Page 24 of The Secret of Pain

"How long was I out?" I ask, trying not to focus on the fact that I could have died. Because holy fuck. And that pain… if this is why everyone lied to me for so long, I forgive them. Fuck feeling that ever again.

"A few hours. I called Dad, he contacted the Elders and brought the ritual forward, they're all on their way here now. We'll do it this weekend. It’s not worth the risk of waiting any longer." His eyes wrinkle with concern as he looks over me again, making sure that I'm really okay. I try not to worry about what the ritual entails, because I’ve tried, multiple times since I asked my dad, to find out what it is, with no joy. Plus, my head hurts so much that I really don’t fancy playing ten rounds of, if you’d just tell me, with Bauer.

"Okay," I tell him, I'm not going to fight him, I don’t have the energy, and the sooner it happens, the sooner I know what the deal is and it’s all finally done with.

"Good. Now, you're staying here tonight, I've made up the spare room. I need to call Colt, so let’s get you upstairs so I can update everyone that you're awake."

"Oh God, Colt. Can I call him? Or at least will you tell him, I don't blame him." I look up at him and he shakes his head.

"You're not calling him, you need to rest, but I'll tell him. It won't make much difference, but I'll tell him." He picks me up off of the couch, so much bigger than me that I feel about ten again, but I’m so woozy that I don't fight him on it.

"Thank you for looking after me." I sigh, and close my eyes.

"That’s what family does, Remy. I might not have been around that much the last few years, but now that you're back, that's going to change. I'm always here, no matter what, okay?"

"Thanks, Bauer." I mumble groggily and let sleep take me away again.

CHAPTER TEN

Today is the day.

Today is the day of the ritual, which is why I’m lying in my bed, under my covers, pretending that the sun isn’t rising and that today isn’t the last day of the life I’ve led until this moment. After today, everything changes, and there’s absolutely no going back.

Until now, I’ve not been able to ask questions, so despite my curiosity I’ve kind of stuck my head in the sand, but now… well, now it’s real and I’m kind of crapping my pants a bit. I’m sure it can’t be that bad.

Right?

I cover my face with a pillow and scream into it, hoping that the nervous energy rattling around inside of me disappears with the exhale. But as is the story of my life at the minute, no such luck.

My phone rings on my side table and I let out another muffled scream. Last night, Jack drunk dialed me like a dozen times, leaving me a rainbow of messages, with everything from “I love you” to “you ruthless bitch, you ruined my life”. So, yeah, that was fun and exactly what I needed before today.

After what feels like ten minutes, it stops ringing and then starts again, so I give in and throw the covers off. I pick it up and see Creek’s face looking back at me as I answer the video call.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," he laughs, and I give him the bird.

"Screw you, this is not a time for humans to be awake at." I stick out my tongue at him and laugh at the ridiculousness of it.

“It’s a good thing you’re not human then, isn’t it?” He laughs back at me as I roll my eyes.

“Still weird, super weird. Like I might have made this decision, but the fact that monsters actually exist? That I’m not human? Yeah, I don’t exactly have my mind around that yet. Probably won’t for a while.” He pulls a face at me and I laugh at him, I missed this. I missed him.

“Yeah, it took me a while too. I’m so glad we can talk about this now, and that we can talk more freely after today. It felt like half of me was missing these last few months without you, Remy. I can’t… I don’t want us to ever have to be like that again. Not in this life.”

“Well, I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon, so hopefully we won’t have to.” I smile at him. “Now, I need to get my shit together before I head to Dad’s. I should probably get going, but thank you for being my alarm clock.”

“Well, that’s why I was calling. There’s been a slight change in plans. I’m going to swing by and grab you, and then we’ll head to the chambers. Your dad and my mom were summoned there early, your brothers are heading there together in a bit, and so that leaves me to come get you.” He looks almost awkward, and it hits me how much he’s changed, how much we’ve both changed since he left. Nothing used to be awkward between us. But then, before he left, I didn’t have to fan myself after seeing him. How he turned from my cutesy best friend to this beautiful hulking man, I don’t care, but sweet Jesus, even when he’s awkward he’s ridiculously hot.

“That’s fine. Do I need to wear anything in particular? I probably should have asked this already.”

“No, but I’d wear something, erm…” He blushes. “You’ll be stripped down to your underwear during the ritual, so something suitable for that I guess.”

I can’t help but laugh at him.

“Erm, why the fuck do I need to be naked?”

He laughs at my screech as I try to not look like I’m as horrified as my reflection currently shows. “Not naked. Underwear. It’s because of the heat and the markings. That’s all I’m saying. It’s nothing crazy, don’t worry.”

“This entire thing is crazy,” I utter before taking a deep breath. “So something that won’t scandalize the Elders or my dad or brothers. Got it.”

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