by Yvonne Heidt
They hadn’t yet spoken about the cave or Raven’s injuries. They’d hardly been alone in the last week, and when they were, Shade was high, drifting in and out of consciousness.
Now that Shade was home, she knew the time would come that they would talk about what happened. She was nervous, but ready. Raven grabbed her overnight bag from the trunk, along with Shade’s medication. With all of the flowers and balloons, Raven realized she’d have to make at least two more trips.
She dropped her bag inside the door, the medications on the dining table, and went back out to retrieve more, leaving the front door open behind her.
By the time she’d returned juggling the cards and gifts, Shade was already at the table ripping the bags open to find her pain pills. “I would have got those for you,” Raven said. “It would have only taken a few more minutes.”
Shade looked a little frantic, and Raven softened her voice.
Sit down. I’ll get you some water.”
Shade shuffled out of the kitchen, back to the living room. Raven crossed to the refrigerator and realized she hadn’t thought to go shopping. Damn it. Sunny or Tiffany would have. As soon as she closed the door and turned to get water out of the tap, she heard a squeal, and the sound of small feet running into the living room. She looked around the short wall and watched as Angel made a beeline to Shade.
“Shay!”
Raven started to call out for her to be gentle, or for Shade to brace herself, but Angel stopped just short of leaping into Shade’s lap and leaned over the side of the chair instead. The joy on Shade’s face warmed her heart and removed most of her agitation.
Tiffany and Kat came in the open front door and into the kitchen loaded down with grocery bags. Raven wanted to laugh. Of course.
It felt nice, everyone was in tune with one another, where there was a space to be filled, or if somebody was overloaded with something else, someone in their group always jumped in to pick up the slack. She’d noticed it since she began working at SOS. Everyone was connected. “Thanks,” Raven said to Tiffany, and began helping put them away.
“Of course, we knew Shade wouldn’t have anything, and if she did, there was only a one in a million chance it would be healthy for her.”
Raven laughed. “Right?” She opened the flat of water they’d carried in, took a bottle out, and handed it to Shade. She noted the way her hands shook while she opened the cap, and reached for it so she wouldn’t have to try to close it in front of Angel. She knew Shade would despise looking weak in front of anyone.
“Thanks,” Shade said and looked up at Raven. “I’m sorry I snapped at you.”
“An apology?” Raven put a hand over her heart and raised her eyebrows slowly.
“Whatever,” Shade said.
Raven knew it was a front, a way to push her away, but she saw the smirk before Shade looked away.
Angel sat on the wide arm of the recliner and chattered at Shade. Raven had young nieces and nephews, and she had the skill it took to catch every other word necessary to decipher their meaning.
“We’re all glad she’s home,” Raven said with a smile.
The front door opened, and Sunny came in with Jordan and Aura in the rear.
“An all-star family reunion,” Shade muttered. “I thought I told everyone to not come.”
“And aren’t you glad no one listened?” Raven asked softly.
Tiffany and Kat were already seated, and Jordan was hanging up her coat. Sunny was walking toward the living room when Raven watched her stop abruptly.
Angel was humming a beautiful melody Raven had never heard. It was clear, but didn’t sound at all from this earth. She heard traces of harps and vocal harmonies. “What’s happening?” she whispered.
Tiffany’s eyes pooled with tears. “She’s healing her.”
There was an otherworldly energy present in the room. The hair on the back of her neck rose, and Raven’s scalp tingled with the sweet, pure resonance of its power. The sound rose until Raven felt the floor vibrate.
The song ended when Angel smiled brightly, and then she broke into giggles. “Almost better,” she said. “The pretty lady says you have to keep some of it, ’cuz it’s your path.”
“Who is the pretty lady?” Raven asked.
“Airimid,” Kat answered. “The—”
“Keeper of the Spring,” Raven finished for her. “One who can regenerate life. I know about her.” Raven looked around the room at everyone’s expression of wonder. They had just been in the presence of a Goddess, through Angel. She had just witnessed something few people ever did, and she felt completely blessed. There wasn’t anyone in the room whose eyes weren’t wet.
