Cassie nibbled her lower lip.Sheoughtto say no.Sheought to lock herself away in a room of her own and stay there all night, even ifRavikgot angry or upset.
But somehow, she couldn’t do that to the bigBeastKindred.Hegenuinely thought she was his mate—she didn’t want to distress him by disappearing.Also, it seemed likeSeverinwas right about her scent helping him.Hehad regressed considerably when she’d left him alone in the bathtub and had come back quickly to his right mind—or what passed for his right mind—when he held her in the kitchen and smelled her again.
Ravik needed her.Andin a way, so didSeverin.Hisbest friend was dying slowly—inch by inch.Ifshe could help bring him back, shouldn’t she?
“All right,” she said at last and blew out a breath.“Imust be crazy agreeing to sleep between two malesIbarely know but all right—I’lldo it.”
“Thank you.”Severin’sface registered instant relief.
It occurred toCassiethat while theBloodKindredtried to project cool scientific indifference, that calm exterior slipped when it came to his best friend.
“All right—Ijust hopeIdon’t regret this,” she said.“Comeon—lead the way to the mating chamber.”
15
CASSIE
Severin, who had changed into a pair of long blue sleep trousers like the onesRavikwas wearing, led the way down the long, narrow hallway andCassiefollowed him, with the bigBeastKindredwalking close behind her—tooclose, actually.
Not that she was brave enough to tell him to back up.Forone thing, he was still somewhat foggy from theHungerVirus—or at least, shethoughthe was.Foranother thing, he was so big that if she turned around too fast, she was afraid she might crash face-first into his bare chest.Hestill had on pants, thankGod, but he didn’t have a shirt on and his massive upper body was right there every time she glanced back.Wideshoulders…thick arms…hard pectorals…black hair spilling around his face and golden eyes fixed on her as though she was the only thing in the universe worth watching.
Which was flattering and unsettling at the same time and alsowaytoo much to deal with after the kind of day she’d had.
The hallway seemed to go on forever, lit by dim blue strips set into the ceiling.Thebunker really was built like a series of tubes—long, skinny rooms and long, skinny corridors, everything made out of steel and stone and strange matte-black panels that hummed softly when they passed.
There were no windows, of course, because they were deep underground, butCassiecould feel the weight of the planet above them, pressing down on the ceiling and walls.Itshould have made her feel trapped, but honestly, considering what was roaming around outside, she was mostly grateful for it.
Better to be under tons of dirt and surrounded by reinforced alloy than outside with theInfected—at least, that was what she kept telling herself.
“This way,”Severinsaid, glancing back at her.
“I’m following,”Cassietold him.“ThoughIwould like to go on record as sayingI’mstill not completely thrilled about this sleeping arrangement.”
“I understand,” he said gravely.“ButRavik’scognition has shown marked improvement when he remains in close proximity to you.Ifhe sleeps with your scent nearby, it may keep him stable through the night.”
“You keep saying things like ‘close proximity’ and ‘cognition’ like that makes this less weird,”Cassiepointed out.“Butwhat you’re actually saying is thatIneed to sleep in the arms of a seven-footBeastKindredwho thinksI’mhis mate.”
“Seven-foot-one,”Ravikrumbled behind her.“AndRavikknowsyou are his mate.”
Cassie looked over her shoulder at him and instantly regretted it because, yes, there was all that bare chest again.Itreally was an unfair amount of mouthwatering chest for one male to have.
“Right.Seven-foot-one,” she said.“Thankyou for clarifying.”
“You’re welcome,Mate.”
“You don’t have to keep calling me that,” she said.
Ravik frowned, his dark brows drawing together.
“What shouldRavikcall you?”
“Cassie.Myname isCassie,”she reminded him.
“Cassie,” he repeated slowly, as though tasting the word.Thenhis face softened in a way that made her stomach flutter.“Cassiesmells good.”
“Yes,Iknow you like the wayIsmell.”Shefaced front again quickly.“Thankyou,Iguess.”
Severin made a low sound that might almost have been a laugh, though when she looked at him, his face was perfectly serious.Ofcourse it was—theBloodKindredwas nothing if not controlled.Controlledand pale and elegant and cool, with those ice-blue eyes behind his glasses and that smooth blond hair that looked much too clean and perfect for the end of the world.
