Chapter Twelve
Avelina
Waking up to knuckles on a door, followed shortly by a muffled, “Boss?” was not how Avelina wanted to rise. In fact, she didn’t really want to wake at all. She liked drifting in a dreamless sleep for once.
Callum rolled over and tumbled out of bed, slithering toward the door.
He took her warm frame, the one she’d curled up within, without mercy.
Avelina sat up slowly as he disappeared out the bedroom door.
All she caught was the last slip of his tail before the door shut.
With the tousled blanket clutched to her bare chest, she expected she appeared how she felt—ravaged.
Last night, oh last night…she replayed bits of it in quick succession as she dropped her legs over the side of the bed.
Avelina was so wrapped up in her own mind she almost missed the screaming coming from his pocket belt.
Avelina flipped it open on habit, knowing her stone was inside it. The little leather lip wasn’t even buckled down. That’s when Tala’s voice actually hit her ears. “-ay to Gloomsdale to fuck someone?!”
She plucked the rock out of its holster, staring at the floor.
Her mind was too rattled to comprehend what all she heard.
It was muffled and blurry. Unfortunately, the stones didn’t leave messages.
It wasn’t like writing a letter, it was an open call that played instantly.
If she missed something Tala said, then there was no ability to replay it.
Over a couple of seconds, however, her mind put the pieces together and it became clear.
Tala shouted into the rock, “Did you really run away to Gloomsdale to fuck someone?!” Which was then followed up by, “I’ve been worried sick about you for weeks and you’ve just been fucking some guy?!”
Normally, Avelina would feel guilt over what transpired.
Tala was days away, worried and alone probably.
Somehow, she’d come to find out Avelina was in bed with Callum.
Two weeks ago, had Tala yelled at her, she would have shriveled up and cried.
She still felt like crying, but they were hot, angry tears.
The one time…It was bad enough she was dealing with her own internalized hate, the mean voices, the self-pity. On top of the whole becoming a warlock to save her life thing? She’d had enough of people acting like she was the bad guy!
“Fuck you!” Avelina barked into the stone and tucked it away swiftly. Even though it wasn’t on or listening, she snarled. “I’ve been worried about you too! Asshole!”
It felt good to say it. In fact, wading up her fists, she shot to her feet and continued to yell at his belt. “I didn’t come to Gloomsdale! I was kidnapped, first off. Secondly—”
The door creaked open and she froze. Fists clenched, shirt open, nothing but her dirty skin and crumpled hair to show for it, and she stared wide eyed at Callum. The bastard loomed in the doorway, smirking back at her. He folded his arms over his chest. “Am I interuptin’ something?”
“No!” she yelped, quickly closing the shirt around her torso.
“’Cause it looked like yer yellin’ at my belt,” he teased, nodding at the leather accessories still on the side table.
“I wasn’t.” She blushed harder as her voice cracked.
“Sure,” he hummed in complete disbelief.
She roared, throwing her hands up only to immediately wrap them back around her torso.
He snorted, “Might as well let the bits fly loose, darlin’.
Had my mouth all over that body of yers last night.
Too late to be coy or shy when that stain all over yer belly is me. ”
“Not the only stain,” she grumbled under her breath as she squeezed her legs together.
While she was inexperienced, it didn’t mean she wasn’t knowledgeable about sex.
It was a mistake not to go and clean up last night.
She’d heard plenty of horror stories from the people who waltzed in and out of her mother’s dress shop.
Had to make money somehow. Any purchase we used of Everest’s coin was subject to harsh punishment if he didn’t see it necessary.
While her mother was alive, she worked as a seamstress and they spent so much time in the shop together. She often spent afternoons, when not with Tala, helping hem skirts and listening to capital city gossip. It taught her many things when it came to life, relationships, and sex.
One being she should always wash up afterwards!
And yet, she was too tired and too pleased after their affair to move.
What little fight she had died as soon as he hugged her close and nuzzled his face in her hair.
She fell asleep within minutes and floated happily in an obsidian ocean within her mind.
Callum shifted closer and she could only imagine it was due to the look on her face.
His tail swatted the door shut. She stiffened, unable to uncross her arms, but unwilling to do anything about the shirt that wasn’t quite covering her up.
