AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The door slammed shut behind us after we stepped into my room. "Lock," Rain whispered under his breath, and a curl of heat left his body. He'd spelled the bathroom door. Smart man. Simply flicking the lock in place wouldn't be enough to keep them at bay if they truly wanted to get inside. Magic was the only way to go around this house, because a locked door was never enough. Not when it came to determined boys.
Rain sat me down on the edge of my bed up close by my plethora of pillows. I wrapped my arms around my middle and slumped in on myself. The numbness had receded upon my outburst and had yet to return. I wished it would, because the pain left in its place was eating me up from the inside.
I needed something to focus on besides it. Something different to occupy my mind.
Rain sat down beside me on the bed and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. He pulled me into his side and the hold he had on me tightened.
"Julian," Rain barked out. "Get over here and tend to her feet while she's sitting down. And tell your boyfriend to get her some clothes."
I tipped my head to the side and blinked up at Rain. Had he said boyfriend? How the hell did Rain of all people know about Damien and Jules? I hadn't even known myself until recently, and I damn well knew they weren't open and sharing their relationship withRainof all people.
"You do know I'm right here, asshole," Damien snapped angrily. Gone was his haughty nature. In its place was an aggressive male I'd yet to see take over Damien before. "I'll get the clothes because they're for Ariel, but next time you want something from me then I suggest you actually address me. Otherwise you can go fuck yourself."
Damien stormed out of the room and into the closet I shared with Dash. I was proud of him for standing up to Rain. My father would never respect a person who didn't stand up to him.
"Don't worry, baby girl," Rain murmured to me. "I spelled the door inside the closet that opens up into Dash's room while I waited for you to get out of the shower. Nobody's getting in through there. You can relax. You're safe in here with myself and the two of them."
I knew I was safe in here with them. I also knew I'd be safe in here if the rest of them joined us as well. But I appreciated the effort he went to for me. I nodded my thanks but remained silent. The screaming fit I'd had in the bathroom had taken it right out of me. I had no fight left in me. I was utterly exhausted.
I sat stiff, frozen against Rain as Julian knelt on the rug at my feet with his big black bag beside him. He opened it and pulled out a mason jar with some type of bright blue goop that looked kind of crusty. I wrinkled my nose in disgust when he unscrewed the lid and the smell hit me. Rotten, vile waste.
"No," I whispered harshly and frantically. "Don't you dare put that garbage on my feet. I'd rather be in pain than smell like shit."
"No kidding," Rain muttered in agreement under his breath. "What did you kill and stuff inside that jar to bring on that godawful smell?"
Why did all of Julian's concoctions have to smell absolutely horrendous? Nobody wanted to smell like garbage, Julian had to know that. Why couldn't he make something that smelled like roses instead? I'd like that.
Julian blatantly ignored Rain’s and my bitching. He stuck two of his fingers inside the jar and scooped out a big glob of blue smelling shit. He didn't seem to mind the smell. With the hand not covered in goo, he picked up my right foot and held it up in front of his face for inspection.
He whistled under his breath. "You really did a number on your poor little feet. Yours are worse than Romero's were." He paused in his inspection to call out over his shoulder, “Will you get the tray and bring it over here?"
Julian smeared the goop all over the bottom of my foot. The cold stung as it glossed over my cuts and bruises. The pain in my foot finally started to register right around the same time as the medicine started to work and it went numb for an entirely different reason.
Julian wiped his fingers off on a handkerchief he pulled out of his bag. Next came an Ace bandage. He unrolled the bandage and started wrapping my foot up. When he had it wrapped up tight, he stuck a small metal clasp to the end and it stuck to another part of the wrap, securing it in place. He sat my foot back down gently on the rug and picked up the other foot. He did the same thing with the left foot as the right one. When they were both done, he tucked everything back away in his bag and snapped it shut.
He looked me in the eyes, gave my knee a gentle squeeze, and stood up while speaking. "I'm going to go wash my hands then I'll be back. Drink the tea Damien's going to give you. It'll help you sleep and get the rest you need. After you drink the tea, I want you to put the pajamas on that Damien's also going to give you. Then I want you to get into bed and under the covers. Rain can leave then. Damien and I are going to stay in here with you tonight. I hope you're ready for it, Ariel, because you're not going to be left on your own again for a very long time, if not ever."
A bossy Julian worked just fine for me. He moved away, likely toward the bathroom, and took his bag with him.
Instantly, Damien filled the space Julian vacated. He placed the ornate, silver tray in his hands down on the nightstand beside my bed. He picked up a delicate blush colored teapot and tipped it above a matching teacup. Steaming water poured out and into the cup. I didn't give a crap what Jules had put inside to make the tea. If it would relax me enough to allow me to sleep, then I was all for it. I highly doubted I'd be able to close my eyes and fall asleep on my own. The things I knew I'd see if I closed my eyes now terrified me. No, I'd never be able to sleep on my own.
He sat the teapot down and picked up the dainty cup. I sat forward and moved out of Rain's hold. He let me go, but I could tell he didn't want to. I reached out with my hands and Damien placed the teacup in them. I lifted it to my mouth and blew on it before taking a sip. Thankfully this did not taste or smell like shit. It smelled like honey and mint. I could barely taste the sweetness of it over the burning of my tongue and throat. I blew into the cup and took another sip. The liquid hit my empty stomach and it awoke with an angry rumble.
"You get dressed, baby girl," Rain said as he stood up from the bed. "I'll get you something to eat."
I reached out and grabbed hold of the sleeve of Rain's shirt. He looked down at me in question. I couldn't hold his stare for long and dropped my eyes back to my tea. I dropped my hand from Rain's wrist, allowing it to fall down into my lap.
"If I eat right now, I'll puke for sure," I mumbled, and took another sip of my tea. "The tea will do for now. Please, Rain. I'll eat tomorrow."
Food was the least of my problems and I had a long list of current problems.
My suddenly heavy eyelids lowered and shut. I grunted as I struggled to open my eyes once more. My body felt too heavy to move even my eyelids.
The hand holding the dainty cup began to fall. I was going to spill burning hot liquid all over my lap. The cup was plucked out of my hand and taken away.
"So tired," I mumbled sleepily.
"Time for you to leave now, Rain," Julian announced. "You can come back and check on her tomorrow."
