Cricket (Cricket Kendall Book 1), page 12
Eventually, Margot looks up at the clock on the oven and tells us all she’ll be right back. Her daughter just got out of school, and the bus that drops her off at home should be here any minute.
After she walks out the front door, Theo taps his fingers on the countertop and gives me a cute smile. “After you meet Rory, we’ll get out of here. Sound good?”
I nod and smile back up at him, leaning with my elbows on the island counter. I really want to hug him, but I don’t want to do something weird in front of his family. A few minutes later, I hear the front door open, and a little girl runs into the kitchen.
She throws herself at Theo, and he hugs her back with a laugh. She’s tall, and she has an adorable face with freckles sprinkled across her nose and beautiful red hair pulled back in a headband. She says hello to Cas and Hollis, and then she finally notices me.
Her eyes light up, and she smiles. “HI! Who are you?”
“Rory, this is Cricket. She’s a witch!” Theo says. I give him a look, and he just shrugs at me with a lopsided grin.
“Ooh, like Miss Aurora?” Rory asks, bouncing on her toes in excitement.
Theo chokes and scowls at his uncle. “What the hell? She knows?”
“Not everyone is as oblivious as you and Cas are,” Hollis says with an amused snort.
Rory laughs, and Hawthorne shrugs with no explanation. I smile at Rory and admit, “Yep, just like her! Aurora is my aunt.”
“Cool!” She grabs my hand and pulls me toward a staircase. “Want to see my room? I’ll help you brush your hair.”
I bite my lip to keep from laughing, and Theo snickers beside me. Margot gasps quietly, horrified at her daughter’s lack of subtlety. “Rory, be nice!”
“It’s okay,” I assure Margot and allow Rory to lead me upstairs.
Margot still looks embarrassed and turns to look at her husband. Theo glances at Hollis and Cas, and the three of them follow behind me and Rory. She leads us upstairs and down a long hallway to a bedroom on the right-hand side. The walls are painted a pretty lilac color, and everything is very clean and girly.
Rory tells me to sit on the floor, and she grabs a hairbrush off her dresser. The boys sit down on the floor in front of me, and Hollis asks Rory how her first day of school was. Rory chatters nonstop about her teacher and the kids in her class. She rakes her hairbrush through my hair, and holy crap, it freaking hurts. I wince a few times, and the boys grimace sympathetically. The fourth time I wince, I feel tears in the corners of my eyes. Cas stands up so fast he startles me, and he steps behind me to take the hairbrush from Rory.
“You’re hurting her,” he reprimands.
“Well, she has a lot of tangles!” Rory whines.
“Scoot over, let me do it.” Cas growls, sitting down on the floor behind me.
My eyes widen in surprise, and I turn my head to look at him. He’s still frowning, and he doesn’t meet my eyes, but he gently turns my head so I’m facing forward again. His fingers are gentle as he slowly runs the brush through my witchy hair. It’s so soft and relaxing, I feel like purring. Theo’s eyes are soft as they run over every inch of my face, and Hollis watches me with a shy smile that makes my heart flip.
When Cas finishes, I feel my hair lying smooth around my face. I turn to give him a sweet smile. He smiles back, showing that adorable dimple that I’m officially obsessed with. After only a few seconds, my magic buzzes beneath my skin, and I know without seeing it that my hair’s already sticking out like crazy again.
Cas snorts in amusement and Rory gasps, “What’s wrong with your hair?”
“My magic makes it do that. I’ve given up trying to make it behave.” I shrug.
Rory makes a face. “Aurora’s hair doesn’t do that. Her hair is pretty!”
“Cricket’s hair is pretty too.” Cas takes a strand of my hair between his fingers and gazes into my eyes. His mouth slowly quirks up on one side, and he chuckles. “Even if it is a crazy mess.”
“Alright guys, time to get out of here. I don’t want to get Cricket home too late.” Theo stands and stretches, and I totally don’t notice the way his shirt rides up to reveal some drool-worthy abs.
