Nyx (Mate's Mark Book 3), page 33
“Dear gods, are you alright?” August’s eyes dart between our filthy crew before settling on Xeni.
Ronan pulls his face out of Cameron’s hair long enough to tip his head towards me and says, “This isn’t our blood.” He nods toward Xeni with a grunt. “That, however, is his blood.”
Xeni insists he’s fine, but August isn’t hearing it and forces him to kneel so he can examine his stitches, muttering about infection and scars. Elas watches them for a moment, his jealousy so potent it nearly forms a cloud around him. August catches his eye in a silent conversation, and Elas relents and walks to grip Ronan’s shoulder. “What happened? Did they attack?” His dark eyes move to the second van sitting behind ours.
They haven’t exited their vehicle yet, but I can’t blame them for that. The wall of muscle that greeted us must be a terrifying sight to those who have been so beaten down.
Ronan puts Cameron on the ground, although he’s still clinging to his side, and claps Elas on the arm. “It’s a long story, but no. We ran into a military patrol that turned… ugly. We’re fine.”
“Yeah, you look fine,” Elas mutters, and Ronan chuckles. “The others?”
“They’re doing as well as can be expected. Matuk has some pretty serious injuries, but he’ll recover. The rest are weak. Hungry. They haven’t had a reliable food source since they escaped.”
“I’ll throw together a quick meal,” Taryn says with a squeeze to Lillith’s arm, and Ronan nods his thanks as she jogs to the storage building.
“Let’s get them out of that van before someone faints,” Ronan says, and we walk towards the newcomers. Audra sits in the driver’s seat, her flaming red hair barely visible over the steering wheel. She pops open the door and hops to the ground as she assesses everyone. Her pointed chin juts out, and her arms cross, standing her ground even though she’s a solid two feet shorter than half our group.
A dimple pits her cheek as she chews on her lip. “You’re a bunch of big ones, aren’t ya?” she finally asks.
“I like her,” Lillith says as she chuckles, and the mood instantly brightens. The rest of their crew exit the van with a wariness born of caution, and they look dead on their feet. Dark rings form half moons under their eyes, and their clothes are filthy, while sunken cheeks speak to their lack of nutrition.
Ronan moves towards the passenger side to help Matuk, but is swatted out of the way. “Go rest, busybody,” Elas snaps at his best friend, then turns to face Matuk. The giant green monster meets his eyes, then dips his head in shame.
“Forgive me,” he whispers, and Elas’s expression softens.
“None of us do well when we’re backed into corners,” Elas says, and Matuk gulps before he lifts his eyes. “Come on, let's get you comfortable.”
Ronan leads the rest of the group towards our common area. Everyone’s eyes dart around, taking in our little piece of paradise in this ugly world. “Taryn is putting together a meal for everyone. We’ll assemble the cots in one of the empty houses for tonight. It’s not the prettiest, but it’ll protect you from the weather. Tomorrow after we’ve rested, we’ll discuss specifics.”
“Thank you,” Matuk says, and the others nod their thanks as well.
“We have some spare clothes. Not enough to give everyone a full wardrobe, but enough for at least one extra set. The stream that runs through the woods is clean, and you can use it to bathe. Soap and towels are stored out there.”
Sprocket eyes the solar panels, her fingers pinching her chin. “Do those work?” she asks, and her voice is deeper than I expected with her small size.
“One of them,” Cameron says as he steps forward and offers his hand. “I’m Cameron, Ronan’s mate. I did what I could, but the others are beyond my capabilities.”
“Maybe I can give you a hand with that,” Sprocket says, and Cameron smiles.
“I think we’d all appreciate that.”
Elas helps Matuk lower onto one of the flat rocks that form the circle where we eat. Samuel follows, holding Daiwyn’s hand, and guides her to sit as well. Everyone else finds a spot to settle as August pours cups of water and passes them out.
Taryn returns with a few loaves of bread and a jar of strawberry jam, along with a basket full of eggs and a few fresh peppers and onions. Lillith starts a fire to heat the large skillet above the flame, and Taryn slices and distributes bread while we wait for the meal to cook. Everyone takes their food with sincere thanks, and when Taryn reaches Daiwyn, the Anunian woman bursts into tears.
