23. Raven

TWENTY-THREE

RAVEN

Worry gnaws at me as I stand impatiently waiting for Creed to join us. It’s almost been ten minutes, and I’m ready to act on his word the second it ticks past.

Zane was gifted with amazing parents. Well, father at least. I haven’t met his mother, but Rhys is enough to make a decision. Eldon’s mother has done nothing but be supportive, not only to her own child, but Brax too. Brax’s family dynamic is even more complex, but now that we know they’re not dead, they have done nothing but show up for all of us.

That leaves Creed and me.

Both with caring mothers who seem to have complex counterparts, and our fathers leave a lot to be desired. The reminder that Rhys had to leave us early the other day because my father has escaped their confines tightens my chest with concern, but I quickly push it aside. Creed’s father is on the other side of the door, wearing his flaws, and as much as I sometimes see past the golden warrior to the father he is, it doesn’t stick long enough for me to trust any of his actions.

Not that I would admit that to Creed. It’s his father, and it has to be his call.

When my mother ran from my father and brother, condemning us to life in Shadowmoor, I didn’t go under the illusion that my father was a hero, a god among men. I went remembering the stern look on his face, the bite in his words, and the pain that whatever happened was irreparable.

Creed didn’t have that. He loved the man who raised him and idolized him in every way. All for it not to matter the moment he stepped through the doors of Silvercrest Academy in his golden armor.

“Why don’t any of us have enhanced hearing?” I grouch, glancing at the time again.

Brax, Eldon, and Zane are all casually sitting around the dining table like this isn’t a fucking mess while I’m one step away from pacing in front of the door. How the hell are they all so calm and collected?

“Why don’t you get a glass and press it against the door, amplify their sound?” Zane asks with a grin, earning a laugh from Eldon.

Wetting my lips, I consider my options and decide it’s worth a try. I don’t even bother trying it the mundane way like I’m used to; instead, I use my magic to produce a slim glass in my hand.

“Fuck, Raven. I was joking,” Zane says with a splutter, and I shrug, frowning down at the glass with uncertainty.

Would it be rude of me?

Suddenly, the door swings open and slams shut behind a storming Creed. His hands are balled into fists at his sides as his chest heaves with every breath.

I’ll kill him. Whatever his father did to make him look like this, I’ll kill him for it.

The glass almost topples out of my grasp, so I use my magic to make it disappear before I inch closer to him. The distress is evident on his face, from the tic of his jaw to the pinch around his eyes.

Twisting my fingers together, I force myself not to move any closer. “The need to ask you if everything is okay is overwhelming me, even though I can tell it’s clearly not,” I rasp, and he sighs, his gaze fixated on the floor.

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not,” I insist, my foot starting to tap on the wooden floor as I fight the urge to move.

“What did he say?” Eldon asks, cutting to the question that has me sinking my teeth into my tongue.

Creed runs his fingers through his hair, a heavy sigh falling from his lips before he finally lifts his head. “Not enough? Too much?” He shakes his head, aware it makes even less sense to us than it does to him.

I just want to help him, and that means giving him what he needs and not what I want.

Fuck.

Clearing my throat, I force a smile to my face. “I feel like you want to hide away in your room and I’m stopping you.”

Guilt swirls in his onyx eyes as his gaze meets mine. “You would be correct,” he admits hoarsely, and as much as it’s not what I want to hear, the fact that he’s being truthful with me in this moment means everything.

“If you need space, I want to give that to you, even if it goes against my better judgment.” I take an instinctive step forward, my fingers twitching to touch him, embrace him, and bask in his warmth while offering him mine.

He shakes his head. “No. The last time I did that, I was a dick and earned myself a face full of Brax’s fist,” he grumbles, earning a chuckle from the guys at the table.

I cringe at the memory, eager for it to not get to that stage again.

“It’s whatever you need, Creed,” I breathe, while defying my actual words and taking another step toward him.

“No, it’s always what you need, Raven. That’s how I need it. That’s what keeps me grounded.”

His statement makes me frown, the words tightening my chest as I peer up at him. He’s within arm’s reach now, but I focus on keeping my hands at my sides.

“You can’t lose yourself in me like that.”

He scoffs. “Like you haven’t done the exact same with us.” His eyebrow rises in challenge, firmly putting me in my place and he knows it.

I pout despite the truth. Not liking him using it against me, but he has me there, and even I can admit to that.

The need to offer him something is on the verge of consuming me. The intense care I feel in my soul for them is unwavering, and I can barely breathe. It’s in these moments with my men that I truly realize I’m a fixer. The undeniable desire that radiates through me to solve problems and make things better is glaringly obvious.

“She’s right, Creed. We need you to handle this whichever way avoids you getting another beating,” Zane states, the grin on his face noted in his voice. “If you need to be alone, say the word. If you need some Raven time to yourself, I’ll begrudgingly agree to that too,” he adds, and I note the smallest shift in Creed’s shoulders as the tension eases just a smidge.