We make our way back downstairs and say goodbye to everyone. Hawthorne and Margot tell me they hope I’ll visit again soon. It surprises me, but their approval gives me a nice, warm feeling. Hawthorne pulls Theo aside as we walk out the door, whispering too quietly for me to hear. Theo nods somberly.
He quickly shakes the serious expression from his face. He raises his eyebrows at me and repeats the question he asked the first time I saw him shift. “Ready to play, little witch?”
Chapter Sixteen
We’ve been driving for about ten minutes, and nothing around us looks familiar. I turn to look at Theo in confusion. “We’re not going to our regular spot?”
He grins and reaches out to thread his fingers through mine, but he doesn’t take his eyes off the road. “That’s our spot, little witch. I don’t want you playing with these guys out there.”
My breath catches in my throat at the slightly possessive tone in his voice. Butterflies are going crazy in my stomach. I know if we were alone, I would give in and kiss the crap out of him like I’ve been dying to do since the moment I met him. I’m terrified what I’m feeling is going way beyond attraction, or even just a crush. My stupid crushes on Hollis and Cas make everything that much harder and more complicated too.
I squeeze Theo’s hand and turn around in my seat to smile at Cas and Hollis. Hollis smiles back, but Cas is staring fixedly at mine and Theo’s interlocked hands.
“Is Theo the only werewolf you’ve seen shift?” Hollis asks me curiously.
“Before I met Theo, I didn’t even know werewolves existed!” I laugh.
That seems to surprise Hollis. He obviously knows a little about witches since Aurora’s friends with the pack, but I’ve never met any other witches that mentioned werewolves or shifters. And judging by the shocked reactions of Theo and Cas when they found out about me, I don’t think magic is common knowledge outside of the community of witches either.
“Did she freak out?” Hollis asks Theo.
“Dude, the first thing she said was that she felt cheated because in Twilight the fucking wolves have to get naked to shift.”
Cas barks out a surprised laugh and smirks at me. I’m glad to see he’s snapped out of his surly mood, even when he says, “Don’t worry, Cricket. I won’t disappoint you like that.”
Hollis punches him in the arm. Cas snarls and punches him back even harder. Hollis growls ferociously, and Cas gets a crazy glint in his eyes.
“Jesus, you guys.” Theo huffs. “Can it fucking wait until we’re out of the car?”
Luckily, we arrive a few minutes later. We’re deep in the forest, away from any trails or pathways. I figure we’ll still probably hike further from here. After shutting the door and taking a few steps forward, I dig my toes into the soft ground and close my eyes as I breathe in the intoxicating mountain air. When I open my eyes, there are a few leaves and twigs blowing gently around my feet, and the boys are staring at me in wonder.
“Let’s go!” I smile, waiting for them to lead the way.
Hollis holds his hand out to me first with an earnest smile, and I gladly take it. He hasn’t touched me much since this morning after our English class and sparks zing through my body as soon as I grab his hand. I think he feels it too, because he squeezes my hand lightly and his nostrils flare as I stare into his dazzling sapphire eyes. He pulls me along further into the forest with Cas and Theo following closely behind us.
After a short walk, we come to a small clearing on the edge of a steep, rocky bluff. I step up to the very edge and peer down. A few hundred feet below, there’s a beautiful valley with a small stream running straight through it. It looks like the valley is completely untouched. It’s surrounded on both sides by sheer slopes.
“We’re going down there?” I inquire eagerly.
Hollis and Theo nod, but Cas cringes and takes a tentative step closer to me. “Be careful, Cricket! One of us will carry you down.”
His concern is sweet, but I’m feeling mischievous. I raise one eyebrow at him and stick one foot out over the summit. He runs a hand roughly through his hair and looks at Theo. “Fucking stop her! She’s going to fall.”
Theo turns to me and scrunches up his nose. His eyes are full of mischief when he says, “Yeah! Be careful, Cricket.”
