Dwellers of Darkness (21 page)

“Ugh. Don’t need a visual, but that’s not the point. I have to look these people in the eye every day. Those ‘others’ were probably kicked to the curb before the sheets even got cold.”

“True,” he agreed. “But what are you most embarrassed about? Because they know and heard us? Or Torin heard?”

My shoulders tightened. “Torin has nothing to do with this.” I wanted this to be true, but as soon as Eli said it, I knew he was right. It wasn’t because I wanted to keep this all from Torin. I had made my decision. But I didn’t want to shove it in his face. I cared so much about him, and it hurt when I knew I was causing him pain.

“So this is all about Torin.” Eli crossed his arms over his chest.

“No
... yes.” I sighed. “It doesn’t have to do with Torin in the way you are getting at. I know there are no feelings lost between you two, but I care about him. Our bond will never go away, and I will never stop wanting him in my life or being sensitive to his feelings. Hearing us is cruel, and he doesn’t deserve it.”

Eli’s brow arched up.

“He doesn’t,” I restated.

“Fine. So you
wanna stop having sex?”

I groaned.
Oh, hell no
. “That is not what I mean. I’m asking for us to be a little more considerate around him.”

Eli looked away, annoyance flickering over his face. “Brycin, you can do what you want. But I am who I am, and I am not going to tip toe around so Fairy boy can feel better. If I am going to screw my woman, I am going to do it. I don’t hold back, wherever or whenever it happens. All others can be damned.”

Two of those words, put together, made my stomach drop. It was Eli’s equivalent to saying girlfriend. “What did you say?”

“You mean about I am going to fuck you without filters?”

I almost choked on my laugh. “No... the other thing. Did you just basically call me your girlfriend?”

“Would you like fuck-toy better?”

“Oh, yeah, definitely.” I put my hands on my hips and tried to keep a straight face. He exasperated the hell out of me at the same time he made me laugh.

“Okay, fuck-toy, grab my meat stick.” He handed me another skewer from the fridge. He seized my legs and flung me over his shoulder.

“Geez, how many sexual innuendoes can you stuff into one sentence?” Laughing, I folded over his shoulder.

“I’m a genius with them.”

I figured he would head back down the hallway, but instead he turned and went through the front door. “Where are you taking me?”

“There is a small pond at the far end of the property. Think I need to see if my toy floats.”

“Will I be deemed a witch if I do?”

He snorted. “If she weighs the same as a duck, and she's made of wood. Therefore? A witch,” he quoted
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
.

I adored him even more right then.

“I have to be a witch if I haven’t drowned in your bullshit yet.”

There was a swift pat to my butt.

“Let me down.”

He let me slide from his shoulder. “Okay, but it’s only fair I get to ride you later.”

We were there halfway there when we spotted Kennedy and Jared in the meadow. She stood still, her face stern and unyielding with focus. Chanted words flowed out of her like melting caramel. Thick and rich. Jared sat under a tree not far away. Alone in a meadow, and they weren’t trying to compete with the rabbits? Eli and I couldn’t be more opposite. Kennedy was under a lot of pressure, so sex was probably the furthest thing from her mind. I wondered if I’d act the same. My gaze drifted to the man next to me as we walked.

Nope
.

Without thinking, I stopped beside her. “Hey, Ken.”

She jumped with a startled yelp and spun around. The invocation just being released from her lips went hurling into my chest. With the force of a sonic boom, my feet tore out from under me, and I collided into Eli. I could feel the spell roll over my skin, enveloping me. Eli and I hurtled through the air. His chin dug into my lower back as we hit the ground. A string of muffled Gaelic swear words projected from Eli’s mouth as I lay on top of him.

“Oh, my god! I am so sorry.” Kennedy came running to us, helping me up. “Are you okay?”

“Dammit, Ken.” I massaged my back, the impression of Eli’s chin bruised into my skin.

Jared ran to us, laughing. “Man, you took them down.” We all glared at Jared.

“Are you hurt?” She frantically looked me over.

“Yeah, I am,” Eli replied, rubbing his nose and chin, trying to sit. “Brycin, that’s the second time you almost made me bite off my tongue.”

“If only.” I turn to look at him and winked. “I keep trying. Maybe next time.”

His eyes flashed, and a half-grin tugged at his lips as he stood. “There are other ways to keep me quiet.”

A simple comment along with a look from him and heat flushed through my body, making me wish we were alone. “Yeah, but this would be more permanent.”

