by J. L. Ostle
One by one, we start doing our little tasks. We might look silly if anyone comes in and sees us jumping around and squinting our eyes and pulling faces, but we all have to start from somewhere.
Chapter 8
Ivory
A week has gone by, and the hotel is full of people. There are no spare rooms, but if a person did come, I’m sure the hotel would magically make room. From the outside, nothing changes; it happens within.
From what started as a helping thing between me and Kayleigh has turned into magical classes. There are supernatural beings who have been brought up using their gifts, harnessing it, controlling it, and those who have, have helped those who want to learn more.
Everyone seems to be adapting well to all these changes and new daily routines. I have met amazing people; it’s like we have created our own little community within these walls.
I have been getting better at controlling my magic. Amber and Serene have joined groups with their own kind, but they have gotten so close the last seven days, they always meet up and tell each other what they have learned and what they can do.
Kayleigh is still a little shy, but she is more comfortable with me, my family, and of course, the guys. She has befriended a boy who I think she kind of likes even though she won’t admit it.
She always has this dreamy look in her eyes, and she looks happier.
I think because she doesn’t have a mother she has become a little attached to me, seeing me as a parent figure, even though my life is in chaos. She just wants to hang out with me and the guys, but as I’ve been busy with new visitors coming in, I have hardly been around them, but they’ve looked after Kayleigh.
Also, with my parents and Emz being here, on top of the hotel full of guests, me and the guys have haven’t had a chance to make love.
Hell, right now I’d be happy if I got a good fuck from one of them. I feel like I’m strung up so tight that I’m ready to burst.
Kayleigh and I are downstairs; Kayleigh is starting to be able to remain afloat in the air; she can’t really move forward, but she’s getting there. On the other side of the room, I’m starting to get pissed off. I am trying to change the shape of the room. Every time the place starts to shift, I see my skin start to glow, me changing to my other self.
I walk over to the desk, grabbing my drink, taking a long sip before I get back in position. I close my eyes, trying to calm myself. I think of the room in my head. I think of it getting bigger. Stretching out.
I peek through one eye. Nope, nothing happened.
I don’t know why, but something inside of me snaps, and I lift a table with my mind, pushing it against the far wall, cracking into little pieces. Once I hear the bang, I snap out of it. I kneel on the floor, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Are you okay?” Kayleigh comes to my side.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just angry with myself. You all have made such amazing improvements, and I feel like I can’t use my magic unless I’m this other being. Sorry, I shouldn’t be offloading my problems on you.” I stand up and head to the desk, and I groan when I lift my drink and find it’s empty not realizing I must have finished it already.
“You know you can always talk to me. It’s nice knowing you get frustrated too. Sometimes, I look at you and your life and it just seems perfect.” She passes me her drink, which looks untouched, and I smile in gratitude.
Perfect? Doesn’t she see that everyone above I have to keep safe? “My life is nowhere near perfect. I have four vampire rock star boyfriends…”
“Who love you,” she interrupts.
“I have to keep hundreds of people safe, and I am sure more are to come…” I pause. “My life is just hectic at the moment,” I sigh. “Let’s call it for today. Same time tomorrow? I might just create flowers, do something less stressful.” I put my arm around her shoulder and we walk back up to the lobby.
“Sounds like a plan. I am going to have a few drinks later if you and Emz want to join me?”
“Think I will need it. Will see you in a few hours.” I watch her get in the elevator; she waves before the doors close. I look around me, people laughing, talking away, a few giving me waves and quick hellos. I walk toward Izzy and Sarah, the receptionists we hired, and ask if they have seen any of the guys.
Rush is in the gym, so I head that way first. When I enter, I see a few men and women working out. When I spot Rush, I smile, my body tingling seeing his sweaty body glisten. I know he will bang out my frustration.
He is on a machine where he pulls weights from behind him. I straddle him, surprising him, and he gives me a knowing look. “Hey petal, how was your magic lesson?”
“Don’t ask,” I huff. “Why are you working out, you have supernatural super strength?”
“I like it. It’s relaxing; this only appeared two days ago, and I’m glad it did. It’s a stress reliever. If you want to get rid of some stress, I can show you some of the machines that can help.” I know he is teasing me. He wants me to come out and beg for him.
Right now, I don’t care about begging.
“Rush, we both know what I need right now. My body is used to having a release and right now it’s going through withdrawals.” That’s the truth.
“You want me to fuck you, petal?” he whispers in my ear, already causing my body to heat up. “You want my dick inside that wet pussy? I could fuck you right here. Fuck who watches, as long as I’m inside you.” He hasn’t even touched me, and I’m already ready to come with his words alone.
“Rush,” I pant.
“You could slide down on my cock, take what you want. Can you imagine me inside you, Ivory?” Fuck, it always gets me when the guys say my name.
“Rush, I need you to fuck me.” I look into his eyes, showing him I’m finished with words—I need action. I watch as he bends down, lifting his bottle, taking a drink. He gives me a smirk, and in a blink of an eye, I transport us to my room, with him underneath me.
