“Well, usually—always, actually —Infinities are together,” Ares finally says like that’s some huge revelation.
“I already knew that,” I say, looking between the two of them. Ares stands and begins pacing. His long legs eat up the space in the room with just a few strides.
“It’s not usually that big of a deal when there’s only three in an Infinity, but we have five.”
“Yes, they told me our group is unusual. Does that make it harder or something, because there’s only one of me and I’m the battery?” Ares snorts, putting his hand on the back of his neck.
“It is harder that there’s only one of you and four of us, but not because you’re a battery. If anything, you’re like adding gasoline to a fire, we don’t take anything from you. It’s the other way around. You’ll take from us. But make us stronger because it filters back like a loop.” Ares stops mid stride. “I don’t think I’m explaining this right, but that’s not really important right now. What’s important is that you understand that we,” he makes a circle with his hand between himself and Dante, “will always be together.”
“You’ve said that, so what are you really trying to tell me? Am I supposed to tag along with you guys all the time like some fifth wheel?”
Ares turns to face Dante and deadpans, “I get it.”
“I told you, and you thought it would be easy.”
“Well I was wrong,” Ares responds, completely leaving me out of the conversation.
I throw my hands up in the air. “How am I supposed to understand any of this if you won’t tell me?”
Ollie walks through the open doorway, taking a long look at Ares who has resumed his pacing, and Dante sitting at the end of the bed. “What’d I miss?”
“Not a whole hell of a lot,” Ares mutters acerbically.
Ollie wastes no time walking over to the head of the bed and sits down next to me. I scoot over, tugging the sheet with me to give him more room. Taking advantage, he slides even closer and brings his legs up, stretching them out.
“Where’s Milo?” Dante questions, narrowing his eyes on Ollie. “And why did you give her the room next to yours?”
Ollie crosses his arms over his chest, peering at Dante with one raised brow. “Your room is two doors down Dante.”
“She should be downstairs,” Ares pipes in.
“You have the only room downstairs,” Dante snorts.
“Exactly,” Ares counters.
“Why don’t you just hide me away in the attic, or better yet, in the basement?” I argue as Milo finally comes in, catching the tail end of my snarky comment.
“Off to a good start I see,” Milo mumbles, pulling out the chair to the vanity.
Ares ignores his comment. “Now that we’re all finally here. Laura, ask us what you want to know.” That’s a loaded question. I want to know everything.
I swallow, unsure of what to ask first. I scan the four of them. Ollie relaxes next to me, his blond hair hanging loose around his shoulders. Dante is rigid, sitting at the end of the bed with his amber eyes trained on me. Milo is aloof as ever. He’s sitting in the chair across the room, he couldn’t make it more obvious if he tried that he’s keeping himself apart from us. And finally, Ares, he’s stopped pacing, but he’s still clearly agitated. His movements are short and jerky, his voice is tight.
“I guess the most important thing I need to know is what you all expect from me.” I place my hands in my lap waiting for a response.
Ares, the most vocal, opens his mouth, but Ollie beats him to it. “Expect from you? This isn’t a job interview Laura. You are part of us, part of our Infinity.”
“Yeah, but I don’t know what that means. You guys are together most of the time, what does that mean for me? I have to work, I have my mom…” I stop short of saying that I have to take care of her. Ares already knows that’s not true anymore.
“We don’t always have to be together, like physically.”
“Really Oliver?” Ares comments in a flat tone.
Ollie’s cheeks go red and his nostrils flare. “That’s not how I meant it and you know it.” I look between the two of them, wondering about the undercurrent. Turning to look down at me, he adds, “We do end up spending a lot of time together, that’s part of why me and Milo end up staying here most of the time.” Ollie shrugs. “It’s just more comfortable.”
“Have you noticed when you’re not with us you might be more tired than usual, feel a little run down?” Dante runs his hand over one of the yellow squares on the quilt, flipping the nap of the fabric. I draw in a small breath, earlier tonight I felt exactly that. I thought I started feeling better after getting some food in my belly, but could it be more? Ollie and Milo did show up around the same time. Could what he’s saying be the real reason I haven’t been feeling great?
