Chapter Seven
Aldrastos
It was better the devil I know.
However, I’m quickly changing my mind.
Laikynn is a big part of why I’m changing my mind. We were taught that they were all mindless, violent beasts that would kill us for fun. They couldn’t be further than that.
I always knew that they lied to us, but I think I’m only just beginning to understand how deep those lies go, and how much they could have lied about.
The thought is not reassuring in the slightest.
“How far away is far?” Mayhem asks.
I pull my thoughts away from the compound, which I definitely don’t want to take them to anymore, and say, “It’s probably about four hours' walk, maybe longer.”
Storm frowns, “Okay, well, I’m not sure that I’m willing to walk that right now. Am I right in thinking that we would most likely end up running into people who are not happy to see us?”
I wince, “That’s putting it mildly. We will have to fight.”
“What are you thinking?” Loki asks Storm.
“Why don’t we stay here for the night?” Storm suggests. “We know we’re relatively safe, safer than we would be walking, and we can set up watches through the night. We’ve got four walls and a decent place to rest. I think we should take advantage of it.”
“And there’s food,” Loki calls out happily as he opens one of the cupboards.
“Thank fuck, I’m starving,” Zev mutters as he walks over to where Loki is and starts to open more cupboards. “I think Ignatius knew that we would need to rest, and that’s why he sent us here as well.”
“You think, or you know?” Mayhem asks.
Zev looks over his shoulder and smirks, “I know.”
“Well, that settles it then,” Farren says. Not questioning Zev at all.
That must be nice.
She was unsure about the plan until Zev said that it was safe, and she trusts him so much that she instantly felt better about the situation and relaxed, her shoulders dropping as the tension eased from them.
The soft smile on Zev’s face as he watches her for a moment speaks volumes about how much it means to him.
I wonder what it feels like to have someone trust you like that. The kind of trust that happens between two people who have a connection as they do is completely different from the trust between friends. It just is.
“Okay. We can head off to the compound in the morning, when we’re all well-rested and prepared for whatever may decide that it wants to attack us,” Storm agrees with a smile, although there is still worry in his eyes.
“I have to reiterate that I would not suggest that you go back to the compound at all,” Laikynn says. This time he doesn’t say it like it’s a suggestion, despite the way that he chose to word it.
“No?” I ask, relief coursing through me that someone else has said it, that he’s confirmed that it isn’t safe and that I’m not just being paranoid.
After all, that was the plan, that was where I was supposed to take them all, and to be fair, when they were just faceless, nameless people, that was fine.
As I said though, I’m no longer feeling comfortable with it, and the fact that I relaxed when Storm said that we were going to stay here for the night and that Laikynn’s interruption caused me to feel relief and not want to push back and insist that we go anyway says a lot.
If I’m being completely honest, it’s as simple as I do not want them there because I do not want them in danger, and while they are in danger outside of the compound, I know the danger here, I’m familiar with it, and I have a feeling that the danger at the compound may be far bigger than I thought it was.
There is a small selfish part of me that doesn’t want to go back to the cells. My success meant my release, but I don’t trust that they will keep their promise once they get what they want.
“No, I would suggest that you go straight to your other destination,” Laikynn replies.
“Aren’t we closer to the castle than we are to the compound anyway?” Rival asks.
I nod, “Yes, although I have to admit that the castle is one of the places that we are taught from a young age is banned, no one is allowed to go there. Everyone avoids it, so while I know the direction, I don’t know the exact location.
” I hesitate and add, “That would be a reason to head to the compound. They would be able to give us directions to the castle.”
Storm shakes his head. “If Laikynn says that it's not safe to go there, then we simply won’t be going there.”
“That’s okay, we can figure it out. I mean, if we’re heading in the same way that Zev and I did, presumably I will recognise it, even in the darkness,” Farren says.
“It would be counterproductive to head further away from the place where we’re supposed to go,” Zev points out. He levels me with a curious look, “I’m getting the feeling that you aren’t too happy with us going to the compound anyway.”
“I’m not,” I reply, surprising myself with my honesty.
Loki’s eyebrows rise. “Well, that was far more honest than I thought that you were going to be.”
I try not to smile, and fail.
“I think, since we’re staying, everyone should settle in and take advantage of the fact that there’s a shower because who the fuck knows when we’ll be able to shower again.
We’ll get some food on the stove, and then maybe you should fill us in on what is going on with the compound,” Killian says, aiming the last part of the sentence at me.
I nod, “Yes, I think that’s probably best.”
My words sound confident, but I am not.
I have no idea how they’re going to receive what I’m telling them, and not for the first time today, I miss my best friend, who was so much better at this than I am.
Once again, I shut those memories down.
I can’t do that.
Not right now.
Farren
“Don’t worry about setting up watches for tonight. You all need as much rest as you can possibly get. We will keep watch over you,” Laikynn offers calmly.
I smile, “Thank you, friend. We appreciate that.”
“If anything happens, and you need help, please let us know,” Reaper offers immediately.
I smile. I really like how easily the guys have taken to him, even Aldrastos seems to like him, despite his initial reaction.
This whole situation is pretty crazy.