Samuel tucks her into his side, and Taryn crouches in front of her. “It’s alright,” Taryn murmurs. “We understand what you’re going through right now. You’re safe here.”
“Safe?” Daiwyn whispers, and Taryn nods with a broken smile.
“In time, you’ll accept it. Until you do, just know you’re among friends.” She leaves the mates together to eat, and Samuel flashes her a heartbreakingly tender smile in thanks.
Once the skillet is hot, Taryn tosses in the vegetables, then follows with the whipped eggs once they’re ready. The sun has set and darkness has settled by the time the meal is finished, and the firelight dances over the exhausted faces of this new alliance.
Ronan eyes the vehicles and tries to stand, but Elas grabs his shoulder and shoves him back to sitting. “You’ve done enough, old friend. Let us handle it, yeah?” Ronan grumbles, but nods as Elas and August collect the cots and set them up inside one of the vacant homes. Nyx’s weight is heavy against my arm, and I know he’s exhausted. We excuse ourselves to his cottage, where we shower and stumble to the bedroom. I don’t think anything has ever been so comfortable and welcoming as this bed and these blankets as we curl up together, and in minutes, we’re both sound asleep.
The soft patter of feet pulls me from my slumber, and after I fill my chest with a deep inhale, I reach beside me to find cold sheets. “Nyx?” I mumble, and he walks into the room as I roll to face the door.
“You were not supposed to be awake yet,” he complains, and I huff a laugh as I sit up and rub my eyes. When they’re cleared, I find him standing there wearing my shirt that he fell asleep in last night. His hair is loose and mussed from sleep, but he’s nervous. There’s a tray in his hands, and he shuffles between his bare feet.
“What’s all this?”
“A surprise. You always take care of me, and I want to take care of you, too.” I open my mouth to argue that he already does, that spoiling him is my greatest joy, but he put in a lot of work, and I won’t take that away from him.
“What’d you bring me?” I ask instead, and his eyes light up as they lift to mine.
“Breakfast.” I glance at the tray and my grin nearly splits my face in half. Strawberries and apples are haphazardly chopped into varying sizes, and beside them is a thick piece of bread, but instead of a clean slice, it looks like someone could’ve used their hands to pull it apart.
Next to the plate is a cluster of dandelions—soil-covered roots and all—and a shiny white rock that probably came from our spot in the creek.
It’s fucking perfect.
“What’s the occasion?” I ask as he sets the tray beside me. Without it to hold, he wrings his hands as he circles to his side of the bed and climbs on carefully so he doesn’t jostle his work. I take a bite of a strawberry and then offer one to him. He opens his mouth for me to feed it to him, and as he chews, his fingers move to his shirt hem and rub the fabric.
“Nyx? You only do that when you’re nervous. What’s wrong?”
He doesn’t answer at first, only stares at the blankets underneath us. Finally, he says, “The new people.”
I sit up straighter, my breakfast forgotten as I focus on him. “What about them?”
Nyx’s eyes meet mine and go wide at my defensiveness. “No, no, nothing bad. Eat.”
“This feels like a bribe,” I mutter.
“What is this bribe?”
I chew on one of the smaller apple chunks, but he shakes his head when I offer a piece to him. “A bribe is when you give someone gifts because you want something from them and are trying to put them in a good mood.”
“Oh,” he says, then considers it and nods. “Yes. This is a bribe.” I chuckle as I take a big bite of my chunky bread, waiting for him to gather his thoughts. “They will need space, and I thought…”
“You thought?” I hedge when he doesn’t continue.
“Maybe some of them could have… y-your house?”
My heart falters before it kicks into double time, trying to hide my enthusiasm before I’m sure what he’s asking. “My house? Won’t I need it?”
“You never… stay there anymore. You belong here. With me.”
“Yeah, I do, don’t I?” I ask quietly as he nods so enthusiastically his hair bounces, like he needs to convince me.
“And I know you are a whore—”
I choke on my sip of water, nearly spewing it from my nostrils as he wrinkles his nose at me. “I’m sorry,” I rasp through a cough. “What?”
