“Are you?”
“Yes. In a moment.”
She crossed over to him and slipped her arm around his waist. “She’s perfect. She’s safe. She’s loved.”
“I know.”
“Then come to bed.”
He looked down at their sleeping daughter and then at her.
“What if?—”
“We have the monitor. We’ll hear her if she needs us.”
“What if the monitor breaks?”
“Then we’ll hear her anyway. She has excellent lungs.”
His lips twitched again. “She does.”
She tugged his hand gently and he let himself be pulled away from the crib. One step. Two. Then he stopped and looked back.
“Victor.”
“I just want to make sure?—”
“She’s breathing. I can see her from here.”
“But—”
“Bed. Now.”
He sighed, but he let her tug him towards the door and into the hallway, leaving the nursery door cracked behind them
“See?” she said. “The world didn’t end.”
“It might.”
“It won’t. Angel is the safest baby in the world with you watching over her.”
“Always,” he said. “I’ll always watch over her.”
“But right now, you need to watch over yourself too.” She touched his chest and felt the rumble of Hyde’s purr. “You can’t take care of her if you don’t take care of yourself.”
“Hyde doesn’t need?—”
“Hyde needs rest too. Even guardians need to recharge.”
He was quiet for a moment. Then: “When did you get so wise?”
“About two months ago when I pushed a human being out of my body.”
He laughed, the sound surprising them both. He laughed more often now, but it still wasn’t often enough. She made a mental note to work on that.
“Now come to bed,” she said again, letting her hand drift down his chest. “I need my husband.”
His eyes flashed a brighter green and his muscles expanded slightly. Not a full transformation. Just Hyde rising closer to the surface. Close enough to reach down and sweep her off her feet.
