Oh my goodness at all of the reviews! Be still, my beating heart! You guys are awesome, and every single one of your reviews make me smile.
And I apologize for the ridiculous amount of time it took for me to write this. I have been busy with summer classes, working, and prepping for the GRE in the fall! And now that the fall semester has started, classes are harder than ever. And I am starting my research for my Honors thesis! Oh goodness. But I have no intentions of letting this story go. Pinky promise. I will finish it if it is the last thing I do!
And as for the whole Pogue-being-sketch thing, he just has trust issues as of late. Since Kate just upped and left, he felt betrayed. I mean, I would be kind of leery of trusting another girl (err… guy) so soon after the person whom I thought was in love with me just bounced after telling them a centuries-old secret. Wouldn't you? And adding on to the fact that he just found out that the chick he had already decided to distance himself from literally has fire power sets him back even farther. But he will come around… eventually.
And a special shout out to nevershoutallison for being an awesome reviewer! :D
And BTDub. The story is rated M for a reason. Don't read it if you dislike that kind of thing.
Disclaimer: I don't own The Covenant! (But it would be awesome if I did.)
It took Reid a minute to realize Emma was talking to him. She was motioning to the back of her neck with her hand.
"Reid, new tattoo?"
"What? What new tattoo? I haven't gotten a new one since last year."
"Well, that one definitely wasn't there at the pool yesterday," Caleb said looking at the back of Reid's neck.
Blaire walked around to look at the tattoo and gasped.
"Charlie! Fal! You have to come see this!"
Both girls walked around to Reid's back.
"Well fuck..." Fallon said, dumbfounded.
"What the hell happened?" Charlie demanded.
Gaea chose that moment to step forward. "All will be revealed in due time. Right now, I think Maddie is about to-"
At that moment, Maddie groaned from the grass where they had left her. Blaire, Charlie, and Fallon hurried over to their friend.
"Ugh, I feel like shit," she groaned holding her head.
"You look like shit," Fallon quipped back with a smirk.
Maddie narrowed her eyes at the red head. "Bitch, help me up."
Fallon laughed and grabbed Maddie's forearm. With some help from Blaire, they managed to get Maddie on two feet.
Gaea stood in front of the rest of the group. "I suggest we move this conversation inside. It isn't safe out here. Besides, you've already seen enough, and it can't be hidden anymore."
Gaea and Charlie helped Katy and led the way as Fallon and Blaire slowly led Maddie through the woods while the rest followed them up to the house. Though Maddie was thoroughly healed except for the tender bruise on her shoulder, her body was exhausted and achy. She sagged against the girls as they made their way up the hill to the back porch of Reid's house. Reid. She practically felt her heart fall to the bottom of her stomach and almost lurched to a halt. He knew about her-no, their- powers. Their most powerful yet precious secret. She wondered how he was handling it. She looked over her shoulder to try and see him, but when she saw the guys having a heated discussion, her eyebrows furrowed.
Caleb watched back and forth as Pogue argued with Reid and Tyler. They were in favor of spilling their secret to the girls since they had obviously, albeit unwillingly, already let their proverbial cat out of the bag. Pogue, however, wasn't for that idea at all. How did they know they could trust them? They knew nothing about them, and everything had now changed. Even though Caleb had feelings for Blaire, he had to admit that Pogue was right. They didn't know anything any more. What if it was all a lie?
"Reid, I know you want to tell Maddie, but I think we should wait. We can't just go around telling everyone we're warlocks. But we should let them have a chance to explain. Once they have, we can regroup and figure out what comes next."
Reid huffed and narrowed his eyes. "It still doesn't help the fact that I feel like I am lying to her. Omission still counts as deceit."
"Guys we should stop talking now," Tyler warned as they walked up to the house.
Charlie held the door open while Gaea took Katy and Blaire and Fallon led Maddie inside. As Emma, Blake, and the Sons walked through, she gave each of them a small smile. Whether the smile was of encouragement or of apology, she wasn't sure. As Tyler walked through the door, their eyes connected for a few brief seconds, and he tilted his lips in return.
Gaea led Katy to one of the second-floor rooms so she could rest. She figured that the poor girl didn't need to know anymore than she needed to, and her memory of her recent kidnapping and torture would be wiped clean anyways. She descended the stairs to see Fallon and Blaire ease Maddie down on the couch, where Emma and Blake, both sort of shell shocked and surprised, took a seat as well.
Charlie stood behind the couch behind Maddie while Fallon and Blaire stood in front of the entertainment center at the front of the room. Pogue stayed as far away from the group as possible near the entryway into the kitchen, while Caleb and Tyler sat on the loveseat. Reid walked over to Maddie, and to her surprise, took her hand and stood at her side. She glanced up at him with surprise etched in her face, and he looked down at her with love in his eyes. Her tummy did a small flip-flop, and her heart felt like it would burst from her chest.
"Okay, does anyone want to explain what the hell happened tonight, besides the fucking obvious?" Pogue asked angrily.
"We are elementals," Fallon spoke up, looking directly at Pogue. Her heart crumbled at the anger and distrust in his eyes. "Each of us was blessed with the gift of controlling an element. Earth, wind, water, and fire. And Gaea is our Seer. "
Charlie continued. "We are called the Daughters of Fate. We were selected at birth to keep the balance between good and evil on Earth, thus determining the fate of all mankind."
