Not that it’s a surprising look on him. I’ve seen it plenty of times. It gets old pretty damn fast.
“Take your jealousy somewhere else, asshole. You’re ruining our afterglow.” I adjust the blankets to cover Maven and me more.
Crypt smiles darkly, without humor. “Enjoy it while you can. You’ll have to sleep eventually, and when you do, I’ll be there.”
What a creep.
Maven laughs at the face I pull. The sound is pure heaven. I move her onto my lap and grin like an idiot when she pecks me on the cheek.
I’m going to spoil the godsdamned soul out of this woman.
I’m all yours, you know that?I tell her telepathically.Like I said. No holds barred. I know I’ll never actually be worthy of you, but I’m sure as hell going to try my best. Now that I finally get to love you the way I’ve been needing to?—
I’m interrupted and shocked when Maven actuallyblushesandcovers my mouth with one of her hands like she’s trying to stop the words.
You know this is in our heads, right?I check, laughing.
Allof our heads, actually,Silas’s voice inserts, making us both blink. He’s not back at the cabin, and I suddenly wonder how far the telepathic bond goes.Not to make it a competition, but my proclamations of love are much better. Aren’t they,sangfluir?Shall I let Everett know how much you enjoy sweet confessions whispered to your head?
Quiet or I’ll block you out,Maven sends back.
Crypt mutters something under his breath and pulls out a lighter andreveriumcigarette, igniting it despite my protest as he stalks toward us. “Enough with the telepathy.”
He sits and promptly pulls our keeper out of my arms and onto his lap instead, kissing her before taking a drag from his cigarette.
“Don’t get that fucking smoke on her. And everyone knows newlybounds need to stay close,” I scowl, pulling her back onto my lap.
He resists, wrapping an arm around her waist. Maven smirks up at us when she winds up halfway on his lap and halfway on mine, her newly-marked chest on display right as Baelfire pushes through the front door with a gust of wintry wind. The dragon shifter is stark naked, covered in dirt, melted snow, animal blood, and a surprising amount of ripped-up feathers.
He halts, blinking at the scene in front of him.
“Holy fuck. Snowflake finally got laid? Damn, that’s a lot of hickeys.”
I flush, but it’s not like I have any regrets—especially not when Maven smirks and reaches up to brush one of the marks she left on me.
Baelfire brushes snow off his shoulders. “Okay, Angel of Death, I have averyserious question for you. Was his jizz normal, or was it cold like a?—”
“Shut the fuck up, dragon,” I cut him off with an eye roll.
14
MAVEN
Starfall Eve is nice.
Once Baelfire is in the shower, Silas returns and gifts me a new concoction he’s been working on—an elixir I can drink to fend off my next episode.
Which means no more fucking needles.
Thank the universe.
Baelfire’s gift is a mouthwatering dinner and several new ice cream flavors to try, which is how I learn that vanilla really is my favorite. Crypt got me a beautiful, scandalous dark red lingerie set that I am one hundred percent sure he stole from a store somewhere in Washington. He also got me a graphic T-shirt with a coffin on it that says, “Get in bitches, we’re going to the Beyond.”
I found it fitting and hilarious, even though Everett told Crypt his sense of humor was more fucked up than he is.
All the gift-giving was great, but it also made me feel shitty. I had no idea gifts were a thing on Starfall, so I have nothing for them. Silas picked up on my frustration and teasingly insisted that kisses counted as great gifts.
Still, I’m going to get them all something as soon as I get the chance.
