Anchor

Part 14 - Tensions running high

   I followed the footsteps Stellan took until it lead me to the front of the house and outside to the driveway. The air was still and I hoped I focused on keeping calm in the hopes of not disturbing that. Beyond the front door on the steps sat a man contemplating what lead him there. The blood that soaked his jacket and shirt had dried along with the blood on his face. I suppressed the urge to run to him and look over his wounds, instead I opted for the silent approach and watched as his face sat perfectly in his cut up hands.

    "Go back inside, Kitty." I ignored his request and took a step closer to him. "I'm serious, it's not safe out here with me." The pain in his voice made my stomach clench and not in the way it did when Ben explored me.

    I took another step forward and parked myself beside him on the cold stone steps. He was a police officer, his job was to protect and serve, who knew the turmoil he was going through at not being able to protect one girl - one stupid immature girl. Not once had he looked at me since venturing outside, not even when I gently nudged his side with my elbow.

     "Stellan..." I leaned my head on his shoulder. "I trust that you'll protect me," I needed to say it, not only to reassure him but because it was the truth and I wanted him to know, "Honestly... I feel safe when I'm with you. You've not given me any reason to feel otherwise." My hair tickled my face as his warm breath cascaded the top of my head giving me goosebumps.

    "You don't have-"

    "I mean it. I still don't think I could say thank you enough. I'm really glad I met you." I tilted my head up to meet his gaze as he draped his arm over my shoulder. A kiss was placed on my head, lingering for a while before his lips left my skin. I was then content with the actions that had lead me to this: the fight between him and Ben, the confusing truth of my parents, the running away and spending that little time away from him. It all brought me to this, to his sweet snippets of affection and to the realisation that maybe I was feeling something more for him than the blossoming of a new friendship. The next words I spoke I hoped he would understand. I didn't want him to think I was doing it for anything other than convenience.

    "I don't want to be the one to ruin this moment... but I think... I should stay put. At least until this all blows over." I pulled back from him slightly so I could observe his reaction. In hopes that he would see the sincerity in my face, I needed him to know it was the best thing for all of us. 

    Emerald green eyes peered into my soul, searching my face for something. They flickered between my eyes and my lips causing my tongue to run over them in response. Time stopped as we looked back at one another, each waiting for something to happen, someone to do something, anything. 

    I sucked in a breath as his fingers toyed with a lock of my hair before he brushed it aside. My eyes momentarily closed at the caress of his knuckles over my cheek. As he leaned in and captured my lips, a moan slipped out to my surprise, it was a sound Ben hadn't brought forth from me and I liked that it had been Stellan who had. The faint taste of coffee lingered on his lips. I couldn't imagine a kiss tasting this good. Tender, that was the word I would use describe it. That, and perfect. 

    Tires screeching to a stop in the driveway broke us from our kiss. Still mesmerised, I rested my head on him, secretly hating the person who interrupted us. "Come on, let's get you back inside." He placed a quick peck on my head before taking my hand and standing. As he turned us to walk back inside the house, the car door slammed twice indicating the two people had now exited the vehicle. 

    "Alright boyo. Is that Stellan the f*****g geezer I see?" Gavin shouted. 

    Stellan slowed his steps, "Go ahead, I'll catch up," he whispered to me but I didn't want to leave him knowing there was a chance I wouldn't see him for a while if I was staying here. 

    "As I live and breathe. Didn't think we'd be seeing you around here again." Gavin sauntered over. Drawing my attention however, was the man whose name I still didn't know. Blood stained his white shirt and his dirty blonde hair was painted with flecks of... Oh... he caught me staring and ran his hand through his hair shaking out the fleshy tissue of the poor soul who he had encountered. His lips formed a straight line, tight and pressed hard together. Quickly, I dropped my sights to the ground, fearful that maybe I would end up on his list and that would be my blood on his shirt. 

    "Good to see you too, Gavin," Stellan bobbed his head at him. 