“Cameron says you are a whore.”
“Why would Cameron call me that?”
“Because you keep all the things in your house. Boxes of things he says you don’t need.”
“Well, fuck Cameron for being a gossipy little hen,” I mutter, before speaking with a distinct enunciation. “A hoarder.”
“Is this not what I said?” His exasperation makes me laugh. So fucking cute.
“Not quite, precious. But I don’t have that many things… it’s just that I was alone, and having stuff to keep me busy made it easier. And yeah, sure I… collect a few things…” He bats his eyes at my rambling, and I take a deep breath. “That isn’t important right now. Um, back to what we were talking about… what were you trying to ask me?” His gaze drops to the mattress as his cheeks darken, but I grip his chin and lift him to face me again. “I want to hear it,” I whisper. “Please?”
“You can live with me. Here. I know it is small, but we can find places for your things. Or if you want, they can h-have my house and we can take yours.”
“No, you’re comfortable here. I would never take that away from you.” He breathes a relieved sigh, and I move the tray to the dresser before curling back onto the bed and dragging him against me, running my fingers through his hair. “You really want me with you?”
“I want,” he says immediately, “always. I want.”
“Then you’ll have,” I promise as I run my palm up and down his arm. “Those things aren’t important, Nyx. Stuff, trinkets… they’re souvenirs from a time when I didn’t have anybody, and now I do. I have you, and you have me, and that’s all I need in this world.”
“You will stay with me?” Giant sage eyes stare into mine, trusting, and so fucking beautiful.
“I’ll always stay with you, Nyx. You’re mine. Forever.”
Reyes
“You’re sure about this?” Samuel asks for what might be the twentieth time as I stand in the doorframe of my old place. Once Nyx and I decided I’d move in with him, it took a few days to sort through the things I had shoved into random boxes. My hoarding—I grin to myself at the word—ended up coming in handy. The extra stuff I brought from my former camp was needed with the new faces, even if just for a little comfort in a stressful time.
“The two of you deserve somewhere to call home.” I keep my voice low so as not to spook Daiwyn, and she glances up at me from the chair. She’s several inches taller than Samuel, but is always hiding behind him when they interact with anyone. He protects her, and they need a sanctuary where she can let down her walls. Somewhere she can heal. “It’s not fancy, but it’s peaceful.”
“We are grateful,” Daiwyn says in her soft voice, and I fight the urge to pull her in for a hug.
“Anything you need, please ask. Nyx and I are just across the street.”
“Thank you, Reyes,” Samuel says as he shakes my hand.
“Ronan wants everyone at dinner tonight,” I remind them as I pat my palm against the doorframe. It wasn’t my home for long, but so much happened while I was inside these walls.
“We’ll be there,” Samuel promises, and I give them both another smile before I cross the path to our cottage. When I walk inside, Nyx stands in the kitchen, tongue poking out between his lips in concentration. He chops a salad for dinner tonight, and both of us pretend not to notice as Boomerang sneaks a sliver of carrot off the edge of the counter. Ever since we’ve been back, Nyx has taken more of an interest in cooking. He says that finding new ways to combine the ingredients is soothing to him, and Ronan has even given him a few rudimentary lessons in baking. His cornbread was dense and way too crumbly, but I ate it anyway and loved every bite.
“Need any help?” I ask, and he glances up with a tiny grin.
“No. I am almost done.” I walk over and wrap my arms around his waist, resting my chin on his shoulder. He laughs as I press a kiss to his ear, then he shoos me away like a fly. “Distracting.”
“You like it,” I tease, and he looks at me with nothing short of complete adoration.
“I love it.”
“I’m going to take a quick shower before dinner, okay?”
“Hot water has spoiled you. That’s your second shower today. You are the diva now.”
“You like it,” I call out from the bathroom.
“I love it,” he calls back, and I chuckle as I twist the tap. Warm water comes fairly quickly, thanks to Sprocket’s tinkering. In the week since they arrived, she’s jumped in guns blazing. Wrenches blazing?
