13. Sensory Deprivation
Sensory Deprivation
Ryn
There’s something inherently calming about being in the lab, although not even my lab can help with the mounting frustration rising alongside my anxiety.
These fucking stones are mocking me. There isn’t a soul stashed in any of them, and I’m not sure what to check beyond that.
It’s like we took a massive risk just to hit a dead end, but it can’t be a dead end, or a sadistic prick will have my boyfriend arrested.
If he hasn’t been already. I groan and dig the palms of my hands into my tightly shut eyes.
Think, Ryn. Fucking think! I'm too distracted, and this is useless.
I should be out looking for him, not sitting here staring at a bunch of fucking rocks.
I haven’t felt him through the necklace since the meeting with Kier, and that was hours ago. I’m tempted to check my phone again, but I’ve got the damn thing’s volume all the way up, so I know he hasn’t messaged or called.
An indignant puff of air slips out past my lips as I slam one of the blasted stones down a little harder than necessary.
My shoulders slump and tears burn the back of my eyes.
I don’t know the first thing about magical artifacts or soul gem theories, or really anything that would be useful in trying to reverse-engineer or identify these things.
Sam handles most of the heavy science. I’m basically a glorified jumper cable.
A scream of frustration threatens to bubble up in my throat, but I swallow it down on a gasp when the door slides open behind me.
Spinning on my heels, I brace myself, fixing my face into an impassive mask in case it’s the Unseelie prick. The shriek from a second ago bubbles up after all, but this time for a very different reason.
“Seth!” Some of the tension leeches out of my frame at the sight of him, until I remember he vanished without a trace and hasn’t bothered to contact me. And seeing as he is very clearly not detained, I growl, “What the actual fuck, you asshole! You couldn’t text?”
The warm smile that was spreading over his handsome face at seeing me transforms into a guilty countenance, which only ticks me off more.
I fold my arms and jut my hip, waiting for him to give me a damn good excuse.
My brow quirks with impatience as I scowl.
I don’t want to be angry with him; I want to jump his bones, and if I have to postpone those plans to prove a point, that might just be the cherry on top of this terrible godsdamn day.
I watch as Seth lifts a shaky hand behind his head, rubbing his neck awkwardly. “I’m sorry, Ryn. I—well, it’s just that…” He takes a deep breath, and I bristle when he mumbles, “Do you want the good news or the bad news?”
“Good first,” I breathe in through my nose and roll my shoulders.
“No one died, and I’m not going to jail!
” He smiles but then squints and scrunches up his nose, his head shakes a little as if he's mentally arguing with himself, and sighs, “Well, no one important died, and I’m technically on probation.” His orbs sputter before he shrugs, “And we’re invited to dinner at my friend’s place this weekend. ”
My face screws up into some mixture of confusion and shock as I bark out a short laugh, “That’s the good news?”
He jerks his head in a stiff nod and shifts his weight on his feet. “Y-yes.”
“And the bad?”
Tension builds in my muscles as Seth purses his lips and sighs, “I sort of accidentally committed a little bit of homicide and got suspended from my job.” His tone is gritty as he adds, “I guess technically the probation part falls in this category too.” Seth stops, and half-smiles timidly before his orbs roll, and he mutters, “And Trissa is a shit cook, so fingers crossed it’s takeout, or we may end up with food poisoning. ”
My jaw falls open, and I stare blankly at him. It takes me a minute to recover before I straighten and tilt my head to crack my neck. “Tell me, sugar—how does one accidentally commit a ‘little bit’ of homicide?” My voice barely shakes, and I’m proud momentarily of my stunning display of control.
Seth winces again. “It was an unsanctioned obwom death. I r-ripped his soul out,” he shifts nervously before continuing, “and then siphoned it off to save someone else.” His shoulders slump, and he takes a hesitant step toward me.
“I promise I’m not crazy, Ryn. I’ve never done anything like this before!
I swear I’m not like them, you have to believe me. "
Swirling orbs brighten with emotion, and he pleads, "Please, baby. He almost killed my friends. I-I didn’t think, but I swear, I promise—” Seth falters, and his orbs flash, clearly exposing the rawness of his nerves. My eyes drop to his slightly outstretched hand, which is still shaking.
