Eight

The ride into work wasn’t just the two of them, Genevieve was a little disappointed to find. But it would give her time to get to know two more of Remiel’s packmates, Silas and Ethan. They also declined to shake hands.

Remiel could feel her annoyance and rubbed her thigh after she got into the car, sitting in the front passenger seat of the car. The two men got into the back and Ethan put his knee into the back of her seat, prompting her to scoot it up until her knees were almost on the dash.

“Do you have enough room?” She turned to look back at his amused expression. 

“Yeah, thanks. Are you going to slide up for Silas, Remi?”

“No. I should have warned her about you before you got in.” Remiel frowned slightly. “You didn’t have to slide up so far, Genevieve.”

“I have shorter legs. I had more space than I needed, and he needed more space. It’s just common courtesy.” Turning back again she gave him a look that said she didn’t have a doubt about it as she asked, “You’d do the same, right?”

Ethan blinked at her and nodded ruefully. “Of course.” 

Silas snorted softly. “Ruby said you handled Zara pretty well. You might not be too bad at this.” 

“What’s ‘this’?” Genevieve looked at him curiously and the man froze.

“Navigating the pack dynamics, my thoughtful mate. I don’t like that I have to reach so far forward to touch you now.” He rubbed her thigh again.

“Do you have enough space that I could come back an inch or two?” Her apologetic question made Ethan glare at Remiel.

“I can stop the seat when you’ve come back far enough.” 

“Thank you.” She slid the seat back a little more than an inch before he stopped it. “Better, my angel?” Letting him know with a thought that she thought that was a bit of a childish power play, she watched him grin.

“Much, thank you.” Remiel ran his hand down her thigh before putting it back on the wheel.

“What else did Ruby say?” Ethan asked with an air of exaggerated innocence. “Is she looking for a new playmate?”

An ex girlfriend? She sent the question over and was answered by a twist of his lips and a nod. “She seemed nice, I hope she finds someone decent.” 

Remiel glanced at her with a smile. 

“Maybe she’ll come talk to me?” Ethan sounded smug.

“Oh no, I hope not.” Genevieve glanced back to see his annoyed expression. “Trying to upset me or make me jealous the first time you meet me is kind of a dick move. I liked Ruby, and I’ve dated too many a******s to hope she spends time with one.”

Silas grinned. “My sister will love that.”

“I think anyone who’s ever met Ethan will love that.” Remiel’s amusement was clear. 

Ethan was sulking so loudly that she winced. “If I apologize will you stop doing that so loudly?” Remiel’s hand darted out to her head and she could feel his concern, coupled with the sulking it was too much noise. He pulled away and she shook her head covering her ears. “I’m fine, it's just a little loud.

“Loud?” Ethan asked in a quiet confused tone. “I was silent.”

“You were sulking, she could hear it like a whistling kettle.” Remiel sighed. “We’re very loud to her. She told me it was like I was yelling in her ear.”

“It got better.” Pulling her hands away from her ears, it felt like they were holding their breaths. “I just have to get used to the volume. Having my necklace back would be nice. Some hematite would be good too.”

“Are you going to start handing out rocks?” Ethan sounded a little snide, and she could feel Remiel’s growl in her chest.

Reaching out to touch him soothingly, she answered, “Not unless someone wants something. I might make an exception for you though. Lepidolite, malachite,” she took a breath, “red jasper, and bronzite.”

He scoffed, “And what will that do?”

“You’re unhappy and a little off balance. That’s why you act like you do, I think, it’s what it feels like to me. The Lepidolite would help calm you a bit, help you recognize patterns, bring you into harmony. Malachite will help encourage change and help you break those bad patterns, red jasper will encourage you and help you when you’re struggling with those patterns and give you some needed revitalization. The bronzite will help you keep a cool head and reflect negative energy back toward anyone who doubts you can change or wishes to prevent you from becoming better.” Genevieve stifled a laugh at his discomfort. “You’re loud. I don’t mean to pry. And no the crystals don’t just work. You have to think about what they’re supposed to do, why you’re holding them, then they can help you. Some of it is you some of it is the crystal. Kind of like, um, an umbrella. If you just carry it and never open it it won’t fulfill its purpose.”

“So the stones in our room?” Remiel’s curiosity was mostly concern.

“I cleaned them and held them before I put them out. I’ll have to do it every so often to keep them working. They’re not something you can just toss out and never think about again.”

“It’s not real magic then.” Silas looked at her pensively.

“It depends on your definition of magic and your definition of real.” She leaned back in the seat. “If it has to be permanent to be real, then very few things are. If it has to be crafted like spiderwebs to be magic then I guess it isn’t. It’s just reaching for something inside the stone that a lot of people dismiss or don’t know is there.”

