Hidden Runes

by G. Bailey

  “No problem, kid,” I hear him say, and I watch Trex as he steps into the portal and disappears into flames.

  Forty-Five

  Evie

  “She looks exhausted,” Connor softly says as he picks up Hali’s tablet off her lap and rests it on the floor next to my feet. I stroke a braid of Hali’s hair away from her face as I slide off the sofa and let her lie down. Connor offers me a red blanket, which I cover her up with before nodding my head towards the back of the house. Azi, Trex and Nix have separated guard duties, and Nix took Star outside with him for a walk. I grab the remote, turning off the Catfish episode we were watching while Hali showed me photos of what she has been doing since I was gone.

  “Hali told me she didn’t want to fall asleep in case I left again, but I knew she would eventually drift off,” I whisper, stopping by the row of doors we get to and not having a clue which one I should go into or where I’m going to sleep tonight. I know the bathroom is the middle one, and I’ve seen Hali coming in and out of the far-right door.

  “I know what she is feeling,” Connor mumbles under his breath and opens the door next to me. “This is going to sound like a shit pick up line, but do you want to sleep in my bed tonight? I’m not asking for anything other than being near you.” His soft-spoken words make my heart pound in my chest as I stare up at him. I don’t do romance, but this is Connor, the Protector who seems dead set on charming his way into my heart. I can’t help but run my eyes over him and feel like he must have spent time working out as his arms and chest seem bigger than I remember. His snug blue shirt showcases his body, making me feel like I need to run my hands all over him. When I make my way past his chiselled jawline and his killer smile to his gold eyes, we seem to just lock into this moment that neither one of us wants to break.

  “Only if you don’t mind the fact I talk in my sleep,” I joke, trying to break the tension between us that I really don’t know how to deal with. Give me any weapon, any opponent, and I will work it out, but feelings? No, I don’t get how to deal with those, and they scare the crap out of me. Hali scares me, and she always did. I worried when I got close to her that I might lose her, and it made me as overprotective as I am now.

  “Oh, I already know you do,” he says, and thankfully walks in the room. I follow after him, shutting the door behind me as he turns on a small bedside lamp. The light reveals a small double bed with black sheets and a wardrobe. There isn’t anything else in here, and the small room just adds to the tension between us as we end up staring at each other again. Thankfully he carries on his earlier sentence. “When we were in Hell, you talked for ten minutes straight about bacon when you were sleeping one night. You even made Trex smile.”

  “Bacon is life,” I shrug, and he flashes me an amused grin.

  “One day, I hope you look at me the way you do bacon,” he remarks, and I don’t move as he walks over to me and gently lifts my hand up to his lips. Connor places a sweet kiss on the back of my hand, the brief brush of his lips sending goose bumps through me.

  “Connor,” I warn.

  “We don’t know each other well, and there is a lot going on. I know that you don’t let people get close to you, and it isn’t going to be easy to get you to trust me. I wish I could take you on a date, make you fall for me that way. Or in bed. One or the other, but either way, you would be mine. I can’t do that right now, but damn I need you to know you’re what I want,” he tells me, each sentence seeming to somehow break down whatever barrier I have put up between him and me.

  “I don’t really know how to do relationships. My only one ended with me sending him to Hell, and to be honest, you scare me.” Connor steps back as he drops my hand, visual pain etching over his features. I step closer to him, placing my hand on his chest and feeling his fast beating heart under my palm. I know he needs me close. “You scare me because you make me feel something, and you’re right, we don’t know each other that well. I keep people away to keep myself safe, and because it is all I’ve ever known.”

  “Let’s change that then. I’m not giving up on you, Blue. I know everything is complicated, and it will only get worse in the Protectors. They will never allow me to be with you because of who my father is and they think I’m trash. If they accept you as a royal, this will have to be a secret for your sake, but I don’t care. I can’t give up on us for anything, I think we could have something amazing,” Connor suggests and steps away, rubbing his jaw as I try to process his statement. I watch in fascination as he pulls his boots, socks and shirt off. I end up staring like a love-sick puppy at the ‘v’ dip that looks lickable and all the way up to his sculpted chest. I spot his rune name marked across his heart, and I know why he took his shirt off.

