Page 63 of Break Out the Girl

But in among the golden vibrations, enriched by our intimacy, is a sour flavor. Her ongoing worry for de Vaux. I know she’s still seeing the churning water filled with blood.

“He’s out there, Rory,” I tell her, pulling her closer into my heat. “Probably sitting on a rock somewhere right now, cursing the saltwater for ruining his perfect hair.”

A sound, halfway between a sob and a laugh, catches in her throat. “I hope you’re right. He’s very proud of those glossy dark locks.”

“He may be pretty, but he’s tough, Princess. And he knows you’re waiting. He won’t let you down. He’s far too arrogant to fail.”

She sighs deeply. “I never used to care if people went away. I had no attachments to anyone. Sometimes I’d dream of my parents dying in a car crash—I’d wish for it. That’s terrible, isn’t it?”

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Those fuckers didn’t deserve to have Aurora Drakeward as their daughter.

“It was a survival mechanism, babe, nothing to be ashamed of,” I respond. “You had no frame of reference for love, or care.” I pause, then take a deep breath. “I hope you’re getting to understand those feelings now. I hope you feel cared for, loved.”

She lifts her head, eyes glittering. “I-I do. But, Tally…is it wrong to care for more than one person?” Anxiety thrums along our connection.

“Absolutely not. And if you’re asking if it’s wrong to care for more than one man, in a… romantic way, then I don’t think that’s wrong either. Especially with these strange threads that attach us all. You, me, the faun and de Vaux. You can’t reject gifts that the Gods give you.”

“You believe in the Gods? Fate and all that?”

I shrug. “Yeah, I think so. There has to be something behind this whole fucked up world. I can’t believe we’re just floating in space for no reason.”

She doesn’t reply, just snuggles into me further.

We look out over the dark ocean, listening to the waves in the distance.

A nightjar calls, and then an owl.

After a while, her breathing becomes deep and rhythmic, matching the steady rise and fall of my chest. I’d give anything to stay here, just like this, for the whole night, but it’s safer inside.

She’s safer behind a locked door with London and the children. I’ll shift again and patrol until the sun comes up.

Sleep can wait.

Her safety never can.

21: LONDON

I blink my eyes open and it takes a moment to remember where I am.

Vista View!

My ears twitch, and then I remember I’m a faun.

So many new things to catalogue in the old brain-hole.

When I stretch my arms until the joints in my shoulders give one of the best pops ever. Yes!

Shifting out from under Pepper and Sheena, I step onto the floorboards—one creaks loudly. Ricky scrunches his face a little but keeps sleeping.

That’s the ticket, little man.

Someone else murmurs and stirs. Aha! Kitten curled up in a leather armchair.

Ooh, she smells excellent and the vibrations of the air around her practically quiver with a sexy wibble. I inhale deeply, letting the flavor of it settle in my chest.

Well, well, well.

The wolf got his paws on the prize, and by the vibes, Aurora’s sweet body liked it. Good.