“Uh. So you can shift your appearance?”
“Yes, it takes effort. Way too much effort.”
“Then why do it?” Somehow this had to all tie back to why she didn’t believe in love.
“Because I can’t let him know it’s me.”
“Who’s he?”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” She shifted her weight. “You’re smart, aren’t you?”
“I thought you said I’m not good at anything but fucking?” It was weird talking like that to someone that looked to be the same age as my dad, but it was still her. The bitch who was messing up everything.
“Revenge is sweet.”
“Revenge. So whoever broke your heart will be hurt by all this?”
“You’re getting warmer.” She grinned.
“Is this what you really look like? Your real age?”
“Yes.”
“You hate the Laurents.”
“I do.” She nodded.
“Robert. This is all about Robert.”
Her smile grew even bigger. “It is.”
“But why? What did he do to you?” I knew Robert could be an ass, and we already knew he’d messed around at least once. I really hoped this time it happened before he met Helen.
“He let me love him.”
“That’s his only crime?” I pushed. Sometimes that’s the only way you can really get answers from someone.
“You’d understand if you actually had a heart,” she sneered.
“Me? After all the crap you’ve pulled you’re accusing me of not having a heart?”
“I had one, and I suppose it’s still in there somewhere.” Her face fell. I was right. This was her weakness.
“What did he do?”
“Robert? What do you think?”
“He dumped you?”
She laughed dryly. “I’d have taken dumping. What he did was pummel my heart.”
“Pummel? That’s a harsh word.”
“It’s the right one.” She crossed her arms. “He told me I should have known. That of course the future king couldn’t be with someone like me. Like me? Crazy, isn’t it? His grandmother was a witch. How was I different? And we all know witches are more helpful than a useless human!”
“Pterons don’t usually mate with other paranormals. You know that.” I knew that Levi’s great-grandmother was part witch, but it wasn’t something anyone was proud of.
“No, you only sleep with them and use them up just to break them apart.” Her eyes set on mine, making me wonder if she was talking about me or Robert.
“I never meant to hurt her, and I didn’t know what she was.” My guilt over everything with Casey kept me talking.
“You’d use anyone. It doesn’t matter.”
This wasn’t about me. She wasn’t going to distract me by playing with my guilt. “So all of this is revenge because Robert dumped you?”
“Partly.” She let her hands fall to her sides. “I’ve been setting the wheels in motion for years.”
A light bulb went off. “Casey.”
“Exactly. It wasn’t hard to drug Robert.”
“It’s impossible. He’s a Pteron.”
“Just as you are. Yet here you are chained to a wall like a helpless little animal.” The air shimmered, and the young Tiffany was standing in front of me.
“But this was physical.”
“So was his. I didn’t get into his mind. I just blacked him out to get what I needed.”
“But that’s still impossible. All of this is.”
“You’re going to say that now?” She gestured to me. “Do I need to remind you again of the situation you’re in?”
“No.” I shuddered remembering how badly she’d just hurt my balls. “I get it.”
“Then you should understand I’m powerful. I could have been such an asset to Robert. We would have been the strongest ruling couple ever.”
“Did he love you?” I had to ask. So much turned on one small little word.
“Yes.” She looked off. “No. I don’t know anymore.”
“How come he didn’t recognize you?”
“I don’t look like I did.” She paused. “I guess I didn’t explain this well. How do you think I managed to get to know Allie? Did you think it was random? No. I took the identity of a girl who was going to be living next door to her.”
“When?” I struggled to remember the first time I met Tiffany.
“Humans are so easy to sway. Tiffany changed her mind about attending college a few weeks before. I’m pretty sure she’s backpacking somewhere in Europe still. Or maybe she’s in Asia now. Funny how that happened. She’d never thought about traveling before.”
My head hurt. None of this made sense. “But I met your parents. I met Tiffany’s parents.” I thought back to the fire at the frat party Allie and her friends had attended. That felt like ages ago now, but in reality it hadn’t been all that long. “Who were they?”
“Just a couple of actors. They did pretty well, didn’t they?”
My level of disgust was growing by the minute. “Then who are you? Who are you really?”
“Just call me Tiffany. The name is starting to grow on me.”
I struggled against the chains. There had to be a way out.
“Stop hurting yourself. It isn’t going to change anything.”
“I’m not going to sit here and let you destroy everything.” I couldn’t. I refused to give up when so much was on the line.
“You don’t have a choice, Jared. You’ve always been a pawn. I’m just being more forward about it.”
“A pawn?”
“Do you remember your mother?”
“My mom?” No one ever mentioned her. She’d been gone so long I barely remembered her.
“Yes, your mom.”
“I was pretty little when she left.”
“She didn’t willingly leave.”
“Yeah. Sure.” I wasn’t going to let Tiffany mess with me that way. I was supposed to be trying to understand her.
