“Why, Alpha. Are you implying I’m a dirty girl or simply trying to sneak alone time in this house full of men?” I acted offended, but the sly smile pulling at my mouth no doubt gave him the resounding yes he was looking for.
A low hum from his throat was all the response I really needed before pressing my lips to his in a long kiss, until we were interrupted again by Tyson growling.
“Damn, Ty,” I sighed as River placed me back down on the ground. “You got to learn how to share! What are you going to be like when Caleb’s snake turns up? Hey.” I turned back to River. “Who would be more scared of whom, tiger or snake?”
My scruffy, sexy Alpha grimaced. “I hadn’t thought about Cal’s viper. Gross. Snakes are gross.”
A grin spread over my face. Am I the only one not scared of snakes? This will be too much fun.
Because despite the reassurance I’d given Caleb, I’d be seriously shocked if he didn’t get a familiar after our bonding. They were given to the most powerful Mages, and the Blood and Ink Mages were supposed to be of equal power. So... it stood to reason that if Austin had one…
“Maybe he can give it a cute name and like a bowtie or something to make him less scary?” I suggested as I followed River back into the house, and he looked at me like I was on acid.
“Just a suggestion,” I muttered, but River probably wasn’t the right one to appreciate my jokes.
Damn, where was Lucy when I needed her?
8
Austin
The sound of Christina's laughter filtered up to me as she rolled on the lawn with Tyson licking her face. Fucking hell, why did I let her get to me so much? Ever since the gala, she'd been deliberately driving me nuts. Or I assumed it was deliberate.
It had to be.
No one could honestly be that oblivious. She hadn't once mentioned the fact that we'd had sex, twice, nor had she acknowledged the crazy levels of sexual tension between us since then. I knew she could feel my emotions right now, just as I could hers, so how could she not know what she was doing to me?
Unless mine were coming across as mixed up and confused as hers were... but surely not. The only reason hers were such a mess was because she was sleeping with five other dudes. Right? Or, four really. But Vali was only a matter of time. I'd seen the way he looked at her.
Idiot. Tyson’s message translated across to me loud and clear. We couldn't communicate in words as such, just more in ideas and emotions. Great, more emotions. I almost missed the days when I'd been alone in my own head.
Almost, but not quite. As much as I hated the mental anguish and confusion, I badly didn't want to lose my insight into Christina's feelings. So much so that I was waiting as long as possible before teaching her how to turn it off.
“Hey, Aus.” Wesley's voice startled me, and I wrenched my gaze away from the gorgeous woman currently being mauled by my familiar.
“What's up?” I replied, very deliberately turning my back on the window and stepping away from it. Watching Christina when she wasn't aware had become an unhealthy obsession that I seriously needed to kick before I turned into Wesley. That guy was using his crow sight far more than he was letting on, I was sure.
“Uh, I was wondering if Cal has said anything to you about his training?” Wes shifted his feet and ran an anxious hand through his hair. “Not that I'm asking you to betray his confidence—”
“It's fine,” I cut him off. “I'm not keeping any more secrets from the team. I learned my lesson.” Yeah, that was a bit sour, but I was still stinging from the reprimand River had dished out on the matter of Cal and I keeping our knowledge of magic quiet.
“So...” Wes prompted, and I shook my head.
“Nothing. He hasn't said anything. Why?” I narrowed my eyes at Wes. He had on his something-was-bugging-him face.
His lips tightened, then he shrugged. “No real reason. I'm just trying to work through these nightmares for Kit, and the way he reacted the other night just bothered me.”
“Ah.” I grimaced, remembering the blind panic on my brother's face and the sharpening of his teeth before he’d portaled out. “That wasn't about her nightmare, it was about the blood.”
Wes frowned, looking confused. “Blood? What blood?”
“When Christina knocked the lamp over, she cut herself on it. The power in her blood is still doing wacky things to Cal, so he took off because he didn't trust himself.” I tried to explain it as briefly as possible. It wasn't my place to talk about Caleb's magic and his struggles with the pull of powerful blood. The last thing I wanted was the guys feeling uncomfortable around him, like he was a vampire or something, just biding his time to suck their blood.
The image of my twin as Count Dracula made me snort a laugh that then needed a wave off when Wesley's curious-eyebrow rose.
“Don't worry about it. I think he's working pretty hard on getting it under control, and it was nothing related to Christina's nightmares.” I frowned then. The idea that she was still being plagued by night terrors made me sick. From what Wes had told me, the bloody scene at the gala featured heavily. “How are those going, anyway?”
“Better, I think. They're not coming as frequently, but when they do, they're pretty brutal. Kind of just a relief being able to help her with them, you know?” He gave me a shy smile, and I knew full well he was loving being able to keep an eye on her while she slept. Paranoid bastard. He was totally convinced something bad was going to happen soon, which was a little bit funny given just how much bad had happened since Christina had crashed into our lives.
Still wouldn't change it for anything though.
Dammit. If I didn't know myself any better, I'd think I had fallen in love with her...
“How's research going?” I changed the subject to something that was always going to engage Wesley.
“Oh, uh, good!” He nodded, following me out of the room. “Or maybe not good... We found some odd things about Director Pierre, but I sort of want to authenticate the information before telling Kit, you know?”
“Don't want to hurt her if it turns out to be a false lead?” I understood; I didn't envy the position Wesley was in. Or River, for that matter, as it was ultimately his call when to share info. “Just don't keep it from her any longer than necessary, not even if it’s for her own good. She's had enough secrets from all of us.” Mainly from me.
“Got it,” Wesley agreed. “I just want to get my facts straight in case it's nothing.”
Giving him a tight nod, I wandered into the kitchen where I could see Christina talking to River just outside. It was a coincidence, if anyone asked, but the amusement rolling off Tyson said he knew full well what I was doing even if I was in denial myself.
9
Kit
The next morning, I was pleasantly surprised to find when I came down for breakfast that Cole and Vali had already left for their day together.
“Seriously?” I asked, still half asleep as I took my coffee from Wes, then perched on Caleb’s lap when he tugged at my waist. “I know I won that bet, but I thought the stubborn fuckers would have to be forced out the door.”
“We all take paying off bets very seriously, love,” River murmured, pulling up a chair at the table and pushing a plate of pancakes towards me.
“Also,” Wesley added, “Vali seemed really keen to go out with Cole.”
Lifting my coffee to my face, I covered a smug smile. I just bet he was keen.
“So what are they doing with their day?” I asked, both curious and a little sad I wouldn’t get to keep an eye on them... bonding.
“Dragon stuff,” Caleb answered me, stealing a pancake from my plate and cramming half of it in his mouth before I could snatch it back. Could have been worse though; at least he wasn’t stealing my coffee.
“Dragon stuff?” I repeated, washing down my own mouthful with sweet, glorious caffeine.
“Uh-huh,” Caleb murmured, trying to take my mug from my fingers and earning a bite on the hand from me.
“Caleb, I made you your own,” Wesley snapped at him. “Quit stealing Kit’s.”