Page 27 of Cedar Edge
I feel strong arms loop around my waist, Law’s scent washing over my body as he pulls me from Logan. I'm grateful for it, really I am, but I can’t deny the tinge of regret I feel for not giving him my words.
Law drags me towards the couch but my body feels too alive right now, the need to move and pace running through my veins like a crackling energy.
“Hey,” He grabs my wrist softly. Halting the pacing I had suddenly started to engage in. “What’s going on?”
I shake my head. “I just…” Letting out a long sigh, I allow him to pull me into his steady arms. “I came back here because it's all I’ve known, but… hearing from my brother now I don't know if this was a smart idea.”
“I have an idea, you trust me?” I pull back slightly locking eyes with him before giving him a nod. He offers me a smile before he's dragging me from the house. “Wait here.” He says before vaulting from the front porch. He disappears around the side of the house leaving me to look out into the forest surrounding us. The air smells of evergreen and cedar, crisp, clean mountain air. It's a far cry from the city air of Seattle, not that I was allowed in the city all that often, but from the occasional open window I can tell you it's a far cry.
“Selfish little doll. Not appreciating what I gave you.”
Royce’s voice slams into me so hard I buckle, gripping the edge of the porch rail and holding on for dear life. “Not real.” I mutter to myself. “Not real.”
“I’m very real. And I’m coming for you.”
“No no no no.” I cry under my breath, squeezing my eyes shut and shaking my head.
“Thea?” Law’s voice cuts through the haze and I snap my eyes open to see Law perched atop a beautiful chestnut colored horse. He gazes at me with concern which I meet with a wide smile as I take him in. He looks magnificent astride the creature. “Keep looking at me like that and we won’t make it on the ride.”
My cheeks flush and I bite my lip as I walk down the steps. Law offers me his hand as my own trails over the coat of our ride. “He’s beautiful.” I murmur allowing Law to pull me up into the saddle with him.
Law snorts. “Don’t say that, it’ll go to his head and he’s already a bit too cocky.” The horse shakes his head, pawing at the ground. “This is Biscuit. He’s been around for a while now and I like taking him out for rides as much as I can.”
Biscuit starts a slow meander through the front yard in the opposite direction of where Law came from. The gentle breeze feels good against my skin and I lean back against Law, eyes closed to the summer sky. The silence is comfortable between us with only the sounds of Biscuit and the birds to fill it. But Law and I have always been like that, the two who are okay with being quiet together. Ace and Logan have a very particular brand of chaos, a brand I love, but Law? Law is a steady current to float on.
When Biscuit picks up to a trot my eyes open again, miles of wood sits to the right but to the left. “Hey, what's that?” I point off to what looks like a hedged off area with a gothic style gate sitting at the front. The bushes that create the boundary are so high and thick that I can’t see into what lies beyond.
Law tenses behind me before he releases a breath. “You’ll have to ask Ace about it.” Curiosity burns through me as he urges Biscuit onward, forcing us to speed past the space that calls to me. My gaze follows it even as I’m forced to look around Law. “Just let Ace show you.”
Turning forward again I let out a long sigh which pulls a chuckle from Law. “Glad you find my distress funny.”
“Darlin, I would never think your distress is funny. I do, however, think it's down right hysterical how impatient you still are.” His hand drops to my thigh giving a small squeeze and pulling a smile from me. “Some things never change.”
The words are enough to ruin my good mood, because he’s wrong.
Things do change.
And I’m powerless to stop it.
Chapter Twelve
Blackthorn: “The thorns of the sloe are particularly long and hard and prone to causing severe bleeding. Though the tree itself is not toxic; the bark is covered in bacteria that cause inflammation and infection that can lead to septicaemia.”
-Fez Inkwright,Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow Lives of Plants-
Ace
“Did you know that apples are associated with the dead, the underworld and demonic possession?” My step sister has her nose buried in another book, her soft blonde hair piled on top of her head. In the early morning light of the kitchen she looks way too damn good, even in her pajamas. “The medieval Church used to think that certain, enchanted apples could cause demonic possession.”
“Cricket…” I say as I pour myself coffee. “It’s fucking 5am, why are you up talking about apples and demonic possession?” We had been all living together, off and on, since her graduation and I had come to realize that Thea had no set schedule now that school didn’t dictate life.
Thea lowers her book as she crinkles her nose and rolls her eyes at me. “It’s not my fault you stayed out all night.” Leaning over the counter top I try to avoid gazing down her shirt that seems to gape open as she snags a cinnamon roll off the tray that Marie, no doubt, left out for us. “Stop being so grumpy.”
When she shoves the sweet roll into her mouth I can’t help the chuckle that escapes my lips as frosting goes all over. She whines, the sound utterly unholy, as she tries to clean herself up with napkins. Moving around the high kitchen countertop I join her, turning her body towards me.
“Let me help.” My voice comes out far too dark and I know I’m crossing so many fucking lines right now as I use my thumb to swipe the frosting from her lip. Her eyes widen as I lick my thumb clean and when she drags her bottom lip into her teeth I want nothing more than to claim her mouth.
I had promised Logan and Law that we would claim her, together, the first time it happened but fuck I can only be so strong for so long. I draw my thumb into my mouth and lick the frosting free, all while keeping my eyes locked on hers.
