Runes: Immortals - Runes: Immortals Part 35
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Runes: Immortals Part 35

"Not really." Time to get out of the kitchen. I took my bowl and motioned to Cora. "Let's go."

"I was there," Cora said, not moving. "It was so weird. One minute everyone was having a good time. The next we were pounding on each other."

"You, too?" Mom asked.

I motioned to Cora again that we should head upstairs. She ignored me and added, "Colleen slapped me for no reason, so I hit her back."

"That's terrible," Mom said. "You should never use physical violence to solve your differences, Cora."

Cora gave her a sheepish smile. "I know. I don't know what happened. I hate fighting, but I just had this uncontrollable rage. I had no idea where it came from."

I loved that Cora was comfortable with my parents and could discuss anything with them, but this was one subject I didn't want to discuss with Mom. I would have to lie, and she would know right away. "We'll be upstairs, Mom."

"Where were you when it happened, Raine?" Mom asked.

"Outside with, uh, Torin."

"The people who called the radio station think the football players are doing drugs," Cora added. "I think that's ridiculous because the cheerleaders and I went after others, too. Even the other rock climbers went crazy."

I was seriously considering super gluing her mouth. I grabbed her arm and pulled. "Maybe the drinks at Cliff House were spiked with a chemical that caused their reaction," I said. "Maybe their supplier also sells to The Hub."

"Spiked with chemicals?" Cora said, and guffawed when we reached upstairs. "Not original."

I shrugged. "It's the only sensible explanation. What do you think happened?"

"I have several theories." She showed me her latest vlog entry, which was about the incident at Cliff House. She blamed alien invaders. She had no idea how close to the truth she was.

I half-listened to her explain her reasoning as I ate, my attention drifting every so often to the window. I couldn't wait to talk to Torin. I worked on my homework while eating. Cora joined me after she finished with her vlog.

"Have you talked to Eirik today?" I asked after we finished our homework.

"No. He basically ignored me during swim practice. Whatever." She shrugged.

I studied her, impressed by how well she was taking all this. The conversation I'd had earlier with Andris flashed through my head. He was so silly. There was nothing different about Cora. The effects of the evil runes Maliina had etched on her never lasted beyond that night. The next day, she'd been back to her normal snarky self.

"Have you noticed anything to suggest Cora was affected by the evil runes Maliina etched on her?" I asked Torin later that night.

"No. I haven't exactly paid her any attention. A certain brunette occupies my waking moments."

Just like that, he pushed my concerns about Cora aside. He took over my mind, my body, and my very soul with bold caresses, nips, and licks. All I could do was sigh and go along for the ride.

The tips of his fingers grazed my skin along the area where my pajama top and bottoms met, and heat surged through me. When he slipped a hand under it to worship my skin, his caresses becoming more intimate, I stopped breathing. It was probably stupid, but who needed oxygen at a time like this. I lived and breathed him. When his lips followed his hands, he introduced me to layers of myself I never knew existed. It was overwhelming and more beautiful than anything I'd ever felt.

We were so lost in our world and didn't realize we had company until I heard a loud bump. I froze. Torin didn't.

Once second he was in my arms; the next he was gone. I dove for the bedside lamp, turned, and found him twisting Eirik's arm behind him. Eirik looked terrified, his eyes glazed, sweat pouring down his face.

"Let him go," I said, adjusting my pajama top.

"What's wrong with him?" Torin asked.

"He's sleepwalking." I scooted to the edge of the bed, my eyes not leaving Eirik. I wanted to hug him and make this nightmare stop, but I couldn't. "Don't try to wake him up. He may turn on you."

His expression unchanged and his movements uncoordinated like a zombie's, Eirik bent down and picked up the blanket he'd gotten from my closet but must have dropped when Torin grabbed him. He walked forward, yanked out the pullout bed, and dropped onto it. He pulled the blanket over him, barely covering himself. In seconds, he was snoring.

"Hel's Mist," Torin mumbled.

"Sleepwalking is a symptom of night terror." I tugged the corners of the blanket and made sure he was properly covered. "He comes here when he can't sleep. I think my room is like a safe haven for him or something."

Torin's eyes swung between Eirik and me. "You're not scared of him?"

"No. Usually he's wide awake. This is the first time I've seen him like this." And I didn't know what to expect. I glanced at Torin. Last night he'd held me until I'd fallen asleep. Tonight I didn't want him to leave. "Could you stay a little longer just in case he wakes up or something?"

"You don't need to ask." He turned off the lights and we crawled back into bed, but I could feel his tension.

"What is it?" I asked.

He was silent for a long time, and I began to worry he wouldn't answer. "I was surprised by the pullout bed. I knew he slept here sometimes, but I just assumed you, uh, slept together."

I turned and faced him. "Slept together as in sharing the same bed or making out?"

"Both."

How could someone capable of making me the happiest girl in the world turn around and say something so hurtful? You did flirt with him while dating Eirik, a tiny voice mocked in the back of my head. Maybe flashes of those memories were making him say such stupid things. Maybe I needed to make a few things clear.

Before I could respond, a sudden movement came from behind me, and I whipped around. Eirik had sat up and was making weird noises, like he was screaming with his mouth closed.

"It's okay, Eirik," I whispered. "Go back to sleep. Please. "

He responded to my voice. When he gripped my hand, I realized I'd reached out and touched him. Clinging to my hand, he lay down and stopped making mewling sounds. I continued talking to him, until his breathing grew calm. I tried to ease my hand from his, but his grip tightened.

