Secrets Abound (Supernaturally Bound Book 1) (31 page)

“Hold on. Let me help you.” I stepped further into the room. I mindlessly got a bath running for him, finding soap and shampoo while he sat on the toilet seat watching me. I was trying my hardest not to think about how hurt he was because if I did, I didn’t think I’d be able to hold it together. I moved back to him to help him undress. Lifting his shirt carefully over his head, I took a sharp intake of breath at the sight. His left side was covered in deep purple bruising. A lump formed in my throat, and I could feel my eyes tear up, again. I reached over slowly to touch it, but he grabbed my hands in his.

“It’s not as bad as it looks.” He assured me, pulling my hands to his lips. I wanted to believe him, but it looked as if someone had beaten him with a sledge hammer in the ribs. I didn’t say anything as I unbuckled his pants for him. He was left in his boxers, but the only thing I could stare at was the bruise. “I’ll be fine.” He lifted my face so my eyes met his. “I’m a fast healer.” He said, amused by something I wasn’t getting. “Why don’t you join me?”

“Eli, you just got in a car wreck. A
bad
one.” I choked, again wishing he’d let me take him to the hospital.

“Okay, okay.” He cupped my head in his hands and brushed away a tear I hadn’t realized had escaped. “I’m sorry.” He pressed his lips to my forehead. I nodded and left him alone in the bathroom.

Eli

Eli lowered himself into the hot water, letting the warmth surround him. His broken ribs were already almost healed, and his right arm was back to normal. Not that it had felt good. In fact, there was no pain more excruciating than bones rapidly mending themselves. Another scream lodged itself in Eli’s throat as the last rib popped back into place. He refused to let any of them out where Bridget could hear. The distress and worry on her face tonight was more than he could bear, and he refused to add to it in any way. The bruises were beginning to fade, but it would be a few more hours before they disappeared completely which was for the best. This was already going to be hard enough to explain to Bridget.

It was bittersweet to see her lay into Aiden like she did. On one hand, he’s an asshole who deserves what he got, but on the other, he was right in his anger.
Bridget could have been in that car with me.
Guilt spread through him with a sharp pain far worse than any of his injuries. How could he have forgotten how fragile she was? She acted so tough all the time, but he should have known better. There was no way she would have survived a crash like that.
Hell
, there was no way
he
would have been able to survive that crash if he were human.

Eli thought back to the expression on Bridget’s face when she saw the bruises. How could he reassure her that he would be okay if he couldn’t tell her the truth? He sunk his head under the water and let out a sigh of frustration as bubbles broke the surface above him. Using the soap, he scrubbed away all the dried blood from his face and body.

He made the decision to tell her everything after this was all over. He only hoped she would understand. He had to protect Sam, even if he didn’t always agree with everything his brother did.

Bridget

Eli emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He appeared refreshed and even his bruise seemed less gruesome. I sprang up from where I had been laying on the couch and raced over to help him.

“I’m okay now. I can walk.” I felt relief as he strolled to the bedroom with ease.

I gathered the supplies Grey had bought and followed him in. He was already wearing a pair of boxers, which he had brought over with some extra clothes the other day since he’d been staying here with me.

“Let me wrap you up.” I told him, carrying the bandages over to the bed.

I stood in front of him as he sat on the edge. I pressed the end of the bandage to his chest, holding it in place as I wrapped the other end around his side until it stayed put. I could feel him watching me as my arms circled him again and again. I kept my eyes focused on the task at hand as I attempted to keep the bandage smooth and tight around his torso.

“Are you hungry?” I asked, tucking the last part of the bandage into place.

“A little.” He admitted.

“I’ll go get us something to eat. You stay here and relax, okay?” I told him.

I noticed his arm seemed better as he scooted himself further onto the bed. Maybe he wasn’t as hurt as I had believed, but doubt clouded around that thought. No, those bruises were atrocious, although, they seemed to have faded in the bath, as if the soap had washed them away.

I slipped on a pair of flats (no way was I walking any more in those heels) and shoved cash and a cigarette into my pocket. In the elevator, I gripped the rail as my weight seemed to triple under my emotions. I shoved down all the stress and forced myself upright, again.
He was okay,
I repeated to myself. I needed fresh air and a cigarette to calm down. Tonight had pushed me to my limits. Not only did my boyfriend almost die in a car wreck, but fighting with Aiden and Cassie had pushed me over the top.

Stepping outside of the hotel, I took a deep breath of cold air, hoping to numb myself. Pulling out my cigarette, I realized I forgot to bring a lighter. Frustrated even further, I kicked a rock that went flying into a shadowed corner around the entrance of the hotel.

“Ouch, that was my shin.” I heard a guy say from within the darkness.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you there.” I apologized unenthusiastically.

“That’s okay.” He responded, and I could hear him take a drag.

