Page 48 of Stone Crest: Rise of a Raven
“NICU," she answers. “Give me all the babies.” She swipes an antiseptic wipe over my wound. “I’d take them over a grown adult any day of the week.”
She spends the next few minutes in silence as she patches me up. Both times I’ve been to this house I was being bandaged up like some casualty of war.
Her arms reach out to pick up the last piece of gauze when her long sleeve rides up on her arm. I don’t miss the light blue bruises dotted near her wrist. Like someone dug their fingertips into her arm. My eyes flicker to her face, but she just clears her throat and tugs her sleeve down. After she’s finished, she moves to check over Presley.
“He’s a good man, Raven,” she says as she examines all of Presley’s exposed skin.
“Yeah.” I clear my throat, unsure of what to say.
Or what he even is.
“I’m not sure what happened, but I can guarantee that he cares for you.” She glances at me.
“Why do you say that?” I tilt my head.
“Because he’s never brought a woman into this house.” She grabs a blanket and gently lays it over Presley.
“You’re in this house,” I point out.
She chuckles. “You know what I mean. I’m hereforLocke. Notwithhim. We are family… you on the other hand…”
“I’m his student, Autumn.” I lift a shoulder. “And he’s…...something I’m not.”
Her smile is small as she picks up her bag. “You have no idea how long he’s waited for you, do you?”
“What do you mean?” I ask as I tuck my knees to my chest.
He’s made that comment to me more than once. I thought it was just a figure of speech. Since he’s at least a good ten years older than me.
“You should rest. When she wakes up have her drink plenty of liquids.” She smiles one more time before giving me a wave. “It really was nice to finally meet you.”
She leaves the room, and I fall back into the pillows, my head in one place and my heart in another.
Chapter thirty-five
Raven
Waking up this morning didn’t change a damn thing. I laid motionless in one of Locke’s guest bedrooms with Presley still snoring next to me. I was hoping I would wake up with clarity. That I would wake up and realize everything I saw was a hallucination. A fabrication of my mind. But deep down I know it was real. And deep down for some foreign reason I can’t even begin to explain. I’m notafraid.
Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I land on the polished wood floor and stretch my arms. Standing to my feet, I carry myself across the room to the restroom and splash some water on my face. My breath is probably horrific, so I pull open the cabinets and search in hopes that Locke is one of those complementary people that leave toiletries for overnight guests.
Bingo.
I tear open the toothbrush and brush my teeth before pulling my hair up into a messy bun. Feeling halfway refreshed, I slip out of the door and walk down the long hallway. I’ve counted atleast seven bedrooms on my journey back to the kitchen. If he’s going to traumatize me, the least he can do is feed me.
When I make it to the threshold, the scent of bacon and eggs filter through the air and my stomach rumbles.
“Hungry?”
I lift my eyes to find Locke behind the kitchen island, scrambling some eggs.
“You heard that?” I cross over to a barstool.
“Shifters have enhanced senses. Smell, sight, hearing.” He uses a spatula to deposit some eggs onto a large white plate. “I heard you walking down the hall.”
I nod and watch the way he moves. He’s shirtless. His forearms flexing with every action he takes in preparing breakfast. I take the moment to study the ink on his arms. It almost appears tribal. I follow the design up to his shoulder where a stunning wolf is displayed. Blacks and grays mixed with strokes of white in its fur.
“You can ask anything, Raven,” he interrupts my thoughts. “I won’t lie to you.”
