Chapter 24
Nora sat on her couch and stared at the TV screen as she flipped through the channels mindlessly. Her thumb held down the button on the remote and the channels flipped through at a speed too fast for her eyes to even catch what was on. Not that Nora was in any mood to watch TV. She just liked the sound of all the voices filling the room.
Lidia was out with her friends, leaving Nora to fend for herself. She was more than happy to get some alone time with just her music and shows. Nora didn't want her aunt asking her every five minutes why her face was so down and why she was so lost in the clouds. It was none of her business. And Nora knew Lidia would hound her for information. Especially since she heard Hayden in her room a few nights ago.
With a deep sigh, Nora was about to take her thumb off the remote and just settle for whatever was on the screen when her doorbell suddenly rang. Checking the time on the corner of the TV, Nora frowned and wondered if Lidia had changed her mind.
The doorbell rang once more as Nora hesitated slightly. She threw the remote across the sofa and jumped to her feet and made her way over to the door.
"Hey, Nora," Dr. Banks greeted her cheerfully as Nora opened the door.
"James," Nora paused. "Hey, how are you?"
"I'm good," Dr. Banks nodded. "Where's Lidia?"
"She didn't tell you?" Nora arched a brow. "She went out with some of the ladies from work."
"Oh shoot," James' face fell. "I didn't know. I was so busy at work, I forgot to check in with her today."
"That's fine," Nora smiled. "Do you want to come in?"
"Ah..." James hovered by the door for a few. "Yeah sure. Why not?"
Nora took a step back and let the man in. She closed the door behind him and watched him take a seat.
"Want something to drink?" She asked.
"What do you have?"
"I'm not really sure," Nora laughed. "Aunt Lidia has been doing the groceries lately."
"Oh, then she must have picked up that kombucha!"
"Yeah, that nasty stuff," Nora shivered. "She got me to try some. Not a fan of it."
"It grew on me," Banks laughed. "I'll have one of those. Or water if not."
"I'll go check," Nora headed for the kitchen.
She pulled the fridge open and spotted the glass bottles right away. Taking one out, she closed the fridge with her feet and turned to grab a knife to cut off the strange plastic wrap around the cap. But as she reached into the drawer, her finger grazed against the sharp edge of the blade and Nora shrieked in pain, shoving her finger into her mouth as a reflex.
"Are you okay?" Dr. Banks jumped up and rushed into the kitchen.
"Yeah, it's just a little -" Nora stilled as she took her finger out of her mouth and realized her finger was untouched.
That's not right, she thought as she looked into the drawer and spotted the blood on the blade.
"Nora?" Banks raised a brow.
"Yeah..." Nora looked up slowly. "Sorry....here's....here's your drink."
"Thanks," Banks said slowly. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah?" Nora looked down at the blade once more.
"How are you feeling?"
"Confused," Nora shook her head.
"Tired? Sleepy?"
"No," Nora shook her head once more with a deep frown on her lips. "But one of the meds you gave me does make me really sleepy. I stopped taking it."
"Why?" Dr. Banks looked at her with a look of disapproval.
"Because it makes me really sleepy," Nora said once more. "I knocked out for like hours."
"Your body is still trying to recover, Nora," Banks shook his head. "You took a really big hit. Normally, you would still be in the hospital but the healing clay did amazing."
Nora nodded slowly, holding her finger in her hand, "I know....it's just....I don't like sleeping that much."
"Don't try to rush your recovery," Banks said.
"Okay."
"And you have another check in with me next week, you remember right?"
"Yes," Nora sighed. "Very two weeks. How can I forget?"
"I'll tell Lidia to remind you again."
"Thank you," Nora laughed. "And I'll remind her to remind me."
Banks laughed as he unscrewed the cap on the drink and took a sip. He watched Nora fidget around the kitchen as she pulled out a knife from the drawers and threw it into the sink.
"I better get going," he said after a short pause. "Maybe I'll call Lidia and meet up with her in the city."
"Okay," Nora nodded, looking over her shoulder.
"Thanks for the drink," Banks held up the bottle.
"Anytime," Nora watched the man walk to the door and let himself out.
She waited until she heard the click of the automatic lock before turning back to the knife in the sink. Her blood had gone down the drain, leaving behind no evidence, just like her finger. Nora grabbed the spong and soap and began to scrub the blade as her mind started to spin.