“Do you have a lighter I can use?” I asked hopefully.

“You hit me with a rock and then ask to use my lighter? Didn’t your parents teach you better than that?” I could hear the smirk in his voice but was still unable to see him.

“Yeah, well, I don’t have parents. So, no, they didn’t teach me shit.” I knew I shouldn’t be taking my dreadful mood out on a stranger, but he was the only one around, and he was irritating me. Part of me even wanted to kick another rock at him.

“Whoa, laying the guilt trip on a little strong, don’t you think?” He said, finally stepping out of the shadows. Recognition hit as I realized it was the bellboy from that first day, the one with the green eyes that Cassie tipped with her lips. “Here.” He reached a hand out with a lighter, his thumb flicking the igniter. I held up my cigarette, and he lit it for me.

“Thanks.” I said after a long drag.

“Is that from your boyfriend?” He asked gesturing to the blood stain on my shirt near my stomach. I gave him a quizzical expression. “I saw you guys carrying him in, earlier. He looked beat up. Is he okay?” He continued.

“Yeah, I think so.” Worry lodged a lump in my throat and I could feel my eyes start to tear up, so I twisted away from him. “I got to go.” I took off down the street without another word, finishing my cigarette and putting it out on the sidewalk.

My hands started shaking as the image of Eli’s broken body leaning against his car entered my mind. My chest tightened and a couple of tears escaped my eyes before I could pull myself together. I couldn’t believe how emotional I was getting. I had been so wrapped up in getting over Aiden that I didn’t even notice how deep I was falling for Eli until I almost lost him.

I found a pizza place a block from the hotel and decided that was as decent a choice as any. Not sure what Eli liked, I ordered cheese to keep it simple. On the way back, I noticed the bellboy was no longer outside.

Back in the room, I set the pizza down on the counter and tiptoed into the bedroom where Eli had fallen asleep while I was gone. I covered him up and closed the door as quietly as I could. Trying to think as little as possible, I switched on the TV in the living area and ate a couple slices of pizza. After over an hour, it was getting too hard to keep my mind empty, so I decided to shower. The mirror mocked me as I stared at my reflection with hazy eyes. My eyeliner had smeared, and I looked like a raccoon on drugs.

After brushing my teeth, I stepped into the shower, letting the water run over me. My muscles slowly relaxed as the hot water washed away all evidence of the night. I hadn’t realized how long I’d been standing in there until the water began to run cold. I rapidly finished rinsing my hair and body and shut off the water. I wrung out my hair and wrapped a towel around me.

I searched the drawers in the bedroom as quietly as possible for pajamas and was reminded of Cassie’s stunt. Searching through my options, I picked out a slightly see through black night gown that had pink flowers along the bottom. I laid it out on the bed next to Eli’s sleeping body.

My phone started to ring from the other side of the bed, next to Eli’s head. Not wanting it to wake him up, I reached over him to shut it off quickly, not even checking to see who it was. I apparently was too late because Eli’s eyes were wide open, and when they met mine, something radiated from deep within them. I was still leaning over him and seemed to be paralyzed by his captivating gaze. His hand slid to the back of my neck, drawing me down to him where our lips locked together.

I pressed my lips harder against his, wanting to soak up every bit of him,
needing
to soak up every bit of him. I yearned to push my entire body against his with the same intensity as my lips, but with fear at causing him more pain, I held myself up with my hands. As if oblivious to his own injuries, Eli guided my body down close to his. As soon as our bodies made contact, he let out a tiny groan, and I was sure I had hurt him. I attempted to pull away, but he rolled me over onto my back, never allowing any space between our bodies.

With our bodies flush, I could feel every inch of him, especially the length of him that was urgently pressing into my now exposed lower half. He let out another groan, and I realized it was out of pleasure not pain. I lifted my leg as my body called out for more. His lips trailed along my neck as his hands tugged apart the rest of the towel, leaving me completely naked. He gave me a hungry look, and the fire that had been lit inside of me erupted in a blaze that threatened to burn me from the inside out. I wrapped my arms around his back, wanting to pull him closer, but I felt the bandage and remembered his ribs. I pushed at his shoulders, forcing him over to the side.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” I asserted in a breathy voice.

“You won’t. It doesn’t hurt.” He promised. I raised a disbelieving brow at him. “If you don’t believe me, check for yourself.” He took my hand and placed it on the bandage. I hesitated but then slowly unraveled it from his body. The bruise was barely noticeable, now.

“So, this doesn’t hurt?” I pressed my fingers lightly over the bruise.

“Not at all.” He said. His eyes lowered to my body, but he remained still.

“What about this?” I leaned closer, replacing my fingers with my lips.

“No.” He said, but it came out more as a moan.

