Twenty-Nine
Callum
After Kallie and my mother left, I anxiously paced my father’s bakery. It only lasted a few minutes before my nerves got the better of me, and I told him I was heading home. Whispers and pointed looks from people I used to call friends deterred me from going anywhere else.
Lounging on the couch, one of Kallie’s books in hand, I look like the pillar of comfort and not at all like I’ve been anxiously waiting for Kallie to return. Finally, the door creaks open, and I lazily look over my shoulder to find my mother striding in first, Kallie following close behind. She doesn’t walk, more of a hobble, exhaustion written all over her face. I know she wants nothing more than to throw herself onto the couch, but she won’t. Not until my mother leaves.
Something passes between them, a level of understanding maybe. Kallie doesn’t look at me. Instead, she gives the couch a longing gaze. My mother’s eyes meet mine, and we share a knowing look, then she turns on her heels and heads out the door. Immediately, Kallie takes labored steps toward the couch, pulling my attention to her.
“Your mom is a psycho,” Kallie states, face planting into the couch. “A beautiful, talented, patient psycho.” Her words sound muffled as she talks into the cushion.
“You look like shit,” I say, but she doesn’t. She could never. She could roll around in a pig pen, not bathe for a week, and I would still think she’s the most beautiful woman my eyes have ever had the pleasure of looking at. She throws a vulgar gesture behind her back, and I can’t help the smile that pulls at the corners of my lips just as I can’t stop the chuckle that escapes.
“You’re not done, Princess. Get cleaned up. We have work to do.” She groans into the cushion, and my cock twitches in response.
“Donni said we were done.” Her whining is cute, like a toddler being told they can’t have dessert before dinner.
“You are done. With her. For today,” I clarify. “It’s my shift. So go. You have ten minutes.” But I don’t care how long she takes. She could keep me waiting for a lifetime, and I wouldn’t mind. The time frame is merely a formality, an opening for her to seem like she has semblance of control in a situation where she truly has none.
She slides her face down the cushion and stays there for a moment. Her ass sits firmly in the air, taunting me. Before I do something stupid, I turn around and yell, “Eight minutes!” over my shoulder. She groans once more, the sound continuing in a long dramatic wave of her clear annoyance and defiance. Even though I shouldn’t, I steal a glance back, and immediately wish I hadn’t. Her heels are tucked beneath her, those beautiful long lashes she unconsciously bats when she’s frazzled, fan the tops of her cheeks as her body sways slightly, fighting the sleep that begs to come.
Thoughts run through my mind at hyper-speed, imagining myself standing in front of her, those big green doe eyes staring up at me. Submitting to me. Flashes of what I would do to her play out, how those plump lips would look wrapped around my cock, sealing off her air supply. Shaking my head, I pull my attention back to the kitchen, absentmindedly washing the few dishes in the sink.
When she rises, she doesn’t say a word, sulking the entire way to my bedroom—our bedroom—not stopping to look out the wall of windows I had installed just before her arrival, not sparing a glance toward the door I forbid her from entering. It isn’t until the door clicks shut that I’m able to release the breath I’d been holding in.
She was exceptional today. I felt her struggle, her body spent and drained, like a car running on fumes and it starts sputtering before coming to an untimely halt. Just when I thought she was going to give up, a switch flipped, and I was being pushed out of her mind, being chased by the flames she was attempting to conjure, unable to grasp onto anything as I was thrown out for a heartbeat. When I finally re-emerged, it was cold and dark, like her body had been taken over, and in her place was a distant ancient warrior who had been entombed since the beginning of time, finally being set free. I watched as she lit up the trees, saw her form life around her, creating a castle of pure serenity.
If she thinks I didn’t know about her other gift, she’s sadly mistaken. I’m everywhere. She should know that by now. How else would I have known where she was being held?
When we arrived in Siderium, I watched the glamor slide off her, like a mask being pulled away, and I was finally able to see her. The real her. The sight took my breath away. Watching Kallie in a world she was meant to be in all along was something I never thought I would get the opportunity to witness. When we walked through town, she didn’t say anything about the lingering gazes, just completely entranced by the town itself.
Of course, I expected nothing less than the bratty backlash I received. Rose was the best person to give her the classic Nefarium welcome. Watching her stubborn ass try to navigate the streets alone was icing on top of the cake. Meeting my parents was a breeze, just like I knew it would be. But I wasn’t prepared for the overwhelming feeling of contentment when I saw her in my home, like she was the missing piece I lost and was finally able to make it complete.
