Page 73 of Mortdale

“You agree with me?”

“I agree with the freedom of existence.”

“But?”

Tension filled every muscle in his face. “But until I’ve figured out that existence isn’t threatened by political or religious powers, I have to hide it.”

“The exarch and the parliament.”

“And the king,” he said with a mild sneer, which gave me the smallest peek at the length of his fang.

“Why were you arguing with that doctor?”

“It was nothing.”

“Is he still alive?”

“For now.”

Both of us turned our heads left when Piper yawned, and said, “Are you gonna kiss her?”

“She’s sick, Bunny. I don’t want to catch whatever she has.”

“Asshole,” I muttered under my breath, laying back against the pillow, trying to ignore every chill that spread all over my skin when he raked his eyes down the length of me.

Piper giggled. “That’s a bad word.” Her little mischievous eyes slid to me as she hugged Thomas. “Bear will arrest you and take you to the pavement.”

Logan sighed. “Parliament, Bunny.”

“That’s what I said,” she sighed, brushing Thomas’s moustache one hair at a time.

I nudged him with my knee. “Why are you in your uniform?”

“There’s another outbreak up north, near the human border.”

I peeped at the shadows pacing relentlessly outside of my bedroom. “They’re waiting for you.” I sat up again, my ribs brushing against his arm still firmly caging me in. We were barely a hair's length apart as I said, “You should let me in your study so I can have a look at the records you’ve collected.”

“When I come back. We’ll go through them together. And maybe I can keep all my belongings safe from my wife’s sticky hands.”

I bit down my smile as I laid back down. Lifting my foot, I poked him in the stomach. “And stop punching Art.”

“Arthur,” he said, wrapping a hand around my ankle and pinning it against the mattress.

“What about him?” I asked, grabbing Piper and holding her against me like a shield.

He grasped my chin. “You’ll behave until I’m back. And no more fainting.”

“Yes, sir.”

His eyes flashed. “Yes, Logan.”

“Of course. That’s what I meant.”

“You’re friends, you and Boo?” Piper asked her uncle, itching her nose.

“I’m her husband, Bunny. Better than a friend.”

Her eyes gleamed. “I want a husband.”