Rules Are Meant to Be Broken

by N. J. Nielsen

  minds. Light the path so you can see, just the men you’re

  meant to be.

  Christian knew that Charm had just dreamed that

  Michael was the one. In her dreams she knew everything

  would be alright now. When he heard her think of how her

  angel had found his soul and how soon Michael would lead

  him to his heart he felt like a peeping tom. Pressing his

  hands against the side of his head, he wished he didn’t

  hear the rest of her thoughts He hated how she just knew

  that once he had moved on, Michael would be free to find

  his other great loves. She was saddened by what Michael

  would have to go through — so much pain and heartache

  before he could find his own peace and happiness.

  Desperately Christian tried to break the connection as

  Charm woke up. He didn’t want to know that she was a little

  scared at how their dreams where becoming more and

  more a reality. Oh God, if this was the case would the rest

  of their dreams fol ow suit? Doyle was not the only one who

  had dreamed of the other Michael, the one who seduced

  Kerr in her dreams. What the Fuck? Christian yanked his

  mind back not wanting to hear any more. Oh God. Was

  Kerr gay?

  § § § §

  Sebastian’s powers were growing. He had always

  thought that by coming to this place the amount of power

  the ring held would increase. Rickard had told him the

  improvements they had made in the woman were starting

  to take effect. What woman? He didn’t know nor did he

  real y care. Al he did care about was now that Michael had

  joined the family, it had triggered the dormant future

  memories the Eldren had planted in the woman. Things

  they needed Michael to hear once he was reunited with the

  woman they had changed. The only women he could ever

  see Michael reuniting with would be his mother or his sister.

  It was now his job to manipulate things enough to get the

  next stage of the plan underway.

  The woman the Eldren changed would help lead

  everyone to the Eldren’s final goal and he couldn’t wait.

  Though he didn’t understand why they wouldn’t reveal who

  this woman was. And again he could only think that it was

  someone in Michael’s human family. It would bear watching

  to see if he could work it out.

  Shaking his head he smirked. Now it was time to play

  with Michael some more. Oh and how he enjoyed playing

  with Michael. He had so many fine things set in place which

  would destroy them al and Michael was the key to

  everything. He would let him get comfortable in his new life

  before he struck.

  § § § §

  As he walked through the fog, Michael could almost

  taste the dampness surrounding him. With no clear view

  he didn’t know where he was, but somehow he knew

  exactly where he had to go. His footsteps echoed

  endlessly. If he didn’t know any better he would swear his

  heart had restarted and was beating rapidly within his

  chest. He knew he was searching for somebody. It was

  someone he couldn’t quite find. He just knew it was a

  person he desperately needed.

  Strangely he also knew this person, whoever he was,

  wasn’t alone. Somebody else was waiting for him to make

  a mistake. His body was tense, alert to the thought of what

  might be.

  Then he heard it. To one side Christian was crying out

  in pain and devastation, and to the other side laughter,

  cynical

  and

  menacing.

  Standing

  still,

  Michael

  concentrated and listened before he found the courage to

  speak. “If you want me, come and get me. I am the

  solution. You are the problem — I don’t fear you,

  arsehole!” His courage strengthened as the laughter

  ceased. That one action gave him the determination to

  continue. “He is mine and I want him back.”

  “ No! ” The one word rang out like thunder. Michael

  could feel the hatred pouring over him.

  “Christian belongs to me. He’s mine.” Michael’s voice

  was calm. “I want him back.”

  “He is not yours! He will never be yours until you give

  yourselves to each other willingly, and that will never

  happen,” the voice sneered.

  “We will — Christian is mine! He will always be mine.”

  “The choice is death,” the voice stated. “Your life for

  his.”

  “Agreed,” Michael answered immediately. He didn’t

  need time to think. If he had to die for Christian to live

  then so be it. Michael cried out in pain as a white light

  surrounded his body, tearing at his very soul.

  Michael woke up in searing pain. Groaning, he clutched

  at his stomach. What the fuck was happening to him? His

  stomach somersaulted end over end. God! What was hel

  was wrong with him? With a whimper, he let Christian

  gather him into his arms.

  “It’s okay, you’re awake now. Shh, it’s okay.” Michael

  heard Christian’s soothing voice as he was held and felt

  Christian tenderly kiss his face as he murmured words of

  comfort. Michael tried to get himself under control, yet he

  found himself pressing further into Christian’s arms. He

  couldn’t seem to answer any of Christian’s questions about

  what was wrong. Al that mattered was getting as close as

  he could. This was what he needed and he breathed easier

  as Christian tightened his arms around him.

  “I’m al right now.” Michael slowly extracted himself from

  Christian’s embrace. He felt embarrassed by the way he

  had acted. “I’m okay. Real y, I’m fine.”

