Page 26 of Shattered Veil
Whatever the price, I’ll pay it. I have to.
For Rory. For a chance to feel his arms around me again, to see that cocky smile. To bring him home.
No matter what it takes.
I pad into my bedroom, the floor cold under my bare feet. My mind’s a jumble of thoughts, all tangled and messy, and sleep feels impossible right now.
I flop onto the bed, and grab my sketchbook from the nightstand. Maybe if I can get this chaos out of my head and onto paper, I can actually rest, get some sleep. I’m still grateful that I don’t get the terrible headaches I used to have, before my power awakened. A very small silver lining. It occurs to me that perhaps the headaches were caused from my magic being contained within me, dormant but still present. At any rate, I’m thankful I don’t have to go through them any more.
The graphite pencil makes marks across the page, my hand moving automatically with muscle memory. I lose myself in the drawing, the scritch-scratch of pencil on paper the only sound in my quiet room. I draw for a while until I feel like I can manage my brain again.
When I look down, I can’t help but laugh.“Okay, then.”
It’s Rory, and me, tangled together in an intimate embrace. My cheeks flush hot as I take in the details - his strong hands gripping my hips, my head thrown back in ecstasy. It’s erotic as hell, reminiscent of those Morrigan and Raven King murals, and just as graphic.
I trace a finger over Rory’s sketched face.
God, it is so hard to be without him. It sounds crazy, but it feels like a part of me is gone, separated from my body.
I snap the sketchbook closed, tossing it aside. Time to sleep, before I start bawling like an idiot. For a moment I wish I’d asked Tiernan to come back with me, instead of kissing him goodbye in the grove. He was strange as I was leaving though, and I’m now realizing that I’m not entirely certain he would have said yes, had I invited him.There was unquestionably a weird vibe.
There was a distance in his eyes and I don’t know why. Callen, Lochan, and he are all acting differently. Well, Lochan not so much, though I really thought we might have moved past his hostility. It felt like we had turned a corner. I know it’s probably because they blame me for Rory, and I can’t even be mad about that. I blame me too.
I yawn and try not to think about that, not when I’ve just quieted my mind enough to sleep. Slipping under the cool sheets, I let out a sigh. The silky, cool fabric feels heavenly against my bare skin. I burrow deeper, savoring the sensation.
My eyelids grow heavy, exhaustion finally catching up. And as I drift off, my last thoughts are of Rory’s arms around me, his lips on mine...
The world shifts, blurs. I’m falling, floating, sinking into inky darkness. It’s cold—like being submerged under a pitch black winter river. Wisps of shadow circle my skin, sending tingles down my back.
I open my eyes to a surreal landscape. Twisted trees reach toward a starless sky. Beneath my feet, the ground ripples like dark water. Everything pulses with an unearthly intensity that makes the hair on my arms stand up.
“Brigid?”
My heart leaps at the familiar voice. I whirl around, searching.
“Rory?” I call out, my voice echoing strangely.“Where are you?”
A figure emerges from the shadows, solidifying as it approaches. Shaggy blond hair, brown eyes that now glow with an amber light. It’s him. It’s Rory.
“Fuck,” I breathe.“Is this real?”
Rory’s lips quirk up in that crooked smile I’ve missed so much.
I reach for him, desperate to touch, to make sure he’s solid. My fingers brush his chest and I gasp. He feels warm, alive.
“I’ve been trying to reach you,” Rory says, his voice rough with emotion.“Every night, I’ve called out to you. Is this really you?”
“It’s me. I’m here now,” I whisper, cupping his face.“I’m here.”
His mouth crashes into mine, hungry and desperate. I melt against him, my body remembering his touch. Our tongues tangle as his hands roam, leaving trails of heat on my skin.
“I’ve missed you,” I gasp between kisses.“So fucking much.”
Rory growls, a guttural sound that makes me shiver. He lifts me effortlessly. The darkness cradles us, soft yet alive.
“Need you,” he murmurs, nipping at my neck.“Wanted this for so long.”
I arch against him. My hands explore the familiar planes of his chest, tracing scars both old and new.
