by A. J. Macey
“What's going on here?” an officer who just pulled up to the station asked, hearing the commotion and investigating.
“They're smuggling exotic pets!” the animal control officer thundered again, his voice going higher pitched with each word.
“We have puppies, though,” Aris said, putting on her most innocent voice and blinking up at the officer who ate it up.
“Yes, they're clearly dogs, Brian. What's going on with you?” the officer asked, waving us off and wrapping an arm around Brian and leading him back inside as he recounted the tale.
“Let's get out of here, please,” Caspian begged, his voice desperate. I glanced over at him, hating how ragged my brother looked. I was used to a carefree Caspian, and the older brother in me wanted to fix it, even if he drove me crazy.
“We've got a room. Let's go,” Xan soothed, leading the way back to the hotel without help from the talking device he used earlier.
Aris lit up the moment we entered our hotel room twenty minutes later. Looking around appreciatively, I took in the bright whites and neutral colors. The whole place had a serene, clean feel that put me at ease. It was a large suite, so we had three attached rooms with double beds and a couch in the shared room. There were even three bathrooms, which was why I’d asked for this room.
“First things first, food and showers,” I ordered, everyone else agreeing quickly. “Familiars with me, please. We need you guys out of sight, so we don't have to repeat what just happened.” I was surprised when they easily followed me into one of the bedrooms. Grabbing my bag, I pulled out the last of our food, spreading it out on the floor and dropping their blankets down for a bit of familiarity.
“We'll be back once we have food ordered, okay?” Aris cooed, kissing Ruby and Stripes, who were closest. Raptor ruffled her feathers and came over to her, making Aris' laughter bubble out, brightening my mood. She tended to have that effect on me, soothing my jagged edges easily with her simple cheerfulness and genuine smiles. She's perfect. I watched her loving and soothing our frazzled companions until they were happily eating.
“Come on, Gorgeous. You pick out some food, then go claim a room and shower, alright?”
“Gods, yes, please!” she said, taking a menu Xan passed over when we walked back into the common room. She scanned it for a second before passing it over. “Surprise me! I want to try everything, so I can't pick.” The pleading in her voice had me laughing.
“I've got you, Gorgeous,” I promised, kissing her softly, my words meaning far more than just dinner. This running was awful, but at the same time, it was giving me time to form bonds with my new family, and I was grateful.
Now, if we could all just get along, it just might work out.
Caspian
Torryn was pissed at everyone except Aris as we worked through the showers and ordering food. I could tell by his tense shoulders and the harsh scowl that curled his lips. As much as I wanted to make a comment, I kept my lips smashed together, figuring we would have a head to head soon enough.
“Oooh!” Aris nearly squealed, looking at the cart that was left outside the hotel door. Scents of spices and savory meat filled the room, my stomach grumbling at the smell. As irritated as I was in the face of my brother's anger, I couldn't stop the hint of happiness that filtered through me at Aris’s excitement. Cupcake really is the sweetest out there.
“Alright, eat up, then we need to figure out what we’re doing,” Kye stated as he started uncovering the silver domes from the plates. No one talked as we scarfed down our first true meal in what felt like a week, but I knew some kind of lecture or comment was coming. Aris was content to try a bite from everyone’s plates, loving some of the food while making faces at others. It was a nice distraction to watch Aris be her normal bubbly self without having to worry if we’d be caught.
“I don’t think I can eat anymore,” she groaned a little while later. “Now, I just want to lie down and not move for a few hours.”
“Same, Cupcake,” I told her, slouching in my chair.
“Before we go to bed, we need to decide what to do, at least for the near future,” Torryn started as Xan and Kye loaded the empty plates onto the cart, Drayce collecting the glasses to add to the pile. My brother opened his mouth to say more, right as I grumbled to myself. Turning his glare toward me, he snapped, “Okay, that’s enough. We’ve been putting this off for almost three weeks now. What is the problem now? Why does everything I do or say seem to aggravate you?” Xan, Kye, and Drayce shared a glance, silently figuring out what to do.
