Gathering Storm

by Jess Parry

  “Ah damn, for some reason I thought the spark would be there, but I’m sorry, I felt absolutely nothing.” Sarcasm dripping sweetly from her lips

  Turning Sarah walked over to the empty table plopping down hard in her chair. The group sitting with the boy started howling with laughter as the boy’s face fell. Siobhan closed the distance between her and the table; sitting down next to Sarah as Jason pulled up another chair to sit.

  “Holy cow Becky, that was the best kiss I think I have ever had in my life” Sarah hissed in Siobhan’s ear

  Turning with eyes wide she looked at Sarah seeing her friend’s eyes were a little brighter than normal. Sarah’s cheeks were flushed; her breathing a little erratic. Sarah grabbed a beer as the waitress passed holding a full tray. Siobhan watched as Sarah downed the pint in two big gulps. Jason sat next to Siobhan shaking with laughter. Siobhan turned to look over to the boy sitting at the table behind them. He was staring at Sarah with the worst puppy dog eyes Siobhan had ever seen.

  “Hey, crash and burn!” She called loudly getting the boys attention; he slowly tore his eyes away from Sarah, looking at Siobhan. “Get your ass over here”

  Jumping up, he slapped one of his friends on the back, racing over to sit next to Sarah. He looked quickly at Sarah, who was staring at him with her mouth open. The smile widened on his lovely face as a slight blush lit his cheeks.

  Ordering more drinks and food, they enjoyed a pleasant meal, learning all there was to know about Shawn O’Riley. He was actually two years older than them, worked at a local printing shop while going to college. As the evening progressed Shawn and Sarah were inching closer to each other. Their chairs were so close together that Siobhan couldn’t see where one started and the other ended. Sarah had a stupid grin on her face as she continued to sneak glances at Shawn. Siobhan didn’t miss that Jason had a slight scowl on his face, while sneaking glances over at Sarah and Shawn when he thought no one was looking.

  “Well, Shawn it’s been fun, but it’s getting late and we have a busy day tomorrow” Jason said a little harsher than needed.

  Siobhan sat up a little straighter looking sharply at Jason. She was fine; she wasn’t even tired and didn’t see why he was in such a rush. Sarah turned from Shawn, glaring daggers at Jason. Shawn didn’t seem to notice the tension growing between them; he just turned to Sarah, offering to walk her back to the hotel.

  Jumping up smiling ear to ear, Sarah took Shawn’s out stretched hand walking outside with him.

  “Jason, I think it’s your turn to buy dinner!” Sarah sang sweetly before the door closed

  “What the hell is wrong with you Jason?” Siobhan asked “I mean you are acting like a jealous boyfriend”

  Jerking in his chair he looked over at Siobhan, as some of the anger slipped off his face.

  “Damn, I’m sorry Siobhan, it’s not like that, I’m just in shock that some guy smacks her ass and she’s in love!” he replied angrily “I mean come on, how long have I been trying to get her to go out with Derrick?”

  “That isn’t Derrick!” Siobhan pointed at Shawn who is now standing outside with Sarah waiting on them.

  “That is someone who doesn’t know us, hasn’t grown up with us. He saw Sarah, Jason, and only Sarah, not the status of her parents” Sarah whispered harshly at Jason “Think about it”

  “Yah, I guess you’re right.” He replied shaking his hair out of his eyes “Besides, it’s not like she will ever have a future with him, she’s just having fun”

  Choosing not to say anything more, Siobhan made her way out of the pub with Jason following close behind. As they hit the cool night air, a shiver ran up Siobhan’s spine, Jason leaned into her pulling her into his arms. Resting his chin on the top of her head Siobhan sighed at the comfort he gave.

  “I’m sorry, you are right Siobhan, and I do want to see Sarah happy” he muffled into her hair

  “You know what, let’s not argue, we’re on vacation and wow, no parents Jason” She said as she pulled his arms a little closer to her. “Let’s go back to the hotel, would you mind staying in my room tonight?”

