21. Erin
Chapter twenty-one
Erin
“Quite an evening. Did you enjoy yourself?” The familiar booming voice echoed through the air. Once again, the man from my dreams stood with me atop a clearing surrounded by mountains upon mountains. Not a cloud in the purple sky, on the cusp of a sunset. Stars twinkled in the distance.
“It was needed.” I replayed the groping mishap at the restaurant, arguing with Seth, and the overwhelming embarrassment. The kidnapping prowled the edges of my memory, waiting to pounce. I shook my head, chasing away the thoughts.
He pondered that for a moment. “I see you’ve discovered your flames. But have yet to control them through practice?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Not like I’ve had the opportunity to. Considering I was unconscious until this morning”—I threw my hands on my hips—“and thanks for leaving that little detail out by the way, could’ve been helpful to know beforehand that I could do that,” I shot him a glare. “There’s only so much one person can do in a twenty-four-hour period, you holier-than-thou prick.”
The wind caressed my shoulders, as if in agreement.
“And you chose to spend that time flirting, watching others attempt to solve the situation at hand without lifting a finger, and becoming intoxicated beyond common sense. You very well could have focused your time on more important tasks at hand.” He lectured.
I bristled. “Excuse the hell out of me for wanting to let loose. It’s not like I suddenly had all this bullshit unloaded on me recently that I had no say or choice in.”
“This isn’t the first time that this has happened, Erin Snow. You have been through many trials before. You shall persevere again.”
“Lay off, dude. It was one day.”
“One day could be the difference between life and death.” Clouds rolled in from the distance. Lightning lit the sky as they raced forward. Darkness began closing in. The air suddenly thin, grasping my neck, suffocating me.
I snapped my head sideways, only to find that the man had disappeared.
Screams echoed along the horizon, growing in volume as the thundering storm raged in toward me. The sky wept, flooding the clearing. The mountains oddly morphing.
Against my struggling breath, I squinted, forcing my eyes to tap into their enhanced vision. Gone was the beautiful green scape. In its place were mountains, no longer formed by eons of the land moving and colliding, but by bodies. Millions. Their mouths hung open, eyes hollowed out, streams of tears the color of oxblood trailing from their sockets. Rivers of blood flowed down the landscape. The clearing flooded, becoming the deepest shade of red. The thick liquid rose above my ankles, over my calves, and knees. Rising higher and higher, quickly enveloping me. It reached my chin, and I sucked in as much strangled air as I could. The blood began to fill my mouth, seeping in through my nose, choking me. Drowning me.
A voice from within the depths of the Earth rang softly through my head as the darkness enveloped me.
“Save me.”
I jolted awake gasping for air. Sweat slicked down my back, loose strands of hair clung to my forehead. My heart thundered in my chest as I tried to calm my breathing. I frantically searched the room; Libby and Derik were still huddled together asleep, her body turned sideways with her head resting on Derik’s chest. Seth snored next to me, his arm loosely wrapped across my lap, as he laid on his stomach. His thick, black hair messy and covering the upper half of his face—peaceful. I let out a breath, calming myself.
Everyone is here.
They are all safe.
It was just another weird nightmare with the silver haired weirdo.
My eyes began to roam over Seth’s form as he slept. Taking in the toned muscle down his bare back from the years of weight training and apparent fighting. I did a double take. Bare back.
Seth was shirtless.
And had his arm around my lap.
I panicked and threw my blanket off my legs.
I let out another breath, relief. I was still fully clothed, not a scrap missing.
Holy hell.
I racked my brain through the fog of the night before. The Taco House, a giant ass margarita, accidentally squeezing Josh’s junk, Seth going over-protective on me, again, coming back here, getting sloshed, and playing drinking games.
Oh no.
I slapped my hands over my face, dragged them down as the rest of the night replayed.
It started with two additional rounds of heavy poured Vodka Lemonades, racing to see who could slurp theirs down the quickest. Seth and Derik tied. While Libby and I choked ours back.
Derik grabbed the emptied bottle of vodka and had us all sit cross-legged in a loose circle, a mischievous grin played on his face. “Who’s sup fora game of Truth er Dare? Each turns a-nother shot,” he slurred.
I shot him my best devilish smirk and reached for the bottle, spinning it. “I’ll go first.”
“Ballsy. I like that on ya, Short Stuff,” Derik said, an octave lower.
“Get in line, Derik.” Libby giggled, pointedly glancing to my right. Where Seth was lounging propped up on his elbows.
I scoffed. “Ha, yeah right,” the bottle landed on Libby. “Not his type. And nobody is in line for this mess fest.” I waved my hands up and down, emphasizing my lack of allure. Libby rolled her eyes at me.
“Ssoo, Lib, Truth oor dare?” Derik asked.
She hiccuped. “I think Erin’s supposed to ask me that.”
My grin held. “Well, which is it, Libby?”
A glint danced in the corner of her emerald eyes. “Dare.”
“I dare you to…” I racked my brain. I didn’t know her well enough to think of anything. “Take another shot.”
Seth laughed beside me. “Oh come on, Rin. That’s the best you got? Lame.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, my tongue heavy in my mouth. “Like you have anything better.”
“Watch me.” Seth leaned forward, his arm brushing my thigh as he spun the bottle. This time it landed on Derik.
“Hit me man, show the Princess how it’s done.” Derik gleamed. Challenge danced across his features.
Princess my ass.
Seth clicked his tongue. “I dare you to give us a little show by dancing on the coffee table. Dancing and clucking like a chicken.”
“Done.” Derik hopped onto Seth’s coffee table; how that thing held, I had no idea. Libby pulled her phone out and played some throwback-cheesy-as-hell dance music. Derik threw his shirt off, swinging it in circles above his head before tossing it at Seth. He bent forward, sticking his hands under his arms and flapping his bent elbows in the air, clucking as he went. His sculpted stomach shook with the movement.
