It was just before midnight when everyone returned home from rescuing Gem and Claude.
“Hey, Cookie. You awake?”
I opened my eyes and stretched across the leather sofa. The fire in the gathering room had burned down, only a few candles flickering in their lanterns. “What time is it?” I murmured.
“Late.”
Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes and yawned. “Is everything okay?”
He sat next to me and growled like a bear as he sighed. “Long story short, Ren and I had to do some electrical work to get the elevator functioning. We pried open the doors up top and climbed into the shaft. I had to use my welding tools to get everyone out.”
“You what?”
He scratched his nose. “Don’t worry. We had safety gear on. Damn shame whatever happened to the poor bastard in the elevator. The doors were blown outward just enough that it jammed up the elevator, so we had to do a lot of work to get everyone out. I don’t remember anything after that since peckerhead had to wipe that part out. Gives me a headache just thinking about it. Do me a favor and never let a Vampire inside my head again. That was a onetime deal.” He patted my knee. “Your friends are okay.”
“Gem and Claude?”
As if on cue, they filed in with the rest of the team.
Crush kissed my forehead. “I’m going to bed. Gonna take my pain pill and medicine, and I might even eat an apple. How’s that sound?”
It sounded like Christian might have put that idea in his head.
“Good night, Daddy,” I whispered.
I wasn’t certain what Viktor had told him, so I waited for him to leave before asking about their excursion. In the meantime, Viktor stoked the fire by adding more wood. They must have been home for a while since they had on sleep clothes. How had I not heard them? I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.
Claude hitched up his grey sweatpants and sat on the hearth, his bare back to the fire. When a few embers sparked out, he helped Viktor drag the oversized screen in front of it. Gem’s brown boot slippers shuffled across the floor as she hurried over to the sofa. She grabbed the blanket and cocooned herself in it before sitting to my left.
“Don’t you have warmer pajamas?” I asked, pointing out that her purple sleep shorts and matching shirt weren’t winter appropriate.
She loosened the blanket before tucking her legs beneath her. “By the time I ran upstairs, I was too hot to put on flannel. Now I’m having second thoughts. This is so much fun! It’s like we’re camping out inside. Everyone’s been so busy lately. I miss when we used to come in here late at night and sit together.”
“When did we ever do that?” Shepherd asked, crossing the room.
“When some of you weren’t drinking yourselves into a coma,” she retorted.
I got up to help Shepherd when I noticed him shaking dust off the bearskin rug that we kept in the corner near the bookshelf.
“She’s right,” I said, shaking out my half. “Weshoulddo this more often when we’re not all loaded.”
“Think you can do that?” he asked quietly, giving me a look of uncertainty.
“I can if you can.”
I used to just be a social drinker, but lately that had changed. I found myself indulging at home and not during dinner. Even now, just thinking about Fletcher made me want a drink. That’s why I needed to get it under control—getmeunder control. My life was not about to get any easier, and if I didn’t learn how to deal with my emotions, I stood to lose everything that mattered.
I branched away from Shepherd, who dragged the rug over to the fire and spread it out. It was too late for Hunter to be up, but when he walked into the room in his light-up shoes, I realized he must have been sitting up all night, waiting for Shepherd to come home.
“It’s late, little man,” Shepherd said, waving him over to the rug. “Next time I’m not here, just let Kira tuck you in. I’ll check on you when I get home. Always do, even when you’re asleep.”
But Hunter just wanted his daddy. He sleepily crawled over the rug and tucked his hands beneath his head. Shepherd sat next to him and removed Hunter’s sneakers. Viktor must have called everyone to meet in here, and Hunter decided he didn’t want to wait to see his dad.
Once Viktor looked satisfied with the fire he’d built, he sat in one of the two armchairs that were catty-corner from the couch. A moment later Blue walked in, wearing her dark-red cotton gown with the wide sleeves and hood.
“Do you want the chair, amigo?” she asked, noticing Niko standing behind the empty chair.
“Do sit,” he insisted. “I’m comfortable standing.”
