by J. E. Cluney
“No,” she mumbled.
“It could’ve, you can’t just say no,” I laughed, and she grinned and joined me with her soft giggles. So sweet and perfect.
“It’s interesting. The bond between us is different. I don’t know the same things I knew with Marcus, his past and everything, but I can hear his thoughts, feel some of his feelings. Like right now, I know he’s dreaming of being a tiger. Which is funny, since I had a dream last night with a tiger in it right after…” she let the sentence trail off, but I got the gist of it.
Too bad the thought made me squirm a little in my seat as my body wanted to react to the thought of her doing anything sexual.
Preferably with me.
“I can see yours too, like how you’re thinking of what you’d like to do with me,” she chuckled.
“I hate this weird new ability of yours,” I growled as I tried to think of something else.
“I just wish I knew what it all meant. What the reading meant, what these bondings mean,” she grumbled.
“We’ll figure it out.”
“My aunt and grandmother are coming to visit me Thursday, so I’ll get some answers then,” she said hopefully.
“Nice, it must be good knowing you have family now, since you never knew them before,” I mentioned. I’d caught on from her and the others that she didn’t even know she had any other family than her shitty aunt. Never got the chance to meet any of them.
She really did amaze me. That she was so alive and cheery despite everything.
“It is, I’m excited but nervous to meet them,” she admitted as she stroked Ollie again. He was like a magnet to her hand, and I knew he’d be loving the attention.
Strange, considering she’d had sex with the little creature so recently, and now he was like this. I wondered if that made her feel weird. Probably not.
“It’ll be fine, don’t be nervous,” I assured her. “We should take you out one time to shift. You don’t shift much, do you?”
“No, never had the drive for it,” she shrugged. “But it is nice when I do it, very freeing.”
“I know what you mean,” I said with a smile. Shifting was always something that I loved to do. I shifted in my shifter classes at uni, but every now and then I’d go for a hop at night or some afternoons with friends. Sometimes Lucas and I would head out somewhere for a little romp and then I’d shift while he practiced magic.
“So, you and Lucas?” she grinned, and I groaned. God, she was getting in my head as soon as things turned sexual. I was damn curious how that even worked.
“Are you guys something a little more serious?” she asked honestly.
“No, I don’t know. We’re good friends, and when he decides to become Lucy, he likes to have fun with us. All of us. But I guess we do things a lot more than he does with the other two. Marcus hasn’t done a whole lot with him, I think it still weirds him out a little. Ollie has been the most open to different things though,” I smirked as her petting of him faltered.
“So I heard, how so?” she asked, and I could see the mischievous flash in her eye.
“Well, he is just willing to do more than the rest of us. We had this party once with a bunch of chicks. Ollie had a girl doing stuff with him, and then another one put on a strap-on. He was down to try anything, and I think he enjoyed it. He’s gone down on Lucas a few times too, as a guy. I don’t know if it’s something he’ll continue to do, or if he was just experimenting, but Lucas loved it. He doesn’t think of himself as bisexual though, just more open to different things in the bedroom,” I said, loving how she just gaped at me with her eyes wide.
“This really is the sex house,” she hissed, and I let out a hearty laugh at the strangely amused and excited look on her face.
“It really is, the things that have happened in these walls,” I sighed, still smiling as she shook her head.
“Wait until Lucas gets the toys out. He’s got one hell of a stash,” I winked, and she just stared at me as she tried to figure out if I was being serious.
I was dead serious.
Her mouth curved upwards when she realized this.
“What kind of toys?”
17
Lucas.
“Really? You’re back already?” Cathy sneered at me as I stood before the front door.
“Yes, I’m back,” I rolled my eyes at the snobbish girl who was once my sister. I wouldn’t consider her that now. She’d cut those ties by being a bitch.
“Well, what is it you want this time?” she said with a dramatic eye roll as she glanced at her polished red nails.
“Is mother here?” I asked, curious if my mother was actually around. It’s been some time since I’d last seen her. Hell, it’d been over a year. The last time I’d seen her was at a local charity event. She’d spoken to me briefly, but I could see the despair in her eyes, so I moved off. I knew I was a disappointment to my family, but I didn’t care. I was me, and I was not going to hide who I really was because they were all prudes.
“Why?” Cathy lip curled back as her green eyes flashed in annoyance.
“I need to let her know something,” I sighed, hating how she still thought she could stop me from entering the home. My father had even warded it for the first year after I left so I couldn’t actually enter, but it had since worn off.
“I can pass the message along,” she growled, and I just groaned. I was so glad we hadn’t crossed paths at uni yet. She was apparently studying there now according to Richo’s girlfriend. Not that I cared one bit.
“I’ll tell her myself,” I spat as I raised my hand.
Incredibly, Cathy stepped to the side, not willing to go against my magic in order to keep me out. But the foul look on her face was evident she was extremely pissed with me for threatening to do it.
Like she was giving me much of a choice.
I strode into the house, reaching out with my magic. I sensed mother’s gentle purple magic upstairs.
In my old room.
Strange.