"Perhaps it would be better if I started from the beginning," Gaea said as she took in the small groups' confused faces.
"I was created when the first presence of evil came forth. For, you see, as it is in everything, there is always light and dark. I was made to keep the balance. After a few hundred years, the Earth became a dark place. Satan's own practitioners of black magic began to corrupt the human race with murder and jealousy for greed of power, a dark power forged by Satan himself, and the very demons of Hell were everywhere, spreading like wildfire across the world. I watched for hundreds of years as countries and nations tore each other apart, and I watched as the Devil sat back to enjoy his destruction. I soon realized this was not something I could do alone, for my powers, as strong as they were, could only be used for good, meaning I could never harm another living being. So, with that, I set out to look for those who would become my Daughters. The very first generation was selected around the first century before Christ, for goodness knows how long I searched for the most pure of heart. However, when the Protestant Reformation reached England in the sixteenth century and religion was on the rise, they took an oath of silence. Anyone who practiced public magic, even street performers, were considered heretics and executed. But when the need arose, they met the challenge. It was a dark time. For as many religious figures, there were equal amounts of those who practiced dark magic underground. Then, the next generation moved to the Americas with the Pilgrims in the seventeenth century for a new start and, hopefully, more safety. However, the Salem Witch Trials were brutal, and because of an overly curious girl, they were burned at the stake."
"So that is what we are." Charlie started, "Water, the restoring and life sustaining element." Her eyes flamed blue as she gently pulled water from the atmosphere to form small water droplets.
"Earth, the element of stability and growth," Blaire murmured, her eyes glowing green. She placed her hand over one of Reid's mother's flowering plants, and blooms erupted along its stem.
"The passionate and life-giving element: fire," Fallon said. She called the flame from her soul to her fingertips. Pogue watched as her eyes turned red and small flames danced prettily on her fingers. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and he had to swallow the desire that erupted in his belly. Down, he commanded.
"And wind. The carefree and unpredictable element," Maddie finished slowly from her place on the couch. She twirled her fingers as her eyes turned white, and a light, curling wisp of air brushed along Tyler and Caleb's cheeks.
When the tingling feeling of someone using shot through him, Caleb's eyes widened and connected with each of his brothers'. With a small shake of his head, he told them not to acknowledge it. He finally realized that the power they were feeling was coming from Blaire, Fallon, Charlie, and Maddie.
As the wind stilled and the flames on Fallon's fingers extinguished, all was quiet. Then, as if on cue, Emma spoke up.
"Well, damn. And here I thought you guys couldn't get any more awesome."
"It definitely comes in handy camping," Fallon quipped, smiling.
"Does it not sap your strength?" Caleb asked, suddenly. "You know? Make you weak if you use it too much? Kill you?"
"Being elementals, our powers are exactly that: the elements. They are all around. To use it is like using the resource given, using its energy. However, though Fallon and Charlie can both conjure their element from nothing, it does take a tiny bit more energy, but once it gets going, the energy is used in a loop. They can use it, make it grow, and then use the energy that is produced. It doesn't make them weak. But if there is a source, like a small lighter or a bottle of water, it's basically effortless," Blaire explained.
"So, why are you here?" Pogue asked, more curious than angry.
Charlie twisted her hands nervously. "Well, um… Gaea just kind of sent us here. She had a feeling that something evil was here or coming, and well, obviously, she was right."
Gaea picked up. "Let me explain. It wasn't a guess. I knew evil was here. However, I am normally able to see what the evil is and how it works. We are normally more prepared since I have the gift of sight. But this… whole town… seems to have a shroud over it, and I can't see anything."
Her brows furrowed in confusion.
"But… I was able to hear Maddie's call. In the woods earlier. I couldn't see anyone else, but I could see her. And I can still sense her now, but not Charlie, Fallon, or Blaire. I don't understand that. And I can't see you five, either." She nodded towards Emma, Blake, Caleb, Tyler, and Pogue.
Her gaze settled on Reid, and something akin to shock flashed before her eyes, briefly. "I can see you, though."
"What do you mean see?" Reid asked, a tad uncomfortable.
"In a way, it's like a sixth sense. Sort of. With a touch I could know everything about you down to the type of toothpaste you use and what kind of underwear you have on. But just reading you from where I stand, I can only sense your emotions. It isn't much, but it does… reveal a lot." She peered at him again through skeptical eyes.
"Hey, Fallon? Is the tattoo on your wrist a symbol of your power? Is that the real reason?" Emma asked out of the blue.
Fallon blushed at Emma catching her fib. "Sorry about that. We aren't supposed to tell. But yes it is. I was the last one to turn fifteen out of all of us, and, as soon as I did, we all got them at the exact same time. Hurt like hell," she muttered.
"That's funny. Hey, Maddie, yours looks just like Reid's," she said with a smile.
"WHAT?" Maddie screeched and immediately shot to her feet and whipped Reid around so his back faced her.
"Oops, sorry about that. You were passed out when we saw," Blaire said nervously.
Emma's smile dropped. "So, I guess this isn't something to be excited about?"
Maddie groaned and dropped back down to the couch, her head in her hands.
"What the hell is going on, Maddie?" Reid asked, touching the back of his neck with his hand. "What is this whole thing all about?"