I lick my lips, afraid to admit it out loud so I nod instead. “So, you guys experience that too?”
It’s Milo who answers, “We didn’t, not until you came along.” He sounds bitter. I can hardly blame him.
Nineteen
“Don’t make it sound like that Milo,” Ollie scolds. Turning to me he adds, “We started talking about this yesterday.” He nods checking to see if I recall, which I do. “Now that we’ve connected, the Infinity is doing what it’s supposed to do. Bind us together.”
“So, were not like… bound together now?” My voice is small, unsure.
“Not fully, no,” Ares intones.
Ollie lifts his arm and wraps it around my shoulder. “So, there’s still time to like, break it off if someone wanted to?” I glance over at Milo, and while I might secretly like the idea of being needed by not one person but several, he seems to hate the notion of me being part of his pairing.
“No.” Ares sighs looking away from me.
“That doesn’t seem right. If someone isn’t happy they shouldn’t be forced to be bound, or whatever.”
“You don’t want to be part of our Infinity?” Dante’s voice is quiet, sad even.
I meet his eyes. “It’s not me. I’m not completely convinced you guys aren’t all taking a walk in crazy town, but in case you hadn’t noticed, I don’t have much else going for me.”
“Why ask then?” Milo shoots back. My head goes back, is he serious?
“I asked because it’s pretty damn clear you can’t stand to be around me. You think I enjoy you treating me like I’m some step-sister who you don’t want around?” Milo’s face goes bright red and he pinches his lips together.
“You think I enjoy watching Ollie hang all over you?” He shoves his hand in my direction, feeling the weight of Ollie’s arm on the back of my neck. My body goes rigid.
“I thought he wasn’t your boyfriend?” I raise my voice, not liking the way he’s calling me out.
“He’s not,” Milo grinds out through clenched teeth.
“Then why the hell do you care?”
“Because I—”
“Hey, hey let’s not do this,” Ares interrupts when Milo stands up. Ollie drops his head on his shoulder, so our faces are close together. Milo bares his teeth in a sneer but doesn’t finish what he was about to say.
“Why don’t you let him finish, then I’ll know why I’m pissing him off.”
“It’s not you Laura,” Ollie whispers softly, his voice is almost sleepy. I look over at him and sure enough his eyes are closed, he looks completely content.
I wave my hand in Ollie’s direction. “Is he narcoleptic? I mean how can he be falling asleep right now?” I ask the others, wide-eyed.
Dante rubs his fingers over his bottom lip. “It’s you. When he’s touching you, he feels… good?” he offers with a shrug. He turns away, looking over at Milo. “It might help if he wasn’t so touchy yet, or if… if maybe he would share.”
My mouth pops open. “Share what exactly?”
“You,” Ares answers, leaning his back against the wall. He’s watching us from across the room from under his brow. I let my eyes roam over his features
, his dark hair is pushed away from his face showing off the chiseled line of his jaw. The distance between us obscures the color of his eyes, making me wonder would I be able to see the burnished brown if I was close enough, or would they be dark as night? His lips are ever so slightly parted, hollowing out his cheeks. I watch as his tongue darts out, wetting his bottom lip. As I’m watching him his head leans back against the wall, opening his body up more for my perusal.
“Laura,” Dante calls my name, pulling my attention from the darkly handsome man across from me. I blink several times, having been completely derailed from my earlier question and Ares’s confusing answer.
“Sorry, what?” The quilt barely budges as I tug it up, trying to cover more of my body. I feel a flush of embarrassment that I got caught staring at Ares. All four of them have me totally disarmed. Dante lifts his weight off the bed, allowing me the barrier before settling again.
“I think it’s important to understand we all need to be close to you at some point.” Dante looks around at the other guys, making sure they agree with what he’s saying. “While we all agreed to let you have some time to grow used to the idea of… us. It seems Oliver is much further along in the bonding process than the rest of us.” Dante lifts his hand and motions to his friend. Ollie’s head is cradled on his shoulder, but it’s leaning toward me, so much so his face is inches from the top of my chest.
