Page 27 of A Song of Death and Desire

Sienna pauses briefly and gives me a slightly suspicious look. I hold my breath until she shrugs in acquiescence and laughs. “Hmm I feel like you’re leaving something out of the story but trust my brother to take you in. He’s always trying to help others. You wouldn’t know it because he’s always brooding and is super anti-social, but he cares a lot about people.”

I can see what she’s saying, yes, he puts on the grumpy guy act and plays it well, but I’ve seen parts of the kindness Sienna mentions. Obviously taking me in and offering me help despite our history was the biggest act of kindness. But it’s also in the smaller things, like him watchingLove Islandwith me every day this week and the way the kitchen is always stocked with crunchy apples and chocolate bars because he’s learned those are my favorite. He doesn’t have to do these things, but he does because I think, beyond his fear, he might actually care.

Eagan just huffs at Sienna’s compliment and rolls his eyes, but he can’t hide the love he has for his little sister and the joy he feels at having her home. She softens his whole demeanor. Looking at them both, you wouldn’t guess the two are siblings. While Eagan is dark haired and pale skinned, Sienna sports a golden tan and pin-straight long blond hair. The one feature they seem to share though, is their eyes. When Sienna looksover I see sapphire eyes, so like Eagan’s staring back at me. She’s surprisingly tall, quite a bit taller than me and only a little shorter than Eagan. Must be those legs of hers, they seem to go on for days and I can’t help but feel a little jealous when I compare them to my own short ones. The two of them together are stunning and I can already tell that Sienna has a beautiful personality to match, just by the way they interact with each other.

“To answer your question before, Enna, absolutely we can have a movie and ice cream night. Be warned though, you might find it hard to get Kairi to turn offLove Island. She’s formed a bit of an obsession with it since she’s been here.”

“Like you don’t know everything that is going on in the current season we are watching,” I scoff, and Sienna looks between us both with a wide smile on her face.

“Oh, I think you and I are going to get along splendidly if this is the way you handle my brother,” she laughs, and my body warms at the feeling of ease and comfort I feel around these two humans.

“Enna, as Kairi said, she wasn’t able to bring much with her to Witches Cove. Would you mind taking her shopping while you’re here?”

“Absolutely! That sounds like so much fun. Tomorrow okay?”

I trip over my words a little with eagerness at her suggestion. “Yep, er…um… yes please. That would be so great,” I swear my smile could not get any bigger today. Sienna nods and just like that I have plans tomorrow with someone who, dare I say, might come to be a friend.

Chapter 28

Sienna spends the afternoon at Eagan’s apartment, and we hang out just the three of us. Eagan relaxes once he realizes that Sienna isn’t going to probe me with a barrage of questions and so far seems happy to accept the story I have given her. I can’t help but watch the change that overcomes Eagan in the presence of his sister. He looks so… light.Free. Like his burdens and worries have slipped away. I don’t think I’ve seen him like this, without his stressors around work and friends and me, being at the forefront of his mind. My stomach twinges with the awareness that I am the cause of the frown lines that so often mar his face. But in this moment it’s like our past doesn’t exist. I feel like a human, as if I actually belong here and a couple of times I found myself considering that maybe he wants me here too.

When Sienna eventually leaves I try to relax but my body is too keyed up with excitement at the possibility of having a friend. “What is with you?” Eagan asks, irritated as I get up off the sofa for what feels like the hundredth time, walk into the kitchen, realize I'm not hungry before coming back to sit down. I fidget with my hands and change position on the sofa a couple of times before responding.

“I've never been on a shopping trip before. With another person, I mean. I'm excited.”

“I’m glad something as small as this makes you so happy, but your fidgeting is driving me crazy. Sit still or go to bed.” I glare at him, but he laughs in response.

“Good night,” I say cheerfully and before I'm even aware of it, I’m leaning over him and placing a soft kiss on his cheek. We both still, unsure how to react and I come to my senses and scurry off to my bedroom.

I can’t sleep. I don't know how long I've been in bed for, but I can't stop tossing and turning. Too many thoughts are racing through my mind and too many emotions for me to keep track of. The feeling holding me hostage right now though is raw and unfilteredneed. My skin feels far too hot and every brush of the bedding on my skin chafes. I feel like I'm going to die without his touch. The ache between my legs burns like molten lava. Every thought disappears except the urge to go to him to relieve it. The need becomes so intense and it's more than I can bear.