  “Come and read it. Please, Blue,” Connor asks carefully, and I stare speechless. Even I know showing someone your rune name means they can always find you. It gives them control over you, and it is meant to be a very private thing. I never cared about leaving my rune mark on my enemies’ bodies for protectors to find, because I knew that’s how they always found me anyway.

  “I can’t,” I whisper, not wanting to reject him.

  “I trust you completely, Evie. I want you to know,” he insists, and I blow out a breath, nodding in agreement. I slowly walk over to him, each step making the room feel like it is drowning me in the tension between us. When I’m close enough, I trace my fingers across the symbols, and feel his warm breath moving my hair as he looks down at me. Symbols mean nothing more than drawings to me as I can’t read them.

  “No, I mean I can’t read runes. My friend tried to get me a runes book once, but Protectors found the copy and took it before she could buy it from the trader. It’s impossible to learn when you’re not brought up with them,” I say. This is why I know so little of Protectors, why no one knows much about them. Everything is kept in the dark, and it makes it impossible for me to learn their ways. Like reading their language, for example.

  “Well, I know what book I’m stealing from the Protectors when I’m there next. For now, let me whisper it to you,” he says and reaches out, pushing my hair over my shoulder. His arm sneaks around my waist, pulling my body against his, and his lips rest near my ear. My hands land on his bare chest, feeling the smooth, warm skin. I must not lick him no matter how much his chest seems to ask for it.

  “If you tell me yours, will you read mine? I’ve never known…” I drift off, because it’s hard to admit it and ask him to tell me something so private.

  “Yes,” he agrees. “But first you need to know mine. My rune name is Uruz. It means I will have strength and speed.” I smile, knowing his rune name is clearly right and must have a similar power as witches’ marks.

  “Thank you,” I whisper back, my voice drifting off at the end. He moves away only slightly to look down at me, his lips pulled up in a happy smile.

  “Where is your rune name?” he asks, his voice a little gravellier than before, and I damn well like it.

  “On my lower back,” I say and turn around. I keep still as he pushes my tank shirt up, revealing my rune name that is written near my bum. His fingers gently trace the symbols, the simple touch sending shivers of pleasure through me. I know I need to get laid, because this reaction to his simple touches is not cool. I almost sigh in relief as he lets my top fall back down. Connor walks around me and rests his hands on my shoulders, his thumbs rubbing comforting circles. Oh god, more sexy-ass touching.

  “Your rune name is Ashkin. It means strength, loyalty, passion and leadership,” he says, and looks overly happy and somewhat shocked about this.

  “Why do you look so shocked?” I ask.

  “I can’t tell you why, but you will know soon. Some things are out of our control, I just didn’t know it until I saw your rune name,” Connor says, a hidden smile on his lips as he lets me go and gets into the bed like he didn’t just say something confusing and weird.

  “I like to sleep on the left. It’s really something I’m not willing to budge on,” he e
ventually decides to inform me, and I chuckle.

  “Even for me?” I tease, and he doesn’t answer as I kick my boots off and remove my leggings and bra before getting into the bed with him. Connor pulls me towards him, pressing our bodies together as my head naturally rests on his chest.

  “By the way, I like to sleep on the right. I was just messing with you,” I grumble against his chest.

  “I would have moved to the right if you wanted,” he says. The liar.

  “No, you wouldn’t have,” I call him out on it.

  “You’re right, Blue,” he chuckles, and not much later do I fall asleep to the sound of his heavy breathing.

  Forty-Six

  Evie

  I wake up to the sweet smell of bacon and lying on what I can only assume is the most comfortable bed in the world. I blink my eyes open to see light golden hair right in front of me, and I quickly realise I’m lying on top of Connor as I use a hand to gently rub my eyes. I must have climbed him like a monkey in the night or something. I hold in a groan when I move a little and feel his hard length pressed right up against me. Stupid female hormones making me a mess. And being surrounded by hot guys, that doesn’t help one bit. Connor grumbles in his sleep, stopping my internal thoughts, and his hands tighten on my hips. I can’t help myself when I rub a little against his hard length, the pleasure rolling through me is amazing.