I shake my head as I shed my dirty clothes and step under the spray. Four of the dozen solar panels are now working, which has provided us with reliable overhead lights and fans. She has also repaired the community boiler and adjusted the well to increase the water flow, so warm showers are no longer a pipe dream but a daily reality. With consistent electricity, many of the stoves are functioning again, although most nights we still gravitate towards the cooking circle.
I dry off and dress in clean clothes, and as I walk back into the kitchen, Nyx is assembling his giant salad in a bowl to carry with us. “Ready?” he asks with a sweet smile, and I take the bowl from him. Boomerang darts out the door, disappearing into the woods as we join the others. Ronan accepts the vegetables with a tilt of his lips that borders a smile.
The first few days after we returned were hard on him, even if he’ll never admit it to anyone but his mate. He and Cameron have always been cuddly, but after our near-death experience, they haven’t left each other’s side. Even here, he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Things have been quiet, though, and he’s slowly relaxing again.
Elas went hunting this morning and brought home a deer, and I kept Nyx indoors and distracted while he prepared it for dinner tonight. He doesn’t mind if others have meat, but he’s never been able to bring himself to eat the animals he loves so much. The venison sizzles over the fire, Ronan has a few loaves of bread wrapped in a towel, and a pot boils with a brothy soup full of vegetables and rice. Everything smells delicious, and my stomach growls as we take our spots in the circle.
Matuk hobbles over with Audra at his side. At first, I suspected there was more there than friendship, but they behave like siblings, squabbling and teasing. Audra’s mate was killed a few months ago at Ljómur, so Matuk has taken it upon himself to look out for her. Although as the petite woman bosses him around, I wonder if she really needs it.
They choose a spot beside August, and Matuk offers a tentative smile to him and Elas. It doesn’t take long before Matuk is beaming and August is laughing, and I grin as I watch them.
Samuel and Daiwyn join them, while Lillith, Taryn, and Xeni sit to my left. Cameron plops down beside Nyx as Sprocket and Aryn come in last. Sprocket grins and thanks Ronan as he hands her a plate, but Aryn is more reserved and ducks his head almost subserviently. Ronan takes his place with Cameron, and conversations pass in murmurs as we eat. When the meal is finished, silence falls, and Ronan clears his throat.
“I know everyone is adjusting to reality here. The new folks are settling in,” he says with a nod towards where they flock together on one side. So far, everyone is getting along well, but we still gravitate toward our familiar groups. Any time we meet, the six of them cluster. “We’re all getting used to sharing this space.”
“We appreciate your hospitality,” Matuk says, and the others nod their agreement. “This place is amazing… more than we could’ve possibly hoped for. After Ljómur, none of us were sure where we’d end up, but we certainly didn’t expect it to be somewhere as beautiful as this.”
“Thank you for sharing your home,” Daiwyn says quietly.
“It is your home now, too,” Ronan says, and I can tell he means it. Wary as he may be, he has accepted them into our family. Distant cousins, perhaps, but they’re there. “We need to discuss what happens next… outside of this place.” Nyx takes a deep breath and clings to my arm, and I lean my head on his as Ronan continues. “All of you know the circumstances under which we met. When we ran into each other, we were testing our theory that Nyx can manipulate the rifts.”
“Why did you believe that?” I’m surprised to hear Aryn speak up. He doesn’t talk much, and usually keeps to himself indoors. He appears curious, though, with his tail flicking lazily back and forth behind him as he nods at Nyx. “You obviously had reason to believe Nyx had this ability. Had he done it before?”
Xeni glances over at Nyx, and waits for his nod before turning back to Aryn. “When I was at Ljómur, I studied the files in my free time. There was mention of it happening when the humans held him captive. From everything we’ve read, that’s the only record of it.”
“Did you ever ask Bash about it?” Sprocket asks, and my brow furrows at the new name. Xeni’s face immediately flushes a peony pink.
“No,” he says, with so much animosity Sprocket’s brows fly up to her hairline.
“Well, why not?”
The defensiveness that Xeni once wore like armor has returned, and his face is as hard as stone behind the shield of his crossed arms. “It doesn’t matter, because I didn’t. He probably wouldn’t have known anything, anyway.”
