Nathan returns to my side, saying, “Thanks, bro.”
Roseland smiles that same cocky smirk as Nathan, making it easy to see the resemblance between them. “I have to say something nice about you to your lady.” Ann pats his chest with light force. He straightens his spine and quickly pecks her nose.
Aww. How cute!
Someone pushes their way from behind them. “Get a room you two!” A girl shouts. “Let me meet my brother’s mate,” she says, forcefully making it through. A woman rips Ann and Roseland apart. Just like her Burdened brother and sister, her hair’s dark, but she has a pointed nose that lifts as she smiles and fire eyes that almost burn me down. “Hi, Tracey! Thank you for choosing my brother.” She embraces me. “You’re just as beautiful as Nathan described. I’m Rose, and this is my husband, Arnold.” She points over her shoulder to a man standing an inch above her height.
“Hi, Tracey,” Arnold greets. “Nice to meet you.” His voice is heavy and cold, but it doesn’t seem intentional.
“You both as well,” I say. Someone’s pulling my arm on the side Nathan’s standing. I turn to him, and he’s looking down at the little boy holding my hand. “Why, hello,” I chirp, squatting.
“Hi. I’m Nicholas, Nathan’s youngest brother.” He has chocolate-brown hair, like Roseland, and big eyes to match.
“Hi, Nicholas. It’s nice to meet you.”
He wrings his hands. “Thank you for choosing my brother.”
“You are very welcome.”
Nathan tousles Nicholas’ hair. Nicholas knocks Nathan’s hand away and throws a punch in his gut. Nathan buckles over, grunting, and Nicholas giggles, fleeing.
Once he’s out of sight, Nathan straightens. “My other brother is over there.” He gestures toward the entertainment side of the great room where people I’ve met gather. “He’s antisocial, going through his teenage years,” he jests, making air quotes. “When there aren’t so many people around, I’ll introduce you two. His name is Nathan.”
“Huh?”
“My parents like the name.” He shrugs. “Speaking of my parents. . .”
His mother approaches with his father at her side. “It’s nice to see you again, Tracey. I hope you like our home.”
“I do, Natalia. Your house is beautiful. Thank you for welcoming me.”
She half-bows her head, and a warm smile dimples her cheeks.
Mr. Newcomb clears his throat. “You’re welcome here anytime, Tracey. I’m sure Nathan has offered you an invitation to stay,” he says with a smile that lights up the room. This man is different from the standoffish dad I met the other night. Glee rests in his light brown eyes, and his inviting grin makes me believe he means it.
“He has,” I reply respectfully.
“Well, I hope you will consider the offer.” His gaze flicks over at Nathan then back at me. “Thank you for choosing my son.”
I nod at him. “Thank you.”
Natalia grabs me in a tight embrace. “We will be glad to add you to our family.” She releases me and hugs her son.
I am so over this hugging thing. A nice handshake will do just fine.
We leave his parents to meet his married cousins, George and Caitlin, and mated cousins Mary and Marlin. They’re all a lot to take in, with their talk of a second earth and world dimensions. Nathan’s grandparents are amazing. They’re blind but can see with their hands, through their touch. Beth and Roseland. They love their family names in this family. As we leave them, they bicker, reminding me of Glen and Scott.
My aunt’s out, Nathan says. I’ll introduce you to her when she returns. You actually already know her.
Really. I meet Nathan’s eyes. Who would that be?
Your school nurse.
What! Mrs. Waturstrom! She’s one of you? That explains the teardrop under her eye. That looks like Glen’s snowflake now that I’m thinking about it. That explains the weird conversation between you two.
Yes.
“Are you two staying for dinner?” Sounds like Natalia asks.
“No, Mom, not tonight. I have to get Tracey home. She’s been gone too long.”
There are a lot of awws and a few boos. “Come back, Tracey, and let us know when you’re here instead of letting Nathan keep you all to himself,” someone says.
“There’s a reason things were done that way. I wanted to keep her all to myself.” Nathan wraps an arm around me and kisses the back of my head.