“We’ll give you guys some privacy,” Drayce murmured as they pushed the cart back into the hall. “Come on, Angel.”
“No, I’m going to stay here to make sure they don’t end up hexing each other,” she bit out, her gray eyes darting between us. I felt bad, knowing Aris was getting as annoyed with the situation as I was, but I couldn’t seem to help it.
“So, what is it? What is always so important, you have to constantly grumble about it?” Torryn asked, his tone low and his green gaze hard as he glared across the table.
“You’re so bossy all the time,” I finally snapped. “You’re not a professor while we’re out here, and you’re certainly not better than the rest of us.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“You always have to be in charge, and you always have to be right, no matter what the situation is, always have been. It’s no wonder Mom and Dad put you up on a gold pedestal for the world to fucking see,” I grumbled. Everything that had been building over the last few weeks came tumbling out, snowballing in the clear divide between us.
“I don’t try to take over everything; I just want to keep everyone safe—not just Aris. Damnit it, Cas, you’re my younger brother, and I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you!” he shouted, his voice cracking with emotion. He looked almost hurt by my words, which was ridiculous. “And as much as I love our parents, that doesn’t mean I agree with everything they do.”
“Oh, like what? You mean fawning over you, their perfect Spell Caster son, who did whatever they wanted while I was brushed off? Or maybe the fact they let you boss me around and tell me what to do and needed to be better at?”
It was a low blow, but I was too upset to care. Torryn and I had been close, once upon a time, but when I started to grow up, my parents favored him over me. He was the perfect student, always doing what he was told. He made them proud. I, on the other hand, wanted to play, cause trouble, and brew random potions to see what would happen. They always told me to be more like Tor, to try harder and be better like he did, and soon enough, he started to try to push me as well. Hounding me about school and my powers every chance he got.
Like the time I’d won first place in the Aether territory-wide potions competition for my voice changing potion. After an insane and probably dangerous amount of trial runs, I found the proper proportions to deepen or make someone’s voice higher pitched. The teachers had gushed about how clever I was. But the first thing my parents said to me was, It’s a cute project, Caspian, but it’s not practical. The memories swirled in my mind as my brother stared at me in shock.
“Guys, we don’t have to yell. Talk. We’re all adults here… not children,” Aris reminded us gently, but I was breathing through my nose like an angry bull at this point. One look at her worried smile had me deflating a little. When I turned back to Tor, his face was an odd mixture of horrified and annoyed.
“That’s what this is about? The fact our parents, for whatever reason, picked me over you?” Torryn laughed, the sound cold and hard. “Newsflash, Caspian, they hounded me just as much as they hounded you. Experiment, be braver, and go after what I wanted like you did. They may have hounded you, trying to somehow mold you after me, but they did the same for me. Whatever I did or accomplished, never seemed good enough. ‘Caspian created a transfiguration potion today without even looking at a recipe,’” he jeered, mimicking our dad’s voice perfectly. If I wasn’t so hexing m
ad, I might have laughed.
“They don’t want me to do potions,” I snapped. “They want me to do all these other things.”
“Yeah, I know, but I spent years convincing them that’s what you’re best at, that you could be one of the best. Why do you think I pushed you so hard? I knew you could be capable of whatever the hellsticks you wanted! I just needed you to know I wanted what was best for you, Cas. I always have, even if I suck at trying to show it.”
We were quiet, neither of us sure what to say next, now that pretty much everything had come tumbling out. Mulling over what Torryn had said, I let memories of us when we were younger flare in front of my mind. We would explore the woods, picking up different ingredients that looked exciting or interesting to me. He’d help me get supplies ready for brewing even though he was a spell caster. Everything had been done together, but he was seven years older than me, and sooner or later, he had to leave for Aether.
Then it was just me.