I glared at Cathy, loving how she fumed and huffed as she stormed off.
Then I was heading up the polished stone staircase, my heart tugging at being back in the walls of my childhood home.
I forced the feelings down, hating that a part of me missed running through these halls and laughing as I played games with my little sister as children. We’d once been so close. Now there was nothing.
I found my mother sitting on my old bed, holding a photograph. The sight of her made me freeze in the doorway, of how she was smiling softly at the picture frame.
“I missed you when you came by,” she murmured as she set the picture frame back on the bedside table. I was surprised that the room looked rather untouched since I left. Many of my old belongings still adorning the desk and shelves. My little Star Wars figurines still perched along the windowsill overlooking the vast backyard.
“Sorry,” I said softly.
“What went so wrong?” she asked, frowning as she still stared at the photo.
A photo of me and Cathy when we were children, laughing as I hugged her tight.
“I was gay,” I growled softly. Well. Not truly gay. At the time I left, I thought I was, but since learned I was bisexual. I liked both.
“Was that really a reason to lose you?”
My throat tightened as those emerald eyes caught mine, and they glittered with unshed tears as she smiled gently at me.
I was caught off-guard by the remark, and I just hesitated in the doorway.
“It wasn’t my choice,” I said through gritted teeth.
“I know. You did nothing wrong,” my mother sighed as she fisted her hands on her white nightgown.
What the hell was going on? Why the sudden change? Was this all some ploy? No, my mother was prudish, but not manipulative like my sister.
“Why’d you come back here? Did you need something?” she asked as she dabbed at her eyes and stood up, pulling herself together as she clasped her hands before her.
&
nbsp; “Grandpa Harold’s pocket-watch. I need it to try to help my friend,” I stated, not feeling the need to lie. I was intending to steal it, but something made me just tell her. Maybe it was the way she was looking at me, like she was finally seeing me properly.
“Right, he was a very knowledgeable man. Studied many supernatural things over the years,” my mother nodded. “I’ll fetch it for you.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled as I stepped aside to allow her to exit the room. I just frowned after her, still trying to understand what the hell was going on. I considered using magic, but even though my mother wasn’t as powerful as a warlock, she was still a powerful witch, and I wouldn’t uncover answers easily.
I turned back to look at my room, moving to the bedside table to eye the photo my mother had been looking at. Did she come in here often?
Did she, perhaps, miss me?
No. That was absurd.
I sat on the edge of the bed, eyeing the watch laid out behind the photo frame.
I choked at the sight of it. I was dusted and clean, polished and still looking as good as the day my mother gave it to me when I entered high school.
She said it was to remind me of her, that she’d always be there for me.
I’d left it behind when I’d run out, practically being disowned by my father for tarnishing his good name. Much like what Ollie’s family had done to him.
“Here it is.”
I jumped to my feet as my mother re-entered the room, holding the pocket-watch out for me.
“Thanks,” I said, catching her eyes as she handed it over.
“Lucas…” she started, her eyes glittering once more. But then she sighed and looked away. “Take care of yourself. Please.”
“I will, you too,” I nodded, still frowning as I tried to understand what was going through her head.
“Good. I hope you’re doing well in life now,” she murmured as she moved aside.
“I am,” I said as I watched her.
“Good, that’s good,” she said softly. “Your father will be home soon. You should probably head off before then.”
“I will. Take care, mom,” I said, noting how she smiled softly as I called her mom.
I knew now. I knew that she regretted everything that had happened, but my father ran this house, and he hated me now.
But she still loved me. She’d never stopped. She’d only been so harsh towards me because that’s what he wanted. But now she thought she’d lost me.
It pained me to know that that was how she was feeling. But I couldn’t fix it.
My father wanted nothing to do with me ever again. There was nothing I could do about that, and my mother was loyal to him.
I clenched my jaw as I stuffed the pocket-watch into my pocket. I had other issues to deal with than my family dramas.
Ally’s life was on the line.
But as I strode out, I heard her soft sigh as she looked at the photograph once more.
The watch no longer on the bedside table.
I texted Emma on my way home, informing her I had the pocket-watch. She replied to be at hers at 3.30pm Wednesday afternoon for the summoning ritual. She was making sure she had all the ingredients there for it.
I wanted to get to the bottom of this once and for all. Discover the secrets about our housemate and what these creepy readings meant.
I wanted to help Ally understand what was going on.
I felt bad for having Marcus hide the truth about the nature of her parents’ deaths from her, but she didn’t need that heartache.
Not to mention we needed to get to the bottom of why a wendigo would be hunting her. What did she mean to it? Why did it want her?
Skip had messaged me when I got to my parents, informing me of the horned thing Ally had seen. It was gone now, but I had a feeling it was the wendigo.
I couldn’t go to my father for help, he didn’t believe there was something more sinister going on with Ally.
So I was headed home now to improve the warding on the house, and I intended to add some warding to Ally herself. The bracelet I’d given her gave me a way to track her if needed, but I was going to infuse it with powerful protective magic now. I needed to know she was safe. She had all of us, and I knew we’d all protect her, but I needed to feel certain. I had to.