“Yeah, and we know exactly what the reason was, bro.” A voice I’ve not yet heard declares, laughing. Someone’s head lifts from the other side of a longer couch. “Hi, I’m Nathan, and hopefully the last one of this family. Come back soon. I know you had fun.” He winks.
That’s embarrassing. My cheeks burn, as I wave back to a cousin who’s waving to me.
Rose shoots across the area and punches Nathan’s brother in his chest. “Shut up, dork. You know nothing.”
The other Nathan jumps up from the couch, ready to attack his sister.
“And that would be our cue to leave. Bye,” Nathan laughs. We turn for the door with everyone’s ‘see ya’ and ‘goodbyes’ rolling us out.
Roseland follows us and pulls the double doors closed behind him. We face him dressed down in his untucked white button down, jeans, and boots. He folds his hands in front of his crotch. “Tracey, I’m sorry we have to take Nathan from you tonight. The girls will be here if you need anything. You can let Nathan know and one of them will come running.”
I look to Nathan, and he nods. “Thank you,” I respond halfheartedly, not sure why I needed to check with Nathan first.
Roseland gives me a tight-lip smile and walks back inside the great room.
“It’s the bond.” Nathan rubs my arm, comforting the discontent. “I told you, you’ll feel obligated to me. Once you notice it, you should be able to control it more.”
“Okay,” I mutter, stunned by my actions. I didn’t have to do that during the meet and greet, though.
“Yeah, I know,” he says, mirroring my questionable expression. “It’s possible it could be coming on. Everything’s about to change.”
enlighten
Nathan and I stop for a bite to eat before he drops me off at home. Sitting at the table, across from each other, we eat in an awkward silence.
Nathan strokes the nape of his neck, averting his glance from mine every few seconds. A question may sit on his lips, but he either bites it back with his burger or swallows it down when he takes a swig of his Coke.
I avoid his grim bore; its cut is deep and causes a nervous twitch to my fingers.
The waitress stops by. “You two doing fine?” she asks, mocking that of a southern accent.
I offer her a kind smile. “We’re great. Thanks.”
She departs with a tip of her pink cowboy hat and clicks her brown cowboy boots.
Eddie’s Best is a BBQ joint that gives every visitor the real southern experience. At least, that’s what the tagline on the menu reads. They do, however, blast the best line dancing music, dress the walls in dated pictures of horses, bulls, and cowhide, have animal decals; like the bull horns mounted on the wall beside us, and the sweet smell of crackling firewood from the fire pit sat in the middle of the restaurant.
Nathan drops his arms on the table, on either side of his plate, and taps the table with the butt of his fork. Again, he meets my eyes. “Your dream…” He takes a pause. “It was pretty bad. I had to send Taylor in to check on you.”
“Um, yeah.” I swallow my fry and wipe my mouth with a napkin. “We talked.”
“About what?”
I shrug. I’ve been hesitant to bring up my dream and the chat with Taylor since we climbed in his truck and drove away from his house.
His eyebrows rise as he offers, “You could tell me about it now.”
Gosh! Is anything I think private? I throw up my hand, index finger extended. “Don’t answer that.” He’s making me uncomfortable. Usually, when we talk, he’s light-hearted, bright brown
eyes consume me, and an ecstatic tone laces a smirk that curls one corner of his mouth. But now, he’s distant; eyes void of optimism and tone a demand instead of a request. Much like he uses with others who pose a potential threat.
“Are you going to answer me or should I find out the answer on my own?”
I lower my brows, muttering, “Fine.” My dream was crap, and even if I wanted to, I couldn’t explain it. I do have questions about what Taylor said, though. “Taylor suggested I not underestimate you. That if you get out of control, I not try to help you because if you spaz out, it may not end well for us. Although you’ve gotten better at controlling yourself, I still shouldn’t put anything past you.” I shove a fry in my mouth. “But she’s happy I chose you.” There’s not an immediate response, just a contemplative stare. So, I continue, “What makes you ‘number one’ to your family?”
He snorts. “She told you that too, I assume?”
“Yes,” I drawl. Mr. Beat Around The Bush is getting ready to make an appearance.