Was she going crazy? There was blood on the blade....
Once the knife was nice and clean, Nora picked up the dish rag and dried the thing. She held it up to inspect it under the kitchen light when a silly, almost childish idea popped into her head.
Lowering the blade ever so slowly, Nora held it over her left hand. She used her other hand to grip the handle firmly as she slowly pressed the sharp edge to the side of her palm. Her heart began to pound in her chest as if telling her she was acting like a lunatic. But Nora always knew her curiosity would be the end of her one day.
Mentally locating the first aid box in the apartment, Nora took in a deep breath and slid the blade against her palm. A sharp pain shot through her as the blade separated her skin. She hissed and dropped the knife as the angry cut grew red and then started to push out blood.
Nora was about to regret her stupidity when suddenly a light blue shimmer appeared under her skin. Her heart froze as she watched her skin patch itself back up as if nothing had happened. The cut healed and not a single mark was left behind. Just the blood that had escaped.
"Holy shit!" Nora gasped.
_____________________
Hayden tried to focus on his book as he sat on one of the stools at the kitchen counter. Every time Birdie made even the slightest sound, he clicked his tongue and glared up at her. At first, the girl tried to be as quiet as she could possibly be. But that was until she realized her brother had his own room and her parents had a mini library.
"Click your tongue at me one more time and I will chop it off," Birdie threatened, pointing her knife at her brother.
"What are you even doing?" Hayden asked, setting down his book.
"Trying to make dinner!" Birdie said as she roughly chopped some carrots.
"Do you need hel-" Hayden stopped as his phone lit up on the counter beside his book. His eyes fell on the screen and his chest tightened in a funny way as soon as he saw the name.
"Nora?" Hayden pressed the phone to his ear and immediately rushed out of the kitchen.
"Hayden..." Nora's voice shook slightly, making Hayden's stomach turn. "Are you busy?"
"No, why? What's up?"
"Could you..." the hesitation in Nora's voice did crazy things to Hayden's chest. He hadn't spoken to her in days and hearing her speak each word as if her mind was scattered all over made Hayden want to portal right to her place.
"Could you please come over?" Nora took in a deep breath.
"Right now?" Hayden did not know why he was asking as if the portal wasn't opening up right in front of him.
"Yes," Nora's voice shook once more.
"I'll be there in a sec," Hayden said, turning off his phone and stepping through.
The first thing Hayden noticed when he walked out of the portal was the bloody towels on the kitchen counter. Every muscle in his body automatically tensed as his magic shimmered up to the surface and his eyes began to scan the room for Nora.
"What's going on?" Hayden asked, spotting her standing by the sink. "Are you okay? What's with all the blood?"
Nora lifted her thick lashes and stared at him with her big brown eyes. Hayden wanted to rush over to where she stood and pull her into his arms and hold her. Seeing her after so long was like a punch to the gut.
"Look at this," Nora said, holding out her hand.
"What am I looking at?"
As soon as Hayden asked, Nora picked up the knife beside her and lowered it to her wrist. Hayden's eyes widened in alarm and his hand flew up. His fingers flicked and the sharp blade blew out of Nora's hand and stuck itself into the wall across the room.
"Nora!" Hayden took a step forward, his face twisting with anger and concern. "What the fuck?"
"No, no, watch!" Nora grabbed the other knife and slit her wrist before Hayden could even think to stop her.
"What are you doing?" Hayden jumped forward and grabbed one of the kitchen towels. "Are you out of your mind? What the fuck!"
Nora didn't say anything as Hayden jerked her forward by her wrist and held the towel around her wrist. His fingers wrapped around her wrist and squeezed in a desperate attempt to stop the blood. Hayden's jaw tensed and his eyes narrowed with anger as he looked up at Nora, ready to shout his head off.
"Wait!" Nora pushed at his hand. "Just let me show you something!"
"Show me what?" Hayden snapped. "You bleeding to death?"
"No!" Nora pulled away. "Look!"
Hayden was about to grab her once more and shake the crazy out of her when his eyes fell on her wrist. He stilled as the faint blue shimmer that seemed to omit from inside her, stitched together her skin back to its smooth perfect self.
"See," Nora said with a small smile on her lips. "Good as new."
