Hadley
Hands shaking slightly, I entered the house, Joe on my heels. That was hard. It was hard, but I felt amazing, too.
Ryder had yelled. He had yelled at me, and it did not reduce me to a puddle of tears. It did not thrust me back into my awful past. I pushed through it and argued my point home. Now, I would finally know how to fight back.
I glanced out the kitchen window, gulping at the sight in front of me. The guys had paired off except Zeke. He was going from pair to pair, looking each of them over. That wasn't what had me shocked, though.
Nope.
Two words.
Bare chests.
Actually, scratch that. Three words. Sweaty bare chests. Yep, shirts had come off.
I watched for a minute, maybe more don't judge, as they battled each other. I could barely follow their movements. The blades clashed against each other, and I winced at the loud sound.
I tried to remind myself that they knew what they were doing, but it looked utterly violent. Their blades were beautiful, though. Beautifully dangerous. I made a mental note to ask where they came from. I hadn't seen any of the guys lugging them through the house.
Focusing back on my task, I started whipping together some scrambled eggs and pre-heated the oven for some bacon. It was harder than I thought it would be to turn away from the window.
I had just pulled the bacon out of the oven when they began filing into the house. They headed up to clean up as I finished up breakfast by making some toast for everyone. I set the dishes on the table just in time. They all came down in clean clothes, hair dripping from their showers.
"Breakfast is served," I announced.
"It looks amazing," Peter told me, and I smiled at the compliment.
"I just hope it tastes good as well," I replied.
Taking a seat with them, everyone dished up their meal. Joe went to Zeke this time to beg for scraps, even though he had a full bowl of perfectly good dog food. I snorted when I saw him chewing on some bacon. Seems I wasn't the only softy at the table.
"Where did your blades go?" I asked, thinking back about it. Finn shoved his hands out, showing me matching silver bracelets on each wrist. All I felt was confusion. "What? They turned into bracelets?"
"Pretty much," Finn supplied, looking amused. His finger brushed one cuff and sure enough, a blade formed in his hand, the same silver shade as his bracelet.
"Whoa," I breathed out. "That's amazing. Can I have a pair?" Ryder looked pained again at my words.
"Maybe get through some basic training first before we consider weapons," Isaac suggested. I shrugged and went back to my breakfast.
It was a valid point. I noticed now that everyone wore the silver cuffs on their wrists. I had seen flashes of them, but I had paid no attention to them.
"After breakfast we can start your lessons about our society," Kent told me towards the end of the meal. Excited, I nodded immediately. I really wanted to learn about the society I should have grown up in.
______________________________
"Ugh, I need a break!" I exclaimed, holding my head in my hands.
When Kent said lessons, I didn't expect to have flashbacks from school. This 'lesson' turned into a two hour-long lecture series with quizzes. Quizzes!
"We've gone over this a million times already." I knew I was being whiny, but this was getting ridiculous. I did have functioning brain cells and could retain information. Believe it or not.
"I know," Kent stated in the irritatingly calm voice he had started using. "But we need to make sure you have this down."
"I get it. I really do. But I had this information down for about an hour and a half now," I retorted, massaging my temple. Glancing toward the door that lead into the backyard, I wished I was on the other side of it.
"Okay, prove it," Ryder challenged from his post by the doorway. He had been leaning against the wall, watching the entire lesson.
My senses heightened at the issuing of the challenge. I did so love to prove people wrong. Dropping my hands back down to the table, I sat up straighter. I glanced at the disinterested Ryder before turning my attention fully to Kent.
"So first up we have Thaddy-,"
"Thaddeus," Kent corrected immediately, in an exasperated tone.
"Yes, him. He is the most powerful and oldest of all the members. He has affinities for both water and air, though he can kick more butt with air than he can with water. Next is Emilia, who has an affinity for both earth and water. Then there's Vinny-,"
"Vincent." I was beginning to think Kent didn't like my nicknames.
"Yes, him. He has an affinity for fire with just a little air thrown in. Then we have Alexander who has an affinity for earth and air. Lastly is Cassie-,"
"Cassandra." Yep, he definitely was not liking my nicknames.
"That's what I said. She is the weakest on the Praeses, with only an affinity for fire. She is who I will perpetually piss off when I take her spot. Though, to be honest, this whole Praeses thing doesn't seem really fair. Powerful doesn't mean smart. I mean, I would hope those that are powerful enough to be on the council would at least have some brain cells but-,"
"Okay," Kent stated loudly, interrupting my rambling. "I think you have it."
I smirked at him before jumping for joy. Heading for the door, I heard him chuckle behind me, but I didn't care. I flung the back door open and sprinted down the steps into the yard.
"Freedom," I cheered as I plopped down.
Stretching out on my back, I stared up at the blue sky. White wisps of clouds were scattered here and there. It blew my mind how much my life had changed. I could lay here on the ground and not worry about getting enough money for the warehouse or finding another job. I could just relax and breathe. It was nice. Moments passed and then two familiar bodies to join me.
"So Kent finally set you free?" Finn asked, laying down beside me, his hands behind his head.
