Page 26 of Infinity Chronicles 2
Releasing one of my hands, he tows me to the bed with the other, and dropsdownwith a huff. “Yes, the simple answers isyesLaura. I want tobe claimed, bound, whatever you want to call it, to you, to the others. It’s what I’ve wanted since the moment I met you.”
I bite the corner of my lip, taking the seat next to him. “What does it change?”
Ollie tilts his head to the side as his eyes go unfocused. “Well, let’s see. So, just for starters it will make it easier on both of you to be apart.”
“Huh?” I say, and that’s about all I can muster in my confused state.
Ollie knocks his shoulder into mine. “How do I explain this? Nowthatyou’ve claimed him, it’s like you have a piece of him with you and it’s the same for him, I guess.” His lips and nose twist up. “It’s not nearly as creepy as it sounds.”
I place our joined hands in my lap, running my finger down each of his. “Okay, I can see how that would be good, what else?”
“You’ll have more access to your connection to him, be able to harness your abilities better. Think of the connections like a filter,no, like a surge protector. We’ll be able to divert any excess energy.” Ollie nods like he’s happy with his assessment, then looks down at me with a wry grin. “I’m probably the worst person to explain this to you.”
I swat his chest with our hands and lean my shoulder onto him. “Why didn’t you guys tell me sooner, it might have made things easier, and don’t give me that bull about having too much to deal with.”
He sighs. “That really ispart of it, but… but we were a little,” Ollie pinches the fingers of his free hand together, “worried we would scare you away in the beginning. You’ve done aprettygood… okay, a fantastic job at handling everything we’ve thrown at you,” he amends when I give him a pointed look.
“I guess I can’t blame you guys too much, but I think it would be best for everybody if you guys filled me in on any other big surprises that might happen. I really thought I hurt him. What if we were driving or something when it happened and he would have crashed?” I can’t get the image of Ares lying on the floorcompletelyhelpless from my head.
“I don’t think he’d be driving while doing that.” Ollie smirks, adding quickly, “But Laura, Ares’s reaction to the bond is a direct indicator of the strength of the bond. It could becompletelydifferent with each one of us.”
“I don’t understand. Does that mean it’s not a strong bond because it weakened him?”
“No, not at all. I’m saying the bond is so strong, he took a few minutes to process the power loop, and Ares is one of the strongest of our kind.” Ollie’s eyebrow raises like he’s just given me a big piece of information.
“So, it’s a good thing then?” I ask tentatively.
“A fantastic thing.” I look over and find Ares leaning against the doorframe, his ankles crossed and he looks utterly relaxed. My cheeks go hot just seeing him, how did he sneak up on us without mehearing him?
“So, the eye thing?” I wave my hand near my face.
“Might have just been part of the process, or it could be a physical manifestation of our combined abilities.” Ares runs his eyes over me, stopping at the side of my neck. I almost raise my hand to cover the bruise he left behind. “I’m more than happy to test out a few theories.” His voice goes husky. At least I know he’s feeling better.
Ollie wraps his arm around my neck and mock whispers in my ear, “See he’s impossible, total gloater.”
I hide my smile by pinching my bottom lip between my teeth at Ares’s expression. He looks both smug and irritated at the same time. Ollie chuckles, laying back on the bed, dragging me with him. I curl on my side, my head pillowed on his shoulder, it’s been a long day. “Should I do everybody?” Ollie stiffens, his head lifting off the bed to look down at me.
“Say again?” he asks.
Now Ares chuckles, his sounding much darker. “Yeah, what was that?”
“Bond with everyone, or do I wait? How does it work? I’mnot even sure what I did with Ares.”
Ollie’s head slams back down onto the bed. “I’m gonna die,” he mutters under his breath. “Why don’t you tell me about what you guys were doing, and I think we’ll figure it out.” Ollie offers. I feel a breeze as Ollie lets out a low grunt, laughing the next second. Ares is standing at the end of the bed, the evidence of the pillow hepelted Ollie withfalling off the side.
Sitting forward, I cover my face with my hands. “Wait, just wait a second. It was because we were…” I can’t bring myself to say making out, it seems way too juvenile, but I don’t know what else to call it. “Kissing and stuff,” I finish.
Ollie sits up next to me, all traces of laughter gone from his voice as he says, “It’s more than that, you have to have a true desire to connect, to bond, but yes, part of the process is physical.”
I peek through my fingers looking at Ares when he asks, “Do you regret it?” He looks down, his eyes going back and forth like he’s seeing something I can’t. He sounds hurt.
I drop my hands, letting him see my face. “Ares, I did something to you without even understanding what itwas. It terrified me that I hurt you and that you would hate me. I don’t regret it, couldn’t if I tried. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t still a little scared.”
Ares comes over and crawls into bed. “I can deal with that.”
When Dante and Milo come in a few minutes later they pause at the doorway. Milo’s eyes jump around avoiding the bed. It almost feels like we walked in on them in the middle of a conversation. “Hey,” I call out, hoping to ease the tension.
Dante walks into the room, a big bowl of buttery popcorn in his hands. “Movie?” he offers, and I nod, grateful for the normalcy.
