by J. E. Cluney
Bastard.
“She’s moved on, wants to leave it behind her, which we should respect. No telling her about it, no letting on that we all know,” Marcus said firmly. “And no taking advantage of her.”
“We would never do that!” Ollie snapped instantly.
“She’s young, like us, sex is something she thinks about, and she has the hots for all of us. But we can’t just abuse that, she doesn’t deserve that,” Marcus said, and I turned my head to stare at him.
He really cared for her. A lot. It was enough to make me simmer down. Out of him and me, he’d be able to protect her better, as much as I hated to admit it. But not during the day. He was limited there.
Well, I wouldn’t let anything happen to her then.
The past week had shown me just how sweet and gentle she was. We’d talked some afternoons and at lunch, and we’d bonded.
“So, agricultural science,” Ally murmured as she sat down on the lounge beside me. Ollie had headed upstairs to shower, while Marcus was in his room, and Lucas was studying in the library.
“Yeah, this world needs help. And I want to help it,” I nodded, loving how close she was sitting to me. I could smell her sweet flowers and honey scent permeating her skin. So beautiful and delectable. She was a tease just by sitting there.
“How?” she asked, cocking her head and looking at me inquisitively. Those soft lips were parted ever so slightly, and I wanted to lean in and kiss them. I’d make her feel like a true queen, ravage her body and make her scream, if she allowed it.
“Skip?”
“Hmm?” I frowned. Had she said something. Fuck.
“I asked how, how would you help the world?” she chuckled, amused at my inability to concentrate. Pixies. I’d never been with a fae before, they weren’t big on spending time with shifters, and yet Ally could care less. She was nothing like the true fae.
“We’re bringing the extinction of so many animals, but not just that, we’re bringing about our own. What gets me is that we have all this knowledge and tools at our disposal, but we don’t use it right. We could do agricultural farming completely environmentally friendly, we could feed the starving world easily. But we don’t. I want to start up some sustainable agricultural farming, try to get it to catch on. No more harsh chemicals, no more horrible machinery wrecking the environment. I want this world to get better,” I explained.
She watched me with those chocolate eyes, large and focused as she took in my words.
“Huh,” she murmured.
“What?”
“I just didn’t think that would be why you were studying,” she shrugged.
“You think cause I’m a bit bogan that I don’t care for the world?” I sighed.
“No, it’s not that!” she said instantly, but I just grinned at her.
“Relax, I’m messing with you. I know people stereotype me, but I can’t help the way I was raised,” I reassured her as I patted her bare knee. Touching her soft skin made me soften, and I left my hand on her knee.
“So, when will you take me four-wheel-driving?” she asked, changing the topic.
“Soon, maybe next week if you’re keen,” I grinned. I loved my old girl, loved taking her out on the tracks, pushing her, seeing just what she was capable of.
“I’d love that,” she said.
“So, what about you, any hobbies?” I asked, and she seemed taken aback. Guess she wasn’t used to me talking with her without flirting.
I couldn’t help it, it was automatic. And she just drew it forth so easily.
“Nope, none,” she shrugged.
“Really, no hobbies? I don’t believe that. You don’t dance, or paint, or take photos?” I said, not believing her. Everyone had hobbies.
“I never got a chance to develop any I guess,” she sighed. “I wasn’t allowed to do anything fun as a kid, and when I left, I worked most of the time so never had a chance to try anything out. I take photos on my phone, but nothing too much.”
“Wow, that’s so sad,” I pouted. I hated that she’d been brought up in such a shitty life. And yet she was always smiling, always happy.
She was amazing.
“Well, you know what, I think we’re going to find you a hobby,” I said firmly as I squeezed her knee.
She smiled brightly at me, and in that instant, I knew I wanted more than to just have her body. There was so much more to Bee Sting than a fling. And I wanted to get to know all of her.
“You going to stay calm?” Lucas asked as I pulled myself from my mind.
“Yeah,” I muttered.
