She lifted her head to see Telok standing on the platform, in front of the bridge, with all four arms crossed over his chest and his bright green eyes narrowed at Cole.
“He’s eating,” Lacey said, glancing at Telok before waving him off and returning her focus to her basket. “So shoo. Begone with you.”
Telok’s mandibles twitched, and his posture stiffened. His gaze flicked to Lacey. The hard, mask-like faces of the vrix couldn’t really change expressions, but Callie swore something passed over his for an instant, somehow heated and dark, frustrated, crestfallen, and hungry.
But it came and went so quickly that she couldn’t be sure if she’d only imagined it.
“Yeah,” Cole replied, tossing a chunk of goldcrest mushroom into his mouth. “What she said.”
With a growl, Telok strode toward Cole, who was about to eat another piece of goldcrest. Cole’s hand paused in the air as the two stared at each other.
Slowly, the vrix bent down and extended an arm. With an unceremonious, comically softthwap, he slapped the mushroom out of Cole’s hand. “No eat. Hunt.”
Cole scowled and pointed at his chest. “Me human.” He pointed at the platter of food next. “Need food.”
“Me vrix.” Telok thumped his own chest with a fist. “Already eat. Have work to do. Go hunt now.”
“Don’t be an asshole.”
“Do not be late.”
“Dick,” Cole muttered before shoving a handful of riverberries in his mouth. He stuffed another fistful of nuts into the pocket of his shorts as he rose.
“Takes one to know one,” Lacey said without looking up from her work.
Both Diego and Will chuckled.
Telok turned his narrowed gaze on Lacey. “I am not limp, dangling, wrinkly skin.”
“Hey!” Cole exclaimed.
Callie laughed. “Well, your English vocabulary is definitely expanding.”
“Callie, could you please pass me some moonblossom fruit?” the redhead asked, holding out an upturned palm.
Drawing her lips inward, Callie bit down on them and tried to curb her amusement as she picked up the fruit and put it on Lacey’s waiting hand. Not once did Lacey acknowledge Telok as she curled her fingers around it, brought it to her lips, and calmly took a bite, her tongue sweeping out to catch the red juice at the corner of her mouth.
With those intense green eyes locked on Lacey, Telok snarled. He shifted toward her, mandibles spreading, but seemed to be halted by some invisible force. Lacey continued to ignore him, chewing her food completely unbothered.
“Come,” Telok snapped at Cole with a clack of his fangs before stalking away in the direction from which he’d come.
“Cranky fucker,” Cole grumbled as he picked up his pack and slung it over his shoulders. He pointed at Lacey. “I blame you.”
Lacey’s head snapped up, and she gaped at him. “Me?”
He gathered his bow and arrows. “Yes, you.”
“You’re the one that called him an asshole and a dick! I just agreed with you. So don’t go blaming his shitty attitude on me.”
Cole drew in a deep breath, opened his mouth as though to argue, then let out a grunt.
Callie snickered. “She’s got you there.”
“Damnit.”
“Better run along,” Diego said with a grin.
“Go kiss and make up,” Will said.
