I heard a rattle in the darkness, and felt a something heavy bump against something inside me, but couldn’t pinpoint where it was coming from.
Release me… the same voice huffed out, sounding restless.
In my mind, I felt myself flapping my arms about aimlessly, trying to get to the voice, to see what was going on, and find out why it was calling me. But my movements became heavier and more languid as time went on, as if the air around me was thickening into glue, holding my limbs hostage, and making it difficult for me to move.
I felt myself being dragged downwards, deep into the black abyss, as it overtook my mind and buried me inside a deeper, and deeper sleep…
❖❖❖
“Jasmine! Jasmine!” I heard a deep, rumbling voice calling out my name as hands grabbed onto my shoulders and shook me.
“Huh…?” I started, jerking awake, eyes blinking blearily. My head felt groggy, and I struggled to piece together where I was in my half-deranged state.
The smell of something woody and musky hit my nose, as I felt something warm and light fan over my cheeks, grazing my hazy thoughts and turning them sharper.
Blinking a few times, I tried to clear the blur of sleep in my eyes, until Drake’s worried face swam into view.
I leaned back, automatically trying to create more space between us, and found something solid cushioning me from behind. My eyes rolled around wildly, until I realized I was still sitting in Drake’s car.
“Are you okay?” Drake asked, leaning in closer to examine me.
Reacting without thinking, I quickly put my hands on his chest and tried to push him away.
“Yes, yes. I’m fine,” I responded, as I tried not to think of the how nice the hard planes of his solid muscles felt beneath my hands.
I must be half crazy right now, I thought deliriously…as part of me seemed to want to rip his white shirt open this instant and touch the bareness of his skin, and the smooth contours of his pecs and abs…
Get a grip on yourself! I snapped at myself, forcing myself wide awake.
Drake pulled back, with an expression that seemed strangely like relief, as I straightened myself up, starting to look more like myself.
Shuffling my legs towards the door, I made to climb out of the car when I heard a sniffle, and realized it was coming from me. I went to wipe the tip of my nose with the back of fingers, and felt something wet on my cheeks.
I stared down at the back of my hand in dismay as I brought it in front of my face. Quickly, the fingers of my other hand went up to brush my other cheek.
I gasped.
Yes. They were tears.
What in the name of hell…
Then slowly, the cogs inside my head started whirring and a few images flashed inside my mind…vague memories I tried to grasp at like straws.
I’d had that dream again; the one about the last time I saw my mother… The one that always seemed to shake me to the very core.
Only, the dream hadn’t come to me for a long time. In the early days, not even one night would pass without me seeing this nightmare, but in the past few years, it only came to disturb me once in a while in my slumber.
Part of me felt riddled with guilt over this – like it was some sort of betrayal to my mother, while at the same time, I was worried I was slowly starting to forget…
I shook my head. That was preposterous. There’s no way I would ever forget my terrible past; or that dark, bleak night...
The sound of someone clearing their voice next to me broke into my thoughts and brought me back to the present, and I looked up to see Drake peering at me from just beyond the door of the car, with a most curious expression.
I lowered my eyes, wiping the wet tears away from my face, not ready to face his penetrating stare.
“Here,” he said gruffly, offering out his hand. I noticed he didn’t probe me about the tears.
My eyes hovered over his outstretched palm, then up at him. I noticed him stiffening, as his eyes clouded over into an unreadable expression.
‘Take it,’ something inside me urged in a strong voice…and I admitted the suggestion was tempting. But instead, I inhaled a deep breath and pushed it out slowly, taking the time to calm and compose myself in that long breath. Then, brushing Drake’s hand away, I climbed out of the car by myself.
For a moment, Drake looked stung, but I thought I must’ve imagined it because I blinked once, and the expression was gone. His face looked as rigid and cold as always.
“Did something happen? You were screaming and crying in your sleep.”
