Chasing Catalina | Book One: Worshipping Ashes

1. | The Prey

I'm more than this. I tell myself this every morning in the mirror. Gripping the edge of the dresser as I stare into the emerald green eyes that run in the family. The reflection of someone who has officially lost her way in this world. Boy was I disgusted.

I stare at the kinky curls of my red hair, the way it curves in and out like tangled vines. It's thorns, the knots that inevitably force their way into my head. I can't do anything to prevent it. It's just one of those things that I will always have to just deal with.

I exhale as I open my mouth to affirm my daily ritual..

You can do this, today is new.. Yesterday is in the past.

Something I have affirmed to myself since I was sixteen. From the moment my little sister was taken from me by my horrific and sadistic father, I told myself I'd find her. Unfortunately, I never did.. It's been fifteen years since then. Fifteen years since Allie's severing from my life. Then it was my brothers, Sam and Ryker. It was their turn to suffer from years of our father's past. I keep telling myself it was a matter of time for their deaths, and I would avenge them as well... though like my affirmation to find Allie, I didn't follow through. I was a failure. And then I think... when is it my turn?

I nodded softly to my reflection, closing my mouth. Breaking the seemingly never-ending cycle after fifteen years. I lean up off of the dresser and reach down to pull the tee shirt from my body. Tossing it to the pile of accumulating dirty laundry in the corner of the room. I turn my attention then to the bruises on my breast. The blue and purple fist sized bruise that hurt to look at, nevertheless touch, was filled with yet another story. A story that I didn't want to remember..

The rustling from the bed behind me keeps me from thinking too hard about it.. Thank God. I turn over my shoulder as I felt the warm hands against my sides and around my stomach. Calloused hands leaving phantom scratches along my severely marked skin. More stories... A pair of soft lips pressing against my shoulder in unison.

"Going for a run?" Not only was he warm, but his voice was like melted chocolate. Smooth and velvet. Darkened by the years. I close my eyes and lean my head back against his shoulder as I bring my own hands up to press against his. I could feel the warmth of his chest, and the slowly hardening shaft pressed against my back. I guess being topless standing in the mirror while getting lost in thought was hot. I nod against his shoulder.

Alistair... he was more than a mere man who was far beyond addicted to me, but I am addicted to him as well. His touch, his love, his protection... and more than that, his heart.

"Yeah." I say with a soft sigh and look up to him in the mirror. My head tilts slightly for him as he props his chin against my shoulder. My fingers run over his hands as his eyes lock with mine. We stare at one another in the reflection. Sharing a moment of silence between one another. A smile pulling at the corners of my lips before I lean forward and turn to face him.. Wrapping my arms around him and pressing my bare chest against his.

Fuck he's warm... Let me crawl back into bed with you, don't make me go run... and as if he could hear my thoughts, he pulls his hands up my sides and around my back before bending down low and lifting me up by his hands against my ass. Quickly, I wrap my legs around his waist as he carries me to the bed and lets me fall to the mattress. I chuckle lightly before unwillingly gasping as I collapse to the mattress. Covers floofing upwards as I make contact with the sheets. 

"You're going to have to wait.." he pauses with a smirk as he slowly reaches down to my night shorts and pulls at the hem. Quickly ripping them off of my body and throwing them across the room blindly. He reaches down to pull the hem of his boxers away from his waist and shoving them off of him. Crawling onto the mattress and hovering over me. His hands run against my thighs and pushes them apart in a quick motion before positioning himself between them.