Maddie groaned again and slid her hands down her face. "It means we're bound to each other. We made a binding. Holy shit, I can't believe I did that to you without you knowing."
"Wha- what does that mean, exactly?" Reid's voice grew slightly hysterical.
At this point, Gaea stepped forward. "It means that you two are forever entwined. I suppose you could call it 'a mate for life' situation. The bind forms when true love is expressed equally and wholeheartedly between a Daughter and her um… well, in most cases, chosen one. Normally this happens when you are at a vulnerable state, emotionally. Now that you two are bound mind, body, and soul, no one else in the world will be good enough for you other than the person you have been bound to: your mate."
Then, she rounded on Maddie. "Maddie, I TOLD you to be careful when saying stuff like that! Never say it unless you are one-hundred percent sure! And never when you are totally vulnerable!"
"I know! It just came out! I mean, I meant it, definitely, but I wasn't thinking. It must have happened right after we-" she skidded to a halt. Her face turned white, and she glanced up at Reid to judge his reaction. "Oh god."
"Right after you what?" Gaea asked.
"Fuck," Fallon murmured.
Maddie blushed and threaded her fingers through her hair and mumbled, "Exactly… Right after we…umm… had sex."
She got up to face Reid, who had gone quiet. His eyes were glazed over, and he looked a tad clammy.
"Reid?" she whispered.
His eyes shifted to her face, and he swallowed.
Maddie reached for his hands. "Reid, I swear, I didn't mean for this to happen. I am so, so incredibly sorry. I wish I could take it back. I just- I just wasn't thinking. And I know that relationships aren't your thing, especially committed ones, and I am just so sorry, Reid. Please, forgive me," she begged, tears in her eyes.
"Why?" he murmured. A little coloring had come back to his face, and his eyes were clearer.
"What? 'Why' what?" she asked, confused.
"Why would you want to take it back?"
"Well, because it's something that you should have known about, to begin with. And you should have a right to make your own decision about it. It's not something you should be tricked into, not that I tricked you. I just wasn't thinking."
Reid reached up and smoothed his hand over her cheek, using his thumb to wipe away an escaped tear. The information was a bombshell that was for damn sure. Hell, after the 'forever intertwined' part, his entire brain shut down, and he stopped listening. But in the moments up until Maddie took his hands, his whole future flashed before his eyes. He could see them getting married, settling down, Maddie's belly growing with his child inside, lots of children and then grandchildren running around their cozy house, and them growing old together and being happy. Suddenly, in that small piece of time, his life was complete, and he was whole. In that moment, he realized that she was what he was waiting for this whole time. His life, up until that point, was just empty, and he had been trying to fill it with one-night-stands and unimportant flings. Listening to her plea for his forgiveness wretched his heart, and he frowned.
"I don't want it taken back. Ever since I woke up, I've had these feelings of joy and happiness a-and completion. And I can't remember when I have ever felt like that. I don't want that to go away. And I don't care that I am going to be in a monogamous relationship for the rest of my life," he finished with a smirk.
Across the room, Tyler's jaw dropped, and he looked at Caleb, who was somewhat dumbfounded, as well. Beside them, Emma sniffled as she watched her once-hard-hearted brother declare his fidelity and love for her friend.
Maddie blinked and her mouth opened and closed like a fish. Then, she jumped forward and hugged Reid as tightly as she could, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck. His arms went around her waist, and he gently kissed the side of her neck.
"I heard it, you know? And I knew you weren't asleep. And I meant every word I said back, well obviously, when I told you I loved you," he whispered.
She released him and stepped back. "I know. I suck at pretending," she said smiling.
Reid tucked a loose strand of hair behind Maddie's ear. "However, the mood swings definitely threw me for a loop. I have no idea where those came from… Is that some kind of side affect I should know about?"
Gaea spoke up. "The mood swings? That would have been Maddie's emotions," she explained. "That's another thing. You can feel your, uh, significant other's strong emotions." Then, she snapped her fingers. "That's why I can see you! Maddie is like a link between us. But I don't know… why I can't see…"
In the space of a second, all hell broke loose. In a flash, Gaea's demeanor turned deadly, her eyes going ice cold and body going rigid, and she lunged for Caleb, who was closest, and pulled a scythe to his throat. Tyler, who was next to him, scrambled over the back of the couch to stand behind him, facing Gaea. Reid was cursing loudly, and Pogue's eyes flamed black, as he jumped to his friend's aid.
"What the hell are you?" Gaea growled from her throat.
Caleb's calm demeanor never changed. He held out his hands, as if signaling his brothers to stand down, and spoke clearly. "I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Bullshit! Your friend's eyes are as black as night, and the only time my vision has ever been impaired was in the presence of Satan himself and his demons. I can't believe I didn't connect it before now. Tell me what you are, or so help me, I will kill you with my own hands, power-free, and slit your throat before you even draw the next breath."
Taking a deep sigh, Caleb looked at Reid over Gaea's shoulder. "Warlocks," he murmured.
For a few minutes, no one spoke. Gaea still sat poised over Caleb's lap, scythe still pressed against his throat. Emma's mouth was hanging wide open, as was Charlie's, Maddie's, Fallon's, and Blaire's. The sound of crickets wouldn't even be able to describe the silence and do it justice.
