by J. E. Cluney
“You did it!” Ollie said as he flew over to crouch beside me as I knelt over Skip. “He’ll be okay, it hurts, being forced to shift back by soul magic, but it’ll pass.”
“You guys didn’t tell me it would hurt him,” I whimpered as I reached out to touch Skip’s naked back.
He shivered and opened his eyes, managing a weak smile.
“It’s… alright, Bee Sting. You need… to learn,” he ground out, groaning as he curled in more on himself.
I glanced back over to where Emma sat, her stony face focused hard on me.
A chill ran over me as the blood seeped from my face. Had she seen my memory?
“I think that’s enough for today.”
I flinched as Marcus appeared by my side, sliding a comforting arm around my waist as he helped me to my feet.
Ollie frowned as Marcus kept me firm against his side, and I stared down at Skip, wincing at his obvious discomfort.
“You said he’ll be okay?” I checked with Ollie quickly.
“Yeah, give him a few more minutes and it’ll pass,” he nodded, but his expression was uncertain as he watched me. He knew there was something more going on right now.
“You… okay?” Skip grunted as he managed to raise himself up a little.
“Yeah, fine, I’m more worried about you,” I said with a small smile.
“I’ll be fine,” he gave me a pained but reassuring smile.
“Let’s get you inside,” Marcus murmured, and I turned to look up at him.
He’d seen it, and felt it.
But I was more concerned with the small slivers of steam rising off him in the direct sunlight.
“Yeah,” I nodded, knowing he needed to get inside too.
He flitted me past Emma, who was still staring at me with a hard to read expression.
Great. Now another person knew my ugly history. Just what I wanted.
3
Marcus.
I felt the fear creeping through Ally before I saw it, the memory that had been tugged to the surface by her attempts at defensive training.
Rage surged through me at this man who’d done her harm, and I growled as I flitted downstairs to try to help her. I hated knowing she was hurting, feeling her pain, sharing it.
I’d done my best to ignore the thoughts she was having of Skip. I’d decided not to make her mine, and she seemed content with being a free woman. Didn’t mean I had to like it though.
And Skip had no intention of stopping. He wanted her too. We all did, I knew that. Even Lucas, our extravagant housemate. He had his eye on her as well. Something about her drew us all in, the way she fit so perfectly here, how she became one of us so quickly.
I got onto the verandah just in time to see the power surge forth from her in a bright white glow, knocking Skip backwards and forcing him to shift back into human state.
But it wasn’t gone, the helplessness that Ally felt. I wanted to get her somewhere safe, to make that go away. I needed her happy and laughing again, her bright smile lighting up the house once more.
I brought her inside and set her down on the lounge, smiling softly as I knelt down before her. I wiped the tears from her face as she sniffled. She looked confused, as if she didn’t realize she’d been crying.
“He can’t hurt you anymore,” I murmured as I stroked her cheek.
“Doesn’t change the fact that he did,” she whispered as she played with the hem of her work shorts.
“Wayne is dead, he paid the price,” I said bluntly. He’d paid the price indeed, having been mauled to death. I quickly shoved the thought away. Lucas had helped me conjure a spell to ward my mind a little from her, but if she pried, she’d see.
“I know,” she said, her voice almost inaudible.
“And Brett will never hurt you again either. I’d kill him for what he did to you,” I growled, and those soft doe eyes finally met mine, filled with a fire that I’d come to know. She was no victim, she was a fighter, and she’d keep pushing forward.
“Karma will find him, one way or another,” she sighed as she raised her head, and I smiled at her courage. Nothing would hold her down.
“But if I ever come across him, I’ll make sure he never even thinks of you again,” I said firmly. I wanted to kill the bastard for hurting her. But murder was not my forte. I’d break his limbs instead. A fae would be no match for me.
She managed a smile as she reached out to stroke my face. “Thanks.”
“I just want you smiling and happy,” I admitted as I moved to sit beside her.