Waiting for her to be done showering had been torture. I made myself busy by making dinner, but after I ate, she still hadn’t re-emerged. I went to check on her, hoping she wasn’t stupid enough to sneak out, but what I found behind the door stopped me in my tracks.
My restraint almost snapped when I saw her in my bedroom. Her hair was sopping wet, water droplets skating down her perfect olive skin, and the only thing separating me from seeing all of her was that stupid towel. I’m tempted to throw them all out so she has no choice but to walk around naked for me to see.
“What the fuck are you doing?” she had screeched, but it was lost to the wind, my eyes freely roaming over her body. My fingers itched to touch her, and my cock begged to be buried inside her that second. But I had balled my fists at my sides, using every ounce of restraint I could muster to stay put.
When she came out dressed in my clothes, I almost lost it for the second time that night. A dresser full of her clothes sits in the closet, but after seeing her like that, I decided it was best to keep her covered as much as possible. My willpower only goes so far, so when I saw her, smelling her scent mixed with mine on her skin, I wondered if I made the right decision. Knowing she was wrapped up in my bed sheets, my clothes, unlocked something primal in me that I haven’t felt before. But it’s an image I want to see for the rest of my life.
The memory slowly fades until I’m just standing in the kitchen again, staring out the window at the night sky. I check the time on the oven and see twenty minutes have passed, time ticking away while I was lost in thought.
Come out, Princess, I say, speaking down the invisible bond that tethers us together. I wait for the usual gasp or grunt in frustration, but it never comes. Panic immediately comes to the forefront of my mind. I rush down the hallway, the sound of the water running growing louder the closer I get. Reaching for the doorknob, I twist, but it doesn’t turn. I jiggle it side to side, willing it to open.
You think you can lock me out?
Silence. No indication she heard me or that she’s behind the closed door. She wouldn’t be stupid enough to sneak out, right? But the idea sinks in a little further, and I decide she could be that stupid.
With a flick of my wrist, the latch breaks, and I throw the door open, only to find Kallie passed out on the bed, curled up in a ball in the center, like she was just going to rest her eyes for a moment while the water warmed.
I stand in the doorway for a few moments, taking in the sight of her. Peaceful. Her eyebrows aren’t furrowed in the scowl she seems to wear more often than not. Her long raven locks are unbound from the confines of the braids, spreading across the bedspread in gorgeous waves. For the first time in a long time, she looks relaxed, like she has lived a thousand lifetimes, and was finally put to rest. Her lips are slightly parted, her even breaths making her chest slowly rise and fall. She’s still fully dressed in her leathers from today, not bothering to take them off before submitting to a few blissful moments of sleep.
Quietly, I go turn the water off, the steam billowing around me when I open the glass door. The shelves are littered with the toiletries I got for her at the store today. Her favorite shampoo and conditioner, that signature scent of lavender and vanilla for her body wash. The counter is lined with the face products she has to have—something I will never understand.
Stepping back into the bedroom, I bask in the picture, letting it burn its way into my memory so no matter what we go through, what we face, I’ll never forget this moment.
Unraveling the blanket from the foot of the bed, I drape it over her. She stirs a bit but settles back in, a hum of contentment escaping. Leaning down, I place a kiss on her forehead, whispering, “Sweet dreams, little fighter.”
I make sure the fire stays roaring before leaving, deciding it might be best to let her rest for the night. She’s going to need it. Stopping short to look at the night sky, the moon shines bright, and the stars twinkle in unison. It dawns on me that I haven’t been out in quite some time, and my back tingles with delight. Stealing a glance at the bedroom, pros and cons ping-pong back and forth until I come to the conclusion that everything will be okay if I step away for a little while. I won’t go too far; it should be fine.
The front door closes softly behind me, and I scan the perimeter, making sure the extra wards I put up are still intact. Nobody in or out without my knowledge. If someone were to come too close, they would see an old abandoned building then feel a pressure of uncertainty before they were deterred away from the property altogether.
I drop the glamor holding my wings hostage. They spread wide, the heavy weight making me feel like I can breathe again. Without another thought, I push off the ground toward the night sky, rising higher and higher until my home is just a blob below. The wind stings as it glides across my face, and I swoop down, weaving in and out of the tallest trees.
I don’t know how much time has passed. I never do. Breathing labored, I take a second and perch onto a branch high in the sky, admiring the scenery before me. The full moon shines bright, reflecting off the nearby waterfall as it cascades down the mountain side.
A rustle below catches my attention, and something runs at lightning speed, gone as fast as I heard it. It stops abruptly, searching. Its nose is high in the air, tracking whatever scent it’s attached to. When it finally steps into the moonlight, my hammering heart stills in my chest.