Page 62 of Who Owns You?

It’s my fault he’s gone. I’m the reason everyone is so upset.

The thought of just letting myself drop from this astronomical height flashes across my mind for a moment before I shake it away. That wouldn’t help anyone, and I know we’ll figure this all out. We have to figure this all out. Charlotte is meant to be ours, and Atlas will see that…one day. When he comes back.

Swinging my legs, I stare into the distance, watching heavy dark clouds roll in. Finally, the rain will come in and clear all the heavy feelings away. With a dejected sigh, I lie back on the roof and shut my eyes.

The splash of the first cool drop on my skin makes me shiver and smile. It’s followed quickly by a thousand more, drop after cool drop. The thoughts racing in my head slow down as I focus on the feeling as each drop hits my skin and rolls. Fuck, it’s almost as good as eating Charlotte’s pussy. The calm that settles over me is something I haven’t been able to feel since Atlas left.

I lie in the rain for a long time before the thunder and lightning start. Behind my eyelids, the flashes of lightning are even more beautiful as they make the world a little brighter surrounding our loch. The heavy rumble of the thunder leaves me feeling alright enough to let my mind go utterly blank.

I’m pretty sure this is meditation or something. I should tell Darius to try it out, maybe it will help him with all his stress.

I almost don’t hear it. The scream that tears through the night between cracks of thunder, but I know that voice. I know who’s screaming.

My eyes shoot open, heart thundering as the beating of wings fills the air.

“Marcus!” Atlas’ voice is pained, his scream shattering at the end.

He has his arm gripped tightly around his chest, something thin and gold spewing out from where his arms meet.

My mouth drops open and doesn’t close again until he’s closer and I can see that something is very much not right. Atlas is flying strangely, his body not looking quite right. His face is twisted in agony as he flies closer, a large golden streak running across his dark chest.

I brace to hop off the roof and help him when he flies over as quickly as a shot, the golden liquid running over his skin, dripping like the rain and splattering against my face.

Warm, thick, and tingling with magic.Blood.

“Atlas, what the fuck happened?” I ask as I scramble to follow him.

He can’t seem to stay in the air now that he’s in the vicinity of the castle. He begins to tip to one side and then the other. He swings like a pendulum, and it makes me choke on my panic.

I bite on the inside of my bottom lip to keep the sound in as I take to the air and fly after him.

Atlas groans, the sound soft and weak, as his wings begin to slow. He loses altitude fast and comes crashing down in our front yard.

I zip through the air after him and land on my feet beside his body. My magic pulses inside me. I can feel every inch of my body from the steady thrum of power I’m trying to pull. Darius jerks it right back through the bond, and I huff, falling to my knees.

“Hey, buddy, what happened?” I ask, trying to take stock of the massive injury.

Atlas rolls over to look up at me, leaving a small pool of golden blood where he was once face down. His expression pinches tighter, and he tsks through gritted teeth at me.

“Well, I went for a fucking walk—” He starts to sass, and I justsnap.

“Fuck off!” My voice cracks with the thunder, and Atlas’ eyes soften.

He coughs and groans, some of his golden blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth.

My heart stalls in my chest.

“Please, just tell me how to help you.” My hands are shaking as I lift them over him.

I’m not a healer by any means, but our magic is linked, and I should be able to do something for my nest-mate.

“Can somebody help us?!” I call in the direction of the castle.

“There is nothing to do,” Atlas whispers.

When I look back at him, a dusty tone colors his skin, which can only be from the blood loss.

“You’re being crazy. We’re immortal,” I say with a forced laugh that splinters and cracks on my tongue. “You’ll be fine, I just know it, and then you can kick Charlotte out or whatever you want.” I ramble as my eyes find the cause of all that bleeding.

---