Ronan pulls his face out of Cameron’s hair long enough to tip his head towards me and says, “This isn’t our blood.” He nods toward Xeni with a grunt. “That, however, is his blood.”
Xeni insists he’s fine, but August isn’t hearing it and forces him to kneel so he can examine his stitches, muttering about infection and scars. Elas watches them for a moment, his jealousy so potent it nearly forms a cloud around him. August catches his eye in a silent conversation, and Elas relents and walks to grip Ronan’s shoulder. “What happened? Did they attack?” His dark eyes move to the second van sitting behind ours.
They haven’t exited their vehicle yet, but I can’t blame them for that. The wall of muscle that greeted us must be a terrifying sight to those who have been so beaten down.
Ronan puts Cameron on the ground, although he’s still clinging to his side, and claps Elas on the arm. “It’s a long story, but no. We ran into a military patrol that turned… ugly. We’re fine.”
“Yeah, you look fine,” Elas mutters, and Ronan chuckles. “The others?”
“They’re doing as well as can be expected. Matuk has some pretty serious injuries, but he’ll recover. The rest are weak. Hungry. They haven’t had a reliable food source since they escaped.”
“I’ll throw together a quick meal,” Taryn says with a squeeze to Lillith’s arm, and Ronan nods his thanks as she jogs to the storage building.
“Let’s get them out of that van before someone faints,” Ronan says, and we walk towards the newcomers. Audra sits in the driver’s seat, her flaming red hair barely visible over the steering wheel. She pops open the door and hops to the ground as she assesses everyone. Her pointed chin juts out, and her arms cross, standing her ground even though she’s a solid two feet shorter than half our group.
A dimple pits her cheek as she chews on her lip. “You’re a bunch of big ones, aren’t ya?” she finally asks.
“I like her,” Lillith says as she chuckles, and the mood instantly brightens. The rest of their crew exit the van with a wariness born of caution, and they look dead on their feet. Dark rings form half moons under their eyes, and their clothes are filthy, while sunken cheeks speak to their lack of nutrition.
Ronan moves towards the passenger side to help Matuk, but is swatted out of the way. “Go rest, busybody,” Elas snaps at his best friend, then turns to face Matuk. The giant green monster meets his eyes, then dips his head in shame.
“Forgive me,” he whispers, and Elas’s expression softens.
“None of us do well when we’re backed into corners,” Elas says, and Matuk gulps before he lifts his eyes. “Come on, let's get you comfortable.”
Ronan leads the rest of the group towards our common area. Everyone’s eyes dart around, taking in our little piece of paradise in this ugly world. “Taryn is putting together a meal for everyone. We’ll assemble the cots in one of the empty houses for tonight. It’s not the prettiest, but it’ll protect you from the weather. Tomorrow after we’ve rested, we’ll discuss specifics.”
“Thank you,” Matuk says, and the others nod their thanks as well.
“We have some spare clothes. Not enough to give everyone a full wardrobe, but enough for at least one extra set. The stream that runs through the woods is clean, and you can use it to bathe. Soap and towels are stored out there.”
Sprocket eyes the solar panels, her fingers pinching her chin. “Do those work?” she asks, and her voice is deeper than I expected with her small size.
“One of them,” Cameron says as he steps forward and offers his hand. “I’m Cameron, Ronan’s mate. I did what I could, but the others are beyond my capabilities.”
“Maybe I can give you a hand with that,” Sprocket says, and Cameron smiles.
“I think we’d all appreciate that.”
Elas helps Matuk lower onto one of the flat rocks that form the circle where we eat. Samuel follows, holding Daiwyn’s hand, and guides her to sit as well. Everyone else finds a spot to settle as August pours cups of water and passes them out.
Taryn returns with a few loaves of bread and a jar of strawberry jam, along with a basket full of eggs and a few fresh peppers and onions. Lillith starts a fire to heat the large skillet above the flame, and Taryn slices and distributes bread while we wait for the meal to cook. Everyone takes their food with sincere thanks, and when Taryn reaches Daiwyn, the Anunian woman bursts into tears.
