I know this is really inconsistent but... TA DA!
*silence*
*Scoff* This is all your faullt! *Glares at the elephant across the room* XD
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Recap:
I let a shaky breath out through my cracked lips as I looked at the ranch, dark and no less welcoming then the alley way that I had dragged myself out of. The ranch house looked abandoned, haunted and suddenly I really didn’t want to go back inside.
A hand clasped mine, our fingers intertwining as Seth squeezed gently.
Inside we felt through the hallways till we got to Seth’s room, where he slowly pushed open the door and let us both in.
Flicking on the bedside lamp he disappeared into the bathroom. I could hear the showering running minutes later as I padded across to the small, twin sized bed. Shedding my shoes in a corner next to Seth’s work boots I flumped onto the bed, curling up into myself.
I’m alive.
I’m breathing.
I’m not dead.
For now.
And only then did I let the tears drop.
(I'll only be doing recaps if there has been a large time gap between my previous post!)
Chapter 31:
The brush of callused fingertips against my forehead had my eyes briefly fluttering open. My eyes felt dry and irritable, the roof my mouth chafing against my tongue. I fought the urge to drift back into the black abyss from whence I had emerged from and instead chose to focus on the figure propped up on his elbow next to me.
Two blue eyes wandered my face as Seth’s fingers brushed aside my hair. His bronze bare torso gleamed in the morning sunlight, emanating a comforting heat as Seth bundled me up in his arms, my head burrowing into him, taking deep mouthfuls of his sweet musky scent. Pulling back, Seth spoke softly.
“Damn it, Rayne, you sacred the hell outta me last night.” His eyes softened and his grip on my hips tightened as pulled me closer. His lips brushed my forehead, my eyelids, my nose, my cheeks, my jaw, down the slope of my throat to my collar bone then back up pausing millimetres before my lips. I refused to look him in the eyes, fearing I’ll see pity and or something else that I can’t quite face yet.
Tears pooled in my eyes and I turned my head aside, burrowing into the reassuring warmth of the crook of his neck.
“I’m sorry.” My voice cracked, a woeful scratchy sound crawling from the base of my throat, wheezing out through my lips. I don’t know what I was sorry about, I was just truly sorry.
Seth’s hands caressed my back with soothing circles drawn with infinite care, the heat from his fingertips seeped through my thin t-shirt and grazed against my spine. I shivered as tears ran down my cheeks in gushing rivulets of suppressed agony.
We stayed like that for what felt like hours. The sun warmed to a deep amber outside, a honey like yellow seeped through the windows, dimming and brightening from the passing of clouds overhead.
So much had changed since I had arrived here three weeks ago. The person I most detested was the one holding me together as I fell apart in his arms, and the Grandma whom I once loathed with the utmost dedication is now someone I want most desperately to be here right now, bossing me around and haughtily stomping about the place. I came here insecure about my parents’ divorce, stubborn and so very slightly broken but now I’m paranoid, scared beyond comprehension and I’m starting to worry whether I can fix this.
“Are you okay now?” His soft, deep voice cracked slightly and I smiled sadly and nodded against him, still unwilling to pull away. But I couldn’t stay here forever. Every moment I lay here hiding was another moment the killer could be plotting, planning, advancing and it was damn time that I stop hiding behind someone and get down to it. I breathed in deeply deciding I would do whatever it took to get to the bottom of it, sparing no time to wallow in self misery or otherwise. Yeah, you could always do that later… I managed to roll my eyes at the sarcastic voice in my head.
Seth pulled back, framing my face with his hands before rolling out of bed and walking to the side I was occupying. Then with a serious expression he held out his hands toward me. “Now do you think you can manage to shower on your own? Because I could always help you know…”
As groggy and tired and worn out as I was I still managed to hurl his pillow at him, stifling a smile and instead glaring at the sweet moronic idiot grinning cheekily as he peeked out from under the pillow.
“I’m gonna take that as a no then…?” Stumbling out of bed I shook my head, slapping his chest as I walked past him toward the bathroom, but before I could take another step Seth grabbed my wrist pulling me back into his chest as he nuzzled my neck, the slight rough tickle of unshaven bristle sending a fiery shiver down my spine, pooling into liquid heat in my abdomen.
“Seth-“ my voice sounded husky as I felt Seth place a soft kiss against my neck. No, goddamnit Rayne you have to do this on your own! Clearing my throat I started again. “Seth?”
“Mmmm?” He mumbled against my skin sending tantalizing vibrations down to the tips of my fingers, still making no move to let go of me. Curling my toes I bit my lip and elbowed him, a smile tilted my lips upwards as I heard the grunt of amused pain from behind me. The upward movement of my lips felt foreign to me after having been pulled into a morose frown for so long, but even so I took pleasure in the small fleeting moment and jogged to the bathroom. Turning around as I closed the door I glimpsed a disgruntled Seth biting his bottom lip as he tried not to laugh. A slow smile settled across his lips revealing two sweet dimples and his eyes warmed.
I shut the door and stripped down, hopped into a warm shower before quickly cooling down the water. I steeled myself as the water shot down at me in frigid streamlets, hitting my bare skin in cold spades. My eyes closed as I felt myself start to wake up, the memory of that smile flashing across my eye lids as my skin burned against the icy water.