It's obvious that he's sincere, and the longer he talks, the more I realize that I'm just relieved he's okay. I mean, I am still pretty concerned about the homicide; we’ve only been an official couple for like—two days? And he murdered someone!
Still, his explanation confuses me as much as it somehow makes me feel better, and I'd really love to get to the point where I can feel better without guilt that I'm enabling a crazy person.
Squeezing my eyes shut against all the noise in my head, I whisper, “Not like who?”
“The Unseelie’s,” his orbs are so bright they’re almost sparking now, “I don’t fuck up like this normally, I promise.
I-I know you don’t want to be around this kind of like, treacherous shit.
But I didn’t mean…” He pauses and shakes his head slowly as his hands drop in defeat.
The swirling colors slow as his orbs dim with resignation.
“No, I'm sorry, Ryn. I know you probably want me to tell you it was completely out of character and I'll never do it again, but I can't lie. I meant it. And I’d do it again.
To save them—to save anyone who matters to me, I'd do it again.”
There’s a shift in the air as my feet compel me forward.
I’m still not really sure I understand everything, and we will most assuredly need to have a longer and more enlightening chat later about all the events since we were parted, but I do know that he’s right.
He’s not like them. They wouldn’t apologize or feel guilt, or even care.
And if he’s not being detained, if the Guild gave him probation, then obviously they believe what he did was justified in some way.
That realization and the look on his pathetic, adorable face means I don’t really care about the details as much as I probably should.
About any of it. Which should alarm me a little more than it does, but with the day I’ve had…
With the thrum of nerves and built-up energy running like a current under my skin, all I really want is to hold on to him and ground myself.
He grabs me into his arms as soon as I walk within range, and it seems like maybe this is exactly what he needs, too.
His spiced opium scent envelopes me, and I sink into him, breathing him deep into my lungs.
His hand wraps around the base of my throat as he pulls me closer, his other arm a powerful band around my waist, anchoring me to his solid form.
I can feel the shakiness in his limbs, and it bleeds into me, heightening the buzzing feeling under my skin.
My heart is pounding as he claims my mouth in a possessive kiss.
I moan into him, and he deepens the kiss, his tongue lashing out hungrily. My hands fist his shirt, knuckles white, and I can feel the hard length of him as it grows against my stomach where our bodies are pressed tight.
Heat blooms in my gut as I grind against his sex, seeking friction. Seth groans into my mouth as I roll my hips again.
He breaks the kiss suddenly and rasps out, “Do you trust me?”
I can feel tremors of anticipation, but I’m not sure if they’re coming from him or me, or maybe both of us.
I force myself to look at his face; his steady but incredibly bright orbs shine in earnest as he pants, waiting for my answer. “Yes.”
His orbs darken, both in hue and brightness, and he moans as he dives back into our kiss. The hand around my throat squeezes slightly, and I gasp as I feel his other arm move toward the button on my pants.
I unclench my fists from the fabric of his shirt and drop them to his hem, quickly pushing it up.
Seth releases my throat and slides warm hands into the waist of my pants, grabbing my ass cheeks into his palms roughly before kneading them.
I lean back, breaking the kiss again and pressing his hard length into my front, giving me some delicious pressure on my throbbing clit.
My hands scramble to lift his shirt over his head, tossing it to the floor quickly before I pull off my own shirt, adding it to the pile.
Shadows leak out of Seth like rolling waves of pitch-black sea.
As I make quick work of my bra, the shadows reach waist height, ascending steadily.
It’s not like the semi-transparent shadow cloak from the sidewalk; this is thick and all-consuming.
My eyes widen slightly as I drop my bra, then run my hands up Seth’s bare chest.
“Seth?” There’s a hint of alarm in my voice as I watch the shadows climb, as I feel them rising against my bare skin.
He lets go of my backside and vanishes the rest of our clothes, keeping a hand on my waist to anchor me.
“Don’t worry, love. I’ve got you. Trust me?
” He’s breathing heavily, and his orbs are swirling so impossibly fast that it’s almost hypnotic.
I swallow thickly as the shadows reach our necks, my heart hammering like a bird against my ribcage.
Suddenly, they stop rising, and he tilts his head, waiting.