“Fuck, that’s cheating, you know,” Rush says, but I know he doesn’t care. I lean down, kissing him and he flips us over, so he is now pinning me to the bed. Pressing his erection against me. “This what you want, petal?” He grinds harder against me, causing me to cry out.
“Rush, please,” I plead with him. I am practically pawing at him to take his clothes off.
“I love you begging.” He lifts up my dress, then starts kissing my neck down to my breasts, until his face is close to my pussy. He presses his nose against my arousal. “You smell so fucking good. You are so ready for me.” He slides his fingers through my wet folds. “Think you deserve a good hard fuck.” I watch as he takes off his gym pants before hovering above me. “You ready, Kayleigh?”
Wait, what did he say?
I push him off me, my libido gone.
Did he just call me Kayleigh?
“What’s wrong?” he asks me, looking concerned and confused.
“You just called me Kayleigh,” I say, a little upset, getting off the bed.
“You know I wouldn’t do that. You know how I feel about you.” He stands in front of me.
“I know what I heard, Rush. You said, ‘you ready, Kayleigh.’ You need to leave.” I hug myself.
“Ivory…”
I put my hand up, stopping him. “I just want to be alone for now. I will talk to you later.” I can see he doesn’t want to leave me alone, but when the person I love says another girl’s name just before we are about to have sex, it just hurts.
I watch him quickly get dressed, I look away as he leaves, and I sit on the bed, looking at the ground.
What if he said her name while he was inside me? my mind taunts. I would have felt worse if we were having sex and he called out her name.
I know she has been hanging around us all for the past week, but has she made an impression on Rush?
Does he like her?
Does she like him?
I used to wonder in the past if I was going to be enough for them, but I haven’t had those thoughts since�
��since I died and came back to life.
I need to speak to him. If he doesn’t want to continue being with me, then I’d rather he say so. Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. I can’t be selfish; I did have all four of them.
What if he wants her to join us?
What if they all like her?
I am starting to get upset and I am starting to get jealous of her.
She is very pretty, and she does have that damsel in distress thing going on.
I take a quick shower, trying to clear my crazy thoughts. I head downstairs, going toward the restaurant when I spot the guys and Kayleigh sitting at a table laughing. Well, Rush is looking at Kayleigh with confusion.
I know I should go over there. I know I should talk it out, but I’m too chicken. I ask around, looking for Emz and when I spot her flirting with a guy who can do the elements, I run over to her, grabbing hold of her hand, dragging her away to a quiet spot.
“Where’s the fire? Oh, wait, he has it.” Emz laughs at her own joke.
“Rush called me Kayleigh before we were about to have sex,” I say in one go.
Her eyes go wide. “Like how close were you about to have sex? Were you fully dressed or…”
“He was about to enter me when he said it,” I interrupt her, and her mouth turns into an O.
“It could be a slip of the tongue, an accident; she has been hanging around us a lot lately.”
What she is saying I have said to myself, but when you are about to have sex with your boyfriend, they shouldn’t be mentioning another person’s name.
I am sleeping with all four of them, and I don’t mix up their names.
Even hearing myself think that sounds so fucked up.
“I don’t want to share any of them.” I bite my lip.
“I know you don’t. I know you love them and they love you, but…”
“It couldn’t be forever,” I finish her sentence. Something inside me starts to feel a little angry but mostly sad.
“You need to talk to them.” She stands up and helps me up. “You need to know what’s what, then you can get all emotional.”
I nod and head back to the restaurant, and they are all still there. I walk over to the table, and Kayleigh looks up at me and gives me a huge smile. I look at her, really look at her, and for the first time I notice how attractive she really is: Long wavy brown hair, big light green eyes, and smooth tanned skin.
“Hey Ivory, we can find you some space.” She stands, about to get a spare chair.
Why does that piss me off?
“Actually, Kayleigh I need to speak to the guys privately, if you don’t mind,” I try and say calmly.
“Oh, sorry, of course, let me know when you’re done.” I watch her walk around and when her hand goes to Rush’s shoulder, my eyes zoom in on it, and Rush looks at me. I quickly look away.
Don’t cry.
But I do want to slap her hand away.
It was nothing, I chant over and over.
I take Kayleigh’s spot, and I look at each of them. I can see the concern in their eyes. “Are you all still satisfied being with me? Do you still want to be with me…” Slate opens his mouth, but I raise my hand stopping him. “If you want to get out now, I’d rather you say. If you have moved on, I’d rather you be honest with me.” My heart is beating so fast, I am sure they can hear it.
“Where is all this coming from?” Caspian asks shocked.
I look over at Rush and so do the others. “Ivory, of course I still want to be with you. I didn’t mean to say her stupid name.”
“You called Ivory a different name?” Slate says angrily.
“Who did you call her?” Zeke asks him, but Rush grinds his jaw a little.
“Kayleigh,” I answer for him. “He called me Kayleigh before he was inside me.” I don’t know why I added that last part. I feel something inside me nagging away, wanting to come out.
“Wait, you were about to have sex and you called her Kayleigh?” Zeke sits back, playing with his empty glass. He stops talking. I watch him lost in thought.
