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When we emerged, they hauled out the cookbooks they’d collected, and we poured through them together to come up with a dinner we would all enjoy. I’d never enjoyed spending hours in the kitchen, typically finding food prep a thankless chore. But I wasn’t in it alone this time. They wanted to be there. We worked together. As a team. As equals.
Vorx chopped, Turik mixed, and I consulted the book and gathered ingredients. They teased each other and me while we worked. We laughed and had fun, and when everything was in the oven, we set the table together.
I stopped moving for a moment and just watched them.
My guys.
The evil fey who were the cause of all the world’s troubles, according to Nat.
Vorx was giving Turik crap that his knife was crooked, and I grinned. This was the life I never knew I wanted. Vorx had seen the truth long before I had. I hadn’t only been living a life filled with fear. I’d been lonely. Starved for affection and a comforting touch.
I would never starve for love again. I would never be lonely because one of them would always be with me. And I would always be safe.
* * *
I wokewith a stretch and a smile. Today was a new day, and the orgasm limit was officially reset.
My hand snaked across the sheet and…touched nothing but more sheet. Cool sheet, in fact.
Frowning, I lifted my head and checked both sides of me, confirming what I’d suspected. My guys were gone.
“What the hell?” I muttered.
A chuckle drew my gaze to the doorway where Vorx leaned.
“Did you think we would stay in bed so you could torment us with your sweet ass-cock hugs?”
I scowled harder at his smirk.
“Up, woman.” He straightened away from the door. “Hannah told you to meet her an hour after dawn, and you don’t want to be late.”
“I don’t want to wrestle,” I said, scrambling out of bed to chase after him.
“It’s not wrestling,” Turik said when I caught up to Vorx in the kitchen. “Vorx and I will do everything to ensure your safety, but you need to do your part, too. Hannah and Eden will show you how to avoid an infected bite. Brenna will teach you to use the bow, and we’ll help you learn to use a knife.”
“It’s fighting. It’s getting hit, and it’ll hurt. Haven’t I had enough of both?”
Vorx cupped my cheeks in his palms and kissed my forehead then my nose.
“Maybe you will save yourself with these skills. Maybe you will save one of us. Or, someday, a child. Aren’t those skills worth learning for a chance to do all of that?”
I held his gaze for a long moment, hating that he was right and that I’d have to endure anything physical like that again.
“I don’t want to do it,” I whispered.
“I know,” he said tenderly. “But you will. You’re strong and have more courage than you know.”
I closed my eyes, hating that he saw me that way because it meant I would need to live up to those expectations.
His lips gently brushed over mine, startling my eyes open.
“My sweet, pretty Shelby.”
“Fine, but I better get all the pampering when I’m done.”
He kissed my forehead again.
“You will. Go get dressed so we can eat breakfast together.”
