by Lumtrexa
We run through a lush green hill, the ground is surprisingly flat, with a few hills and not many trees.
At last, we reach what I assume to be Bray's house.
"We are on the border of Aeringdal." Lorcan informs me. I nod my head.
"Home, sweet home." Brayden snorts.
The house seems rather nice. It looks to be like an older farm house, it is made of fine gray stones, the shudders are painted a light faded green.
No other houses are in my line of sight, perhaps not many fae people live out this far.
"Well I'm going to put a field up. Give me a couple minutes, might be a while." Bray yawns walking off toward the edge of the forest.
I follow Lorcan inside.
The house's furniture is mostly wooden as we pass the staircase and into the kitchen. A single old sofa sits in what must be the living room. The walls are painted a gold color. I brush my foot against the old hardwood floor.
Why would his brother live all the way out here?
I'm forced out of my thoughts as Lorcan speaks up.
"Listen, I should have told you this earlier, but don't trust my brother." He says, his face void of emotion. He sits down on an old wooden chair by the front window of the house.
"Why?" I pry.
"He's very...sly as you humans would say." He says warily.
"Uh okay." I say quickly.
"I'm afraid we're going to be here longer than I intended." he says. I wonder if he can see Bray from the window. After all, he was able to see the pixies watching us.
I decide to use the bathroom. I look at my face, inwardly groaning at the dirt on my forehead, the tangled knots in my hair. I do my best to wash up, before I know it, I hear the slam of the front door.
I walk back into the kitchen to find Lorcan and Bray in deep conversation. I catch on that they're talking about the field Brayden put up.
"...guards shouldn't get through until at least next Monday." Bray concludes.
They both look up at me, I awkwardly shuffle my feet, then speak up.
"I'm going to bed. Bray where may I sleep?" I ask. The soreness in my back has returned.
"You can take the room on the left." He says. Lorcan gets up and follows me.
I follow the stairs up, then cross the short hallway on the left. I open the door to find a twin sized bed in a small, cozy looking room. A nice quilt lays on top of the bed, a tiny dark wooden dresser sits across from it.
"I'm just going to take a nap." I say turning towards Lorcan. Lorcan walks over to the window and shuts it.
"Alright." He grunts, shutting the door behind him. I guess I'm not getting a "goodnight". I laugh at the thought, I then lay down on the bed pulling the quilt over me.
__________________________________________
I wake up with a start, the room is covered in darkness. Sighing, I lean my head against the wall.
Suddenly, movement catches my eye. I freeze in terror, as my bedroom door creaks open. Its so dark I can't make out if its just a draft or an actual person. I gulp, clenching the quilt tightly against me. The door opens inch by inch. When it finally stills, I take a deep breath.
I can't be a baby, I just have to get up and shut it, then go back to bed.
Quickly, I hop out of the bed and hesitantly grab the doorknob. Curiosity gets the best of me, instead of closing the door, I open it up all the way. I dare a step out of the room.
The silence of the house makes me unnerved.
Slam
My bedroom door abruptly shuts behind me, making me jump.
I let out a nervous gasp, walking toward the first door I see, anywhere, but my room.
I lift my hand shakily to knock on the door of the room closet to mine.
Maybe I'm being too childish.
Before I can change my mind, the door is yanked open.
"What?" Lorcan grumbles. I probably shouldn't have woken him up.
"M-m-my door...opened." I stutter, talking to the ground. I dare not look back up into his eyes, no doubt they're probably filled with annoyance.
I finally decide to look at him. Lorcan looks over my head, something flashes across his face, but is quickly gone.
"Alright." He says surprisingly gently.
He walks back into his room, while waving for me to come in. Then he closes the door behind me.
Lorcan walks over to his bed and sits on the edge. I could leave now, go back to my room. I'm too afraid to go back into the hall again though.
"Well are you going to bed or not?" Lorcan grumbles. I can feel a blush grow on my face, he's right I should just go back to bed. I take a shaky breath, about to go back to my room. I turn around reaching for the doorknob.