"Reid? What's going on?" Maddie murmured beside him, releasing his hand and distancing herself a few extra inches.
In a flash, Gaea was off of Caleb and moving to Reid. "Give me your hand, please," she muttered.
"Why?"
"Because I am going to get the answer, and you are the only one I can see."
With a slight hesitation, Reid held out his hand. As Gaea touched his palm with hers, her eyes closed, and she took in his information. After a couple minutes had passed, her eyes opened.
"Well, that was interesting."
Charlie stepped forward. "Show us," she demanded in a quiet, firm voice.
The three other girls stepped toward Gaea as well. As the seer's eyes closed, so did theirs. Again, several moments passed as she projected their history into the girls' minds. Everything, including their first taste of the Power at fifteen, their family history, Ascentions at eighteen, the discovery of the fifth living line and battle with Chase, and even the incident with Sarah and Kate flashed through their minds.
When it was over, Maddie turned to Reid with a gasp. "Chase! That was the guy I fought tonight. He said… He said to tell you hello. But you knew… you knew who he was, didn't you? Were you not going to say anything and leave us in the dark?"
Before Reid could say anything, Pogue spoke up. "We couldn't trust you. We didn't know whether we could tell you information on Chase without delving into our past."
"You couldn't trust us? This whole time, you have been standing in your corner like an angry five-year-old because we didn't blurt out our secrets, and yet, you hold a double-edged sword when it comes to yours! That's kind of hypocritical, don't you think?" Fallon yelled eyes blazing and arms flailing as she crossed the room to where he was standing.
"Damn right. With every right to be, considering what happened with Chase," he growled back, crossing his arms over his broad chest.
"Damn you! We risked our lives tonight, an innocent almost died, and you can't get out of your fucking pity party and give us a chance? Go to hell, and tell Satan I said hello," Fallon seethed, as she stood on her tiptoes to try and reach his face.
With a sharp turn, she moved to Blaire and held out her hand. "Keys," she ground out.
"You're too angry to drive," she argued back.
"Blaire, give me the damn keys, or I will hotwire your car and blow it up when I get through driving it."
With a sigh, Blaire handed her keys to the red-head. "Don't die."
She gave a small snort, turned on her heel, and headed out the front door.
Pogue stood there as he watched the fiery minx walk out the door. He was shocked and enraged, but worst of all he just wanted to kiss her blind. Her eyes had turned wild green, and small slashes of red had started to bleed into her irises as she lit into him. Her hair had fallen in major disarray and dusted gently around her face as she had crossed the room to him. Her small body had been so tense, he could see the muscles in her stomach quiver and the ones in her arms jump, and he couldn't help but wonder if his kisses and strokes would smooth them out into languid bliss. It only took about two minutes for him to shake out of his stupor, curse under his breath, and grab his helmet on his way out the door.
"Is she going to be okay?" Tyler asked worriedly.
"I think the real question should be: 'Is he going to be?' Because if Fallon gets a hold of him… it won't be pretty," Charlie muttered back with a grin.
"I hope they hurry up and screw each others' brains out. Maybe it would keep the whole freaking room from going up in flames the next time they are together in it," Emma laughed.
Caleb watched as Pogue left, knowing he would go after Fallon. His lips turned in a small smile. That small girl was going to turn his brother's world upside down. He scrubbed his hands through his hair and down his face. This was definitely NOT how he wanted tonight to turn out. He had hoped for a few drinks and dances with Blaire and maybe some cuddling as they fell asleep together. Instead, he had learned the girl he was half in love with was an elemental, and she, in turn, had found out about his not-so-normal heritage. Not the way he had planned tonight to go. As he looked up from his hands, he saw Blaire watching him with a sort of sad smile on her face. He gave her a reassuring one of his own and took a deep breath.
"How about we just all get some rest, and we can discuss everything tomorrow?" he spoke up, calling the attention to him.
"Agreed. I need to get Katy back to her home and wipe her memory, anyway," Gaea said, turning towards the stairs.
"There are spare bedrooms on the third floor, if anyone is interested," Reid spoke up.
He turned to look at Maddie, who had not said much in the past ten minutes. Her eyes had glazed over, and he took her hand in his. When she came out of her musings, he squeezed her hand and tugged her towards the stairs. He'd be damned if he just poured his heart and soul and divulged his century-old secret to the girl and end up sleeping alone without her. Hell no.
Maddie let Reid lead her to his room while turning over the nights' events in her head. Making love with Reid, unintentionally bonding with him, saving a girl, meeting the boys' archenemy and having a rock almost tear off her leg, and finding out that Reid and his friends were warlocks. Holy shit. If all nights were like this, she was going to need medication. But… when she looked over to Reid, who had stripped down to his boxers and was climbing in bed, she smiled. As long as they were together, she figured she could handle the nights like this.
Fallon made it back to Spenser in half the time it took them to get to Reid's house. Most of her anger had fizzed out on the drive over, but a small portion bubbled over and made her hands clench and her stomach turn to knots. Damn him, she thought. She paced across her room a few times, seething and cursing Pogue's name. He was giving her whiplash with his mood swings. She couldn't deal with that. She sighed and looked down at her body. She needed a shower. She was sweaty and covered in dirt, and her Catwoman outfit had several holes that had not been there originally. Her skin smelled like campfire, and she was certain her hair looked like shit. Resolutely, she grabbed a fluffy white towel and her toiletries and opened the door. Only to find the bane of her existence blocking the exit.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she hissed.
