AllFreeNovel
Share Us
There’s no stopping this time, no challenge, no ulterior motive as my climax peaks at the hands of my guys, twisting me into the tightest knot of my life before the weight gives out and my body sings for them.
The worry of what my magic means threatens to consume me as I come down from the elongated high, but the exhaustion clinging to my damp skin fades the world from Creed’s magic into complete darkness.
TEN
RAVEN
Darkness consumes me. Pressure weighs down my body, a tightness growing in my chest as I struggle to summon a single breath.
I’m trapped, lost, sinking.
My eyes ping open, my heart racing in my chest as I pant, struggling to take a deep breath, but even the knowledge that I’m safe in my bedroom doesn’t quell the fear that threatens to consume me.
Shadows paint the walls and fill every available space, even the sheets covering me. They’re moving, writhing around the room like I’m not lying here paralyzed, and it only leaves me feeling even more out of my depth.
Panic rises through me as the shadows grow, yet I can’t see what’s creating the darkness. It’s just me and the shadows.
Finally, a gasp parts my lips as I gulp down a deep breath and the array of black and grays consuming my room seem to halt at the sound, slipping from the bedsheets and receding along the walls before disappearing into nothing.
I don’t move an inch, my pulse ringing in my ears as I slowly gaze around the room. The silence and sudden drop in energy is startling and I’m ready for something to jump out, but after what feels like an eternity… nothing does.
Pressing my palms into the mattress, I lift myself up so I can lean back against the headboard. There’s no gloom nor a single silhouette, not even when I blink a few times. Surely, it was in my head, a part of my dreams? I don’t fucking know.
Maybe I’m going crazy.
Wiping a hand down my face, I sigh. Checking the time, a heavy weight settles on my chest again. The twilight hour. Perfect. Those two words always have such a negative impact on my mentality and I’ve never understood why.
I need some air, a moment to think, a second to feel the grass beneath my feet and know that I am truly grounded and tethered to the soil beneath it.
My bedsheets are rumpled at my waist from sleep, my oversized tee rising up my midriff, and I clamber from my bed in a rush. The second I’ve adjusted my tee so it falls mid-thigh again, I sneak through my door. The house is silent, not a single noise; not that I’d hear it over my heart anyway. And my magic. Every step I take, it seems to rattle inside of me, screaming for attention while tugging me toward the patio doors.
The lock on the door pauses me, but my magic thrums to the surface and before I even consider what I’m doing, I lift my thumb to the metal and watch as it quietly turns at my touch. I hear the latch and grab the handle, instantly feeling the chill of the night air wrap around me. Yet, at the same time, my heart warms. A feeling I have only experienced one other time.
Ari.
He’s near, I’m sure of it.
Closing the door behind me, I wrap my arms around my waist as I step onto the lawn, my toes curling into the blades of grass as I take the deep breath I’ve been desperate for. The waves crashing into the cliffs in the distance lull me further, despite the wind picking up, but it all fades away a moment later when the thud of claws landing nearby catches my attention.
His golden feathers shimmer in the moonlight, his beak harsh but familiar. I don’t know how I get to him—a run, a glide, a jump, I have no clue—but as quick as a breath, I’m standing in front of him.
A comfort I didn’t know I needed, I launch myself at him, clinging to his front leg as my heart rate slowly lowers. An almost-purr echoes in my ears as he drops his head, a mixture of a hug and a nuzzle warming my soul before I take a step back and look up at him. There’s a tension rippling from him that instantly raises my anxiety again.
“I can feel your panic,” I murmur, stroking his chest. “I wish I knew what was causing it.”
A beat passes as he blinks at me.
“You.”
I startle, jumping back a step as a yelp bursts from my lips. I was staring at his face, there’s no way he said…
Glancing around for a moment, I double-check we’re alone, and when nobody appears, I turn back to him just as confused as I was moments ago. “My panic is coming from your panic, Raven.”
The words consume my mind again but his face doesn’t move at all.
“A-are you talking to me?” I tap my finger at my temple and he tilts his head.
“Now that you have found the source of your magic, communicating will be much easier between us.”
