands rise to tangle in his hair as his hands slide down to grip me tighter to his incredible body. I almost forget I'm mad at him during my moment of insanity.

"Stop," I finally mumble against his lips while jerking back.

My whole body throbs, and it's painful to back away. There's that sick feeling in my gut where I'm supposed to be somewhere right now, but I don't know where. The only time it hasn't plagued me, is when Jase is touching me, or when I was... otherwise engaged.

"Aria, I-"

He stops as his eyes finally fall on my attire, and his jaw clenches as he adjusts his tie. Simone steps in front of me to cover up my indecent appearance that tells the man I love and hate what I've been doing.

"I see you've healed," he continues with a chillier tone.

"I have. Now I need clothes, food, and one hell of a drink," I murmur dismissively as I try to act like his pained eyes don't affect me.

"I need to debrief you," he almost strains out. "I'm sorry, but we need to find out everything we can about the people who took you while the trail is still fresh."

"The people who took me are dead. I can give you their exact location if you give me a map," I utter back with the same icy indifference.

His eyes narrow as he takes a step toward me, suspicion gathering in his scrunched brow.

"Then where have you been all this time?"

"I was saved, healed, and then set free to come back once I was okay to travel. I need to get changed now, Commander. I'd prefer a smaller list of people who have seen me in just a shirt and panties."

His jaw tenses again, but he moves aside to let me pass. I almost hold my breath so his intoxicating scent can't rattle me further, but it doesn't work. It's almost as if I'm forced to breathe him in against my better attempts to steer away.

"I'll bring you a map once you've cleaned up," he murmurs with his back turned, and then several men join him as he heads down the long hallway that is towered over by the arched ceilings.

"Crap," I breathe out shakily. "I was hoping I could avoid him until after I looked halfway decent."

Simone smirks lightly, but it's overshadowed by a secretive burden. My eyes tilt up to question her odd expression, and Rex's lips purse before he answers the silent question intended for Simone.

"Jase has had every member of the United we could spare out searching for you. Most of them got back shortly before you arrived. Some are still hours away from return. It's the most massive search party ever launched, especially during wartime."

I slump down while climbing into the open elevator, and Simone presses the button to send us toward the top.

"That looks bad. He shouldn't be abusing his rank by pulling such resources. I'm just a tracker. Everyone knows that. It makes it look like he doesn't have perspective."

"On the contrary, it makes it look like he cares about his people. Not to mention, you're not just a tracker," Rex counters. "You're the daughter of Araya Crush and Hale Banner; two of the most respected people to ever be a part of the United. Your safety was important to the vast majority. He played a good hand today, and people are rallying behind him more now."

I roll my eyes while huffing out, "Glad I could help him out in the polls."

"He would have done it even if it had destroyed his career," Simone hesitantly interjects.

Shit. Why's he making it so hard to get over him?

The doors open to the top floor, and Simone leads the way to the far room. Rex and I follow her in, and my mouth pops open when I see the near panoramic view offered by the glass walls. The lavish surroundings remind me how well paid my cousin is.

"Bitch," I gripe under my breath, and she lets out a snicker before walking over to her closet.

"Until you can get some clothes of your own, you can wear some of my stuff… again." She pulls a daring red dress from her overstuffed closet and tosses it to me. "Here. This one will work."

I narrow my eyes at her while tossing the dress back.

"I'll take something a little less flashy," I grumble.

She laughs and then shrugs before walking over with a pair of jeans that look like I'll have to be melted down and poured into.

"Really?" I huff in a higher octave.

"Really. I'm sorry, but I dress like a hybrid. Get over it."

I hold up the small, almost sheer fabric of the red shirt she has brought out, and I growl as I stare at the very revealing wardrobe she has assembled.

Definitely going shopping soon.

With a severely begrudged motion, I walk into the bathroom to change into the clothes - or what little clothes there are to change into.

"I've got to get back to my girl. She has to leave soon, but I'll be back after while," Rex says through the door.

"Okay, I'll see you later."

I hear the door shut, and then I feel that odd pulling in the pit of my stomach as though I'm forgetting something.

"You going to be a diva and take all day to change, or what?" Simone teases through the door.

I wobble as I turn the shower on, stumbling into the wall when I lose all bearings. I feel sick, dizzy, and so frigging confused. It's like I have to go somewhere, but I have no idea where the fuck I'm supposed to be going. I feel the desire to have someone with me, but I don't know who.

Jase? Ace ? I don't know what's going on.

"Hey," Simone says more worriedly when I don't respond. "You okay?"

"I… I don't know. Can you check my blood?"

The door creaks open, and she walks in with a troubled grimace.

"What's going on?"

"I just don't feel right. Can you see if anything is going on that shouldn't be?"

She nods, and then I close my eyes as she pulls out the uranium tipped knife from her makeup bag.

I don't flinch as it breaks the surface of my flesh, and I plop down on the ground as she draws out the blood to mingle with the steam from my hot shower.