Stronger Together chapter 180

Stepping onto the beach this time was even more nerve wracking than  the first time. Despite the spirit of the island being on good terms  with us now I couldn't help but worry about Raven. The thought of her  getting captured was only mildly more disturbing than her torturing  herself into insanity with the concentrated madness and hate of all the  people who had died here and the monstrous creatures interred beneath  the earth of the island.

But she was Raven, she was my  rock, and if she said she could handle it I couldn't do anything but  have faith in her despite my worries. She'd more than earned that by  showing me that same faith more times than I could count. Besides, I  could see from her furrowed brow that she was starting to have second  thoughts now too. I knew she wasn't really rethinking, she'd been sure  when she spoke up earlier, she was just letting her nerves get to her.

I  stepped up onto the deck next to her and put my arm around her  shoulder. The unnatural chill in air was just another reminder of all  the ways this place ignored the normal rules, and she snuggled against  me to block out some of the cold. I looked down into her face, and  despite knowing she could feel my emotions I chose to speak my mind "  You said earlier you were confident you could handle this. I believe  you. You can do this, anything you feel right now is just you losing  your nerve, its perfectly normal."

She swallowed hard and  leaned her head against my shoulder, staring off into the forest of the  island. "I'm not so sure. I underestimated this place. I can feel the  hate and rage and unnatural hunger in the air even without so much as  touching the sand." She stared down at the sand of the beach as if it  was going to bite her. I frowned for a second and swept her up in a  princess carry. Sh squeaked "What are you doing?" Her face flushed  slightly lilac, which it hadn't done in a while and I had really missed.  She looked so pretty when she blushed.

I  laughed but didn't jump down. "You can clearly keep yourself in check  from this distance, so if you're worried about touching the earth here  I'll just carry you. Problem solved. I considered throwing you over my  shoulder and dragging you off to my cave but this seemed more dignified.  I figured I should carry you like a lady so you could maintain your  image as a wise and glorious sorceress in front of the others." My  expression melted into a serious one "I believe in you Rae, I think you  can handle this, but part of being in a relationship is supporting you  in anything, if you're that worried then leave it to me."

He  soft smile was fond, but at my words she raised an eyebrow. "I suspect I  would come across as more dignified if  you didn't have a hand full of  my right ass cheek. But regardless the thought is appreciated. Are you  sure you can carry me across the entire island? I really can try walking  if it's a problem." She glanced down nervously and bit her lip while  trying to look firm and fearless. I chuckled and leaned down to kiss  her, I pressed our lips together for several seconds and pulled back.  Raven's eyes were still closed as I pulled away.

I  hopped down off the deck while she was still dazed from our kiss, but I  bent my knees to attenuate the force so she barely felt it. "Well it's a  nice ass, I couldn't resist. And I could literally carry you for days  Rae. First off you aren't heavy, second of all I have super strength.  Thirdly lactic muscle doesn't build up in metal arms and builds much  more slowly in muscles threaded with godsteel. I can carry you as long  as you need me to. And yes I meant that metaphorically and literally at  the same time. Now, how are you feeling?"

She  smirked "Well aside from the fact that 'don't worry honey, of course I  can carry you, I have superstrength' probably isn't the endorsement you  think it is I feel ok. Something about being in your arms makes me feel  safe. Which might be sentiment or might be the incredibly dense network  of divine metal infused with your actual soul running through your  body." She leaned up to give me another kiss, darting her head to the  side after to whisper in my ear " By the way, I like your ass too." She  reached around behind my back to cop a feel and I laughed.

I  leaned up over my shoulder to shout to the other "Yo, what's the hold  up? Cool kids are waiting here. This isn't a party nerds, you don't get  any style points for being late." Harry came out rolling his eyes and  hopping down, with Andi following behind, giving Raven and I a smirkas  she took in our lovey dovey appearance. Cinder and Kara were close  behind with Cinder smiling softly and Kara rolling her eyes at our  position when she saw my hand on Raven's butt. "There you are, come on,  mystery awaits."

Harry  laughed at my enthusiasm, between the denser godsteel acting as an  insulator and an arm full of a beautiful woman who loved me I wasn't  feeling the pressure here like I usually did, and he could clearly tell.  "Glad to see you're in such a good mood, but the point of bringing me  was that mystery does in fact, not await. I know where everything on  this island is at all times as long as I want to know, so a boring walk  through creepy woods awaits. Luckily they're all up at the cabin which  is a closer heading than the clearing they were in before." He pointed  in a random direction that apparently marked our destination.

