Page 47 of Awakened and Betrayed
“She called us!” Valen counters.
“You guys can measure magic and dicks later. When did it start happening?” Evrin asks.
Another pulse of magic rushes out of me, and the rushing sound that fills my ears blocks out everything else that’s said. Ryker runs his fingers through my hair and every time his hand skims my scalp my pain recedes a miniscule amount. Each hand stroke brings a millisecond of relief from the constant agony. I try to lift my hand, but I can only manage a couple of inches before it drops limply into my lap.
“What is it, Bruiser?”
Bastien lifts my uncooperative hand into his own. He presses his full lips into my palm and laces his fingers with mine. The contact chases away any doubt I had in my mind. When they touch me, it hurts less.
“Vinna, can you hear me? I can see you’re hurting, but it shouldn’t last much longer. You’re going to be okay. You’re experiencing your Awakening.”
Evrin’s words float around the room and me, and they mix and get lost in the pain. I try to grasp them, but all I can hold onto is the need for my Chosen.
“Isn’t she young for an Awakening? She should have a couple more years at least,” Nash inquires.
“Yeah, um, with Vinna, things tend to be different,” Aydin offers awkwardly.
If I could tell Aydin that my secret’s out, I would, but I’m just trying to focus on Valen and Sabin and somehow bringing them closer to me. It’s not working. They’re too focused on whatever discussion is going on now between Aydin, Evrin, Enoch and the others. I focus on the runes on my sternum. So far, when I’ve activated them I’ve used touch, but I know if I focus enough, I can call them just like I do the runes for my weapons.
I picture each of the symbols in my mind and match them with the unique individuals that they represent. I imagine pulling the magic into me and then feeding it back into those specific marks on my chest. Groans and shouts of pain suddenly surround me. I hate that I’m sharing this agony with them, but I can’t think of any other way to get them to understand what I need. I can’t talk, I can barely move. It’s a struggle just to keep thinking through this torment.
“Fucking hell, what’s happening?”
Knox is crumpled on top of me, and Bastien holds my hand tightly as he grits out a response.
“Bruiser, is this you? Fuck, is this what you’re feeling?”
“Moons, it’s going to kill her! Are you sure this is an Awakening, it feels like something is trying to tear her apart,” Ryker groans out.
“If she goes, I think we’re going with her,” Valen announces.
Ryker steadies his hand on my forehead, and the pain recedes slightly. I hope against hope that one of them feels the change. But I just slammed them with a fuck ton of suffering; maybe they won’t pick up on the subtle difference.
“What just happened? Something affected her. Not a lot, but enough. What did one of you just do?” Sabin shouts out the question.
His voice is lower than it was before, and it makes me think he’s on the floor now instead of standing like he was before. I feel horrible for putting them through this, but I need them to figure it out.
Ryker’s hand falls away from my forehead, and I feel his body sink to the ground next to me. The pain intensifies at the loss of contact, and the guys groan and yowl at the new level of searing torture. A hand presses flush against my chest, and again the pain withdraws just a fraction.
“Ryker put your hand back on her.” Sabin grits out, and Ryker’s hand presses back against the clammy skin of my face.
The pain ebbs.
Groans of relief echo around me, and without needing to be told, I feel Valen push his hand under the hem of my shirt to rest on my clenched stomach. The anguish loosens its grip even more.
“Knox, you’re holding her, but find skin. Skin to skin seems to work the best.” Ryker instructs.
My pants are unbuttoned and slowly pushed down my hips. Knox rests one arm over my thighs while the other snakes under my shirt and rests against my back. As soon as Knox settles against me, the agony dulls to a manageable throb. The change is so drastic that a surprised gasp immediately escapes me. Slowly, as the minutes pass and the pain plateaus at this level, my rapid, shallow breathing starts to even out as my lungs expand and cooperate.
I don’t know how much time passes, as we all snuggle against each other greedily taking in the respite. I open my eyes to find five sets staring intensely down at me, and I’ve never been so grateful to see them as I am in this moment. The corner of my mouth tries to twitch up in a smile, but I probably look more like a bad Elvis impersonator.
“It’s okay, we feel it. We’re so fucking glad to see you, too. We’re sorry it took us so long to figure it out, to help you.”
I focus on Valen’s hazel eyes as his words soothe me, and I try to pull my hand up to my chest. I’m surprised when it works, and I graze Sabin’s large hand on my chest as I disengage my runes. Each of them relaxes even more as I steal the pain back into myself.
“Everyone out!” Bastien shouts, and I flinch at his booming voice as it punches through the heavy silence blanketing the room.
“Who the fuck do you think you are, telling us what to do in our own house?” Becket demands.
