by Grace White
“Terra.” My name is a warning and prayer all wrapped up in one as his hold on me tightens.
I press myself closer, needing to erase every inch of space between us, but Ross tears himself away, flattening himself on the wall opposite my room.
“Ross?”
His chest rises and falls in short bursts as he watches me, his narrowed gaze pinning me to the spot.
“It’s late, you should get some sleep. Good—”
But I don’t hear the end of his sentence as I close the door in his face.
4.
“No, no,” the cry rips from my throat, fiery and raw as I clutch my stomach, doubled over with the intense waves of heat flowing through me. It’s as if I’m burning from my insides out. Consumed by fire. My body trembles violently as I drop to my knees, my damp hair hanging around my face like a veil.
“No!” I cry again, agony tearing through my core. “Please, no.”
“Terra, wake up, Kitten. You’re having a dream, it’s just a bad dream.”
My eyelids flutter open at the sound of Cael’s voice. I feel the gentle caress of his fingers across my skin.
“Cael?” My throat feels dry. “W-what happened?”
“You were dreaming, Terra.”
Dreaming?
I can’t remember anything; my mind is a complete blank. “What was I saying?”
“It was probably just a nightmare.” His eyes pierce mine even in the darkness. Rolling onto my side, I notice how hot I am. The covers are gathered low around my waist and my skin glistens.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks.
“I—” I don’t know. There’s something there, lingering in the background. Something I can’t quite reach.
“I’ll get you a drink.” He goes to move, but I reach out and snag his wrist. “Wait.”
“Yeah?”
“Stay, please.”
“Are you sure?” His Adam’s apple presses against his throat as his eyes move over my face.
I nod, shuffling over to make room for him. “I can’t remember what the dream was about. Was I really shouting?”
“Yeah, we heard you all the way out in the hall.”
“We?”
“Me and Endo.”
“Oh,” I say quietly. Maybe they flipped a coin to see who would come and check on me.
Cael snickers and I kick myself. In my sleep-haze I forgot his ability to read my thoughts.
Silence settles between us. Cael makes no move to get into bed with me. Instead he just sits there, staring at me. After what feels like eternity, he reaches out, pushing my crazy bed-head hair from my face. “You’re not a game to us, Terra.”
“I know.” It comes out barely a whisper. “I just—”
“You’re confused.”
I nod.
“It’s okay to be confused. There isn’t a rule book for this type of thing.”
My face pinches and he lets out a wry laugh before sliding in beside me. It’s only then I realize he’s only in his boxer briefs. Heat radiates from his chest as we lie face to face.
“Hi.”
“Hi,” I reply around a coy smile.
“We should probably sleep,” he says. “It’s three in the morning and Endo will no doubt be up at the crack of dawn.”
“You’re right, we should sleep.”
“Definitely.”
“Okay then.”
We’ve moved closer. Our chests touch, only separated by the thin cotton of my pajama tank. “Goodnight, Terra.”
“Night, Cael.”
Crushing his mouth to mine, he buries his hand in my hair and holds me close. Our tongues dance a frantic rhythm and my body comes alive with every stroke, every lick. It’s as if being with Cael unlocked something, and now I have all this unspent energy. Energy that needs more than just stolen kisses and secret touches.
Sliding my hands up his taut stomach muscles, I smooth them over his shoulders, while at the same time hooking my leg around his hip.
“By the gods, Kitten,” he sucks in a ragged breath as I roll my hips creating delicious friction between us. His hand leaves my hair and slides down my waist curving over my butt. I fight a grin, overwhelmed with sensations. I need more.
Without thinking I push myself further into Cael and he rolls back taking me with him. “Terra, maybe we should—”
I cut him off with my mouth, grinding down on him. It isn’t enough though. Not to reach the deep ache. Slipping a hand between us, I grasp him, and he pants, “Fuck.”