“Right, my broody, dark little vampire wants me to be his sunshine,” she chuckled, and the sound relieved me.
“Why not?” I shrugged as I wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
“I didn’t know it would hurt him,” she winced, remembering what had happened to Skip. I could feel her guilt for what she’d done.
“He agreed to it, knowing full well the consequence,” I reminded her.
“Still.”
“Hey, how you doing?” Emma murmured as she joined us in the living room.
“I’m okay,” Ally said as she leaned into me. Feeling her warmth, her body nestled into my side, was like feeling completely at home.
“I’m sorry,” Emma sighed, glancing at me and nodding in acknowledgement.
“Nothing for you to be sorry about,” Ally said quickly.
“Well, in that moment, you were a pretty strong broadcaster,” she said as she chewed her lip.
Ally sagged against me and sighed. “You saw, hey?”
“Yeah,” Emma nodded.
“The others don’t know. We should keep it that way,” I said quickly, sensing Ollie helping Skip up the steps outside.
Emma just nodded, looking to Ally for confirmation, who nodded softly as well.
Ollie managed to help Skip into the living room, with his shorts back on thankfully. He dumped him on the opposite lounge, and Ally cringed as he groaned.
“Well, you got that one pretty quick, I will admit, I was not expecting it,” Skip said as he sat up against the cushions. Ollie sat down beside him, watching Ally carefully.
He knew there was something more, I could see it in those amber eyes as he checked Ally over. Strangely, his worry for her relieved me. I was glad she had more than just me looking out for her.
“Sorry, I didn’t know it would hurt you,” Ally apologized.
“Stop saying sorry,” Skip scolded her. “I’m fine, it just hurts for a little while but passes, no permanent damage, just drains you a bit. Relax, Bee Sting, you did good. Most supes take a few lessons to pick it up, you got it quickly.”
“Really?” she seemed surprised at this information, and I squeezed her shoulder gently.
“Yeah, it’s a hard one to get,” Emma agreed as she remained standing, leaning against the doorframe from the kitchen.
“Huh, guess that’s good,” Ally murmured, a hint of confidence in her voice.
“Marcus can teach you the normal defense stuff, but maybe another day, I think that’s enough for now,” Skip said as he sunk into the cushions and closed his eyes.
Ally nodded as she flicked those chocolate eyes around the group.
“Well, I should get going, I’ve got an early class in the morning, and it’ll be getting dark soon,” Emma said as she pushed off the doorframe.
“Need a lift?” Skip asked as he opened one eye.
Emma snorted and shook her head. “Relax, cowboy, I’m a big girl, and you need to rest.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Ally said quickly as she slipped away from my side, the coldness of the dead washing over me once more.
I gazed after her, grateful she’d managed to move away from that horrid memory.
But now I wanted to know. Where was this Brett? I couldn’t do anything about Wayne, he was already dead, but perhaps I could pay a visit to Brett, make sure he knew what he’d done was wrong.
I’d ask Lucas when he got home, find an address. I’m sure he’d understand.
4
“Well, this arvo sure was interesting,” Emma sighed as we walked out the front door and down the steps leading off the verandah.
“Yeah, I guess,” I said softly as I looked at the sky. The sun was setting, and the sky was doused in an array of pink and orange hues to mark the ending of the day. Always a beautiful sight to see.
“You can talk to me if you ever need to, okay?” Emma turned to me, those grey eyes troubled.
“I know, thank you,” I nodded. I didn’t like to talk about my past. Ever. It was behind me, where it belonged. Why dredge it up?
“So, you’ve got them hounding after you pretty bad,” she snickered, changing the subject and making me relax.
“Not on purpose,” I chuckled.
“Well, you let me know if they ever drag you into a threesome, hell, a foursome, or… whatever the five one is,” she grinned, her eyes twinkling in delight.
I just laughed and shook my head at this. Marcus, sharing? I could not see that happening, but maybe Skip and Lucas. As for Ollie, well, I wasn’t sure there.
