The Lost and the Chosen (The Lost Sentinel Book 1)

by Ivy Asher

  Bastien snorts and runs a hand over his formerly broken cheek and then winks at me. Knox returns with a stack of pizza boxes and each of us grab one to help lighten the load. Valen waves us downstairs, and I follow the boys to the theater room, pizza box and drink in hand. I create a little nest for myself in the corner of the gigantic bed-like sofa that takes up most of the room.

  Bastien and Valen sit on either side of me, and Ryker and Knox take up space on the other side of the couch. After a heated debate, we all finally agree to watch The Rock. The consensus is that Nicolas Cage is annoying, but Sean Connery’s awesomeness cancels it out.

  I’ve never seen it before, but twenty minutes in, I have to agree with their opinions about the actors. The guys laugh and heckle when I started rooting for the soldiers who are technically the bad guys in the movie.

  “What?” I protest, throwing crumpled napkins at all of them. “They’re pissed that the government screwed them and their friends over. I’m with them," I explain, booing loudly as each of the soldiers are bested and killed off. The movie ends, and before number two can get started, I run out for a quick pee break.

  When I get back, World War Z is queued up to play, and I crawl back towards my nest to find that Valen is laying in my spot. I catch Ryker and Knox watching me out of the corner of their eyes, clearly waiting to see what I’m going to do about it. I grab a slice of pizza and then plop my butt heavily on top of Valen’s chest. I hear him grunt and then feel his chest vibrating with laughter.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” I say innocently “I didn’t see you there in my spot.”

  “Technically, it’s my spot. I always sit here when we watch movies. I just let you borrow it for the first movie because I’m a nice guy," Valen baits me.

  “Well, keep that nice guy shit up and give me my spot back, I had a sweet pillow nest going.”

  Valen stretches out and snuggles deeper into said pillow nest. “I know, thank you for getting my spot nice and comfy for me.”

  I look around to the others and judging by their amused smiles they’re not going to be any help. I’m growing more aware that I’ve put myself in a bit of a precarious situation. I don’t know Valen, and now I’ve gone and sat on him which is probably crossing some kind of normal social boundary.

  I’m perched on him awkwardly, now debating what to do. Valen laughs again like he can sense my internal dilemma and I bristle. Well, here’s to being a stubborn bitch, I muse as I wiggle around. I try to be as annoying as possible and wedge myself half on top of Valen and half against the back cushions of the sofa.

  He doesn’t seem to object to my purposefully making things as uncomfortable as I can for him and adds further insult to injury by grabbing my hand and taking a bite of the pizza slice I’m holding.

  “What kind of man-animal…first my spot, then my fucking pizza?”

  I feel him laughing, the vibration and movement warm against my back. It feels nice, and I’m so focused on that, I forget to be incredulous. Someone presses play, and the movie starts, but I’m wrapped up in my head and can’t pay attention. Is it normal for things to feel this easy and comfortable with people I just met? Do I really even care if this is not normal if it involves cuddling that doesn’t freak me out?

  I’ve never had many friends. I’m not socially awkward by any means, but as much as Beth moved us around, it was hard to make and keep friends. It feels nice joking around and sharing the same space. They’re the ones who keep initiating things I tell myself, getting a little more comfortable when Valen wraps an arm around my waist.

  Now, If I can just get my attraction and my body’s reactions under control. Screaming draws my attention back to the screen, and I check back in to the movie, where people are scrambling to get away from the fastest zombies I’ve ever seen.

  I wake up confused, not sure where I am. I really need to stop waking up like this. I take in my surroundings. The last thing I remember is watching movies. I realize I’m still in the theater room, but it’s completely dark.

  I move slightly and feel a hand around my waist twitch. Apparently, I’m still laying on Valen, but at some point, I’ve moved from my back and am now tangled chest to chest around him. My head is resting on his chest, and my knee is hiked up over his hips. He has an arm wrapped around my waist, and the other is gripping my wrist which is resting dangerously low on his stomach.

