Ephemeral

NEW NAME AND COVER! Still the same book. ;)

Aurora POV:

My consciousness sharpened as my bed sank and a warm hand rubbed my back over my piled-up blankets.

My eyes cracked open and my shoulders tensed in reaction to the touch.

"It's Atticus," my brother whispered in a hush. Undeterred by the fact he clearly woke me for a reason, his soothing hands had me relaxing back into dreamland, making my eyes flutter back shut.

"You can go back to sleep in a bit, hun." His murmur elicited a sleepy groan from my throat. "I know, I know—it's too early. I think so too."

"Valen and I will be gone until tomorrow night for a work trip, so Damien will be in charge." Another groan escaped me as I sat up. Atticus muffled a chuckle and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a warm hug that I could not help but relax into.

I would miss him.

Atticus took advantage of my drowsy compliance and pressed me closer against him, kissing the crown of my messy hair. "You can call me at any time while we're gone, okay?" I mustered up the strength to nod weakly.

He huffed above me. "I'll make sure to call you and ask about your day." My lips curved upwards into a small smile. I liked talking to Atticus. "Be sure to tell me how badly Damien is terrorizing you all."

Noticing me slipping away in his arms, Atticus set me back down, pulled my blankets over me and adjusted my pillow. "I think I've kept you awake long enough." He brushed my hair onto the cushion with his fingers. "I didn't want you waking up to us missing."

While being awoken in the dead of night wasn't ideal, I appreciated the way he made sure I knew where he was. "I love you, cara." Atticus gave me one last squeeze before my door could be heard shutting.

I burrowed my face into my pillow and fused into the mattress.

Around a minute later, my door opened again, and footsteps could hardly be heard nearing me. My brother, who had applied a different cologne, came back to me and tightened the sheets he had already tucked me under.

Too exhausted to say thank you, I drowsily grabbed at his wrist and squeezed it, the material of his coat much thicker than what I was held against just a moment ago. A hand grabbed mine and lifted it gently, pressing a kiss onto the back of it, light stubble grazing my skin as he did so. He then folded it back into the snug blankets and squeezed my shoulder.

I was already asleep before I could hear whatever his husky voice was whispering.

꩜

Today was Halloween.

I wasn't going trick-or-treating; I never have, but hearing my classmates rave about their costumes wasn't fun either. My brothers didn't offer, nor did I really want to. Walking up alone to a bunch of people's houses and asking for candy didn't sound very fun to me.

My attention kept getting drawn away from my algebra worksheet by the chattering voices occasionally raising in volume, excitement clear in their tones. Our substitute teacher was sitting in the back with a book in his hands and his feet propped up on the desk.

Mental Reminder. If I ever have my own desk, never let anyone else sit at it.

"What neighborhood are you going to tonight?"

"Scarsdale. I heard they hand out full sizes!"

Kids directly behind me were discussing costumes.