Grave Things

by Lindsay Mead

  Viola kept smiling when he couldn't stop laughing. The wheat field behind them rustled in the wind. From the other side of the property, she could hear the croaks of a thousand frogs that lived in the pond. Ian grew silent then, listening to the same sounds.

  "I was eight and staying with my grandparents for the weekend because my parents were away for a business thing," he explained, still watching the stars as she watched him. "They'd been snowed in and, after the storm calmed, they went for a walk along the unplowed roads. In the street cam footage, I saw them window shopping at a closed toy store. It was a few weeks before Christmas. They never saw the car lose control at the intersection and jump the curb. They died at the scene."

  "I'm so sorry, Ian." She turned her gaze from his face to his arm. How awful it must have been for him to see his parents die on camera. "I'm sorry your gramps turned out to be an asshole too if you don't mind me saying."

  "I don't. But, that's why I really enjoyed tonight." He shifted to face her, propping his head on his hand. "Your family is fucking awesome. No offense, but I expected something way more dysfunctional."

  "I like to think that God made sure I had a strong family, so I had something to lean on." Vi yanked a thread from the horse blanket pillow and wrapped it around her finger. "Whenever it gets to be too much for me or Aaron, we just have to come home."

  "What about your real dad?" He glanced between her movements and her face. "Was your dad never in the picture or are your parents divorced?"

  "Widowed actually," she answered, realizing that Ian was probably trying to keep the conversation away from his own painful past. Viola wouldn't push, of course. If he didn't want to dwell, she wasn't going to make him. "He died in a freak accident when I was just a babe. Grams and Gramps were his parents."

  "And Aaron's mom?"

  "Military, she was killed overseas. His dad moved them here and met my mom at a widower's support group." Yeah, it was a weird way for two people to meet. "They were friends for a few years before they dated, and they were married by the time Aaron and I were five."

  "So, you both grew up together." Absently, Ian trailed a finger along her side.

  Vi was incredibly aware of that finger. "When you consider that God chose Aaron to be my priest, it seems like maybe it was divinely planned."

  "Speaking of exorcist stuff, I have to wonder." His hand dropped. "Are we safe out here in the open?"

  "Oh, yeah. I warded the shit out of this place and my mom's house ages ago." Vi waved off his concern, then raised her voice threateningly to the night, "Ain't nothin'—no demonic asshat—getting in here and hurting my family."

  Ian looked around as though he might see one of those asshats. "If you can protect properties with wards, why not ward everyone's house?"

  "Wards are hard. They take loads of energy and upkeep." She shrugged. "And frankly, there are too many houses and not enough exorcists for something like that."

  "God too choosy to have lots of exorcists, huh?" he asked, but his attention was focused on her lips.

  Vi swallowed, feeling his gaze on her mouth as if it were tangible. "Must be, because there's only maybe a couple handfuls of us but a few thousand demons out there."

  He blinked, losing his concentration. "Damn."

  She understood his reaction. Sometimes Viola felt very outnumbered. Well, she was—but she was also more kickass than a lot of those demons. At least there was that.

  Suddenly Vi needed a drink. Twisting, she went for the whiskey and stole a quick gulp. When she rolled back around, Ian was closer than a moment ago. He studied her face like it was an open book and her heart thumped excitedly.

  "Thank you for today." He caressed the top of her cheek.

  She closed her eyes, tilting her head to enjoy the gentle touch. The trace of his fingers left fiery trails on her skin and sent shivers down her spine. His hand slipped to her neck, his thick palm hot and rough against her throat. Breathless, her mouth opened a touch at the overwhelming sensations he so easily caused. Viola was about to open her eyes when Ian's mouth pressed against hers.

  His soft lips molded with her mouth and she opened further to accept his tongue. He tasted so good, like liquor and barbecue, as their lips overlapped again and again. Leaning into her, Ian slowly pushed Viola against the flatbed.

  His body became flush with hers and she felt the weight of him. It was glorious—he was glorious. Frantically, Viola kissed him as her core burned against his waist. Her hand tangled in his hair while the other explored the ridges and strong muscles of his back. Why did he have to be wearing a shirt? She desperately wanted to touch his bare skin.