Shade included.
The group was quiet for several minutes. Raven assumed it was because no one knew what to say. How do you follow that? She was riding it like a perfect wave, coasting within the energy, while the shore of reality was nowhere in sight.
The lights in the house flickered and went off. And still, no one moved. When they came back on, it seemed as if it were a cue to release them from their fugue.
*
“Where’s everyone going?” Shade asked. “You just got here.” She felt awesome. Angel’s healing song had taken away the worst of her pain, but she still had an ache, a medium level buzz at the base of her spine.
She was exhausted, and her mind wasn’t clear enough to think about what Angel had told her, that she couldn’t take all of it because of Shade’s path. She added it to the growing list of things she needed to sort out in her mind. At least she wasn’t having shooting pains down her leg and into her shoulder blades, and that she wouldn’t question at all.
“It’s Angel’s bedtime,” Tiffany said. “After that, I want to make sure she gets good rest.”
“Not tired.” Angel pouted.
Kat picked her up, easily placing her on a hip, and soothed her. “By the time you take your bath and feed your cat, you will be.”
Angel grinned. “Nope. Kat and Mommy will be, not me.”
“But,” Kat whispered loudly. “You have to be in bed to hear more about Tanna and her adventures.”
“Past-Mommy!” Angel clapped her hands and then wriggled until Kat set her on the floor. She climbed back on the armrest and kissed Shade’s cheek. “Sorry, Shay. I have to go now.”
Shade held her close and wondered if she could ever love anyone more than Angel, who’d come from such an evil man, yet only carried her mother’s sweet nature, not to mention massively amplified psychic abilities.
If she were to have a daughter, would she be able to escape the dark abilities Shade had?
Where did that fucking come from? She visualized and dove headfirst into some snow at the Arctic Circle to snap out of it. A thousand more questions surfaced, and she shoved them away. “Good night, baby,” she said. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”
Angel nodded and climbed down to take Kat’s hand while Tiffany hugged Shade.
Sunny was next in line, and while Shade patted her back, she saw Jordan shaking her head.
“I’m not going to hug you,” Jordan said with a slight grin. “Get over it.” When Sunny stood, Jordan put her arm around her shoulders.
Shade waited for the tug of resentment that usually followed by such an action, but it never came. She supposed she could force a smartass comment, but she didn’t actually want to. Instead, she held her hand out for a fist bump.
Jordan, being the easiest to read in the group, filled the air with her confused energy, but finished the action. Shade thought it might be a little harder than was necessary—but also knew she deserved it, since she’d been hard on Jordan from the moment she’d stepped into a relationship with Sunny.
The smile of gratitude from Sunny made Shade feel good about it. She waved to her sisters as they walked out her front door. It was a weird feeling. She’d never had all of them to the house at one time.
It had always been easier to meet up at Sunny’s house, before they purchased the building d
owntown for Jordan’s teen outreach program, and moved the SOS offices there. The hug she received from Aura felt like a true homecoming, a circle of maternal love warmed her soul. She let herself relax into Aura’s soft embrace and sighed.
“I’ll be back to see you soon,” Aura said. “You take care tonight, okay?”
“Mmm hmm.” Shade reluctantly let her go. Aura had always been more than Sunny’s mom, she was Shade’s chosen mother. One far more precious than the creature she’d dealt with while she was in a coma.
Shade watched Raven close the door behind Aura, and she was unsure what she was feeling. It was an odd mix of pride, gratitude, and longing, with a trace of possessiveness. She should probably blame the drugs. Raven bent over by the door to pick something up, and her silky pants outlined her curvy ass and framed the triangle between her thighs. Shade felt a familiar tug, but knew she could never follow through with it tonight. Though knowing it didn’t stop her mouth from watering as she recalled the way Raven tasted.