  He’s breathing slow and even, completely asleep. I slip my wrist free from Valen’s grip and place my arm on the other side of his chest. I lift the weight of my torso off of him and slowly try to slide off without waking him up. I hover above him, getting my leg to the other side of his body when I feel two hands grab my hips and bring them down on top of him.

  I freeze for a moment, heat rushing to where our hips are now connected, but I think he’s still asleep. I wait for a minute, and when nothing else happens, I continue to slide myself off. I’ve barely moved when Valen grinds himself up into my straddling thighs.

  His hardness connects with me perfectly, and an involuntary moan escapes my lips. He does it again, and I do everything I can not to make any more noise. I watch as his eyes open lazily taking in our position.

  “Hey,” he greets me, his voice deep and gravelly from sleep.

  “Hey. Sorry, I was trying to move without waking you up, but you’re not making it easy,” I explain, pointing to where he’s holding on to my hips. Valen chuckles sleepily and easily lifts me up and off of him.

  “Don’t be sorry. I like waking up to a beautiful female on top of me.” He winks and stretches out.

  I chuckle and offer him my hand. He takes it and pulls himself up. I should look away when he adjusts himself, but my raging hormones have apparently fried my brain, so I just gawk. Eventually, I look up to find Valen smirking at me.

  “Sorry," I mumble contritely and then mentally execute a facepalm for getting caught staring at his dick.

  I start to walk away before I do anything crazy like jump him. Valen chuckles and follows me up the stairs. I reach our level first and turn around to tell him good night. He pulls his eyes up quickly to my face, and I realize he was looking at my ass.

  “Not sorry,” he mocks, with an innocent shrug of his shoulders. I shake my head smiling, and he chuckles as we head to our rooms.

  “Goodnight," I whisper-shout over my shoulder.

  “If you’re in the mood for more cuddling you know where I am," Valen calls back before he walks through his bedroom door, leaving it open a crack behind him.

  I pause, my hand on my doorknob. Holy hell, it’s all I can do not to follow him into his room. I put my forehead against the cold wood of my door and breathe. The coolness feels amazing against my fevered skin and I again find myself wondering if something is messing with me.

  Why is being around these guys with magic turning me into a lusty hot mess? I walk into my bedroom and strip out of my pants and bra. I crawl into my amazingly comfy bed, and I’m unconscious before I can make any sense of what’s going on with me.

  18

  Pounding on my door shocks me awake. I rush to the door and swing it open, adrenaline slamming through my veins.

  “What? What’s wrong?” I demand, sweeping sleep-mussed hair out of my face.

  “Good morning Bruiser," Bastien teases.

  “Why are you beating down the door?”

  Bastien smiles sweetly at me. “Because when I knocked on the door softly, you didn’t answer.”

  “For fuck’s sake," I moan as I try to slam the door on him.

  I turn and crawl back into bed. Seconds later, my covers are ripped away, and I groan an objection. “What about slamming the door in your face gave you the impression that you were invited in?” I mumble into my pillow. I hear two sets of chuckles but don’t lift my head to see who the other laugh belongs to.

  “Come on Bruiser, wake up. We’re all waiting for you to go out and play.”

  “What are you, seven? I’m not interested in babysitting today. Thanks anyway.”<
br />
  I reach for my phone, and the light of the clock blinds me.

  “Bastien, it’s not even eight yet. What the fuck’s with the early morning harassment?”

  “We got woken up early, and if we can’t sleep in, then you can’t sleep in. Didn’t Lachlan tell you the rules of the house?”

  Without warning, I grab the pillow next to me and fling it at Bastien’s head. He catches it, the quick fucker. Bastien holds it and does a belly flop onto my bed, bouncing me around.

  I register that I’m only in a tank and undies, but I elect not to care. I start playfully kicking Bastien in the side, trying to force him off my bed. I look over and discover a guy I don’t know is looking through the books on my bookshelf.

  “Uh, who are you?”

  He looks up bashfully. “I’m Sabin.”

  Sabin’s voice is a smooth baritone, and just like the other guys, he’s sex on a stick. He has a trendy crew cut that’s combed to the side. It looks medium brown and wet, or maybe he has product in it. He has masculine eyebrows over gorgeous forest green eyes.

