Vulnerable: Book 1 of the Magic Mutations Series | ✓

38: Pros and Cons

As we packed our belongings into the car the next day, I was conscious that Lukas kept glancing over at me. The clouds in the sky were a dark grey and the temperature was almost at freezing point. Nonetheless, the warmth of the house still had my body flushed, so I was yet to tighten my scarf and zip up my jacket (especially knowing I'd remove it in the car).

"What?" I asked him when Ben ducked back inside to grab something.

His eyes trailed down to my exposed neck. "You didn't take long to forgive him."

I tied up my scarf, hiding my new bruise from Ben's bite last night. "He apologised." My cheeks tinted red as I remembered his lips over my collarbone. Yet again, we hadn't progressed further, but I still very much enjoyed when he bit me.

"How's he going to learn?"

"He said he's going to do better."

Lukas scoffed and walked away, climbing into the passenger seat of the car, just in time before Ben came out, smiling.

He threw the last bag into the boot, then turned to me, wrapping his arms around me. Erica and Jayce walked past, climbing into the car while Ben and I had our moment. Trailing his fingers down my cheek, he slowly leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. "You seem off. Angry. Are you still mad at me?" he whispered, wary of our friends in the car.

I shook my head and smiled up at him. "Lukas just said something that got on my nerves is all."

He smiled back, giving me another peck. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Walking me over to the car, he held the door open, waiting until I was in and buckled before closing the door and taking his place in the driver's seat.

"Ready team?" he asked.

Erica turned and looked at me, eyebrow raised as she leaned over and whispered, "What did you do to him to make him so happy?"

I shrugged, but giggled. "Love?"

As I looked to the front, I could see Ben's eyes watching me in the rearview mirror. He winked, then turned on the ignition. But Lukas didn't speak the whole drive.

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The longer we drove and the closer we got, the more my stomach began to churn. At the same time, the more my heart began to swell, as though something was calling to me.

We had rented an apartment for the week in walking distance from the castle ruins, and we went straight there when we arrived in town. I could see the ruins as I climbed out of the car, my hands clenching into fists.

Ben wrapped an arm around my waist and leaned down. "We can go tomorrow," he whispered. "Or even at the end of the week. Or never. Okay?"

I nodded, and turned away, breaking eye contact, yet still feeling that aching pull.

I grabbed my bag out of the boot and we trudged our way up the stairs to our three bedroom apartment. Jayce and Erica claimed a room together, and Ben and I claimed another, leaving Lukas to a room on his own.

We spent the afternoon curled up on the couch watching movies and chatting about mindless topics to keep my mind off the nerves. Nonetheless, every so often I found myself compelled to glance in the direction of the ruins.

Despite how hard I tried not to.

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