Home Again
Distantly Beth heard goodbyes exchanged with Dougal and then the sound of footfalls on stairs, though she hardly felt any movement. Then she was on the bike, cradled safely between Ronan’s arms and the handlebars. She kept her eyes closed. Mostly because of the effort it would take to open them but also because she knew they were folding reality soon and didn’t want to see it. Beth would probably throw up all over Ronan’s chest.
Fortunately, keeping her eyes closed did the trick because the next thing she knew they were parking and Ronan was lifting her again. Beth heard the telltale creak of the front porch and smelled pot. She sighed happily. The unmistakable groan of the door preceded a startled gasp.
“Table,” she managed to mumble. “No more blood on my bed.”
Beth heard a snort and couldn’t discern whether it had come from Sylvie or Sebastian.
“God damnit, Knight,” hissed a very pissed off sounding Benji. “The next time you bring her home to me injured I’m going to burn off all of your hair. Including your stupid eyebrows.”
A peal of hearty laughter sounded that definitely belonged to Sebastian. “Lay her down.”
Beth felt the solid wood of her kitchen table beneath her and then warmth covering her neck as Sebastian presumably worked his magic.
“What happened?” Benji demanded.
“Marlowe happened,” answered Ronan.
“Who’s Marlowe?”
“He’s a blood-drinker,” Sebastian answered from beside her head.
“Like a vampire?”
Sylvie scoffed from somewhere near Beth’s feet. “No. Like a blood-drinker. It gives him youth. Ronan, you didn’t tell me your wife had a boyfriend.”
“I’m not her boyfriend,” said Benji. “Just her friend. Open your eyes Beth. I know you’re awake. You’ve been squeezing my hand every time you hear my voice.”
Had she? Interesting. Beth focused on her eyelids, but they felt like they had this morning when Trina had drugged her. Like they were stapled down.
“Since when does Marlowe take straight from the vein?” Sebastian asked.
“Since he got a taste of Elizabeth, apparently,” Ronan said, sounding distant, like maybe he was standing across the room.
“What’s going on?” asked Sian.
Beth managed to open her eyes, though the effort exhausted her further. She blinked a few times and then focused on Benji, who gave her a weak smile. He leaned in and kissed her forehead.
“Beth’s injured. I’m fixing it.” Sebastian’s answer was succinct.
“Again?” asked Liam, close behind his sister as usual.
“We’re having a hell of a honeymoon,” Beth mumbled.
“Gods, that’s so much blood,” breathed Sian.
“Most of it’s not hers,” Sylvie intoned. “If that helps.”
“Oh? Is it Marlowe’s?” asked Sebastian.
“No. We ran into some revenants,” Ronan answered.
“What?” Benji asked, alarmed. His grip on Beth’s hand tightened.
“But revenants are only in the Hedge,” said Liam.
“So you can understand why we're’ a little bit shaken,” Sylvie responded sharply.
Beth was starting to feel like herself again. Albeit a weak and starving version of herself. Sebastian worked quickly and already her neck had ceased hurting. He tsked when he spotted her shoulder and moved on to healing it.”
“Sit up, I need to get the back of your shoulder too,” Sebastian ordered.
Between him and Benji, Beth managed to get into an upright position. She glanced around. Everyone stood around the table except for Ronan who leaned against the sink, his arms crossed and that signature scowl on his face.
“So, Sylvie, long time no see,” Sebastian said lightly.
The selkie looked Sebastian over. “Indeed. Time has been good to you.”
“You as well. Love the mohawk.”
“Thanks,” Sylvie grinned.
Sebastian nodded, his eyes roaming over her for another moment before dropping back down to Beth. “Okay. I think I got everything.”
Beth felt a lot better. She rotated her shoulder and moved her head side to side. “Thanks Bastian. You’re a miracle worker.”
“I know. Now go get cleaned up. You smell like copper and wine.” He helped her from the table and onto her feet.
Beth was still a little shaky and was thankful when Benji slid an arm around her back and let her lean on him. “I’ll draw you a bath,” he said softly. “Come on.”