“Because nothing is ever what it seems.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll let you think about that. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” She headed to the entrance of the room. “Have a nice evening, Jared.”
“Evening? It’s night time already?” I’d lost all sense of time.
“Yes, it’s night. You’ve been here for hours.”
“Fuck.” There went that word again.
“No thanks. You’re really not my type.”
I stared after her long after she and her light had disappeared from view. I was back in complete darkness again. What had just happened? My head was so full of questions, and that mixed with hunger and desperation to get out weren’t a good combination. If I didn’t get out of there soon I was going to go crazy. I was pretty sure that was exactly what she wanted.
Chapter Five
Casey
The cave was dark, and it felt like the walls were closing in on me. Everything was silent, completely silent as I waited. Why was I back there again? I was safe. I was home. I tried to stand up but the ceiling had lowered. The chanting started, and the smoke was so thick I couldn’t breathe. How was I going to get out? Where was everyone?
“Casey!” Toby screamed my name.
I opened my eyes. Had I been sleeping again?
“Are you okay?” Toby pulled me into his arms. “Were you having a nightmare?”
“It was so real.” I shivered. “I was back in the cave.”
Toby rubbed his hands up and down my arms. “I’m worried about you.”
“It was just a dream.” I tried to sound strong when I felt anything but. I was fine when I was awake, but then I got hit by such exhaustion that I had to lie down, and the dreams started up right away again. Each time I woke up feeling awful.
“I don’t like this.” He pulled me tighter against him.
“Me either.”
“I need to know everything, Casey. I need to know what
they did to you.”
“I don’t know. I don’t remember anything beyond the smoke and chanting.”
“You’re holding something back.” He took my hands in his. “I know it.”
“I’m having crazy dreams. They’re nothing like the ones I usually have.”
“How so?” He watched me intently.
“I can’t describe it. It just feels like I’m having someone else’s dream. Does that make sense?”
“They did something to your head. You heard Georgina…”
“I know.” She sighed. “We probably should have told her.”
“You didn’t want to yet. And I get that, but we need answers.”
“I know…” I leaned back against the pillows.
“Maybe Vera knows more?”
“She’d probably know more than we do.”
“She still hasn’t called.” I tried not to get worried, but I couldn’t help it. I’d just found her, and I needed more than the few moments we’d shared.
“She probably doesn’t have her phone.” Toby didn’t sound so convincing.
“And Jared? He should have service by now.” We needed to find both of them. There was no way I was going to accept that either were gone. Jared had risked his life to save me, and Vera had too. What if the bears found out what she’d done?
“We just have to wait for them, but that doesn’t mean we can’t ask someone else for help while we wait.” Toby gently ran his hand up and down my arm. “Your mom.”
His suggestion didn’t surprise me, but that didn’t mean I was ready for it. “What do I say? What can I say?”
“She might be able to help. She’d at least be able to get some answers.”
I nodded. “I know you’re right.”
“When you’re ready to call her, let me know.”
I snuggled deeper against his chest, already feeling more like myself again. “Hopefully she’ll pick up this time. She hasn’t answered my calls at all. I’ve never gone this long without talking to her.”
“Try then.” He handed me my phone. I was surprised it had made it back in all the craziness. “The worst that happens is she doesn’t pick up, right?”
“Right.” I braced myself before hitting call. The call went right to voicemail. I ended the call. “Nothing.”
Toby looked at me nervously.
“What are you thinking?”
“Should I have someone go out to your house and check on her? See if she’s there?”
“Where else would she be?” I didn’t want to think about those possibilities. None of this made sense. My mom rarely traveled anywhere, and she definitely never did without telling me first.
“Considering everything, would you be that surprised if she wasn’t home?’
“No.” I sat up. “That’s probably a good idea.” I stretched, determined to push away the exhaustion this time. I hoped the magic would wear off on its own, but I knew deep inside it wasn’t going anywhere. Everything felt off.
“Your color is back.” Toby smiled.
“Yeah, maybe I just needed lots of sleep.” I wasn’t going to worry him anymore than he already was.
“I’m still worried. If we can’t track down your mom on our own, we do have another option.” He stood up from his place kneeling on the floor in front of the couch and sat down next to me.
“Who?” I asked, although I was pretty sure I knew who it was. There were only so many people who knew my mom.
“Eric. He’d know more than we would. Besides Georgina did say there were bears who might know what to do.”
“Do you think we can trust him?” He wasn’t my favorite person, but he also seemed to care.
“I think we can. I don’t see any other options.”
“We could try Rhett.”
He looked away.
“Toby?”
“I already tried him. He’s off the grid.”
“How is everyone off the grid?” I groaned. “It’s starting to become a pattern.”
“I know.” He kissed my forehead. “What do you say we go and grab some coffee once the sun comes up?”
