Trifecta: Ice [Complete]

Ch 26: Swept Under

Jodi and I picked up on the episode we had previously stopped on last time and it was relatively easy to fall into the lives of the characters and their absurd problems in order to almost forget my own for a while.

When the curse was not prickling at me over little reminders, I almost felt relaxed, or as close to relaxed as I could manage with anxiety as a constant low noise in the background.

But still, it was nice. I could probably be actual friends with this girl if the curse was not constantly weighing me down.

"I'm going to get more popcorn," Jodi announced as she paused at the end of an episode.

From the corner of my eye I watched her get up and walk to the kitchen before returning with a bowl and two cans of cola from the fridge.

"Want a pop?" she offered.

"Yes please," I said. She handed one over to me. "Thanks."

"No problem."

Before she could hit the remote, I asked the question that had been knocking around in my head since she had interrupted supper with documents a week ago. "Why did y-you ask to, y-you know, to hang out and watch tv with me?"

I expected it was likely well meaning pity.

"You know that feeling when you're just really bored and you see someone who might amuse you? Yeah, that one," she said and then hit the play button on the remote.

It was not the answer I expected, maybe that's why I felt more normal around her. She was not wandering around me like I was some poor abused puppy.

I turned my attention back to the screen and tried to dissolve into a fictional world.

* * * * * * * * *

We watched a full two more episodes and were several minutes into the third when I heard Serge talking and moving around in the back of the house. I could not hear what he was saying or doing, but it sounded enough out of the ordinary that my curse flared up and ran over my skin and dived into every fibre of my body.

I did not move or make a sound, but I stiffened and listened attentively to see if I could discover what had happened.

Jodi let out a light sardonic chuckle at something, but my attention was fully on the leader of my pack.

I was not surprised when he came out of the hallway, still talking on the phone.

"Yes, team two. Yes. Yes. Southeast? No, send a second. I'm on my way. Check in in five," he said.

His direct, blunt tone made me feel like leaping out of my skin. I realized that even his orders to me sounded more like suggestions.

If he used that tone on me, I would be helpless but to obey his every command. My mouth felt dry at the reminder of the power he had over me.

I felt fear crowding through me, the curse reminding me I deserved nothing so much as to be treated like the thrall I was. I gritted my teeth and reminded myself that he would not do that. The only order he had ever given me had ended in me criticizing him and crying.

I ignored the curse's nagging and reminded myself that I could trust Serge.

"What's wrong?" I heard Jodi ask across from me. She had paused the show and I had not even noticed.

Serge's voice was hard. "Another attack."

"Again, already?" she asked, sounding concerned.

The attacks had grown more frequent in the last couple of years, but this was alarmingly unprecedented.