  Driven by desire, Viola snatched one of his lips between her teeth and sucked. Ian moaned, causing a rumble in his chest that set her body on fire, and kissed Viola harder. She shifted beneath him, moving her legs and letting his hips fall across her core.

  Through the fabric of her panties and his briefs, Viola felt his length press against her sensitive area. A surprised and tantalized gasp escaped from her throat. Ian stilled, pausing to stare into her eyes. She could barely see him in the moonlight; only the line of his brow and the shine in his gaze. They panted against each other, their heartbeats in near perfect unison.

  Viola couldn't take it any longer. She arched her back, grazing his bulge along her sweet spot. A shuddered breath passed his lips. He held himself rigid, letting her work him. Vi groaned, her hips rocking back and forth, wanting to drive harder into him. The pressure was building, her area becoming swollen and flush. She fought against the gathering sensation, refusing to get there too soon. Resting his forehead against hers, Ian curled his hand in her hair as though he could barely restrain himself.

  Ian suddenly dropped his hips against her in a long grinding thrust. The coming climax sent her so high, she nearly fell over and into it. To stamp it down, Viola wrapped her legs around Ian—biting his earlobe at the same time—and forced him to be still.

  "I need you inside me," she whispered through gritted teeth. "Or are you going to let me finish without you?"

  He drew away with a start then, as a devilish glint flashed in his eyes, he growled, "Fuck no."

  For some reason, that spurred the craving in her to a new level. Ian moved quickly to her waist and kissed her flat abdomen. With the blanket drawn back, the warm air brushed her skin and lingered in the wetness left by his lips. Lifting her hips to ask for more, Viola sucked in a breath as his kisses and twirling tongue drew a path to the line of her black, lacy boy-shorts. Ian's fingers slipped around the seam, dragging the undergarment from her waist. He gave her one last teasing kiss on her inner thigh before rising to toss her panties.

  Sitting up with him, Viola unbuttoned and whipped off her flannel. Ian did the same, his eyes taking in her near-naked body with a hungry gaze. The light of the moon and fading bonfire accented the muscular lines of his arms and torso. Ian lost his shirt and leaned forward, latching onto her neck with his mouth and suckled the skin there. Her nipples tightened painfully. The bra needed to go. Now.

  Smart enough to wear a bra with the clasp at the front, she sprang her chest free with a twist of her fingers. Viola tossed it to the ground while Ian tugged down his boxer briefs, apparently also in desperate need to free himself. His mouth blazed a trail to her chin and his hand cupped her bare breast.

  Viola inhaled at the delicious feel of his hand on her, as his weight pushed her against the flatbed. His tip nuzzled her area, then he arched his hips in another grinding motion, causing his erection to slide across her core and steal from her wetness. Ian lifted his head, touching his nose to hers until she looked into his eyes. When Vi did, he slowly drove his shaft along her seam. She was hardly able to breathe as he drew himself back, then slid deeper. Her core was tight at first but, with each gentle press, her body soon welcomed him fully.

  Ian kept his gaze locked with hers, their breath mixing together. His thrusts became more fervent, more needful. A rolling moan tumbled from her and he arched his hips
harder into hers. She was nearly there, it wasn't going to take much.

  "Yes," she whimpered with an intake of breath and lifted her knees a bit higher.

  "You're amazing," he groaned and answered her raised knees with faster, rougher thrusts.

  The pressure at her core built higher and higher, the walls becoming tight with unreleased tension. Viola's chesty moan began to lighten as each plunge, each graze of his body against her breasts, took her to the edge. Ian threw his whole body into her now and they rocked the flatbed together.

  Viola closed her eyes as the climax overtook her body. Her head dropped back with cries of hot ecstasy and her core spasmed around his erection, bringing Ian over the cliff with her. The feel of his release added to her own, causing warm, tingling waves to crash through Viola. Ian fell into the groove of her neck, his grunts shattering against her skin, as his hips worked their last slow thrusts.

  14

  Jax's sloppy tongue raked across Viola's face. She jerked in horror, grumbling with disgust and shooed him away. At least he didn't cock a leg, maybe she should be grateful.