He helped her out of the kitchen, purposefully not looking at Ronan. It probably wouldn’t have mattered. The Unseelie Knight was assaulting the floor with his scowl. He’d either accepted that Benji would be Beth’s bath buddy or he wasn’t up to fighting about it tonight. Maybe he was tired. He’d had a stressful day too. Beth felt a pang of concern that, because it wasn’t about Benji, was wholly new to her.
The bath was quiet and relaxing. Benji stayed, like usual, and he even had his pipe this time. Maybe things were getting back to normal. That or Benji was just binge-smoking to help him cope with Trina’s sudden exit from his life. Nevertheless, Beth took the hit when it was offered her.
Benji helped her wash her hair and didn’t ask too many questions about her day, probably afraid of what he might learn. Beth knew he was just as terrified of revenants as she was. He’d probably hear all about it later anyway if Sylvie had a hand at recounting it, which seemed likely based on the level of familiarity that she and Sebastian shared.
Beth dried off weakly and slowly brushed out her hair, which was angry with snarls and knots. Benji helped her to her room. She was surprised not to find Ronan there, clucking at her disapprovingly. He was probably downstairs, waiting for his turn to shower.
Beth groaned when she saw her still-stripped mattress, remembering the load of laundry she’d left in the washer. Making a mental note to go deal with that after she got some food in her, she pulled on yoga pants and a large Nirvana t-shirt.
The kitchen was too bright when she stepped into it, and she winced. Sylvie was sitting on the counter between two leaning Unseelie courtiers, and if the two had been any amount of similar it would have looked rather symmetrical, but Ronan and Sebastian were so very different from one another. Not opposites, per say, not fire and ice. More like earth and ice. Sebastian being the earth. He greeted her with a warm smile while Ronan looked her over sternly once before dropping his tired eyes to the cracked tile, seemingly assured that Beth wasn’t about to drop dead.
“Shower’s free,” Beth croaked, crossing to the cabinet on Sebastian’s right and pulling out a wine glass.
“You go,” Ronan murmured to Sylvie.
The selkie nodded and hopped down, then faltered. “Er, show me where it is?” she asked him.
Ronan nodded and led her out.
Benji had settled at the table with Liam and Sian. They silently dealt him into a card game that looked like it might be poker, except no money seemed to be involved.
Beth pulled a bottle of wine from the fridge and handed it to Sebastian, who raised an amused eyebrow at her.
“Shouldn’t you eat something first?” he asked, producing a corkscrew.
“You’re a horrible salesman.” She hopped up onto the counter where Sylvie had been before.
Sebastian laughed and opened the bottle, pouring amber liquid into her glass. “Hard to be a salesman when I’m giving it away for free.”
Beth laughed too and took a swallow, savoring the warmth that began to spread through her.
Ronan reentered, all scowls and dirty clothes. That warmth multiplied exponentially, invading what felt like every cell of her being.
How could Beth feel this intensely about him already? Beth considered herself impulsive, yes, but somewhat rational about it. She didn’t hesitate to do things if she knew they were at least somewhat a good idea. Was he a good idea? Did she have a choice? She was married to him after all, it wasn’t as if she could reject him.
Ronan raised his eyes and met hers and Beth realized she’d been staring at him. Quickly she swung her gaze to rest on Sebastian again.
“Make me a quesadilla?” she asked hopefully.
Sebastian laughed again and rolled his eyes. “What the hell would you do without me, Beth?”
“Endure Benji’s burnt cooking,” she answered honestly, taking a long pull from her wine.
Benji chuckled. He must be winning all of the imaginary money, because he looked very pleased with himself.
Ronan leaned against the counter beside Beth while Sebastian turned on a burner and pulled tortillas and cheese from the fridge. Even tinged with blood her husband smelled good. Beth inhaled, taking him in. She fought the urge to lean her tired head on his shoulder. Contact with him might reignite the passion that had generated between them earlier. Hell, his proximity was doing a good job all on its own.
Beth’s logical mind knew it would suck to get all worked up only to have to sleep in the same sexless bed with him. She also knew that while giving in would feel really good, probably earth-shattering, she really had only just met this guy. It wasn’t about pride anymore, they were married and she would lose no dignity in sleeping with him. And sleeping with him would piss of Maeve, which was a plus. But deep down Beth knew that sex was a definite step toward falling for him.
