Forsaken (The Found Book 2)

by Caitlyn O'Leary

  “It’s been almost forty-eight hours.”

  “That’s on the nose to when Annie lost consciousness,” Nate said.

  “Well this Max character seems to be quite the fuck-up, now doesn’t he? If he was supposed to show up when he was needed he sure is missing the mark,” Sierra said, her voice dripping with derision.

  There was a pounding on her apartment door, and Riley came in.

  “Is it Nell? What’s wrong?” She picked up the bag beside her chair, the people on-screen forgotten.

  “The Max guy just called Shilah. He’s coming right now.” She heard a whistle, and turned back towards the screen.

  “That’s kind of freaky Sierra, you just said that, and he shows up. Maybe you have the ability to summon people,” Nate laughed.

  “Go find Seth.”

  “On it.” The screen went blank.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Annie shut the door behind her, grateful Magda finally fell asleep. She’d been exhausted, but she couldn’t stand the thought of Annie leaving. To begin with Seth tried sitting in the chair in the room with them, but it agitated the girl so much he reluctantly left.

  Annie found him propped against the opposite wall in the hallway, waiting for her. He smiled, and opened his arms. She snuggled into his lap.

  “How is she?”

  “Asleep.”

  He looked at the closed door. “Do we need to stay here for a while, and watch over her?”

  Tears pricked her eyes. She was going to fall in love all over again. “Can we for a few minutes?” She was wearing one of his T-shirts and flannel sweat pants. Her exact favorite things to wear when she was at home, and Seth had them waiting for her.

  “As long as you want, as long as I get to hold you.” He stroked his hand over her hair, and she arched into his touch. Long moments went by, and then he kissed the top of her head. “Tell me about Nell.”

  “Oh, she’s a marvel. She’s so beautiful, she looks just like you.”

  “I saw her, she has your eyes.”

  “That’s the only thing, everything else is all you, right down to the dimple in her right cheek.” She traced it with her fingers.

  “Why do you say she’s a marvel?”

  “She already understands so many languages. Of course, the little stinker only says two words. But she understands and communicates just fine.”

  “How?”

  Annie explained about the guessing game Nell played, and how she could do it in multiple languages. Seth was fascinated. He explained what it was like when he dream walked with her.

  “Does she have the ability to dream walk?”

  “I don’t think so. I’ve always gone to her. She loves you so much Annie, you’re her world.” He stroked her cheek and looked into her eyes. “You’re both of our worlds.” She saw his intent, and then he looked at the closed door.

  “I think if she was going to get up, she would have by now,” Annie whispered.

  He stood and lifted her in his arms.

  She trembled, it made no sense, time and time again over the last two years she had been in this man’s arms. He walked the long hall cradling her closer and she took in a breath smelling a freshly showered Seth. With a start she realized he hadn’t shaved. The whiskers were normal now, she rubbed her cheek against them, they were both soft and rough, and she let out a soft moan.

  “Ah sweets, you gotta wait twelve more steps.”

  She couldn’t, she was addicted to the feel of his beard. She huffed a laugh when she felt a hitch in his stride.

  “Vixen.”

  He shoved the door shut, and followed her down onto the bed. Annie found herself surrounded by a Seth in Technicolor. So real, so big, so hers.

  “Clothes, too many clothes, I need to see you.” They paused, and then laughed. She threw her arms around his neck. “Oh my God, I really expected you to just become suddenly naked. Did it go through your mind too?”

  “Yep.”

  “So we’ve really shared dreams since you’ve been away? It really happened?”

  He pulled up the shirt she was wearing. “Seems so.” He kissed the side of her throat. “Let go of my neck.” Annie threw her arms up, eager to help him. He pulled the shirt over her head and then looked at her bra. It was the wrong size. Her breasts were bigger than they had been.

  “God Annie, look at you.” His obsidian eyes gleamed as he traced his hand over the tops of her breasts where the plumped over the cups of the lacy bra, and then slid to the center and undid the clasp.