With a dramatic sigh, I turn and pretend to take a step in Cas’s direction. He looks so ridiculously relieved. At the last second, I pretend to trip over a rock and tumble over the edge with a shriek. I let myself hover a few inches below the edge. Before I can float back up to the guys, the head of a huge, midnight black wolf peers over the edge at me. When I see his emerald eyes, I burst into uncontrollable giggles. His ears flatten, and he stares at me in alarm.
I float up and hover above him. Theo is still standing in the same spot with his arms crossed and a shit-eating grin on his face. Hollis stands next to him with his jaw dropped, his entire body tense. I do a ballerina twirl in the air and curtsy for them.
“Stop showing off, little witch. You literally scared the wolf out of Cas.” Theo laughs.
Pfft, Cas has been up and down with me all day. I figure he deserves to be messed with a little. I settle back down on the ground in front of him and look him over. He looks just as enormous as Theo does in his wolf form, and his fur looks soft and shiny. He’s magnificent. I remember Hollis said Cas is the smallest of the three of them, which is hard to believe when I’m standing right in front of him.
I lightly scratch my fingers under his chin and coo, “Hey there, little guy. You’re so cute! You want a belly rub?”
Cas lowers his ears so they’re flat against his head, and he growls at me. Faster than I can blink, Theo shifts and shoves Cas away from me. He snarls and snaps his teeth until Cas submits and crouches low to the ground. Theo looks strong and ferocious standing over him, showing his teeth. It’s startling to see him this way, but I don’t feel afraid. I feel weirdly proud of his strength, and I know he thinks he’s just defending me.
“It’s okay, Theo. He won’t hurt me,” I say softly, running my fingers through his russet fur. I bend down and brush my fingers through Cas’s silky fur too. I know without a doubt what I said is true. I trust him implicitly, the same way I trust Theo.
Cas perks his ears up and hesitantly sniffs my side. He gently licks my hand and wags his tail as he stands up to his full height. I grin when I turn around to look for Hollis. He’s standing off to the side a bit, still in his human form.
“Well? Let’s see it!” I call happily.
He bites his lip and gives me a shy smile. “I just wanted to tell you how amazing that was. When you fell, you scared the shit out of me. The only reason I didn’t shift like Cas did was because Theo stopped me.”
“My affinity is air, remember?” I walk over and wrap my arms around him.
“Yeah, but experiencing it firsthand is something else. It’s remarkable.”
My cheeks are hurting from smiling so much, and I laugh. “Shift already before I start blushing!”
He chuckles and quickly shifts in front of me. He’s just as big as Theo and Cas. The top of my head barely reaches his back. His fur is a pure, snowy white, and his eyes look even brighter and more radiant.
“You’re totally the prettiest. You look like Jon Snow’s direwolf!” I run my fingers through his fur and laugh as he wags his tail and nuzzles my neck.
He snorts and wags his tail back and forth wildly. Theo yips from behind me and nudges my back. I scratch his head and look around at the three of them in awe.
“Okay, let’s go down!” I shout.
Theo wags his tails and nudges me toward the edge of the bluff. I’m not worried about the guys. I know they’ll all be able to get down just fine. I motion to Theo to get out of the way and take a few steps back to get a decent running start. I’ve never done this, but I’m confident in myself and my magic.
I pull the wind through my fingers, feeling the air all around me, and take off running toward the edge of the cliff. I leap out as far as I can, screaming and laughing as I let myself fall. When I’m close to hitting the ground, I use the wind to pull myself up and land gently on my toes. It doesn’t take long for the boys to join me at the bottom of the valley. They’re panting and wagging their tails happily.
Looking at them together like this, my magic feels stronger than it ever has before. My fingertips are tingling and all of my senses feel slightly enhanced. I don’t know what’s happening, but for just a second, I feel nearly invincible. Like my magic is capable of anything.
Faster than I can blink, Theo shifts and stands in front of me. He grabs me roughly with one hand on each side of my face as he brings his face closer to mine. I’m suddenly giddy and nervous. Is he about to kiss me?
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Did you use up all your magic again?” he asks hysterically, his eyes searching my face for any signs I’m not okay.