Leaning forward so his arm slides down my back, his body goes with it. Falling into the space behind me. “Is he okay?” I turn so I can see him fully. Ollie curls in on himself, until his forehead meets my hip, wrapping himself around my back before falling still again.
“It’s the connection.” I look up to see Milo standing near the foot of the bed. His eyes are on Ollie, but he doesn’t look angry, if anything I’d say he looks a little lost from the slight frown marring his face and his slumped postured.
Realization hits me, I bet that’s exactly how I looked when I understood my mom was gone. “I won’t take him from you,” I blurt out. Milo’s eyes find mine, he has a slight bit of scruff growing on his chin, the whiskers are a few shades darker than the caramel brown of his hair. “I know what that’s like, and I would never take him from you.” I focus on Milo, letting him see the truth of my words. I’ve been lost for the last few days, trying to understand why my mom left, where she could be. I don’t want him to experience that same feeling of abandonment.
“It’s all changing.” Milo’s voice is thick. I nod, understanding maybe for the first time that he’s not really upset at me. I lift my arm and beckon him forward. Milo bites the corner of his lip but rounds the bed. His eyes never leaving mine. I scoot over again, sliding a leg out from under the blanket to give him room to lie down next to Ollie, but Milo places his hand on the other side of me, stopping me from moving all the way to the wall. He climbs over Ollie, and over my legs, kicking his shoes off as he does. Milo settles lying with his back against the wall, his hand reached out, over the pillows to land on Ollie’s shoulder. His eyes close as he takes a deep breath. I’m caught in the middle with them on either side, and Dante down by my feet. I look around, surprised he accepted my offer so easily.
“We aren’t going to be able to fight the connection,” Dante announces.
“I never planned on it. The sooner the better,” Ares replies, he hasn’t moved from his place on the wall. I squint, wondering if my eyes are playing tricks on me, or if the shadows are clinging to him more than they were a few moments ago.
Ares should be over here with us. With that thought my heart rate picks up, which isn’t normal. I look down at my lap, feeling guilty. I don’t think the connection is the only reason I want them close to me. I’m going to have to get damn good at smothering the attraction I feel for all of them.
My thoughts scatter when I feel fingers graze down my forearm and onto my hand. I look over to find Milo’s palm on top of mine. “This okay?” he mumbles, not really looking at me. Swallowing, I nod.
“So…” I clear my throat. “So why does the connection make Ollie so sleepy?”
“Think of it like his body’s way of adjusting to the changes that are happening to him,” Dante offers.
“Will all of you suddenly start falling asleep all the time?” I look over at Milo who seems to be growing more comfortable by the moment.
“Not necessarily. It could be different for each of us.” Ares crosses his arms over his chest.
“There isn’t like a standard or something? Just so I know what to expect?”
“No.” Dante looks down running his fingers over the quilt. “It’s different for us, we have so many in our grouping, and we can’t really talk to anyone about it.”
“Why?”
Ares steps forward, leaving the shadows to scatter against the wall like they were never really there. “We haven’t announced that we’ve found you to the Collective.” His steps are slow, measured, as he nears the bed.
My back stiffens; they’re ashamed of me. I thought that might be the case, but the confirmation stings. “Because I didn’t grow up like you guys did?” I shift, tucking my leg back under the covers.
“There’s a lot about our situation we don’t fully understand. I’d like to know what we’re getting into before we announce ourselves as an Infinity.” He doesn’t think I’m good enough for them. I look away feeling small in so many ways. The doubt that I’m even what they claim settles on my shoulders. They keep telling me I belong with them, but in what capacity? When will I ever really understand what it is they say I am?
“It’s all just circles.” I pull my hand out from under Milo’s and scoot forward kicking the quilt from my legs. I don’t want them here right now, I don’t even want to be here right now, I’d rather just be a home. “You guys keep promising to give me answers, but you never really do. You just keep talking in circles. I think this is all some crazy load of shit.” I narrow my eyes. It isn’t a coincidence that we came here, and my mom goes missing right after some crazy boys start following me around. I make it to the edge of the bed, holding the long t-shirt down over my legs.