  When Christian reached out to brush the hair out of his

  eyes Michael flinched and pul ed away.

  “What happened?” Christian asked as he let his hand

  drop back to the bed.

  “I don’t know it was just a bad dream I guess.” Michael

  couldn’t bring himself to look at Christian, not wanting any

  fresh reminders of why he had been and stil was riddled

  with pain. If his nightmare had been a premonition, then the

  way things were going it was a sure thing everyone’s

  dreams were real, and the little nagging voice in his head

  was tel ing the truth. He stared at the bed trying to work

  through the jumble in his mind. Why didn’t he feel disturbed

  finding so much comfort in being near Christian? If he was

  truly straight then shouldn’t he be freaking out right about

  now?

  “Do you want to try and get a bit more sleep?”

  Michael replied a little too quickly and a little too loudly.

  “No!” There was no way he was going to so readily subject

  himself to the tortures of his dreaming state.

  “I need a drink.” Michael stood up and had to grab the

  end of the bed to steady himself. Nausea rose up inside

  him and nearly dropped him to his knees.

  “I’m fine,” he snapped as Christian reached toward him.

  “I don’t need your help.” Michael knew his words had hurt

/>   Christian and he realised just how wrong his denial for

  assistance was when he reached the top of the attic stairs.

  Losing consciousness, he tumbled to the landing below.

  Jumping up off the bed, Christian flew down the stairs to

  be at Michael’s side. He had just lifted Michael into his

  arms when the others came from their rooms to investigate

  what the commotion was about. As Christian carried

  Michael to their room, he fil ed the others in on what had

  happened. For some reason he omitted the part about the

  photo, the book of runes, and the fact he had cradled

  Michael in his arms while he cried. Why, he wasn’t quite

  sure. At the moment it just felt right. He carried Michael into

  their room as the others fol owed behind him. As he laid

  Michael on the bed he kinda wished they hadn’t. He didn’t

  want them there in case Michael woke up and pushed him

  away again.

  “Drack,” Christian said as Charm bent down to study the

  tiny bundle of feathers perched atop the step ladder. “New

  pet,” he added when she turned to grace him with a

  breathtakingly beautiful smile.

  “Wow!” Doyle also bent down to inspect the newest

  resident, “He’s a cutie.”

  No one real y took any notice as Kerr started backing

  slowly toward the door, while Christian tended to Michael’s

  needs. Nobody said anything about why Kerr was now

  standing nervously in the doorway and as far away from the

  baby bird as possible. Though, Christian did wonder about

  it.

  Honestly Christian couldn’t believe any of this was

  happening. Everything was normal around here until

  Michael turned up, now everything was in utter chaos. Not

  that he wanted Michael to leave — Michael was the best

  thing now about living in this house. Now suddenly Charm

  was acting weirder than usual, more forceful. It was as if

  because of the dreams, she thought she knew everything

  about Michael. For some reason it irritated Christian. The

  dreams had told them al Michael would love him, so she

  needed to back the fuck off – they al did.

  Another thing which was pissing Christian off — and he

  wondered if the others had noticed — was just how often

  Michael watched Doyle, especial y when he thought no was

  looking. What the hel was up with that? After the shared

  dreams by al the inhabitants of the house, everyone’s

  friendships were strained, and he hated it. His own feelings

  were getting him nowhere with Michael, because Michael

  seemed to be so fricken clueless. He couldn’t even

  understand why he had such strong feelings for Michael. He

  just knew he did, and knew he wanted to explore them

  further, so Michael-bloody-Marsden would just have to get

  with the damn program.

  Christian’s gaze drifted toward the door as Kerr

  nervously stared at the bird and casual y said, “You can’t

  keep the owl in the house.”

  “I can do whatever the hel I want,” Christian said cool y.

  He could feel his pent up anger beginning to bubble over.

  “You can’t keep it in the house,” Kerr growled.

  “Who died and made you God?” Christian snapped as

  he pul ed the sheet across Michael, covering his body from

  prying eyes.

  “I did.” Anger seethed in his every word. “I fucking died

  — three years ago to be exact.”

  “Stop it!” Doyle said as he turned to face them both.

  “Kerr, it’s just a baby.”

  Clearly not listening, Kerr’s voice only rose higher. “That

  baby wil soon grow into a huge fucking bird.”

  “ W h a t is your problem?” Christian snapped

  incredulously. Advancing toward Kerr he poked him in the

  chest. “It’s not as if it’s going to try and eat you. It’s just a

  fucking bird. Right now he is probably more scared of you

  then you are of him.”

  Taking a step back from Christian, Kerr mumbled

  something which sounded close to “I doubt it” before saying

  out loud, “I just don’t like them.”