  “Done that a few times, huh?”

  He looked up. He must have seen her insecurity, her question.

  “The last bra I removed was yours.”

  “I know, you told me, and I believe you.”

  “You’re a miracle.”

  “Why? Because I believe in the man I love?”

  “You believe in me more than I believe in myself. I should never have been duped by Portia. I’m found. Grandmother always told me to believe in myself, and at the most crucial moment in my life, I chose not to. Instead I betrayed the person who meant everything to me. Even now, knowing we’re together I can’t begin to forgive myself.”

  “Don’t. Don’t do this to yourself. To us. You have to put this behind you.”

  “How can you?”

  “Because I have you.” While he was talking, his hands roamed over the flesh of her breasts. Even knowing how important it was to reassure Seth when he was so vulnerable, she couldn’t help her burgeoning arousal.

  “Annie, are you sure you’ve forgiven me?”

  “There’s nothing to forgive. With Nell and you, my world is almost complete.” She saw a quick flash of confusion, and then he grinned.

  “Well, we can’t have any of this almost crap.” He divested her of the lacey bra. Her sweats and panties were discarded as easily and she looked at a determined man, who was now on his haunches staring at her, saying nothing, just staring.

  “Seth?” Nothing.

  “Seth?”

  “Shhhh.” Finally he coasted his hands from her hips to the indentation of her waist up the ladder of her rib cage to her breasts. She arched into the touch, as he plucked at a sensitive tip.

  “Please be naked too.”

  “Sweetheart, if I’m naked the show is over.”

  “Wrong, if you’re naked, the show starts. Please, I need to see you too.”

  He must have seen her need because he pulled his shirt over his head. Then got up off the bed, and unbuckled his belt. The thud of it hitting the floor was one more sensation that ramped up her arousal as she stared at his bronze chest.

  He hesitated when he got to the button of his slacks.

  “All of it. I need my treat. I deserve it.”

  “Once I’m naked, I won’t be able to stop myself. I want to savor you. I need you to enjoy this. I refuse to rush things.”

  She looked at the huge bulge in his slacks. She remembered their dreams, but mostly she recalled the first time she had seen him nude in her bedroom, the morning he had taken her virginity. Oh, how she loved his tenderness and care.

  “If you don’t give me your cock now, and fuck me, you will suffer my rage, Natani.”

  Seth shouted out a laugh, and shucked his slacks in record time. She grinned in relief at getting what she wanted, and her stomach clenched with a little bit of trepidation. The man was huge.

  She got on her knees and wrapped as much of her hand as she could around his stock and licked the bead of pre-cum off the tip.

  “Annie,” he groaned. He tasted so good, he was so soft and velvety. Opening her mouth she sucked in the head, and swirled her tongue around. She closed her eyes to savor the flavor and warmth of her love. Once, twice, three times she brushed against his sweet spot, and then she was flat on her back.

  “Hey, I was having fun,” her voice was slurred. The man went to her head. She giggled. Giving head went to her head.

  He huffed out a laugh against the curls of her sex. “Y
ou’re killing me.”

  She said it aloud?

  “Yes you did. Let’s see what else you’ll say.” His big shoulders pressed her legs apart. She loved the heat of his flesh pressing into her thighs, but then his fingertips parted the lips of her sex. Wide. She held her breath. Had she changed?

  “Annie,” his tone was reverent. “You are my woman, and I love you. Know that. But this pussy? It was made for my cock, it glistens and tempts and beckons and will forever make me your slave.”

  His tongue spent long minutes making her believe every word he just said.

  “Please.”

  He pulled her clit between his lips, and laved it with his tongue.

  “More!”

  He sucked it up, stroked harder, and she crashed into bliss.

  ****

  Looking at her, all dewy with perspiration, a bone deep sense of satisfaction encompass him. When was the last time he had felt such peace? It was easy. The last time he had truly been in Annie’s arms, and that was back in New Mexico almost two years ago.

