Chapter 18
His expression morphed into a combination of concern, confusion, and disgust. My blood jolted, and I considered running out of the room so he couldn’t talk to me. What if he’d decided it was best if we weren’t together anymore?
She looks scared, he said in my head. This confirms everything.
Now, my blood jolted. “You’re breaking up with me, aren’t you?”
His jaw dropped, and shock resonated through my chest. “What? No! There’s no ending what we have.”
Once again, I knew those words should scare me, but they provided me with much-needed comfort. “Then why are you being so hard to read? That makes the worst-case scenario pop into my mind.” It didn’t help that, for most of my life, the worst was exactly what had happened to me. I’d been mostly alone until I came to EEU.
“Because I’m disgusted, angry, and annoyed with myself.” He fisted his hands.
Hearing him name the emotions made it easier to sort through them. My blood eased to a jolt, though I wasn’t fully comforted yet. “Why?”
He scoffed and closed his eyes. “You’re seriously asking me that?” He opened his eyes again and stared at me through those warm cobalt irises. “Even after everything Lucy said?”
“Is that why you’re upset?” Even though I loved Lucy for standing up for me, she hadn’t been completely fair to him. “Because you’ve had it rough too. Maybe more so than me.”
“No, I haven’t, and I need you to stop being so considerate.” He closed the distance between us and placed his hands on my shoulders. “Don’t let me take advantage of your goodness. You’re the one person I never want to do that to. I’m an entitled brat most of the time, and I don’t want to be that way with you. You deserve better. You deserve a man who will put your needs, wants, and desires ahead of anything else.” He cupped my face, his bottom lip trembling. “And it may take me some time to become that man because, dammit, Sky, I’m not worthy of you. But I will try to be. Harder than ever because you fucking deserve it.”
My heart was officially warm mush. I’d never dreamed of having anyone—especially someone like Raffe—say that to me. Though I loved every word of his proclamation, I couldn’t accept it entirely. “We both have our faults, and you’re putting too much pressure on yourself.” I didn’t want him to feel the kind of pressure that his dad put on him about his role. “Maybe I should stand up for myself more with you, but how can I not be understanding when I feel your emotions so strongly?”
His head tilted back. “What do you mean, feel my emotions?”
Crap. I hadn’t meant to say that. “When my blood reaches high levels, I can read people’s emotions, and ever since you bit me …” I suddenly found his chest very interesting, not wanting to look him in the eye. I had to sound crazy. “I can feel your emotions in my chest when you’re upset. It’s a sort of warm sensation that grows and can overwhelm me.”
“Hey.” He placed a finger under my chin and lifted my head so our gazes met. He smiled. “That shouldn’t be possible at all, but dammit, I’m so glad it is.”
I nodded, relieved that he wasn’t freaked out. “When I was kept in the bunker, I could feel your fear and anger. It was constant, and even though I hated that I wasn’t with you, it was nice to feel what I hoped was part of you with me.”
“That must be why I could track you.” He pressed his forehead to mine. “I could sense which direction you were in, and we were able to find your general location. I could feel that you were so damn close, but I couldn’t figure out exactly where you were in the woods.”
“The bunker was behind a waterfall.” I needed Raffe to understand that his inability to find me while I was a prisoner wasn’t all his fault. “But that’s my point. If I were in your shoes, unsure of where you were and what was going on, I don’t think I could have functioned. You went through my kidnapping, Aldric’s arrival, Dave’s disappearance, and the confrontation with your dad and then the coven.” I snorted, wondering what could possibly go wrong next.
Wait.
No.
If there’s a higher being out there, that wasn’t me issuing a challenge.
I placed my arms around his neck and breathed in his unique scent. “We’ve both been stressed and maybe we’ve been taking it out on each other.”
He smiled tenderly. “You haven’t taken anything out on me, and yes, we’ve been stressed, but that doesn’t give me an excuse to be a douchebag. I’m sorry. I know you called my ass out for always saying that and never changing, but I want to be a better man for you, starting right now.”
“It was a different situation.” Though I couldn’t deny I loved hearing all that. “You were acting hot and cold about us like you couldn’t make up your mind. That hurt. But this was about me doubting your character, and I can see why it would burn to have my mom know about Slade and not you. Honestly, you’re the one I wanted to tell her about, but it would have led to questions about why we weren’t together. I didn’t want to have to explain.”