He wrapped his arms around my waist, tugging me closer. My lips trailed along his side, kissing each muscle in his stomach. I made my way back up his abs, placing my lips on his left nipple. I caressed it with my tongue in small circular motions. He let out a moan as his hands gripped me tighter. Drawing my face up to his, his lips attacked mine with a passion. His tongue found mine as he shifted me over and pressed back on top of me. I gripped the muscles in his back, pressing my body to his.

His lips were fervent as they kissed their way down my neck, along my stomach, and trailed my hip. His mouth moved to my inner thigh, and I gasped in pleasure. His lips moved to my chest where they found great interest. My body quivered under his lips, and I wanted more, more of this, more of
him
. I twisted my fingers in his hair and drew his mouth back to mine. I could feel this animalistic instinct that I seemed to be developing take over. I wanted to be with him completely, and I wasn’t scared.

“Do you have any…protection?” I whispered in his ear.

“Are you sure?” He asked, searching my face for any hesitation.

“I’m sure.” I affirmed, and without another thought, he grabbed his wallet from the table beside the bed. I heard the crinkling and ripping of the wrapper as he opened it. After a moment, he slid back into the bed. My heart sped up as he stared down at me with intense eyes. He lowered his face and pressed his lips softly to mine. As he shifted over me, my legs fell open, giving him full access. His eyes gripped mine as he moved into place. I felt his presence at my entrance and my body screamed to be given all of him.

“Tell me if it hurts.” He whispered as he held himself over me. My voice was nowhere to be found, so I merely nodded. At that moment, his phone started to ring.

“Ignore it.” He told me.

He leaned down to kiss me, but then my phone joined his in ringing. Our eyes met and we knew something was wrong. He reached for his phone, placing it to his ear.

“What’s going on?” He said. There was a pause as whoever was on the line spoke. “I’m on my way.” He hung up the phone, leapt out of bed, and searched for clothes with a sense of urgency.

“What happened? Where are you going?” I asked, pulling the sheet around me as I followed him out of the bedroom.

“Nicole’s dead. They found her body. When Grey found out, he was pretty upset and took off. Nobody can get a hold of him. Hail’s picking me up. I have to help find him. I’m sorry.” He pulled on a pair of pants and stopped in front of me, staring down. His earlier expression returned. “You have no idea how sorry.”

He left in such haste that I didn’t even have time to process his words until he was already gone. I sagged down on the couch as the words
they found her body
played on repeat in my mind. I felt cold prickle my skin and it was like Eli had taken all the warmth out of the room with him.
So, my dream was true. Nicole is dead.
I hoped Grey was okay.

There was a selfish part of me that despised the timing of it all. I could still feel leftover tingling from where Eli had touched my skin. My body still craved him, and I wanted him to come back to finish what had been started, but I knew more important things were happening right now, and his friend needed him.

Even though I didn’t know Nicole that well, I was still saddened by the news of her death. I was also disturbed by the dream that I had of her body lying lifeless on the riverbank. It seemed that somehow along the way, I had started accepting certain things, like how I seemed to be having prophetic dreams, and that I could see ghosts. These things that had once made me question my sanity, I now knew were very real.

I felt the urge to call Aiden and talk to him about Nicole, but then I remembered how furious I was at him. I wondered if Cassie had heard about Nicole yet, but I was vexed with her as well, so I wasn’t going to go ask.
If she was even back in her room, yet
.

I moved to the bedroom, curling up in the middle of the bed, not even bothering to get dressed. I closed my eyes allowing a restless sleep to take me over. Daylight pierced through my closed eyelids sooner than I would have liked. I had a vague thought about having closed the curtains yesterday. My eyes flew open, and I saw that the light wasn’t coming from outside, but rather inside the room.

Right on cue, the floating figure let out a scream of agony, but instead of fear, I felt sympathy. She moved closer to the bed, and I lifted the sheet up to cover myself, feeling unnecessarily shy. I scurried to the edge and reached my hand out to touch her, but my fingers simply hit air as they went straight through her.

“I’ve been told to warn you.” Her voice was low and rough like sandpaper.

“Who told you to warn me?” I was taken aback. This is the first I was hearing of her merely being the messenger.

“You can’t hesitate. You have to kill them or you will die.” Her words seemed to echo throughout the room. My stomach churned as I knew every word she spoke was true. It seemed cruel to warn me of my impending death only to leave out the details that could save me.

“Who are they?
Please,
how can I be prepared if I don’t know who wants to kill me?” I pleaded for more information, but she was already fading out. She tried to say something, but her voice was gone, and her body was barely visible. “Do I know them?” I asked with a last stitch effort for information. Her head nodded right before she vanished completely. My heart pounded furiously.
I knew them
. But who could it be? And who sent her with the warning? I felt like every time I saw her, I was left with more questions than answers. I grunted in frustration, throwing my head back on the bed.