Eli cheeky smile grew. “Damn, payback
is
a bitch.”

I shrugged and smirked. “Been called worse.”

“You’d miss that part of me too much anyway.”

“Oh, really?” My eyebrows lifted in question.

“Yeah.” He curved his eyebrow at me. His grin only conveyed the memory of where his tongue had been earlier.
Oh, yeah, I would miss that part too much
.

“Not uncomfortable at all.” Jared cleared his throat.

Kennedy gripped my hand. “You sure you’re all right?”

I turned back to Kennedy. “I’m okay, though your incantations have some major power behind them. I hope it wasn’t an incantation to turn someone into a toad or anything?”

“Ember, stop.” Eli moved behind me and grabbed my shoulders. Another string of swear words slid out of his mouth, which immediately propelled quivers down my spine. His fingers touched my back. I no longer felt the painful shock of his contact as I had when we first met. It still tingled slightly but felt pleasurable instead of uncomfortable. Was this because I had his blood? I still didn’t know what it all truly meant.

“What is it?” I tried to turn my head to look over my shoulder. “J, Kennedy, come here.” He swished my ponytail to the side, pulling my tank strap off my shoulder.
Hello, déjà vu
. I recalled the first time Eli saw my tattoo, except then we didn’t have an audience.

Jared and Kennedy stepped behind me; small gasps escaped their lips.

“What? What is going on?”

“What is that?” Jared asked Eli, ignoring me.

“It looks like a map.” Eli’s fingers traced something on my back.

“A map? A map of what? How is it on her back? It was never there before,” Kennedy exclaimed.

“Hello? Remember me here?” I said, my arms waving frantically. “What the hell is going on?”

“Stop moving.” Eli’s gripped me harder and pinned me in place. “No, it wasn’t there before. What spell were you working on, Ken?”

“Uh... it was a revealing incantation. . .” Comprehension made her trail off. “I was practicing a spell to expose others which may be hidden. Like traps and concealing enchantments.”

My patience was now gone. I exploded, ripping out of Eli’s hold. “Tell me what the hell is going on, right now.”

All three blinked, finally acknowledging me. “Someone talk now before I ignite something... possibly you.” I pointed at each one.

“I think it’s better if you see for yourself.” Eli tried to keep his voice smooth, but excitement or alarm emphasized each word.

“I can’t exactly see it.”

Eli pulled out his phone, motioning for me to turn around.

“It’s already fading,” Jared stated. “Good idea with the phone.”

Eli pulled my tank down farther and took several pictures before letting me pull it up. He tilted the phone screen toward me as I moved close to his side. He had to zoom in, but even then, only a few faint lines could be distinguished.

A gulp of air stuck in my throat. My bare back inked with a black tattoo dominated the screen, but intertwined with it were strange white lines. Odd symbols and shapes covered my back. I didn’t know what it was showing, but it was detailed enough to recognize it as a map of some kind with mountains, caves, rivers.

“It’s a map?” My finger jabbed at the screen.

“Looks like one to me,” Eli replied.

“Why do I have a
freakin’ map on my back?” My fingers went to my back but felt nothing unusual. I looked up at him. His eyes glinted with an idea. “I know that look. What are you thinking?”

He stroked the space between his brows. “I’m fairly certain we found the location of the sword.”

Eli called Cole
, and in fewer than twenty minutes the entire group squealed at top speed back onto the property.

“Let me see.” Cole charged at me. He had shoved us into the office, keeping the others out for the time being.

“You won’t see anything.” Eli stood behind me, his hand on my back absently playing with the end of my ponytail. “Kennedy will have to do another disclosing spell. It only seems to last for a minute or two before disappearing.”

“Do you really think it’s a diagram showing the location of the sword?” Cole focused on Eli with desperation in his words.

“My intuition says yes. It makes sense. It was able to stay hidden with Ember this whole time. It was only by accident Kennedy hit her with this spell, and I was behind her to see it. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have found it.”

Cole and Owen looked expectantly at me.

“Go ahead, Ken.” I waved at her. Eli stepped to the side, letting Kennedy get closer to me.

“I really don’t want to hurt you.” She cringed as she moved around me.

“I’m tougher than I look.” A snort came from Eli, and I pointed my finger at him. “Do you really want to start with me?” He grinned and shook his head.

“Will you please remove your top, Ember?” Owen asked formally. Being naked in this house was normal, and no one thought anything of it. I was raised to be confident in my body, but I still hesitated.

