The Rede Breaker

Chapter 22: In the Light of Day

The first thing I feel is Archer's warm muscles draped around my waist.

He has me in a death grip.

It has been quite a while since I have been a spoon and it feels better than any other time in recent memory. I do not feel the same sense of shame and guilt I once would have. I feel at peace.

I squirm in his grip as I wiggle to face him. His sleeping face has a look of contentment. A smile I can get used to. It makes me smile as I recount the moments from last night.

I try to recall every touch and every kiss. It's not hard. The night was more than memorable. I cannot recall being so Intune with someone.

My eyes survey his naked body, or what I can see above the sheet. I squint at a few small scratches on his pectoral. They look as if they are deep wounds that did not completely heal. His muscles tense as he pulls me closer.

I am watching Archer sleep when Eric knocks at the door. He asks if I am awake and tells me I'm going to be late. Archer blinks awake. I press my finger to his lips as I sit up in the bed.

Eric calls out to me again, telling me that he grabbed breakfast. I call back out to him and tell him I'm up.

After I am satisfied that Eric is gone, I lean against the headboard. Archer smiles up at me before yawning. "Ashamed of me?" He asks.

"If he knew you were in here, he wouldn't leave." I say. "What about you? Any regrets?"

Archer slides up against the headboard beside me with a mischievous grin. "No. I'm actually thinking of how funny it would have been for me to open the door."

"You've got a dark side."

I laugh at the image. Eric would have reservations if I told him I, on a whim, brought Archer to my room and slept with him. It's none of his business but he fancies himself my protector without knowing what he's protecting me from.

I would like nothing more than to reveal Archer to him, but it's not the kind of conversation I want to have naked.

Or this early in the morning.

"What about you? Are you okay?" Archer asks.

"I'm great. No complaints."

"Whew! I'm glad. I'd hate to have to pull out my bag of magic tricks."

"Sounds kinky." I say. "I wish I could stay up here for a little while longer."

"But?"

"Life. It's complicated at the moment. Witches aren't the only supernatural intruders in my life. I'm not just any witch these days."

"I had a sneaking suspicion."

My heart jumps as I stare into his blue eyes. Something happens between us and I can feel it in my bones. It scares me. I want to dismiss the feeling and tell him to leave. The urge to push him away before he hurts me, or worse, I hurt him is intense.

"You sure you don't want to stay in bed?" He asks.

"Dr. Tereso, you of all people should know that the world doesn't stop."

Archer sighs as he throws the covers back. He rolls out of bed and finds his jeans on the floor. I watch as he silently finds his clothes.

He sits on the edge of my bed to put on his shoes. I spot a large tattoo on his right shoulder blade. It is a symbol I've never seen before. It looks like a moon but there is a fiery element to it, almost in the shape of a bird.

A phoenix, perhaps?

I wrap the sheets around my waist and scoot up beside him. His muscles tense as he slides on his shoes. Something comes over me and I press my lips to his tattoo. I panic and kiss all the way to the small of his back.

I pull away as he turns to me. "Sorry. I didn't mean to get weird."

"It's not. Weird, I mean."

"No, it is! I'm such a weird person for doing that!"

He smiles as he stands. He grabs his shirt from the ground and slides his shirt over his large frame. "Trust me. I don't find it weird. It's actually hot. I should probably leave before I get that bag of tricks out."

Archer surprises me when he leans in to give me a quick peck. The kiss is too quick for me as he waits for me to show him out.

I softly and slowly guide him down the hallway to the stairs. As we reach the foot of the stairs, Sierra walks out of the living room shouting that she found them. She stops in her tracks as she finds us.

"Oh my—"

"Nope. Quiet! Please!" I say.

Sierra blushes as I show Archer to the door. He laughs as he kisses me once more before leaving.

"You little horndog!" Sierra says.

"It's not what it looks like."

"You're thirty. If you're doing it you can say it. You were listening to his stethoscope."

I ignore her as I head to the kitchen. She continues to throw out puns as we arrive in the kitchen to find Eric sitting at the counter eating a pastry. He is clearly ready for work. He is holding our tablet in one hand and stuffing food down his mouth with the other.

"Morning." Eric mutters with a full mouth.

Sierra and I greet him as we join him at the counter. I sit beside him while Sierra slinks around the counter to get coffee. She keeps smiling at me. Detective Royce notices but doesn't muster the energy to say anything.

"I got an assortment." He says.

"Why?" I ask.

"Why not? Can't a big brother do something nice for his little bro?"

"What do you want?" I ask.

"Well, it's a request for both of you." Eric says. "With all the missing people around here, the chief wants to institute a curfew."

"As in 'be home before 11' curfew?" Sierra asks.

"Yeah. He's getting it pushed through the proper channels."

"And this has to do with us, why?" I ask.

Eric stands and walks over to a bag on the kitchen table. He returns and empties the contents on the counter. A stun gun and mace fall from the bag. Sierra looks to me for reassurance and I am as lost as she is.

"Pick one." Eric says.

"I've always wanted a stun gun!" Sierra says as she snatches it off the counter.

"What is this?"

"If you hadn't noticed, things are getting dicey here. You two need to defend yourself. If we need more, I can raid the station." He says.

"More than this?" Sierra asks.

"Next you'll be asking us to carry a gun." I say.

"If I thought I could talk you into it." Eric says.

"You can't. I hate guns."

"I remember. But Park, bad things are happening around here. We all need to be on guard."

"Why did we move here again?" Sierra asks.

I grab the mace off the counter. "Fine. I'll unload a can in someone's face. Anything else?"

"Nothing I can think of." Eric says.

Eric grabs the tablet and sits at the counter again. The sudden appearance of a smile on his face warns me that something else is coming. He waits for dramatic effect and when he speaks again, it's as embarrassing as I thought.

"Also, if we have visitors, you could be a little quieter. Or was that him? And he doesn't need to park across the street." Eric says.

My cheeks burn red-hot. Sierra cannot contain her laughter any longer. I retreat around the time Eric suggests we invite him over to a late dinner so he doesn't have to sneak in like a burglar.

I won't even repeat what Eric says he stole.