"I meant with me." Lorcan whispers. I turn around facing him, a sinister smile forms on his face, his crimson eyes are on me.
Chapter 19-Deceived
The soft illumination of the moonlight dancing through the trees outside does little to calm me. Fidgeting with my hands I lift my head up, taking a nervous step toward him. It might be my nerves, but the moment I enter his room something feels different.
Lorcan looks at me amused, a smirk forms on his face.
"Come on." he says unusually calm. Immediately, I close the distance between me and the bed, not wanting to make him mad. I feel the soft fabric of the thick blanket brush against my pants. Self consciously, I tug my long shirt down. I then skim over the soft fabric of my pants in attempt to relax.
Lorcan then mirrors me, sitting on top of the covers. He turns toward me, the smirk on his face gone.
I take a deep breath feeling the frantic flutter of my heart as he cocks his head to the side watching me silently. It's almost as if his eyes fog over, the normal alertness in them completely gone.
"Are you okay?" I ask uneasily. Silently, I'm hoping he doesn't lash out and have an angry outburst. I hug my shaking legs.
"I should be asking you that." He chuckles.
He scoots over to me in a sitting position, his head towering above mine. We sit knee to knee facing each other. His close proximity, makes my stomach clench. Getting a weird feeling, I watch him lean down toward me, alarms in my head go off.
"Well I'm getting tired...I'm going to go to sleep now." I whisper, scooting out of his reach.
He's silent as he watches me scoot under the covers. Without a word, he crawls under the covers next to me, without breaking eye contact. An odd look flashes across his face, however, it disappears just as quick.
How am I supposed to go sleep with him watching me like this?
Suddenly, he yanks me toward him, his fingers squeezing my arms. Usually when I'm with Lorcan I feel safe, so why do I have this bothersome feeling towards him all of the sudden? Instead of the safeness I feel when I'm by him, like when we were in the tree in the forest, I feel as if his arms are straining me from getting away. His hold on me isn't protective, its forceful. I fidget jerking my head away from him.
"You're in pain aren't you?" He states mockingly in my ear.
"Yeah my back was hurting earlier, remember?" I ask steadying my voice.
"Do you want to know what he did to you?" He whispers ominously. He?
Who is he talking about?
"So naive." He deadpans. I nearly jump out of my skin in horror at the new sound of his voice.
A chill seeps down into my bones, causing my head to rattle as I turn my head. When my head finally turns toward him, I let out a yelp, jumping out of the bed.
Instead of the red hair and crimson eyes I was expecting to see, his hair is black and his eyes are green. I confirm it is Bray, feeling sick, I stumble toward the door fumbling with the door knob.
"I couldn't help, but wonder why my big bad brother would take an interest in anyone, of all things, a human." He states bluntly from right behind me. He grabs my shoulder, his hand cold as ice. I release the door knob, readying myself to yank his arm off me.
"Let me go." I clench through my teeth, having enough of his game.
"Now I have pretty good
idea. So sorry I forgot to tell you my specialty, looks like Lorcan hasn't told you much of anything? Wouldn't you agree?" He taunts in my ear.
It doesn't seem like Bray is dangerous. Still, he tricked me and I'm still creeped out by it. I might as well listen for the moment though, I might learn something. Anyway, the sooner he finishes talking, the sooner I can get away.
"I'm a fae just like my brother, except our...powers are different. I'm known as a shifter." He says with a grin.
His smile then fades, his face looks strained as if he's focusing on something invisible.
I widen my eyes in shock as I see his face flicker, suddenly it changes into Lorcan's.
"Interesting isn't it?" Brayden says in Lorcan's voice.
I shudder hearing his voice portrayed so accurately.
Bray's face flickers back into his own. Why wouldn't Lorcan have told me this before? Then again, he did warn me...I bet this is what he met. Still, I'm a little annoyed he left out the fact that his brother could do this.
