Aiden’s POV I got down from the car in a hurry, three thoughts in my mind. I had to make sure that Mara had actually gone on to work, make sure I got Talia in the house at a pace that didn’t make her suspicious and then figure out what little Mara was doing at home by noon. I opened the door for Talia, guiding her with my hands in the small of her back in quick steps while I whispered in her ear sweet nothings. “I’ve missed everything about you… I can’t wait to have you in my arms again baby.” I whispered. “Do you know how much I love you and want you?” She gasped. “Tell me… no..no.. show me how much you love and want me.” She blinked with her fuck me eyes. She didn’t have to tell me twice but I needed the coast to be clear. I got her to the door, and put the key in the door. I opened it and led her in. The entry corridor was so quiet… no one was in the house. I was ever cautious, I tried not to startle Talia as I locked the front door and checked the lock twice to be sure the
Aiden’s POV Talia was waiting at a wooden bench in the park, a park people hardly visited anymore since the newly commissioned park opened. Now it was sparse with people, only lovers who wanted privacy and some people who appreciated the quiet came here. She wasn’t seated… she was just pacing around it. When I got closer to where she was, I noticed she was nervous, agitated and had her hands twisting the ends of her sleeves like her entire life was bordered on this singular meeting. The precious effects of the pendant… The second she saw me, all of that anxiety melted into the ground, she smiled fully, soft and wide like the world immediately made sense as I came into the picture. It was pathetic how easy it was to pull her strings not just from the little effect of the pendant but also from simple psychological manipulation. The truth is, Talia thought she was smart but she really wasn’t. “Hi Aiden… I thought you weren’t going to come.” She said as I walked up, her voice was th
Damon’s POV The room was very cold, the rain didn’t help either, even with the heater rattling in the corner. The heater was all bark and no bite… I didn’t sit, I just leaned against the wall, with my arms crossed. My eyes were locked on the illegal alchemist seated before me, trembling. Keaton. I had imagined him differently, in all my imaginations. He wasn’t this ink stained fingered, twitchy, fidgety man with nervous eyes. He looked guilty of something, but I wasn’t even sure what. There was the smell of burnt paper, metal and blood all over him, a smell of magic. Marius paced behind Keaton, he was silent but his silence was even more imposing than if he was speaking. “Start from the beginning,” I said, voice calm. “How did they approach you?”Keaton swallowed. “I… this will sound ridiculous. They started staying around the area, I had no idea if they lived here. Over a couple of weeks and even months, we met at the same places and did the same things.” He looked to both of
Mara’s POV The morning air was cold, everywhere was still damp from the drizzle overnight. I pulled my coat tighter around my body as I walked on the road towards the bus station. I know my shift didn’t start for another hour, but I left early regardless. It was partly to clear my head and also to avoid being around Aiden longer than was necessary. The silence on my way to the bus station allowed my thoughts time to stretch. My thoughts that somehow unconsciously wandered back to Damon. Yesterday, I found out the truth that had already tugged at the back of my mind like a thread that just wouldn’t cut. He has been the one to make the deposit in my account. It was him, just as I had suspected. Now all the questions I couldn’t ask last night started coming up. Why did he send me that kind of an amount of money? Yes I know he had said that he thought I could use the money and the help but that was a lot at once. He had never brought it up before, not once. He didn’t even acknow
Mara’s POV I woke up on the absolute worst part of the bed, In fact I didn’t feel like doing anything. I hadn’t taken a single day off work in years, and today I felt like all the pain, stress and anxiety had merged into a giant monster and was now seated comfortably on my chest. I had felt like this a number of times before but I hadn’t let it stop me. I would push forward with the pain and still get to it, my motto was just another day. Today, I think I was going to take my time and do something else. I’d call in sick at every of my jobs and take my time out, probably go somewhere calm and cool. Somewhere memorable for me.Then I remembered, yesterday I hadn’t gone to the safe house because Damon had asked me not to. But he would probably expect me to come in today. I guess I was going to have to skip that too. I picked up my phone and made the call. He picked on the second ring. The lie tasted like sand in my mouth, but I said it anyway. “Hello, I’m not feeling so good today
Mara’s POV The rest of the dinner went smoothly, even though I was boiling on the inside. I was waiting for the right moment to pop the right question that would help me see what I needed to see. Aiden talked about the new inventory at the office and how being a Beta was not what it used to be in terms of pay. I wouldn’t know, I had been asked to leave the military, but I sure as hell know that I haven’t seen any working Beta’s picking up extra jobs like I had to so it couldn’t be all that bad. The fucker thought if he put these kinds of thoughts in my head then it would make sense to me that he couldn’t contribute and this money from his so called side gig and calls for Favors was such a big deal and I should worship the ground he walks on. His voice was beginning to drown in my head like background noise while something inside me just wouldn’t calm the fuck down. I was so angry but I had to not let it show. A part of me wondered if it was just the aching wound of disappointmen