Following in the men’s large strides, she had to jog to keep up. Stepping into the house, Brinley was abruptly awakened from her thoughts and theories about what just happened outside when hearing the ear-piercing screams that were coming from some wild animal in the center of the house. Breath hitching, she dropped her bag and ran towards the wounded animal… her best friend.
Chapter 16
Rowan was weak and beyond frightened. The creatures holding her up on the bed looked like something out of a horror film. Inky black skin that felt like leather, they were thin and boney. Their eyes glowed red as their teeth gnashed and snarled at her. One stuck its long, forked tongue out and licked the side of Ro’s face. Her skin was burning where they’d held on to her and scratched her. The pain was all too real and her screams only added to their fervor.
Lorcan felt the throbbing ache of sensual torture resonate within him. He couldn’t wait to get his hands on her. Feast on her body. Lap up her hot sex until she was a quivering weak puddle of eroticism. Her eyes flashed green fire at him and he recognized the look – she might be scared and enthralled with lust, but underneath that she was angry. A smile swept across his cruel face. Good. Anger tasted almost as good as fear. She’s going to have layers upon layers of flavor for him to savor.
“Masssster. We are ready.” A shadow had come into his bedchambers and broke his concentration. Distracted with what was in his bed, he had almost forgotten the feast that was prepared for him in the other room.
Souls had been gathered through the night and needed to be properly brought to heel. A task he never got tired of. The way he saw it, breaking things was almost as fun as torturing them first. This was indeed his lucky day.
Lorcan walked out of the bedchamber, leaving Ro with one last wave of emotion that launched her into a succession of pain and pleasure that had her convulsing in the clutches of burning boney fingers. The creatures dropped her like a sack of potatoes onto the sheets and left the room with their master.
As they slid out the door, Rowan grabbed fistfuls of the silk sheets and tried to stuff them in her mouth while she continued riding a wave of pain mixed with pleasure. She wanted to bite something. Sink her teeth into something hard and fleshy. As the sensations faded, she was able to catch her breath. She was exhausted, weak, and hurting.
Now that Lorcan was out of the room, she was able to focus better. What a mess this was. Naked and slick, she felt exposed and ashamed. She didn’t know what had come over her. How the hell could he be able to do what he did and her be so helpless against him? Her arms hurt from the burns and she was growing past angry and into irrational madness. With a grunt, she hoisted herself up and looked around the room. There had to be a way out, she just needed to find it.
A small voice whispered in the flames by the door. Rowan slid out of the bed and dragged sluggishly to where she’d heard it. It came again with a small hiss of a whisper. The shadow of a small ashen hand grabbed her arms and tried to pull her into the flames. She twisted away, fearful of being burnt to a cinder, and then realized that though it was hot, her skin didn’t sear from the flames. The hand grabbed her again and this time she let it pull her through the blaze and to the other side.
Panic slammed into Rowan once more as a group of large bat-like creatures, hairless beasts resembling hyenas, and smaller slithering critters started to crowd around her. It took her a few seconds to rise above the fear fogging her head before she saw the same small boy that had been in the mirror in the attic.
“Follow me,” he said.
Crawling across the cold stone floor, Rowan watched while the beasts all moved like one big mass of snarls and hisses around her. One clicked sharp teeth in her face but looked at her with curiosity piercing from beady eyes. Another creature that looked like a spider with legs and tentacles was slowly creeping up her leg leaving a thick trail of oozing slime.
Rowan was too scared to care. Her brain couldn’t comprehend what her eyes were seeing. She just wanted out. Ro followed the boy to a large mirror with flames licking the edges of it.
“Go, now, before he sees you!” The boy was urging her forward.
Rowan didn’t understand. She blinked at him, her head was so fuzzy and the sound of cicadas buzzing in her ears was almost as loud as her heartbeat thudding.
“You must find a way to release us. Help us! If you don’t go now, there will never be another chance. He’ll kill you and all is lost.” The child kept pushing her forward.
Rowan started tingling with the impulse to get up, but the creatures were crowding her so she couldn’t. “What is your name?” Rowan asked.
Pushing her towards the mirror, “Seamus,” was his answer and with a slight nudge, Rowan was pushed out of that hell hole the same way she was dragged into it- on hands and knees.
Rowan was back in the attic. She felt like she could finally catch her breath as cool air sent chills over her body. The coldness was coming more from within her bones than the air itself. She was going into shock.
Trying her best to pull herself together, she had to get out. Scurrying out of the narrow walkway of junk and down the steep steps, the attic door was still open and she stepped down.
Running through the hallways and towards the front door she heard a familiar voice coming from everywhere and nowhere, “Rowan! Rowan! Wake up!”
SMACK! Rowan’s face stung and she fell off of the couch and crashed into something hard. It was Devlin. His body felt like a safe haven and his arms wrapped tightly around her. She was crying hysterically in his arms, holding on for dear life.