"The down side to it is, I can only do it for a couple minutes, plus my face is the only thing that changes. I've just learned to perfect some voices, it's one of my many hidden talents." He says with a laugh.
"You could have just talked to me, not pretend to be someone you're not." I say my face growing red.
"You wouldn't have been genuine though, with me being a stranger and all." He adds.
"Why do you care anyway?" I ask frustrated.
"I know him better than anyone. Believe me, you're special. I intend to find out just what is so special about you." he says seriously. I watch him skeptically, his deep green eyes are trained on me.
"I'm not-" I say, but he interrupts me.
"Your angelic voice could draw anyone in, even someone like me, but I'm sure there's more to it than that. Besides I was just curious, I'm out this far all alone, what better than to have a little fun? It’s not often I get to practice my shifting." He says defensively, I roll my eyes.
"Alright I get it." I say.
"Friends?" He says holding his hand out. Friends? He just pretended to be someone he's not in order to investigate his own matters. I clench my fists at my sides. Letting out a deep breath I decide to forgive him, maybe he really has nothing better to do than nose around in his brother's business.
"Friends..." I reply awkwardly shaking his hand. He lets out a hearty laugh, its hard for me not to laugh back. He seems rather friendly, despite his little game.
"Well I'll be going back then, to my bed." I mumble.
"You sure?" He says, his face changes to Lorcan's. I let out a shriek and swat at him.
"Stop doing that. Promise you won't do that again around me?" I ask uneasily, reaching for the door.
"I promise." He says shifting back to his normal face.
Closing the door behind me, I walk back into the dark hallway. After that whole charade, I don't hesitate to go directly back to my room.
After laying in my bed for a while, drowsiness finally seeps into me and I'm finally able to go sleep.
______________________________________
I'm half awake in a fetal position, laying in what seems to be a very comfortable warm like nest. I snuggle my head deeper into my pillow, wanting to go back to sleep. Its almost like a soft ray of warmth is encircling me.
I decide to pry my eyes open, Lorcan is laying fast asleep beside me. He's wearing a clean black cloak, I will have to ask him for one later.
His wings encircle around us. I know I should probably tell him about Bray, but that can wait until after he wakes up. I roll over on my side facing his wings.
Abruptly, I'm pulled back by strong arms. Lorcan rests his head on my shoulder and I have to stifle a giggle at the ridiculousness. His hair tickles the side of my face, when I turn my head to look at him, he opens his piercing red eyes.
I let my laugh escape, I probably haven't laughed this hard since I was at home.
Lorcan gives me a look, then he starts laughing too.
"What's so funny, human?" He asks smiling mischievously.
"Y-you." I reply through giggles.
"I came into your room earlier and you were gone." He says dropping his smile.
"You didn't tell me what your brother was." I huff.
"What did he do to you?" He practically hisses standing up.
"Nothing, I heard a noise and opened up the nearest door I thought it was you, but it wasn't. When he revealed himself he said he just wanted to know why I was special to you." I respond.
A wave of alarm crosses over his face, but he covers it up. He then rips open the door walking out.
"I'll be right back." He says in a low tone.
I jump up from the bed, nervously trailing after him.
Before Lorcan reaches Bray's door, a knock at the front door pierces through the air. Bray suddenly bursts out of his room, without even giving Lorcan and I a glance. He runs past us down the stairs, Lorcan steps out in front of me blocking my view of the visitor.
I thought Bray set up a barrier?
I can only make out bits and pieces of the conversation, but I can tell the visitor is an older male.
When Bray finally shuts the door, Lorcan flies down the stairs landing with a thud.
"I told you to leave her alone!" He shouts at Bray. If I were to have blinked my eyes I would have missed his punch, right at his brother's jaw.
Bray falls against the wall, he rubs his jaw with an annoyed look at Lorcan.
"I think you misunderstand brother, she came to me." He says with a cheeky grin.