“Hey, can your mom still do that reading?” I asked. I’d found myself thinking back on Emma’s reading every now and then. I wanted to know what some of it meant.
“Sure, I’ll ask her tonight, she might be free tomorrow night, she takes Sundays off if she can afford it,” Emma promised.
“Great.”
“Well, text or call if you need to at all, okay?” Emma stepped forward to wrap her arms around me in a warm embrace. I hugged her back, beyond thankful I finally had a proper friend.
“Have a good night, message me once you’re home safe,” I said as we pulled apart.
“Will do,” she said as she waved and shifted the weight of her messenger bag on her shoulder. I watched silently as she headed down the path and out onto the street.
She waved as a silver Mercedes 4x4 drove past her, and I grinned as Lucas pulled into the driveway.
“Hey, how was your first day?” he called out as he shut the engine off and climbed out.
“Good, it was good,” I answered as he jogged over in his forest green suit today. The color suited him, and it made his jade eyes pop.
Even in the fading sunlight, his skin still had that sun-kissed glow and he gave me his charming, lopsided smile as he drew up beside me.
“Checked Facebook?” he asked as he offered me his arm. I took a moment to realize he was being a gentleman, and giggled as I hooked my own through it.
“No, why?” I asked as we walked back up the steps onto the verandah.
“I found some relatives, spoke to them on Facebook, they said they’d add you. Aunt and uncle on your father’s side. Thought they might have some answers for you about your heritage, about your powers,” he said as we pulled up short of the door.
“Really? You found some family of mine?” I murmured. I had family out there? Family unrelated to the monsters called my aunt and cousin?
“Yeah, they seem eager to get to know you,” he said softly as he looked down at me, those beautiful forest green eyes flecked with vibrant emerald.
I caught my breath at the soft look he was giving me, the way the corners of his mouth tugged up more as he searched my face.
“Thank you,” I finally managed to say, unable to draw my eyes away from his.
“Don’t mention it, Cupcake,” he said, but his voice melted away as he dipped down.
I froze up as his lips brushed mine ever so softly, warm and sweet.
He pulled back before I could fully enjoy it, and smiled.
“So, how are the others going with winning your affections?” he joked, and I rolled my eyes at him.
“Well, I saw Skip naked,” I shrugged, loving how a look of surprise spread across his beautiful face.
“It’s a good view, isn’t it?” he chuckled, and I couldn’t stop that grin from splitting.
“Yeah,” I admitted.
“So, you only saw him naked, nothing else?” Lucas teased as he turned and pinned me against the door.
“Like what?” I purred, loving how close he was to me. I hadn’t spent much time getting to know Lucas as much as the others. He was always out or busy studying.
“Don’t play coy,” he smirked as he stroked my cheek, his fingers running down my neck and making me quiver.
“We were practicing defense against shifters,” I gasped, loving how my body was reacting to him.
“Huh, right,” he mused, his fingers dancing over the sweet spot where my neck and shoulder met.
“So, where do you keep all your suits?” I blurted, scolding myself for the random words that I let out. I was curious though, because if he had the same wardrobe we had, he couldn’t possibly fit them all in. He was always wearing a new one.
“How about I show you my room?” he suggested teasingly.
My body warmed at the thought. What did my little warlock look like under his lavish suits?
“Ally! You out there?”
Lucas sighed as he pulled away, his arms falling to his side.
“How about I show you later?” he offered as footsteps approached from the other side of the door.
I just nodded, not trusting any words I might say. I was curious about Lucas, and God knows he was as attractive as they come.
“Hey Ally— oh, hey Luke,” Ollie hesitated as he opened the door.
“What’s up?” Lucas asked, still standing quite close to me. Not that I minded.
“We were wondering what we should do for dinner, what you might like?” Ollie said, his eyes flicking between us.
“Hmm, how about I cook something?” Lucas said as he indicated for me to head inside before him. Always a gentleman.
