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KYA
Strong arms are wrapped around me, holding me to a solid body full of firm planes. I snuggle closer, before my eyes flutter open to the sun beaming into the window.
A stupid smile spreads over my lips for no reason at all. Maybe it’s because I just spent the night feeling cared for, possibly even protected. I’ve never shared a bed with anyone before, so it feels good to be in the arms that are holding me so closely.
His warm breath fans my hair as he sleeps peacefully, and I find myself too comfortable to move an inch.
My eyes move down to the arms, seeing how tightly wound around my waist they are, as though he wanted to make sure I didn’t disappear in the middle of the night.
Last night’s memories are blurry, but definitely there. He cared for me. He took me to the shower and cleaned me up, holding me the entire time as he treated me like something precious.
I don’t even know how to feel right now other than... safe. I’ve never felt safe, not even with Slade.
When he curled in behind me in the bed, I was stunned and confused—no one has ever done that with me before. But then his arms came around me, and I slept harder than I’ve ever slept in my life. I felt... peace.
If the world wasn’t on the cusp
of possible mass destruction, I would stay like this for the rest of my life. I want to bottle this feeling and keep it with me for all time.
There’s no lingering bad taste in my mouth, and I feel strong... Too strong. In fact, I feel like a fresh breath enters me without even breathing. My eyes widen in realization, but I can’t even tell Chaz before my phone starts ringing, as does his.
I snatch mine as he jerks awake, disoriented until he realizes where he is and what’s happening.
He grabs his phone, and I can hear so clearly the person on the other line.
“Chaz! Our magic is back!” Ella is shouting.
“I was just about to tell you that,” Slade says through my phone. “It ended early. Hurry up and get back before the window closes. I think they’re trying to catch us off guard.”
I nod like he can see me and end the call. In a blur of motion, I reassemble myself, putting on my clothes and my weapons.
Chaz is putting his phone away and stalking toward me. He doesn’t even say a word before grabbing me at the waist and then we’re gone, my stomach tilting as we’re submerged into darkness.
When my feet hit solid ground, we’re standing in front of the cabin where his people are. I start to dematerialize, but Chaz jerks me out of it before I can get gone, stifling my powers with whatever mojo it is he uses to do that.
“What are you doing?” I hiss as he starts tugging me toward the cabin, his fingers locked with mine.
“We need to find out what they’ve learned.”
“I can’t go in there. Your people made it clear they—”
He stops abruptly, and his lips find mine, silencing whatever I was going to say. For the barest of moments, I forget we’re back on the mission, no longer taking an unexpected break.
His lips leave mine, and my eyes flutter open to see him studying me.
“They need to get used to you being around.”
He holds my hand tighter, and a little more of that sense of belonging fills me. I don’t need a large group to accept me. Apparently all it takes is one man.
I don’t argue again, and he keeps me close as we walk inside.
A few gazes swing to me, but no one seems surprised that I’m here.
“What have we learned?”
“You mean other than the fact you can apparently travel much farther and much faster than any other immortal?” Dice drawls. “Care to explain that one, fire breather?”
“I figured you’d be too busy panicking or celebrating to be in here offering your useless retorts,” Chaz says dismissively.