Come on, Em; put your big girl pants on
.

At least there were just a few of us. Jared was the only one I felt awkward seeing me topless. Eli had seen it all before, Cole and Owen only looked at me as a science project, and Kennedy was no big deal. I sucked in a breath, tugged my tank top off. I rolled the top and held it against my chest.

“Okay, Ken. Do your worst.”

Nothing.

“Ken?” I half turned. She stared at her hands.

“I still don’t know what I’m doing. I’m just learning.” Kennedy voice had a panicky tone. “Last time was an accident. What if I really hurt you this time? Or worse?”

Jared strode up to Kennedy, taking her shaking hands in his. “It’s okay, babe. You can do this. You know this stuff.”

She gave him a flimsy smile but nodded. “Okay
... okay, here it goes.” She took her hands from Jared, held them up and faced my back.

I turned my head and saw Eli move in front of me. “Just in case you go flying again.” I smiled, appreciating the gesture.

Foreign-sounding words flowed naturally out of Kennedy almost like she had grown up speaking them. It was in her blood; they had merely needed to be released. When she reached the end of her incantation, magic poured from her hands into my back. The air rippled. A silent undulating wave headed straight for me. I turned and shut my eyes.

Eli was ready when my body slammed into his. I was more prepared this time, but it still hurt. A wall would have been softer compared to his chest. But I didn’t mind the comforting arms wrapping around me. Eli propped me up straighter and stood protectively in front of me as Cole and Owen surrounded my back. Fingers started trailing around my tattoo.

“
'S magadh fúm atá tú!
” Cole whispered in awe. “This whole time we didn’t know it was literally under our noses. We thought it might be something around Ember, but not enchanted on her.”

Owen slowly and deliberately circled me, taking it all in. His persona was always so calming and comforting. “This kind of magic is exceptional and especially rare.”

“My mother put it there, huh?”

The Dark Dwellers stopped, each staring at me.

“I heard you two talking the night after we returned from my house, when the Strighoul attacked us. You said you thought my mom would hide something with me.” I looked at Cole. “And you asked her again earlier this week. But if she hid this map on me, why wouldn’t she know where the location was? Or why would she lie about it?”

“I didn’t lie.” Mom’s voice came from the doorway. We all jerked our attention to her. “I
have no idea where the sword is or about this map you speak of.”

“I’m confused. Who put this on my back?” My gaze jumped around, wanting anyone to answer.

Mom stepped into the room, her arms crossed tightly around her. “I can’t answer the question. Whatever Cole may have suggested, Ember, I didn’t have anything to do with the spell on your back. I didn’t know of its existence.”

“You knew nothing about this?” Cole’s tone was doubtful.

“No. I didn’t.” Mom’s chin rose defiantly. It was at times like this I saw much of my own personality reflected at me. I took after her so much.

Cole watched her before he relented. “Well, it doesn’t matter now.”

Owen had countered every move I had made, following my back like a shadow, poking and prodding at the lines. “It is fading.”

“Jared, grab a camera out of the top drawer.” He pointed. Jared responded, retrieving it.

With one more invocation from Kennedy, Jared clicked the camera a dozen times before he stopped.

“It fades fast.” Cole took the camera from Jared, scrolling through the images he’d captured. “Damn. The lines barely come out. It’s hard to see, no matter how close we get to your back.”

“What do you mean?” I turned to look at him.

“Magic and film don’t work well together,” Mom stated. “Human-made devices will never be able to capture magic or anything from the Otherworld well. It’s a good thing or we probably would have been discovered a long time ago. Most think the pictures showing ‘otherworldly’ incidences have been doctored or faked because it does not show up on the negative.”

“We’ll have to draw it,” Cole declared.

“I’m not great, but I can draw well enough to get the gist of the map,” Jared spoke up.

“That’s all fine, but do any of us know where this is?” Eli looked at us. “What is the map of?”

All of us fell silent. The unclear lines and symbols, which I had seen on the screen, were so vague and basic, it could be anywhere. There were no words or anything to define the location.

Cole’s slumped onto his desk. The air of excitement deflated from the room.

Another roadblock appeared in front of us.

We were all headed to the clearing to work on drawing the map when an overwhelming sensation made me falter. It
tugged at my insides to turn in the opposite direction. When I tried to ignore the feeling and keep walking, a dry heave brought me to the ground.

Mom rushed to my side, bumping Eli out of the way. “Ember, are you okay?”