He cocked his head to one side, eyes squinting at me, and I turned around, avoiding his gaze, using the excuse of having to duck back inside the car to grab my duffel bag from the backseat, to evade his question.
“Well?” he asked, trying again to get an answer.
“It’s nothing…” I replied, the enclosed space of the car muffling the sound. “Must be allergies.” I shrugged, as I backed out of the passenger side again, and turned to face Drake once more, to find my eyes locking with his.
His lips were pressed into a thin line, and he folded his arms in front of him as he gave me a measured look that silently said he didn’t believe a word of what I’d said. Not for a single moment.
Feeling vulnerable, I automatically went on the defensive and hefting my bag over my shoulder, stepped forward and pushed past him, accidentally brushing him against the shoulder when he refused to budge. I felt my skin tingle at the point of contact.
I cleared my throat. “I’m going inside,” I informed him, as I passed him by, and continued walking towards the huge, white double front doors without daring to glance back. Too scared to see his reaction.
When I got there, I pushed down on one of the silver door handles and tried to open the door, only to meet resistance, finding it was locked.
Blast it.
I swore, jiggling the handle for a moment. But it was useless.
Taking a step back, my eyes roamed over the heavy timber panel of the front doors, and I spotted the doorbell to the side. Maybe I should ring the bell instead…
I heard footsteps behind me, stopping as Drake stepped up to stand next to me on my left side.
“You need the key…” he said, explaining the obvious, and leaned in sideways to insert his copy into the small lock above the door handle. It unlocked with a light click.
Meanwhile, I was biting down on my bottom lip as I momentarily felt the urge to run my hands through the back of his hair as his delicious scent wafted towards me, as he bent his body between me and the door. Good god…he’s so damn close…
In this position, the back of his shoulder was just inches from my face, and I could smell the alluring scent of wood and musk that was alarmingly, becoming more and more familiar to me.
I sucked in a sharp breath, not daring to breath, as blood rushed to my ears at Drake’s nearness, my heart pounding so loudly I was scared he could hear it.
Seemingly oblivious to my reaction to him, Drake pulled down on the handle of the door and swung it open.
“Welcome…” he murmured, straightening back up, and turning his head slightly to catch my eye. With a curious look, his gaze roamed lower down my face, observing what I suspected was the faint blush spreading across my cheeks and nose.
What in the blazes is happening to me?! I felt my face go hotter.
Tossing my head to the right, I tried to avoid Drake’s keen eyes, feeling the need to protect myself from his perceptive gaze.
“Thanks…” I sniffed, trying to act aloof, and strolled into the house and into the main entrance hall.
“Just down the hallway. Take the first right,” Drake’s voice called out from behind me as I continued walking without waiting for him.
“Nice place…” I murmured to myself as I walked through, glancing around me at the vases of fresh flowers and modern artworks gracing the walls.
Making a right as Drake instructed earlier, the lounge room was the first thing
I saw. It was huge, the interior of the open space like a splash page in a designer home magazine.
A biege lounge set sat in the centre, softened by a luxurious soft, white rug. A large seventy-five inch television hung on the wall where the lounge chairs were, and a fireplace was built underneath it, making it a cosy space to watch TV.
High ceilings interconnected the lounge room to a dining and kitchen area, all three rooms part of a wide open space, tastefully decked out with modern furnishings and appliances.
Light glinted off the shiny chrome, glass, marble and wood surfaces, so clean that I doubted there was a speck of dust.
Every item was well thought out, and no doubt expensive. From the polished hardwood floors to the hanging globes of glass pendant lights.
Dropping my bag on the ground near one of the armchairs, where it was out of the way, I went over to say “Hi” to Knox, who was sitting at the dining table, flicking through his phone.
“Hey Jasmine!” Knox perked up almost immediately, as I took a seat next to him. “How was the drive here?” he asked, before narrowing his eyes perceptibly, probably noticing the slight red tinge and puffiness surrounding my own.