Desperation directs my fingers to delve under my shirt to lightly circle my nipple. I pinch it softly and gasp at the electric shocks that seem to run directly to my core. I moan as my hand runs over my stomach and down lower before slipping under the waistband of my sleep shorts. I'm so sensitive and my body shakes with every touch, coiled so tight I know it's only a matter of time before I explode. My eyes close and I picture Eagans fingers trailing the same path as my own. It’s his long fingers Iimagine spreading my folds and entering me, first one finger and then another. His thumb, applying pressure and gently circling my clit. And it's his face I see as I scream with my release, calling out his name.

With the ache relieved, at least for now, I'm able to finally drift off to sleep.

Sienna arrives bright and early for our shopping day and Eagan is quick to usher me out the door. My excitement is far too much for him in the morning. I've noticed he is particularly grouchy until he's had at least two cups of coffee and so far he's only had one.

I've noticed that there aren't a huge variety of clothing stores in Witches Cove and Sienna decides that our trip needs much more than just one or two stops. She decided to drive us to Arndale, a larger town that has a whole department store. Eagan generously allowed me to borrow his credit card for the day, somehow trusting me enough not to get too carried away with spending his money. I absolutely wouldn't, but he doesn't know that, so I'm honored to receive his trust.

“So, what clothes do you have?” Sienna asks. “And what do you want to buy?”

I mentally catalog my meager purchases so far. “Um… I have this dress, shorts that I sleep in, some underwear, leggings, and a t-shirt…” I shrug my shoulders when she looks over at me. “I told you that I don't have much.” Sienna starts listing all the items she believes Imusthave, clothing for every kind of occasion and I have to admit, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed at the thought.

At the first store we enter, I stop in my tracks, gazing around at rack after rack of clothing. How am I going to find anything? Where do I even start? Unlike the boutique, this place is huge and busy with other customers.

Fortunately, Sienna takes pity on me when she sees that I’m struggling with all the choices. Amongst all the different styles, colors, and fabrics I am truly lost with what could look good on me and what is in style. She appoints herself my personal shopper and proceeds to take her job very seriously. I don’t need to spend any time considering my choices because she pulls things off the rack with such speed that I barely have time to look at them before she is shoving me into a dressing room to try them on.

True to her word, Sienna drags me around to store after store. She has so much energy and spark that it’s contagious and although I tire with the more shops we enter, I’m in no hurry to end our day.

Before long we are loaded down with shopping bags and I’m hoping that Eagan isn’t unhappy about what I spent. Sienna assures me he won’t be and even chipped in herself to buy me some items that are apparently ‘must haves.’ We’ve been shopping for a couple of hours now and I’m officially exhausted. My feet ache and my movements are becoming more sluggish. I don’t think I’ve ever spent this much time on my feet in one go. I’ve got a lot of stamina to build up in this body.

We take a seat in a coffee shop to rest before we make the drive back to Witches Cove. I resist the urge to moan when sitting gives me instant relief in the muscles in my legs and feet.

“So, Kairi, what’s going on with you and my brother?” she asks, wasting absolutely no time before diving into the tough questions.

I pause for a moment to consider my answer. I’ve never spoken about any kind of relationship with anyone before. Howmuch is an appropriate amount to share? Does she even want to hear about me and her brother? “At the moment? Nothing. But I think I’d like there to be something, but I don’t want to push too hard. You’re right that Eagan is kind, but he is also closed off. I want to make sure I don’t come on too strong.” Maybe that was too much but Sienna makes me feel like I want to tell the truth. Well as much of it as I can.

She laughs. “Oh honey, if you're in his apartment, he wants you. Eagan doesn’t just open his space up to anyone. It took Kelly a year before she could convince him to move in together.” I screw my nose up at this, not really wanting to hear about his ex-girlfriend. I assume she’s talking about the one I saw arguing with Eagan in the coffee shop that day. I have absolutely no right to be jealous, but I feel a possessive urge to claim him anyway.

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