Samuel tucks her into his side, and Taryn crouches in front of her. “It’s alright,” Taryn murmurs. “We understand what you’re going through right now. You’re safe here.”
“Safe?” Daiwyn whispers, and Taryn nods with a broken smile.
“In time, you’ll accept it. Until you do, just know you’re among friends.” She leaves the mates together to eat, and Samuel flashes her a heartbreakingly tender smile in thanks.
Once the skillet is hot, Taryn tosses in the vegetables, then follows with the whipped eggs once they’re ready. The sun has set and darkness has settled by the time the meal is finished, and the firelight dances over the exhausted faces of this new alliance.
Ronan eyes the vehicles and tries to stand, but Elas grabs his shoulder and shoves him back to sitting. “You’ve done enough, old friend. Let us handle it, yeah?” Ronan grumbles, but nods as Elas and August collect the cots and set them up inside one of the vacant homes. Nyx’s weight is heavy against my arm, and I know he’s exhausted. We excuse ourselves to his cottage, where we shower and stumble to the bedroom. I don’t think anything has ever been so comfortable and welcoming as this bed and these blankets as we curl up together, and in minutes, we’re both sound asleep.
The soft patter of feet pulls me from my slumber, and after I fill my chest with a deep inhale, I reach beside me to find cold sheets. “Nyx?” I mumble, and he walks into the room as I roll to face the door.
“You were not supposed to be awake yet,” he complains, and I huff a laugh as I sit up and rub my eyes. When they’re cleared, I find him standing there wearing my shirt that he fell asleep in last night. His hair is loose and mussed from sleep, but he’s nervous. There’s a tray in his hands, and he shuffles between his bare feet.
“What’s all this?”
“A surprise. You always take care of me, and I want to take care of you, too.” I open my mouth to argue that he already does, that spoiling him is my greatest joy, but he put in a lot of work, and I won’t take that away from him.
“What’d you bring me?” I ask instead, and his eyes light up as they lift to mine.
“Breakfast.” I glance at the tray and my grin nearly splits my face in half. Strawberries and apples are haphazardly chopped into varying sizes, and beside them is a thick piece of bread, but instead of a clean slice, it looks like someone could’ve used their hands to pull it apart.
Next to the plate is a cluster of dandelions—soil-covered roots and all—and a shiny white rock that probably came from our spot in the creek.
It’s fucking perfect.
“What’s the occasion?” I ask as he sets the tray beside me. Without it to hold, he wrings his hands as he circles to his side of the bed and climbs on carefully so he doesn’t jostle his work. I take a bite of a strawberry and then offer one to him. He opens his mouth for me to feed it to him, and as he chews, his fingers move to his shirt hem and rub the fabric.
“Nyx? You only do that when you’re nervous. What’s wrong?”
He doesn’t answer at first, only stares at the blankets underneath us. Finally, he says, “The new people.”
I sit up straighter, my breakfast forgotten as I focus on him. “What about them?”
Nyx’s eyes meet mine and go wide at my defensiveness. “No, no, nothing bad. Eat.”
“This feels like a bribe,” I mutter.
“What is this bribe?”
I chew on one of the smaller apple chunks, but he shakes his head when I offer a piece to him. “A bribe is when you give someone gifts because you want something from them and are trying to put them in a good mood.”
“Oh,” he says, then considers it and nods. “Yes. This is a bribe.” I chuckle as I take a big bite of my chunky bread, waiting for him to gather his thoughts. “They will need space, and I thought…”
“You thought?” I hedge when he doesn’t continue.
“Maybe some of them could have… y-your house?”
My heart falters before it kicks into double time, trying to hide my enthusiasm before I’m sure what he’s asking. “My house? Won’t I need it?”
“You never… stay there anymore. You belong here. With me.”
“Yeah, I do, don’t I?” I ask quietly as he nods so enthusiastically his hair bounces, like he needs to convince me.
“And I know you are a whore—”
I choke on my sip of water, nearly spewing it from my nostrils as he wrinkles his nose at me. “I’m sorry,” I rasp through a cough. “What?”