“Oh my God, Rowan,” Brinley was shocked at the sight before her and it broke her heart. She didn’t know what to expect when she got into the living room. Devlin and Adam said Rowan was stuck in a trance they couldn’t wake her out of, but that was an understatement. When Brinley came into the room and saw her best friend sprawled out like a sacrifice screaming, burned and helpless, she didn’t know what to do. In pure panic, she had tried yelling at her, shaking her shoulders and pinching her arms. Rowan was hot and feverish, burn marks like handprints on her arms, and was squirming on the couch moaning and crying. Brinley did the only thing she could think of: she slapped Rowan in the face – hard. Guilt raked through Brinley when seeing the bright red handprint across her face, but felt better for it when she saw the act had the affect intended.
The force of her slap made Rowan’s eyes fly open and she jumped off the couch blindly screaming. Woah, there’s something you don’t see every day. Ro’s eyes were shining, as if they were actually glowing. Brinley couldn’t make sense of it. Rowan had green eyes, but never were they this green before – no amount of Maybelline and L’Oreal could produce that kind of result. Brinley filed it away in her head to reflect on later. Rowan was going to have a lot of explaining to do.
Walking over to her best friend, Brinley put a hand on Ro’s arm and then slowly wrapped her into a hug, making a Brinley, Rowan, Devlin sandwich. Rowan was so confused and disoriented it took her a minute to figure out who was holding her from behind.
“Brinley?”
“Yup.”
“How did you get here?” Rowan felt dazed and confused, “How did you know where I was?”
“Tall, dark and hunky over there got me. He gave me a brief account of your condition, said that he needed my help because you were in trouble. That was all I needed to hear.” She shrugged and then gave her friend another hug for good measure.
Now that was a best friend. Rowan and Brinley have been through a lot in life, and Brinley was the only one in the world that would accept such a story and know it for truth. Rowan thanked her lucky stars and she squeezed her bestie tight and cried into her shoulders. She was so glad Brinley came. Rowan needed comfort, safety, and familiarity, and it felt best coming from who was hugging her right now.
“Woah now, don’t get snot and slobber on my sweater.” Brinley made an ick face as she looked down at her shorter friend and smiled.<
br />
That made Ro laugh. A little.
Finally, she was free. She’d been saved. Rowan had made it out of that terrible place and was back where she belonged. Looking around at everyone in the room, Ro wiped her face with her hands, and took a deep breath. They were all staring at her with mixed looks of relief, love, fear, and guilt.
Ava wrapped a blanket around her body, and the touch of fabric on her arms made her wince. That’s when Ro realized she was naked. Feeling frightened and embarrassed, Rowan wrapped the blanket around herself tighter, making a cocoon to hide in.
Devlin tucked her back into a warm embrace, not looking at her eyes. Or at anyone else, for that matter.
“Best get her into the shower, love. Wash away all that negativity.” Ava ushered the two of them down the hall and towards a bathroom. Shutting the door, she walked back out to the living room somber and quiet. Guilt was digging into Ava. She honestly didn’t think Rowan would get sucked into such a dark place… not yet, at any rate. But the truth of it was it had been a risk, one they thought they were willing to take, and that Rowan paid dearly for.
Righting herself, Ava came into the living room, blew out the candle, and began cleaning up the mess of blankets, clothes, herbs and stones. With all the protection they had placed around her, it wasn’t nearly enough. A mistake that wouldn’t be made twice. For indeed, Ava knew that like it or not, there was only one way out of this mess: Rowan was going to have to go back inside the darkness.
Devlin turned the faucet on and let the water temp rise. He unsnapped Rowan’s bra and shucked it off her small shoulders. She looked so tiny and fragile in that moment. Slumped over and heavy lidded, Rowan looked like she was going to pass out. He scooped her up and carried her into the shower. Still fully dressed, the water soaked through his shirt and pants, making them stiff and hard to move in. He didn’t care. So full of shame and guilt, all he could do was hold her steady and let the water wash away her pain.
Och, he was a disgrace. A warrior that should be stripped of his sword and left for the pigs. He was supposed to protect her, keep her safe, make her happy. He’d done none of it. He threw her to the wolves and left her fending for herself like a wee bairn in the woods.
Traitorous. That was what he was. A worthless piece of shit. His stomach churned and bile rose up in his throat. He had to pull himself together. This wasn’t about him. It was about the precious treasure in his arms. The gem found buried under piles of dark rock and ash.
He’d lost her this day. She’d never want him again. For truth, he was a warrior, a protector, a Druid. Yet all his training and magics had not helped the one who needed it most. He was not worthy of her; and when she realized that, she’d leave him hollow and lifeless.
He was sick with guilt.
Devlin watched as Rowan’s lips parted slightly while she tilted her head back and let the water cascade over her face and down her back. Hair long, it was tangling in his fingers as he tried to keep her steady. Her hands and body quivered, but she didn’t seem to notice.
No words were spoken. They had none to say.