“And you had every right to do both things.” His arms wrapped around my waist. My body buzzed damn near all over from our closeness. “I haven’t been a good enough mate to you for you not to have doubts, especially while being drugged and held captive.” He grimaced. “I should’ve realized that. Then, I wondered why you didn’t tell your mom about us, and hell, I told you to keep me a secret. What did I expect you to fucking do? Not listen when you’re one of the most loyal and considerate people I’ve ever met? This was all on me, and I’m sorry I made you feel guilty for any of that. It just proves I need to be a better man for you and for us.”
“I don’t want you to change, and I don’t want to be a stressful obligation to you. I want us both to be happy.” I kissed him sweetly then forced myself to pull away. I needed him to hear my words and not allow myself to get distracted by his mouth and body. “You’re an amazing man, and I don’t think you know that. You try to be what everyone expects of you.” I’d never considered that Raffe felt like that because he was the Raffe Wright, wolf-shifter prince, star quarterback, a son desperate to make his parents proud, and untouchable to almost everyone. But he didn’t have to be strong in every way with me. He could be vulnerable and let me in because I loved him for everything he was, not what I wanted him to be.
“Oh, really?” he whispered and nipped at my nose like a puppy. “Now I like the sound of that.”
I kept my animal-nerd mouth shut, knowing he wouldn’t appreciate the dog reference. “Me too.”
Without another word, his lips were on mine, and I opened my mouth eagerly. The strange distance that had been between us was gone. My body heated. I wanted his hands on me again—me, not my clothes.
Until Lucy knocked loudly on my door.
“You two, stop it right now and get your asses out here. You had alone time in the car, even if Raffe ruined it, and spent last night together. I need Sky time, with or without Raffe. He’s optional.”
Raffe leaned back, his eyes glowing. “I’ll handle this.”
I put a finger in his face, trying to hide my smile. “Don’t pack-link and leave me out of the conversation. That’s rude.”
He shrugged. “Fine. Lucy, I swear to the gods, if you don’t leave us alone, I’ll—”
“Go grab some food for us from the student center?” I arched a brow. Even though there was nothing more I wanted to do than sex it up with Raffe, Lucy was my best friend, and I’d always sworn that, if I ever had the chance, I wouldn’t be one of those girls who stopped spending time with her friends because of a guy. Lucy deserved my time, especially after helping Raffe and me reconnect.
He pouted. “Seriously? You’re choosing to watch Criminal Minds over …” He nodded toward the bed then slid his hand under my shirt, forcing a gasp from me.
Maybe I could do both—have sex with him then spend time with Lucy? That seemed totally reasonable.
“You forced my hand,” Lucy said smugly.
Raffe and I froze.
“What did you do?” Raffe rasped, his fingers digging into my skin with a pressure that had me panting.
“The rest of the gang is on their way. You know, Keith, Adam, and Josie.”
“That’s a dirty move.” Raffe sighed, removing his hand from my shirt.
I didn’t have to ask why. Keith wouldn’t leave us alone, especially if he knew what we were doing. I didn’t want a repeat of the time he’d walked in on us. No one needed to relive that.
Lucy’s footsteps grew fainter as she headed into the living room. “I don’t care. I’ve missed Sky too. You aren’t the only one.”
Guilt pressed on me, and my arousal ebbed enough for me to remember it was important to spend time with her. “We’re coming out. Don’t worry.”
After kissing me once more, Raffe growled when he pulled away from me. He shook his head. “This is not over, and I’ll be getting even with Lucy.”
I licked my lips, enjoying the minty taste he’d left behind. “Don’t. She just misses us.” It wasn’t just about me. Normally, she told Raffe he had to stay in my room or leave, but tonight, she’d invited him to join us.
My stomach grumbled and he scowled.
“Food. I’ll go get us all some.” He headed to the door, pouting about missing sex just because I was hungry.
I was so damn lucky.
I followed him and sat on the same couch as Lucy, on the end closest to the bedrooms.
“Get me a burger and a large fry,” she called out seconds before the door shut. She frowned. “He better get me something.”
Sometimes, those two acted more like siblings than cousins. “He will,” I assured her, getting comfortable on the couch.