"I'm not going to tell you again Braydon." Lorcan spits.
"My, my your new sense of possessiveness is really something. I won't pull anymore tricks." He says rolling his eyes.
"Good." Lorcan says.
_________________________________
The rest of the day went pretty quick, Lorcan explained to me how long it would take the guards to scope out where we are. We had some strange looking vegetables for dinner too. Bray went off into his room to find something. Now Lorcan and I sit on the porch.
"There's something your brother mentioned that's been bothering me Lorcan." I say.
"And what would that be?" He asks sounding bored.
"He said he knows what you did to me." I reply with a worried waver.
His jaw twitches, he looks back inside the house then faces me again.
"I'll tell you." He says slowly. I thought I would be relieved, but something about his response makes me anxious.
Perhaps it is because for the first time, Lorcan looks vulnerable.
I hold my breath waiting for him to continue.
Chapter 20-Pain
"You have probably noticed...my behavior can be different sometimes." he says eyeing me weirdly.
"Yes I've noticed." I say shortly.
"Well...there's no easy way to put this, but let’s just say I'm not a full blooded fae." He says.
"Oh you're really part human!" I say excitedly.
"No." He retorts. I flinch back in my seat. What else could he be?
"Brayden and I were adopted by my fae parents. No one really knows who my parents are, neither do I. All I know is I'm fae, but I was told by my adopted family I'm not a full blooded faery. Brayden on the other hand is a full blooded fae, we aren't related by blood either." He finishes.
That explains somethings, but was Lorcan really an orphan? I never even thought the fae would have orphans. I wonder where Lorcan's parents are anyway, I get a feeling this is the house he grew up in. It must be hard not knowing who or what you really are.
"Go on." I encourage him.
"Well many times when I get angry...or for other reasons...I can kill easily. I know my demeanor changes a little, I don't know if you've noticed yet." He mumbles looking away from me.
I've definitely noticed.
"The thing is...no one's ever survived being around me when I...lose composure." He says. In other words, no one has seen his violent out bursts and hea
rd how psychotic his laugh can get.
"That is, no one except you." He concludes, locking his piercing red eyes on me. Does this mean he knew I was going to die if I stayed with him? Did he care that I was going to die the moment we ran into trouble? What am I saying? He saved my life several times.
"W-why?" I stutter. For some reason, my palms grow sweaty as I fold my hands tighter, unconsciously leaning forward in interest.
"I really did remember that night when we danced." He says in a low tone.
Immediately, my face flames at the memory. He on the contrary, looks like he's enjoying me squirming under his intense stare. A mischievous smile forms on his face.
"Before you passed out, I did it." He whispers, the smile from his face gone.
"Did what?" I ask frantically.
"Finished it." He says.
"Finished what?" I ask nervously.
He stares at the floor intensely, almost as if he's ashamed.
"Making you mine!" He practically yells while clenching his fists. Its almost as if he's having some kind of internal struggle. I clench the sides of my chair tightly, preparing myself.
"What?" I ask confused. This has to be a joke, he's a wanted criminal, he doesn't even know my name. You're nothing to him, but a human, my mind reminds me.
"Every fae is supposed to eventually find their mate. Usually, its completely under control, once a fae kisses someone, whoever they kissed will be their mate. I didn't realize what I did until the next morning, when you told me your back hurt. Then I remembered everything." He finishes.
"How am I suppose to believe that? Is something going to happen to me?" I ask, genuinely concerned for my sanity.
"You'll see soon enough. Since you are not fae, things will be different for you, than if you were a normal fae." He says vaguely. He's not even a regular fae from what he told me.
"How could you just do that to me? Without asking me?" I retort.
"Like I said, human, it was my other side. I did not even know what I was doing." He huffs defensively.
Something tells me that's not all to it.
"Can't you-" I say, but he interrupts me.
"There is no way to get rid of it. Its permanent, until one of us dies of course." he states coldly.