“Show up at Coffee Heaven?”
“Yeah, it’s crazy.” He leaned in close. “My favorite barista isn’t even working today.”
“I guess I never called in to Marv.”
Toby laughed. “I have a feeling he understands.”
“I need the job.”
“No you don’t.” He pulled my legs onto his lap.
“I appreciate your willingness to pay for everything, but I really don’t want you to.”
“It’s not just my money. You’re a Laurent. You’ve got even more than me.”
“It feels weird to touch that money.” Except for tuition. Robert and Georgina could pay for that. I don’t know why, but taking the money for that reason felt completely different than taking it for spending money.
“Either way, you don’t have time to work right now. You have to take off. We need to find your mom if there’s even a chance she can help us.”
“Thank you.”
“For what exactly?” He watched me expectedly.
“Not running off. For sticking this out with me.”
He pulled me onto his lap so I was straddling him. Then he took my face in his hands. “I’m never running from you. I’m never leaving you to handle things alone.”
“Even when I can handle them?”
“You can handle everything, but I want to be there for you. Wouldn’t you do the same for me?”
“Yes,” I answered without hesitation. “But so far I’m the one who keeps getting in over my head.”
“I’m sure it won’t always be that way. Besides, you’ve helped me more than you know.”
I brushed my lips against his. “I can’t wait until things go back to normal.”
“They’re never going to.”
“Ok, maybe not back to normal, but I’m ready for them to at least settle down.”
“That’s going to happen, and when it does we’re going to get some quality time together.”
I slipped my hand under his t-shirt. “Our shower was quality time.”
“It was.” He smiled. “But it wasn’t all it could have been.” His expression let me know exactly what he was implying.
“Trust me, I want you too.”
“I know.” He grinned. “That’s what makes it easier to wait.” He ran his hands down my arm. “But we can’t wait on everything else. Let’s run by your place so you can get clothes before we pay a visit to Eric.”
“You mean I shouldn’t wear this?” I gestured to the oversized clothing I’d borrowed from him.
“You aren’t wearing any underwear.”
“How do you know?” I arched an eyebrow.
He lifted me up just enough to grab my ass. “Because I do.”
I laughed. “I guess I can’t sneak that kind of stuff by you.”
“No… and it’s kind of taunting me right now.”
“Do you really think I’d hate myself if we had sex?” I was asking seriously. I was so stressed out I couldn’t even think straight, but Toby’s body was calling to me the way it always did. We couldn’t go back to the cave. Getting back into the hands of the boss would make all of our effort pointless, but there were other things we could do. I hated that my Pteron side made me think about sex at the wrong times.
“What would Vera tell you to do?” His eyes locked with mine.
“She’d tell me to take off your clothes and have my way with you.” I laughed. “She always said sex with the right guy was worth it.”
“And I’m the right guy?” He pulled his shirt over his head.
“Yes.”
“We’re doing this for stress relief, and because I don’t think we can work together right now until we do.”
“I love how you’re making excuses.”
“I don’t want you being hard on yourself.” He pulled my shirt off.
“I want you.” I unbuttoned his short
s and tugged them down. I followed that up with his boxers.
“I want you too. I always want you.” He pulled down the gym shorts, leaving them at my feet.
“Any preference for where?” He cupped my breasts.
I moaned. “Here. Right here.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
The rug was soft underneath my back when Toby laid me down on the floor. His mouth went right to my breast, teasing my nipple while his hand moved between my legs.
I took him in my hand and stroked him gently. “I’ll never get enough of you.”
“Good. I don’t plan on letting you.” He kissed the spot right between my breasts. “I’ll be right back.”
I waited impatiently for him to return with a condom. He put it on before positioning himself over me. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
He thrust into me with such force that he left me breathless. He wasn’t careful with me, and I liked that. I liked that he didn’t worry about me being too fragile.
His quick and deep movements rocked me against the rug. I thrust up against him, letting him know I wanted even more. He thrust in harder, his full length filling me and satisfying me in a way I knew no one else ever could. I grabbed onto his back, letting my nails dig into his skin. Those marks would disappear quickly. Fast healing was one of the nice perks of being a Pteron.
His breath picked up just as mine did, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold on. The days of stress and worry had built up and mixed with the pleasure. All I wanted was release. I closed my eyes, savoring the intense sensations running through my entire body. He pushed me over the edge just before he shuddered.
He lay on top of me for a few minutes, staying inside me for far longer than usual. Neither of us wanted to separate and face reality again.
“Feeling any better?” He kissed me lightly.
“Much better. More focused.”
“So what you’re saying is we’re going to have to have sex before all your exams when you start school again.”
I laughed. “Like you’d complain.”
“Complain?” He shook his head. “Not a chance. More like beg you to take more credit hours.” He pulled out and rolled next to me on the floor.
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