"Deciding whether to kiss you or kill you, actually," Pogue smirked, delight dancing in his eyes.
For a moment her mask of anger slipped to something more dangerous, but she quickly recovered and shoved him out of her way. Closing the door behind her, she started walking towards the showers.
"Go away," she growled.
"Not until you let me explain," he argued, stalking behind her.
"I don't want to talk to you. You've said enough, and, obviously, I am not someone you can trust. How can you be sure that I won't barbeque your ass right here in the hallway?"
Pogue sighed. This was not going to be easy. "I was wrong. I know you don't use your powers to hurt good people."
"Ha! What makes you so sure you're good?"
"You would have already done it, if you weren't certain."
She skidded to a halt and turned on him.
"I don't understand you. One minute you come on to me, the next you are giving me the cold shoulder, only to tell me that you were afraid you would scare me off. Then, when I want to try and get to know you, you slam on the brakes so fast, my head doesn't have time to catch up with my body."
It was a good thing that all the students were asleep at that ungodly hour of the night, or they would have drawn a crowd. Fallon had made it to the showers but stopped before opening the door. Turning on her heel, she faced him.
"Pogue, I honestly don't know what to think right now. It's not because of your Power. I understand that. It wouldn't be the first magical thing I've ever seen, and I am certain it won't be the last. And I'm not afraid of you. But what I don't understand is why you pull away and try to distance us. You put up this wall that I can't see over or break through. Am I that untrustworthy?"
Pogue sighed and leaned against the wall. He didn't want to tell her the story, but in order for them to move forward, he was going to have to.
"First off, it isn't you that I don't trust, it's the entire female population. Kate was my first love. We started dating the summer before our freshman year of high school. We became really close really fast. Soon, we were in love. We promised the world to each other. Then, the thing with Chase happened, and she got hurt. I couldn't just not tell her what happened. So, I did. I told her everything. And she couldn't live with that. So, she left. Even when we said we could handle anything together. Obviously not. She couldn't handle the biggest part of me. And the worst part was that I trusted her. I thought that she would still want to be with me, even though I had this Power. But she didn't, and I swore to myself that the next person I told my secret to would be my wife. So, it isn't that I didn't want to be with you. I just pulled back when I thought it was getting too deep. I didn't want to trust you with my secrets."
"Pogue, I am not afraid of what you have. I mean, really. Look at me. I can control fire. There is very little in this world and the next that will bother me. And I am truly sorry about Kate. But you have to let it go, or it will slowly tear you apart from the inside out. So, when you make up your mind, let me know," she muttered as she opened the doors to the showers.
Closing the door behind her, Fallon locked it and sighed. She walked to the door of the nearest shower, shirking her ruined Catwoman costume along the way. It was three in the morning, and she highly doubted anyone would be coming to take a shower. She turned on the hot water, and, soon, the bathroom was filled with steam that was fogging up the mirrors. Stepping into the hot water, Fallon groaned in ecstasy.
Pogue stood outside the girls' showers for a few minutes. His mind was racing, and, in his head, a battle was waging. Fallon. Trust her. Don't trust. Happiness. Fallon. Kate. Heartbreak. Uncertainty. Fallon. Lust. Desire. Perfect. Kate. NO.
The back-and-forth in his mind suddenly stopped. If he was going to give Fallon a chance, he had to let go of his past. Steeling himself, his eyes flashed black, and he listened to the lock ofthe door slide back. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door and walked into the steam.
The first thing that hit him was the smell of pure sin. He drew in the delicious scent of her body wash, something so sweet and sensual that his mouth watered. He spotted the discarded leather costume on the floor, various garments leading to the shower stall. Locking the door behind him, he began to rid himself of his own. As he finally shucked his boxers, movement in the shower caught his eyes, and his breath caught in his throat. The glass door of the shower was steamed over, but it did nothing to block his view of the temptress inside. Fallon's back was facing him, and her head was tilted sky-ward, catching the warm spray on her face. The water slicked her red hair to her head, and the excess slipped down her neck, over her tattoos, and even further over the swell of her backside. Her skin was pale, without a single freckle, and Pogue was willing to bet that it felt as smooth as satin.
Fallon heard the door to the bathroom open and barely hid the small smile the flashed across her face. Keeping her back to the door, she decided not to acknowledge him. After a few minutes of no sound, her brows drew together in confusion. She turned around, the water now hitting her upper back, and realized the only thing between her and a very naked- very muscular- Pogue was a glass door. Her eyes traveled over face, his burning eyes, strong jaw, broad shoulders, well defined chest and abdominals, the sharp "v"-cut that basically pointed the way to his proud erection. Fallon swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry.
"Took you long enough," she murmured, her voice raspy and her eyes catching his.
His eyes never left hers as he stalked to the door, opened it, and stepped inside. She took several small steps backward, but he still came forward. Suddenly, her back collided with cold tiles, and she gasped aloud at the sharp sensation her warm skin was receiving. Time slowed down for Fallon, and in two long strides, Pogue was now standing directly in front of her, his hands braced on the wall beside her head and his face inches from hers. However, since she was a good foot shorter than he, he was bent over, his body definitely not as close as she wanted. Her breath was coming out in small pants, and her eyes darted to his lips. Out of pure reaction, her tongue darted out to moisten her own, and the small movement caused his eyes to travel to her own.