Laikynn nods, “We will.”
I’m not worried about Laikynn out there. He knows what he’s doing. He knows more than he’s letting on. I am aware of that, but I trust him.
I know that he will keep us safe. Plus, I know that it’s not going to be long until Poca, Meri and Oryn end up out there as well.
I glance up to the rafters, and then change my mind, scratch that, Poca will be out there. I think that Oryn and Meri have bedded down for the night, both of them resting on a high shelf built into the wall. Almost as if it was made for them.
To be honest, this place is clearly magical, so there’s a good chance that it did make it just for them.
Where magic of this age is concerned, I have learned to never assume anything.
My attention turns to the others and, more importantly, to what Killian just said. As curious as I am about what Aldrastos has to say about this mysterious compound, my need for a shower and food is currently higher.
“Farren, you go and shower first. We’ll start food,” Storm immediately offers.
“Ugh, you’re my favourite,” I mutter, earning a grin from him.
“I know you’ve mostly only offered me the shower first because I’m covered in unknown beast grossness still despite the fact that Mayhem doused me in water earlier.
It’s still on me, and I’m probably starting to smell at this point, but I appreciate it all the same. ”
The guys laugh, although none of them argues with me, so I know that I’m right. I mean, I have a nose. I can smell myself.
I found the shower when we were checking to make sure that the house was secure, so I know where I’m going.
I jump up, grabbing my bag and surprise Storm with a quick kiss on the way past as I quickly head back through the house to find the bathroom again.
The conversation starts up behind me again, and the familiar sound of the guys talking fills me with a warmth that I’ve come to associate with them.
I realise with a start that they feel like home.
They’re my home. I’ve never truly had a home, but there’s no denying it that’s what they are to me.
I pause for a moment before shaking it off and then continuing. I did not expect to feel something quite so big at this moment in time.
I don’t want to take the mick and take longer than necessary in the shower, especially since there are so many of us, so I quicken my steps.
I’m starting up the stairs, and I realise that there are footsteps following behind me.
Glancing behind me, I smile at Loki.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, with a hint of worry in my tone.
Loki nods, and a mischievous look enters his gaze. He replies, “Yeah, everything is fine. I just wondered if you wanted some company? You know, it’s a strange place, and there’s safety in numbers and all that.”
I smirk, even as my clit pulses with the idea of what he’s suggesting, “Uh huh, so it’s for safety reasons that you want to come with me?”
His lips twitch as he tries to suppress his smile, “Yeah, for safety.”
My smile turns sultry as I turn to walk up the stairs again. “Well, in that case, you know if it’s for safety, you should probably shower with me, right?”
He groans, and then suddenly I find myself airborne. He flips me around in midair, and I wrap my legs around his waist as he buries his head in my neck, his hands gripping my arse tightly, and making my clit pulse with need.
I barely manage to hold on to my bag as he takes the steps two at a time. His lips brush my neck, and I shudder as my eyes drop closed.
That simple touch has my nerve endings firing on all cylinders.
Fuck.
I’m vaguely aware of the door clicking closed, and I’m assuming that we’re in the bathroom, but Loki is my only focus. My bag slips from my fingers as my hands thread into his hair, and I tug, bringing his face away from my neck. His eyes, full of desire, meet mine, and my lips crash against his.
Our kiss is heated, full of need, and as our tongues tangle, I moan with pure pleasure.
Damn, the vamp can kiss.
Pulling back slightly, I mutter against his lips, “You can feed.”
He smirks, “Oh, I intend to, but there’s something else I want to taste first.”
Fuck.
I wriggle, and he puts me down, looking momentarily confused until I start to take my clothes off, and then his confusion disappears.
“As much as I want to wrap my legs around your head right now, I really do need to shower,” I tell him, eliciting a low rumble from him. When he simply watches me as I reach into the shower and turn the water on, I ask, “Are you just going to stand there and watch?”
He nods, slowly taking off his shirt and dropping his trousers.
I immediately get distracted by his washboard abs. His hand moves down his abs and grasps his hard cock, pumping it once his voice is rough as he says, “Yes, I’m going to watch, Farren.”
I gulp. That was hotter than I ever thought it would be. I thought that I might feel a little bit exposed in this situation, but instead I feel beautiful and powerful.
Stepping under the water, I sigh happily as the heat permeates my muscles.
Opening my eyes, my gaze finds Loki again, and I don’t want to wait any longer. He watches me as my hand trails down my stomach and dips between my folds. I barely manage to circle my clit once before Loki’s kneeling before me.
He lifts me up, making me hiss as my back hits the cold tile. The discomfort is only temporary though, as he puts my legs over his shoulders, and his tongue immediately finds my clit.
He circles it once, and any inclination I had of being quiet immediately dissipates as my back arches, and I cry out in pleasure.
Loki pulls away, and my eyes fly open, ready to protest, but any words die on my tongue as my eyes collide with Mayhem’s.
“Mayhem,” Loki greets, and I have a feeling he knew exactly when Mayhem came in.
Which makes one of us, because I had no idea.
Maybe it should bother me, but I consider Mayhem mine, and the thought of him watching turns me on in ways that I didn’t think it would.