I claw at the material. Pulling and tugging until my hand slips inside and I feel the silky length of him. Cael groans and then tries to lean up for another kiss, but I hover just out of reach. He looks so perfect like this. Vulnerable. Completely at my mercy. And I feel powerful. Strong. Like I’m in control.
It’s a heady place to be.
He tries to kiss me again, but I nuzzle his neck instead: licking, nibbling, and sucking, as my hand begins to pump him in long sure strokes.
“Terra, maybe we should—”
I smash my lips to his, stealing his words, his reason. I don’t want to go slow, I want to go faster. To lose myself in the feelings, the total abandonment.
My pace builds. Faster. Harder. Until Cael is a writhing mess beneath me, jaw clenched, fisting the sheets. “Kitten, come on.” I barely hear his plea, too enraptured by the way he responds to my touch.
His groans become erratic and his body starts to jerk. “Terra, shit, I’m... Fuuuck.”
Jets of warm liquid coat my hand as he sinks back into the mattress, his eyes clamped shut. I sit above him, frozen. When his eyes blink open again and find mine, his lips tug into a heart-wrenching smile. “That was amazing.”
I stare at him, unable to find words and his face blanches. “Terra? What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I lie. “I’m just... surprised. I surprised myself, that’s all.”
Lust ignites behind his eyes as his hands reach out and brush my cheek. “Don’t be. I’ve thought about nothing else but touching you since last night.” Cael brings my hand to his lips and presses a kiss to my palm. “Do you want...?” he hesitates. “I want to touch you again, Kitten.”
Heat floods me again as my body screams yes, but I’m still frozen in place. Something is wrong.
Very wrong.
“Terra?” There’s an edge of concern in his voice this time.
“Actually, I need to use the bathroom.”
I move off him, relieved when he doesn’t push me to answer the questions glittering in his eyes.
Poking my head into the hall, I slip out and tiptoe next door to the bathroom. It's family sized with a separate tub and walk-in shower. I still haven’t got them to explain how they stumbled across such an amazing house.
After doing my business, I rinse my hands and stare at my reflection. I look wanton with my flushed cheeks, hooded eyes, and swollen rosy lips. I’d wanted Cael. Wanted to please him. But something else came over me. A bolt of hunger so strong it felt like I was split in two. The quiet shy side of myself seemed to be watching from above as a different Terra straddled Cael’s hip.
Grasping the marble counter, I inhale deeply. Get a grip of yourself. You’re fine. Everything is fine. With emotions running high and the lingering memories of being with Cael last night, it isn’t any wonder I feel strange.
The house is quiet as I make my way back to my room. Moonlight streams in through the blinds, illuminating Cael’s profile.
“Come on.” He pats the bed. “We should get some sleep.”
I don’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed that he isn’t pushing this, but I slide in next to him, unable to hide the smile tugging at my lips as he draws me into his arms. Tiredness sinks into my bones as the events of the last forty-eight hours wash over me. Within seconds, I feel myself drifting. As I fall, I swear I hear Cael say, “I love you, Terra.”
MY EYES FLUTTER OPEN to find the bed empty. “Cael?” I call out bu
t there’s no answer. Reaching over to the nightstand, I grab my cell phone, smiling when I see the text from him.
Cael: Had to dash out. Ross is here. See you later, Kitten.
I text him back and climb out of bed. I feel lighter this morning, more myself. It’s a relief. Last night was... well, it was weird. I still can’t remember the nightmare but whatever it was, I’m blaming it for my moment of craziness with Cael. I flush again. Remembering how out of character I’d acted. How uninhibited. He didn’t seem to mind but I know he sensed something off with me.
After changing into some fresh clothes, I make my way downstairs, preoccupied with thoughts of school. I have classes tomorrow, but the guys still haven’t given me an answer about whether I’ll be able to return or not. If it’s safe or not. But I can’t help but wonder if I’m really safe here either.