“Hey, I forgot to tell you, I’ve got the afternoon shift tomorrow, so we can see your grandfather in the morning,” I remembered as we headed back into the living room. We’d discussed the Sunday visit to his grandfather’s, but we needed to wait until I found out my shift.
“Great! Pop will love to see us all, Skip’s coming, you still in?” Ollie asked as he turned to Luke.
“Sure, why not?” he shrugged, sending his crooked grin my way.
These boys, they were going to be the death of me. Ollie was the only one not actively trying to flirt with me and get in my pants. He was too sweet.
“What about you?” Ollie turned to Marcus, who was perched on the couch with a surprised look at being asked.
“I’ve got some studying to do, but you guys have fun,” he waved it off.
Ollie pouted but accepted the answer.
“I’m going to have a shower, I’ll see you all shortly,” I said as I picked up my discarded handbag beside the lounge. I rose to find Marcus watching me, a smile playing on his lips.
If I could have the lot of them, I would. They were all too tempting.
Marcus snorted at this and I rolled my eyes before turning and heading out to the stairs. I rummaged around for my phone, my fingers wrapping around the slim object as I walked. I should really buy it a case soon, maybe one of the wallet ones.
I clicked the home button as I climbed the stairs, smiling at the two friend requests that had popped up on the screen.
I opened up Facebook as I reached my room and walked in, sinking onto the end of my bed as I kicked my joggers off.
Natalie and Dixon Smoak.
I accepted their requests, looking at their profile pictures to inspect them. Natalie, she looked so much like my father, with his mousy brown hair and blue eyes. I only knew this from the wedding photo I had on my MacBook of my parents, not from memory. I’d been six when they’d passed, and the blurred, distant memories I had were more feelings and moments than actual memories.
Dixon was a bigger man, he reminded me of a biker with his leather jacket and broad shoulders, a scruffy brown beard and short, shaved hair. It was greying, showing his age, but his picture was him smiling with his wife nestled into his side. Natalie’s photo was her with another woman, whom was tagged
as Hayley Smoak.
Was she my cousin?
My phone vibrated with a message, and my chest tightened as I opened up the message from Natalie.
OMG! Allison! I can’t believe it’s really you. Lucas found us on Facebook, and as soon as I saw his message, I couldn’t believe it. Linda told us you were too traumatized after what happened to see family, and she made it clear we weren’t welcome. I’m so sorry we didn’t try harder. She told us you wanted nothing to do with us, that you were happy.
Belinda, or known more-so to me as Linda, my horrid aunt. Why had she lied to them? Probably for the money. If I’d known I had some nice relatives, I probably would’ve wanted to live with them instead, save a childhood of pain and hurt. She needed me to stay, she wanted the money she’d get for caring for me.
The thought made me furious, and I had to take a breather before responding.
Hey Natalie, it’s good to hear from you. Linda was in it for the money I guess, she never told me about family on my father’s side.
I bit my lip as the typing icons appeared.
That wretched woman. I’m so glad you’re okay though. Lucas told me you’re at Corviticus University studying? That’s amazing. He also said you didn’t know much about yourself or your magic. I can’t help much with your Fae/pixie side, but I can answer any questions about your wolf side.
I relaxed onto my bed, a strange sensation coursing through me, a warm, fuzzy one.
I had family, and they seemed to care about me.
Yeah, I’m studying Veterinary Science. And thanks, I have had some questions come up actually.
Natalie’s message back was instant.
How about I call you? What’s your number?
My stomach tightened at this as a smile spread across my face.
I sent her my number, and my phone started ringing instantly, making me squeamish.
“Hello?” I answered hesitantly.
“You sound just like your mother,” the feminine voice murmured.
My throat tightened at this. They’d known my parents well then? I had so much I wanted to ask them now, so many questions. I’d known so little about my parents, hell, about my whole family. My aunt had refused to tell me anything about them.