The question wasn’t who could I trust but who can help even if it wasn’t voluntary help. My mind listed through names and faces.
Matt and Daniel have been people who have always brought comfort and a smile to my face. Aiden stands in no man’s land, completely and utterly neutral or maybe just not ready to choose sides yet. Nick has been… unpredictable and right now unpredictable doesn’t cut it for me. Zack is just down right creepy and with the amount of venom that consumes him when looks at me, makes me want to shove my head face first into the fucking pig sty just to avoid his glare. May is perhaps psychotic but that doesn’t mean I’m going to rule her out completely. Aaron, Brendon and Mark seem to be vehemently against Zack and Nick but maybe that’s just the paranoia acting up; so far they’ve been fair to me though. I shrugged my shoulders and pursed my lips.
No one was playing by the rules anymore, heck they probably lit this so called proverbial ‘Rule Book’ up before pissing their hearts out on it. It was time I stopped letting what others thought of me affect me so much because I wasn’t the lazy, incompetent city girl the ranch hands thought I was, nor was I going to become the bumbling paranoid fool that wets her pants over every shadow, that someone wants me to become.
Everyone was already teaming up, taking sides, drawing out theories, trapping themselves in their own fear. I needed someone who was separate form all this, someone who looked at this from an outsider’s perspective, someone who isn’t afraid to fight dirty if the moment should ever arise. Frankly it’s time I stopped shitting myself and talk to Adonis.
Devilish blue eyes flashed across my eyelids and my heart stuttered. Then of course there’s Seth. I sighed, my lips burning, my body aching. Is that all it was, lust? Clenching my teeth I shook my head, not wanting to know the answer just yet.
Shutting off the shower I grabbed the towel hanging from the back of the door and quickly towel dried my hair then wrapped it around my body before heading over to the sink and brushing up.
The mirror was foggy as I breathed out a minty sigh. I swiped at it to reveal a streak of polished silver and the partial reflection of bright green eyes staring determinedly back at me. Rolling my tongue over my teeth I turned and unlocked the door. Upon the opening of the door I came face to face with Seth sitting hunched over at the edge of the bed, freshly showered with his hair deliciously damp and trickling water down his hard chest and broad shoulders.
My eyes flickered away as he looked up and spotted me standing at the door way to his en-suite.
I cleared my throat. “Sorry I hogged your bathroom.” He probably had to use the one in the corridor. From my peripheries I spotted his lips twitch as he stood up and wrapped his arms around me, drawing me close.
“Nah, it’s all right. I was feeling generous anyway and besides it looked like you really needed it.” Pulling back I narrowed my eyes at him, ready and poised to smack him across the chest.
“’I really needed it’ huh?” Seth’s chest rumbled as he laughed. Huffing indignantly I pummeled him and would have continued to do so if he hadn’t caught my wrists. Eyes still humming with mirth he brushed his lips against my knuckles and my knees gave way but I was steadied against him.
Flames of scarlet erupted across my pallid cheeks as I ducked my head and I refused to look up, instead choosing to silently bite my lip as I waited for the warm glow that was flushing my face to subside.
I heard Seth chuckle whilst running smooth circles against the backs of my hands. “Rayne, you know you can tell me anything, right?” My head snapped up, my eyes searching his as my heart stammered. “’Cause you don’t have to keep finding excuses to feel me up, I’d be glad to let you- oof!” I grinned as I watched him rub his shin.
“Hey I spared your balls, you should be happy.” I chortled manically as he glared at me.
“You’re so mean to me…” Mock whimpering, Seth pouted, a puckish gleam lighting up his face as his eyes darted to my towel.
“Oh…oh no! Hell no-aaahh!” Letting loose a mini war cry of retreat I pounced backwards letting slip a laugh before quickly scolding myself and glaring at my pursuer.
Grinning like the gorgeous fool that he is, Seth ran towards me, making fake grabs at my towel as I stumbled towards the door in my bare feet, smiling giddily.
“Hah!” Sticking my tongue out and twisted the door knob I rushed outside making it only a few steps outside before walking smack bang right into someone’s chest while moments later Seth ran smack bang right into my back.
“Oof!”
“What the-“
“Hah got you…?-”
I looked up and found myself subjected to a raised eye brow by Adonis before he looked up and matched the glare that Seth was probably throwing his way.
Doors creaked open and bleary eyes widened and grins and smirks spread across yawning mouths.
So there I was, standing in nothing but a towel, The Human Sandwich-and no I don’t come with lettuce and tomato- squashed between Seth and Adonis while most of the ranch hands watched on in sick perverse glee.
I considered using the good ol’ line: “This isn’t what it looks like” but come on this is the ranch hands we’re talking about. They’re freaking old gossiping women in disguise, scavenging for drama! Please shoot me now before they start their knitting wars of horror…
I took in a deep breath then let it out slowly.
Breathe Rayne, breathe, don’t worry your heart won’t die of embarrassment…
Well that’s good to know…
Yet…
Stupid inside voice.