Fallon's only warning was the flash of fire in Pogue's eyes, and his mouth was on her own. She had been playing with fire since she was fifteen, but nothing- not even her first kiss- could compare to the flames that were licking at her now. His soft but hard mouth moved over hers relentlessly, and Fallon feared she would run out of oxygen. A surge of adrenaline shot through her, and she pushed him away. They stood less than a foot apart, chests heaving. Then, without warning, Fallon jumped into his arms and kissed him, her legs wrapping around his waist and her ankles locking around the small of his back. The force pushed him back against the cold glass, and her hands braced against it to keep his head from hitting. His hands his hands automatically settled on her waist, and he kissed her back with equal ferocity.
Pogue had no idea what just happened. She had taken him by surprise. Never had Kate done anything like that. When she jumped at him, his reflexes acted, and he had caught her by the smooth skin of her waist. He rubbed the pads of his fingers over her hipbones, and marveled at how soft she was. Her small, pert breasts lightly brushed against his chest, and he almost came undone. Growling, he moved one of his hands to her back and the other to her hair. With a gentle tug at her hair and a slight push on her back, she was arching fully into him, their chests completely meshed. He peppered light kisses against the column of her throat, and when he reached the thick muscle of her shoulder, he bit down, drawing a sharp moan from Fallon.
She was burning. So fucking bad. She needed him pronto. Weaving her hands into his hair, she pulled him away from her neck.
"I have to have you. NOW," she growled out the last part.
Reaching down between them, she settled her hand over the length of his shaft. It was long, and the mushroom head had leaked a few pearly beads of moisture. She ran her thumb over it, collecting the moisture and using it to lubricate her hand. He moaned and tossed his head back. Fallon pumped her hand up and down, using both hard and soft grips and fast and slow strokes. So engrossed in the hand job she was giving him, it took her a minute to realize he was moving. Before she knew it, her back was pressed against the cold tiles again, and she jerked forward, an automatic response. The movement forced her to release his shaft and her hips to collide with his. Stars shot behind her eyes as his pelvis bumped her clit, and she cried out. Suddenly his hand was there, and he was alternating brushing feather-light and hard strokes against the bundle of nerves. She was almost to her first orgasm when he pulled back. She was on the brink, and when she opened her eyes and saw him watching her intently, she knew that he knew also. The bastard. When she had finally come away from the precarious edge, he began his ministrations again. Two more times this happened, and Fallon was on the verge of tears when on the second time around, he still had not allowed her to come. She was in such a daze, she hardly understood that he was speaking to her.
"-honey, you there?"
"Mm," she said noncommittally.
"Open your eyes, Fallon," he commanded, gruffly.
She barely obeyed him, her vision blurred and fuzzy. Her vision cleared slightly, and she could make out his beautiful face.
"I made up my mind, Fallon. I made up my mind," he growled out.
His mouth was on hers instantly, and in one fast thrust, he was seated balls-deep inside of her small, lithe body. He watched her eyes squeeze shut and felt her walls start to clench around him as her orgasm slammed through her with the force of a freight train. However, he didn't wait for her to come back down. She fit him like a glove, and he couldn't hold back any longer. He had watched her nearly come to completion three times, and three times he denied her. He knew that her most intense orgasm would be the first one she was finally allowed to experience by him, and he didn't want her to come back down at all until they were both finished. As soon as her orgasm started, he was thrusting in and out of her tight channel. She was slick and hot and made for him. The spasms around his cock started to slow, and he reached up and pressed on her clit thrice more, sending her back into space again. This time, the strong waves of muscle stroking him caused the tingling in his spine to reach a fever pitch, and he pounded into her once, twice more before he finally tumbled over the edge with her.
Blaire sat on the couch in Reid's living room, watching as the moon cast an eerie glow over the ground below. Gaea had left, taking Katy with her, assuring she would be in her own bed at home within the hour without a single memory of the events that occurred recently. Reid and Maddie had gone upstairs together, hands clasped and fingers intertwined. Tyler and Charlie had followed, whispering and laughing together. Emma and Blake had left, deciding to head back to Spenser for the night. Though a little weirded out about the fact that the Sons weren't the only magical beings on the planet, they handled the situation quite brilliantly. That had left Caleb and Blaire alone in the living room. Perfectly alone. And yet, he had been a perfect gentleman. He had bid her a goodnight and left to go upstairs. Her brow furrowed, and she sighed. Then, with a determination she didn't know she had, she jumped up from the couch and strode to the staircase. Climbing up the stairs, she made out what she would say to him. Walking up the stairs to the third floor, she stood still, listening for any sounds. Passing several doors, she saw that only one had a light on. The soft glow came from under the door and scattered across the floor of the hallway. Pausing, she pressed her ear against the door to listen. When a heavy sigh came through, she immediately recognized it as Caleb's. All of a sudden, butterflies took to her stomach, and she had to take a calming breath. Without knocking, she opened the door, and the breath she just took seemed to catch in her throat. He was sitting on the far side of the bed with his back to her. His costume was gone, and all he had on was a pair of pajama bottoms. She couldn't help but admire the wide set of his shoulders and the definition of muscles. His skin was bronzed, naturally, she assumed, and for the briefest moment, she forgot why she came to him.