Those sharp orbs of his roamed up her legs, across her exposed curls, and mapped her belly to her face where they locked eyes.
“Come ‘ere.” He curled a claw at her, and she helplessly padded across the floor to him. He cupped her chin, keeping her eyes on his face. Left, then right, just as he had last night, he turned her face as he inspected her. “How do ya feel?”
“Why do you care?” she tensed, slipping back out of his touch.
He’d gotten what he wanted, her total submission to him and his own orgasm too.
Callum could throw it back in her face that she caved, gave in, asked him to ‘rip her bodice’ or whatever euphemism he liked.
She didn’t like that he had even more power over her, but she refused to let him shrink her more.
Avelina enjoyed last night. It was exactly what she wanted and she wouldn’t be chastised about finally letting herself have something.
I never get what I want. I just let them walk all over me. I take it, over and over, because I am spineless.
Not anymore.
“Care? No.” He chuckled darkly, shaking his head. “Invested in this little thing we’ve got goin’ on? Very.”
“What do you mean?” She squinted at him.
“Listen, I won’t lie to ya, I needed it too.
” He shrugged so nonchalantly, she almost believed him.
“Been a while since anything’s sounded good to me.
And there’s no denying we got something, a spark, whatever.
Last night was good. Real good. And in an interest of me not rippin’ yer stubborn little head off and you not tryin’ to stab me in my sleep, I suggest we keep explorin’.
You tell me what nasty things those books got you interested in.
And I fulfill said fantasies to the best of my abilities. ”
Wait. He sounds…genuine.
“And what do you get in return?” Avelina tried not to choke on her words as her belly twisted up.
Sex. This is just sex. We’re talking about physical attraction and desire.
I don’t have to like him. In fact, it’s probably best if I keep hating him with every fiber of my being.
She dropped her arms and worked to button her shirt up properly.
“What do I get—sweetheart, it’s not what I get in return.
It’s what I get in to. Most importantly, you.
You tell me what bullshit, flippidie-doo-da, pull my hair, bend me over a table, both at the same time, fuckery you want me to do to you, and I get to fuck you.
That’s the fuck I get in return. I get my dick wet, constantly.
I get to come on, in, with you. Understand? ”
“Yes!” she shouted, pushing away from him and storming toward the door. “You don’t have to be so crass about it.”
“Crass?” He howled with laughter. Avelina didn’t stick around to listen to him.
Instead, ducking out into the cabin, she rushed for the bathroom.
To her horror, Grahm and two others sat at the table, all plowing into something steaming in bowls.
An older woman stood at the stove, ladling something out for herself.
Avelina made the mistake of catching her eye, but before anyone could say anything, she bolted.
The bathroom door slammed behind her and she leaned against it.
Her hands trembled as she tried to lock it.
They all heard that. His crew heard their sorted conversation. So much for all that new found confidence. Embarrassment pumped through her hot and fast. She slid down the door till she sat, bare assed against the floor.
You are easy to rattle, blessed one.
She peeked up from her dirty thighs to Catalysta sitting in the bath all by herself.
It was almost laughable how small the goddess was compared to the massive basin.
All without water too, the woman wearing a crown of bones with lace draped over her, it should haunt Avelina.
Yet, all she wanted to do was sputter and point out how silly her patron looked.
“I’m having a bit of whiplash, is all. I’m allowed to have complicated feelings!
” Avelina climbed to her feet and stripped off her shirt.
Her mind didn’t stop to think about how easy it was for her to be nude around the literal embodiment of delirium, but the thought that Grahm or Rat might have seen her butt while she ran away was enough to make her shrink internally. “What do you want?”
I enjoy observing your existence, it is quite entertaining.
Catalysta grinned up at her, her rotten smile broad despite the taut thread holding her lips shut.
It made her eyes bigger, and Avelina loathed the icky shiver it induced.
Catalysta flicked a hand at the faucet and steaming blood rushed out.
Avelina gasped, stumbling back. Her goddess disappeared with a blink, and in her stay, she found a basin full of steaming water, full of suds.
She furrowed her brows. Slapping at the faucet, she turned them off with a loud whine.
The door opened behind her, and she froze, gawking and wide eyed.