I wish I could hug you, I wrote.
“We’ll hug later when you figure this out.”
And if I stay this way?I wrote back.
He essayed a smile, but it wasn’t genuine. “Then I’ll have someone to play Scrabble with.”
I sputtered with laughter. The only time I’d ever seen Crush play Scrabble was at a party. They kicked him out of the game when he kept making up words.
I’ll be back soon. Are you hungry?I wrote.
“I had leftover pizza from last night.”
Last night? How long have I been asleep?
“A day,” he replied while sitting down and untying his laces. “We got here yesterday before noon. I gave peckerhead some money to pick me up a few pizzas.”
I frowned at the thought of him eating stale food. This wasn’t exactly the Four Seasons, and the rooms didn’t come with mini refrigerators to keep food fresh.
I’ll get dinner. And stop calling him peckerhead. His name is Christian. Or Poe. Or sonny boy.
He read the note and wadded it up. “You better watch that sass talk. He’s lucky I don’t call him a cab to get the hell out of Cognito.” Crush ambled to the dresser and grabbed a bottle of orange soda.Gomer Pyleplayed on the TV, and Crush was already chuckling before he took a seat on the bed.
I headed down to the fourth floor, hoping like hell I hadn’t ruined any plans by oversleeping. Viktor’s door was ajar, so I peered inside. Gem was fast asleep on her stomach, Claude curled up at her feet. Instead of taking the other bed, Niko had dozed off in the armchair. The closed curtains didn’t do much to darken the room, but it had that lazy-afternoon vibe that beckoned you to take a nap. I tiptoed away and lightly knocked on the next door.
Wyatt answered. “Hey, buttercup. You sleep like the dead.”
“Not funny. How’s Santa’s workshop?”
He shut the door. “Santa’s dead. Tragic reindeer accident.”
Hunter and Kira were sitting on a blanket in front of the window. She didn’t have on the baggy sweats anymore, just black jeans and the same brown sweater. By the looks of her braided hair and clean face, she’d taken a shower. Hunter smiled at me before turning his attention back to the origami animals Niko occasionally made for him.
“I’ll never understand how Niko makes those.” I sat at the foot of the bed nearest me, and Blue pulled up her feet to make room.
Wyatt strode over to the bed near the window, snatched a magazine from the nightstand, and fell onto his side.
Shepherd was watching Hunter like a hawk from the armchair in the left-hand corner.
“Where’re Viktor and Christian?” I asked.
Wyatt turned a page. “Christian went to buy clothes for the kid, and Viktor’s searching for his one true love.”
Blue grabbed the pen on the nightstand and flicked it at his head. “Don’t be ridiculous. Viktor had to meet someone, and he’s filling us in later.” She looked back at me. “Do you feel better?”
I shrugged. “Didn’t realize I slept a whole day.”
“Don’t feel bad,” she said, stuffing another pillow behind her back. “Gem slept all yesterday and last night. She woke up at two in the morning, wide-awake. That’s why she’s napping in the other room. She’s off her schedule. We’re rotating the sleep situation since we don’t have enough beds.”
“What about Lenore’s room? What happened to her anyhow?”
“She split like a banana,” Wyatt said, his back to us. “Didn’t leave a note. Viktor was upset but got over it pretty quick.”
“Viktor wants us all together anyhow.” Blue leaned forward to readjust her pillows. “Wouldn’t make sense to go searching for a woman who left of her own accord.”
“If anyone wants a nap, you can use my room,” I offered. “My dad’s up there. I guess Christian told you about that.”
Wyatt chuckled. “That fleshwalker cracks me up. He came down to share his pizza with Kira and the kid and brought that giant hellhound.”