  A silence fell between them. Siobhan stepped out of Jason’s embrace to see if she had said something wrong. She thought this was what Jason wanted, god knows he never pushed, but it was just something that lingered between them. Starting to get embarrassed, she turned to storm off, but was pulled up into the air instead. Jason had his arms around her and was looking into her eyes with a mixture of shock and mischief.

  “Are you sure?” he whispered so softly Siobhan almost didn’t hear it. Nodding her head yes, unable to speak. Jason smiled wickedly drawing her mouth to his in a deep kiss.

  “Ahem, I thought I told you two to get a room” Sarah called as she and Shawn stood a couple of feet away holding hands with Shawn, waiting for them.

  Jason let Siobhan back down to the ground, chuckling softly as Siobhan’s blush deepened, they started walking back to the hotel.

  Ash stood in the shadows, lips pursed together in a scowl; his green eyes glowing as he starting chanting. The wind started to dance around him, circling in and out of his legs; it pulled his hair wildly around his face as anger flickered across his features. He opened his arms slightly embracing it, then pushed his palms out towards the group walking ahead.

  The air pushed itself out and away from Ash gaining speed as it sprinted towards the group walking ahead. They were laughing at something Shawn had said, unaware of the raging wind closing the distance between Ash and them.

  The arctic air pulsed between them pushing them down to the ground, all but Siobhan. She stood there looking at her friends who were now sitting on the ground. They were trying to get up only to be shoved back down as the wind angrily flew around them. Her hair wasn’t even blowing in the wind; it was racing around them and not touching her in the slightest.

  Turning her head, she caught the glimpse of the stranger from the library, she started to step towards him, but he disappeared; only his laughter lingering. Just as quickly as the raging wind had descended on them it was gone. The night air warmed a little as the noise from the cars and people started again. Looking down Siobhan watched in silence as her friends got up, dusting their selves off as they stared back at her.

  “What the hell was that Becky?” Sarah said dragging a leaf out of her hair

  “I don’t know” Siobhan mumbled

  “I thought her name was Siobhan?” Shawn asked shaking his head

  “It is, that’s my pet name for her” Sarah retorted

  “That is some serious magick that just hit us” Shawn said stoically

  “What are you talking about Shawn” Sarah asked still pulling articles of liter off her clothes she didn’t see the way Shawn was watching Siobhan.

  “What do you think was holding us down?” Shawn asked as he pulled his gaze away from Siobhan looking pointedly at Jason and Sarah

  “Well it wasn’t holding Siobhan down that’s for damn sure” Sarah huffed

  “It wasn’t meant for her, it was meant for us” Shawn said quietly, then turned to look back at Siobhan.

  She looked back at him with a look of defiance on her face, as if that was her fault; she waited for him to accuse her of it.

  “Look it’s over, let’s just get back to the hotel” Jason said shortly.

  Taking Siobhan’s hand, pulling her closer to him; Jason ignored the nasty glare on Sarah’s face. Walking quietly past Shawn and Sarah, turning Shawn took Sarah’s hand, following them to the hotel. The group didn’t utter a word to each other; Jason gave Sarah a scathing look as Shawn joined them in the elevator. Sarah promptly stuck her tongue out at Jason, winking at Siobhan before resting her gaze back on Shawn.

  The silence was stifling as they walked down the hall to their rooms. Shawn went into Sarah’s room; she promptly slammed the door before Jason could complete a word. Scowling, Jason followed Siobhan to her door and waited while she dug the key card out of her satchel. Once they were inside her room with her
door shut, Jason jumped on her bed kicking his shoes off.

  Laughing Siobhan kicked off her shoes, dropping down next to him. Reaching over, Jason pulled her closer into his arms, as he raised Siobhan up so she was lying on top of him. He tenderly brushed the hair out of her face leaning in to kiss her. The kiss started playfully, turning deeper as their tongues danced with each other. Jason growled under his breath, pulling Siobhan closer then quickly flipping their positions so that he was above her. Pulling up slightly he looked down at her with a smile on his face.

  “Are you sure about this?” his voice hoarse with longing

  Was she ready for this? Siobhan tossed out the thoughts running rampant in her head. She reached up bringing Jason’s lips down to hers. Tongues meeting again in a frenzied rush, Jason’s fingers grazed the skin exposed on her belly from her sweater riding up. He trailed feather light touches up her body until he was just barely touching the base of her bra. Sighing, Siobhan hands tangled into Jason’s hair tugging him closer to her.