  Christian saw Kerr was feeling a little embarrassed

  about the big to-do he had made about the bird.

  “Owls just freak me out, especial y the way they can turn

  their heads al the way around.” Kerr shuddered as he

  replied sheepishly, stil not able to walk into the room.

  “I won’t let him anywhere near you, I promise.” Christian

  relaxed, his voice returning to normal. “But I am keeping

  him.” Christian grinned. “Who would have thought big bad

  Kerr Rooney was freaked at a little cute bundle of

  feathers?”

  “Arsehole!” Kerr growled back. And Christian knew the

  tension was gone.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  What are you thinking?

  Michael opened his eyes careful y, afraid any sort of

  sudden movement would send him crashing back into the

  pit of utter darkness. As his surroundings came back into

  focus he became aware there was a disturbance around

  him, and he was once again lying in a bed, but this time it

  was the bed he shared with Christian.

  “He’s awake!” Charm exclaimed and Michael realised

  he had been staring at Doyle. He quickly averted his eyes

  before anyone else noticed what he was doing. More to the

  point before Doyle realised what he was doing. He already

  thought Michael was a freak.

  “What’s going on?” Michael’s throat seemed so dry. He

  had trouble swal owing to form the words. “When did we get

  a bird? Just how long have I been out?” Michael asked in

  confusion.

  “Just a smal misunderstanding,” Kerr stated, glaring at

  the others to contradict him. “It’s al sorted now. Christian

  found his new pet on the way home tonight,” he smirked at

  Michael. “Don’t worry, you have only been out for about

  twenty minutes or so. Nothing major has happened in that

  time.”

  Michael winced as pain shot through his mind. “What

  happened? I feel as if I have been smacked on the head by

  a sledge hammer.”

  Crooning softly, Charm gently caressed the lump which

  was forming on his forehead. “You fel down the attic steps.”

  She said before leaning over and gently placing a kiss in

  the same spot, and ouch, didn’t that just send pain shooting

  through his head.

  Michael’s gaze went straight to Kerr’s face, as if to say.

  “Seriously man, what the fuck is going on?” He sighed as

  Kerr just shrugged.

  In that instant, Kerr only seemed to be half watching him;

  he was actual y watching Christian’s reaction. When Charm

  and Doyle realised he was going to be okay, they both

  drifted away, heading to their own rooms until only Kerr and

  Christian remained. Though Michael noticed Kerr kept as

  far away from the owlet as possible. What sort of damn owl

  was it anyway? Because it kinda looked a little odd.

  Silence reigned as Kerr eyed both Michael and

  Christian. Frown lines formed on his forehead as he final y
>
  spoke. “I suppose you two don’t feel in the mood to start

  tel ing me what’s real y happening? And don’t tel me it’s

  nothing. You’ve changed, both of you, especial y you!”

  Pointing at Michael, Kerr then began pacing the room

  nervously before starting to talk again.

  “I thought I had things under control. Then those stupid

  bloody dreams come back in force. At first I just dismiss it

  as utter crap.” Kerr pointed at Michael again. “I told you how

  Doyle was the first one who dreamt about you. How he

  predicted you a ful year before you turned up as one of us.

  His dreams are always more detailed than the rest.”

  “He did?” Michael thought Christian seemed to be

  dropping back into a childlike awe. “You never told me that

  before,” he said to Kerr. “What else has Doyle told you?”

  Kerr stared at Christian in disbelief. Michael knew he

  had just missed something huge. “Nothing of importance,”

  Kerr’s face cleared. He al owed a slow smile to be granted

  in Michael’s direction.

  “Charm told me something,” Christian said hesitantly.

  Michael thought maybe he wasn’t sure whether to continue

  or not for fear they would laugh at him. “You know, about our

  dreams.”

  “When? What did she say?” Michael sat up slowly, trying

  not to pass out from the pain which stil tingled through his

  body.

  “Yesterday. When she decided it would be fun to watch

  the sun rise.”

  “What did she tel you?” Kerr had stopped pacing, and

  was giving Christian his ful attention.

  “It’s just, wel , I’d rather not say.” Christian began to

  blush. Michael stopped himself from reaching out and

  touching Christian’s arm.

  Michael noticed how Christian avoided making eye

  contact with either him or Kerr, and he had a sinking feeling

  in the pit of his stomach. From the emotion on Christian’s

  face he knew what he was going to say. “What did she

  say?” Please God, let it be something different then what

  Charm had been bombarding him with.

  “Wel ,” Christian ran a hand through his hair, trying to

  work out what to tel them. “She said… Wel …”

  “Spit it out, Chris.”

  “Wel she told me I would…”

  “Chris! ” Michael and Kerr both said forceful y.

  “Fine! She said you were going to die. You were fucking