I pulled into the driveway, glancing around the darkened corners of the yard and reaching out with my magic.
Something had been near the house. Out the back. That much I could tell, and the feeling I got from it made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.
I launched out of my car hurling purple magic wisps around the house, watching as it settled onto areas of the old building and strengthening the warding. I flung it further out, feeling the power rippling through me as the warding increased, encasing the yard as well as the house. The house was the strongest, but now the entire yard would be warded as well from unwanted guests. I’d know as soon as anyone tried to cross into it.
Once I was satisfied there were no breaks or weak areas in my warding, I headed inside, locking the door behind me before heading upstairs to check on Ally.
I found her fast asleep with Ollie under her arm and nuzzled into her chest, while Skip was asleep on the chair at the desk, his arms folded over his chest as his head hung down. He looked incredibly uncomfortable, so I’d wake him up.
I moved to head towards him, but a soft groan escaped Ally as her brow furrowed.
I faltered, moving over to the bed instead and holding a glowing purple hand over her head.
Nightmares. They were plaguing her again.
“Not tonight, Cupcake,” I murmured as I sprinkled my magic over her sleeping form.
Her frown immediately slipped away, and I smiled softly. She’d sleep well tonight.
I flicked my eyes to Skip, who was now watching me with one eye open.
He must have sensed me enter the room, being on high alert.
I moved over to him and offered him my hand, and he just glanced back at Ally.
“I’ve warded the whole yard, she’s safe,” I said quietly.
His shoulders relaxed at that news, and he accepted my offered hand as he stifled a yawn.
He waited until we were out in the hall before his bedroom door before he spoke, making sure he kept his tone hushed.
“She was adamant there was a horned man out the back.”
“Yeah, probably the wendigo,” I murmured.
“A wendigo?” he frowned.
“We believe a wendigo murdered her parents and Wayne, as to why, we don’t know. But this whole being hunted thing makes me think it’s the wendigo. I just can’t figure out why. It had the chance to kill her as a child, but it didn’t. Marcus saw into her memories, one that not even she can remember, and he saw it. It didn’t hurt her,” I explained.
“They eat people and supes, right?” he hissed.
“Yeah,” I nodded.
“Shouldn’t the Area Enforcer be alerted?” he growled.
“I doubt my father will take anything I say seriously,” I sighed as I ran a weary hand through my hair.
“Well, guess one of us will have to bring it up with him,” he muttered.
“I’ll ask Marcus too as soon as he gets home. My father will be more likely to listen to him. Especially if it is actually here.”
“We will definitely have to make sure someone is with her at all times now,” Skip stated.
“Yeah, you going to work with her tomorrow?” I checked.
“Of course. I’ll get plenty of study done,” he scoffed, and then covered a yawn.
“Good. Once my father has been alerted, he’ll be looking for it. There’s no such thing as a good wendigo, hence why they’ve been hunted to near extinction. They’re monsters all the way through. He’ll make sure it’s found,” I nodded. I’d wanted to tell my father earlier while I was there, but he wouldn’t listen to me. He hated having anything to do with me.
Marcus would have a better shot. My father had kille
d Annabelle, Marcus’s sire when she’d murdered his family. There was some sort of respect between the two there from my understanding. The rest of us were just rejects in my father’s eyes.
“Fingers crossed he listens,” Skip sighed.
18
I awoke from my pleasant dreams, groaning as I felt around for the annoying phone on my bedside table. My alarm was blaring to inform me of my day of work.
I sat up groggily once I found it, switching the alarm off as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.
I eyed the chair at my desk, finding Skip was nowhere to be seen. I still smiled softly to myself. He’d sat with me and kept me company, spoke with me to relieve my worries a little.
My mind instantly jumped back to the thing I saw in the backyard, and I shivered at the reminder. What had it been? Was it really just someone pulling a prank?
It had to be.
And yet, Teresa’s words rung in my mind. Hunted. I was being hunted.
I shoved the worrisome thought aside as I climbed out of bed and quickly dressed, stumbling around in my sleepy state.
Then I was headed downstairs, already thinking about my Nutri-grain for breakfast and wondering if anyone else was up.
When I reached the bottom of the stairs, a scratching sound caught my attention.
I walked into the living room, finding the source of the sound.
‘Please don’t watch, it’s already awkward as hell.’
I just blinked dumbly as the ginger and white cat, Ollie, scratched around in his litter tray.
I was essentially watching him use the toilet.
I immediately looked away, unable to hide the stupid smile as I shook my head and moved on into the kitchen.
“Morning Bee Sting!”
I sighed as Skip greeted me, wearing a revealing grey singlet that showed off his toned sides. Why they dipped that much under the arms was beyond me, but I wouldn’t complain. I’d never get tired of looking at that perfect body.
‘Being linked to you really can take a toll on a man’s ego.’
I grinned as Marcus’s voice floated into my mind. Guess he was still up.
‘Working on a project with my friends, I’ll be headed to bed soon. Have a good day at work today.’