by J. E. Cluney
Instead, I flitted home at a speed I’d never had before, knocking over the green garbage bin outside my home as I struggled to stop. Outside Marcus’s home.
We knew something was wrong.
And now we were on the second floor, gingerly making our way to the upstairs library room.
I already had an idea of what awaited me there, but I fought it. I didn’t want to believe it, even though the air was thick with the stench of fresh blood.
I choked as I stepped into the room, my eyes flicking between the bloody faces of my family.
My parents, their terrified eyes clouded over and their mouths open in silent screams. Their arms stretched out as they reached for one another, their fingers barely touching.
Then I froze, unable to take my eyes off of little Ariel, my baby sister. Only thirteen years old, her body hanging limp in the arms of her killer.
Those dark locks were matted with her own blood, and her usually bright blue eyes were lifeless, staring blankly at me.
I just stared, struggling to comprehend what was going on.
Dead.
They were all dead.
I crumpled to the floor, their faces dancing in my mind as I stared at my family, bloody and not breathing.
“I told you, you’re mine now. You’ll get over them.”
I don’t know how I managed it, but I dragged my eyes to meet those cruel, uncaring jade eyes. Those eyes of the girl who’d decided to claim me as her own.
The girl I’d recognized as what she truly was when we’d first kissed.
A monster of the night, darker than any of the others I’d met before. There was something twisted inside her.
“Marcus, don’t look so sad, everything will be all right,” Anna pouted at me before grinning and giggling as she stroked Ariel’s hair. “Such a pretty little thing, I should’ve kept her. She’d have been a good pet.”
Rage tore through me as she held my little sister in her arms, acting as if she was nothing more than a doll.
I screamed, the shriek tearing through the house as power surged forth from me.
Annabelle’s startled eyes widened as she shot to her feet, but then a dark smile spread across her face.
“You’re not a powerful witch, you never were, and you’re less of one now,” she giggled as she licked the blood from those crimson lips, a dark stain against her ghostly white skin.
But I knew my power surge was enough, for the next instance, Mr Brady appeared in the room.
He was the town’s main warlock, and he was the Area Enforcer. I knew he’d feel my wave of complete power.
My call for help.
“What the hell?” he mumbled as he looked around the room, having been summoned here with my last act of magic.
“You called for help?!” Annabelle screeched as her fangs elongated. “You’re mine, you always will be!” she snarled, launching at Mr Brady who was still getting his bearings.
He threw his hands up defensively as the vampire came for him, and a strange sensation washed over me as she went up in flames, shrieking and screaming as she flailed.
I knew Mr Brady had already gathered what had happened in those few seconds beforehand. He’d put two and two together.
Vampires that kill freely are to be punished. And attacking an Area Enforcer only adds to that.
I slumped forward, crawling forward to where Ariel had been tossed aside, her body twisted like a rag-doll.
“Ariel,” I whimpered as I pulled her into my arms.
“God dammit,” Mr Brady mumbled, but I barely heard him. I was too consumed by what had happened.
Ariel was dead.
No more random art sessions outside, no more watching as she practiced her witch magic, no more teaching her about her powers.
She was gone.
I shot awake screaming, drenched in sweat with tears running down my face. My cries died down as my chest heaved, and I heard the commotion as my housemates burst to life.
Oliver was the first one tearing through my door, with Skip hot on his heels.
But I barely registered their frantic questions as the light flicked on and Oliver leaped onto the bed to check me over.
I just stared, horrified, as Marcus stood at the door, slumped against the frame with watery eyes.
So much for my first week going smoothly. It was Friday night with my first shift tomorrow, and now I had no clue what was happening.
“How’d you do that?” Marcus murmured, his voice piercing through the worried words of the other three boys. Lucas had arrived as well, and had swooped into my room in his matching set of pants and long-sleeved pajama top. It was purple with small stars all over. I would have found it comical if I didn’t currently feel like I’d just lost my family and had my heart ripped out.
“What are you saying?” Lucas frowned as he stood beside Skip at the foot of my bed and turned to peer at Marcus.
“She got in my head,” Marcus murmured, his horrified eyes focused solely on me. “And I saw hers.”
My heart faltered at those whispered words, and I instantly knew.
He knew everything about me. In that moment, everything had changed. I knew everything there was to know about him too.
But how?
How did I know he’d loved the smell of lavender in the house when he was growing up, or that his favorite color was an ocean blue, and his favorite food had been indian before he was turned?
Not to mention the woman who killed his family. Annabelle Drew. A fae turned vampire, which was the reason he’d been so strange around me. Turned faes lost their humanity the most when turned, and they became dark tricksters and users of others.
She’d decided she’d wanted him.
And he’d paid a hefty price for catching her attention.
“Brett,” Marcus murmured, and I flinched at the name. He knew. God, he knew everything too.
“What’s going on?” Lucas demanded answers as Ollie sat cross-legged before me, gently caressing my covered legs to sooth me. “You saw inside his head?” Lucas turned to me for clarification.
“I saw everything, somehow,” I mumbled as I rested my chin on my knees. My chest hurt, and my face was wet from crying. And I had no fucking idea what was going on.