I  wanted to bow theatrically and gesture him forward sarcastically, but I  had and arm full of big titty goth gf so i decided to just nod towards  the woods and step back. As we set off for the cabin I couldn't help but  take in the surroundings. Without that fathomless pressure that  constantly weighed on me when coming here this place seemed kind of  pretty. The trees still had a dark and gloomy air to them but they  seemed more melancholy than ominous without the dark miasma casting the  place in a terrifying light it just seemed like a sad forest.

Despite  all that it was easy to see that everyone else was still feeling the  pressure. The evil aura in this place was really no joke. Luckily with  Harry's lead we reached the cabin after only about ten minutes. The old  dilapidated stone hut had been completely reworked. The grass was well  trimmed and the exterior had been power washed sparkling clean. Of  course they didn't need to worry about the stones themselves with all  that magical protection but the grim slid right off. The roof was  patched and there were tents surrounding the place.

Even  without my protection I could tell this place was a sanctuary from the  islands darkness. Connor was playing with a pack of wolves outside in  the sunshine, chasing the big animals around, eyes shining gold as he  tried to use his enhances speed and strength to grab the fleeing pups  without much success. The Alphas were experts at harrying opponents and  they were using their skills to tug his clothes and dart away. It seemed  Tera was using this play time as training.

When  he saw us though he stopped in his tracks then squealed "Kara!" And  bolted towards us so fast I had to dip into my lightning aspect to even  see him as he cannon balled into the blonde kryptonian. She laughed and  swept him up into a hug, swinging him in a circle as the wolf boy  giggled. "Where did you go? You never come visit anymore, the puppies  are fun to play with but mommy says I have to move slow so I don't make  them sad."

I  saw one of the wolves look poleaxed and another taller, thinner wolf  chuffed in amusement. I wasn't sure why but I knew just from seeing them  that this was Billy and Georgia. The wolves all darted behind the house  and came back within minutes, Georgia bolting over to us to tackle  Andi, who laughed and barely caught the other werewolf. "Whoa careful  there Ginger. I think you put some weight on there." Andi's eyes were  sparkling as she teased her friend, but instead of a sarcastic comment  Georgia blushed.

She  tucked her hair behind an ear "I didn't realize I was already showing."  We all kind of froze up at that and she blanched "Oh, you were kidding.  Well, cats out of the bag I guess. Yeah, I am now two months pregnant. I  didn't find out until we'd been on the island a while. I wouldn't have  even noticed by this point but Tera could tell somehow, not sure if it  was an in tune with nature thing or I just smell weird now and honestly  I'm too scared to ask." She laughed and Billy stepped up next to her,  pulling her against him.

We  all paused for a second and then cheered pulling them forward for group  hugs and basically passing them around like beer bottles off a wall.  Harry pulled them both into a tight hug "Congrats you two! Welcome to  the parent club, if you need any advice or help of anything feel free to  come to me. I live right down the road from Charity and Michael and  I'll walk with you so you can ask someone qualified." We all burst into  laughter at that as we followed them back up to the cabin to see Tera,  chatting about the baby.

As  we walked Andi filled them in on some of what had been going on and her  voice sounded relaxed and happy, it was nice to hear "I'm glad you guys  seem to be doing so well out here, but you don't need to stick around.  Cam took care of the...thing, that hurt Kirby. And the other biggest  danger as well. The last threat won't mess with you guys because he'll  be fighting us in a few days and he isn't the type to pass up a good  brawl. Connor and Tera should stick around but the rest of the Alphas  are free to head back."

Her  voice flashed with pain when she mentioned Kirby, but she seemed to  bounce back quickly, clearly seeing her friends was good for her.  Another voice echoed across the hill "I won't be leaving even after  things are handled. As the steward of this island I have duties here,  but it's good the children are leaving. The spirit keeps the darkness  away but this miasma still isn't ideal for a growing baby. You should be  fine for now but I was planning to summon the warden soon in any case."  Tera West stepped out of the cabin, bowing formally to Harry "Warden,  it is good to see you."

Harry  greeted her and she led us into the stone house, where tables and  chairs had been set up and a small pair of twin beds sat in the corner.  She gestured for us to sit down at the table and pulled a tea pot off a  low fire burning in the fire place, pouring boiling water into the mugs  she had set out before we came in. Each of the mugs had a small device  in them with two mesh half spheres that opened when you pressed the stem  and held tea leaves so they could soak properly without flaking off in  the water. As the water steeped the tea Tera turned to smile at us.  "Now, I heard some of the story as you were walking up, but why don't  you tell me how details of how the search for our enemies has been  going."