"More like she forced him to," Isaac joked.
"I didn't ask for a lecture course," I told them. "I just had a few more questions." We laid there in silence, enjoying the warmth of the sun.
"So what do you guys want?" I asked finally when they didn't say anything or leave.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Finn teased. Just from his tone, I could tell that I called it right. They were up to something. I rose slightly so that I could look over at him. He just smirked back. He might have needed surgery to remove it. I volunteered.
"Well, we do have an idea," Isaac offered. I turned to look at him. His smile was warm, but his eyes twinkled with mischief. My eyebrows rose in the universal 'well?' sign.
"There is a lake at the back of the property and we were wondering if you wanted to go swimming?" Finn asked. My first instinct was to say yes, but then my mind said run away.
I loved swimming, but I didn't like the idea of being that exposed in front of them. That vulnerable. For some reason, my gut wanted to trust them, but the rest of me was not there yet.
"But isn't it cold?" I asked.
"Well, you could always heat it a little," Finn pointed out. I guessed he was right. It did sound fun, but I was also nervous.
"This is just a plot to see me in a swimsuit, isn't it?" I asked, trying to play off my anxiety.
I was not going to look nearly as good in a swimsuit as them, shirtless, water dripping off of-. I shook my head in order to clear it. Bad brain. Don't go there.
"Maybe." The mischief in Isaac's eyes hit an all-time high. I couldn't help but laugh. God, it felt good to just laugh.
"Well, too bad." I stuck out my tongue at them, not knowing where this confidence was coming from.
They just brought it out of me. They shared a look before Finn lightly tackled me back into the grass. His hands gripped my arms and in an instant I was thrown back in time to different hands.
***
A harsh grip on my arm startled me awake. I gasped, my eyes shooting open, and took in the figure hovering above me. A hand covered my mouth before I could make a noise. The moonlight filtered in from my window. It was the only light in the small room.
I recognized him. Garrett. He was the biological son of my current foster parents. He was a senior in high school, three years my senior. I didn't like him. He always looked at me a little too long or brushed just a little too close to me. I was worried he would try something like this. It's why I kept my door locked at night. Why wasn't it locked? How did he get in here?
He straddled me on the bed. I bucked, trying to fight him off, my hands pushing at him, scratching and scraping. He just laughed and slammed me down. My head hit the headboard, causing me to see stars.
I hyperventilated as I felt his hand go beneath my shirt. My breaths coming faster and faster, I couldn't scream, his other hand still tight around my mouth. I couldn't..I couldn't...I felt my powers rising to answer my panic, but it wasn't like normal. This was dark, seeking justice and vengeance. No, no, no...
"Hadley!" I heard someone shout, but they seemed far away. His hand made it to my chest. My stomach twisted as nauseas washed over me.
"Hadley! Come on, breathe!" That wasn't the right voice. That wasn't his voice.
"Hadley, you're okay. Come back to us," the voice pleaded.
***
Suddenly, the ghost hands were gone. Strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a hard chest. I breathed in their scent as I slowly matched my breathing to theirs. I wasn't there. He wasn't here. Little by little I returned to the present. It had been a while since that had happened.
Ugh, but it was just as horrible as always.
I hated remembering that night. It was the night that I decided to leave that house. Fortunately, before he got what he came for, my powers protected me. I did not know what I did, but it resulted in him being in a coma. Before they could release him from the hospital, I was gone.
I knew Caspian was holding me. I didn't know how I knew, but I just did. He rocked me back and forth, whispering encouragements in my ear.
"That's it. Just breath. You're fine, you're safe. Take all the time you need," he murmured. I felt his hand stroke my hair softly.
Relaxing even further into his hold, I relished the feeling of being safe and protected. Finally, I worked up the courage to open my eyes. I blinked up at him. He gave me a soft smile, which I tried to return, but it felt shaky.
I looked around, not surprised to find all the guys surrounding us. They all felt equally worried, but one felt devastated. My eyes found Finn.
"It's not your fault."
He needed to hear it. I had the problems, not him. He was just being himself, and I didn't want him to change that. He shook his head, obviously not ready to stop blaming himself. To my surprise, Zeke walked up behind him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. In the time that I had been here, they hadn't seemed that close.
I met Zeke's eyes, which were filled with understanding. Remembering our talk on the porch, I realized he knew exactly what I had a flashback of. I looked away, not knowing how to feel about that. Caspian still held me tight, stroking my hair. Honestly, I could have stayed there all day.
"Can we still go swimming?" I asked, hoping that I hadn't completely ruined the day. Caspian laughed, the deep chuckles tickling the top of my head.
"Yes, we can still go swimming."
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I got seven grown men to spend the rest of the day splashing around in a lake. Not my original plan, but the water and games washed away the aftereffects of the flashback.
No one was being outright different, but I felt them watching me closely. I felt their unanswered curiosity. No one pressured me for answers, though. I would not complain about that. I obviously scared them and if it made them feel better, so be it. The water had to be heated, so it was more of a hot tub in the crisp air than a cool pool. But it was still fun.