Beth had never been in love before. She was not quick to distribute trust, and those who had managed to earn it had been scared away by Benji’s overprotectiveness and their symbiotic relationship. Ronan had bypassed Benji’s guard dog tendencies by marrying her right off the bat and he had since done nothing to make himself untrustworthy.
In fact, even though it had only been roughly a day, Beth was beginning to feel safe around Ronan, comfortable even. But she knew he had a darkness inside of him. To be the Knight of the Queen of the Unseelie Court was not a purifying job by any means. Beth could not even imagine the things he’d seen and done. How long can someone be forced to act like a demon before he becomes one?
Turning her head slightly, Beth watched Ronan as she sipped her wine, trying to ignore that immediate, primal response to his presence. She would give almost anything to know what was going on inside his head. She guessed that he was probably going over their day, deciding what he was say to the Queen, or if he was going to say anything at all.
Beth found herself fervently hoping, however, that he was thinking about her; about Katya’s office; about sleeping beside her tonight. If he was, he showed no signs of it. He was a foot away and wasn’t even leaning toward her. He probably missed Maeve. The thought made Beth’s stomach sour.
Sebastian handed her a plate of delicious quesadilla and she offered him a thankful smile in return before ripping apart the meal like an animal. Food was good. She had lost enough blood to feel dizzy, and then smoked with Benji while in the bath. The combination therein had left her ravenous.
Sebastian offered one to Ronan as well. The Knight took it and ate it much more delicately than Beth. But then, he did everything more delicately, more politely. He had spent much more time at the Court among the nobles than she had.
“Oh, Beth,” said Sian while she dealt hands for what looked like five card draw. “We finished your laundry. It’s in a basket by your stairs.”
Beth swallowed a chunk of cheese and tortilla and gave Sian what she hoped was the most grateful look ever to have graced her features. “You guys are incredible. You know that? Seriously.”
Liam’s lips turned up at the corners as he looked up at her, one pale eyebrow raised. “Happy to be of service, Elizabeth.”
She swallowed another bite. “Yeah, just, thank you.”
There was companionable silence as Beth choked down the rest of her food and drained her wine.
Sylvie appeared when they were through eating and Ronan headed up to shower. Beth was dead on her feet, nearly dropping her glass a few times as she started to doze standing up. The third time this happened she caught Benji and Sebastian sharing a look before Sebastian took her arm and steered her out of the kitchen. “Bedtime, love.”
Beth couldn’t disagree with him while her eyelids drooped, so instead she let him lead her up to her room. He grabbed the laundry on the way sat her down on the window seat while spreading the sheets over the bed and applying the pillow cases.
“Thank you,” she murmured, watching drowsily.
“Anything to help out the newlyweds,” Sebastian teased, giving her a small grin as he fluffed a pillow. “He’s staying in here with you, right?”
Beth nodded, her head and shoulder smushed against the wall where she’d fallen into it.
“Is it gonna be weird? You guys haven’t fucked yet.”
“How would you know?”
“Ronan wouldn’t be so grumpy. And you two wouldn’t have that tension about you. Stiff. Like you’re trying not to touch each other. It’s silly.”
Beth pushed herself up and let herself fall onto the right side of the bed, moaning at the soft feel of her sheets and mattress. “It’s not silly. I just met him.” It was said into her pillow, muffled.
“Whatever you say,” Sebastian said, amused. He sat down on the floor across from her, back against the wall.
Beth turned her head, one eye open and resting on him. “Tell me the truth. I know he’s your friend, Bastian, but is he a psycho?”
Sebastian snorted. “He’s not a psycho, he’s just under oath to one. He himself is just a logical thinker who is very good at his job. At worst he is a force to be reckoned with.”
Beth turned that over in her mind. Maeve certainly wasn’t sane, that was for sure.
“Listen,” Sebastian leaned forward a little, conspiratorially. “Sometimes he has nightmares.”
She blinked at him with her one eye and even turned enough to reveal the other. “About what?”
“I don’t know for sure. It’s not like I’m his therapist. Stuff Maeve’s made him do in the past, probably. Maybe stuff about his family. I don’t know.”