Hayden took her wrist and held it up to his face. He examined the area stained with dark red blood before holding it under the water and cleaning it up.
"What the hell..." he said under his breath, running his fingers over Nora's wrist.
"I..." Nora shivered from his touch. "How am I doing this?"
"Have you ever done this before?" Hayden looked up.
"No," Nora shook her head. "Literally, 10 minutes ago I realized this was happening."
"How are you feeling?" Hayden scanned her eyes.
"I feel fine," Nora couldn't help but take a small step toward him.
"Did you do this in ten minutes," Hayden asked motioning towards the pile of bloody towels on the counter.
Nora nodded.
"Are you clinically insane?" Hayden asked, his voice low and serious. "How many times did you cut yourself?"
"I just," Nora tried to pull her wrist back, but Hayden wouldn't budge. "I didn't know what was happening."
"So your first thought was to just keep cutting yourself?" Hayden's jaw tensed. "Nora.....what sane person does that? Like really, who in their right mind just sits at home and cuts themselves? Why didn't you call me as soon as this happened?"
"What if it was a one time thing?" Nora raised a brow. "I had to make sure I didn't imagine it before I called you. You already think I'm crazy."
"Are you helping your image by doing stuff like this?"
"No," Nora shook her head. "But stop yelling at me! And tell me what's going on."
"I'm not yelling at you," Hayden closed his eyes as if to gain his composure.
"No?" Nora snorted. "So you just use that tone with everyone?"
"No," Hayden opened his eyes and his gaze dropped on Nora. "Just with you."
"Lucky me," Nora rolled her eyes.
Hayden slowly lowered her wrist and took her hand into his. He tossed the towel onto the counter and snapped his fingers to summon a portal. He felt Nora freeze immediately as the air began to swirl in front of them.
"Where are we going?" she asked, pulling at his hand.
"To my house," Hayden said, turning back to her. "We have to figure out what this is."
"Do I have to go?" Nora looked at the portal with uncertainty.
"As if I'm leaving you here to keep cutting yourself," Hayden mumbled under his breath.
Nora was about to open her mouth and protest when Hayden suddenly pulled her forward. She let out a little gasp as his arms wrapped around her and he tucked her head into the crook of his shoulder. The scent of his lingering cologne made Nora's belly warm and her skin tingle. She tried to look up as Hayden lifted her feet off the ground and took a step forward.
"I hate this," Nora said against Hayden's neck as she screwed her eyes shut and bit down on her bottom lip to keep herself from screaming.
Hayden found himself smiling as she formed the words against his skin. Her soft lips brushed against his skin, making his mind and body want to do a whole lot of crazy things. She was so soft and warm in his arms. Her hair tickled his nose but he couldn't move away from that scent of fresh lilies that always seem to surround her. It was intoxicating. Just the right amount that left you searching for the source of the scent when she walked past you.
Hayden hovered in between the two spaces in the portal to make the second last a little longer. He lowered his head and buried his face in Nora's hair as she pulled herself closer to him. Her small cold hands gripped his shirt and her breath danced over his shoulder. Hayden knew he needed to let her go before he did something he knew Nora would not approve of once she too broke out of the haze they were in.
"Here we are," Hayden said, setting Nora down on her feet in the middle of his mother's office.
"I don't think I'll ever be used to that," Nora lunged forward and placed her hands on her knees. It was only then did Hayden realize what the girl was wearing.
Nora's baby blue pajama shorts rose up as she leaned forward to catch her breath. The fabric teased her smooth things, barely covering her round behind as she let her hair hang forward and her arms dangle. Hayden cleared his throat and swallowed, dragging his eyes away from certain areas he shouldn't be looking at. After a few seconds, Nora stood back up and flipped her wild hair over her head.
Oh fuck me, Hayden thought as his eyes landed on her shirt.
The words "Let's namast'ay in bed" was written across the white shirt and of course Hayden's eyes zeroed in on how the word "namast'ay" was stretched taut. He couldn't look away as Nora adjusted the shirt and covered up the small slither of skin that was showing above the waistband of her shorts.
"It's cold in here," Nora placed a foot over the other and ran her hands up and down her arms.
Yeah, because you're dressed like that, Hayden wanted to say but decided against it.
