The Mates Bond

Eight

-Chapter Eight-
Occupied

More than a few hours later I stopped... panting, literally dripping with sweat and surveyed my progress. I had not only did the entire house's wash (towels, linens, upholstery from sofas and chairs, and drapery), I also dusted every room, cleaned every window, scrubbed all of the base boards, alphabetized the movies, organized the books by genre, cleaned and sanitized the bathrooms, and rearranged the living room.

Braxton had in fact taken the time to call me through out the day and expressed his concern for all of my "constant activity."

"I'm just saying... try and relax love."

I rolled my eyes, "The lake house needed a thorough cleaning and I had more than enough time to do it." I said.

He sighed. "How're you feeling, any signs of the heat?" "Nope." I said as I was making my way down the hall to grab fresh linens for one of the guest rooms.

"The truth Love." He said.

I sighed, "Well to be honest I'm hot, but it's from working." I admitted. "But I'm good Handsome...I promise, told you the mark would work."

"Alright then Gorgeous...I'll try and get back as soon as I can, in the mean time, try and take it easy okay."

"I will, I promise." I said, to be honest there wasn't much left for me to even do around the lake house... "I love you."

"I love you too Harper, but please don't overexert yourself...part of being at the lake house is to relax."

"I know, I know." I smiled, "Go finish with the council members so you can come back to me already."

We said our goodbyes and soon I was back to cleaning.

The task of making up the rooms didn't take up as much time as I hoped (I knew if I wasn't busy I'd worry about Braxton and the council) but it did give me time to make up all of the beds with fresh linens before it was time to make myself something for dinner.

Usually when I'm alone I resign on having a sandwich or a salad, something small and quick.

But after today's activities I was starving. I browned some hamburger meat and while that was cooking I started getting tortillas ready... I added my seasonings to the meat and grabbed the cheese from the refrigerator to begin the process of rolling some enchiladas.

"I wish I knew how to make Spanish rice." I grumbled to myself when I thought about making some sides to go along with my main dish.

I looked through the cabinets and found a can of refried beans so I popped those into a small pan and let them heat up as I rolled the enchiladas...and as tedious as they were to roll I got them into the oven soon.

I turned off the beans and moved them from the heated burner so as not to burn them, and then feeling like that wasn't enough I went ahead and moved to make a small side salad.

I knew Braxton would eat once he got back...even if he'd already eaten with the council, so I didn't mind making so much food...plus, leftovers!

I really did hope he would come back soon, I missed him all day...but as my dad was starting to slow down I was really worried about him with the council members, plus I missed his touch.

My stomach began to grumble as I waited for the food to finish up so I grabbed a bag of tortilla chips and the salsa from the fridge and had a go at that while I waited.

When everything was all finished up I removed the food from the oven and served myself.

I decided to take a cue out of Val's book and just eat at the island in the kitchen instead of taking everything into the dining room.

I completely devoured my first plate of food before I helped myself to seconds...I ate a little slower this time and even put on some videos on my phone to drown out the silence.

Once finished I began to put the food away and did the dishes, when I finished everything in the kitchen I made my way to the office.

I had a few assignments that weren't quite due yet but may as well get them out of the way.

I kept looking at the clock and couldn't stop thinking about Braxton and wondered if the council had pressured Braxton into marking me?

Lost in thought I didn't get very far on the assignments.

And hour of just browsing on social media and random websites I found that I was making my way back to the kitchen.

I mindlessly made some popcorn, grabbed a bottle of water and went upstairs to the bedroom.

I put on the TV and I ate a few pieces before I pulled off my shorts, removed my bra, found a good movie, and got into the bed with my popcorn.

I laid on my stomach and watched the movie and almost immediately crashed out.

...

I was suddenly torn awake suddenly by the most intense pain I have ever felt in my entire life. My eyes instantly watered as I tried to hold back the scream that was building within me.

"No, No, No..." I said through tight gritted teeth.

I hugged my own body.

I felt as my skin was burning up now and I cried. "No."

Braxton's lovely mark didn't work, and it felt worse than ever now.

The pain was intense and overwhelmed me despite my best efforts, an involuntary scream ripped threw my vocal cords. I continued to scream and cry into the night as my body rocked with severe pain. It came in waves nonstop.

I tried to lay back down but it felt like every single bone and ligament was being pulled beyond its capabilities, I felt like at any moment I would tear in half so I curled into a ball trying to hold myself together, it was just as intense but only slightly less.

I sobbed as I honestly did not know else to do...Braxton had explained to me how the heat is technically all in my head and nothing literally physical...but the absolute agony I was experiencing was all too real.

With every passing minute the pain increased and a new side effect sprang forward.

Screaming.
Shaking.
Sweating.
Crying.

I felt genuine jolts of pain spiral up my bones as every single strand of hair on my body seemed to emit heat.

Desperately I wondered if I could redo my actions from the bath this morning, but as I went to readjust myself and lie flat on my back, my entire body flamed with mind numbing torment that any thoughts I had prior had vanished instantly.

My breathing was labored and short, every inch of me blistered internally as my blood felt like it was boiling.

When my body couldn't take the pain anymore I passed out.