“That’s what you think of me?” he retorts, cutting me open with his churning eyes.
“No.” I shoot back, unintimidated by his threatening leer. “That’s what you do.”
He purses his lips and taps his thumb on the edge of his plate. “Like I told you, I’m capable of a lot. I am stronger than the rest of my family, and I have more abilities, as well as the uniqueness of a few. That’s where she’d get that. I wouldn’t say number one, I’d just say they always like to have me around when shit gets real.”
“You fight as a family when things happen?”
“Sometimes, but we try to keep the women out of it. For obvious reasons.”
I nod. “Like, whatever is going on tonight?”
“Right.” He wipes his hands and takes a drink from his glass. Setting it down, he says, “I’m not as bad as my sister made me seem. Yes, I used to be, and we’ve discussed that, but that’s not me anymore. Not with you.”
“I get it, Nathan. You don’t have to explain that to me. You, or anyone else, can’t keep me away from you. Sane or insane. I’ll never not be in the way,” I tell him, biting into a fry. “You just have to realize that.”
He calls the waitress, and she brings the bill. We leave the bit of our uneaten food on the table and depart for his truck. “How can you just accept me like that?” he asks, helping me in. Thanks to his monster truck wheels, I’ve still not grown used to climbing up and into his truck.
I wait for him to get in before I answer, “What else am I supposed to do? No matter how you’re wrapped, I’ll take what’s inside.”
“Thank you.”
Nathan starts the truck, and the drive home is quicker than I want it to be. He knows the way without me giving the directions and pulls near the curb when we arrive. He cuts the engine, gets out, comes to my side of the truck, and opens the door.
“So.” I jump out of the truck. “You’re not coming in?” I ask as he pushes the door closed.
“Do you need me to?” Need? Yes. But I know he has to go. “Go in the house, Tracey. Get some sleep. I’ll come by and wake up next to you in the morning.”
Discouraged, I say, “Okay.”
He grabs my chin, “Don’t say it like I’m hurting you, babe,” and kisses my pouted mouth. “I’ll make up for it later, okay?”
I blush. “I’m holding you to that.”
He kisses me again, long and intimate, making my heart float in my chest. I grab onto him to not float away, hoping it’ll tide me over until he returns. I’m dreading being alone and the pain from the bonding he promises will happen. He pulls back and places a short and sweet kiss on my bottom lip. His sigh against my face confirms he, too, is reluctant to leave. “If you stay asleep, you’ll barely feel it. Just try to relax.”
“Kay.”
“Don’t wait up for me.”
“Fine, Nathan. Be safe and come back.”
He almost freezes―brows taut, eyes partially squinted, lips parted. His gape startles me.
“What?” I ask nervously.
He snaps out of whatever trance he was in, saying, “Nothing. Just that, what you said, affected me differently coming from you. Like you genuinely mean it.”
“I do. You need to be safe so you can come back to me.”
“I will. Go.” He nudges me toward the house. “I’ll see you later.”
I walk up the driveway, and open and walk through my front door. “See you in a minute, Nathan,” I breathe.
See you in a minute, Tracey.
bound
I grab a bottled water from the fridge and head to Mom’s room. Her door’s closed, confirming she’s here. I knock.
“Tracey?”
“Yes, Mom. I’m home. How long have you been back?”
I push her door as she’s pulling it open. “Just a couple of hours.” We hug. “I missed you. I saw your dad. He’ll be home before your break is over.”
Dad has been gone for three weeks this time. I cannot wait to see him! “That’s good, Mom!” I follow her into her room and sit on her bed. “What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to finish this presentation for work. What were you up to this weekend? How was that party?”
“Like any other party. My weekend was good. Nothing much.” Even though Mom and I can talk about everything, from girly stuff to politics, I’ve never been able to bring up boys. I’m not embarrassed by talking about my relationships, it’s just something that’s never come up. I mean, she’s asked, and we’ve had the talk, I just can’t drive a conversation centered on what boy I like or who I’m dating. One day I’ll have to and Nathan would be the perfect person to tell her about, but I can only imagine how silly I’d seem when I tell her ‘he’s permanent, and I want to be with him forever.’ I shake the idea from my mind and ask, “How was your stay with Dad?”