“Cameron says you are a whore.”
“Why would Cameron call me that?”
“Because you keep all the things in your house. Boxes of things he says you don’t need.”
“Well, fuck Cameron for being a gossipy little hen,” I mutter, before speaking with a distinct enunciation. “A hoarder.”
“Is this not what I said?” His exasperation makes me laugh. So fucking cute.
“Not quite, precious. But I don’t have that many things… it’s just that I was alone, and having stuff to keep me busy made it easier. And yeah, sure I… collect a few things…” He bats his eyes at my rambling, and I take a deep breath. “That isn’t important right now. Um, back to what we were talking about… what were you trying to ask me?” His gaze drops to the mattress as his cheeks darken, but I grip his chin and lift him to face me again. “I want to hear it,” I whisper. “Please?”
“You can live with me. Here. I know it is small, but we can find places for your things. Or if you want, they can h-have my house and we can take yours.”
“No, you’re comfortable here. I would never take that away from you.” He breathes a relieved sigh, and I move the tray to the dresser before curling back onto the bed and dragging him against me, running my fingers through his hair. “You really want me with you?”
“I want,” he says immediately, “always. I want.”
“Then you’ll have,” I promise as I run my palm up and down his arm. “Those things aren’t important, Nyx. Stuff, trinkets… they’re souvenirs from a time when I didn’t have anybody, and now I do. I have you, and you have me, and that’s all I need in this world.”
“You will stay with me?” Giant sage eyes stare into mine, trusting, and so fucking beautiful.
“I’ll always stay with you, Nyx. You’re mine. Forever.”
Reyes
“You’re sure about this?” Samuel asks for what might be the twentieth time as I stand in the doorframe of my old place. Once Nyx and I decided I’d move in with him, it took a few days to sort through the things I had shoved into random boxes. My hoarding—I grin to myself at the word—ended up coming in handy. The extra stuff I brought from my former camp was needed with the new faces, even if just for a little comfort in a stressful time.
“The two of you deserve somewhere to call home.” I keep my voice low so as not to spook Daiwyn, and she glances up at me from the chair. She’s several inches taller than Samuel, but is always hiding behind him when they interact with anyone. He protects her, and they need a sanctuary where she can let down her walls. Somewhere she can heal. “It’s not fancy, but it’s peaceful.”
“We are grateful,” Daiwyn says in her soft voice, and I fight the urge to pull her in for a hug.
“Anything you need, please ask. Nyx and I are just across the street.”
“Thank you, Reyes,” Samuel says as he shakes my hand.
“Ronan wants everyone at dinner tonight,” I remind them as I pat my palm against the doorframe. It wasn’t my home for long, but so much happened while I was inside these walls.
“We’ll be there,” Samuel promises, and I give them both another smile before I cross the path to our cottage. When I walk inside, Nyx stands in the kitchen, tongue poking out between his lips in concentration. He chops a salad for dinner tonight, and both of us pretend not to notice as Boomerang sneaks a sliver of carrot off the edge of the counter. Ever since we’ve been back, Nyx has taken more of an interest in cooking. He says that finding new ways to combine the ingredients is soothing to him, and Ronan has even given him a few rudimentary lessons in baking. His cornbread was dense and way too crumbly, but I ate it anyway and loved every bite.
“Need any help?” I ask, and he glances up with a tiny grin.
“No. I am almost done.” I walk over and wrap my arms around his waist, resting my chin on his shoulder. He laughs as I press a kiss to his ear, then he shoos me away like a fly. “Distracting.”
“You like it,” I tease, and he looks at me with nothing short of complete adoration.
“I love it.”
“I’m going to take a quick shower before dinner, okay?”
“Hot water has spoiled you. That’s your second shower today. You are the diva now.”
“You like it,” I call out from the bathroom.
“I love it,” he calls back, and I chuckle as I twist the tap. Warm water comes fairly quickly, thanks to Sprocket’s tinkering. In the week since they arrived, she’s jumped in guns blazing. Wrenches blazing?
