Suppressed (Suppressed Saga) (19 page)

I looked back and forth between them waiting for whatever was going to happen. Seth didn’t seem bothered by the look Eric was giving him. He probably knew better than anyone that Eric was mad.

“
I ran into Graham.” Eric said starting off.

“
And?” Seth said.

“
What did you do?”

“
What I was told to do.”

Eric’s voice rose as he stepped forward. “You took him didn’t you? I told you to give that job to someone else.”

“
There was no one else that could do it. You think just anybody could go in there and take him?”

Eric shook his head, “That’s exactly why I didn’t want you to do it. We agreed we weren’t going to get dragged in any further. It’s only making everything worse.”

I had no idea what they were talking about. My head still hurt from trying to comprehend the conversation between Eric and Graham and now it was getting worse from this one. I noticed Seth’s fist tighten at his side and I stepped back towards the wall in fear they were about to pummel each other.

“
Cam was with me when I ran into Graham. He said if you didn’t bring the man back that he was going to come after her.”

Seth’s fist loosened and he braced both his hands behind his head letting out a deep breath. After a minute he swung his arms back down to his sides.

“
I’ll see what I can do but I don’t think I’ll be able to get him back.”

“
Well it’s your girlfriend whose life’s on the line.” Eric spat out.

“
Don’t you think I know that?” Seth shouted.

“
Well then act like you care!”

Seth went forward and grabbed Eric by the throat, slamming him down on the floor. The second Eric’s back hit the ground he swung and his fist and it met the side of Seth’s head. Seth went back for a second but quickly recovered and landed an equal blow to the side of Eric’s face.

It didn’t seem to faze Eric as he knocked Seth down and went to snatch him up. I screamed for them to stop and they both turned to me breathing heavy.

“
What is wrong with both of you?” I shouted.

Eric pointed his finger at Seth and started to say something but I cut him off.

“
It was rhetorical!”

A grin came to Seth’s face but faded when I glared at him too.

“
You’re going to tell me right now what’s going on.”

Eric’s hand reached forward to pull Seth up from the floor. Their fight seemed to be behind them and I realized it was probably something that happened often.

Seth started off explaining, “The job I had last weekend, I had to take an Alchemist. I dropped him off at the dock, what happened to him afterwards I don’t know.”

“
Okay, so why didn’t Eric want you to take the job in the first place?” I said throwing a glance Eric’s way.

“
Graham is the Alchemist’s apprentice, and he and Eric are friends. He is the one who gives Eric inside information.”

“
Plus Alchemist’s are very powerful and it would be stupid to even mess with one, especially one that works for Declan.” Eric added.

I looked back and forth between them both, “So now what? You have to return this Alchemist person or Graham will come after me?”

They both nodded and Seth came my way. “I didn’t think Graham would take it personal. If I even thought for a second that he would and come after you I wouldn’t have done it.”

I grabbed his arm and held onto him. “We’ll deal with it.”

Seth’s hand brushed my cheek and he gave me a small smile before turning back to Eric, “If you ever imply again that I don’t care about her I will beat the hell out of you, literally.”

Eric waved his hand and headed for the kitchen, “I’ve heard that threat a hundred times before.”

I dropped my bag and headed over to the couch to lie down. My head was still pounding for some reason. Maybe all the information I was trying to soak in was taking a toll on me. Seth came and sat at the other end of the couch lifting my feet to rest on his legs.

“
You alright?” he asked.

“
Yeah, I just have a headache.”

I closed my eyes and before I knew it I was out like a light.

I woke up what had to be hours later and was in the bed with Seth beside me passed out. I tried not to wake him as I got out but his arm went around me and pulled me back to the bed.

“
Where are you going?” he said to the back of my head.

I flipped over so we were face to face, “Nowhere now.”

His hand came up and brushed the hair out of my eyes, “I’m sorry about Graham. I never thought he would come after you. You know I would never intentionally do that, right?”

“
I know. I told you its fine. Don’t beat yourself up about it.”

I scooted closer to him and gave him a kiss before leaning my head into his chest. All the danger I was in didn’t bother me at all. I thought about Graham and what he had said when something occurred to me.

I craned my head back and looked at him. “Do you think there are things that Eric doesn’t tell you, like he’s keeping something from you?”

Seth didn’t look bothered by my question as he rolled onto his back and looked up at the ceiling.

“
I don’t know. I’m sure there is a lot he doesn’t tell me but if it was anything serious or life threatening I know he wouldn’t hide it from me. There are things I don’t tell him sometimes, like when I took the Alchemist. It doesn’t really bother me.”

I kept silent and just looked at the side of his head. He turned to me and gave me a weird stare. “Why did you ask that?”

“
I dunno, just something I heard Graham say. When Eric asked him what was going on he said to ask you. His exact words were, ‘maybe you’re not the only one keeping secrets’.”

He shrugged, “Eric tells him stuff sometimes to get him to open up about Declan. I’m sure Graham was referring to something Eric told him.”