“I was catching a momentary nap, and I saw her in my dreams. We…” Marcus hesitated as his brow furrowed.
Kissed. I knew what he’d been going to say.
That was how it had started before I got sucked into that scene.
We were in a moonlight clearing in a forest, hungry and desperate for the other’s touch. Why? I had no idea.
But that was the feeling I’d had, and then we’d drifted closer, him teasing me as he’d run those icy hands over me, and I moaned as I moved in to kiss him.
“We were in a dream together, when we touched, everything changed,” Marcus murmured, those frosty eyes filled with pain, sorrow, hatred, and despair.
“Who’s Brett?” Skip asked.
“No one!” I snapped, and Oliver’s gentle caressing faltered on my leg.
“He hurt her,” Marcus whispered, the silence filling the room after. It was suffocating, and I wanted them to leave, for me to get some answers away from them. I didn’t want to explain anything to them.
I didn’t want them to know what I was running from.
What’d I’d lived through.
“Like some kind of dream-walking, maybe? Although, pulling someone else into your head is not something I’ve heard of,” Lucas pondered, although his eyes were perplexed as he glanced between us.
“I’m so sorry,” I choked, the tears threatening to spill once more as I caught Marcus’s eyes. I’d endured it all, felt everything. Even though I was back to myself now, it still lingered, like it was a part of me.
“So am I,” he murmured, those icy eyes hardening as he clenched his jaw.
“You can trust us, Bee Sting,” Skip murmured as he sat on the end of the bed behind Ollie, who shuffled to the side so I co
uld see him easier.
“It’s not that I don’t,” I muttered.
“It’s that it hurts,” Marcus said, taking the words right from my mouth.
I gazed over at him, completely shocked. He looked just as unnerved as I felt.
“This is freaky,” Ollie murmured, his hand still on my leg comfortingly.
“I’m guessing it has something to do with your witch powers flaring up, maybe,” Lucas suggested as he looked to Marcus.
“Didn’t feel like that,” Marcus said as he crossed his arms. He wore a black long-sleeved shirt and long pants tonight, apparently his favorite choice since he wore the same colors every night. Black or navy.
And yet, I knew immediately it was because he was trying to hide himself. He didn’t want to stand out or draw attention with bright colors. He didn’t want to catch the attention of someone like Annabelle again.
He’d not known what she was at first, considering it was daytime the first time they'd met, in full sunlight at a local market. Turned fae weren’t affected by the sun, making them more deadly.
“What else could have done it then?” Lucas asked, but no answer revealed itself.
“How you feeling?” Ollie asked with a soft smile as he shuffled forward.
“Like I just got tossed into a blender with Marcus,” I said honestly. I felt connected to him, like we were in some strange sync.
“Charming,” Skip muttered, but I could sense his unease at this strange affair.
“Well, I’ll do some digging, see if I can find some answers. But whatever happened, it seems to have died down. You should try to sleep again, you’ve got your first shift in the morning, although if you’re not up for it, I’m sure Gina will understand,” Lucas said.
Right, my job.
I couldn’t just skip out on my first day, even if I was in shock. At least the terror and heartache was fading away.
“Are you sure we should do that? Maybe we should call your dad?” Skip murmured, and Lucas stiffened.
“No. I don’t need him getting involved,” Lucas growled. “I don’t need anything from him.”
“He’s the Area Enforcer, right?” I murmured, remembering him from the scene with Marcus’s dead family. He’d been there.
“Yeah,” Skip nodded. Ollie looked like he wanted to be anywhere but on the bed now, but he stayed with me, his hand moving to cover mine.
“Still, I doubt he’ll know. If I can’t dig anything up by Sunday night, then we’ll ask for help. I think whatever happened is over. I did feel a strange magic spike in the house, but it’s gone now,” Lucas said as he crossed his arms and moved to stand closer to my desk.
I now had the chance to see the fluffy pink bunny slippers he was wearing. I just raised an eyebrow at them. Yep, definitely a unique Lucas thing for sure.
“I can stay with you, if you’d like?” Ollie offered.
“It’s okay, you go back to bed, you must be tired,” I smiled reassuringly.
He shook his head, but admitted defeat with a stifled yawn. This started a domino effect, all except Marcus, who was still watching me quietly from his position against the doorframe.
“Well, you know where my room is if you need me, or Ollie,” Skip murmured as he stood up. “Just come grab us, or shout, we’ll be right in.”
“Thanks,” I said, honestly grateful for his kind words. The past week had been an interesting one, I was getting into my classes, and Emma had spent a few afternoons with me in the library teaching me more about the supernatural world. My initial fear about my reading had simmered down, and I’d told her not to worry about getting her mother to do a reading on me. She seemed fairly busy, with her home business with potion making and charming objects. I wouldn’t disrupt that just because I was worried about some cards. But times like now, it did seep back into my mind.
And the boys had made my time here fun, watching movies, inviting me to play board games with them, helping me continue learning how to mask my energy. They were beyond helpful really.
“Hey, Lucas?” I called out just as the boys were preparing to leave.