“Yeah…it was fine,” I replied, pretending I hadn’t caught the silent question in his gaze, and facing forward, reached over to the middle of the table to grab an apple from the fruit basket. I took a bite, chewed for a bit and then swallowed.
“So what are you looking at?” I motioned with my chin at his phone, while from my peripheral vision I saw Drake walking in. He sat down on the end of the lounge chair closest to the kitchen and flicked on the television, turning the volume on low. Despite the distance, I couldn’t help but feel painfully aware of his presence.
I took another bite of my apple, trying to distract myself.
“I’m playing an RPG game,” Knox said, showing me the screen. I silently thanked the stars in heaven he chose not to pursue the question I knew he wanted to ask.
Looking the screen of his mobile, I saw it was zoomed into a scene of a small town, with little warriors and peasants roaming around. While Knox continued to explain about the game, I sat there gazing dazedly at the image on the screen, paying very little attention to his words, instead letting my thoughts drift off…
I looked up from the picture, and my eyes caught on the shine of Knox’s hair. For a moment, I found myself distracted, admiring the shininess of his slightly wavy, chestnut brown hair, and wondering what shampoo he used.
Whatever it is, I definitely need to get me some...
“So that’s the premise of the game and how you level up,” Knox finished off, looking up from his phone at last, and giving me a cute dimpled smile.
My insides did a flip-flop, as my heart melted a little, and I looked away, feeling slightly embarrassed.
What was wrong with me today? First it was Drake, now it was Knox…?
I was behaving like some hormonal teenager, crushing on every cute guy around me. I groaned.
“Is something wrong?” Knox asked, his brow furrowing with concern.
“No, no. Nothing’s wrong,” I quipped, shaking my head to emphasize my words as I attempted to flash him a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes.
Knox’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, and I beamed harder, widening my smile until it hurt my lips.
“Hmmm…” Knox responded, still looking sceptical, but to my relief he dropped the subject and shrugged, turning back to do something on his phone.
Exhaling a deep, slow breath, I saw him tapping the screen as he sent a quick message to someone, before tucking it into his pant pocket, and getting up.
“Come on. We’ve laid aside a spare bedroom for you. Just down the hallway, up the stairs, to the left. It’s the second last room near the end,” he explained, pointing a finger at a doorway past the lounge area.
Pushing my chair back, I also got up, preparing to follow him as he led the way, when we heard a loud clatter coming from the kitchen in front of us.
Liam emerged from the pantry, carrying two large bowls of snacks in his arms.
“Oh, you’re actually here,” he sneered, spotting me as he walked out of the kitchen and towards the lounges. Without responding, I stood still, watching as he placed the bowls down on the glass coffee table, acknowledging Drake’s presence with a jerk of his head.
“Took you long enough to get back,” Liam reproached Drake, trying to get a rise out of him, but Drake only grunted once in response.
“Spectacularly charming and conversational…as always,” Liam muttered as he walked over to sit down on an armchair adjacent to Drake.
I rolled my eyes.
“Ignore him,” Knox whispered to me in a low voice. “He’s just pissed because he hasn’t been able to figure out how to crack the magic sealing the scroll yet.”
I frowned, turning to look at Knox. “But there’s a high level enchantment on it. It’s not an easy thing to unravel. Also, I thought we were going to see your great-uncle Lupin about it?”
Knox rolled his eyes, and when he answered me his voice sounded slightly exasperated. “That’s Liam for you. He can’t handle anyone outsmarting him…and the fact he can’t figure it out and uncle Lupin might be able to – well, it’s grating at his ego to no end.”
“Oh…I see,” I murmured, bemused. I opened my mouth, about to say more when I noticed Knox had raised his head, and was looking at something beyond us with rapt interest.
Closing my mouth, I followed his line of sight and instantly felt like vomiting blood.
