Immortal Essence Box Set: Aligned, Exiled, Beguiled by Rashelle Workman Page B

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    Venus couldn’t help but wonder under what circumstances Zaren and Dervinias would’ve met. He didn’t act like the sort of person Zaren would be friends with. Anything was possible though. She realized she didn’t know all that much about Zaren outside of his constantly shadowing her every move as her guardian. 
    “If you say . . .” Zaren’s jaw suddenly clenched. But he quickly relaxed it and grasped Vinny’s inner arm with his right hand. Vinny did the same to Zaren—the Formytian handshake. “I wasn’t sure if you’d received my, ah, communication or not.”
    Dervinias said, “Your communication came over loud and clear.”
    The exchange between the two kelarians had Venus intrigued. She’d seen Zaren with his fellow Formytians before. With Dervinias, he acted different, less assured. And Dervinias—he was an enigma. 
    Dervinias turned to face Venus, and for some reason, she stood taller. She had nothing to prove, but her upbringing demanded that she be a princess at all times.
    “Hello, Venus.” His eyes raked her over, starting with her boots, going up her thighs, past her waist and breasts and finally stopping on her face. “Your eyes. Such an amazing shade of blue. I don’t recall ever seeing such a color.”
    Cheverly chimed in. “I was going to comment about them earlier, but figured they were contacts.”
    “They are . . . contacts,” Venus said to Dervinias first. Then found Cheverly’s eyes and nodded. “Do you like them?”
    “Oh yeah, they’re awesome,” she agreed.
    It took a mountain of time to ring up all their clothes. Venus used the opportunity to check out the store, with its obscene amounts of clothes hanging on the walls and on racks everywhere. The clothing store wasn’t nearly exciting enough to distract her from the strange Dervinias.
    Every few seconds her gaze found the two kels. They seemed deep in conversation. Maybe they did know each other. Maybe he was a Formytian, like Zaren. If so, who was he protecting? He didn’t look the type or act it either. Still, she had a plethora of questions for him.
    Like:  What was he doing on Earth? Was he an Explorer? A Discoverer? A Metals Detector? If he were on Earth, there had to be a reason.
    It also intrigued her that he knew the girl, Cheverly. And that he went to a human high school. What could he gain from doing that? What were the benefits?
    All questions she’d be sure to ask him when an obvious human—Cheverly—wasn’t around.
    As if Dervinias had read her mind, he turned and winked.
    Humph! She looked away and sighed, moving closer to the counter. A small flame flickered inside a glass container. The jar held a thick, red substance, except at the top , it appeared liquid . A fruity smell found its way up her nose, and she realized it came from whatever the flame burned. Pretty, but potent. A combination of rosithia flowers and oraney , with a hint—
    “It’s a blend of apples, cinnamon and vanilla,” Cheverly said.
    Venus cocked her head, curious, not quite certain she understood. The fire had a scent?
    Cheverly added, “That’s the smell of the wax—the red stuff burning. Haven’t you ever seen a scented candle before?” She pointed the wand toward the glass jar.
    “ Ohhhhh , sure. Of course I have.” Venus nodded, irritated, and trying to cover for the fact that, no, she hadn’t ever seen a scented candle before. She’d taken years and years of Earth Studies. It’d been one class her parents insisted she continuously study. But her professors hadn’t ever mentioned this candle contraption. Clearing her throat, she continued, “It smells good.” As if to prove it, her stomach rumbled.
    Cheverly giggled. “You should try a red velvet cupcake from next door. They’re divine.”
    “Thanks, I might.” She looked at Zaren, hoping to catch his eye, but he and Dervinias were still in a heated conversation.
    “Zaren?”
    He turned and opened his mouth, but Dervinias interrupted. “You and