“Good, I’ll let you up,” he said, and the magic weighing down on me lifted instantly.
I sat up, frowning as I shuffled back and pulled myself up onto the lounge.
“So, we’re all agreeing not to let Ally know that we know?” Lucas clarified as he glanced around at all of us. We all nodded silently.
“Good.”
“You know she has no hobbies?” I said softly.
“Really?” Ollie raised an eyebrow.
“Yep, nothing. Never had a chance to develop one,” I shrugged. “We should try to help her find one. We all have hobbies, Marcus with his gaming and game design, Ollie and I with our PlayStation and me with my four-wheel-driving. Lucas with his magical experiments and sexual explorations,” I snorted at that last part, and Lucas just nodded in acceptance. To think his hobby was sex stuff. He’d done well hiding it from Bee Sting. I doubt she knew much about him and his exploits.
“She likes photography,” Marcus murmured.
“How do you know?” Ollie asked, but then scolded himself for being stupid.
“She used to take photos on her phone. From what I know, she loves music, she might like to take up an instrument?” Marcus suggested.
“Great, I think we should try to help her find a hobby then,” Lucas said, content that we’d all calmed down.
We all fell into silence, and I knew the truth about our little pixie was sitting heavily on my companions. We’d take care of her, just the way she deserved.
And I’d cool down on the flirting with her, the teasing. As much as I wanted to have her now, I also wanted more than just sex with her. Surely I could do this.
6
“So, you don’t mind living with the boys?” Ollie’s grandfather asked as he sat down in the worn, brown leather armchair across from me.
I sat nestled between Ollie and Lucas on the old lounge, holding the mug of hot tea he’d made me. He was quite sturdy for a man at seventy-two years of age. No limp or hunched back when he walked, the only signs of his age were the wrinkles marring his weathered skin and the stunning white beard and short white hair.
“Nope, they’re good housemates,” I said as I sipped my tea.
“Well, as long as they’re treating you well,” he said softly, his tender smile reaching his eyes as he sipped his tea.
“Of course we are,” Ollie said as he grinned broadly.
Ever since getting here, he’d relaxed so much more, sliding out of his shell. I loved seeing him so at ease.
“ I haven’t seen Marcus for a while, how’s he doing?” Ollie’s grandfather asked as he held his mug to his lips. He’d introduced himself to me as Robert, but told me to call him Bob.
“He’s good, still studying and working on his game design,” Skip answered from his position over against the doorframe.
He’d been keeping his distance since last night for some reason, and he hadn’t flirted with me once at breakfast this morning, and Lucas had sat in the front with him when he drove us over. Strange. Had I done something wrong?
I’d ask him later, if I got the chance. I actually enjoyed his light-hearted flirting.
“Well, I’m glad you’ve all taken the time to visit. I would love if my grandson could help me with some geldings we’re having trained up. They’re testing my trainers, and I think they need a reminder of who’s boss. I’d do it, but they don’t always listen to me,” he sighed. “I’m getting a
little too old to jump on them when I know the risk of falling is high. I can’t shift as fast as I used to.”
What did shifting have to do with riding?
“Pops used to shift into a bird when he got thrown off, stopped him from having a bad fall,” Ollie explained when he saw me frowning.
Right. That made sense.
“Lucas, Skip, don’t suppose I could get your help moving the tractor? I got it bogged with the last storm and I’ve struggled to get it out,” he painfully admitted with a grunt.
“Sure, We can help!” Skip leapt at the idea. Why on earth he was excited to move a massive piece of machinery like that was beyond me.
Lucas could probably do it in a pinch with magic though, so Skip was kinda unneeded.
“C’mon Ally, I’ll show you the stables,” Ollie beamed as he took my hand, sending a sweet shiver through me. His warm, soft hand was firm as he pulled me to my feet, and Lucas waved us off as Ollie led me outside the old Queenslander house.
It was a beautiful house with a wooden staircase leading up to it and a wraparound verandah. It was built high enough that the garage was beneath it for the cars, along with a workshop area.
