#Chapter 72: Charles Wins the Crowd

"She is able to smell you better now?" Charles said, his eyes widening a little. "It seems like it," I said, shrugging. "And it seemed to have a similar effect on her in that, well..." I felt silly saying it. "It made her feel better?" Charles offered. "She said so. But it's nothing I'm doing. It's just my scent." "Please, Elena," Charles said, stroking my face with his fingertips. "It has everything to do with you. You're special." I dropped my eyes, still not used to hearing people, especially Charles say that. "I think I'd better come with you to the protests today," Charles said. Then he smiled. "Before you object I'm using 'protecting you' as an excuse. I want to see for myself what's going on out there." "You'll enjoy the energy, I think," I said, smoothing his hair and gazing into his face. We were sitting on his back porch, sipping coffee before work. He kissed me tenderly, the coffee and vanilla creamer he'd decided on that morning lingering between