Lucy turned on the TV and scanned the movie options. “I’m assuming you two are good based on the amount of arousal you forced me to smell when I came out of my room.”
My face burned. Of course, she’d call me out on that. “Yeah, and all thanks to you.”
She turned to me and winked. “You’re welcome.”
A soft knock sounded on the door, followed by the keypad buttons. The door opened, and Josie entered, wearing black yoga pants and a burnt-orange shirt. Even dressed casually, she was beautiful.
The icky, slimy sensation of jealousy seeped within me as my blood jolted. The last time we’d all hung out like this, it’d been the Josie and Raffe show, and it had bothered me way more than I’d ever like to admit.
“Hey, you two.” She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She took a seat on the other couch near Lucy. “Any updates on Dave?”
“Not since the last time you asked.” Lucy rolled her eyes. “Besides, if there was an update, do you think Raffe wouldn’t be over there right now, all growly and upset?”
“Right.” I swore her expression dropped for a moment before she turned to the television. “What are we watching?”
“Don’t know.” Lucy pursed her lips.
Josie lifted her hands. “There’s this new reality show that—”
“No.” Lucy karate-chopped the air. “When I stayed with you last week, I watched enough of that. Sky and I get to pick something this time.”
“Okay.” Josie shrugged and sat back, unfazed. She picked at her nails as Lucy continued to scan.
Then, one of my favorite stories appeared. “Oh, let’s watch All Creatures Great and Small.” I’d loved the books growing up—they’d inspired me to become a vet, and I still hadn’t seen the movie. “I’ve been wanting to watch it for a while.”
“Okay.” Lucy nodded, selecting it for me.
Our keypad went off again, and from the other side of the door, Keith said, “Are you sure that’s enough for Skylar? I can go back and get her some more.”
My stomach churned. Was he calling me fat?
“She won’t even eat half of this,” Raffe replied as the door opened.
The three guys entered with three full pizzas, subs, containers of food, and a bag of what smelled like fries. They’d brought enough to feed an army.
Keith homed in on me, brows furrowed. “If there’s something else you want, let me know, and I’ll go get it. They didn’t have any fresh cinnamon rolls, so we had to improvise.”
I swallowed. He seemed concerned and wasn’t being mean or mouthy. But I had no clue why he thought I’d be upset about the cinnamon rolls. “Uh. It’s fine.”
“Last time you got one, so I tried—” he started.
“Man, stop ass-kissing.” Adam rolled his eyes and set the bag on the table. “You go from one extreme to another.”
Keith turned to Adam and murmured, “Shut up, man. I need her to like me, and when I win her over, I’ll level out. I can’t have her hating me.”
I mashed my lips together to keep from laughing. He’d taken Raffe’s threat seriously. I almost wanted to be mean and pretend the cinnamon rolls were a big deal. “It’s fine. I only got one last time because they didn’t have the chocolate cake I like.”
“The chocolate cake that I got you, which Keith has been bitching about.” Raffe held out the triple fudge cake that made my knees go weak almost as much as he did.
Close.
But not quite.
I salivated.
Raffe grabbed two plates, put two slices of pepperoni pizza on one, and had the second one overflowing with fries over a sandwich. After snagging two Cokes and two pieces of the cake, he headed into the living room, where Josie scooted over to make room for him.
My heart ached, and I tried to school my expression. I had to remember they were friends, but that presence in my chest churned uncomfortably.
Needing something to do so I wouldn’t reach over and yank her hair or punch Raffe for no good reason, I stood and almost collided with him.
He tilted his head and smirked. “I’m down.”
I blinked and watched as he took my seat and placed the food on the center cushion. Then he pulled me onto his lap. My eyes widened, but I didn’t complain.
The jealousy eased. He hadn’t even thought about sitting with Josie.
I laughed. “We’re eating. Let me sit next to you.” I snagged my plate, cake, and drink while he narrowed his eyes and picked up his own.
“Fine.” He settled in. “But as soon as we’re done eating, you’re right back here. I don’t want any barriers between us.”
Lucy leaned her head back. “See what I have to live with?” She smacked Josie’s leg and said, “Let’s get something to eat.”
Without meaning to, I glanced at Josie, wondering what reaction I’d find.
She winked at me and looped arms with Lucy. The two of them strolled to the kitchen and got their own food.