  Instantly, Vi became aware of her hangover; her dehydrated mouth, the ache in her skull, and the uncomfortable tingles in her fingers. Birds chirped loudly from their nests in the barn's rafters. The sun sat high in the sky, beaming brightly through her scrunched eyelids. It was all a cruel conspiracy to wake her up.

  Draped across her midriff, Ian's arm tightened and dragged her against him. The abrasions on her back—courtesy of some rough trailer sex—burned from the movement. Worth it.

  Viola loved the feel of his naked body against her; the only warmth on the crisp Autumn morning. Opening one eye a smidgen, she exhaled and watched her breath roll upward. Perhaps sleeping outside hadn't been the best idea.

  Ian's lips nibbled at her earlobe and sucked it into his mouth. Now that was the only kind of licking she could approve of. Delicious chills rolled along her spine. Viola turned toward him and nuzzled into her warm lover. She threw a leg over his hip to keep him close and he softly ran a hand the length of her thigh.

  "I had fun last night," Ian murmured, his voice rough from sleep.

  "I know." Viola smiled, remembering how awesome it'd been. "I did too."

  "I could go for a little fun right now." His hand slid around the back of her leg and grazed the outside of her area.

  Her breath caught, and her body tensed as sensation zinged through her. "Stop."

  "You don't mean that." There was a smile in his voice, and he was right. His finger slipped between her folds. A moan whispered past her lips and she arched her chest against him. Vi opened her eyes and saw him peering at her with a hot, yearning gaze. "I want you."

  His mouth descended onto hers, causing her body to awaken with a ferocity. Tongues dancing, he pressed his finger into her core. Viola groaned louder, already the pressure was building between her legs. Her fingers dug into his shoulder and arm, while her hips bucked involuntarily. He moaned, seeming to love that she rode his hand, and rocked his waist against her stomach. His erection was large and tempting.

  Viola tossed her head back and inhaled some of the cold Fall air. She had to clear the lust from her brain. It was too risky to have sex outside now. Trying desperately to stop moving her hips, she sighed, "We can't."

  God, he felt so good.

  "Why?" Ian took her arched back as an invitation to suck her nipple into his mouth.

  Her area quivered in response, sending waves of warmth and vibration through her waist. Vi bit her lip to keep from moaning louder. The need, the pressure, was too much. At this rate she was going to orgasm and being quiet wasn't in her nature—and it would most definitely lead to more. Desperate to end the surge, she yanked her hips and leg away which dislodged Ian's hand from her area.

  "Hey?" he whined as if someone had changed the channel he was watching.

  "It's daytime, someone might hear—or see." She glowered at him, though she could tell that he loved the flush of her skin and heave of her chest.

  "If you say so, boss," he said, using Lana's nickname for her and scooched away. Just then, several high chimes rang from the farmhouse. "What's that?"

  "Breakfast. Better get a move on." Viola smacked his arm and swung herself over the edge, squatting behind the trailer in a lame attempt to cover herself while she put her undergarments on. Not that she was hiding her naked body from Ian, but she sure-as-shit didn't want to flash anyone else who might be around. "Grams will come at us with a horsewhip if we aren't in there to eat while it's still hot."

  Ian laughed but didn't seem otherwise concerned. He stayed on the trailer, dragging his boxer briefs on while still under the blankets. Life was so unfair sometimes.

  Snapping her bra closed, she leveled him a glare. "You think I'm joking? See if you're still laughing ten minutes from now."

  She peered through the barn, as though she expected Grams to be storming toward them with angry whip in hand. Ian looked from her to the barn as well. Then, probably deciding not to chance it, he hurled himself off the trailer and dragged on his pants.

  Vi tied off her shirt, squirmed into her tight jean shorts, then glanced around. "Hey, where are my boots?"

  "Probably wherever mine are." Placing his hands on his hips, Ian hesitated. "I feel like we've had this conversation before."

  "I doubt it, or we'd have boots to put on." Vi began grabbing blankets. "Come on, help me get this stuff taken care of."