  “If you keep doing that, I’m going to be ripping those lacy panties off and sliding inside you. Which kind of defeats the point of us going slow,” Connor protests and rolls us over, so he is lying on top of me. His blond hair is a sexy kind of messy, matching his gold eyes that are streaming with desire. He presses his length into me once more, and I moan from the intense feeling.

  “Sorry, kinda not sorry. It’s been a long time and I’m just…” I drift off, knowing he understands and a smirk stretches his lips up, making his sexy dimples pop out.

  “Let me give you what you want, fuck, I’m dying to taste you, but it’s only going to be about you. I need to know we will be much more than just once before we go further, Blue,” Connor grumbles, leaning down and kissing my chest right above my breasts. I give him a single nod when he lifts his head to look up at me, and he slides under the blanket, the sound of him ripping my underwear off a second later fills the silent room. I gasp as he roughly pushes my legs apart, diving in between my legs like a starving man. His tongue swirls around my clit, and it doesn’t take long before I’m moaning loudly and bucking on the bed. His one arm holds my waist down and the other slides up my chest, grabbing my right breast, his talented fingers finding my nipple. I bite my lip as the pleasure overwhelms me and everything blacks out for a second in the ecstasy. When I come back, Connor is climbing his head out of the sheets and holding himself above me. He then climbs off me to my side, pulling me against him, kissing my forehead.

  “Thank you,” I breathlessly mumble against his chest, which vibrates with laughter.

  “You don’t have to thank me, Blue. That was all my pleasure,” he tells me, and I snuggle into his chest, enjoying the warmth until three loud knocks on the door interrupt our silence.

  “One minute,” I shout, climbing out of bed, and Connor just puts his hands behind his head, not having a care in the world. I pick my leggings up off the floor, slip them on and straighten my tank top before cracking the door open a bit. Trex is stood outside the door, his arms crossed, and his eyes narrowed into angry slits.

  “Training in the basement. Ten minutes,” he bites out and storms off out of sight. I shut the door with a sigh, and go to sit on the bed, pulling my socks on.

  “Trex never shared anything, not even weapons when we used to train,” Connor says. His comment isn’t random, and I know what he means and suggests. It’s not uncommon for demon women to have more than one mate in their lives, and I grew up seeing it almost everywhere. Demons were, and are, hunted so much. Women demons are usually the weakest; therefore, they end up being the ones dead more often. There just weren’t enough demons, so naturally women ended up with more than one demon interested in them as a mate. I turn slightly on the bed so Connor can see how serious I am as I talk.

  “Trex can rather learn to share, or he doesn’t get to play at all. Anyways, I get the feeling he doesn’t want me,” I state.

  “Is sexy teacher Evie going to teach him to share?” Connor snickers.

  “Something like that,” I wink, and he boisterously laughs.

  “Go and get him then. I will make breakfast for you when you’re done, and you are wrong about Trex wanting you,” he tells me.

  “See, one of my guys is already well-trained,” I say, and Connor’s eyes widen a little at my statement. “Shit, I didn’t mean to—”

  “I’m one of your guys. I’m pretty sure we both know that. It was a nice shock to hear you announce it,” he stops me in the middle of my speech to say. Connor stretches over the bed, pressing a gentle kiss on my lips and leaning back.

  “Got it,” I whisper and clear my throat, standing up and walking to the door. This is too much feeling this early in the morning. I wink once at Connor, who looks very pleased with himself, before leaving the bedroom. I stop off at the bathroom to freshen up and put my hair up in a tight ponytail. I walk out the bathroom and smile over at Azi, Nix and Hali sitting around watching morning tv. Azi catches my eye as I make my way to the basement. He mouths ‘good luck’, making me want to chuckle, but I hold it in as I open the door. Time to see exactly how pissed off Trex is.

