Page 30 of Unshaken

“I’m fine. I thought, I don’t know what I thought.” I pull away from them. “I’ll meet you both later, the faster I can get changed before Sasha and her crew arrive the better.” They both lift their brows at me in question, and I stop, offering them a smile. “I’m fine. Really, I think I am going to woman up and check on Esme though. It’s Friday, so I don’t have to worry about being out at night, right?” I ask again. Apparently, Friday and Saturday nights allow students the freedom go out without fear of death. Yea!

“Don’t ever let your guard down here, kitten. It might not be sanctioned but students do die on nights like this. There are things to still be afraid of out there,” Ty says in warning. “We will meet you at your house.” He winks and walks away but Trys hesitates.

“I want to kill her so bad, sunshine. Give me permission. Fuck the world. Your word is law!” he growls, rushing over to me, he wraps his arms around my waist and spins me with manic glee.What the hell am I going to do with this crazy-ass man?I think to myself, but there is nothing I would change; I like him just the way he is.

“No, bad, Trys. No killing.” I wriggle out of his hold, and he pouts. His wild hair falls into his face, making him all the more adorable.

“I can kill her and bring her back and keep on doing it as many times as you’d like. I’m a Necromancer, sunshine. It’s within my power,” he says in a sing song tone, but I know he absolutely means it. I have to remember that Ty and Trys are made of different stuff and all joking aside are dangerous.

“No. She’s mine,” I say as I rub my hands together like an evil villain, making him bellow with laughter. Sometimes you got to approach crazy with crazy. Anything to take his mind off Sasha.

“Trys,” Ty calls his brother and Trys grabs a quick peck on my lips that was entirely too short for my liking and skips away from me without a care in the world.

I turn and rush inside to get changed, although the pain in my chest has subsided, I still have a bad feeling swimming around inside of me.

* * *

I hurry back to the Quad, coffee in hand because, well, coffee is essential to my survival. It’s not up for discussion, it’s a fact of life. My life in particular. With that same nagging feeling tugging at my chest, I need to take a moment to figure out what is going on with me.

“Do you think you’re anxious because you haven’t heard from your mother?”Rook asks as I stroll along, taking in the last of the day's sunlight. Most of the students that I pass are relaxed, they’re not running around as if their lives depend on it. Some are eating on the lawn, studying, or meeting with friends as they welcome the night without fear. I guess someone grew a heart and decided the students here needed a reprieve from the dull routine of adrenaline spiking terror on a nightly basis.

“I don’t know. It’s more internal. Like I can feel someone else’s discomfort,”I huff, making sure I keep my face neutral, and my mouth closed as I reply. The last thing I need is a rumor going around the new girl is crazy because she talks to herself.

“One of your Tethers?”he asks, keeping his tone as flat as possible. In the past week I realize Rook is not pleased about these bonds of mine. When I asked why he immediately went silent. I don’t know what it means, but I am picking up a hint of jealousy. Jealousy? From a key!

“I guess. Or maybe I am just worried that my father or sire is Lucifer himself and that’s why my mother kept this secret from me,”I reply, trying not to think about the whole half Witch half Demon heritage I have going on.

Rook laughs. He actually laughs, and the sound of it makes me stop in my tracks.“You think Lucifer is your father?”He continues to laugh, and it only irritates me. I am really starting to question this soul in the Anchor key business, and I think another trip to the library is in order. What if Rook—the thought dies as I suck in a sharp breath. The pain in my chest returns, almost making my knees buckle. My delicious nectar of the gods falls from my hands and rolls across the pavement as I stumble, clutching at my chest. I look around me and nothing is out of sorts except my coffee that has died its own painful death.

“Damn it, I was really enjoying that,” I say with a grimace as rub at my chest, the uneasy feeling getting worse.

“Rook, I think something is wrong,”I say in a panic. I make my way to my house, the wooden gate swinging behind before it closes with a loud click, startles me, making me jump. Something has me on edge, and I need to get to the bottom of it.

“Micah, I think your connections to your Tethers are getting stronger, you’ve begun the process with the twins, so maybe the pain is the rejection of the other two,”he replies, and the words don’t help me at all because that is not what I feel. This feels like a warning or a spike of danger in relation to one of them.

“That could be it,”I say to Rook, keeping my own speculations to myself. The more conversations I have with my soul bound Anchor key, the more I think he’s hiding something from me. What, I don’t know. I really don’t want any more surprises. I’ve had enough to last me a lifetime.

I hurry into my house, throwing off my uniform and immediately taking the hottest shower I can stand. I try to relax but the feelings of unease remain. Once I am done, I find myself getting dressed in jeans, another one of my favorite band t-shirts, and my trusty boots, with one person in particular on my mind. Esme. I need to check in with her, whether she wants me to or not. Maybe that’s what I’m feeling. I doubt Rodyn is in any trouble, so I quickly strap on my holsters and knives and head towards the door.

Even with the night off from danger, I’m not risking going outside without my weapons. I slide my phone in my back pocket, opening the door in a rush and collide with two walls of fine manly chests. I look up into two pairs of mismatched eyes, and my blood heats at the sight of my twins. Ty wears a low-cut tank top, his tattooed chest and arms exposed, his hair braided in an intricate circle pattern. How he managed a new hair style since class I have no idea. His jeans sculpt his lithe thighs, and I can’t help but allow my eyes to wander.

“You see something you like, kitten,” Ty says with a smirk as he leans against the doorframe. I bite my bottom lip, trying to resist dragging him and Trys inside and giving them all of my attention for the rest of the weekend.

“Always.” I wink, knowing I shouldn’t be flirting with him, but damn it, he looks tasty.

My eyes find Trys’s, his wild afro held back by a black and white stripe bandana. His shredded jeans, allow me to see his smooth skin underneath, but I can’t stop myself from salivating over his bare chest. I didn’t know I love tattoos so much as my eyes follow them down toward his well-defined deep V. I’m drooling and I don’t care.

“Where are you off to, sunshine?” Trys asks, leaning against the opposite side of the door. I know I can’t invite them in. Even with them dripping with temptation, nothing is settling the feelings I’m having.

“I need to check on Esme,” I say to them both and they move out of my way immediately. “You can wait for me to come back, if you like.” I rush down the steps and I hear them close my door and fall in step behind me.

“Not a chance, kitten. I meant what I said, I trust no one. And you have enough people trying to come after you. I would rather we were with you,” Ty says. I look over my shoulder, offering him a smile of gratitude, and see he’s already pulled a knife from somewhere and is twirling it around in his hand.

“Where do you hide them?” I ask him, mouth open in shock. Those jeans he’s wearing are too tight—

“It’s a secret.” He winks as we head toward Esme’s house.

“I guess. I am going to have to perform a body search then,” I reply with a smirk, and the look Ty gives me has my panties melting.Calm yourself, Micah.

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