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Right, I thought. Would have been nice to be warned about this, given I’d been feeling it since the day before.
“Oh, and I got this for you.” Lia threw a small bag my way. “Might make shifting more comfortable for you.”
I pulled the drawstring open at the top of the black velvet pouch and saw a silver chain inside with a yellow stone attached to it.
“Is this an amulet?” I asked, trying not to tear up at the gift. I didn’t think anyone had ever given me anything before. Necessities, yes, but not something more meaningful like this.
She nodded, leaning against the counter. “I figured not having to worry about always being naked if you shifted would calm any lingering nerves. Plus, we don’t needsomeoneripping men’s eyes out if others see you unclothed.”
I snorted, because she was probably right. “Thank you. Like, seriously. This means a lot to me.”
I took a step forward to… I didn’t know. Maybe hug her? But she waved me back. “Go get dressed so we can get on the road. I’ll get you a snack.”
As if she’d known it was coming, my stomach growled, but the sound was overshadowed by a deep rumble.
Unhurriedly, I turned around and found Grayson standing in the hallway. His flaming eyes were focused on my bare legs.
Oops. I wasn’t used to living with other people, so my style of pajamas wasn’t usually an issue. Though I could see how my lack of pants, thin, probably see-through shirt that I’d changed into after I’d thrown his into the corner of my room, and barely-there underwear could be a problem for…my mate. Then again, he’d seen me completely naked the day before—twice—and had already stuck his hand down my pants.
Fuck.This bond thing was complicated.
“I’m just going to get ready to go,” I said cautiously with a glance back at Lia.
She chuckled. “I’ll just be in here gathering snacks for the road.”
Grayson had already retreated to his room by the time I’d started walking down the hallway again. I smirked. He could be cold all he wanted. I had plenty of heat to go around.
Swiftly, I gathered the donated clothes and got dressed, channeling Lia’s style. Except my dark-wash jeans were more like jeggings and my tank top was charcoal, much like my wolf.
Then I secured the necklace around my neck, centering the stone over my chest. The skin beneath warmed and the itchiness I’d been feeling previously subsided immediately. I pressed my palm over the gift and smiled before moving out of the bedroom with my newly acquired things.
I stopped by the bathroom next, took care of business, put my hair in a ponytail, then double-checked that everything was cleaned up. I didn’t want to disrespect D’s hospitality by leaving a mess in our wake.
Once everything was cleaner than it had been when we’d arrived, I found Lia whistling in the kitchen and Grayson brooding in the corner, staring out the window.
“Oh, good,” Lia said. “You’re ready. We need to get going or we’re going to be late.”
Grayson whipped his head around. “Late for what?”
“Don’t know,” she quipped, then she grabbed the couple of bags from the counter and headed out the door.
He snarled. “I really don’t like her.”
“Then why is she here with us?” I asked, because something told me that Lia would have been left on the side of the road where we’d found her if he truly minded her company.
His lip lifted, and he said nothing in reply.
Instead, I followed him outside, taking up Lia’s whistling as we got into the jeep.
The car ride was tense as Grayson headed away from the apartments, seeming to be avoiding the city buildings I could see behind us.
“I want to come back here when we’re not hiding,” I said with a sigh. “I’ve only ever read about a circus in books, and that carnival section looked like it would be fun.”
Lia cringed. “I doubt D’s place is anything like what you’ve read about.”
“No, it’s not,” Grayson agreed stiffly.
Of course it wasn’t. Not in the new not-so-new supernatural world. Hell, I’d probably never even get the chance to see an elephant in my lifetime. I’d have to amend my bucket list to remove “ride an elephant.”
