Chapter 12 - Sadie
As the days go by, Rhys and I settle into a comfortable routine. Cassie enjoys her time at the preschool with Jean so much, I don’t feel guilty about leaving her, and I even start to look forward to the nightly routine of cooking dinner with Rhys.
I still feel like something’s not right, I think as I carefully shelve a few very old, thin books. Like there’s a sleeping giant right under my feet, ready to awaken at any moment.
“Hey, Sadie!” Trina calls, almost making me jump out of my skin. “You coming out for coffee?”
“Sure,” I answer, my breath short after the little scare.
“Are you okay?” Trina laughs. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“I was just drifting off in my own thoughts,” I say, shaking my head. “Being up to my elbows in old books and covered with dust made me feel like I was underground, I guess.”
“This is the oldest part of the museum,” Trina explains. “These texts aren’t for the public, but Fern puts them on display sometimes.”
“Interesting,” I say, putting another one on the shelf with great care. “I haven’t really looked inside, just done an inventory of them.”
“Some of them are fragile and irreplaceable,” Trina replies. “I hate working back here.”
“Because of the value of the artifacts?”
“Well, yes,” Trina says. “But also, it’s kind of creepy.”
“I hadn’t noticed,” I reply as I walk up to join Trina. “It just seems nice and quiet to me.”
“Yeah, like a grave!” Trina scoffs. “If you like it back here, then you can have it.”
I want to ask her more about it, but we arrive at the break room, and the conversation quickly turns to donuts, coffee, and plans for the week, so I decide to leave the question alone until Lacey stumbles right back into it.
“Having fun in the tomb?” Lacey asks.
I laugh softly, shaking my head. “I am, but Trina warned me I might not like it long-term.”
“I don’t go in there much,” Lacey says. “Fern doesn’t really want it cleaned. Even the mildest cleaning solutions could damage the old paper, just from fumes. I wouldn’t dare dust anything in case those old books just fell apart.”
“They are delicate,” I agree. “So, you think it’s haunted, too, huh? Trina was telling me.”
“Yeah,” Lacey says, taking a slow, thoughtful bite of a donut. “It’s creepy. I’m not sure why.”
“Plenty of the old buildings in town are creepy,” Trina says. “They just have the vibes, especially the old council chambers, the church, and the shack behind the park.”
“Yeah,” Lacey says, laughing. “We used to knock and run on that shed for kicks, remember?”
“Yeah,” Trina laughs. “Remember that night it actually swung open, and we all bolted screaming?”
“How could I forget?” Lacey says. “Probably just the wood and hinges warping over time. At least, that’s what I tell myself.”
Trina looks away as if the subject isn’t funny anymore, and I get a strange feeling in my gut.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
Trina nods. “I had some really bad nightmares after that night,” she admits. “And since then, I pick up nasty vibes from places, and then I just don’t go in. It never happened to me before then.”
“You told me about some of that,” Lacey says. “I didn’t know it was still happening.”
“Not as much,” Trina replies. “But at the time, it was pretty scary.”
“You’re a witch,” Lacey says in a silly, spooky voice, waving her fingers in the air.
“Shut up. I wouldn’t want to be in this town.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“There were witch trials here,” Trina says.
“Not historically recorded, so it could just be local lore for tourist trade. But there are stories of women who could cure the sick and bring life back to the fields. There was one in particular who was a founder of the town. Her husband was extremely rich and powerful.”
“Oh,” I say, curiosity beginning to burn inside me. “Do you remember any more of the story? Or their names?”
“Not offhand,” Trina says. “But something went down, and then the witches were all gone, or in hiding.”
“Fascinating,” I mutter.
Trina shrugs, and I know she doesn’t want to talk about it anymore. We finish our food and coffee, and then I head back to “the tomb” to keep working.
Out in the small back room with its old wooden shelves and stone walls, I wait for the uncomfortable feeling the other girls talked about, but it just doesn’t come.
A tiny window near the roof lets in a little light, and the old table has a very bright lamp.
