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“I’m fine, Aria.”
I pursed my lips and nodded, taking the dismissal for what it was. Whatever had happened there, they obviously wanted to keep it between themselves. Despite my burning curiosity, I stifled the urge to press and instead offered him my own hurried goodbye.
The next few days were like this. Kiyomasa had worked some kind of magic on Auren that had compelled him to leave me in charge of the Paras in the basement, and for the most part, everything went back to normal.
“I feel like it’s been forever since we got to just relax,” Reese groaned, lying out on the grass beside me.
It was a beautiful, sunny day with a handful of fluffy clouds, and I was determined to enjoy it. We’d taken early kitchen duty while Reese had managed to wriggle free of whatever lab Auren had kept her locked up in since we arrived at the camp. Not for the first time, I wished she could tell me more about what he had her doing; I’d only seen the outside of the building, and while part of me trusted them both, Reese especially, I couldn't help but feel like they were hiding something horrible.
“You’re telling me,” I sighed, stretching my sore limbs. “Atlan has been working me like a dog ever since we beat back the Upper Council the other day.”
Reese giggled like it was a joke, but I only wished I was kidding. Kiran was much kinder to her during their sessions, from what I’d seen, and I was a little jealous.
“Did you see them when they were fully shifted? Marilyn said it was like something out of a horror movie.”
I could see that. They definitely gave off serial killer vibes on a good day, and from what Sariel had told me after I’d demanded answers for the covering-my-eyes situation, I’d gathered they were some kind of eldritch monsters. “No, but that doesn't surprise me. Sariel hasn’t looked either of them in the face since then.”
It would have been funny if it wasn't so awkward at the meetings Auren held for his inner circle.
Reese and I just… relaxed. Our day was spent sprawled out in the grass, catching up and gossiping about our fellow Resistance members with little grins. Every now and then, Sariel’s affection would trickle down the bond and warm me all over again. It was all so peaceful, I almost let myself forget that we were in a hot mess of epic proportions.
“I heard Grel showed up,” Reese said casually, where I almost missed the fact that she was prying.
I gave her a grin. “I heard Neo did a complete shift because you got hurt.”
Her eyes darted from mine immediately, and I couldn't help but laugh. “Oh, come on. I’mdyingto know what really happened.”
And so she told me, in a halting, anxious voice. Apparently, Reese had been snatched up by a vampire, and even though she’d been able to get free of him without Neo intervening, the moment he’d caught sight of her darting down the street towards him, he’d blown up.
I was a little disappointed—and possibly even more confused than I had been originally—when she didn't explain to me what the issue was exactly.
“So, was he gross-looking like the twins?” I asked, and Reese gave me a scolding look.
“Of course not. He was Neo!”
“Right. But a much bigger, possibly grotesque-looking version?”
She tossed her jacket at me, scowling despite the way I could tell she was fighting back laughter. “No! He was beautiful, I just—he’s an angel.”
Clicking her tongue, she looked out over the training field with a long sigh. “I guess I knew that, but it was a distant thing, you know? I’d never seen him as anything other than just Neo. Now, all of a sudden…”
“You realized the gravity of your situation?” I offered, and she nodded, looking almost frantic when she turned back to me.
“I care about him, you know? But I didn’t let myself humor the thought he might care about me like that. It’s kinda hard to stay in denial when he goes all Heavenly Fury on some guys for attacking you. Then I had to try and unpack that I’m just human, and—”
Reese cut off, clearing her throat.
“I get it,” I sympathized. I’d never been in her shoes, exactly, but it was a well-known drawback of getting involved with humans. They were sofragilein comparison to a lot of supernatural species, and being romantically involved with them? It almost always ended in heartbreak. “But you shouldn’t let it hold you back. If you two… care about each other, then you shouldn’t waste what time you do have overthinking.”
When she didn't respond to my advice outside of a nod, I decided to leave it. Obviously, it was a heavy subject for them, and they’d need to work it out on their own time.
When I crawled into bed with Sariel that night, I felt compelled to take my own advice.
The temptation to justbewith him was nearly too much to bear the longer we went on, especially when his hands were caressing me with soft, sweet touches, and his mouth was chasing them in a hot, wet trail.
Sariel loved me to sleep, and if I was a little clingier than usual, he didn't comment.
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