"Stay here," he said, turning on his heel and walking out into the hall. When he heard Nora's footsteps following him, he shook his head.
Of course, you don't listen.
Down the hall, Hayden turned the corner and pushed open the door to his room. As he stepped inside, his mind suddenly became very aware of the fact that Nora had followed him inside. Hayden paused briefly by the entrance to wrap his mind around the idea that Nora was standing in his room wearing those ridiculous shorts.
"Is this your room?" Nora asked from behind.
Hayden suddenly felt as if he had been transported through time and he was once again a teenager bringing a girl up to his room for the first time.
"Yeah," he cleared his throat and walked towards the closet.
"It's nice," Nora looked around. "That's a great view."
Hayden grabbed the first hoodie he found in his closet and walked out. His eyes landed on Nora standing by the glass wall in his room and his breath caught in his chest.
Damn, he thought. Those are the best shorts I've ever seen.
"This must look amazing during the day," Nora leaned forward until the tip of her nose touched the glass.
Her eyes scanned the tree tops in the dark as she gently pressed her hands against the glass. She had no idea about the thoughts running through Hayden's mind as he stood back admiring her. The boy would give anything to press her whole body up against that glass wall.
"You should see the sunrise from here," Hayden said.
"I bet it's breathtaking," Nora smiled, looking over her shoulder.
"She is..."
Nora slowly began to turn.
"I mean mother earth," Hayden cleared his throat once more. "The sunset...it's breathing."
Nora nodded, "I bet."
"Here," Hayden extended his hand and held out the navy hoodie. "Put this on."
"Thank you," Nora took a few steps forward and pulled on her hoodie.
The sleeves dropped to the tips of her finger and the hem of the hoodie fell just a bit past her shorts.
God, just take me to hell right now, Hayden groaned in his mind. What the fuck is wrong with me?
Nora pulled out her hair from inside the hoodie before pulling at the sleeves. She looked up at Hayden as he tried to remind himself she was in fact wearing clothes under his hoodie.
But imagine if she wasn't....those hips. Damn those hips.
"Are you still cold?" Hayden asked. "Do you need pants?"
No way in hell was he going to offer her Birdie's clothes. The last thing he needed was to see Nora's hips in his little sister's jeans. If she wanted pants, she could wear his.
"No," Nora shook her head. "I'm okay now."
"Our body temperature is naturally high," Hayden explained, walking over to the door. "So the house is always cold."
"You're like a space heater," Nora laughed. "Your girlfriends must have loved it."
"I don't know," Hayden shrugged and headed for the office once more.
"Who is this?" Nora asked, looking at the photo frames in the hall.
"My mother," Hayden looked over his shoulder at the picture Nora pointed to.
"That doesn't really look like her," Nora frowned. "This is such an old photograph."
"Well technically, that's Diana," Hayden explained. "One of my mother's many lives."
"Oh..." Nora looked back at the woman in the picture. "When was this?"
"1930's," Hayden said. "She met my dad at a military parade. Right before the second world war."
Nora didn't reply. She gazed at the black and white photograph with a wonder in her eyes that would have melted even the coldest of hearts. Hayden watched her as she sighed with a small smile on her lips and a longing in her eyes.
"I seemed to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times..." Nora began to say as her eyes moved up to Hayden.
"In life, after life," Hayden continued. "In age after age..."
"Forever," Nora smiled. "How do you know that quote?"
"I read it somewhere," Hayden couldn't look away from her eyes.
"It's my favorite quote," Nora moved away from the pictures.
"Why?"
"Because..." Nora shrugged. "It's special to me."
"Why?" Hayden asked again following her into his mother's office.
"Do you tell me everything?" Nora laughed. "Why should I tell you my personal business?"
"Fair enough," oddly, Hayden wasn't bothered. He wasn't impatient to uncover her secrets. The longer it took, the more time he would have with her. "Ready to do some reading?"
"I love reading," Nora shook out her hands and cracked her neck. "Let's do this."
"Okay," Hayden laughed. "Go grab those books from the table and get started. I'll start here."
"What are we looking for?"
"Anything that mentions the autura."
"Got it."
For the next hour or so, Hayden and Nora stayed in Maya's office combing through the books. Nora moved to the floor and laid out all the books with sticky notes and scribbled down notes like a madman. Hayden sat beside her with his back against the leg of the couch as he read the second to last book on autura from his mother's private collection.
