CHAPTER FOUR
Ember
“May I?” he asks, pointing to my side. I frown, not understanding why he would ask, but nod anyway.
I close my eyes as Punk Rock Factory’s cover of Rewrite the Stars starts on my playlist; opening my eyes, I start to draw, I recreate the part of the film where Zac Efron and Zendaya are flying around on the ropes, but I make it my chunky ass and River in his shadows, making us soar.
I notice an e-reader on Jace’s lap from the corner of my eye, but he hasn't moved to open it yet.
“I want to apologise for the first day we properly met,” he says quietly, obviously trying to stop the others from overhearing.
“When River and Creed bumped into you? There is nothing to apologise for” I’m confused as he’s never said anything negative to me.
“Erm, no, when you were sitting on the balcony and I opened the curtains”, he says. Ohhhh.... ah!!!! Erm, yeah, I think we are now both matching shades of red.
“Oh, Humm, I was more confused as Creed told me he had a brother, not an identical twin. I got stuck on that Creed’s wolf had appeared part, but I couldn't sense his incubus side, and I was very confused” I kind of stumble over my words, hoping he doesn't take offence, luckily, he doesn't.
“Oh,” he chuckles.
“Yeah, I have some traits like he does, Wolf ones, but yeah, it’s the non-identical part we have”, I look at him.
“There are a few others; when I really look, your eyes are different shades, your scent is more natural, like the smell of freshly squeezed oranges, whereas Creed smells of Lemon polish” I turn back to my sketch, and I see him relax out of the corner of my eye.
“I’m one of your mates, but I don’t think I’m ready for bonding yet; I saw the photo of you and Miles reading and wondered if we can start there” he's gone red again
“Jace”, I chuckle.
“I have ten mates if all of them pounce on me straight away like Ren did, I would be incredibly sore even with the healing Creed, and possibly you can do. Go as fast or slow as you want; it’s not a race or competition in my eyes. We have plenty of time,” I take a breath.
“I would rather you take your time and not mark me than regret it afterwards and then turn cruel” his face flashes from relief to annoyance to pure anger
“I would never.... anyone who does that to their fated doesn't deserve one”
He then leans forward and kisses me. He’s shy and unsure, and he doesn't try to deepen it.
He then pulls back kisses my nose, then pulls us more into the corner of the sectional; there are two more couches surrounding the firepit/coffee table, and some sections have hidden storage for blankets.
Jace finally opens his e-reader. I glance over, and he's reading Home by Nikita Parmenter; I raise an eyebrow.
“I like romance stories; this came up on the ‘you may like’ part on my reader”
He shrugs.
“Elise loved that series. Jenson was her favourite; some of his antics remind me of another by the same name; ours just doesn’t have the fascination with knives” he nods and settles in; I go back to my sketch as the others file out.
Devin sinks next to me with a huff and starts swiping through something on his tablet; letting out another huff, he plonks the tablet next to me on the seat.
“Ren, we've got two months to get your promotional stuff sorted, and then we have one month left before your fight.” Devin sounds stressed; I look at Darby.
“Devin has decided he’s going to be our talent manager when we leave high school, so he will manage Ren, Jace, Creed, Bram and River's careers” he pauses to see if I’m following.
“And let me guess, Ren still can't relax in front of a camera and looks constipated when he poses for photos?” I say with a smirk and a chuckle; I’m hit with a hoodie that smells of Pine trees and fresh snow.
“Oh, good, I was feeling chilly,” I slip the hoodie over my head and smile at Ren, getting a laugh from most of the others; Devin is transfixed to the Sketch I am doing, and I start to feel self-conscious.