Tasting Drakness

Chapter 19

Someone placed an alarm in my room when I left. I thought a fire alarm was going off because it scared the crap out of me when it started blaring loudly. It took me a few seconds to realize the noise was coming from beside my head on the bedside table. Looking at the screen, it read, ‘breakfast, get up.

No doubt it was Darius’s doing. I couldn’t even shut the damn thing off had to wait for it to shut itself off. My ears were ringing as I pushed open the bathroom door to pee. I also wanted to have a quick shower to wake up, as it was only 6 30 AM.

The moment the door opened, I realized that someone was in the bathroom by the steam. I froze when Tobias looked over at me before turning back to the mirror while he continued to shave.

“Sorry,” I tell him backing out of the room.

“What?” he asked as I went to close the door. I shake my head.

“Aleera,” I paused. My eyes ran the length of him. He only had a towel draped low on his waist, and I could tell he had just gotten out of the shower.

“I will be out in a minute, but if you want to shower, I would remain if I were you. The moment I step out, someone else will come in,” Tobias says, not bothering to look over at me. I nod, stepping into the room and standing by the wall furthest from him.

“Did Darius give you some shoes?” I shake my head, and he nods, tilting his head to shave under his chin. I glanced at him before doing a double-take. His entire back was covered in thick burns, making me think of what Lycus said. I opened my mouth to ask but quickly closed it. However, the movement of my lips was not missed by Tobias. He glared at me through the mirror when the door opened up, and Kalen walked in.

I couldn’t help the smile that split onto my face when I saw him walk in. He didn’t notice me at first and instead kissed Tobias’s shoulder before plucking the razor from his fingers and going to sit between the sinks next to Tobias.

“You’re up,” Kalen says, excitedly moving toward me. Tobias growls, and Kalen sighed before moving back toward Tobias. H e sits between the two sinks before grabbing Tobias by the towel and moving him between his legs. Tobias places his hands on Kalen’s thighs. It was strange seeing Tobias be pulled around by Kalen and letting Kalen pull him around. Kalen turned Tobias chin up.

“Darius give you some shoes?” Kalen asked me as he started shaving Tobias’s face. Tobias growls so I don’t answer, and Kalen grips Tobias’s chin and turns his face toward his.” Darius said he would get her some,” Kalen tells him.

Tobias’s eyes soften, and I look away like I am intruding on some moment between them. I was beginning to realize that they all treated Kalen like he was made of glass; they were gentle with him. Even Darius was protective of him.

“I’ll speak with him,” Tobias tells him, and Kalen smiles before turning his face back up and continuing to shave him.

classes have you got?” Tobias’s eyes went to mine in the mirror, but I had no idea what classes

with me,” Tobias answers. Kalen nods like w e

“Why not with Lycus?”

with her,” Tobias answered, and I

about to leave the room. I felt somewhat

sorry,” Kalen

I stopped looking to where he was pointing at the windowsill above the toilet in the niche. I grabbed the box and walked over to him, and Kalen had sliced

my wrist. They have all warned me away from Kalen, and my eyes

“You can stay,”

I thought to myself. I remained where I was, but I could tell by how tense Tobias was that he didn’t want

were, why didn’t they heal? His power would have manifested by then. They were 18 at the time of the fire, and he could have healed himself, or Darius could have healed him. Kalen happily talked away;

darken, and he cuts off mid-sentence and

asked him. Kalen didn’t answer, and Tobias

“I hate taking them,”

needs to get ready, or she will miss breakfast,” Tobias tells him. Kalen went

her later,” Tobias says, tapping Kalen’s

can’t once

e nods before hopping off the sink basin. Kalen moved toward me, and I expected Tobias to stop him, but he didn’t as Kalen suddenly grabbed me, crushing me against his warm chest. He buried his face in my neck, and I sighed, hugging him back before he let go

as I went to leave the bathroom. Was I supposed to answer that? I found

he can be erratic,” Tobias

fragile; I have noticed how you all are with him. What sort of medication is he on?” Tobias nods and

being here will either be good for him or destroy him,” I noticed he

won’t hurt him; I couldn’t even if I