The two light sources make very deep shadows in every corner.
But it doesn’t scare me. This room feels comfortable. I’m at peace in here, even.
Thinking about what Trina said, I go to the shelves and run my finger across the old leather spines of the books. A strange feeling seems to gather at my fingertips, like a magnet, and I find my hand hovering over one in particular.
Shrugging, I pull it out to take a look, going to sit under the bright lamp to read it. The book is handwritten in old-fashioned cursive, but I can read it clear as day.
I read notes from town officials—such as the mayor—that tell of a “sorority” assisting the town to bring in a great harvest, as well as keep illness at bay. More reports like this go on page after page, until I find one from one of the women.
My powers grow stronger by the day. We flourish in this new land. The sensation in my hands resonates in time with nature, and I feel there is nothing I cannot do.
Her words intrigue me, and I follow on for the next few pages, a little shocked to read that this woman from another time is describing the same sense of energetic well-being I’m currently experiencing.
It doesn’t mean there’s any such thing as magic or witches. Maybe something is left in these old buildings, or even in this book.
“Hello?”
The voice blasts me out of the past and back to the present. I pull back so fast, I almost flip my chair.
“Sorry,” Rhys says, looking sheepish. “Did I startle you?”
“Just a little,” I say, trying to slow my wildly beating heart.
“What are you doing back here?”
“Oh, I’m just researching some stuff. Wasting time, really. I’m supposed to be doing inventory.”
“Oh,” Rhys says, coming inside.
I quickly close the book and stand up to divert him.
But why do I care if he sees it?
“I just wanted to invite you to lunch,” he says, his eyes flicking from the book back to me.
“Is Cassie still with Jean?” I ask.
“Yeah,” Rhys says. “All good there. She’s having a blast.”
“That’s great,” I say, taking a step towards him. “If you want to go to lunch, then—”
“No,” he says, looking past me again. “Well, I mean, yes, I do want to go to lunch, but I’m pretty interested in what you’re doing now. Don’t you want me to see the book? Is it like the Kama Sutra or something?”
“No,” I chuckle. “Seriously, it’s boring. Just a town log.”
“Okay,” Rhys says, shaking his head. “I’ll believe you.”
I look up at him, suddenly realizing how close we are.
Why did I want to keep him away from the table? Why should I care if he looks at a dusty old book?
“The dust in here is giving me a bit of a headache,” I say. “Let’s move to the next room.”
I turn to walk around him, and he grabs my hand.
“Why are you acting weird?”
“I’m not,” I protest, far too aware of how warm his hand feels on mine. “It’s just stuffy in here.”
I try to pull away, but he holds my hand tightly, and I get pulled back against him by my own momentum.
As my body falls against his, Rhys bends his head down and takes a deep breath.
Goosebumps rush across his skin—I can see them, racing up his arms and the back of his neck—and his fingers tighten on my hand.
When I look up, his eyes are closed, and his lips are open, as if he’s savoring my scent.
His low, short breaths seem to vibrate through me, and the cool caress of them against my hot skin sends thrills running through me. Suddenly, I don’t want him to let go of me.
I move just a little, not sure if I’m trying to get away or get closer, and Rhys’s eyes snap open. The deep, liquid gold pools seem to swirl as if there’s an undercurrent inside him, stirring like a storm, and if I plunge into it, I’ll get dragged down and washed away.
I don’t care anymore!
The one part of our lives that has remained uncomfortable is our interaction with each other, and it only gets worse the longer this goes on. We both drop our guard, get close, then retreat again.
I don’t know how to keep doing this!
So… don’t.
“Rhys,” I whisper, his lips so close to mine. I want to say something sensible and then turn around and just go to lunch, trying to go on as we have been, but the moment seems frozen in time.
He shakes his head, very briefly. Shifting back a little on his feet, he tightens his fingers on mine. I rock forward against his chest, feeling his hot skin almost burning me through his thin white t-shirt and my blouse.
