by LeAnn Mason
I shoved him away with a little more force than I meant, which had him widening his eyes in surprise. His mind was rife with the realization that Toby's broken nose could easily happen to him if he let his guard down. Then he smiled. The thought of using his gift on me, to keep me from him, made his day. Seems we hadn't become buddy-buddy yet. Oh well.
After reporting our abysmal physical prowess to Commander James, we were all shuffled into a large SUV and driven to our temporary living quarters. The drive was short, only a few minutes toward the fields which surrounded Minefield.
There, standing sentinel was a massive white farmhouse, which looked to have been erected well before any of the Enhanced inhabited the area, at least a century in age. Its wraparound porch and divided windows were like a balm to my soul.
I loved it. I could picture myself on the porch in a rocking chair, listening to my music, or even the music of nature, which surrounded this place. If I thought I had liked the gardens, that paled in comparison to my instant affection for this place. I could only hope that being stuck here with six other feuding Enhanced would not dampen my enthusiasm.
Walking inside, we could see it had been updated with modern conveniences we thankfully still had in our little slice of containment: running water, indoor plumbing, and a fully functional kitchen. Not that I’m a good cook. Air conditioning wasn't central, but we had window units available.
We would get a stipend for food and necessities and could each claim a room to make our own. The house boasted eight bedrooms, though they were smaller in order to accommodate the number, as well as large sitting and dining areas.
This house was like many that Primal families grew up in. Seeing as they tended to have little problems with conception and birthing, their units needed to be larger to accommodate, so larger buildings that could house many people were erected in areas where Primals were heaviest. The various fields nearby housed many such abodes.
I left the group to wander by myself. Take in the feel of the old home. It was vibrant even in its age. I could imagine how it would look if we took a few steps to restore its neglected appearance. I wandered the long hall on the second floor which housed all eight bedrooms, four to each side. Right now, there was no difference in the rooms themselves, the blank walls, and dusty floors. I rubbed my nose to dispel the musty odor and keep the itchy twitch to a minimum.
But the view. Oh the view from the second room on the right. It was breathtaking. It looked out over the grounds, which were a bit wild and untamed in their current state but flanked by large trees. Trees which blocked said view from the other rooms on this side of the house. Seeing as I was the first to take a look, I figured it was safe to call "dibs" on this room.
I wandered closer to the dirt smeared window. It looked to have been a while since the house had anyone within its walls. I wondered how, and when, the commander had come onto this property. It was nothing like anything I had ever been in before.
Next I went in search of the bathrooms. All the while praying there was more than one. Turns out there were two upstairs. One on each end of the long hallway. The washrooms were nothing fancy and definitely not large, but they each had a sink, toilet and shower/tub combo, wasn't that all that mattered? Still, with only two, I could totally see arguments about bathroom time, and order, becoming an issue.
The flooring in the entire house was wood plank, I assumed original, with the exception of the bathrooms, which were vinyl. It was updated but still out of date and in need of some TLC. I would have to start small and hopefully convince the others to follow suit so we could get this place to the glory I pictured in my mind. The regal sentinel of this land. A haven for our rag tag group of feuding hotheads.
One could dream.
There you are. Holden found me in "my room" about twenty minutes later. I found a broom and had set to work, attempting to make my room presentable. The floor was now blissfully dirt and dust free. I didn't find any glass cleaner so I wet a rag in the bathroom and used it to work on the window.
I stood almost pressed to the clear pane as I watched the tall grass and trees outside sway in the wind, which swept through with decent force. I half turned, looking back at the doorway Holden was occupying, and cocked my head at him.
I hadn’t “heard” him or anyone else in the mental voice of the others since I claimed my area, which reminded me this house had been modified to withstand Primals, so the walls and flooring most likely had either dampening or reinforced walls and floors, probably both. Heavy on the insulation too.