  Ian did, and soon, there was no evidence of their outdoor slumber party. Their bare feet then hurried from cold, wet grass to the dusty barn floor, leaving their toes caked in dirt. As they passed stalls of nickering horses, shuffling came from the hayloft. Gazing upward, she rubbed her arms against the nippy air. It sounded like someone was up there.

  Viola felt for whoever it was. Waking up with strands of hay poking your back sucked, and it generally came after a rough night. Yeah, she knew from experience.

  "Hold on a sec," Vi said, curious as to who the poor soul was.

  Ian waited, watching her ass wiggle as she climbed the ladder. "What if Martha comes with the whip?"

  She stopped and grinned at him. "Run."

  He chuckled, but she caught his anxious glance toward the house. Climbing the last couple rungs to the top, Vi peaked her head through the opening. Stacks of yellow hay bales lined from end to end. Birds fluttered through the rafters, chirping at the intruders below. More interesting was the petite strawberry blonde in her underwear sprawled on a blanket.

  "Sara?" Viola tilted her head, certain she recognized an old classmate. "Sara Wilcox, is that you?"

  The girl opened her eyes, squinting in the light. With a groan, she scratched her head and withdrew a long piece of hay from her hair. Sara flicked it away and closed her eyes again. "Hey, Vi. Good to see you."

  "It's good to see you—"

  Someone on the other side of Sara shot upright with a grumph. Vi blinked at her shirtless stepbrother. Not aware of Viola, he stared sleepily at the opposite wall and dragged a hand down his face. Like Sara, his hair was messy and entangled with bits of hay. This was turning out to be an excellent morning.

  "What time is it?" he asked, his voice scratchy as he reached over to pat Sara's butt.

  She responded with a grunt.

  "It's time for breakfast," Viola happily supplied.

  Aaron twisted in surprise. Seeing her, his eyes widened. Oh, Vi was never going to let him live this down.

  The head of a black-haired woman popped out of the hay. "Did someone say breakfast?"

  "Oh. My. God!" Viola laughed. Was she really seeing this? Viola turned her accusing and amused eyes to her chagrin-filled stepbrother. "Somebody was a bad priest last night, wasn't he?"

  "So bad." The black-haired woman snapped her teeth playfully at him.

  Laughing harder, Viola clenched the ladder to keep from falling in a fit of giggles.

  "Shut up, Vi." He glared at her, fighting a smile of his own.

  "I'd lect
ure you, but I'm sure the Big Guy has that covered." Not really, she'd never lecture anyone on bad behavior—it's not like she was a saint.

  "Yup," he grumbled, sifting through the hay for something.

  "Grams already rang for breakfast, better get moving." Still smirking, Vi pointed to the dark-haired woman who sat with her eyes drowsily closed. Around her neck was his missing priest's collar. "Glad you had a good time."

  Seeing where she pointed, Aaron groaned and slumped into his hands.

  "That sounded like an interesting conversation," Ian remarked after she'd rejoined him, and they once again headed for the house.

  "My brother had a bit too much fun last night." She snickered, sticking her hands in her pockets and wiggling her eyebrows at him. "Like a lotta fun."

  Ian raised an eyebrow as they crossed the gravel driveway. "I don't think priests are allowed to do that."

  "They can drink, but threesomes in haylofts are absolutely frowned upon."

  "Threesome?" Ian spun to gawk at the barn so fast he nearly stumbled.

  "Living with the voice of God in your head is no easy thing." They crossed the grassy lawn and started up the porch steps. "Sometimes he cracks and goes a little hog wild."

  "Can't say that I blame him." Ian hurried ahead and opened the front door. "After you."

  Inside the farmhouse looked exactly as one would expect. It was clean, cozy, and inviting. Nothing fancy. The hearty smell of fresh pancakes scented the air, calling them straight to the dining room.

  The whole family was crowded around a long food-laden table. No one stood on ceremony as hands reached over plates, and dishes were passed at random. Lana snagged a pancake from the center pile with her bare hands, making Gramps laugh.

  Viola and Ian found their seats and folded into the overlapping conversations without any notice. Her mother passed with a pitcher of orange juice, kissed Vi on the head, and mumbled something about her stinking of alcohol. Grams leaned between Vi and Ian to place a massive stack of sausages. Lana stared with greedy happiness.