AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You know what? That’s fine,” I said.
His answering smile was so wide it showed his back molars and his very pointed canines. Along with the dimple I’d suspected he possessed. He truly was a handsome man, and I was glad I’d given him some small measure of joy after all he’d already done for me. Who knew how much he would have in the future?
“Back to how to contribute,” I said. “I’d like to do more than just live here. Do you go on daily supply runs? Even though I’m not living in Tenacity, maybe I could go on supply runs and help contribute to their stock.”
Turik considered it for a moment.
“I will speak to Mya and Drav and let them know you would like to help in some way. They will have suggestions.”
The idea of Turik going to Tolerance’s leaders and admitting he’d taken me in made me feel a little queasy. They’d probably demand that I leave right away. But wasn’t getting kicked out now better than settling in and loving this place? I wasn’t sure I could cope with the sting of dismissal to that degree again.
“Yeah, talking to Mya and Drav is probably a good idea. Should we go see them now?”
Turik glanced at the front door and shook his head.
“I can hear my brothers returning. We will wait for Vorx and find out what happened while I was gone.”
Willing to extend my visit just a little longer, I munched while we waited. However, I only managed a handful more of the snack before the front door opened. Another fey Turik’s size entered the house. His gaze immediately found mine, and he hesitated for a fraction of a second before closing the door.
“Why is Shelby here?” he asked.
My face flushed with shame, and I quickly put down the cheese curls. I’d known I wouldn’t be welcome, but damn, it hurt. I opened my mouth to say I would go, but Turik answered first.
“She removed her rings and asked to live somewhere safe. I brought her here to live with us. She isn’t ready for sex but said I could feed and protect her. Soon I will hold her while she sleeps.”
Dumbfounded, I tore my gaze from the fey I assumed was Vorx to stare at Turik.
“She doesn’t mind if you continue to live here with us,” Turik added.
My mouth dropped open at Turik’s audacity, and I glanced at Vorx.
“It’s your house, Vorx,” I said quickly. “I—”
“Groth enjoys living with Azio and Terri. He rubbed Terri’s boobs when she had her period and listened to them make their baby. I will enjoy doing both if you decide to choose Turik.”
“Oh… that’s not what I—” I took a calming breath and started over. “I appreciate that you’re both willing to let me stay here. Truly. I’m just looking for a safe place to sleep and would like to contribute in some small, non-sexual way. That’s all.”
“Where were you?” Turik asked, changing the subject.
“Much has happened since dawn,” Vorx said as he joined us in the kitchen. “Uan and our brothers have returned. The stupid ones followed them here and bit Adam.
“Seeing Adam hurt June’s heart, but Tor is helping her. They will move back to Tenacity to assist Matt with changing things there, now that the angry ones are gone. And Drav wants to send out scouts to find a location for a new town so the rest of our brothers can have homes too. I was going to go, but now I’ll stay.”
That was by far the most I’d heard one of them say at one time. And I’d probably only understood about a third of it.
“Someone was bitten?” I asked.
“Yes. The human man that was beaten in Tenacity.”
Guilt hit me hard because I knew exactly who June and Adam were. It was Nat’s fault that Adam had been beaten.
“The infected stole him on the way home from our caves,” Vorx continued. “They brought him here and bit him. No one understands why.” He shrugged. “The infected don’t do smart things.”
“Don’t they?” I asked. “They know to hide when we go out for supplies and wait to spring their traps. And they seem to know they can’t turn you fey because they never try to go after you. I mean, they do come at you, but it’s like they’re just trying to figure out how to get through you to get to us humans. At least, that’s how it seems to me since, once we’re safely out of reach, they tend to give up and retreat.”
Turik and Vorx exchanged an indecipherable look.
“I wasn’t trying to be contradictory,” I said, fumbling to take back whatever I’d said to cause their reaction. “Sorry.”