"I figured that was you outside the door," he murmured, still not facing her.
"How did you know?" she choked out.
He turned to face her, and she gasped. His eyes were pitch black, and the door behind her closed. The black faded back to warm chocolate brown, and he smirked.
"Using this kind of power can increase the senses. I heard you get off the couch downstairs."
"But I thought Using would take a little of your body away at a time. You shouldn't Use for trivial things."
He stood in front of her now. "Who says you're trivial?"
Blaire visibly swallowed and took a breath.
"I'm sorry about everything that happened tonight. I know this wasn't how you wanted to enjoy Halloween. And I just want you to know that I am sorry about what Sarah did to you."
Caleb took a step back and ran his hand over his face. Turning back to the bed, he sat with his back to her. His head was bent, and his arms were braced against the mattress.
"I really thought I loved her. But now I realized she was just someone on the outside who finally understood... That's what I hate the most."
Blaire watched him shake his head. Lifting her skirt, she moved to the bed. Pulling her knee up, she climbed on the bed and moved to sit behind Caleb. She reached out and gently brushed her fingertips over his back. The muscles tensed slightly then relaxed. She slid her arms around his collarbone and rested her chin on his shoulder.
"Caleb. I'm not Sarah. I won't leave you. I mean, I know you hardly know me, but I know of your gift. And it doesn't bother me. Sure, it was surprising. But I can handle it."
He turned his head towards her face and gently kissed her lips. Sparks shot between them, but when Blaire gave a small yawn, he leaned his forehead against hers. He realized she was still dressed in her costume. Grabbing his Harvard t-shirt and a spare pair of boxers from his suitcase, he handed them to her and silently motioned to the adjoining bathroom. She blushed and gave him a smile of thanks and closed the door behind her.
Blaire locked the bathroom door behind her and took a look at her reflection. She had shadows under her eyes and a bit of dirt along her cheek. Slightly embarrassed at her grimy appearance, she washed her face with cool water to remove left over makeup and grunge. Her hair had fallen from its up-do, so she removed the rest of the pins and tried to brush out several of the tangles with her fingers. The curly mass tumbled over one shoulder and fell to her ribs. Slipping out of her dress, she pulled Caleb's boxers over her black lacy panties and tugged his shirt over her head to fall to mid thigh. She lifted the soft, worn material to her nose and inhaled his musky, masculine scent. It was a mixture of earth and spices and something slightly erotic. Balling up the dress, she opened the door and found Caleb already in bed. His back was against the headboard, and the sheet was pulled up to his waist.
Blaire cleared her throat."Thank you for the clothes. They're definitely more comfortable than that dress."
"It was no problem. I hope they work."
"They do very much. Well, I guess I am going to head to bed," she said as she moved towards the door.
"Blaire, will you stay with me? Tonight?"
Her heart leapt to her throat, and she turned to face him. A grin slowly spread across her face.
"For a minute, I thought you weren't going to ask, and I was going to have to sleep alone."
"For a minute, I thought you were going to actually walk out the door."
He smiled back at her and flipped back the sheet. Blaire dropped the dress to the floor and slid between the sheets onto the soft bed. She curled onto her side and closed her eyes. She felt Caleb move behind her, and she almost jumped out of her skin when his arm curled around her waist and pulled her to him. His body was warm and hard behind her, but she fit perfectly against him. His chest to her back, legs to legs. He nuzzled her hair and kissed the back of her neck, and she smiled to herself. His breathing evened out, and after a few minutes, she fell into blissful sleep right behind him.
Charlie laughed as Tyler finished telling her the story about driving off the cliff and scaring the hell out of the cops that had busted up the party at the Dells last year. They were in one of Reid's spare bedrooms laying under the covers facing each other. Tyler had let her use one of his bigger shirts to sleep in, and he decided that his boxers should probably be kept on since they were sleeping in a close proximity. Their bare legs were intertwined, and their fingers were laced. Charlie smiled brightly and grasped Tyler's fingers tighter.
"That sounds totally awesome. I think your powers are amazing. What all can you do?"
"Just about anything. But Using for small things can easily make you addicted. So, I only Use for big things... like laundry."
Charlie laughed, and Tyler was stunned into silence at her beauty. Her face was clear of makeup, and she looked shockingly innocent. Tyler bent his head and glanced at their hands. After a moment of silence, he cleared his throat.
"So, I think you should tell me about why you are so insecure about yourself..."
Charlie's smile slid off her face, and she released Tyler's hand. Folding back the covers, she slid from the warmth of the bed and Tyler. Crossing the room to the window seat, she played with the ends of her curly hair. The moon was no longer high, and the shadows outside were skewed at a large angle.