"Could you give me a hand?" I indicated the window. The frame was stuck and wouldn't open. I'm sure I could have gotten it open, but probably would have broken it in the process. I was hoping Holden could do it with a little more finesse. "I'm not sure I can get it open."
Holden nodded and stepped forward into the room, his strides long and purposeful. In what seemed like an instant, he was standing directly in front of me and I was once again caught up in his stare, in him. My heart pounded in my chest as he leaned forward, reaching around me with both arms. Almost like he was coming in for a hug. His eyes never left mine as his muscles tensed, pushing his body into me.
A loud crack from behind startled me from my haze. Holden pushed the window up with both hands, his arms still encasing me, trapping me. He stood there leaning. His eyes began their lightening, working to match the Caribbean Sea I had seen in pictures, holding me captive in a completely non-physical way.
I would still be trapped if he dropped his arms and allowed for me to leave. His thoughts were very enticing as they showed images of him reaching for my face tenderly and kissing the crap out of me. With the lyrical sounds of the insects buzzing from beyond the now open window, I would easily become lost in his kiss.
This your room then? His mental voice rumbled through my body, though it was not spoken, making me shiver. Holden had the most sensual voice I had ever heard, all deep and rough. I smiled to myself that I was the only one privileged with the knowledge of that fact.
He brought his hand to my face and brushed the corner of my mouth. What is that smile for? It's a bit smug. His hand slid across my jaw and clasped the back of my neck as his own smile kicked up in the corners.
A thump from the doorway drew my attention. Jade was there, dragging her large "overnight bag" past the door and down the hallway. The thump must have been when she got it to the landing at the top of the stairs. She looked a bit sheepish as she passed my doorway, throwing a mental "sorry" at me.
It was only then that I realized everyone else had now joined us in checking out the second story and discovering sleeping arrangements. No doubt everyone had seen Holden and me, seen the lust in our eyes, at least in mine, as I was the one facing the open doorway.
I hoped Holden's height and breadth hid the extent of our moment from the others. I didn't need another point of contention between us and I pushed out of the circle of Holden’s embrace, putting much needed distance between us. Living with this many people would be rough, but being here with the knowledge that Holden was always only yards away…oh, man.
I went about rifling through my bag, pretending I was searching for things, making sure to keep my back to Holden. It would be nice when there was actually some place to put my things. Soon, I hoped, I would get proper furnishings and make this place feel more homey. After a few minutes, he wandered down the hall to check out his own area. I couldn’t hear more than mental buzzing with the reinforced walls, making me like the place that much more. I assumed everyone else also surveyed the rooms. Most seemed to take it in stride, Steve did not.
Surprise, surprise.
"There's no master!" Steve's appalled voice rang through the entire upper floor and rolled down the stairs. With my window now open, I'm sure the neighbors would have heard, had there been any. The nearly feminine shrieking continued as Steve ranted about his expectations in accommodations. I once again wondered what his family did. Why he seemed to have more than any of us were accust
omed to.
Maybe we should regroup with the others? Apparently Holden had wandered back my way.
"Nah, I hear enough from here. In fact, I think I'll go downstairs now. I'm kinda hungry, you interested?" I raised my eyebrows and walked past him. Now that we were a respectable distance from one another, my heart was back to its normal, stable pace as I cleared the doorway and hooked left, clomping heavily as I headed toward the stairs. I certainly wouldn't win any awards for stealth.
As I descended, the mental voices of the rest of the team diminished to nothing. All but Holden's, who was keeping pace with me a few strides behind. I blushed thinking about living with him, well, not with him, but in the same house. The others wouldn't be a problem. I had no emotional ties to anyone other than Jade, and we were used to each other, respected each other’s bubble. The rest of the squad? I was sure this would be an adjustment for everyone.
I wandered into the kitchen and looked at all the places possible for forage. The fridge was stocked with an array of food stuffs. I even spotted chocolate hiding in a crisper. I guess we needed to figure out good meals for large groups and a meal cooking rotation. There were enough of us that we could each take a day. Maybe today would be mine. I grabbed a pitcher of filtered water and shut the door, holding up my prize as a question for Holden. He nodded and opened an overhead cabinet which held glasses. Coincidence?