“Raven,” he rasps, eyes fixed on mine, and I smile at him. Softly and genuine this time.

I feel like he’s letting me in, past the final hurdle, and despite the circumstances being terrible, it’s one of the best feelings I’ve experienced.

The chairs scrape along the floor as the guys start to rise from the table, but Creed quickly shakes his head, darting his eyes at them. “Outside.”

Zane, Eldon, and Brax pause, which kicks Creed into action. He reaches for my hand, tugging me to his side, and I lean into him as he heads for the patio doors. I can practically feel him vibrate with anger from his thoughts, but as we step outside into the late afternoon air, I sense another small shift in him.

The door closes behind us and he cuts across the grass until he’s happy with the view it offers. The horizon settles in the distance. The sky sits awkwardly and heavy on the waterline, and I desperately wish to see the sun setting, bask in the feeling it gives me to watch something so natural and exquisite. But until Burton is dealt with, I don’t think that’s going to change.

Creed’s hold on my hand tightens as he lowers to the ground, sitting on the grass with another heavy sigh, and I follow suit. I settle in beside him, looking over the shoreline where I know Ari and the other creatures are.

I can’t hear him or talk to him, it seems, but I sense him there, in my soul. A warmth I’ve never felt from him before, and it fills me with a dose of hope I long to soak in forever.

Time passes us by, and with every minute, I feel another level of calmness wash over the man beside me. I don’t want to overstep a line I can’t see, but I want him to know I’m here in whatever capacity he needs me.

Turning to glance at him, I startle when I find his eyes already aimed in my direction. His lip curls, barely, but it’s there, and I take that as my opening to speak.

“If you can’t find the words but want me to know, you can always use…” I trail off, using my free hand to tap at my temple, and his brows furrow.

“I wouldn’t do that to you.”

“Even when I’m asking you to?” I push back, and his lips part. I think I may have finally stunned him into silence, even if only for a few moments.

When he doesn’t protest, I take a chance, raising my hand that is enveloped in his and bringing it to my face. His hold loosens as I keep my eyes locked on his, slowly splaying his fingers to feel his palm press against my cheek.

My eyes flutter closed at the contact, and I feel his magic dance along mine in a heated caress. A moan slips from my lips despite my best efforts to contain it, and I hear him curse under his breath.

“You’re not supposed to moan like that.”

“I can’t help it,” I admit, unable to pry my eyes open. I feel like I’m panting. I’ve felt his magic before. I’ve felt all of their magic before, but there’s just something in this moment that makes me weak to the touch.

“It’s like I can feel you caressing me. It’s hard to ignore,” I explain, running my hand over his, and he takes a deep breath before my vision is filled with four onyx eyes. A replay of everything spoken between them filters into my mind, and when he’s done, I’m left gasping at the revelation he ends with.

I don’t know what to make of it, and when I finally manage to open my eyes, I can tell Creed feels the exact same way. Nothing about this is okay and we both know it. My lips part to ease his worry. With what words… I don’t fucking know, but they quickly slam shut again when I realize he’s in no position to analyze any of this.

I don’t know how to help, how to take his pain away, but before I can figure out a way to verbalize any of that, he presses his palm firmer against my cheek, sending a stronger ripple of his magic over my body.

Holy fuck.

I shiver, the move involuntary and pointless when it does nothing to expel the thrum of magic flooding my veins. I gasp, lips parting as my eyes fall closed again. It’s like he’s dancing along the edge of my mind without actually playing with anything.

It’s like he’s riling up all of my nerve endings, and I’m lost to the feeling as another moan tumbles from my lips.

“Fuck, Raven.”

“You’re doing it on purpose,” I murmur, panting with every word. I can’t deny how much I like it.

“You’re the most beautiful distraction sometimes. Especially when I’m supposed to be focused,” he states, and as desperate as I am to see his face, wanting to read into his eyes, I can’t pry mine open. It’s too intoxicating.

“Sometimes a distraction is exactly what we need,” I reply, my nipples pebbling beneath my uniform.

“You sound sure.”

“I know from experience,” I promise, unable to stop the sultry tone of my voice.

I’d tried to block out distracting myself like this, but that doesn’t mean I can’t offer it to him.

Whatever he needs. That’s what I promised.

Grasping the locket around my neck, I let the essence of his magic run along my skin. Not long after we were all properly reunited and had fucked ourselves back together again, Brax had explained its purpose. One by one, the rest of the Bishops poured tendrils of their magic into my pendant, and I’ve never been more thankful for it.

I slip my hand from his, where he keeps it pressed against my cheek, and I return the motion, cupping his face as I let his magic dance between us.

“Fuck,” he curses, his head falling back slightly with a groan.