  Forty-Seven

  Evie

  “You are two minutes late,” Trex snaps at me as I get to the bottom step. I cross my arms and keep my head high as I stare him down. Trex is stood in the middle of the room on a mat, his hands wrapped in white bindings. The bright white lights glare down on him, showing the sweat dripping down his muscular arms and the way every bit of his body looks tense and strung up. Trex has shaved his hair at the sides and back of his head and trimmed the top, somehow making the already deadly attractive man sexier.

  “Two minutes never killed anyone, Trexy,” I say, purposely using the name I know winds him up. If he is going to pick a fight, I might as well play.

  “Get in here and fight me. We need to train, you can’t be sloppy with what is coming for us. If you want to be queen, you need to be the best and strongest Protector. Which you are not right now,” he states, his voice cold and lacking any emotion. I feel like we suddenly don’t know each other as I maintain eye contact with him. He has thrown a wall up between us, and I know it is because of what happened with Connor, which he no doubt heard. I want to think he is jealous, that there might be something between us other than this hateful tension, but I doubt it. Connor was wrong.

  “If I remember right,” I drawl as we start to circle each other like we have fought a million times, “I won the last fight.”

  “I let you. Why would I kill you when I needed your help in Hell? I won’t go so easy on you now, Evie,” he tells me with a revengeful glint in his eyes. I chuckle, shaking my head and not believing a word of his bullshit. He runs at me, and when I spin out of the way, he impresses me by predicting the move and catching my arm. I use the pressure of his grip to fling myself around him and jump on his back. He flips me over onto the mat, effortlessly, and holds his hands on his hips as he grins down at me. I smirk and swing both my legs into his, knocking him to the ground, and jump on his back before he can roll over. I hold him down, leaning close to his ear to breathlessly whisper.

  “You’re too cocky, Trexy,” I quip. He moves from under me so quick that I don’t get a chance to stop him as I fall to the ground. I roll over only to have him pin me down on the mat with a grunt escaping his lips as I knee him in his balls. Cheap shot, I know, but worth it to see the pain on his cocky face.

  “You drive me mad, you know that? I fucking hate how you drive me mad,” he tells me, his words slightly breathless as he keeps his head close to mine. We both just stare at each other, his musky, peppermint scent
taking over my senses. I look away, only to come face to face with his runes on his arms. Trex has the same as mine, but they somehow look like so much more. I want to ask about the black rune as I stare at it, but he grabs my chin with his other hand and makes me look at him.

  “You were jealous. This is what this is all about,” I state, knowing he is going to deny it. As suspected, he narrows his eyes, pulling back a little so he is resting his hands on either side of my head.

  “I don’t get jealous,” he growls out, and I only raise my eyebrows as I observe his green eyes that are full of obvious denial.

  “You do, and did,” I point out, and he shakes his head. He doesn’t look at me, as he climbs off me and sits on the mat. I sit up and cross my legs, waiting for whatever he clearly wants to tell me. He starts harshly undoing his bindings, and I move closer, pulling his hand to my lap, and begin doing it for him. I don’t know why I want to help, and I don’t even look at him when he lets me.

  “Connor and Nix…they are my family. You get that?” he finally says, as I undo the binding and pause, finally understanding his anger. “I have to protect them. I always have, and I always will. Family means everything to me.”

  “You think I am going to split your family up?” I ask quietly, understanding what he’s saying without him spelling it out. I can see his point of view, relationships with more than one person don’t usually work out well, and I’m not the easiest person to be around.

  “I know you will. I won’t let you ruin us because you decide you only want one of us in the end. Or you leave with Azi. Connor would be crushed; he can’t lose anymore, and he has already left his mother in prison to save Hali for you. Connor knows Erica might use his mother against him, but he is still here for you. Nix and me…we went through a lot as kids. Fuck, even more as teenagers,” he explains to me, and I can’t believe I forgot what Connor told me about his mum being locked up. I sit back a little, clearing my throat with the guilt I feel. I will get Connor’s mum freed. Somehow.