The smell of bacon hits me, and I shake the depressing thoughts out of my head. While I’m under house arrest, I may as well enjoy everything living with three guys comes with. I push open the door and freeze. Ross is at the stove flipping eggs, and he’s humming.
“Good morning,” he says, and I kick myself for not being stealthier. An impossible task in a house where everyone can sense or hear your thoughts.
“Breakfast?” He asks over his shoulder and I nod, moving to the breakfast bar.
I thought it would be awkward seeing him again after last night. But he obviously isn’t going to acknowledge it.
“What were you humming?”
“I was humming?” The corner of his lip quirks and I fight a smile.
“Something smells good.”
“I made eggs. There’s bacon and pancakes too.”
“Wow, I had no idea you could cook.”
“Really, Terra?” He throws me a questioning look as he serves me a big pile of eggs. “We had a lot of practice.”
“You stayed on Earth the whole time?” I stuff a piece of bacon into my mouth, the saltiness making me reach for the glass of orange.
“Once Gaia fell, we followed.”
“And you haven’t returned to Elysia since?”
Ross’ irises darken as he says, “No.” I swear he gulps. As if the word was painful to say, and a deep sense of sadness washes over me.
“Do you miss it?”
He leans back against the counter. “That’s an impossible question to answer.”
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—”
“Elysia is our home. It’s so different to Earth. It’s hard to explain.” He pops a piece of bacon into his mouth, chewing it slowly, his eyes never leaving mine. “Every time we came here, we knew we would be returning. It gave us something to fight for.”
“It must be a wonderful place.” My voice wavers. I’ve seen glimpses of it through my dreams but it’s like seeing it through someone else’s eyes. I don’t have the connection to Elysia the guys have.
“Terra.” Ross stalks forward coming to stop in front of me. He brings his hand to my cheek and I lean into his touch. “Elysia has been the only home we’ve ever known. But this time is different.”
“I...” I’m lost in the lightning dancing in his irises. Ross is like a storm. Once you feel its wrath, you’re never the same again.
“You know they say home is where the heart is?”
“They do?” I bite my lip wondering where he’s possibly going with this.
“They do.” He leans in closer until I can feel his warm breath on my face. “Elysia was our home because our heart was there.”
“Gaia,” her name falls from my lips in a single breath.
“When Gaia fell there was no choice for us.” Something passes over his face but as quickly as it’s there, it’s gone. “But you, you were an unexpected surprise, Terra Materson.”
Ross’ hand curves around my neck and he holds me close, pressing a kiss to my head. “I’m sorry about last night, I was... I lost control.”
I twist my fingers into his t-shirt, pulling him closer. “Ross, I wanted you to kiss me.”
“I don’t deserve you.” The words punch the air.
“Why would you think that?” I pull back and look him dead in the eye. “You have given everything to Gaia. You’re loyal and strong and brave. It is me who doesn’t deserve you. I don’t deserve any of you.”
Ross’ nostrils flare as his stormy gaze drops to my mouth. Feeling brave, I lean in, brushing my lips against his.
“Terra, we should wait.” His hands move to my shoulders and push gently, breaking the kiss.
“Wait?” Somehow, I manage to swallow the tears burning my throat. Just when I thought we were finally getting somewhere, Ross crushes my hopes again.
“It’s better this way,” he says, and I don’t know who he’s trying to convince more—me or himself.
Water
He didn’t deserve her.
He repeated it over and over. Trying to make his pulse slow, to stop blood flowing to places he had no right to be thinking with. But by the gods, she tasted of everything he’d ever wanted. Last night, outside her room she’d kissed him. It was only a quick peck, but he’d felt it all the way down to his old soul and it had flipped a switch in him. He should have walked away. He should have turned around and gotten the hell out of there. But apparently his selfish ways were still there. Buried underneath the surface.
And Terra was the catalyst to reignite them.
By the gods, he wanted her. He wanted to feel her body pressed tight against his. To hear soft moans fall from her lips as he worshipped every inch of her skin.
He rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palm. He needed to be stronger. To fight the urges Terra stirred in him. He needed to do better... for her.
But now he knew how she tasted, could he only ever love her from afar?
5.
The second I hear the door, I jump up and make my way down the hall. “Thank God,” I sigh. “I’ve been going out—oh, it’s you.”
“Lovely to see you too.” Sol runs a hand over his head, closes the door behind him, and brushes past me.
“Please, come in, make yourself at home,” I grumble under my breath, trailing after him. I make a mental note to tell Cael, Ross, and Endo, we need a new rule. One where I’m not left alone with Sol. Ever. Under any circumstances.
“Did you say something?” He glances back, arching his brow but I shake my head, pressing my lips together.
Inside the kitchen, he helps himself to a soda from the refrigerator and leans back against the counter.
“Have you come to bring me back to campus? I have classes tomorrow. I need to be—”
“Terra...”
“Oh no.” I hold up a finger. “I don’t like that tone. It’s almost seven. I said I’d give you guys the weekend. Well, newsflash, buddy, the weekend is over. Unless you have something to tell me about Amalia, I don’t want to hear it. I am going back to campus whether you like it or not.” Adrenaline courses through my veins as we both stare at one another. I’m not sure who is more surprised by my outburst—him or me. But there’s something about Sol that pushes my buttons, and not in a good way.
“Are you done?” he says dismissively.
Folding my arms over my chest, I don’t give him the satisfaction of a reply.
“We haven’t found anything on the witch, no.”
Relief floods me and my shoulders sag. This is good news. Better than good, it’s great. “That’s... thank God. I’ll go pack up my stuff and you can take me—”
“There’s a complication.” He grimaces.
“A complication? Of course there is.” Pulling out a stool, I sink onto it. “What kind of complication?”
“We managed to persuade Violet to do a revealing spell on Amalia.”
“A revealing spell?”
He nods. “Yeah, it wasn’t easy to get—the fine details don’t matter. What matters is that maybe you were right because the spell revealed nothing.”
“What do you mean?”
“A revealing spell
is supposed to unveil any supernatural glamor's. Violet slipped some clary sage in Amalia’s soda. She should have been able to see—”
“The darkness.” I finish.
“Yeah. But she didn’t. Amalia is... Amalia.”
“So that’s good news, right? Amalia isn’t the big bad and I can go back to college and—it’s not good news, is it?”
“The revealing spell didn’t show up anything with Amalia, but we found something strange at your dorm.”
“Stranger than a witch, and the spirit of a primordial deity hiding out inside me?”
The joke is lost on Sol and he gives me a hard look. “This is serious, Terra.”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t,” I shoot back. “I just... forget it. Continue.” I wave my hand toward him.
“The trace of energy we followed back to Amalia, it’s grown.”
“Grown? What the hell does that mean?”
“We’re sensing it all over Earhart.”
“Let me get this straight, you’re saying that everyone in my dorm room is evil?” I can totally see that about Jesse, but the other girls, not so much.
“We think it’s a red herring...” he leaves the insinuation hanging and I gasp when it clicks.
“You think whoever—whatever—is behind this wanted me out of my dorm?”
“It’s the only thing that makes sense right now.”
“Who knows I’m here, Sol?” My blood turns to ice.
“Just the five of us. The house is cloaked. You're safe.”
“You’re certain of that?” My brows quirk up.
“Your safety is our priority. A little trust wouldn’t go amiss.”
“That’s not fair, Sol.”
He’s pacing now, clutching the back of his neck. “You make everything so fucking difficult.”
“Me?” I storm over to him and get right in his face. “I make things difficult? I didn’t ask to be in this godforsaken situation.”
Sol glares down at me, anger rolling off him. He’s a force to reckoned with. So strong. A fearless leader. It should hurt to look at him, but I can’t seem to stop. My stomach coils tight with frustration and... what is that?