"I used to be so confident. I was always so sure of everything. Especially this one guy. He was my everything, and I was so sure I was his. He was a senior when I was a sophomore, and when I thought he was interested, I was hooked. We dated for about six months, and he was pushing me to sleep with him. I felt like I had to in order to keep him because he was going out of state for college, and I didn't want our relationship to end. Ha, what an idiot I was. The next day, I went to his house after school, and I found him in bed with another girl, a senior, he had been shagging behind my back for four months. He told me that it took me too long to put out and when I did, it wasn't worth the trouble of trying to keep a relationship. He said this all while she was laying next to him. I gave him everything, and he gave me the cold shoulder. I was so crushed, and I couldn't control my powers at one point. I had to take a week off from school to get a hold of myself. I was freezing everything in sight. Fallon was royally pissed at having to thaw out her dog. But ever since then... I don't know. I just never made another attempt to get close to anyone."
Tyler felt the hatred burn in his gut towards the prick who made such a beautiful person into such a wallflower. To take something so precious and treat it as if it meant nothing. Her back faced him, and she had pulled her knees to her chest to face the window. He couldn't see her face, but a part of him knew she was struggling to keep it together. Moving silently, he stepped over to the window and pulled Charlie into his lap. His skin heated at the contact, and his groin tightened when her legs slid over his. But he kept his composure as she silently let her tears fall on his bare shoulder. Charlie wiped her eyes with Tyler's shirt and sniffled.
"I'm sorry about that. I'm normally able to keep those feelings buried."
Tyler turned her face towards his and wiped a stray tear off her cheek.
"Don't. Not from me. Please. Not from me."
Seeing the anger, tenderness, and heart in his eyes, Charlie leaned forward and captured his mouth with hers. He was warm and his lips tasted like a combination of mint from his toothpaste and spice that was uniquely Tyler. She turned in his lap to straddle him, but before she could get situated, he already had her in the air and moving to the bed.
"This time is going to be in a bed," he murmured against her mouth.
Tyler made love to her until, with sleepy eyes, Charlie saw the first rays of dawn break over the trees. His gentleness had brought her to tears several times throughout those few hours, and his attentiveness to her body made her heart race and her blood hammer. Her body was sated, and her heart was full. Tyler was curled around her back, and his even breath was warm against her bare skin.
Gently untangling herself from Tyler's limbs, she slid from beneath the sheets and moved to the adjoining bathroom. Taking a quick shower and making use of the facilities, she found a terry-cloth robe on the back of the door and put it on. After checking that Tyler was still asleep, she made her way downstairs. The smell of rich, dark coffee met her as she walked through the kitchen door. She opened the door to see Maddie leaning against the counter holding a steaming mug and Fallon and Pogue sitting at the kitchen table.
"Oh my goodness, please tell me you made enough of that deliciousness for all of us," Charlie muttered, motioning towards Maddie's cup.
She held out another steaming mug. "One mug with half and half only, right here."
"I could kiss you."
"I wouldn't object to that, but I think Tyler might have something to say about it," Maddie smirked into her coffee.
Charlie narrowed her eyes. "Jealous."
"Not me," she grinned mischievously.
"Oh for the love of all that is holy. Keep it down," Fallon growled from the corner of the room.
"Don't mind her, she didn't sleep much last night," Pogue said smiling.
"Ow ow! No way!" Charlie beamed up from her mug.
"Finally. You two were taking everyone in the room up in flames!" Maddie muttered.
Fallon chose not to say anything but turned her head to hide her blush. Her pale skin made it easy to see when she was flushed. Pogue had told her himself the night before as they lay in her bed after several rounds of sex. Her body was worn out, and she was sore in several places since Pogue was very well... endowed. She lifted her head to see the devil himself smirking at her. Rolling her eyes, she stood from the table and stretched.
"So, what are we going to do today?"
"I don't know. I thought we could go and maybe get some information on this Chase guy. I don't think he will go down easily," Maddie said as she sat her cup in the kitchen sink.
"We can probably help you with that," Pogue piped up. "We definitely have experience with him."
At that moment, the kitchen door opened, and Blaire, Tyler, and Caleb joined the small group.
"What are we discussing?" asked Caleb.
"Chase. I was telling the girls here that we have a lot of information on him," Pogue said, giving him a knowing look.
Caleb exchanged a glance with Tyler. Nodding his head, he spoke.
"We have a place. It's filled with things from our lineage. Only we know about it."
"Awesome! That would be great. That'll help us figure out what we're dealing with," Blaire smiled, kissing Caleb's cheek.
"Well because the hell hounds were here, we know that Lucifer has to be involved. Bastard. But we need to know why he is involved. And what does that have to do with this Chase guy?" Blaire asked as she poured a cup of black coffee.
Tyler spoke. "We all thought Chase had died last year in the fire at Putnam Barn. We hadn't heard anything since then. But they never found his body."
"Well, I need to go back to the dorms and get ready. All my clothes are there," Blaire said with a slight blush as she looked down at Caleb's shirt and boxers.
"Here's your keys, B. She's safe and sound. And out of love, I decided not to blow her up," Fallon commented as she tossed Blaire's car keys.
"So, I guess just text me the directions to... wherever this place is?" Blaire told Caleb.
Caleb nodded his head. "Sure, be careful going back. He could be anywhere."
Blaire smiled. "Hah! I laugh in the face of danger."
Fallon sauntered towards the door and blew a kiss in Pogue's direction. "Bye, boys! See ya later."
Giving Tyler a hug, Charlie was about to walk out the door, but she pulled Maddie out of her lip-lock with Reid.
"Really guys? It'll be two hours tops..."
Rolling her eyes, Maddie followed Charlie out the front door and shut it behind her.