“Are you staring at my ass?” Raven turned to face her, her bag on her shoulder.
“Um…” Shade stalled. “No?”
Raven laughed. “Yes, you were.”
“I plead the Fifth. What are you doing?”
“I’m staying here.” Raven crossed the living room and then walked down the hallway, out of Shade’s sight.
“Really?” Shade asked. She hadn’t thought that far ahead. She was used to living alone, and taking care of herself, without complications. But at the moment, she felt far from capable of it. She just thought she’d figure it out, somehow.
Raven was definitely a complication. At least, Shade had thought that a few weeks ago, right? It was a weird feeling to lose time. Even though her trip through hell felt like forever, once she’d wakened, events here, on this side, felt as if they happened yesterday. Not weeks ago. “Raven? I don’t think I can sleep with you.”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” Raven yelled from the back of the house. “I’m staying in the guest room.”
Ah, well then. Shade was exhausted, and despite the fact she didn’t feel any level of the physical pain she’d had when she got home, she reached for the orange bottle anyway. She didn’t want to argue with herself tonight whether or not it was a nasty habit—these pills were prescribed to her.
Nope, she thought. Nothing wrong with these, baby. They were guilt-free.
*
Raven finished putting away the clothes she’d brought with her and then stopped in the bathroom to put her toiletries on the counter. She’d given both rooms an intense cleansing the day before, when she learned Shade was finally coming home.
Home.
The word hitched in her chest. It seemed to Raven she was somewhere in-between. The last several weeks had been so intense, she didn’t feel as if she belonged at home, where she’d been a little girl—but Shade’s house didn’t quite fit either.
She’d promised herself she wouldn’t chase Shade, though she was certain Shade had lied to her about her feelings for Raven. It wasn’t enough. She wasn’t going to settle for half of anything.
Raven refused to have a relationship she had to decipher on a daily basis. She wanted an honest one. It was exhausting to have to read the undercurrents of Shade’s sarcastic remarks and not react to them. She absolutely refused to sacrifice her integrity or her self-confidence—no matter how she felt about Shade, or how long she’d dreamed of being with her.
Raven was going to try to keep her feelings quiet for the time being. She was only here to take care of Shade after her lengthy hospital stay. Then, she’d see what was what. But not until after they had some honest communication and conversations about what had happened in that cave. Raven didn’t want Shade to know about the wounds she carried forward from that night. It would only give her another excuse to push her away. She didn’t want the scars to be an issue.
She had chosen to travel there. Shade didn’t get to tell her what to do, or for what reason. Raven didn’t need her permission for anything, actually.
Shade would have to deal with it.
Or not.
No matter how badly Raven wanted the former choice, she was prepared to walk away when Shade was well enough, even if it cost her heart to do so.
Her cell phone rang in the guest room, and she hurried to answer it before the ringer woke Shade. “Hello?”
“Did you get her all settled?”
“Yes, Mama. Thank you.”
“David said he was sorry he missed you at his going away party.”
Her uncle David left each year at this time, so one missed party wasn’t the end of the world. “It’s not as if he’s not coming back in the fall,” Raven said.
“How do you know?”
Her mom had a habit of making routine events sound mysterious. Then again, with her family, maybe her mother knew something she didn’t. She decided not to press the subject further. Her mother and the rest of her family had been gracious, none of them had pushed her for details about what happened to her in the ritual, so she would return the favor. “I’m sorry I missed it, too,” Raven said. “It couldn’t be helped.” Her mother was right. She’d been consumed with Shade, splitting her time between SOS and the hospital.
“He asked if you would stop in this week to water all of his plants at the lake house, and spend some time there if you want.”
“Isn’t that Hawk’s job?” Raven hardly ever got the privilege of taking care of the lake house. Her older brother and sisters usually took turns. Being the youngest, she was last in line, and now that she thought about it, her mother had never asked her to do it before.