“He’s got a nice place here,” I noted as Ollie led me down a worn gravelly road that wound through some old pines.
“Yeah, It’s beautiful, not over the top like my parent’s place,” he said, giving my hand a gentle squeeze as he smiled back at me.
“What’s their place like?” I asked, hoping I’d finally learn more about his family.
“A bloody unnecessary mansion,” Ollie muttered.
“You don’t ever miss it?” I pushed.
“Nope, they’re too… proud. I much prefer where I am now,” he said as he continued walking. We were hand in hand beside each other now, and I found it perfectly relaxing. No emotions wrecking havoc, no horrendous horniness like I got with the others at times. I felt at ease with him.
“Skip says you’ve got no hobbies,” he mused as he looked up at a calling magpie. It’s black and white feather stood out against the greenery around us, and it ruffled itself as it watched us carefully.
“Never had a chance to find one, I listen to music,” I shrugged. Actually, since moving in with the boys, I didn’t listen as much anymore. I was too busy having fun with them.
I’d always relied on it to help me in moments of weakness, when my past caught up with me and made me a nervous wreck. It rarely did anymore, but as soon as it crept up on me, I’d drown it out.
“You should try horse riding, lots of people enjoy it,” he suggested as we rounded another bend and the old wooden stable came into view.
It was a long rectangular building with doors running along the front of it. The entrance to the stalls were sheltered with color-bond roofing, so we could walk along the concrete area running along the stall entrances even if it was raining. Not that that mattered right now.
“Hey Oliver!”
Oliver lit up as an older woman popped her head out of one of the stalls with a wheelbarrow behind her. He released my hand, making me miss his warmth as a breeze brushed over my palm.
“Hey Penny! Pop said you need some help with some geldings?” Ollie said as we drew closer. The scent of horses and hay was strong here, and a few horse heads poked out of the top of the stall doors further up the row.
“Ugh, yeah, Prancer and Stars-a-million are being turds for me,” Penny sighed as she wiped the back of her hand across her sweaty forehead, holding the rake in her other hand.
She wore black leggings and knee-high brown boots, matched with a dark navy shirt. Her earthy brown hair was done up in a bun, but many strands had fallen loose and it was quite a mess thanks to her work.
“This is Ally, she’s our new housemate, Ally, this is Penelope Ward, one of Pop’s onsite trainers, she lives out in the old cottage away from the house. She takes care of the horses for him now that he’s getting on,” Ollie introduced us.
“Nice to meet you,” Penny stuck out her hand, before glancing down at it and pulling it back. “Sorry, horse crap.”
“That’s okay, and it’s nice to meet you too. So, Stars-a-million?” I frowned.
“Yeah, Pop gets some ex-racers to retrain, sometimes pacers too,” Ollie said as he helped wheel the loaded wheelbarrow back for Penny.
Loaded with dry horse poop, I realized, and old sawdust. Hence her dirty hands that she’d said horse crap about.
“Yeah, Stars-a-million is fresh off the track, we’ve spelled him for a while, but he’s a hotheaded piece of work, thrown me a few times now, harasses the other geldings out in the field. Your pop even shifted into a stallion to try to get him back in line, but as soon as he was gone, he was back at it again,” Penny sighed as she closed the stall.
“He… turned into a horse?” I blinked dumbly. I was just picturing Bob turning into a frail old white horse, prancing around as he tried to show the horse who was boss. It was an interesting image.
“Yeah, Pop still has a lot of life left in him, his favorite to shift into was an Arabian horse, but I guess with the big ex-racers, he probably had to go with something bigger,” Ollie said thoughtfully as he scratched his chin.
“He went with a clydie, just in case the tool tried to kick him too,” Penny said as she leaned her hip against the stall door.
“Well, I can give it a go?” Ollie offered. That’s what Bob had wanted him to do.
“Be my guest, but he might throw you, and you can’t exactly just shift,” Penny warned as she dusted her hands off on her leggings, leaving dusty marks on the black material.