“Refreshing. You know how long it’s been since we’ve seen each other. I’ve missed him very much.” She focuses on something on her computer, and that’s it for me.
I can’t take this part of the conversation, where Mom plasters a smile but her eyes reveal her sadness. When she’s that sad or upset she can hardly hide her accent and it tears me up. It’s always been clear, though Mom doesn’t complain, she doesn’t care for Dad being gone all the time. I hate seeing the look on her face when she spills her love and longing to have him home. Like me, she can’t wait until Dad’s job settles and he can stay home. “Okay, Mom. Well, I’m going to my room to take a nap.” I kiss her cheek.
“Okay, honey. Tell me if you need anything.”
“Kay. Glad you’re back.” I leave her room, keeping the door open.
I pass the time cleaning my room and watching movies. My chaise and comforter carry remnants of Nathan’s scent. So, I wrap in the comforter and lie on the chaise, trying to keep myself awake as I play games on my phone. But after the large meal and relaxing, my eyes grow heavy, and I doze.
A craving, a yearning encircles my chest―a vigorous pull from my heart―jarring me awake. The overpowering presence of Nathan surrounds me. I hear his voice in my mind and out as though her were beside me. I blink, and he all I see, eyes open and closed. He floods my mind, and I only think about him. I groan, squeezing my eyes shut.
The familiar ache returns in my chest, demanding him. It calls for him, and I clutch at it, turning onto my side. It’s hard to breathe through the spasms and trying to keep calm is impossible. Nathan’s scent fills my nose, inhaling or not. His taste floods my mouth the more I try to swallow down the agony.
This is not better than before. This is far worse. I know what he feels like. I know what I could have and not acquiring it right now. . . It’s hell.
I clench my jaw so tightly my teeth grind, causing a murderous screech in my ears. But it’s not enough to overpower my cramping muscles. I shiver from a chill raging through my veins that’s soon scorching me from the inside out.
It’s his scent that’s affecting me worst of them all.
&n
bsp; I shove the comforter off me and roll onto the floor.
If I could just catch a glimpse of him, maybe I’ll be okay.
He’s there, behind my lids, when I squeeze my eyes shut. His hand is holding mine when I ball my fists. If only it were real. I want him too desperately to not fall victim to my desperate hallucination. The pain worsens, causing a throbbing in my head, pounding every pulse in my body, desperate for me to scream for him. I want to cry out.
Unable to fight it, I give in to the pain, and it inundates my entire being as if he’s forcing me to need him more. I flip over onto my stomach and stuff my mouth with my pillow to muffle out my screams. Squeezing it to my body, I cringe, trying to end my shaking.
“Nathan,” I whisper. I need to hear his name. “I need you . . . bad,” I say, even quieter, not wanting to disturb him. But I do. Just a touch or him looking at me would be enough to satisfy the craving.
Nonexistent arms console me, and although they’re not real, they’re real enough to ease my pain and rock me back to sleep. I rest, scared to open my eyes and inflict myself with my craving mania, so I clench my teeth to not scream, and force myself back to sleep.
I slowly wake, fearing consciousness. To my surprise, there’s no pain. I sigh. My stomach expands as I inhale, grazing an arm. I turn over, seeing Nathan’s sleeping eyes.
Excitement rolls in me, happy he’s here. I admire him, as if he were new to my eyes, as though he were remarkable and worthy of my gawk. If he were awake, I wouldn’t, but he’s not, and I need to drink him in.
I frown and knit my brows, seeing a fresh scar start from his hairline and drive through his left eyebrow, over his eye, past his cheekbone, and cuts through his beard.
Aw, that sucks, I think to myself. I brush my thumb over its area on his forehead, and as my graze crosses his injury, it disappears under my touch. Whoa! This must’ve been what he meant about me being able to heal him. As he sleeps, I care for his scars and am shocked each time they disappear under my graze. Satisfied with my work, I nod once and flash a smile.
Plight: A Dark Paranormal Romance (The Sephlem Trials Book 1) Page 20