“What are we watching?” Keith asked with two plates of food as he took the spot next to Josie’s.
I told them our choice.
“What? No!” Keith wrinkled his nose. “That sounds—”
“Skylar picked it,” Lucy interjected from the kitchen.
His eyes bulged, and his scowl transformed into a smile. “Different. That’s what that sounds like.”
“Yeah?” Raffe asked, throwing an arm over my shoulder. “You want to watch something else? You don’t sound thrilled about it.”
“Thrilled is not the word I would use, but there’s no fucking way I’m not watching this with everyone.” He rearranged his food so one plate sat on the edge of the couch and the other in his lap. “I’m just glad we get to learn about big and small animals.”
Adam strolled into the living room and sat on the floor. “Man, sometimes I wonder about you.”
I snorted. “This isn’t a documentary. It’s actually a movie.”
“Oh.” He exhaled. “Thank fuck for that.”
And, for the first time since my capture, things felt normal. I relaxed next to my mate, ready to enjoy time with our friends.
The next fourdays flew by. Raffe, Lucy, or Slade was with me whenever I wasn’t in the apartment, and I’d begun training with Slade again, though not the other witches.
After what I’d learned, I understood better where Supreme Priestess Olwyn had been coming from, but I didn’t trust her. I’d have felt the same about Slade if he hadn’t helped me escape the bunker at a huge risk to himself.
When I trained with Slade, Raffe, Keith, or Adam came with me. Raffe didn’t trust that Slade wouldn’t let one of the other coven members ambush me.
Even Keith and I were getting more comfortable with each other.
Raffe had asked me to take time off from the animal clinic for a few weeks. He swore after football was over, he’d go with me each Saturday, saying the thought of me being ambushed and taken again was unbearable. The thing was, I agreed with him.
I stood by the football bus where the team was getting on to go to another campus an hour away for tonight’s game. I wanted to go with Raffe, but I was afraid his dad would show up and my blood would activate, so I was staying behind.
He’d tried to miss the game, but I’d insisted he go. He didn’t need to give his dad any more ammo for us not to be together.
Raffe’s displeasure and concern swelled into my chest. He kissed me again despite the football team and their coach watching. Lucy, Adam, and Keith stood a few feet away from us, but everyone else had boarded.
Raffe muttered, “I shouldn’t go.”
“You should.” I cupped his cheek, enjoying the way his stubble rubbed my fingertips. “You’re part of the team.”
“Fuck them.” He pouted. “You’re more important.”
“Oh my gods,” Keith groaned and smacked Raffe on the arm. “We’ve got to go. We’ll be back tonight. You act like it’ll be days.”
“Let’s go!” Coach Prichard yelled from the bus. “Or I’m calling all your parents, and you can explain why you’re benched.”
Raffe scoffed. “He’d never bench us.”
“Better not test him.” Adam patted Raffe on the shoulder. “Lucy will stay with her. Your girl will be fine.”
I pecked him one last time and said, “I love you. Now go kill ’em.”
He smirked. “Now I have to. I can’t make you unhappy.”
“Gag me.” Lucy shook her head. “Kill me. Something. Just make this stop.” The corners of her mouth tilted up.
Sighing, Raffe stepped back, and Adam and Keith dragged him onto the bus. Lucy and I stood there, watching them pull away.
As the bus moved farther away, an uneasy prickle ran down my spine. I already missed him.
“Let’s go to the student center and grab some lunch,” Lucy suggested, tugging me away.
Hours later,my phone buzzed.
Raffe: We’re back, and I’m taking a quick shower. Wanna meet at the student center to get food?
That was enough to get me back on my feet.
“What’s going on?” Lucy paused Criminal Minds.
“They want us to meet them for dinner.” It was close to ten, but I wasn’t complaining. We didn’t have any food here, and I’d rather sit with Raffe and watch him stuff his face than wait longer to see him.
Lucy turned off the TV and tossed the remote onto the couch. “I could use a snack.”
Within minutes, we were heading out of the apartment.
Twenty feet away from the front doors, a woman yelled from the woods, “Help!” She sounded near tears.
We stopped in our tracks, and the world spun.
Two words popped into my head.
Vampire attack.
And the person was screaming for help, which would bring attention to what was going on.
We had to act fast.