  She was clutching him, her legs wrapped around his shoulders. He tried to untangle himself, but when he did, she just clenched harder.

  “Let go, I need to get a condom.”

  “No.”

  “Yes.”

  “I want another baby.” He looked at her, and her black lashes drifted up. She still looked flushed with fulfillment, but her emerald green eyes were also sharp with intelligence.

  “Sweetheart,” he started.

  “I want us to do this together this time. I want you to be part of it all. Please, no condom.”

  “Are you sure?”

  He watched the glow dim. “I don’t want to pressure you.”

  “Are you kidding? You’re giving me the world.” He cupped her cheek, and molded his lips to hers, loving how fast she took fire. They were lost in a world all their own. Her legs drifted downwards, so she could cradle his hips between her thighs, and his cock pressed against her wet slit without protection for the first time. He almost came right then and there. She grinned against his lips. The wench knew his problem.

  He slowly pressed into her hot, tight depths. He lifted his head, so he could watch her reaction. She breathed deeply. He could see her pleasure and then there was a moment when she took an even deeper breath.

  “Annie?”

  “I’m fine, it feels good.”

  “Liar.”

  “More, I love how it feels, you’re stretching me just right.” She gave him a beautiful smile. He agreed, she was gripping him just right too. Finally he was in all the way to the hilt.

  He started a rhythm he feared would never happen again. Slowly, their bodies moved together. The cadence might be the same, but the feel of her silky depths without the barrier of the condom was driving him out of his mind. He slid his chest against her breasts, surrounding himself with the every possible scent and texture that was Annie.

  “Love,” she panted and shoved upwards. He twisted his hips.

  “The,” Annie licked the side of his neck and his balls tightened up, and he scraped against the bundle of nerves deep inside her.

  “Hair,” she screamed as she came, biting down on his neck. He released into her as they shot into the stratosphere.

  ****

  Sarah recognized him. He was supposedly interned in the Atlanta school district a couple of times. He’d met with some of the gifted students, and had quite a long list of questions. He wasn’t the first counselor she met with, but he was the cutest.

  “Hello Sarah,” he repeated. That finally roused her, and she walked over and ignored his hand.

  “So your name really is Max Lawrence. What took you so long? Nell’s been unconscious for two days. You should have been here.” Fuck, why did that last part sound less like a professional woman and more like an accusing child.

  He nodded his head. “I accept that. As soon as I sensed Nell’s distress, Aylen and I headed inland. We were on a catamaran near the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It took us a day to get to a major airport, and another day to arrange a flight and get here.” She looked at him, he did look a little bedraggled.

  “Well you’re here now.”

  “I wanted to see her with you. How long have you been healing now? Can you do it yourself, or do you still need others?”

  She met his intelligent blue eyes, and wanted to ask so many questions he apparently had answers for, but now was not the time.

  “I can heal, but the amplification affect is still better with others, especially Noah and Kali.”

  “Ahh, they’ve taken back their names.”

  “They’ll be here soon, I called them, as soon as you called us.” Shilah tugged on his arm. “Nell is in the nursery. Let’s see what the three of you can do.”

  Sarah’s head whipped around and she saw a quiet girl, with long brown hair and blue eyes, standing near the sofa. She felt an immediate click with her and realized she was found as well.

  “Who is she?”

  “Let me show Sarah who Aylen is.”

  Shilah released Max’s arm, so he could reach Sarah. She looked at it. She was tired, and she really didn’t want to be drawn into anything other than getting through to Nell.

  “Please, just give me a moment, this will help to explain things.”

  She looked up into gray blue eyes, and saw his sister had taken his other hand.

  “Fine,” Sarah said. She touched her fingers to his, and was no longer in the Natani’s apartment.