I can’t…
Suddenly, my mind is full of images from the night I let him have me in the back of the Viper. I can hear my own cries and feel his hands, lips, and tongue, as well as the rush of pleasure that took me beyond doubt and pain.
Rhys suddenly drops his head and kisses me, hard. I try to pull away, and he grabs my arms, holding me tight against his chest. I struggle once more, then my entire body goes loose, all my will to fight blasted away by the wave of desire that rushes through me.
Rhys’s arms go around my waist, pulling me against him. I run my hands up his arms, gripping his shoulders as I writhe against him. Rhys growls, a sound that echoes around the tiny room, then he rushes forward, pinning me to the wall and kissing me deep and hard.
I lean my head back, feeling his tongue searching for mine and opening myself completely, every joint in my body turning to rubber as I submit to him and my own desires.
Roughly, Rhys runs his hands up my waist, searching for my breasts. When he gropes me with both hands, squeezing me as he kisses me, I thrash against the wall, moaning into his mouth as sensations collide. Heat races through me, making my clit ache and my pussy throb.
With one hand, Rhys pins my shoulder to the wall and runs his other hand roughly down my body, sliding over my hip and gathering my skirt until he can slip his hand under it. He fumbles a little with my panties before getting his fingers underneath to tease at my slick folds.
I grip his shoulders with my hands, almost climbing him as I buck my hips up and down, desperate for more pleasure. As one finger plunges deep inside me, Rhys’s tongue dives deep into my mouth. I struggle against him, waves of pleasure lancing through me and colliding in my core.
He keeps fingering me as he changes his grip with the other hand, sliding it around to grip the back of my head. As he pulls back, a little whimper rises from my lips as I let him pin me, knowing that I am completely and utterly out of control right now.
Rhys licks and nibbles down my neck, his fingers sliding around in my pussy to tease my clit and dive deep inside. He keeps me pinned to the wall with the strength of his arms as I writhe helplessly, overcome by sensation.
Suddenly, Rhys growls, wrapping one arm around my waist and the other around my legs. He picks me up as if I weigh nothing, then turns to slam me down on the table. I fall back, gasping as I barely manage to catch myself. Rhys grabs my knees and shoves them apart, diving into my pussy.
His lips wrap around my clit and suck as his tongue lashes the lower lips.
I fall back on the table, moaning as Rhys explores every inch of my pussy with his lips and tongue.
The aching throb inside me intensifies, and as it comes to a peak, Rhys slides his tongue back up to my clit and sucks on it hard as the orgasm thunders through me.
Trembling and dripping with sweat, I can barely breathe when I feel Rhys on top of me. His hard cock teases at my slit, and I’m so wet that just the barest movement would join us together.
“Sadie,” Rhys whispers, and I open my eyes to see his shimmering gold eyes right above mine.
“Yes?” he asks, rocking forward gently.
A long moan bursts from my throat as I feel his cock sliding against me, my pussy aching to feel him inside.
“Yes,” I gasp, nodding. “Yes!”
Rhys smiles, a fierce, predatory smile that bares his teeth. A sharp bolt of fear pierces through my lust, making me jump and grab his arms, almost screaming as he tugs my ass towards him and thrusts, his cock ramming all the way to the end of me in one stroke.
I cling to his shoulders, feeling chills rushing up and down my spine as my whole body wraps around his, every single muscle contracting, my fingers on his shoulders, my knees on his waist, and my deep, inner muscles wrapped around his cock.
A long, shuddering gasp rattles through my chest as my body begins to relax, stage by stage. My fingers, my knees, then deep inside. I look up to see Rhys smiling a mischievous, satisfied smile, and I smile back. He touches his lips to mine, giving me a butterfly kiss.
Then, his smile turns into a feral grin as a new energy takes over his body. Rhys’s hands clamp hard around my ass, and he rocks his hips forward, pressing against the ache deep inside me.
A tingling shiver rushes through me, leaving my skin cold and my nipples hard. Rhys’s face goes blank while his eyes take on an even more feral light, then he lowers his head to my shoulder and rams me against the table, over and over, in short, hard strokes.