Page 76 of Infinity Chronicles 1
“Yes, just a little shaken up, what was that?” Her voice is closer now, probably in the same room, or very close to it.
“We think it was a power surge. Here, let me get you a flashlight and I’ll help you get back to your room. Ares is checking out the generator. It should have already kicked on.”
“Oh, there you are. Thank you,” Mia’s replies.
I didn’t even think about her still being here. Does she live here with them too? My hand lifts and I clasp the fabric of Ares’s shirt, not caring that I’m wrinkling it. He belongs to me, she shouldn’t be here. As soon as the thoughts enter my mind, I shake my head in denial. He doesn’t belong to me, I just want him to, I want all of them to.
Ares closes the tiny distance between us, half of his body flush with the front of mine. “Shhhh,” he hushes me again, no louder than a breath.
“Do you think Ares will be able to get the lights back on?” Mia’s voice is receding into the house again as Dante leads her away. His reply is too quiet for me to register, but I do hear his low mumbling.
“Oliver, Milo, come wait with Laura while I go check on the generator.” Not even a second later a series of clicking starts as the lights begin to turn back on.
Narrowing my eyes, I blink several times, readjusting to the lights. When I can see again, my eyes land on the light switch on the wall. Black scorch marks mar the wall, extending out like tree roots, all tangled and intertwined. “I’m so sorry.”
Ares places both of his hands on my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” His eyes stare deeply into mine.
I have a moment of panic, what if it happens again while he’s touching me? “I could have hurt you guys, burned down the house. You, you… shouldn’t be touching me.” Tears fall from my bottom lashes. Even though I told him not to touch me, it’s the last thing I want. I need his comfort.
Ares’s thumbs wipe away the traces of wetness on my cheek. “Oh Laura, that wasn’t anything. You should have seen me when I manifested. I think I even scared my parents.” Reaching up I grip his forearms, grateful for the connection. “You’ll see you just need a bit of practice and control.”
My eyes go wide. “I can’t control that. Did you see what I did? It was like lightening. You can’t control lightening.” My fingernails dig into his skin, he needs to understand, there isn’t anyway to harness that wildness, it almost felt sentient.
Ignoring me, he pries one of my hands from his arm, and leaving the other he turns. Taking a chance, I glance at them for the first time. Milo looks a little bewildered, but not angry, Ollie looks like his skin is barely containing him, like he’s about to burst at the seams with energy. “Are you okay?” I ask, taking a step in his direction.
Ollie nods really fast. “Just a little wired.” I peer over at Ares, concerned when Ollie’s eyes jump around the room, never landing on anything for more than a second. He shakes his head, his lips pursed in what looks like humor.
Dante returns moments later, his hair a little disheveled. His eyes search the room until they land on me. He sighs, his shoulders falling. “You okay?”
“Yes, I think so. You?”
Dante’s hand goes through his hair. “Fine just worried about you… guys,” he tacks on to the end. “Let’s get this cleaned up so Gloria doesn’t go on a warpath tomorrow, and then get ready for bed.” Everyone kicks into action at Dante’s suggestion.
I stand at the sink rinsing out the glasses and plates while Milo loads the dishwasher. Ares is in charge of leftovers, and Dante is stacking the dishes from the dining room onto the counter next to me. Ollie disappeared after a quick word with Ares, and he all but ran from the room.
Twenty Five
Ares leads the way back to his bedroom with Milo, Dante, and me trailing behind him. He flips the switch on the wall, lighting the two bedside lamps. Only it looks different from this morning. There’s an extra mattress on the floor next to the bed. It sits a little bit lower than the other right on the ground. Ares walks over to the wall and pushes to the left, revealing a neatly lined closet behind it. Why is his room full of secret little spaces? It makes me curious about the heavy curtains spanning from wall to wall that I’ve never seen opened.
Milo, already in gray sweats and a thin red shirt, drops onto the extra mattress and sighs. Dante looks down at his jeans and socks, then back to me. “I’m going to grab some shorts, does anyone need anything?”
I start to tell him no, but remember I need my bag, and we never did get to the laundry issue. It’s late now, I really don’t want to deal with it. “I need my bag, and I still need to do some laundry.”
“Ares has laundry covered, I’ll be right back.” He turns and flees the room faster than his usual saunter.
“Thanks,” Ares mutters acerbically under his breath. I turn to find him with his shoes already removed and placed among the rows of others, and his white shirt is unbuttoned, revealing a thin white undershirt beneath it. My throat goes a little dry, the shirt is tight, hinting at his body underneath. His belt is undone, but his dark pants are still fastened. He looks around the room, a look of disapproval on his face, his mouth tightening. I scan the room looking for what he’s seeing, but I don’t find anything out of place with the exception of the added bed. It’s made up in the same dark sheets and a heavy gray comforter, just like the ones on his bed.
Ares draws my attention when he clears his throat, holding out a long black garment bag. I reach for it on instinct. It’s heavy, my arm droops with the weight. Repositioning my hold, I use both hands. “This stuff is for you,” he says with his arms folded behind his back and his feet spread wide apart.
“Is this my laundry?” I fold the bag over my arm and pull the zipper down. What’s inside isn’t mine, not even close. “I think my stuff got mixed up with someone else’s.”
“No, everything in there is yours, it’s just not your laundry.” Ares doesn’t take his eyes off me, he’s waiting for my reaction.
“If it’s not my laundry, then how could it be mine?” I toss the heavy bag on the bed and turn to face off with him again.
“It’s yours because I said it was,” Ares challenges, an eyebrow raised.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” My hands go to my hips, “I wasn’t aware that the mighty Ares had decreed it so.”