  His nose is straight and a defined cupid’s bow slopes into luscious lips. His ears are gauged with small black plugs. My attention is drawn to a full sleeve of tattoos on his left arm. I can make out trees and what looks like a full moon, but I’d have to get closer to take in all the details. Sabin smiles at my obvious inspection of him, revealing a set of dimples.

  Everything about Sabin screams heartbreaker. Great, let’s just add one more temptation to the overfilled plate that is my libido. I look away from him and notice that while I was distracted by sexy motherfucker number five, Bastien has grabbed my ankle and is now pulling me off the bed.

  I feint a kick with my free leg towards his crotch, and he let’s go of me to protect himself. I get my feet under me and launch myself onto Bastien’s back. I hook an arm around his neck and start to administer an epic noogie.

  Bastien starts laughing and screaming “my hair, my hair,” in a high-pitched overly feminine voice. I’m laughing so hard I can’t hang on when he grabs my knee and swings me around to his front. Satisfaction with my new position sweeps through me, and my rational side clutches its pearls at the scandalous thought.

  Bastien plants a raspberry on my neck, which makes me squeal and wiggle to get away from him. He lets me drop to my feet, laughing, and Sabin is staring at us with an unidentifiable look on his face. The saucy side I never knew I had is apparently out and proud because I wink at Sabin as I walk to the bathroom.

  “Don’t tell Lachlan that I’ve relocated a chunk of his library," I tell Sabin as I close the doors to my bathroom behind me.

  “Don’t shower, Bruiser. We’re going to play outside, so wear a swimsuit. The skimpier, the better.”

  I roll my eyes and then laugh. It looks like Bastien’s saucy side is out to play too. I clean up and use my magic to remove all the unwanted hair on my body before I put on a bright purple bikini. It has a crochet racerback and crochet details on the sides of the bottoms. Over that, I throw on a white V-neck tee and some jean shorts.

  I slip into some old beat up black chucks, and I put a towel and some flip flops in a canvas crossbody bag. Lastly, I put on some aviators and head out. I make my bed, giving it the necessary appreciation for my awesome sleep before I rush down the stairs. Birdie bids me good morning and hands me a smoothie and a breakfast sandwich. I give her a quick side hug and sit at the island to quickly chow down.

  “The boys are in the garage," she tells me with a playful glare after I win the battle to clean my cup. She still snagged my plate, so it’s not a total win, but I’m making progress.

  I walk through and find the guys in the middle set of garages amongst a ton of toys. I spot jet skis, snowmobiles, camping equipment, ski and snowboarding equipment and a plethora of other things I can’t identify. They are loading up several ATVs with a couple of bags and a cooler.

  A bottle of sunscreen is tossed to me, and I start to spray it all over. I catch Knox watching me, and I pause. When I don’t resume whatever it was that had him so enthralled, Knox looks up and realizes he’s been caught ogling. He just smiles at me with no shame. I shake my head and mouth pervert to him, which brings a chuckle from him and Ryker, who was apparently watching our exchange.

  “You guys need any help?”

  “Nope, I think we’re just about set," Valen tells me.

  I step back and try to get out of the way, while I watch the organized chaos of their preparations. Bastien hands out walkie-talkies, and they all test that they’re working. The group suddenly starts playing roshambo, declaring best two out of three.

  The final match is between Knox and Valen. Valen walks away victorious, and Knox wails dramatically. I’m laughing and getting ready to ask them what that was all about when Valen crooks a finger at me and tells me I’m riding with him.

  “Did you just rock-paper-scissors for me?”

  “Well not for you exactly, just to see who you’d ride with," Valen smirks at me.

  “Maybe I want to drive myself.”

  “Do you?”

  I stare at him for a beat.

  “I have no idea how to drive one of these things," I admit.

  Valen shrugs. “I can teach you. Either way is cool with me; it’ll be your arms around me or my arms around you," he finishes with a faux dreamy look on his face, and I laugh.