I shake my head as I shed my dirty clothes and step under the spray. Four of the dozen solar panels are now working, which has provided us with reliable overhead lights and fans. She has also repaired the community boiler and adjusted the well to increase the water flow, so warm showers are no longer a pipe dream but a daily reality. With consistent electricity, many of the stoves are functioning again, although most nights we still gravitate towards the cooking circle.
I dry off and dress in clean clothes, and as I walk back into the kitchen, Nyx is assembling his giant salad in a bowl to carry with us. “Ready?” he asks with a sweet smile, and I take the bowl from him. Boomerang darts out the door, disappearing into the woods as we join the others. Ronan accepts the vegetables with a tilt of his lips that borders a smile.
The first few days after we returned were hard on him, even if he’ll never admit it to anyone but his mate. He and Cameron have always been cuddly, but after our near-death experience, they haven’t left each other’s side. Even here, he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Things have been quiet, though, and he’s slowly relaxing again.
Elas went hunting this morning and brought home a deer, and I kept Nyx indoors and distracted while he prepared it for dinner tonight. He doesn’t mind if others have meat, but he’s never been able to bring himself to eat the animals he loves so much. The venison sizzles over the fire, Ronan has a few loaves of bread wrapped in a towel, and a pot boils with a brothy soup full of vegetables and rice. Everything smells delicious, and my stomach growls as we take our spots in the circle.
Matuk hobbles over with Audra at his side. At first, I suspected there was more there than friendship, but they behave like siblings, squabbling and teasing. Audra’s mate was killed a few months ago at Ljómur, so Matuk has taken it upon himself to look out for her. Although as the petite woman bosses him around, I wonder if she really needs it.
They choose a spot beside August, and Matuk offers a tentative smile to him and Elas. It doesn’t take long before Matuk is beaming and August is laughing, and I grin as I watch them.
Samuel and Daiwyn join them, while Lillith, Taryn, and Xeni sit to my left. Cameron plops down beside Nyx as Sprocket and Aryn come in last. Sprocket grins and thanks Ronan as he hands her a plate, but Aryn is more reserved and ducks his head almost subserviently. Ronan takes his place with Cameron, and conversations pass in murmurs as we eat. When the meal is finished, silence falls, and Ronan clears his throat.
“I know everyone is adjusting to reality here. The new folks are settling in,” he says with a nod towards where they flock together on one side. So far, everyone is getting along well, but we still gravitate toward our familiar groups. Any time we meet, the six of them cluster. “We’re all getting used to sharing this space.”
“We appreciate your hospitality,” Matuk says, and the others nod their agreement. “This place is amazing… more than we could’ve possibly hoped for. After Ljómur, none of us were sure where we’d end up, but we certainly didn’t expect it to be somewhere as beautiful as this.”
“Thank you for sharing your home,” Daiwyn says quietly.
“It is your home now, too,” Ronan says, and I can tell he means it. Wary as he may be, he has accepted them into our family. Distant cousins, perhaps, but they’re there. “We need to discuss what happens next… outside of this place.” Nyx takes a deep breath and clings to my arm, and I lean my head on his as Ronan continues. “All of you know the circumstances under which we met. When we ran into each other, we were testing our theory that Nyx can manipulate the rifts.”
“Why did you believe that?” I’m surprised to hear Aryn speak up. He doesn’t talk much, and usually keeps to himself indoors. He appears curious, though, with his tail flicking lazily back and forth behind him as he nods at Nyx. “You obviously had reason to believe Nyx had this ability. Had he done it before?”
Xeni glances over at Nyx, and waits for his nod before turning back to Aryn. “When I was at Ljómur, I studied the files in my free time. There was mention of it happening when the humans held him captive. From everything we’ve read, that’s the only record of it.”
“Did you ever ask Bash about it?” Sprocket asks, and my brow furrows at the new name. Xeni’s face immediately flushes a peony pink.
“No,” he says, with so much animosity Sprocket’s brows fly up to her hairline.
“Well, why not?”
The defensiveness that Xeni once wore like armor has returned, and his face is as hard as stone behind the shield of his crossed arms. “It doesn’t matter, because I didn’t. He probably wouldn’t have known anything, anyway.”