“This is a pretty good start,” Aris said softly once the initial anger seemed to have diminished. Glancing between the two of us, she continued, “It might take a while, but I really hope we can maybe fix some stuff between the two of you.”
“Me too,” Torryn murmured before glancing at me. “I know you’re not a little kid anymore, and I struggle to remember that. But Cas, you’re my brother, and I’ve missed you and how close we used to be.”
“I do too, I just… hate being treated like I’m incompetent. I got that enough from our parents and teachers. I don’t want it from you, too,” I muttered, feeling way too vulnerable for my liking. “I’m not stupid or naive just because I’m younger or more willing to goof around. Life doesn’t always have to be so serious, Tor.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s hard sometimes to remember that when I’m trying to make sure you all are okay. Being on the outskirts of this bond makes it feel as if I don’t belong, and when I feel like I don’t fit, I guess it’s easiest to slide back into the position I know, being a teacher or a mentor.”
“How so?” Aris asked, her brows dipping down.
“We’ve been bonded for two months. How often do you get to spend time with Caspian, Kye, Xan, and Drayce?” Torryn asked with a sweet gentleness only Aris could pull out of him.
“Every day,” she whispered, glancing at me with big eyes. I grabbed her hand, intertwining our fingers as Torryn continued.
“How often have we gotten to spend time together? To really get to know each other, not just you and me, Gorgeous, but everyone?”
“Barely any until recently,” I answered softly, a thread of guilt winding through my stomach when I realized what he was talking about. He turned back to me, this time showing a bit of vulnerability. Despite the reason for it, it was nice to see him be a bit less cold.
“I don’t mean to hog her, which I’m sure isn’t helping with tensions lately, but you have all grown into friendships and further into the relationship and bond while I’ve been forced off to the side. Even now, you’re holding her hand, comforting her when I want to do the same. If I do that, though, I feel I’ll only be met with more of your ire. Hellsticks, I just got the others to stop calling me Professor Callahan the day we left for Divus. I don’t belong.”
“Not yet,” I said, cutting Aris off. “But you will. I’m sorry, Torryn.” And I meant it. We both had been lost in our own insecurities, using each other to get out the frustration it left behind.
“Me too, little brother.” He smirked, the tiny glint of humor in his eyes had me smiling back. It had been the first time in years we had been able to really talk—no work for him, no schoolwork for me, no weird barriers that separated us.
Sitting at this table, it was just the Kersey brothers.
“I’m sorry too, Tor. It’s been hard having you so far away, but we’re together now. We have a place to hide out for a while, and we can start to work together as a fully tethered coven,” Aris stated with determination.
“Yes, we can. I’ll attempt to not treat you like a little kid anymore.”
“And I’ll try to be a bit more patient. Maybe even try talking to you like an adult,” I added with a chuckle. Aris and my brother laughed, the tension in the room seeming to lift at the sound, and that was when I realized something.
I had missed my brother and was happy to have him back.
Aris
I was tired, worn down after the conversation between Tor and Cas. We had finally had a breakthrough, truly had a space of time where they were able to communicate for the first time in a long time. Everything ached. Exhaustion pushed down on me after the last almost three weeks. Looking up at Caspian, I gave him a smile.
“We'll get to spend some time together tomorrow,” I murmured. Even wanting to lie in a soft bed for a week, I didn't have to fake the happiness in my voice. “I've missed our time together, and our shenanigans with Drayce. It's been too tense lately, and I can't wait for a little fun.”
“Me either, Cupcake,” Cas told me, his lips curling. Calloused palms cupped my cheeks, ocean eyes darting around my face. “I can't wait for some time with you, and as much as I've missed our time together, Tor was right. The others needed you; it's just a bit hard for me to remember sometimes, you’re not only mine. I'll try a bit harder to keep that in mind when I get upset.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around his trim waist in a gentle hug. “You get some sleep, okay? I’m going to check on Tor, then go pass out.”