  ****

  She spread the fingers of her small hand, they looked like a little brown starfish with pink tips. She flapped them up and down and the pretty little red headed girl next to her grinned and hugged her.

  “I’m so sad,” she laughed. Her lip pouted out, “but I’m so happy too.”

  Sarah looked into the seats of the stadium. She squinted into the bright sun, and tried to see her aunt, but the streamers of light were too blinding. She let go of the girl and waved her arms wildly. She knew her aunt would be waving back.

  Her aunt had promised she would get to go and be with a really big family and she would have so much fun, and get to do good things for people. Sarah talked to many adults and other children and agreed this was the right thing for her. It was easy when you had a knowing.

  She pulled the rest of the raisins her aunt gave her out of her pocket, they were all mashed together in a warm mass of goo, and just the way she liked them. She pried apart half and offered them to the other girl, who grinned and took them. The juice spurted into her mouth as she waited. Finally, a girl even littler than she was, walked to the front of the stadium. A big boy walked with her. The little girl had really long brown hair, and the boy had dark hair.

  He put down a stool and so the girl could stand and look over the podium at all of the assembled children. She started talking into a microphone.

  Sarah giggled, the girl sounded like a baby, she talked with a lisp. Then she heard her say they were children with beautiful souls. It was the same thing her aunt always said. Sarah smiled, and kept listening. She loved what the little girl said next, and Sarah’s heart filled to the brim.

  ****

  “You were the girl at the front of the stadium,” Sarah said, turning to Aylen. She looked at the woman with the sea foam eyes and the smattering of freckles who was smiling at her.

  “Yes. Max told me all about you when he came back from Atlanta. I was sorry I didn’t get to meet you when you were little. He said I wasn’t to miss anymore school.” She frowned up at her brother. “I can’t wait to meet Nell though. I can’t believe the boy I met as a child has a daughter of his own.” Sarah looked at the two of them, and felt a surge of hope. If anyone besides Seth and Annie could help Nell, it would be these two people.

  All three of them followed Shilah into the nursery. She wasn’t really surprised to find her big brother cradling Nell against his chest and singing to her. What did surprise her was the song he’d chosen, “Put a Ring o
n It.”

  “What the hell?”

  “Baby girl needs to learn early that she needs to get a ring from the guy.” Cyrus grinned at her sheepishly.

  “How’s she doing, Cyrus?” Max asked.

  “Do I know you?”

  “I’m Max, Sarah’s guardian. I came over with Sarah and helped to get her placed with your family.” Max’s voice was solemn. Cyrus looked at him in shock, then he finally spoke.

  “Then on behalf of the entire Johnson clan, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.” Max walked over to the rocking chair and held out his arms.

  “May I?”

  Cyrus held out the baby.

  “Hello little Nell. I’ve been meaning to come and meet you. I’m sorry it had to be under these circumstances.”

  Aylen sidled up and peeked around Max’s shoulder. “She looks just like Seth.”

  “Sarah, where have you been examining her?” Max asked.

  “Over here on the changing table.” Max carefully laid Nell on the table. She was wearing a little yellow onesie, and matching yellow socks.

  “She feels to be in perfect health, but you’re the expert. Can I feel through you?” He had the power of healing too? Sarah started to lay her hands over his.

  “No, your hands first, then mine over yours. I don’t have the same level of ability so I need you to be touching her.”

  Aylen, snorted.

  Sarah looked up and raised an eyebrow. “Should you be touching as well?”

  “Start with Max, I can monitor and determine if more juice is required.”

  “Juice?”

  “Ignore my sister, she has a weird sense of humor. Just place your hands over Nell’s heart and head.” Sarah did as he asked, and when he covered hers she felt a jolt unlike anything before. She looked at him, and he shook his head.

  “Concentrate on Nell.” Sarah closed her eyes, and was able to go so much deeper. Again she felt all of the baby’s physiology working perfectly, but when she went to Nell’s brain she got scared. She felt the elsewhere feeling again.