We busted out laughing. Seth was barely able to contain his laughing fit while he recorded the entire thing on his phone. Tequila spurted out of my nose, burning as it came out, which only caused us all to laugh harder to the point where my ribs ached.
“Alright alright! Point taken! Someone else go!” I half laughed-half shouted.
Derik hopped off the table and sauntered back to his green beer pong themed sleeping bag, pointedly taking the vodka bottle, and spinning it as he plopped back down next to Libby; the forest green of her eyes lapped at his shirtless body. Derik winked and her cheeks instantly turned crimson.
Okay, well that’s adorable.
I smiled at the two of them.
And it was short-lived because the following turn, unfortunately, landed on me. I threw back another shot, the tequila burning as it rushed down my throat. “Alright, hit me with it.”
“Truth or dare, Snowgirl?” Derik sang.
“Snowgirl?” I deadpanned, rolling my eyes. “I’ll take a dare, Beer Boy.”
He cracked another smile at that. “Dare ya to show off that lil fire trick.”
I shoved down the nausea that stabbed my insides at the thought of attempting to conjure my flames. “You’re on,” I said, flashing him a toothy grin essentially saying be ready to eat shit.
I closed my eyes, diving deep into myself, which was a bit hard considering how intoxicated I was.
To be fair, it would’ve felt impossible regardless.
I staggered my way through a world of pitch black; bumping into and stumbling over nothingness until I reached a tiny orange orb. I squatted down, cupping my hands around it as it began to morph into a singular rolling flame. I crossed my fingers that it worked as I pulled myself back from the pit and opened my eyes. Lo and behold, in the palms of my hands stood the same flame I envisioned.
It’s so tiny though.
Fuck it. I still did it.
Score one for drunk me!
I rolled my shoulders back and sat up a little taller. My grin widened, and I winked at Derik. “Easy peasy.” Seth, still next to me, seemed to beam with pride.
He leaned over, nudging me. “Nice job, Rin.”
“Gotta put playboy here in his place.” I motioned at Derik, giggling.
“Oh I know my place, Snowgirl. It’s right in the heart of all the ladies.” Derik waggled his eyebrows at me, sending us into another laughing fit. Libby grabbed the bottle—her turn to spin. It landed on Seth, and he picked the first truth of the night. I nibbled on my bottom lip, waiting.
I’m going to puke.
There was a twinkle in Libby’s eye as she asked, “So Seth, playboy over here has his eyes on all the ladies, as per usual,” she paused, letting the suspense build apparently. “Is there a lady who’s caught your eye?” I froze. There had to be. Of course there was. Nausea rolled through me.
I mean look at the guy.
Seth stiffened beside me before loosening up once more. I waited with bated breath. “Lib, what are we, teenagers? You can ask a better question than that.”
“Hmph! You can either answer that or you’re getting a dare instead,” Libby retorted. Her playful expression soured.
“Guess I’m taking a dare then,” Seth clipped.
Libby’s expression morphed into an evil grin and on her delicate, beautiful pixie-like features, it was utterly terrifying. “Then Seth, it’s your turn to give some of us a show,” her eyes flicked to me. “Throw that shirt off. Derik, you pick the music.”
Oh my God.
Please no.
Libby. Don’t do this to me.
I need a boulder or a building, anything to hide under.
Derik hit play on his phone, another throwback song came on. I threw back another shot and nearly choked as the music that came out of Derik’s phone was directly from a very specific movie that had came out a few years ago that revolved around male strippers. I’d snuck into a theater to see it when it first came out, having dragged Seth with me. It was right after I moved out here and I didn’t want to go alone.
That’s it. I’m going to die. Right here.
My best friend is about to strip his shirt off.
And I can’t keep my newly dirty thoughts to myself.
I’m done for.
Fucking fuck.
And Seth must’ve remembered too because he threw me a wink. Then proceeded to take his time gliding his shirt up over his tanned, sculpted-by-the-gods abs. Black wisps of hair trailed from his chest down to the hem of his pants, perfectly accentuating the deep V leading directly to what was hidden underneath. My eyes trailed up and down, soaking in the view. I’d seen him shirtless countless times during lifting sessions, running, and just lounging around his massive house during the summer. But this was wholly different. Seth tugged his shirt over his head and swung it in circles above his head, his hips rotating in time with each whirl. My mouth hung open, practically panting. My heart did a somersault.
Holy shit.
Libby and Derik whooped and hollered for him to drop his pants. I snatched another shot off the floor and gulped it down. Seth took that opportunity to toss his shirt at me and winked. He lowered his pants down, stopping right at his hips, his boxers peeking out.
My eyes widened; cheeks fully flushed. He jumped off the table, landing lightly on his feet, swaggering back to his blanket pile next to me.
I…I…
He whispered, “Enjoy the show, Erin?” He chuckled huskily.
Yes. A thousand times yes.
Wait no.
This isn’t me.
I blinked at him, shock and heat coursing through my entire body.
It has to be all the alcohol.
Libby dared him. You’re all drunk as hell.
And he knows how easy it is to embarrass you.
Chill the hell out. That’s all that was.
No tension. None from him anyway.
Reel it in, Snow. No jumping the guy's bones.
Libby threw an empty jell-o shot cup at me, dragging me out of my runaway thoughts. I yelped.
Libby snickered. “Now the real fun’s started, why don’t you take another spin, Erin?” She rolled the vodka bottle over to me. I spun again, this time landing on no-man’s land. We all took a round of shots. The night continued on until we passed out. Libby and Derik were the first; Seth not long after.
As I sat there, pondering and regretting the night before, it hit me.
Even with all the liquor that had coursed through my system, I didn’t remember falling asleep.