Liam was standing arrogantly over my duffel bag, the top zipper undone, smirking like the sun shone out of his ass as he dangled a pair of lacy, red panties from his index finger, that he’d just fished out of my bag.
I froze on the spot, mortified as he looked over at me, and cocked his eyebrow up at me questioningly.
Holy mother fucking –
“So…” Liam drawled, before I could form any more thoughts. “What are these for?” he asked, holding my underwear up higher for all to see. As if he needed to bring any more attention to them…
I glared at him, clenching my hands into fists at my sides. Keeping my gaze locked on Liam, I was too embarrassed to look around at the other guys and see their expressions, and watched as the bastard eyed the red, lacy fabric with mock interest.
He sniggered, before returning his gaze to me, watching my reaction as I stood there, my entire head turning a deep scarlet to the roots of my hair, as I gritted my teeth together trying not to lose my shit, while feeling wholly embarrassed.
He smirked, and something inside me snapped, spurring me to action.
I stomped over to him, all indignant rage and fire. “Don’t go looking through people’s stuff like that!” I snapped, letting loose a growl, as I snatched my panties out of his hands.
Liam released a peal of laughter, clutching his stomach as if this was the funniest thing in the world. From the corner of my eye, I caught a movement to my right, and I turned my head slightly to see Drake staring with laser-like focus on the red, lacy material clutched tightly in my hand.
Sensing my gaze on him, his eyes darted up, and for a split, awkward moment, they locked with mine…before he glanced away; quickly turning his head to the side to avoid my gaze. I watched as he tried to surreptitiously cover the bottom-half of his face with his hand…but it was too late. I’d seen the crimson blush spreading across his face…
There was a murmur from behind me…the sound too soft for me to make out the words…
Twirling around, I saw Knox’s eyes sparkling with unconcealed interest; his lips parted into a wide, mischievous smile. Unlike Drake, he didn’t look away…instead, something hot and dangerous seemed to flare inside his eyes briefly, hinting at something I pretended not to understand, even as it served to flame the heat in my cheeks...
With a hiss, I swung back around to glare at Liam, unable to bear looking at Knox any longer, feeling like I was losing all my self-respect and self-control.
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Was it too much to expect one of the other guys to intervene and stick up for me by beating the shit out of Liam? Apparently so.
I wanted to punch Liam. Hard.
This was the single most embarrassing thing I could remember ever happening to me! Thank fuck Damien wasn’t in the room at this moment aswell!
Bending down, I viciously shoved the pair of red panties back into my duffel bag, and zipped it shut. Picking the bag up by the handles, I swung it behind me to rest on my back with one swift movement.
“I’m going to my room,” I announced, not wanting to stay a second longer in the same room as these assholes. “Don’t follow me. I’ll find my own way.”
With that final statement, I stormed out of the room without sparing a glance back behind me.
❖❖❖
“Where the fuck is this room?” I muttered darkly to myself as I stalked down the hallway on the second level. It seemed to stretch on forever, closed doors greeting me at every step on either side.
I was still feeling pissed off that none of the guys had tried to stop me when I had stalked out of the lounge room. Despite the fact I’d specifically told them not to, I realized that a part of me was still hoping they would…so I was sadly disappointed when neither Drake or Knox came running after me.
Didn’t they know how upset I was? Was it so hard for them to comfort a girl?
I stomped my feet loudly on the ground as I took the next few steps, letting out a loud harrumph, trying to blow off some steam. This job was turning out to be a fucking disaster…
My footsteps stopped, finally getting near the end of the hallway. “Finally,” I breathed. “Now was it the second last door to the right or left?”
I racked my head trying to remember Knox’s instructions, but came up empty handed. Rubbing the heel of my palm against my forehead in irritation, I took a guess and took a step to the right, and reached out to twist the doorknob.
It opened easily with a click.
Pushing open the door, I walked right in, swinging the door closed with a soft thud behind me.
Dragon Lords Blood Contract Page 14