The car was quiet as she felt them contemplating that. Genevieve closed her eyes and rested in the momentary respite.

“Genevieve?” Remiel’s worry marred it.

“Just enjoying the quiet.” She opened her eyes and saw Remiel glance at her with a frown. “You don't need to worry so much. You can see now, you can look whenever you need to.”

“You got very quiet. Almost like you weren't there.”

“Being quiet and still is something I need to do now and then. We were having a moment of quiet and it seemed like a good time for it.”

“It didn’t sound like you got much quiet last night.” Ethan was trying to tease but she could feel Remiel respond like it was a provocation.

Speaking before he could, she teased back, “I didn’t want quiet last night. Or this morning before breakfast. I would have liked less quiet in the shower but we were in a little bit of a hurry.” She could feel Remiel’s amusement and pride taking the place of anger. “And I’ll have plenty of quiet doing my glass soon.”

“Oh?” Silas seemed grateful for the topic change. “Why is that?”

“It’s not something people can be going in and out for. It needs some focus and the lead and tiny shards of glass aren’t really things you want to track all over.”

“Lead?”

“Lead cames, lead in the solder.” She nodded. “Dust and fumes. You want good ventilation and  protective clothing that, ideally, does not leave the work area.”

“How did you pick up a hobby like that?” Ethan was leaning forward, putting his head almost next to her shoulder.

“Brandon’s dad. He worked a lot and when he came home he worked out in the shed on stained glass projects. Brandon hated it, he felt neglected, I think his mom did too. But I used to go out there to watch and he started teaching me before he got sick. It was nice to have someone quiet to spend time with. I liked learning how to score and break the glass and then putting it all back together. It was,” Genevieve sighed, “it was like I had control over something. I hadn’t ever felt an abundance of that.”

“He got sick?” Remiel was turning down the road toward the shop but his mind wasn’t really on driving.

“It wasn’t lead poisoning, it was cancer.” He didn’t seem to be slowing down. “Are you planning to drop me at work or…?”

He applied the brakes a little abruptly and pulled into one of the customer spots in front. “If I have to.” Remiel gave her a smile and leaned in as she unbuckled. 

“Alpha Germain insisted.” She grinned and gave him a kiss. His hand cupped her face pulling her deeper into it. “Mm. Have a good day at work, my angel.” Blushing slightly as she got out, she stuck her head back in, “You guys, too.”

“No kiss?” Ethan asked with an expression of wide-eyed innocence.

“Of course you can have a kiss, Remiel, do you mind? I should go on in.” She grinned impishly as Remiel sighed and leaned his head on the wheel. “Poor thing is stuck with me, and not in the fun way like last night.”

Ethan started to laugh and Remiel shooed her, “Go, don’t make me chase you in.”

Genevieve shut the door with a grin and walked to the doors, ducking in and turning back to smile as they pulled out. It felt like he was having fun.

“I didn’t expect you so early.” Sage smiled. “How was your sleep over? Brandon wants all the details.”

“It was amazing. I couldn’t tell you the last time I’ve had that much fun.”

“So was it just fun or are you jumping back into something?”

“I have never jumped this fast before in my whole life. But I am, absolutely. He is something wonderful and I am already head over heels.”

He exhaled and shook his head. “There are some people who say Mr. Germain has a cult out there. I know how much you want to belong and feel safe, I can’t help but worry you’re going to get swept up in something.”

“I’ll try to be careful. I’ve never been a fan of kool-aid.” Genevieve watched him try not to smile. “So far everything is,” she almost laughed thinking of Remiel’s eye, “is golden. No one has ever done so much for me and with less reason. If they wanted me to join a cult they could have just given me pamphlets, offered me a free month’s rent, and said security is included.” Sage was giving her a dirty look now. “I mean, I’m easy.” She raised her hands over her head and shrugged.

“Brandon said you used to be cheekier. This must be you feeling better.” He sniffed, feigning disapproval.

“It is!” She bounced, turning in a circle and then skipping over to the counter. “I am so annoying when I’m feeling good.” 

He swatted at her head and laughed. “I can see that. You’re not supposed to be here until lunch, why don’t you go bother Brandon, he’s still asleep.”

“Does he have the schedule out yet? I wanted to pick up a few things again today too. I swear you’re going to end up paying me in crystals this month.”

“If only more people worked for a handful of pretty rocks.” He looked at her pointedly. “How are rent and electricity coming?”

“I love how practical you are, but I’m finding it hard to think practically at the moment.”