  I climb on behind him and position my bag, so it’s slung across my back. Valen starts to pull his hair back into a knot, and I follow suit. I secure my hair up into a messy bun and try not to drool over the rippling muscles moving along his back and arms.

  “Do I hold on to you?” I ask, unsure if he was joking or if that’s legit.

  “Yes, please. Nice and tight, wouldn’t want you to fall off.”

  He looks over at the other boys, and I catch a couple of playful glares thrown his way. We take off with a burst of speed that steals a squeal from my lips and has me tightening my grip around him. The wind whips Valen’s laugh back to me, and my own laughter joins it.

  We head down a trail through the woods that’s the perfect size for these four wheelers. It’s a gorgeous sunny day with boastful blue skies and not a cloud in sight. It’s hot out even though it’s only 8:30 in the morning. We speed through the trees and the air rushing by feels incredible.

  I’m having so much fun that I have a perma-smile stretched across my face. I feel like I’ve laughed and smiled more in the past couple of days being here than maybe I have in my whole life. Something about all of this feels so natural and right. It’s like I can feel layers of sadness and loneliness peel away with each smile and laugh.

  My life up to this point has required me to be so serious and vigilant, always looking for the next thing to come at me. But right now, with these guys, it feels like I can let go, be silly, laugh, and tease. I look behind me, each of the guys on their own ATV trailing in a line like baby ducks. I face forward just in time to see us plow through a little stream. The cool water splashes up at me from both sides, and I laugh.

  I feel the vibrations from Valen’s back in my chest before the sound of his laughter reaches my ears. Between the vibration of his laughter and the coldness of the water, goosebumps rise up on my body and my nipples harden against his back. I wonder if he’ll notice and I find myself scooting back a little, separating my chest from his back so that I don’t make him feel uncomfortable. He hits the brakes suddenly, forcing me back up against him and someone behind us shouts their irritation.

  Several more times over the hour that we’re driving, Valen seems to brake for no apparent reason. I start to suspect there are titillating motivations behind his actions and it’s cracking me up.

  The trees around us grow fewer and farther apart as we approach a clearing and a lake. There’s a big tree with branches hanging over the water, and I can spot a couple of ropes tied high up in the branches and hanging lazily down.

  I climb off the ATV, feeling a twinge in my muscles from riding in
the same position for a while. I catch the shit-eating grin across Valen’s face, and it confirms my suspicions.

  “Why are you all such pervs?” I ask with a laugh, slapping the back of my hand against his abs. “You all act like you’ve never been around a girl before. Bunch of Neanderthals.”

  “What did he do?” Bastien asks, walking over to us.

  “He’s been embracing his inner creeper," I joke as the others surround us. When I don’t offer any more details, they all look over to Valen and wait for him to supply some.

  Valen looks a little sheepish as he brushes the strands of escaped hair out of his face.

  “I may have used my brakes more times than were necessary.”

  I hear a couple sounds of understanding, but Ryker looks at him still confused.

  “Newton’s first law of motion, bro," is all Valen tells Ryker, and then he seems to get it. Sabin kind of growls at Valen and the noise surprises me.

  “Way to keep it classy and respectful," Sabin throws out, and it washes any trace of humor from Valen’s face.

  “Whoa, what just happened?” I ask, looking between Sabin and Valen. “I’m not upset, I was just busting Valen’s balls," I tell Sabin. “I realized what he was doing, and it didn’t bother me. It’s just silly fun.”

  Sabin looks at me.

  “Vinna, we all just met you, none of us knows you well enough to navigate what could be a fine line between silly fun and making you uncomfortable. None of us should be crossing into that territory this quickly.”

  “Sabin, I appreciate that you’re looking out for me, but I told the guys yesterday that they can be touchy-feely with me and if anything makes me uncomfortable, I’ll tell them. It may sound weird because, you’re right, we all just met each other, but I like the dynamic so far. I like the joking and silliness… and the affection," I finish awkwardly.

  “From what the guys tell me, you’ve been through a lot in a very short amount of time. We should be helping you feel safe and secure, not pushing boundaries. Caster females deserve to be protected and respected," Sabin declares.