Crossing the room, I snatch my clothes from over the chair, clutching them to my chest before spinning around to face them. “Did you do something to my mom?” I seethe, angry that I keep letting myself believe their shit.
“Laura, what are you talking about? What could we have done to your mom?” Dante is looking at me like I have two heads, Ares tilts his head not saying a word.
“She’s always said people were out to get us. You guys barge your way into my life and she turns up missing days later?”
Dante stands. “Wait, your mom is missing? I thought you said she was sick?”
“She is sick… well I thought she was sick.” I point to my head. “But now I’m not so sure, maybe she knew exactly what she was talking about.” I back toward the bathroom door, intending to lock myself inside to get dressed.
“How long has she been gone?” Ares questions, his fingers tapping against the side of his leg. “And who did she think was after you?”
Narrowing my eyes at him I counter, “I’m not telling you shit. See how much you like being left in the dark.”
The top of Ares’s lip barely curls. “Cara, I’m very much at home in the dark.” His voice is light, but his eyes are intense. He’s staring at me like I’m the answer to a riddle he needs to solve. “The man from the campsite mentioned seeing her mother when she checked in, when did Laura start school?”
“Uh… three weeks ago, a few days after school started,” Dante answers quickly.
Ares takes a few steps in my direction, his eyes running from my damp tangled hair down to my bare legs. “You said yesterday you wanted proof you’re our match. I showed you my marking.” Ares eyebrows go up and I flush remembering.
“Where are you going with this?” I feel a tightness in my chest.
“Do you still want me to prove it?” The room seems to fall away as he gets closer. All I see is him. My breathing is c
hoppy.
“How?” I peer at him sideways. Ares jerks his head toward the bathroom door. “You want me to go in there?” I freeze. What if he’s telling the truth? Do I want to know? No, I don’t want to know, I need to know. Still watching him, I shuffle over to the open doorway. Using one arm I swipe the wall looking for the light.
“Here.” Ares pulls my bundle from my arm before I can protest and drops it carelessly on the floor. He ushers me into the room with his body. I back up enough that my hip hits the counter. My eyes are wide as I stare up to his face, and Ares wets his bottom lip, boxing me in so I’m pinned against him. Meeting my eyes, he calls out, “Do you have a small mirror in here, a shaving mirror?”
Shuffling footsteps alert me to the others’ presence. Glancing away from Ares, I see all three of them hovering around the open doorway. It’s Dante that answers, “Nah, I don’t think so. It’ll be over at the pad.” Ares steps back from me, flashing his eyes around the room, finally settling on the big mirror behind me above the sink. Taking a cue from him I turn, so I’m facing the large mirror as well. I watch as he moves in closer over my shoulder, his frame much larger than mine his eyes, like smoldering flames, have me so captivated I can’t look away.
Leaning down so his lips are near my ear he softly says, “I’m going to show you, but I’ll have to pick you up, so you can use the mirror.” My throat goes dry and I watch as my reflection nods her head. I wonder briefly why he can’t just tell me where to look, but the thought evaporates when Ares’s hands go to my shoulders. His long fingers spread wide, reaching my collarbones. He applies a slight bit of pressure, turning me to face him, and my brow furrows in confusion that he’s turning me away from the sink.
Ares bends his knees, his face coming closer to mine, and I hold my breath. His arm bands around my lower back as he tugs my body flush with his.
“Ah… what are you…” Milo’s question dies on his tongue as Ares hoists me up. If I thought our bodies were close before it was nothing compared to the crush I’m feeling now. My breath leaves me in a heavy whoosh as my hands fly up to his shoulders. Our faces are lined up perfectly. The black of his pupil begins to spread, and I swear the room goes a little fuzzy at the edges, the shadows chasing away the bright light of the recessed bulbs in the ceiling.
Infinity Chronicles Book One: A Paranormal Reverse Harem Series Page 18