“Which is why you need me. I’m not going to let you blow your paycheck on crystals. When you show me your budget and that you have rent, water, and electric covered, we can talk. I’d rather you get a phone first though.” 

“If I don’t join a cult will you adopt me?” Genevieve fluttered her lashes at him.

“Hell no, I’ve got to deal with Brandon, another perpetual child would make me lose my mind.”

“But I listen! Sometimes.”

“I will make you a copy of the schedule, go bother Brandon.” He clapped his hands and shooed her to the door as if she were an animal that had mistakenly gotten in.

“But Daaaad!”

“Oh, I will fire you if you start calling me Dad.” He pushed the door open and shoved her out.

Laughing, Genevieve waved and started down the road toward Brandon’s. The sun was peeking out, the air was warming up, she almost felt like belting out a song or something. Everything was better than it had been in… ever. Touching the place Remiel had bitten her, she could feel him trying to get his thoughts ordered for work.

She was almost to the entrance of Brandon’s apartment complex when the car pulled up next to her. 

“Get in.” 

“I am not getting in your car.” Her stomach knotted and she tried to send a collected thought to Remiel letting him know where she was and what was happening.

Nate pulled the car off of the road in front of her blocking her way and got out. “Look, we need to talk. You owe me at least that much.”

“I don’t owe you anything. And even if, by some twisted logic, I did owe you for trying to shatter my already low self-esteem and make me into something else entirely, you slashed my tires, and my new boyfriend’s tires.”

“That didn’t look very new to me.” He leaned on the back of the car with his arms crossed. “I don’t want to talk about this here. Get in, and think really hard about the first lessons you learned in self-defense. Don’t argue with armed men.”

“I seem to remember ‘scream’ and ‘don’t go anywhere that you’ll be alone with them’ being in there too.” Her heart was pounding. Curling her hands into fists to make them stop shaking she started to back away. 

“I can outrun you, you idiot. Get in the f*****g car.” Nate leaned forward coming off of the car.

Genevieve froze. Remiel needed more time. “What do you want to talk about?”

“I don’t want to talk here. Get-”

“Talk here or not at all.” She tried to make her voice steady and loud. “I’m not getting in your car.”

“You can get in the seat or the f*****g trunk.” 

He took a step forward and she spun trying to get as much distance between them as she could. Nate was faster. She hadn’t gotten far when he tackled her down and knocked the air out of her, punching her in the kidney and the head, leaving her curled and dazed, in pain. 

Heaving her off the ground, he threw her into the trunk and zip tied her hands behind her back. She could hear him telling someone cheerfully that he was a bounty hunter, not to worry. He would probably show his credentials she thought sickly. The car started off and Genevieve tried to remember what to do. Her head was swimming.

Breathe, breathe, calm. Zip ties. Zip ties first. There was supposed to be a way to make them pop off. On her side in the trunk she didn’t know if she could do it but she tried. All she was doing was making her wrists hurt worse. Her hands felt like they were going numb.

Maybe she could kick out a tail light. Kicking would be loud but he probably wouldn’t want to pull over to make her stop. She started kicking where she thought the lights should be on the other side. Nate turned on his music so loud that she could feel the bass vibrating in her insides. Putting everything she had into kicking, she wasn’t getting anywhere with that either.

Fighting down panic was getting harder and harder. The car jerked to a sudden stop sending her sliding in the trunk. Genevieve kicked wildly and started to scream, but the music was so loud she didn’t think anyone would hear her.

After a moment the music stopped and she screamed louder. “Please! Help! He’s going to kill me!” She used both legs to kick the trunk not caring where she hit it just wanting to make noise.

There was the sound of voices when she paused to try and catch her breath, struggling to keep from hyperventilating. The voices raised and then there were shots. Shrieking, thinking Nate had shot someone she flinched as the trunk was opened. 

“You’re alright, you’re… the girl from the shop.” The officer looking down at her was the one she’d met before. “Let’s get you out of here, you’re going to be fine, ok.” He started trying to pull her out as she broke into relieved sobs.

The zip ties were cut off and she was put into the back of the police car. More police were coming, she’d understood that much. An EMT coaxed her out of the car where she had been trying to calm herself and focus on her breathing, checking her over before asking, “Who can we call for you, sweetheart? Any family near here?”

Remiel. The realization she didn’t even know his last name to ask for him made her stutter and almost burst into tears again. “N-no. No family. Brandon Boyd and Sage Ward are-are my-”

“It’s alright. We’ll call them to come get you from the hospital, you look like you might have a concussion. I want that checked out.” She was shivering as she laid back on the gurney covered with a foil blanket.