I look at each of the guys, and they are all quiet, thinking. Even Slate doesn’t look as angry now. “What are you all thinking about?” But no one says anything.
Each second that passes by, my heart hammers even faster.
“You all like her?” They look up at me at the same time.
Is it possible for your heart to break four times over?
“We love you,” Caspian jumps in, grabbing hold of my hand, but I pull it way. I don’t want him to try and calm me. I shouldn’t have to be calm, I look at the guy’s glasses, and I want to throw them at them. “You know you are it for us.”
I shake my head, tears forming. “If you love someone, you don’t like someone else, you don’t call out their fucking name in the bedroom.” I sniff.
“The prophecy said we were meant to be together,” Slate starts, and I stand angrily.
“Fuck the prophecy. It said that we would find each other; it didn’t mean we were going to be together until the day I die. Maybe it was meant to happen for me to be turned into this and to build this hotel and that’s it? We just assumed we were destined to be together.”
“Ivory, we know we love you; we can feel it.” Rush stands.
“If you felt it, you wouldn’t have romantic feeling toward another girl. If she offered to fuck you, you would think about it. The thought, the image will cross your mind. The only thing stopping you would be me.” I start walking away.
“Ivory,” they call out to me, but I don’t listen. I take the elevator to my parent’s room.
I don’t cry in the elevator.
I don’t cry when I walk in the penthouse and smell their fragrance, the smell of home.
I cry when I see my dad chasing after mom, both of them giggling. After all these years, they are so happy and still in love. They both turn and spot me, and when they see how upset I am, they run toward me. My legs start to give underneath me and they keep me steady, kneeling down to the floor with me.
They stroke my hair, not asking any questions, just soothing me. Waiting for me to calm a little, but I feel like I want to cry for an eternity.
After what feels like ages, I just lay quietly on my mom’s legs. I am looking into space when I hear my parents whispering.
“They like someone else,” I say to them. “They say they love me, but they like Kayleigh.” I wipe my nose with the back of my hand, and my dad hands me a tissue. “They share me; I should be able to share them, right?” I know I shouldn’t be talking about this to them, but I need them to tell me that I’m going to be okay and that everything is going to work out. Even if I don’t think it will.
“Honey, your situation is different than most, but you shouldn’t have to share if you don’t want to. They knew what they were getting into when it all started. You never signed up for another girl joining in, and they need to understand that.” Mom plays with my hair, making my eyes a little heavy. “I think they are all crazy if they think anyone can come close to you.”
“I don’t want to share them, Mom, but I can’t bear losing them. I love them.”
“I know you do, sweetie. Having a broken heart sucks, but if it’s meant to be, it will work out. But remember, you are the big powerful source; you have all those people downstairs depending on you. Put all this energy into keeping everyone safe. We are so proud of you honey, for someone so young, you are being so strong and brave.”
“I don’t think I want to do this anymore,” I cry. “I thought they would be by my side through it all but now, I just wish I could give the gift back. What if it wasn’t even for me? It could be for Kayleigh. Maybe she is the one with the good heart.” Hart. Whatever the prophecy is.
“You have a beautiful heart. You deserve this great gift. The universe, the stars, whoever decides this type of thing, they wanted you to have it. Now prove that they made the right choice. You can do this.” She kisses my head.
I know this motiva
tional speech is meant to make me get my butt in gear and get me moving, but it does nothing but put the world on my shoulders.
“You’re right, Mom. Is it okay if I stay here though? I could do with some sleep. Recharge my batteries and all that.”
“Of course, sweetie, the room on the right is free.” She points to the door. I stand up, my body feeling a little limp. “If you need us or want to talk some more, just give us a yell.”
“I will.” I put on a fake smile and head to my room, but once I see the bed I run toward it, falling face first into the blanket and having another good cry. I keep crying until sleep takes over.
“They may not want you, but I do,” a voice says behind me, hands gliding down my arms, their body pressed against my back. “I have wanted you for a very long time, Ivory.” I feel lips on the nape of my neck.
“Are you a vampire?” I ask softly.
I should run away, stop this, turn around and see who is talking to me, but I don’t do any of those things. I just stand there; my body is drawn to the stranger behind me.
“I am not a vampire. Those vampires didn’t deserve you, tasting you, having your blood in their system. Just think, once your blood leaves them, they will no longer be day walkers. They want that half angel, the witch who needs ingredients for her magic to work. Your power is within.” His hands go around my middle.
“Am I dreaming?”
“Or is it I who is dreaming?” I can sense the smile in his voice.
“What do you want from me?” I whisper. I know the answer already, but I need him to say it.
“You!” His voice sends me shivers. “We are meant to be together, Ivory. Joined as one. I lost you, but you found your way back home. You will find your way back to me.” His hands lift my dress. I feel it turn to dust; I look down to see I’m fully naked, his strong hands slowly moving to my bare pussy.
“I can’t do this,” I say weakly.
“Yes, you can. Give into this, Ivory; let me touch you.” I feel his hand get closer to my pussy. I take in a deep breath and push myself away, quickly turning around, and all I see is black smoke, but it’s the eyes in the black smoke that’s drawing me in.
