Jagged Embrace

Chapter 67 - Maeve

Maeve yawned, not sure why she was so tired. It was still early. Her back still ached, but Ander assured her she wouldn't even notice it by tomorrow. She didn't believe him. They were both used to pain and getting tattoos all the time. She wasn't.

Ander had removed her bandage, cleaned it, and then they did the ritual to bind the magic to the marking. It hadn't been pleasant. She was relieved after the ritual when Ander had applied a cream to it, which she thought would hurt because it was so sensitive after the ritual, but it felt a lot better. A silver lining to getting the tattoo, no training for at least four or five days.

"You found anything yet about the fleabags?" Will was propped up on pillows and watched the television while scrolling on his phone. He yawned. He was tired too.

Ander perched on the bed next to her on his laptop. "Not yet. I will continue to do research for both items."

She wanted to sit again, but it was more comfortable to lie on her side and let her tattoo "breathe". Ander's constant typing and clicking almost lulled her into a trance. She considered watching the movie, but ended up staring at Will instead. His body radiated a raw and primal strength, thick with the muscle of a warrior. His square jaw added to the hard lines of his figure.

Will rubbed his face and shook his head. "Fuck, I'm taking a shower." He glanced at Maeve for a heartbeat before a brief expression of disappointment flickered across his features. The desire remained in his eyes. He stalked to his bag and went into the bathroom.

Maeve yawned again. Her mind felt odd, fuzzy around the edges again. Her body stiffened. Was it another bout of soul damage? She forced herself to sit on the edge of the bed, her shirt fell down and grazed her tattoo. She gripped the side of the bed, dizzy.

"Do you require something?" Ander asked from behind her.

"No, I just wanted to sit up for a bit. What time is it?"

"Just after eleven."

He moved around behind her. The shift of the mattress made her grip the edge more. It shook as she heard the distinct sound of scratching. Turning her head, she peered over her shoulder. Ander had twisted his left arm in a grotesque way to reach a spot on his back.

"What are you doing?"

He paused. "Itching my back."

Maeve let go and slowly turned. "Here, let me." She wanted him to stop contorting his arm. Moving so her knees were under her. "It's right here?" Her fingers touched his back before she scratched.

"Mmmmhmmm," he said in a relaxed tone she'd not heard before.

She took her time and changed pressure from light to harder and then back to light before she stopped. She'd made sure not only to scratch the spot she'd started in, but also expanded to the surrounding area. Whenever her back itched, it always migrated while it was being scratched. He sighed in satisfaction.

"Thank you. My tattoos were irritated and raised."

"Will my tattoo get that way, too?"

"Off and on, yes. In the colder months, if you have dry skin, it will happen more often. You can apply lotion to retain the moisture." He adjusted to face her.

Her stomach fluttered. With him this close to her, only inches away, she was reminded of how handsome he was. His bangs fell forward, but no longer covered his eyes. They laid to the sides of his face and softened his angular features.

"Do you need me to put lotion on your back?" Her voice was suddenly husky. Did she want an excuse to touch him?

"No, I am all right." His words were reluctant as his gaze dropped to her lips.

"Okay." She bit her lip before she licked it.

Movement in the bathroom broke the spell, and she shifted until she was on the edge of the bed, waiting for Will to exit. Still dizzy, she decided to get some rest and see if she felt better in the morning.

"Do you need to keep working?" she asked Ander over her shoulder.

"No, I can finish my research tomorrow. I need to talk with Will about the retrieval... but I believe it can wait as well," he answered. "I will prepare for bed."

Will came out in his sleeping pants. Maeve couldn't help but stare as he passed her. Of course, he noticed and winked, almost daring her to come to his bed. She prepped for bed and found Ander had already turned down the sheets and set the barrier by the time she exited the bathroom. She wore one of Will's t-shirts, since her nightgown was too long and clingy. Will tucked her into bed with several searing kisses as he pulled his t-shirt up and up and up.

"Will!" she whispered. He grinned and cupped one of her breasts under his shirt before he released her.

"I was only trying to help. Gotta let that breathe, remember?" He slid it down to just above the tattoo as she settled on her side.

Even with the rush of hormones in her system, Maeve felt sleepy. Everyone settled into bed in a blur. Maeve wanted to know more about her tattoo care, but her eyes closed before she could utter a word to Ander.