Wolfsbane

53. I get more than I bargained for

We drove back up to the camp on Monday morning. As horrible as it sounded, I couldn't wait to get Felix out of my hands. I had a feeling that Felix couldn't wait to get back to his father. He screamed through the entire drive back, much to Mitch's dismay.

Mitch had drawn the "short straw", meaning that he would be stuck with entertaining the poor kid. Despite using rattles, pacifiers and formula- he wasn't able to silence Felix. It was only when Luca handed him to Hayes, that we were able to get some silence.

We were staying in Luca's old cabin rather than the house. There wasn't much of a point to staying in the house anyway- especially considering that Andrea and Maria had left. It was just Luca and I.

It was a bit odd. Just the two of us. We'd settled into this odd routine. We'd both go to our respective training sessions in the mornings- then I'd get back early in the afternoons. Usually- I'd take a turn about the camp, looking for any sort of work. Usually, I'd end up moving wood or watching children. If not- I'd have an afternoon full of free time.

I'd been using this, for something that I hadn't even told Luca about. I was trying to strengthen my abilities.

I'd done some reading, just a little bit. I'd come across something about these sorts of curses. If I could channel the energy into one part of my body, it would be instantaneously lethal....

All of that training would be pushed on the back burner the second that Luca returned. His afternoons were always full of meetings. He'd invited for me to take part in them, but I declined. I knew what those meetings were like- full out war councils, creating strategies for how to gain or defend territory. I didn't have an appetite for such discussions. Especially, considering my encounters with Max. Months ago- the old me wouldn't have hesitated at the offer. I would've tripped over my feet to get a spot in that room.

These days, the photos and maps were enough for me. I could barely stomach them.

Once Luca returned, we began to paint a perfect domestic picture. Well- as perfect as it could be. We still were working up Luca's resistance. Each night we'd initiate some kind of constant skin to skin contact. We were far past the stage where he was writhing about. We'd almost gotten to an hour of contact without any significant pain on his part.

Today- it was much different. Luca had ditched his afternoon meetings. He wasn't being very talkative either- he'd been sauntering around the cabin, as if he was looking for something to do.

Every time he'd walk into the living room- he'd just stare at me, with this bizarre blank look on his face.

I was perched on the couch, notebook in hand. I'd been trying to write a letter. A letter that I shouldn't have been writing....

A letter to Imogen.

I don't know why I was doing it- I had no idea where she was. All I knew was that she had been researching my curse. Research which I was dying to get my hands on. The only problem being that it was missing.

When she left- she took everything with her. It was like she never existed. I understood why. Leaving something behind would've been too painful for Hayes....

I clenched my fist. That wasn't an excuse. There was nothing less respectable than abandoning a child in my eyes. If she didn't want to hurt Hayes- she would've stayed.

I couldn't think about it for too long. It made me so angry that my face got red.

I heard the sound of footsteps for what must've been the 70th time this afternoon. I was getting rather tired of it.

"Luca!" I yelled.

The footsteps stopped for a second. As if he was considering whether or not to respond to my call.