“I have a knack for dealing with animals,” Ollie shrugged. “Which one’s he in?” he asked as he looked down the row of stalls.
“I just brought him in from the paddock, he’s in the end one,” Penny jutted a thumb over her shoulder.
“Great, is Baby out?”
“Nah, she’ll be going out a little later to graze. The other mares pick on her, so I only let her out with the old geldings,” Penny said with a sigh.
“Can you saddle her up? I’d love for Ally here to have a go at riding, you’ve never ridden before, right?” he turned to me, those amber eyes questioning.
I shook my head, my stomach knotting at the thought of climbing up on one of these big beasts. I could see the heads peering out of the stalls, a few neighing out. And they were big horses.
“Sure, I’ll get her ready, good luck with that big doofus,” Penny said as she turned to me. “Don’t worry, Baby is our sweet old mare. She taught Ollie to ride, along with a lot of other kids. She’ll take care of you.”
Well, at least I wasn’t getting one of the naughty ones. That made me relax a little.
“C’mon, you can meet Stars-a-million with me,” Ollie grinned as he took my hand once more.
Giddiness swelled through me as he dragged me along after him, and I flicked my eyes over the horses we passed on the way.
“This must be him,” Ollie pulled us up before the end stall.
My eyes widened at the tall horse standing impatiently in his stall, snorting and pawing at the wooden door loudly. He was a chestnut with a white stripe down his face.
“He’s big,” I murmured as the horse shook himself and neighed out.
“Yeah, probably around seventeen hands high,” Ollie whistled. “Definitely a big boy.”
“Why’s he acting like that?” I asked as the horse snorted again and tossed his head.
“Restless I guess. Pop prefers to let most horses stay out in the paddocks, live more naturally, but those he retrains get stalled at times, especially when in quarantine or when they’re being trialed.”
“So why is he stalled?” I asked as Stars-a-million snorted and shook his head once more, leaning over the stall door to nudge Ollie’s chest.
Ollie stroked his face gently as he looked at me.
“So Penny can work him today, I imagine he’s passed his quarantine period, as they don’t get worked until quarantine is up. T
hey have separate quarantine paddocks too,” Ollie explained as he ruffled the horses fringe.
“Right,” I nodded.
“Want to help me saddle him up?” Ollie grinned over Stars-a-million’s head.
“I’ve never been around horses before really, let alone saddled one up,” I said nervously.
“It’s okay, you can just watch me do it then,” Ollie shrugged. “Let me grab a halter and lead rope for him. You wait here.”
I did as asked and waited patiently with Stars-a-million. The large gelding turned his head to stare at me, those large, soft eyes watching me intently.
“So, why don’t you want to be retrained for normal stuff?” I asked him. “You seem to be causing some stress for the trainer.”
The horse just watched me as his response, and I sighed as I gave in and ran my hand down his face. His eyelids dropped as he enjoyed the soft pats. He was warm and soft, and as I stepped closer, I caught the true horse smell that I’d heard mentioned throughout my life.
It was relaxing and sweet on my nostrils.
“This looks like it’ll fit him,” Ollie said as he returned after a few minutes with a hefty looking brown leather saddle.
He had the bridle and lead rope thrown over his shoulder, and the rope halter hung from his hand as he set the saddle down.
“Looks heavy.” I stated dumbly.
“An old stock saddle, Penny rides english saddles normally, so we’ll see how he goes in one of these. I’ll halter him up and bring him out, do you mind holding him when I do that?” Ollie said as he set the bridle down over the saddle.
“He might be too strong,” I admitted as I eyed the big boy. He seemed sweet when it came to getting attention.
“He’s been trained to lead, mandatory for race horses,” Ollie assured me. “You just hold him and he should stand nicely for you.”
“Okay,” I agreed, but I bit my lip uneasily.
Ollie stepped closer to Stars-a-million and put the halter on with ease before clipping the lead rope on.