11. Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
Aiden
S ometime later and several random doodles ago, I hear the front door open and then close. I rub my tired eyes since I’ve been drawing on my tablet for over an hour now. Nothing real productive has come from it, but I’ll notch that to it being stress-related. I don’t even bother to get up as I hear footsteps heading toward my bedroom at a fast clipped pace.
“You know, it’s rather rude that you’re just lying there like nothing happened,” Eve growls stopping at the entrance to my room. I shrug, and yep, I’m back to moping.
“Are you going to say anything Aiden,” she grits out as her hands go to her hips.
“I don’t have anything to say,” I croak out through the emotions now clogging my throat.
I don’t even bother to look up at her because I don’t want her to see the tears that are trying to fall out of my eyes. I rather seem rude at this point, but I can tell she picked up on my mood from the crack in my voice. She takes a hesitant step into my room as I hang my head low.
“Awe sweetheart,” she murmurs. My eyebrows shoot up and finally, I look up at her.
“Umm, no,” I huff out, “no weird ass cutesy nicknames. That shit is weird as fucking coming from your mouth. I might mistake it for the end of the world. We can have that now can we?”
“Yeah, it was weird for me too,” she says through a little grimace before shrugging.
She walks over to the bed dropping down onto my comforter beside me. Her hand reaches out landing on my shoulder awkwardly in what I think is supposed to be a reassuring gesture. My brow scrunches and she quickly removes her hand from me with an irritated huff.
“Geeze, I was just trying to be a good friend. No need to act like I’m going to poison you. And oh gods, you smell awful,” Eve whines when I try to go in for an awkward hug because I missed her crazy ass. She quickly scoots away from me almost following off the bed. I glare at her like she’s lost her mind.
“I don’t smell,” I grumble lifting my arm to sniff my armpit, “and why the hell is everyone being so damn rude to me lately?”
“You smell like half-dead rancid meat,” she huffs as she puts her shirt over her nose. I let out a little dramatic scoff.
“Opposed to fresh meat,” I ask with a dry expression.
“Yeah, well, kinda,” she says with a shrug still covering her nose so she can’t smell me.
“How the hell can you even smell me if I can’t smell my damn self,” I huff out in irritation.
“I’m sorry sweet cheeks, but you smell,” she says as she taps the end of her nose, “and I should know since I’m a lycanthrope.”
“I lyca-what now? As in… a werewolf,” I ask hesitantly with wide shocked eyes.
I fist my hair in frustration. How the fuck is this my life now? I mean, is everything real now? Vampires, warlocks, and werewolves, oh my! If that’s the case and this is all some elaborate fairytale then I would like my happy ending now. ‘kay thanks.
“Umm, sure I guess we can go with that name too,” she huffs out before rolling her eyes at me.
“What the fuck? You were dressed as a cat for Halloween though,” I exclaim.
“That’s the point you’re getting stuck on? Really, Aiden,” she huffs out, “gotta love contradictions, though, am I right,” she says with a little smile and another shrug.
“Next, you’ll be telling me Sin is a banshee,” I huff out.
“Weeell-“
“No! Just no,” I growl, “there’s no way in hell my pet cat is a fucking banshee!”
“I mean, he’s not a banshee perse, that’s for sure,” she mumbles under her breath. My eyes widen when I take in her comment.
“Sin a girl,” I say but it comes out more like a question.
“Sin is not a girl,” she says with a laugh, “how did you not know that?” Before I can even respond to any of that knocking sounds at my front door and my brow scrunches in confusion. Who the hell could be here at this hour? It’s got to be past ten at night.
“We’re not done with this conversation,” I say giving Eve a pointed look. She just cocks her head at me and it’s so freakishly canine that I have to look away. I’m half tempted to ignore the front door and hope whoever is darkening my doorstep will take the hint and go away.
I’m not done processing that my only friend is now a damn werewolf. I don’t want to deal with any more crazy shit.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
No such luck, I think to myself as I stand to go answer the door. I rip the door open and my mouth parts in surprise. Standing on my doorstep is none other than Calder holding a boutique of flowers and a shy expression on his handsome face.
He looks like a sinful temptation wrapped in his dark distressed jeans. His black henley stretching against his broad chest makes me want to press up against him. His hair is styled back unlike how he usually has it messy. I’ve grown used to seeing him with perpetual bedhead.
“Hi.” Gods, I sound like an idiot, but it’s the only word I can get out of my shocked state.
“Hello,” he murmurs, “I just wanted to make sure you were doing well.”
“I’ve only been gone for a couple of hours,” I mumble, still staring at him like a deer caught in the headlights.
“How did you even know where I lived?” I go on to ask as if it was an afterthought.
“I may or may not have followed you home,” he mumbles before thrusting the flowers at me like a weapon. I flinch back and he notices the reaction quickly pulling his arm back with a mumbled sorry. We stand at my front door for a couple of awkwardly silent moments not knowing what to say to one another.
“So why did it take you hours to knock on the door,” I ask as I give myself a mental shake.
“I also went to see Marcus-”
A low hiss escapes me at his friend’s name.
“Awe, I see. Still rather territorial, are we,” he asks with amusement in his tone. I force myself not to start pouting.
“Anyway, I managed to rush him along,” he says without missing a beat as he pulls a ring out of his coat pocket with his free hand, “and I got this for you.”
I half expect him to drop down on one knee. Yes, I know it’s irrational, but that’s where my brain wandered off to. He gently grabs my hand instead and slides the ring onto my pointer finger. It feels loose at first until it starts to tighten, and I make a distressed sound.
“Shh, it’s okay Aiden,” he murmurs causing my eyes to dart up to his, “that’s just the magic adjusting to you. Don’t want to have the damn thing slip off your finger while you’re out.” I mean, that’s rational and all. It still freaks me out to the point where I think I’m about to have my finger cut off by a magical fucking ring. The ring finally stops tightening and sits snugly around my finger.
I slowly turn it back and forth to get a better look at the ring that will allow me to somehow walk in the daylight. It’s tarnished silver with batwings cradling a black gemstone.
“I figured it would suit you, little bat,” Calder murmurs as my eyes go wide and I look up at him. He shifts awkwardly hesitantly stepping closer as I just stare and stare. I’m sure I’m freaking him out at this point, but I don’t seem to know how the fuck to stop.
“Do you like it,” he asks quietly like he’s afraid of the answer waiting for him. I nod slowly.
“You have a rather strange way of showing it,” he mumbles. I lunge forward wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my lips to his like a deranged lunatic. He lets out a grunt before wrapping his arms around my lower back.
“Mmm, that’s better,” he murmurs against my lips between kisses. I deepen the kiss chasing this crazy feeling that seems to want to give me a coronary with how hard my heart is beating.
I pull away with a gasp pressing my hand against my chest, “What… the… fuck…” The beats of my heart slow to a sluggish beat and then finally stop altogether. And then I’m dead once more. It’s a painful process that has my knees wanting to buckle as I shudder.
When I look up Calder is standing there stock-still with his mouth parted slightly. He looks as shocked as I feel.
“Is that what you were talking about,” I manage to whisper out hoarsely. It’s clearly Calder’s turn to do the whole slow nod thing because he’s the one in shock now.
“And you’ve never heard of something like this happening before,” I ask quietly, and he shakes his head.
“Never,” he mumbles running his hands through his hair causing it to stick up in all directions. He looks completely unnerved as I stare up at him. This is insane. This shouldn’t even be happening.
My fingers twitch with the need to smooth his hair down. Gods, being in love is fucking weird. Why someone feels the need to pet another is beyond me, but here I am aching to do just that. I narrow my eyes, am I really in love with Calder?