“His family?” Beth rolled onto her back and examined the stars through the skylight. “What happened with his family?”
Sebastian took a breath and let it out slowly. “Again, I don’t know for sure. They were not very nice to him as a child. But when we were teenagers they were slaughtered.”
She propped herself up on her elbows, looking at Sebastian sharply. “He killed them?”
He blinked, looking surprised. “What? No! I mean, I don’t think so. It was some sort of hunting accident in the Drochaid. You know how the courtiers like to go on hunts.”
“Was he there?”
“He was.”
Beth laid back again, staring up at the swirling clouds. “So he was orphaned and then became the Queen’s Knight?”
“Yeah. She liked his vulnerability. Drafted him.” Sebastian sighed. “Anyway. I haven’t slept near him in a long, long time but if he gets violent just let me know. I’ll drug him.”
Beth couldn’t imagine Ronan taking kindly to being drugged. He seemed to depend on being very aware of his surroundings at all times. “Did he ever hurt you in his sleep?”
“Once or twice,” Sebastian admitted.
“Once or twice what?” Ronan asked upon entering.
Beth propped herself up on her elbows again, watching the Knight. He was in the same clothes from earlier, but his hair was wet and loose about his shoulders. He looked absolutely mouth-watering.
“You need pj’s,” Sebastian noted, getting to his feet. “I’ll be right back.” He b rushed past Ronan and was gone.
Ronan stared after him for a moment before turning to Beth. “How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Sleepy.” She laid back down, turning her gaze once more to the sky above.
“Understandable.” He shifted, setting his boots down against the wall. She hadn’t noticed him holding them.
Sebastian reappeared and tossed flannel at Ronan. “Here ya go. Just bottoms, if I remember correctly.”
“You remembered correctly, my friend. Goodnight.”
“Night.” Sebastian made for the stairwell, shooting one last meaningful glance at Beth before he disappeared.
“Were you two lovers or something?” she asked, trying to picture that in her mind.
“No,” Ronan said. “Just good friends. We hunted together a lot. Camped together in the Drochaid.”
Beth could feel sleep on her horizon already. Her eyes fell closed, which was a damned shame because she heard Ronan changing. When she managed to open them again he was standing at the foot of her bed, looking so good that her mouth dried up and her heart kicked into warp drive.
His dark eyes traveled over where she lay atop the sheet. It was too hot for a blanket now, which left her feeling vulnerable.
“Hey,” she said faintly.
His lips twitched. “Hey.” He crawled up next to her and flipped gracefully onto his back. She breathed him in, basking in his scent.
“Did you get all clean?” she murmured, turning on her side now to face him.
“I did.”
She had thought having him in her bed would be weird, but it felt okay, comforting. “You must be exhausted. You didn’t sleep last night, right? And yesterday feels like a million years ago.”
“I don’t sleep often.”
“Doesn’t mean you don’t need it.” She studied the side of his face as he looked up at the skylight, admiring the firmness of his jaw and the sharp angles of his profile. She wondered what dark visions haunted him enough to give him night terrors. “Do you sleep beside the Queen?”
He chuckled softly. “Let my guard down around that woman? Never.”
“Afraid she’ll draw a dick on your face?” Beth teased.
Ronan glanced sideways at her, his full lips curved up in a small, enticing smile. “Is that what you would do?”
“I’m not the type. I might braid your hair or something.” She winced at how stupid that sounded, but he laughed.
“I doubt I would mind that.” His eyes closed but his smile stayed. “The home you have built for yourself, Elizabeth, it is very loving. I can see why you like it.”
“Mm,” she agreed, her eyes falling closed again. “It almost makes up for my formative years.”
“Yes. I can’t imagine having Fianna for a mother as being easy.”
“Not really,” she said. She wondered what his mother was like, but thought asking right now might seem nosy.
Beth found herself reaching out without realizing what she was doing and letting her fingers sift through the soft silver hair on his pillow.
“Like silk,” she murmured.
Ronan’s smile turned blissful. “Play with it all you like.” He sounded just as sleepy as her, for once.
Beth took his invitation to heart and stroked, starting at his scalp and moving down. She felt him relax, even heard him utter a small sigh. She suspected him of being asleep and she wasn’t far behind.