I let the visions that consume me drift along his thoughts. The touch of his fingertips running up my thigh, the press of his lips at my collarbone, the weight of him above me before he claims my core with his length. I give him everything, every ounce of desire as it plays out in my mind.

We’re moving before I realize it, my back pressed against the blades of grass as I look up into deep, swirling eyes. A distraction is definitely what he needs, and I’m more than happy to be a part of it.

He uses one hand to hold both of my wrists, pinning them to the ground above my head. My back arches on instinct as I peer up at him, and in the next breath, every layer of clothing between us is gone.

A chill coats my skin, and I look down the length of our bodies, eyeing where his cock juts toward me, precariously close to my core. My necklace hangs between my breasts as his eyes feast upon me, his intention clear.

“It’s hot when you use my magic on me, Raven,” he mutters, his dark hair falling around his face as he inches closer to me.

My teeth sink into my bottom lip, trying to bite back the moan eager to echo around us.

“It’s hot when you let me.”

He presses a kiss to my jaw, slowly repeating the motion as he trails down my throat and over my collarbone, just like my vision had shown him.

“I could get lost in you forever,” he murmurs against my skin, making me shiver as his fingers caress my taut nipples.

We should probably be cautious with the fact that we’re outside, but I enjoy the thrill of it too much. Besides, I can’t break this moment. It’s palpable, and I want to ride it out to the very end.

“Do it. Lose yourself. Consume me,” I whisper, and his onyx eyes cling to mine as he pauses.

No words pass between us, but whatever was holding us back is obliterated in that moment and all I’m left with is the carnal side of him.

His cock nudges at my pussy, which is already slick with desire, but he doesn’t thrust inside me straight away. No. He teases me. The most purposeful tease I’ve ever felt before he slams inside of me without warning.

I cry out with pleasure as he fills me to the hilt, stretching me completely to mold perfectly around his length. Clinging to his shoulders, I hold on as his movements immediately turn feral. His grip shifts to my thighs, pinning me wide as he pounds into me with a strength and fury I’ve never felt from him before.

There’s a sense of urgency, a need to fuck it all away while never wanting it to stop.

My skin is electric, the friction between my thighs leaving me gasping for air until he stops suddenly and spins so my knees fall on either side of his waist.

Blinking at him, it takes me a second to reorient. I relax my hands on his shoulders, acutely aware of the marks from my nails that remain in his skin, but if he notices, he doesn’t show it.

“Fuck me, Raven. Take it all away.” He leans back, bracing his weight on his palms as he tilts his hips up, rocking his cock deeper into my core, and my head lulls back with ecstasy.

Digging my knees into the ground, I flex my hips, testing the movement as his jaw ticks and his fingers grip the blades of grass. Giving up control isn’t something that comes naturally to him, but I can promise to make it worth his while.

I slip my hand to his face, running my thumb over his bottom lip as I rise higher on my knees this time, slamming back down on his cock with more purpose, and he groans. I repeat the motion again and again, watching in delight as his eyelids fall to half-mast and he loses himself between us. I let myself do the same, eager to bring him the heavy dose of euphoria he deserves.

My clit grinds perfectly against him with the angle of my moves, and I trail my hands down his abs, watching his muscles flex beneath my touch. On my trail back up, my hand ghosts over the locket and I feel a zap of Eldon’s magic against my skin.

Fuck.

Wetting my lips, I let the burning impulse take flight inside of me. My magic intertwines with Eldon’s, shimmering heat through my veins, but it quickly travels to my core and Creed groans.

“Fuck, Raven. Fuck,” he grunts, flexing his hips to meet my movement, eager to feel more.

I grin with triumph, raw need taking over as the heat continues to rise but stops before it becomes unbearable.

He leans forward, grabbing at my thighs as he takes control of each slam of my pussy on his cock, chasing the high that dances between us.

“Give it to me, Raven. Come for me. Come for me now,” he bites, his nose brushing mine, and like the desperate and eager bitch I am, I detonate around him, his words sending me over the edge without care.

We’re moving again, his cock still inside me as I ride out every wave of my orgasm. My back hits the grass as his hand presses against the side of my face, holding me in place as he fucks me with a ferocity I didn’t think was possible.

I know the moment he comes, and even though I can feel him pulse between my legs, it’s the almighty roar that burns from his lungs that confirms it.

His hold on me slackens, but the punishing thrusts of his cock take longer to wane. I blink up at him, aware of the dirt pressed against the side of my face from his hold, and I grin. The uncertainty and doubt in his eyes are immediate, and I shake my head, desperate to dispel it.

“Thank you,” I croak, not sure which part I’m most thankful for. The fact that he was open with me, the fact that he shared, or the fact that he used me just as I had imagined. All of it. I’m thankful for all of it in equal measure.

His thumb strokes over my cheek, his eyes swirling with words he doesn’t know how to process, but they’re left unspoken when a voice sounds from behind us.

“That was great and all, but we’re going to be late for the meeting.”