"Okay," Nora sat up after a few. "This is what we have so far."
Hayden put down the book and looked up.
"The autura fades on its own," Nora began.
"We know that already."
"Yes," Nora nodded. "It's your fey energy in me right now. So that means we will share some....abilities?"
"That's what I'm guessing."
"We were able to mind-link."
"And now you are able to heal."
"Why couldn't I heal myself before?" Nora looked over. "When I was in the hospital?"
"My energy was pretty new in your system," Hayden pointed to one of the books. "It was trying to learn it and get familiar with it."
"Okay..." Nora nodded. "So once the autura fades...I won't be able to heal this fast."
"No," Hayden shook his head. "Please don't cut yourself again."
"I won't," Nora rolled her eyes. "The novelty wore off."
"Thank god," Hayden laughed.
"Did we get everything?" Nora asked. "Or are we missing any information?"
"We are," Hayden looked around at the books.
"What are we missing?"
"Do our feelings for each other fade with the autura?"
Nora frowned, "Are you making fun of me?"
"No, no," Hayden shook his head, the corner of his mouth twitched. "I'm being very serious."
The frown on Nora's lips deepened, "I want to go home now."
"No."
"Excuse me?" Nora raised a brow.
Hayden slowly leaned forward, "I can't let you go."
"Hayden..." Nora's gaze flickered to his lips before moving back up to his eyes. "You can't..."
"I can't what?" Hayden asked.
"You can't keep me here against my will."
"I'm not trying to," Hayden smiled. "But it's the proper thing to do."
"In what world?" Nora's brows furrowed.
"In the world where I do not trust you to go home and not cut yourself again."
"I am not going to do that!" Nora climbed to her feet.
"I'm sorry," Hayden shrugged. "I don't trust you. You now have to stay here until the suture fades. For your safety."
"You can't be serious," Nora narrowed her eyes.
"Don't try me, Nora," Hayden grinned. "I can be just as stubborn."
Nora paused for a minute and watched Hayden. She really couldn't tell if he was messing with her or if he was being serious.
"Hayden..." she tried once more. "I want to go home. Take me back."
"No," Hayden shook his head.
"Birdie!" Nora called to the girl downstairs.
Hayden began to laugh, "What is my sister going to do?"
"Birdie!" Nora yelled again, running for the door.
Hayden shook with laughter as he watched Nora run out of the room. He climbed to his feet and was about to put away all the books when he heard his sister gasp and a glass shatter.
What now? Hayden wondered, walking over to the door.
"Oh my god!" Birdie began to panic as she held Nora's hand. "Did any of it get in your mouth? Nora, what do you taste?"
Hayden raised a brow and stepped out into the hall. He eyed the broken glass around Nora's feet as his sister held the girl's hands up in the air. Normally, he would have been worried about Nora cutting her feet on the jagged pieces of glass but she had his magic running through her veins, she would be okay.
"What's going on?" Hayden asked, taking Nora's hand from Birdie.
"Hayden," a pale Birdie turned to her brother. "I was.....there was...."
Hayden raised a brow.
"There was pixie brew in the glass," Birdie panicked. "I ran up here when I heard Nora calling me and she ran into me around the corner. It....some of it...."
"Why the fuck did you have pixie brew, Birdie!" Hayden snapped before turning Nora to face him. "Nora, look at me. Did any of it get in your mouth?"
"What is this?" Nora opened her mouth and scowled. "It tastes like peanut butter."
"Shit," Hayden felt his blood chill. "Shit. Shit. Shit. Birdie! What the fuck?"
"I'm so sorry," Birdie looked as if she was ready to cry.
"Hayden, stop yelling at her!" Nora got in between the brother and sister. "It was my mistake. I was running and I ran int-"
As if someone had snapped their finger, Nora's eyes closed and she collapsed.
"Nora!" Birdie and Hayden shouted together as Hayden caught Nora's limp body.
"Oh my god!" Birdie's hands shook. "Is she dead? Does it work that fast? I thought they were only kidding when they said one drop can kill a human!"
"Shut up!" Hayden snapped. "Open a portal and call Piper."
Poor Nora lol
if you're a killian and kiara lover, be patient lol, the story will go back to them soon...