“Goodnight, Cupcake.” With one final kiss, Caspian walked over to the first of three rooms in our suite and headed to bed. Turning the opposite direction, I walked over to one of the other rooms Tor had entered earlier. I knocked softly, poking my head in when he called out.
“Hey, Gorgeous.” His smile was tired, exhaustion blatant in his expression as he looked over. Holding his hand out, he silently asked me to come closer. I closed the door softly behind me, knowing the others would probably be asleep already, and stepped over to him. “Thank you.”
“For what?” I asked, my brows drawing down at the random sentiment.
“For helping Cas and me connect again and for offering moral support. I’m sure we’ll have more arguments, but it’s the first time in years, we were able to have a conversation that didn’t end in a giant shouting fest. That’s because of you, helping keep us from getting too upset.”
“I just want everyone to be happy. We’re together for the rest of our lives, and no one should have to spend those years angry with the others,” I told him with a shrug. His grin grew, the skin around his eyes wrinkling as he looked down at me. Neither of us moved for a moment, too lost in looking at each other.
His reddish hair was messy, having grown out over the last few weeks to where it flopped against his forehead in a soft set of waves. Two sparkling emerald eyes darted around the planes of my face as if memorizing every detail. Reaching up, I trailed my fingers over his beard-covered jaw, the five o’clock shadow having grown out to scruff. As if he knew what I wanted, Tor leaned down, capturing my lips in a toe-curling kiss.
Tangling my fingers into his hair, I moved when he did as he slowly lowered us to the bed. The hard planes of his chest pressed into my boobs, and his quickly hardening cock nestled in the crest between my thighs as I opened my knees. Tentatively, I brushed my tongue against his lower lip, silently asking for entrance. It had been a bit since we had been together, but the little butterflies erupted like as they did our first time as he opened and met me stroke for stroke.
My anticipation built, tingling running through my body as we kissed, my hands shifting to the hem of his t-shirt. Gripping the soft material, I worked it up his toned torso, our kiss only stopping for a moment to pull it over his head. As soon as it was off, he devoured me, the gentleness fading as he rocked his hips. A muffled moan escaped me, the whimper filling the air as his cock rolled over my clit, each pass sending a wave of desire through my system.
With each rock of his hips, my core flooded,
my patience slowly diminishing until I could barely handle the need that pulsed in my veins. I couldn’t hold back my whimper, the soft sound making Tor chuckle. Pulling back, he shifted his attention, peppering my jaw and neck in kisses. When he reached the neckline of my sweater, he scooted down until he could trail up my stomach as he worked the material up.
Nipping the lace of my bra, he teased, working the sensitive buds to stiff peaks beneath the fabric. As soon as my shirt was off, Torryn didn’t waste any time, pulling the cups of my bra down, my pebbled nipples holding his half-lidded gaze.
“Tor,” I whined softly, shaking my chest. “I want you.”
“Don’t worry, Gorgeous, you’ll get me tonight,” he murmured, his tone husky as he leaned down. With each word, his breath washed over my skin, bringing a fresh wave of goosebumps. Before I could respond, his tongue came out and circled. The wet heat across my sensitive skin had me gasping, his eyes never leaving mine as he teased. My heart felt like it was going to burst from the raw emotion in his eyes. They were full of love and tenderness, only I got to see, which made it all the more special.
Reaching between me and the bed, he unhooked my bra. His calloused palms running over my skin only made the flame burn brighter.
Shifting quickly, he scooped up my thighs, grabbing the waistband of my leggings in one smooth motion. He peeled them off, making sure to bring my panties until I was bare for him. Standing at the edge of the bed, he leisurely trailed his eyes over me, his fingers barely touching my knees.
I took him in, appreciating each dip of his toned muscles and the thin trail of red hair disappearing into his jeans. The dark denim straining against his thick bulge had me sitting up and working the button and pulling down the zipper. When his cock sprung free, my mouth started to water. Before he could stop me, I wrapped my hand around the base of his hard shaft and swirled my tongue over the bulbous head.