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With all I’ve been throughthe last few days, from being attacked to the intense imprints wiping me out, and even making love for the first time in my life, I crash hard. I fall asleep at sunrise with Parker, and I don’t stir until sunset when Parker wakes me up. Once again, he’s wrapped around me like I’m his personal body pillow. He sucks in a deep breath and gives me a squeeze. “You’re still here?” He sounds surprised and very pleased to find me trapped in his arms.
I cover a yawn with my fist and say, “I was out cold. Guess I needed the sleep.”
He nuzzles my neck. “I like waking up with you.”
I smile. “I’m sure you do. You’re quite the cuddler.”
He chuckles and finally lets me go, rolling onto his back and pushing his long, lean body into a stretch. “As much as I want to be lazy and stay here all night long with you, we should probably join the others. I bet they’re worried about you by now.”
I laugh. He’s not wrong. “I’m surprised they left us alone this long without barging in.”
We get up, and after a quick shower, I head out to find my guys and figure out what’s going on. Terrance is in his office on the phone, and Rook is in the kitchen wiping down counters. Parker and I must have just missed our clan’s version of lunch, which is okay since it’s more like breakfast for me. A bowl of oatmeal or cereal will work just fine.
I find the rest of my clan in the living room and stumble to a stop at the sight of Illren and Charlie. Illren is sitting at the end of one of the couches, with a book in his hand and his other arm draped across the back of the sofa. That seems odd enough for reasons I can’t explain, but what’s really shocking is that Charlie is lying on the couch beside him, working on his laptop with his head resting on Illren’s thigh. They’re not cuddling exactly. They’re each doing their own thing. It’s more like they’re just very comfortable with each other.
I’ve heard that the fey often find comfort in physical contact and aren’t shy about it. And it’s true that I am definitely happiest when I’m touching one of my guys. But I never would have pegged Illren as the affectionate type. Charlie, sure; I bet that man would snuggle with anyone. ButIllren?Even if it’s some form of Charlie’s cupid influence, it’s shocking. And unbelievably cute.
Oliver looks adorable, too, sitting on the other couch, tucked under a blanket with his feet propped up on the coffee table and an empty bowl and glass on the end table beside him like he’s a kid home sick from school. That had to be Ren’s doing. He’s probably gone to work, but I’m sure he was here earlier babying Oliver to death.
Oliver’s looking much perkier than the last time he woke up, typing away at the laptop on his lap. He’s got more color in his skin, and his eyes are brighter. Nick is sitting beside him, squirming like he’s trying hard to be patient and is about to lose the battle.
“You’re looking better,” I chirp, gaining the attention of the whole room, though my focus is on Oliver.
He flashes me a big dimpled smile that nearly makes me cry. For a while, I wondered if I’d ever see that beautiful smile again. I plop down on the sofa next to him and kiss his cheek. He leans over and kisses my temple without pausing his fingers from flying across his keyboard. “Good evening, sleepyhead,” he teases me.
Parker enters the room, dressed in a suit like he’s going to work, and gives Oliver a more subdued smile. “How are you feeling?”
“Wiped out,” Oliver admits. “But better since I kept some soup down.” He nudges my arm with his. “How about you? You slept for a long time.”
“I was going to wake you up hours ago,” Nick grumbles. “But your big ass grumpy troll threatened me.”
That makes me smile.
Said grumpy troll enters the room, frowning at Nick. “She needed her rest.”
“I really must have,” I agree. “I had no idea I was so exhausted until I woke up feeling a lot better.”
Terrance turns his frown on me. “You need to take better care of your body, Nora. If you’re going to be working for the FUA and using your powers more often, I want you sleeping more and eating more calories.”
I’d give him a salute and a “Yes, Dad,” but he doesn’t look like he’s in the mood for any sarcasm. I can’t blame him. There’s too much going on with our clan to give him any flack about my health. “I will, T-man. Promise.”
I nudge Oliver’s arm with mine. “You trying to find our mythic collector, or the guy who put out the hit on our clan?”
Oliver stops typing and scrubs his hands over his face. “I’m trying.” He sighs. “I’ve been looking for hours. I’ve tried several different things, and all I can say right now is that the person collecting mythics and the one who wants us dead are likely the same person. And that’s just a guess, because the steps they’ve taken to cover their tracks are identical. I’m getting the same dead ends, goose chases, and firewalls. I can keep trying to break through, but I’m not very hopeful. Whoever they are, they’re better than me.”
He sighs again, defeated.
I grab his hand and squeeze it. “It’s okay. We’ll find them another way. Thank you for trying.”
Oliver squeezes my hand back and kisses my cheek. “I’ll keep trying.”
“But you’re sure it’s the same person?” Illren asks. His book is now closed and sitting on the end table beside him, and Charlie is sitting up.
“As sure as I can be,” Oliver says. He sounds like he hates the fact that he’s not 100 percent certain.
“To what end?” Parker wonders, voicing the question we’re all thinking. “What’s he trying to accomplish?”
“A spell, most likely,” Oliver says. “Mythics are the most magical beings on Earth. Their blood, and other things like feathers or scales, are very powerful when used in spells. Sorcerers pay obscene amounts of money to get their hands on anything mythic related.”