Breathlessly, I ask, “What? I’m fine.”
He squints and pulls back. “Your eyes are all crazy and wild. They’re changing colors. I mean, they’re usually a mix of colors, but this is different.”
It’s a little alarming to hear that my eyes are changing colors, but I feel way too amazing to worry about it right now. “My magic feels so much stronger than usual, being with the three of you together. It’s overwhelming, but it feels fantastic.”
Theo looks me over once more and breathes out in relief. “If you’re sure you’re okay, wanna race?” He grins at me before shifting again, and he takes off running alongside the stream.
I screech in laughter and take off running behind him. I use the wind to help push me faster until I’m running alongside him. Hollis and Cas join us, and Cas quickly pushes ahead of everybody. I push myself faster until I’m neck and neck with Cas, leaving the other two far behind.
We finally stop when we reach a line of trees where the stream narrows. He’s panting and giving me a wolfy smile. I laugh and jump in the stream, splashing him. He takes a drink of water and licks at my feet, which tickles. He pounces around adorably and chases my feet as I splash around in the water. When Theo and Hollis finally catch up to us, Theo sniffs me all over excitedly and lies down in the middle of the stream until I climb onto his back.
The rest of the afternoon passes by much too quickly. I have so much fun playing with them and watching them together. They all take turns play-fighting in front of me, and it looks crazy scary and ferocious. I practice my magic and try a few new tricks to the delight of the boys. I’m careful not to push my magic too far, but it’s obvious to me I’m no longer limited in the same ways I was just a few days ago.
A couple of hours later, I find myself sitting beside the stream with Hollis while we watch Cas and Theo fight. Cas is quicker, but it’s clear that Theo is stronger. They’re pretty evenly matched, and I feel so much admiration for them. Hollis nuzzles my side while I scratch his ears and stroke his fur.
When I yawn, I bury my face in his neck to try to cover it up. But he catches it, promptly sitting up and yipping at Theo. Theo and Cas stop playing and stare at me worriedly. I groan and glare at Hollis. He licks my leg and wags his tail in response. I don’t want to leave, but I know I should probably get home and rest. As unreal as it seems, we have school again tomorrow. This has been the longest, craziest day ever.
Without asking, I climb onto Hollis’s back. He wags his tail and yips at me happily, sniffing at my feet dangling on either side of him. He runs with me on his back until we’re back at the top of the bluff we’d originally come down from. Theo comes up behind us and quickly shifts so he’s human again. Cas joins him, and they smile brightly at me.
I pout at them. “I don’t want to leave.”
Hollis shifts abruptly while I’m still on his back. It feels so weird, I yelp in surprise. When he’s in his human form, he keeps carrying me on his back and holds his hands under my thighs. I instinctively tighten my arms around his neck, and he turns his head to smile brightly at me.
“It’s getting late anyway, Cricket,” he says softly.
“Fucking shit, it’s already after seven!” Cas curses, staring down at his watch.
Hollis walks back to Theo’s jeep without putting me down. I don’t argue. I just lean my head lazily against his and sigh blissfully. Theo looks at me and Hollis, a strange expression on his face. He doesn’t end up saying anything, just tenderly ruffles my hair and smiles at me as he walks beside us.
“Now I understand why you were hiding her from us all week,” Hollis says to Theo.
“Yeah, you greedy asshole! We could have been doing this every day.” Cas comes up on my other side, peering around Hollis to glare at Theo.
“Too bad, I found her first,” Theo says smugly.
A warm, happy feeling swirls in my chest, and I laugh. “Thanks for playing with me, guys. That was so much fun! You’re seriously fucking amazing!”
Cas beams at me, showing his dimple. “You’re so fucking fast! Even I had a hard time keeping up with you!”
“I didn’t think you’d be able to read us so well.” Hollis shakes his head. “I was worried at first since we can’t actually talk back to you as wolves, but you just...”
“Yeah, that really impressed me the first time too. She’s a natural with us, right?” Theo lightly strokes the top of my foot, his voice full of pride.