  Lost in the embrace neither heard the tiny clinking of thousands of cracks forming a spider web on the window that looked out at the street below. Ash stood there looking up, staring daggers at Siobhan’s window chanting so fast his lips were barely moving. Wave after wave of chaos crashed into Ash, he felt the lust of their embrace washing over him. His head screaming at him to stop it before Siobhan was lost to him forever. Shaking with fury, he refused to let that whelp of a boy take his beloved.

  They were lost in each other, touching, tasting, sighs escaping between breaths. Siobhan’s finger wearing the ring started burning brightly. Crying out from the pain Siobhan scrambled back from Jason as the window exploded over them. Shards of glass flew around the room showering them as Siobhan screamed.

  “What the hell just happened” Jason yelled.

  Picking Siobhan up off the bed, standing in front of each other; he started running his hands over her to make sure she wasn’t cut. Looking up at him Siobhan saw a trail of blood starting to run down the side of his face.

  “Jason you’re bleeding” Siobhan cried hoarsely

  Jason ran his hand to the point of where the blood was cringing in pain. His legs gave out as he crumpled the floor at Siobhan’s feet unconscious. Screaming for help Siobhan ran to the door as someone started pounding on it.

  Flinging the door open to Shawn and Sarah looking worried as a couple of other guests were peering out their doors to see what all the commotion was about.

  “Oh god, please help us, the window exploded, Jason’s hurt” she sobbed as tears started running down her face. Sarah grabbed her into a hug as Shawn stormed into the room, grabbed Jason yelling for someone to call for help.

  An older man came running into the room carrying an old time doctor bag. His clothes were slightly rumpled as he had been woken from sleep. He crouched down to where Jason was currently passed out. He opened the bag, rummaged blindly around the inside, his hand emerged a minute later holding a packet of salts. He quickly broke the little packet running it under Jason’s nose.

  Jason twitched, eyes opening as he bolted awake, his arms swinging out blindly. Shawn had to hold him down as Jason tried to take a swing at the man. The older man didn’t flinch; he just pulled Jason’s head closer to him looking for the cause of the bleeding.

  A desk clerk appeared at the door asking for the girls to come out into the hall. She then sent the gawkers back to their rooms. Siobhan and Sarah watched as the door to her room closed, shutting them out from the scene inside.

  The clerk apologized several times, explaining the windows along with the building are extremely old. They had had something similar happen a few months ago, but that luckily that time the guest of the room had been out when it happened. She hurried to say that they were sorry this had happened, to compensate the manager had upgraded her immediately to another room down the hall.

  Siobhan stood locked in Sarah’s arms at the entrance to her room, refusing to go with the clerk to Siobhan’s new room until they knew how Jason was. The desk clerk continued to apologize, but Sarah and Siobhan ignored her.

  They just continued to stare at the closed door before them wondering what was going on in the room.

  It had felt like an eternity since they had stepped out of the room, just as Siobhan started to knock, the door opened the older man walking out carrying his bag, followed by Jason with a bandage over his eyebrow, with Shawn trailing behind him.

  “It was lucky I was here” a lilting voice said looking at the frustrated desk clerk, standing behind Siobhan and Sarah. Clearing his throat, he looked pointedly at the desk clerk.

  “There was a small piece of glass imbedded just about his eyebrow, I had to give him some stitches, but otherwise I think he’ll be fine.”

  Siobhan ran to Jason wrapping her arms around him as he leaned into her embrace, kissing her hair.

  “Ok, Shawn let’s get in that room from hell and get Siobhan’s things” Sarah turned, glaring at the desk clerk “What room is she moving to? We’ll bring her things there”

  “1020” replied the clerk as she handed a spare room card to Sarah

  “Thank you” Siobhan whispered to Sarah as she and Jason followed the clerk down the hall.

  Smiling Sarah nodded to Siobhan then opened her old room, walking inside with Shawn behind her.

