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Iswallowed hard. While I'd been in here earlier today, Caius’s room suddenly felt more daunting.
My family wasn't wrong. I was terrible about lying. Which made it all the more necessary for us to be sharing a space, but that didn't mean we had to sleep in the same bed. I wasn’t quite ready for that.
“I’ll take the floor,” I said.
Caius paused halfway across the room to grin over his shoulder. “Worried I’ll bite?”
Yes. More worried I’ll like it.
“No. I just don't want to sleep with you.”
He chuckled, somehow finding that funny.
“Liar.”
What? How dare he—“I'm not lying. I really don’t want to sleepnext toyou.” Fire seemed to fan across my face in anger or embarrassment. I wasn't sure which, or if it was some combination of both.
“That's not the part I think you're lying about.”
I started to object when he reached for the buttons on his shirt. My mouth slipped ajar. Another kind of fire slowly filled me, one that would only burn more while sleeping in these close quarters.
“What are you doing?” I squeaked, licking my suddenly chapped lips. My mouth had gone dry. I should be protesting him undressing, but all I could seem to do was stare.
“What's it look like, love?” he quipped. “I'm getting ready for bed. You don't expect me to sleep in these clothes after I've been wearing them all day, do you?”
“I—no—never mind.” A shaky breath stumbled out of me. The room was too warm, too welcoming. “It doesn't matter,” I continued. “I need to change too. Where is the bathroom?”
Caius thrust his chin toward another opening door I'd missed in the low light of the room. “Scared of being naked in front of me?”
I picked up my backpack pointedly ignoring a certain tan, chiseled god as I entered a bathroom fit for a king. I tossed the bag down then knelt to dig through it. After over a week here, my clothes I brought from home were almost out. Soon I’d have to ask for more. Or I could send Nog.
We hadn’t concluded what would be done about him, but for the time being, he was staying. If only because he’d shifted three times, and all three times it took me or Caius commanding him to shift back for it to be successful. I would have wondered if he was faking it were it not for the insults Clara hurled at him. There was no way he’d stay in his corgi form when he so obviously wanted to tell her off.
I sighed thinking about the bite he’d given her when he reached the end of his rope.
Clara was a witch and didn’t heal the same way shifters did, but he went for her ankle anyway. Little shit.
I shook my head, grabbing a handful of soft, buttery fabric. I pulled out my favorite sleep shorts and the cropped tank top I wore with them.
Under different circumstances I wouldn’t have worn them around Caius, but my only other pair had to be thrown out after they’d been saturated with blood.
“Well,” I muttered. “Guess he’s getting a show.”
I quickly stripped off my jeans and t-shirt, switching into the skimpy undergarments that still smelled faintly of home.
My heart panged with longing.
As much as Nog could be annoying, I was a little glad he’d come through. It was good to see him. To know he was safe and healthy. I wish the same could be said about the rest of my family. Sure, he said as much, but it was different. I wanted to see it with my own eyes. Just see my dad, even if I was still pissed with him. See my sister, even if I wanted to throttle her for lying to me. See Tía Celeste and Jo and all my other cousins.
I stepped out of the bathroom, deep in my thoughts. My feet were quiet as I padded across the smooth stone floors. If not for the heat of the volcano they would have been cold, but the hot, humid air kept everything warm and balmy.
Caius had taken my place on the velvety soft rug. He was on his side, facing away from me. The thick muscles in his back were on display where the blanket didn’t cover. I swallowed hard, happy he was already asleep, as I crawled into the large bed by myself. Softer than any velvet, smoother than silk. He wasn’t kidding. This comforter really did put that glorious rug to shame. I smiled to myself at his thoughtfulness. He didn’t have to take the floor, but the gesture was kind.
I was still smiling when sleep claimed me only a few minutes later.
Dead leaves crunched beneath my feet.
I was startled, but my body didn’t react. Instead I kept walking, moving within the shadows of the trees like I was trying to keep out of sight, hiding from someone or something.