Seth seemed to trust Eric implicitly so I shouldn’t be questioning his motives. There was still a lot I didn’t know or understand. I wanted to trust Eric, I really did. I guess I would have to let myself get to that point. If I didn’t trust him then I was SOL because he was the only other person besides Seth that I spent any time with.

The next few days were boring. Wednesday night I was able to spend the night at my dorm but I had a feeling either Seth or Eric stayed nearby to watch and make sure I was okay.

Lance stopped me and Eric on Thursday after class to see if we wanted to go to a bar with him and a few other people that night. I didn’t answer right away but looked to Eric for an answer. He said we would be there and it kind of stunned me.

“
Do you think it’ll be okay if we go?” I asked as we walked up to my dorm.

“
Yeah it’ll be fine. Besides, you need a night out. You’ve been cooped up in your dorm and our house all week.”

“
We went out last weekend.” I pointed out.

“
Do you always have to argue with me about everything? If you don’t want to go then I guess you and Seth can stay home.”

Eric opened the door for me and I went into my building.

“
I want to go. I just want to make sure it’ll be safe. And I don’t argue with you about everything.”

“
Yes you do. If I attempted to do the dishes you would tell me I was doing it wrong.”

I looked back at him and glared, “Do you ever shut up?”

Eric ignored me and leaned back against the wall waiting for me to unlock the door. When I finally opened it I saw Ashley at the foot of her bed going through her laundry.

“
Hey, you going to Sparrows tonight?” she said holding up an orange shirt.

“
Yeah, are you?”

“
Yep”

“
Am I going to meet your new boy toy?” I said grinning at her.

Her face got a little red, “He’s supposed to be there.”

“
Good, I want to meet the dude that’s been taking my roommate away from me.”

She chunked a t-shirt at me, “Oh please, like your ever here either.”

A throaty noise came from the hall and I looked at Eric standing there with his arms spread wide on each side of the doorway.

“
Hey Eric.” Ashley said brightly.

“
Hi.” He threw her a smile and then looked back at me with a stern expression. “Come on, pick out your little outfit to wear tonight and let’s go.”

“
I thought you were ignoring me.” I said going to my closet. I pulled out my bag and shoved some stuff into it. When I turned around I saw Eric getting ready to jump on my bed.

“
Oh, no you don’t,” I rushed out.

He stopped in mid jump and looked back at me puzzled.

“
You’re not lying on my bed, are you crazy?”

“
You can lie on my bed.” Ashley said a little too cheerily. I looked at her dreamy expression and had to fight the urge to roll my eyes.

“
Thank you Ashley. You’re so nice. You’re not hateful like this one over here.” Eric finished with a cock of his head my way.

“
I’m not hateful.” I said going back into my closet.

Ashley spoke up causing me to poke my head back out of the closet.

“
Yes you are, well at least to him anyways. Why do you hate him so much?”

Eric smiled smugly and sat up in the bed, “You know I still don’t know the answer to that question.”

I shut down completely. I had no idea what to do or say. Hating him just came so easy to me, it was a choice I made the second I saw him and was hard to explain to anyone. Truthfully it was shallow and I knew no one would understand so instead of answering I just went back in the closet and finished packing.

Ashley mumbled something to Eric and I just let it go without comment. I grabbed up a pair of random heels and a shirt to go with them. I had enough jeans at Seth’s house to fill a warehouse so I didn’t need any.

I walked out of the closet and checked my bag to make sure I didn’t need anything before zipping it up. Eric grabbed it out of my hand and went to sling it over his shoulder but I snatched it back quickly. He went to grab it again I gave up by chunking it at him hard in the chest.

He looked over at Ashley’s bothered expression to our behavior. “Don’t worry I’m used to it by now. If I don’t show up tonight you know why.” He pointed to me and then grabbed his throat, pretending to choke.

I rolled my eyes and shoved him out the door before telling Ashley I would see her tonight.

The car ride back to the house was nothing but silent. I cranked up the stereo so it wouldn’t give Eric a chance to say anything that would get on my nerves.

Seth walked out from the hallway the same time we walked into the house. He had on a plain white Hanes t-shirt that was especially snug. I couldn’t look anywhere past it because it zoned me in on him along with his eyes and that amazing face. As soon as I saw him I felt my face light up and he came over to me. I wrapped my arms loosely around his neck and kissed him hard on the mouth with my fingers grabbing at his neck.

“
What was that for?” he said looking stunned.

I felt my face flush from the kiss. “That was hello.”

“
Well hello.” He smiled and kissed me again.

Eric had dropped my duffle bag by the front door and I grabbed it up before heading back to the bedroom.

“
We’re going to Sparrows tonight.” I yelled to Seth over my shoulder.

“
Sparrows?” he said following me down the hall.

“
Yeah, with my brother and a few other people, Ashley will be there with her new boyfriend too.”

I didn’t hear him respond so I turned around slowly on my heel. “We can go right?”