"Have you been here before?"
I have, he continued rummaging, I helped with the remodel.
"Oh? Something else you're good at?"
I am, yes. I've done many things in my life. Primals tend to be a little 'jack of all trades' when it comes to physical things. He shrugged.
"So are you a horse trainer? Did we ever establish that? Do you work at the barn?"
His back was to me, so he turned slowly to face me. His eyes bore into mine, so intense. Did he have another way to look? His shoulders were loose and he crossed his arms as he leaned against the counter, the move making his chest and arms bulge.
He was cut. Not near the size of Dane or even Devlin, but chiseled like a statue. Everything about him was rugged from his messed dark hair down to his worn work boots. His smile was warm and knowing when my gaze made it back to his, and I blushed. He chuckled mentally, the sound a pleasing rumble to me, though the only sound others heard was a rush of air escaping through his nose. Did I mention that I loved the fact that I alone could hear his sounds? The voice he would have had—should have had. "Well?"
I work the horses at the barn when I am between cases.
"Between cases? What do you mean?"
My ability makes me a handy undercover agent if needed, he shrugged and stood straight, once again at full height as he walked toward the refrigerator. He continued his thought as he pulled the door open and rummaged for whatever he wanted. If I'm working on a case for which I need to not be me, occasionally, my time at the barn is much more limited.
"To what extent?" I never thought about how to gather information other than to glean it mentally.
Unfortunately, my usefulness is limited to more like surveillance…he trailed off before gulping and beginning again. The fact that I cannot speak, limits my effectiveness. I could not do long term and interactive cases, as most, no, all other Primals can speak.
I hadn't thought of that, but he was right. I remember my thoughts when we first met, the concept of him being physically unable to speak was ludicrous and I kept jumping to the wrong conclusions about what I was hearing. "I'm sorry."
Why?
I looked at him again, now away from the refrigerator but with a host of things removed and sitting on the counter awaiting his ministrations. "I know how hard it is to be different." I tried to pull it off like I didn't care. He didn't believe the front.
Not your fault. His mind was buzzing, running through images like water, scenes where he was looked at with contempt or disdain. All because he was different and couldn't speak. A few lingering scenes caught my attention. There were a group of people, a family, who looked much like him. His family? Should I ask? I really wanted to know but decided today was not the day. I would wait until we were more comfortable with each other, comfortable enough to tell secrets. Lord knew I wasn't ready to spill mine.
I was saved from wanting to pry answers from him by the heavy footsteps and mental ruckus of the others as they descended the stairs, having apparently decided on room designations. The quiet was at once shattered with both actual noise and mental tirades.
This was going to take a lot of getting used to.
Holden continued on his endeavor to create a worthy meal. I felt bad that I hadn't tried, but I just wasn't feeling it today. I wasn't sure I'd be able to come up with anything edible, and I'd rather not have that worry on this first night of forced cohabitation with my team. I pulled my earbuds from my pocket and selected a playlist as I made my way out of the kitchen. The invasion was more than I wanted to endure at the moment, so I wandered toward the front door, remembering the picturesque porch and the chairs settled there.
I escaped the confines of the house just as the horde began inquiring about food and Holden's ability to make it. I probably should have stuck around to interpret but I wanted the quiet. The lull of the breeze and the nature that would envelop me outside. The screen slapped closed behind me and I settled into the white rocking chair off to the right. Closing my eyes, I pulled one earbud from its home letting the insects' song mingle with the lulling piano in my ears and drifted out of consciousness.
The creak of protesting wooden planks had me returning to awareness. Opening my eyes, I squinted into the fiery sunset and the silhouette of a broad man standing shadowed by its orange and pink intensity. The fact that the sun was burning into oblivion for the evening clued me into the fact that I must have dozed off.
