Read Online Falling for Forever by Caitlin Ricci - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Caitlin Ricci
Tags: F/F romance, fantasy
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focused her mind, and her bodily energy condensed into a translucent barrier around the doorway. Now that everything was secure, Mariah went over to Bryn to comfort her. They sat on a soft couch as Angie fussed behind the counter. Bryn's small hands trembled slightly and tears streamed down her face. "I am sorry I was not there sooner, Bryn. I should have been."
Bryn reached out her hands and wrapped them tightly around Mariah's neck. "Please Mariah, I… I need you to hold me."
Mariah nodded and smiled at her as she took Bryn's frail body into her arms. "Bryn, I am so sorry. I cannot believe someone would ever wish to harm an innocent Strytas in such a way."
"Can I get anyone some tea?" Angie asked them. Bryn nodded quickly and stifled her sobs as another wave threatened to overcome her.
"Who was that man?" Angie asked as she handed Bryn the cup of hot tea. Bryn blew on the amber liquid as the steam swept over her cheeks and eyes.
"Just someone I used to know," she softly said back.
"You seemed to be pretty friendly with him, darling," Angie said as she sat next to them.
Bryn shot her an angry glare, which instantly stunned her into silence.
"We weren't like that. Well, we were, but not by choice. Mine anyway," Bryn grumbled miserably. She had never tried to explain what had happened at Franklin's to anyone. Bryn had no idea how she would do it now. "Nicholas Hawthorne is a lord and a good friend of the man that used to own me."
"That's absurd. Who would want to own a Strytas?"
Bryn laughed nervously. The cup of tea trembled in her hands. Bryn rested her head on Mariah's chest and ran her hand over her arm in lazy circles. Mariah still held her tightly, and she was grateful for her. Never before had any human stood up for her.
"The man that owned me was named Franklin. He… well, he…" She sighed. "He let his friends and anyone else that could pay his price have me for a night." She shut her eyes tightly and trembled. "Mr. Hawthorne was one of those men that were rich enough to pay. Most of the time, though, he got me for free." She was afraid to look either of them in the eyes. Her fear of rejection was overwhelming, and so she sat quietly waiting for either of them to speak. Angie wiped a few of her own tears away and touched Bryn's shoulder gently. Bryn watched her as she went to fill her teacup.
"I am sorry, Bryn. I am so very sorry." Mariah rubbed her upper arms while trying to dry away a few of her tears. Bryn nodded and relaxed into her embrace. "Thank you, Mariah," she softly said to her. She carefully ran a feather over Mariah's eyes, wiping away the tears that she had been bravely fighting back. Angie returned with fresh tea and filled each of their cups.
Angie bit her lip, but it finally got the better of her, and the questions began pouring out. "When did he first take you, Bryn? How many times has it been since then?"
Bryn looked up into Angie's eyes with a mixture of annoyance and understanding. "I was thirteen the first time, and there have been way too many times after that," she said without hesitation. The numbness had crept back into her heart. As long as it was there, talking about what had happened no longer hurt. It felt like any other conversation.
"When was the last time?" Angie asked as Bryn sipped her tea.
Bryn blushed modestly and looked away. "It was about an hour before Mariah came to Franklin's manor."
Mariah sighed heavily. "We should be heading back soon, Bryn. The sun is already touching the horizon."
Bryn nodded back at her, and Mariah thanked Angie for taking care of Bryn with the clothing and tea. They said their final goodbyes and departed from the store.
Bryn looked over her shoulder as they headed out of town. "I forgot to ask Angie what was in the cream. I will do that next time, I guess." She slipped her hand into Mariah's and squeezed gently. "Thank you again for back there, Mariah." Bryn fluttered her wings until she was afew inches off the ground. She
Bryn reached out her hands and wrapped them tightly around Mariah's neck. "Please Mariah, I… I need you to hold me."
Mariah nodded and smiled at her as she took Bryn's frail body into her arms. "Bryn, I am so sorry. I cannot believe someone would ever wish to harm an innocent Strytas in such a way."
"Can I get anyone some tea?" Angie asked them. Bryn nodded quickly and stifled her sobs as another wave threatened to overcome her.
"Who was that man?" Angie asked as she handed Bryn the cup of hot tea. Bryn blew on the amber liquid as the steam swept over her cheeks and eyes.
"Just someone I used to know," she softly said back.
"You seemed to be pretty friendly with him, darling," Angie said as she sat next to them.
Bryn shot her an angry glare, which instantly stunned her into silence.
"We weren't like that. Well, we were, but not by choice. Mine anyway," Bryn grumbled miserably. She had never tried to explain what had happened at Franklin's to anyone. Bryn had no idea how she would do it now. "Nicholas Hawthorne is a lord and a good friend of the man that used to own me."
"That's absurd. Who would want to own a Strytas?"
Bryn laughed nervously. The cup of tea trembled in her hands. Bryn rested her head on Mariah's chest and ran her hand over her arm in lazy circles. Mariah still held her tightly, and she was grateful for her. Never before had any human stood up for her.
"The man that owned me was named Franklin. He… well, he…" She sighed. "He let his friends and anyone else that could pay his price have me for a night." She shut her eyes tightly and trembled. "Mr. Hawthorne was one of those men that were rich enough to pay. Most of the time, though, he got me for free." She was afraid to look either of them in the eyes. Her fear of rejection was overwhelming, and so she sat quietly waiting for either of them to speak. Angie wiped a few of her own tears away and touched Bryn's shoulder gently. Bryn watched her as she went to fill her teacup.
"I am sorry, Bryn. I am so very sorry." Mariah rubbed her upper arms while trying to dry away a few of her tears. Bryn nodded and relaxed into her embrace. "Thank you, Mariah," she softly said to her. She carefully ran a feather over Mariah's eyes, wiping away the tears that she had been bravely fighting back. Angie returned with fresh tea and filled each of their cups.
Angie bit her lip, but it finally got the better of her, and the questions began pouring out. "When did he first take you, Bryn? How many times has it been since then?"
Bryn looked up into Angie's eyes with a mixture of annoyance and understanding. "I was thirteen the first time, and there have been way too many times after that," she said without hesitation. The numbness had crept back into her heart. As long as it was there, talking about what had happened no longer hurt. It felt like any other conversation.
"When was the last time?" Angie asked as Bryn sipped her tea.
Bryn blushed modestly and looked away. "It was about an hour before Mariah came to Franklin's manor."
Mariah sighed heavily. "We should be heading back soon, Bryn. The sun is already touching the horizon."
Bryn nodded back at her, and Mariah thanked Angie for taking care of Bryn with the clothing and tea. They said their final goodbyes and departed from the store.
Bryn looked over her shoulder as they headed out of town. "I forgot to ask Angie what was in the cream. I will do that next time, I guess." She slipped her hand into Mariah's and squeezed gently. "Thank you again for back there, Mariah." Bryn fluttered her wings until she was afew inches off the ground. She
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