  12 CHAPTER Twelve

  The clerk walked them down to the corner room opening the door for them. Walking inside, Jason and Siobhan’s mouths fell open as they walked into the spacious suite before them. They were currently in what looked like the sitting area with two leather couches sitting between a large flat screen hanging on the wall.

  There were built in bookshelves surrounding the TV filled to capacity with books, vases of all shapes and colors. Looking to her right, Siobhan saw two French doors that the clerk walked over to grandly opening both revealing a huge kings size bed. Apologizing yet again, the clerk gave Siobhan the room card quietly closing the door as she left.

  Siobhan sat across from Jason on the leather couch leaning over to lightly kiss the bandage that peeked out from under his tousled hair. Jason smiled sheepishly before sinking down into the soft cushioned leather seat. Closing his eyes, he pulled Siobhan closer to him. They sat in silence waiting for Sarah and Shawn to arrive.

  Sitting up abruptly, Jason winced, as they heard the click of Sarah running the card through the lock before she walked in carrying Siobhan’s clothes. The ones she had left lying around the room, Siobhan quickly blushed wishing she had in fact picked up the items now. Shawn followed silently behind Sarah pulling Siobhan’s suitcases behind him.

  “Well, I must say I’m a little upset that Shawn has seen your underwear, but hasn’t even attempted to peek at mine” Sarah huffed as she tossed Siobhan’s clothes onto the desk behind the couch.

  “Holy mother of god, BECKY, have you seen the size of that bed?” Sarah screeched “That could fit all of us!”

  A bubble of laughter escaped Siobhan’s lips as she turned to see Jason shaking as the laughter began to slide out of his lips.

  “I call dibs on the outside that’s near the bathroom” Sarah sang before doing a little dance, then running quickly leaping onto the bed, bouncing a couple of times before landing, cackling with laughter.

  A soft chuckle escaped from Shawn as he watched Sarah, his heart doing a little leap when she winked at him. He turned sharply watching Siobhan jump a little when the phone started ringing. She rushed to answer it. Saying a few words, she hung up turning around to see three pairs of eyes staring at her.

  “It was the manager, he wanted to make sure my accommodations were good” Siobhan said rolling her eyes. She went back to sit next to Jason noticing that Shawn had joined Sarah on her bed.

  “Hey um that’s my bed you know” Siobhan called over her shoulder

  “Yah love I know, but Shawn and I were talking, we think we all should just stay in here tonight” Sarah added quickly as Siobhan turned to glare at her “
Apparently you two shouldn’t be getting all hot and heavy as you shatter windows with the monkey love!”

  Jason looked at Siobhan shaking his head wincing a little as he stood up pulling her up with him “Looks like we’ve been out voted”

  Walking into the bedroom, Sarah and Shawn scooted over as Jason and Siobhan climbed in next to them. Turning on the TV in the room, they picked a movie off the guide settling into the soft bed.

  The movie had long ended, with everyone had fallen asleep before the middle of the movie. The soft glow of the TV lit the room in an eerie glow as they slept. Siobhan was sandwiched between Jason and Sarah, with Shawn on the other side of Sarah. Her head lying in the crook of Jason’s arm with Sarah’s back pressing lightly against her.

  The window in the sitting area opened letting Ash into the room. Walking quietly into the room, he stood silently looking over the group in the bed, a slight frown on his lips. Walking closer to the bed, he could see that Siobhan was wrapped in Jason’s arms. She was also surrounded by Sarah as Shawn and Jason took up the outside of the bed. She was encircled in a protective group, sleeping soundly; they didn’t feel the dip in the bed as he quietly sat on the edge running his finger down Siobhan’s leg.

  “Remember me” Ash whispered roughly to Siobhan before rising off the bed. Snapping his fingers Ash disappeared leaving the window in the sitting room wide open to the crisp night air.

  Shivering Siobhan leaned closer into Jason, sighing softly as his warmth folded around her. Grumbling, Sarah sat up pulling the blanket currently pooling at the bottom of the bed around the group. She glanced briefly at her friends who were snuggled together. Smiling, she laid back down snuggling into the Shawn’s embrace.