"Freckles," Torin said softly from behind me.

"I've never been with any guy the way I'm with you," I said. "I dated Eirik months ago, and we only kissed, nothing more. He was my first boyfriend."

"He never touched you like this?" Torin's hand slipped under my pajamas and caressed my back. His touch was light as though I was fragile.

I shuddered and whispered, "No."

He continued up my spine, around my side to my stomach. I caught my breath and released it in spurts, my insides turning into jelly.

"Like this?" he asked.

"No." I tried to remove my hand from Eirik's with little effect. Once again, I was caught between a guy who needed me and one I needed. Yes, I needed Torin with every desperate breath I took. If there was a realm for wickedness, he would be the deity ruling it and I'd be his first consort.

"How about like this?" he whispered as he moved higher up my chest, his caresses reverent, his breath teasing the sensitive area behind my ear. I sighed instead of answering and wondered when he'd realize Eirik had my hand in a death grip.

Torin chuckled. "Was that a yes? Because if he's touched you like this, I will beat the crap out of him right now."

I finally eased my hand from Eirik's. "You hurt him and I'll make you pay."

"As long as you do it this way." He bit my shoulder. I gasped and shuddered. Gently, he turned me so we were facing each other, pinned me down with one leg, and once again took me to that place where thoughts ceased to matter and I stopped caring about anything else but him. I became an instrument, and he the maestro.

It was a while when he whispered, "I'm happy you waited for me, Freckles."

I grinned. "Me, too."

Eirik was gone in the morning, the pullout bed neatly tucked away. Torin was at his window sipping his coffee when I glanced outside. I wanted to one day wake up in his arms, not have him disappear while I was still asleep. He beckoned me with his finger, then he disappeared from his window. I waited for him to create a portal and then joined him in his bedroom.

I forgave him for deserting me after the morning kiss we exchanged. "Why did you leave?"

"Eirik woke me up. Poor bastard. He had no idea how he came to be in your room."

"I feel so bad for him."

"He felt worse. You want a ride to school?"

I glanced outside. It was drizzling, and from the dark sky, it might be one of those days when it rained nonstop. "Unless you have runes that will stop us from getting wet, I don't think so."

"We'll take the SUV."

I liked the idea of hitching a ride with him. "Okay."

"You can watch me practice after school, too."

"Oh, no. I'm not going to hang around the football field like some groupie." I started to move away, but he snuggled my waist and pulled me into his arms for another kiss. I clung to him. When he eased off, I sighed. "Okay. I'll be there. For an hour, then I have to leave."

He grinned and whispered against my lips, "Why?"

"I have an appointment with my physical therapist at four fifteen."

"Great. We're tapering off at practice, so I can take you." I tried to protest, but he silenced me the best way he knew how, with a kiss. "Do you know what I like to do when the weather is this crappy?"

"Use a kiss to mess with my head then ask rhetorical questions?"

He chuckled. "No, snuggle in bed. Want to ditch school and stay in bed with me?"

He didn't play fair. I'd kill to make out the entire day. I visualized years of reaping souls with him and snuggling in bed, and grinned. Tempting as the idea was now, I couldn't ditch school. "I can't."

"You have no idea what you're missing. Just the two of us at home. The things we could do."

I hated him for teasing me like this. I reluctantly eased from his arms. "You're so mean."

A wicked grin curled his lips, his eyes smoldering. "You haven't seen anything yet."

Shaking my head, I disappeared through the portal, showered, changed, and hurried downstairs. My parents were still asleep. Or so I thought. Mom came downstairs and caught me just as I opened the front door.

"Morning and bye, Mom," I said, yanking the door open.

"Not so fast. We'll be going out to dinner tonight."

"Okay. Have fun."

She gripped the door before I could close it. "Slow down. I'm not done talking. We're all going out to dinner."

"What time? My lessons end at seven."

"I know. Lavania said you can leave early and go back after dinner if you'd like. She said you were picking up things fast."

I shrugged, glancing toward the driveway. "She's a fun trainer."

"I should hope so." She reached out and touched my hair. "Another thing-"

"I'm going to be late, Mom."

"No, you're not. Torin will wait for you."

I blinked. How did she know he was driving me to school? "Oh, okay," I said slowly.

"You're only seventeen, so don't rush into anything yet. The two of you will have a lifetime to do as you please, including sex."

I cringed, my face burning. She knew about Torin coming to my room.

"Raine?"

This was beyond awkward. I couldn't meet her gaze. "I get it, Mom. Can I go now?"

"Yes." She smiled and tugged one of my curls. "I like your hair like that."

"Yeah. Bye." I pulled the hood of my jacket to cover my hair. She was still staring after me when I turned the corner into the driveway. She was beyond weird. One second talking about sex, the next my hair.

Torin's garage door was open. He came out to meet me before I reached the driveway, took my backpack, and grabbed my hand.

"Where is everyone?" I asked when I noticed the car was empty.

"The others left early to take care of something at school."

"They used a portal?"

"Yep, which worked perfectly. Andris has an aversion to rain." He cranked the engine and backed out of the garage. "If he had his away, we'd have a permanent base on some beachfront property."

"I wouldn't mind."

"You'd hate it after a while." For the rest of the drive, he talked about the bases they'd used around the world. "You'll love visiting new places."