Getting her out of the shower, Devlin gently dried her body off. Rowan looked better now, but she still stayed silent. Ava had gone to Devlin’s cottage and brought back some clothes for Rowan to wear. The outfit was patiently waiting on his bed for them. Nay doubt Rowan’s discarded outfit from earlier was thrown into the fire - can’t risk there being some residue of evil clinging to the cloth.
Devlin helped Rowan into a pair of black leggings, a tank top and a gray sweater. He grabbed some of Adam’s clothes to put on himself, having drenched his own without caring about anything but Rowan in that moment.
Barefoot, Rowan stood against the countertop facing the mirror as Devlin combed her hair. She waited for him to say something. Anything. But he just looked away from her and continued getting her dressed. The shower had been such a quiet one, but her head was loud with thoughts. Rowan couldn’t stop reliving it. Looking down, she noticed all the burn marks on her arms. The burns hurt in the hot shower, but the pain was useful now, it made her mind more focused for some reason. She knew she was safe once more. Fear was no longer an issue, so she channeled her energies into yet another emotion: Anger.
Rowan was mad. Mad at herself for being weak, mad at Lorcan for being an evil bastard, and mad at Devlin for not speaking. He must be disgusted with her. She didn’t blame him. She was disgusted with herself too. Maybe the shame of her actions had him wishing they’d never met. She didn’t blame him one bit.
About an hour had passed since she’d been freed from her prison. She felt horrible as thoughts of pleasure and pain still rippled through her body making her uncomfortable and annoyed. Every touch seemed to spark more yearning in her body and she tried to pull away and put some distance between her and the feeling.
The silent couple walked out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, where Adam, Ava, and Brinley were sitting around a big white table waiting patiently. There was an orange table runner with poppies printed on it stretched down the center. The smell of mushroom bisque drifted into Ro’s senses. Suddenly she was hungry. The food smelled delicious and her stomach growled loudly with anticipation.
Brinley laughed a little when she heard Ro’s stomach growl and mumbled, “I could eat” under her breath. Rowan stared at her friend for a minute, blinked slowly at her, and then busted out laughing. The act stunned the rest of the crew while they watched the two women go from giggling to all out cackling like crazy loons. Adam shook his head, obviously it was a joke between the two of them, but he didn’t see the humor at all. No matter, it was what Rowan needed at the moment: a good dose of merriment.
Laughter really is the best medicine.
Ro held her stomach while she bent over trying to catch her breath and then walked around to give her bestie a big hug. Feeling better after laughing so hard and seeing her best friend was really truly here with her, Ro smiled at everyone and gave a great big kiss to the Brownie who had just walked in carrying warm bread.
Shocked, Nora looked at her with some concern and then beamed a crooked sweet smile back at her. Stepping lively, the little Brownie went back into the kitchen to retrieve the rest of the meal. It was a surprise to see Nora out of the kitchen when there was a new face at the table… another human. But Nora didn’t seem to care for some reason, and Brinley didn’t to pay too much attention to the little Brownie. She was too busy watching her friend instead.
Brinley’s number one rule with Rowan: don’t push her; she’ll deal when she’s ready to and not a moment sooner.
Brinley’s second rule with Rowan: keep your eyes and mind open, the clues are there, you just have to look.
Rowan found an empty chair and plopped down into it. Somewhere between the shower and the Brownie’s smile, Rowan had found herself again. It felt good. Nothing like getting yourself up after having been knocked down to prove your own self-worth.
Nora laid the tureen on the table and bowls of creamy wild mushroom bisque were passed around. A bottle of Pinot Noir was uncorked while Brinley started ripping the bread to chunks for everyone. Both girls started spooning the creamy hot stuff into their mouths and making yummy noises together.
“I know right!? Nora’s a wicked good cook.”
“Oh my God. I’ve died and gone to heaven.” Brinley dipped a piece of bread into the soup, soaking it up and then popping it into her mouth. “Yup. It’s official. Best. Soup. Ever.”
Denial is like a hot bubble bath sometimes – you stay in it until you just can’t anymore.
To the two women, they’ve been here, done that a dozen times. Every once in a while, you have to pretend that that shit didn’t just happen. You’ll talk about it later... or maybe you’ll never speak of it again.
Adam didn’t know what to make of the scene. The women were acting like nothing had happened just hours ago and this was some friendly dinner party. To make matters worse, Ava chimed in with a “Wait
until dessert girls! Nora never disappoints.”
Adam stared at his untouched soup. Women. They were life’s biggest mystery.
“Hey Brin, do you remember that time at the beach when you got those mussels in white wine sauce and rosemary bread?”
“Of course! Top dish on my list until today.”
“I know, right! This soup is amazing.”
“All soup is amazing.”
“Amen to that. I’m starving.” Rowan was spooning mouthfuls of soup and drinking wine. The sense of fear and anger was ebbing faster with each bite and she was thankful for it. Catching Devlin’s stare at her, she stopped chewing and stared back with a look of her own. Mixed emotions jumbled his features: two parts anger and one part heartache and a pinch of… was that envy? It was confusing, that’s for sure.
Shatter - Sins of the Sidhe Page 16