Ollie had patted my arm before clambering off my bed, and Skip gave me a soft nod of goodnight.
“Yeah?” he stopped in the doorway beside Marcus, the two other boys continuing to their rooms.
“Any luck with any relatives?” I asked.
“I should have some news back tomorrow,” he said with a soft smile as he flicked my bedroom light off. “Get some sleep, Cupcake.”
Marcus remained at my door, the hall light illuminating his figure.
“Seems we both have demons we’re fighting,” he murmured.
“Yeah,” I sighed.
“Wanna come sit on the verandah? I don’t know about you, but I’m not game to sleep anytime soon,” he gave a soft, sharp laugh.
“I thought you slept during the day?”
“Mostly. Sometimes I get bored and nap,” he shrugged, and I could just see those frosty eyes in the soft lighting.
“Okay,” I murmured as I reached for my jacket on the end of the bed. I slipped into it and followed him out onto the verandah, the night air a rather pleasant temperature. I could almost forgo the jacket.
We sat down at the outdoor table on the cushioned, wooden seats as we looked out over the backyard.
“So, Brett hurt you, but so did Wayne. Both your aunt’s partners,” Marcus murmured as we sat side by side in the seats.
“Yeah,” I breathed. No point in hiding it, he knew it all.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly as he turned to me, that devilishly handsome face saddened. Those icy eyes stared into mine, and for some strange reason, I felt completely comfortable right here with him. At ease despite everything.
“So am I. Your family,” I frowned, my throat tightening at the memory.
His face hardened, and he looked back out across the backyard. The stars glittered overhead, and the moon stood watch over us.
“I’m glad she’s dead, Annabelle,” I said.
“So am I,” he said, his voice cold and pained.
“So, your favorite color is ocean blue,” I said, wanting to lighten the mood a little.
“And yours is sky blue,” he said, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “You own practically nothing, mostly old clothes from op shops, and you have a thing for all the guys here,” he said, a deep rumble sounding from inside his chest.
Laughter.
“Oh dear God,” I groaned. But as he’d said it, I knew too.
“You’ve been drawn to me since day one,” I smirked.
“You’re a pixie, it’s normal,” he shot back. “You have fantasized at one point or another about the boys. Even me,” he said, a sly smile spreading across his face.
This was Marcus. The real Marcus. The one hidden beneath the layers of pain and heartache.
And somehow, I’d broken through that. We’d shared our pain, created some strange bond.
“Well, I also know you’ve had an interesting dream about me,” I shot back.
“I’m a guy, even if I’m undead,” he chuckled.
“Your blood doesn’t really run, therefore you shouldn’t technically be able to have sex,” I said playfully.
“We’re supernatural creatures, magic runs in us,” he said, his deep, smooth voice making me quiver.
“This is so strange. I feel like I know everything about you, everything you’ve felt, even your thoughts,” I said, shaking my head in complete bewilderment.
“It’s weird. I’ve not heard of magic like that before. I mean, there’s actual bonding spells and such, but they’re complete rituals, not just random magical occurrences,” he said.
I just stared at him, relaxed at the air about him. He seemed… less on edge. Like the tension had melted away.
There was nothing to hide between us, no need for masks or fake smiles. We knew exactly what the other had been through.
And suddenly, I wanted to kiss him. Like in that dream leading up to
the nightmare. The dream where we were desperate to feel each other. And when those icy eyes dilated, I knew he felt it too.
This strange connection, this bond.
Marcus’s hand cupped the side of my face, and then those cool, soft lips were brushing mine questioningly.
I leaned into it, a surge of power coursing through me.
Marcus moved quickly using his vampire speed, pulling me from my seat and moving me to perch on his lap so he could wrap his arms around me as he kissed me.
I could feel his desire mingled with my own, beckoning me.
Tempting me.
I slid my hands up under his shirt, moaning at those perfect abs that I trailed my fingers over. He shivered beneath me as his lips moved against mine. His tongue rolled over my bottom lip, begging for entrance.
I welcomed him, the hungry, passionate kiss sending fire shooting through me, and my lady parts ached and throbbed.
It had been quite some time. And right now, I wanted this to progress further.
God, I wanted it so bad, to feel him inside me, to feel his lust and hunger becoming one with my own.
I trembled, gasping against his mouth as his hands slid up under my shirt, his smooth thumb running over my perked nipple and sending delicious jolts through me.
I moved against his arousal as it pushed into me through those baggy trackies. It wouldn’t take much for me to have that inside me, to get what I truly desired right now.
“Is that really what you want?” Marcus broke the kiss to nuzzle my neck, his hands cupping and caressing my breasts under my shirt.
It was getting way too hot out here now despite how cool his body and touch was.
‘I could fuck you right here, make you mine,’ he growled, but I knew instantly that he hadn’t said it aloud.
But I didn’t care either. I needed him. It was madness, this desire, the primal urging.
Marcus lifted me up like I was nothing, and I wrapped my legs around his waist.
The next thing I knew, we were in his room, and he was laying me down on the bed.
My heart hammered in anticipation, and he pulled free from me to tug off his clothing. He moved so quickly that I barely even saw the movements, just the final image.