“Sí, but your uncle asked for you specifically this time.”
Raven considered it. She wasn’t sure why, but she understood the importance of the message. She was being trusted with something special, and it was perhaps an acknowledgement of how much she’d grown in the past few months. She swallowed a tight ball of emotion before she could respond. “Of course, I’ll do it. Thank you, Mama. I love you.”
“I love you too, mija. Good night, and call me if you need anything.”
“Bueno. Good night.”
Wow. This would be a wonderful opportunity to get Shade out of the house and spend a day in the sun. Maybe if she relaxed, Raven could get her talking. This was an unexpected, but very cool, opportunity. She’d make it a surprise. Raven went back to the living room to check on her.
Shade still appeared to be sleeping in the recliner, and Raven debated whether she should leave her there, but her neck was at an awkward angle. She was too heavy for her to carry, though. Shade would have to be lucid enough to help her. “Psst.”
“Huh.”
“Are you awake?”
“Uh.”
“I’ll take that as a yes. Let’s get you to the bedroom, okay?”
“’Kay.”
The trip down the hall with Shade using the walker was awkward, but Raven knew it would get easier with practice. She managed to get her into bed, tuck her in, and climb into her own bed in the guest room within twenty minutes.
Not bad, she thought. Raven was prepared for the usual mind movies that kept her awake, but instead drifted into the wonderful place between wakefulness and falling asleep, floating comfortably until she drifted off.
Chapter Eleven
“Get up!”
Shade mumbled and pulled the pillow over her eyes. “It’s only eight thirty,” she said. “My day doesn’t start until at least eleven.”
The pillow was ripped from her face, and Shade saw Raven looking down at her. She was so near, Shade startled and hit her head on the wall. “Ow.”
“Aw, poor baby,” Raven said. “Poor, poor baby.”
Shade knew she wasn’t sincere; it was pure sarcasm and glee. And exactly what she would have said if the situation were reversed. She held back the chuckle in her throat.
Because that would come too close to the line, leading Raven into…what? Raven had already witnessed Shade�
�s greatest humiliation.
The sheet flew off her legs. “Stop it!” Shade tried to pull the blankets back up. She was embarrassed at how puny her legs looked, how sick she appeared. But Raven had already moved to the foot of the bed and dropped the blankets on the floor where she stood with her hands on her hips glaring at her. Shade blinked a few times to clear the sleep from her eyes so she could stare her down.
Oh. My. Gawd. School girl fantasy, much?
Raven’s bare, tanned thighs rose up from behind the footboard, and Shade took her outfit in. Well-worn genuine jean cutoffs, so short the tips of the pockets peeked out from underneath the white fringe. They hugged low on her hips, and Shade considered herself privileged to see another expanse of smooth skin at Raven’s midriff. A crystal in her belly button ring caught a ray of sunlight and sparkled. Above that, Raven’s sleeveless shirt was tied up underneath her breasts.
The silky material perfectly defined their generous shape and, although not visible, Shade knew exactly where her nipples were.
A high ponytail brushed the tip of Raven’s bare shoulder, and the shiny red lipstick she was wearing was the icing on a cake. With the addition of subtle smoky eye makeup, Raven had taken what was already lush and made it irresistible.
Shade’s eyes burned, and she realized she hadn’t blinked for several moments.
She wasn’t only struck by the sight of her, she was floored, and that felt a little dangerous. “Stop teasing the lesbian, wench,” she said.
Raven looked surprised, which puzzled her. Shade was convinced Raven knew the power she held. How could she not? She was pretty sure Raven owned a mirror.
Her beauty made Shade painfully aware of how she must appear. She hadn’t been insecure about her own looks since she was a teenager and began to make the girls sigh, and chase her. Shade with her badass attitude, the image she’d created.
She’d only wanted Sunny, but that hadn’t stopped her from taking what was offered on a regular basis.
Raven’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “If I asked you, please, would you get up?”