The shirt I borrowed from Peter clung to my body as I swam to the dock. We had gotten a few swimsuits when shopping, but I felt too exposed with just them on.
Isaac had suggested a jump contest. Ryder and Zeke couldn't be convinced to play, so they were going to be the judges. I climbed onto the deck as Caspian gripped my arms, making me squeal as he hoisted me up.
I got into line with the others and noticed Finn ahead of Caspian. The youngest of the Kustos had been the most affected by what happened. He hadn't joked with me at all since. I missed the carefree guy I was locked in a cellar with. You couldn't go back from that.
That shit bound you for life.
An idea popped into my head. Sneaking forward, I bypassed Caspian, who thankfully said nothing. Just as it was Finn's turn to jump, I positioned myself just right. No one warned him. He was at the edge of the dock when I pushed him with all my might. He let out a shout as he plummeted into the water.
I laughed so hard I had to bend over. The others joined in as well, probably happy to see the trickster get a taste of his own medicine. My laughter faltered when I didn't see him resurface. Immediately I dropped to the dock, stretching out my energy into the water, but I didn't see any sign of him. A shadow draped over me, blocking out the sun.
"Gotcha!" I heard a playful voice shout before powerful arms picked me up and tossed me into the water.
My scream turned into laughter as I broke through the water's surface. Finn chuckled from his place on the dock. I reached out with the water and wrapped it around his leg, tugging him in.
"Truce?" he asked, surfacing near me. I nodded my head, still laughing along with the others.
"As long as you will stop censoring yourself around me."
"But I hurt you earlier. I should have been more careful," he stated, looking glum again. I splashed his face, causing him to cough and sputter.
"Stop that now! I am the one with issues, not you. Please don't change how you act just because of me." At the end of my statement, I received a similar splash.
"Don't talk about yourself like that. What happened wasn't your fault!"
"Well, it wasn't yours either!" I shouted as we continued to splash back and forth.
Before too long, everyone was involved, and a splashing war had begun. Resourceful as I was, I hid behind Zeke, who functioned well as a human shield.
Finn popped up out of the water behind me. He held up his hands in surrender before I could splash him. He extended his pinky finger to me. I swallowed the giggle that wanted to make an appearance as I stuck out my pinky finger. He curled his around mine, staring straight into my eyes. In that moment, no words were needed I knew I had my Finn back. I mean, Finn back.
Once everyone was sufficiently worn out, we headed back to the house. Too bad I didn't want to move at all. My muscles felt weak after all the swimming. I knew I would be sore the next day.
"Want some help there?" Isaac asked, offering his hand to me. I glanced at it and then back up at him. I couldn't stop myself from nodding.
He grabbed both of my wrists and pulled me up, making sure to not hold me too tightly. Before I could stand on my own, he expertly twirled me around, bent down to grab my thighs, and pulled me onto his back. Out of instinct, I squeaked, grabbing his shoulder harshly.
"Oy! Carrot top!" I exclaimed. He readjusted me as he chuckled. I loosened my grip but still didn't know what to think of this development.
"Are you talking to me?" he asked, glancing back.
"Duh, have you seen your hair?" He blushed a little, which I absolutely loved, and vowed to make it happen as often as possible. "What are you doing?"
"Giving you a piggyback ride, duh." I kind of wanted to smack him, but he was holding me up so that wouldn't be a very smart idea. "What is it your first piggyback ride?"
I couldn't say anything because he was spot on. I knew what they were and had seen them before. He paused a moment, glancing back at me. I had never experienced one before this, though.
"Well, since it's your first, I'll have to make sure it's a memorable one," he said. It was the only warning I got. He took off running, bouncing me around. I laughed as we swerved from side to side.
"Cut it out," I finally managed between laughs and he calmed down. "Why are you giving me a piggyback ride?" I clarified. I felt him shrug.
"Just cause." Yep, once he set me down, he was getting smacked. His emotions flowed through me. He felt very content, content to be taking care of me. Okay, maybe I wouldn't smack him.
He walked toward the house. I gave in, relaxing into him and resting my head on his shoulder. The others followed behind us. I closed my eyes, listening to Isaac's heart beating. I felt so much better now.
"Is the princess being carried back?" I heard Finn tease. Instantly, I opened my eyes. I located Finn with ease and seeing the smirk on his face made my decision for me. Just as he went to take a step, I reached out and elevated the earth in front of his foot. He went down hard, not expecting it.
I shook a little as Isaac laughed. I heard the others join in as we walked away, but I was too exhausted to keep my eyes open, let alone be worried about retribution that was sure to come from Finn. He was the type of person who would get even.
Today was amazing. I didn't even realize that I had completely forgotten about the flashback earlier, which was probably exactly what they had planned. Once we were out of earshot of the others, I started to hum Another One Bites the Dust under my breath, causing Isaac to chuckle again. The vibrations it caused soothed me even more. It wasn't long before I sunk even further down and sleep consumed me.
**Hope you guys like the update! You can read up to Chapter 34 and other exclusive scenes on my Patreon! The link is in my bio. Happy Reading!!