The hypnotic sounds of the music in my ear, coupled with the buzzing and chirping of insects and birds was too much for me to combat. Combine that with my mental, and for once- physical depletion, and I had succumbed.
The mental signature of the large shadow pegged him as Commander James. I shielded my eyes and looked into his chiseled features. He looked down at me from the top of the porch steps, having ascended the stairs before alerting me to his presence. "Evening, Commander."
"Evening, Miss Dae," He smirked kindly at me. "How was your nap?"
"Lovely, thank you."
"I'm glad you like it here." He put his hands on his hips and surveyed the surrounding area, closing his eyes and mentally reveling in the peacefulness, much as I had done. I knew I liked him, though I think it was a fairly Primal response to like being out in nature, hearing nothing but what surrounded you, none of which you had a hand in.
"So what brought you back, Commander?"
"Oh, I intended to give you all a bit of time to look around and get acquainted. I always meant to return."
"Do you know this house?" He nodded. "Linens? The beds are bare. I'm sure the kitchen and washrooms are lacking as well. I didn't think to look honestly." I shrugged. I had only been concerned with establishing my claim on the room I wanted, then choosing to escape the ruckus of the entire team crammed into the kitchen.
"C'mon, I'll show you the cleaning and linen closets. There should be enough that everyone has one. We knew we'd have a full house when the squad was approved." He turned from me and continued to the door, waving over his shoulder that I should follow. I did. It wasn't until I entered the house that I registered the heavenly scents of what Holden had obviously conjured up as a meal and the realization that I was famished.
I always ate more than Sages normally did. I assumed due to my Primal genes. The fact that I hadn't eaten since this morning as Holden and I had left for my first day of "training," made me feel like my stomach was going to begin consuming itself in revolt, especially now that I smelled the enticing aroma of pork chops and mashed potatoes.
I swiped my forearm across my mouth to make sure I wasn't drooling, and if I was, to clean up the result
ing mess. Commander James walked purposefully into the kitchen, gestured for Holden to follow, then headed to the living area where I stood and the rest of the team lounged in various degrees of activity.
Well, they had been until we walked in. Once Commander James broke the doorway plane, the murmuring and discussion ceased. We all looked upon the commander with curiosity, waiting for whatever he deemed us worthy of discussing.
"Have the arrangements been hammered out?"
The room nodded silently, though a couple furtive looks and puckered brows appeared. Just about everyone shot glares at Steve who just crossed his arms and huffed. He was still pouting about the "accommodations." Spoiled and entitled. I wasn’t entirely sure how that happened in a town where money was minimal, but I guess his online shopping abilities were hearty.
Commander James nodded and continued to ignore the heavy silence. "Good, follow me and I will point out all the storage areas and you can begin to settle in.” We all filed into a line and trudged after him as he pointed out where necessities were stored. At the end of the tour, we once again congregated in the living room as Holden stole into the kitchen. A moment later, his mental voice reached out to me, letting me know dinner was ready and to move everyone into the dining area.
I relayed the message and made my way in that direction, figuring I could get the table set up for serving, especially since Holden cooked. We would definitely need to make a schedule for meals and chores, because as I looked around at the present company, I knew we would have a fight on our hands about something or other; always. Ugh. I really just wanted my own place to come and be alone. To not have to worry about anyone but myself, but it wasn't in the cards just now, and I would need to deal with it. Hello, headphones.
Dinner was a quiet affair, mainly due to the fact that Commander James was still present. No one wanted to bicker like children, at least not when the parent was watching. I kept my earbuds in to ignore the mental bellyaching and rambling which was buzzing inside my head. While the others may be enjoying the quiet, it was never truly quiet for me. I ate my meal quickly, as well as a second helping, then scurried away to ready my bed with sheets, and myself with a shower. I really wanted to take my time soaking in a bath, but I knew that was just a dream.