    "You've not been around for months and this is the reaction I get from you. Come on man, bring it in." He turned into the boulder from Indiana Jones and charged for him, arms open as he lifted him off the ground and gave a bear hug so strong he should have passed out. Seeing someone other than his sister acknowledge him with something other than contempt was refreshing. I even let out a giggle at their embrace. That was until the cold glare I received from the no named man as he stormed off into the house. Yep, I needed to stay on his good side for sure. 

    "So is this a quick visit or you sticking around for a while?" Gavin said as he plopped Stellan back on the ground. Stellan patted him hard on the back as he said, "Not sure yet. I'd hoped to make it a quick one but..." He looked to me, "things change." 

    Back inside the house Jodie and Ben had disappeared from the living room and Saphrine had said something about face timing a friend as she ascended the stairs to her bedroom. Gavin rested an arm over my shoulder and his other over Stellan's as he walked us to the kitchen, one of the few rooms of the house I had ventured to. I tried to excuse myself to change, the daunting reality that I was in little clothing underneath Ben's shirt in a house filled with people. Gavin however assured me there was no need as he pulled out three beers from the fridge and handed us one each. 

    I eyed the glass bottle in my hands. How does one open a bottle like this? 

    As if hearing my thoughts, Stellan swiftly moved to me and popped the cap off before handing it back. s**t, was that another one of my powers, that he could read my thoughts? 

    Wait, that would make no sense. It would be the other way round right, I would be able to read his thoughts... I hadn't noticed my face scrunch up the more my thoughts spiralled until Gavin's voice caught my attention. "To the girl with a million thoughts and a room filled with people to spill them to," he rested his elbow behind him on the counter and raised his beer to me before taking a sip. Stellan smirked next to me and joined him on the arbitrary toast. "So what's with the face, little Kitten?"

    I placed the beer to my lips, resting it on my lower lip as I replayed my new nickname in my head. It was like being initiated into a club. "Me? Oh, it's nothing. Still pondering the powers and stuff, I guess. I don't... I don't really know." Last thing I would do would be to tell them I was worried they could hear my thoughts, even I know I sounded dumb.

    "Pfft, we've all been there in our own ways." He placed his beer down and used a hair band on his wrist to make a ponytail. 

    Hold the phone - they've all been there? My thoughts spilled into words. If my eyes widened anymore they would surely fall out the sockets. "You all have powers too?" I asked, pointing my beer at Gavin and then Stellan. 

    Stellan looked down for a second before matching my stare. Great, more secrets. 

    "Mmm, you could say that. Nothing in comparison to you though, obviously. But nah, Stell has the whole empathy s**t to deal with and teaching myself to not feed from people against their will was tricky to say the least." 

  "Did you say feeding off people?" I scoffed.

    Before Gavin could continue, Ben entered the room in a clean pair of shorts and nothing more. The blood from the fight had been washed off and barely any marks were left causing me to wonder if maybe I'd imagined it, but I only had to look to Stellan to remind myself it was real. Ben ran his thumb over his bottom lip capturing a deep red liquid before slipping it into his mouth as he savoured the taste. A look was shared between him and Stellan, one that I couldn't decipher but sensed it wasn't friendly. Turning to the fridge to grab himself a beer, Ben used his teeth to open the lid and spat it onto the side. 

    "Care to explain where my sister is?" Stellan growled. Gavin took this as the right time to pull out the strong stuff and reached into the cupboard behind his head. He strolled over to me and placed a glass down filling it with a clear liquid. Pointing the bottle in my direction I politely declined, wanting to finish the conversation we were having with a clear head. 

    "Do you really have to ask?" Ben leaned against the fridge crossing one leg over the other. He crossed his arms and my eyes were drawn to his muscles and bare skin. I reminded myself that it wasn't the time to be lusting over him.

     Stellan took the bait and slammed his fist into one of the many cupboards. Gavin pointed the bottle to me again and now I understood why he took it out in the first place. This time I nodded and he handed me the bottle to which I took a quick swig feeling the burn slide down my throat. I handed it back as Ben continued his taunts towards Stellan. 

    "Come on, Stell, it's like old times. She still tastes just a sweet." His voice rang through my ear. Did he mean what I think he meant? 

    Oh, s**t.