Carnal House

Damsel.-Ash

The house wasn’t far from campus, but time was of the essence, Fox’s little stepsister was in trouble.

Shooting a quick text to John who was with Fox I peeled out of the driveway towards Ryker.

Ryker called crying, picking her up now

I had heard everything about her, including how hard it was for Fox to keep his hands off her when he went home for a few days over the summer. The guilt was eating him alive, a cultural taboo making him feel like it was wrong. When he found out she was accepted here he made sure all four of us knew what she looked like and their safe word they had when she was younger.

Fox kept his distance to stave off temptation but also didn’t want to intrude on her first experience being away from home. He wanted to make sure she had people she could trust outside of him when nights like tonight happened.

The library building came into view as I took a corner fast, parking right outside the doors leaving the car to idle. It wasn’t valid parking, but I didn’t give a f**k.

I tore through the door, stalking through the shelves looking for her. What the hell is microfilm anyway? I rounded a corner bookcase and found the alcove with old machines with large screens and a wall of drawers with dates on them. She was sitting in a dark corner pulling her jacket closed around her.

“Ryker?” I approached slowly, hands up where she could see them.

“Ash? How do I know it’s you?” She sounded so small, and wounded, it set my teeth on edge. The urge to beat the s**t out of whoever did this to her was strong.

“I love your spark.” I said clearly, it wasn’t really a safe word but more a phrase, from her favorite anime apparently, used if anyone that wasn’t her parents or Fox tried to pick her up.

“He told you about that?” She started crying harder, getting shakily to her feet, I wrapped her in my arms doing my best to calm her down.

“Who did this to you?” I asked, doing my best to restrain myself, the last thing I wanted to do was scare her more

“I was stupid, I shouldn’t have gone.” She sniffles. I pulled away to look her in the eye.

“That’s bullshit. What happened?” She recounted the night; Caleb would be getting a visit that was for sure. As her tears slowed and dried on her cheeks she blushed and pulled away.

“I’m so sorry. I…uh, he picked me up at my dorm and it doesn’t lock, I can’t go back there tonight.” She said, blushing even harder if that was even possible, it was hot as f**k. I could see why Fox was so smitten.

“I can stay with you in your dorm tonight or you can come home with me, it is up to you, kitten.” She gazed at me, indecision in her eyes. Before she could respond her phone rang, a siren and asshole calling repeatedly.

“Fox.” The relief was heavy in her voice.

“What the f**k is going on?” He was yelling at her; anger replaced her relief. I wasn’t too keen on the tone he was taking with her.

“Don’t yell at me! It wasn’t my fault.” I held out my hand, she handed me the phone with a raise of her eyebrows.

“I have her. She is safe.”

“Is she hurt? What the f**k happened?” I recounted her night so she wouldn’t have to, Fox was far calmer talking to me than to her anyway.

“I’m going to f*****g kill him.” Fox growled; Ryker’s eyebrows disappeared beneath her bangs.

“Agreed.”

“Take her home, our home. Don’t let her out of your sight, we will be home tomorrow morning. I mean it, Ash.” His tone was hard, brooking no argument from me, I hadn’t planned to let her be alone tonight anyway.

“Of course, brother.” I answered, handing her phone back to her. She held it to her ear, listening to what Fox had to say. Her gaze grew hard, not liking whatever he was saying.

“Fine.” She had an attitude a mile wide, and I loved it. “I said fine, asshole.” Whatever he said next had a tear running down her cheek, I shifted my weight calling on every ounce of self-control to keep my hands to myself. She shook her head and hung up on him.

“You good?” She nodded once and turned towards the entrance, making short work of navigating the bookcases, she spent a lot of time here. She reached out for the door gasping and pulling back as if it had burned her. I pulled her arm up to look at her hand, it is red and angry, already bruising.

“Apparently I don’t know how to throw a punch.” She said sheepishly, wincing as I touched her fingers.

“Did you get away?” She nodded, “then you did just fine, we will stop at the ER.”

“I’m sure it’s fine, please don’t, my mom can’t know about this.” Fear paled her skin.

“Connor is fourth year med; he will look at it when we get to the house.” I didn’t like it, but her fear was enough to make me back down. I pulled open the door, guiding her out under my arm, she didn’t even have to duck. The smell of her perfume on the chilly air went straight to my c**k, as if this night could get any messier.

I opened the door for her, seeing her torn shirt when she slid into the front seat.

“Thanks.” She said pulling her jacket closed again. Oh yeah, Caleb will be getting a visit.