I chuckled, imagining Skye and Zephyr as kids, Skye throwing up after Zephyr tried to heal a skinned knee. “Well whatever shit you were reading in those old-ass books helped. I mean, I’m assuming that’s why you were reading them.”
“It is,” she confirmed, then ran her hands along the hem of my shirt. “Let’s get cleaned up. You’re covered in…I don’t want to imagine what.”
I started to strip, assuming she’d be leaving me with one of her plush pink towels so I could fulfill my fantasy of washing with her soap, but when I turned back to face her, my mouth went dry.
She was also naked.
Skye grinned, taking my hand and pulling me toward the shower. “You thought I’d leave you in here alone?”
I shook my head without replying. I didn’t know what I’d been thinking, but it was obvious now she’d intended to stay with me.
Skye stepped under the water, shivering before pulling me in behind her. Even though we were filthy, I wrapped my arms around her middle, pulling her back to my front. I ran one of my hands over her neck, clearing the dirt and grime and whatever else away before I kissed her soft skin.
Skye completely melted against me, shaking slightly like her adrenaline was finally waning.
“Have you slept?” I whispered.
Skye shook her head lazily, then rolled her neck so that she looked up at me upside down.
“Don’t want to,” she mumbled. “Nightmares.”
I kissed her forehead, then rested my cheek against hers.
“We can do something else?” I suggested, raising my eyebrows up and down so she’d feel it against her forehead.
She breathed a laugh, then sniffled. “That feels wrong.”
My chest tightened.
“I know,” I said softly. “I’m sorry, baby. I just want you to feel better.”
“I’m not upset. Idofeel better,” she insisted. “I’m…I’m really glad I brought you with me.”
I chuckled nervously. “For a second there, I thought you’d leave me.”
“For a second, I thought Iwasleaving you.” Skye said quietly. “And in the next second I knew I couldn’t.”
I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her soft breasts against my chest as she rested her arms around my neck.
“No more leaving me behind,” I said gently, though the command was clear. “It’s you and me forever, now. Skye and Aiden, remember?”
Skye nodded, her eyes on my mouth as I spoke. “Skye and Aiden,” she mumbled. “I can’t believe you’re okay. That was so fucking scary.”
Her face pressed into my chest, and I shifted so that the spray of water went down my other shoulder.
“It was really fucking scary,” I whispered in agreement.
So many things had happened in such a short amount of time. My brain still hadn’t caught up on everything that’d happened, everything that I’d witnessed.
“Is it so horrible of me…” Skye started quietly. “The worst part was watching you fade away. Not the people I killed. Not…Landon,” her voice cracked on his name. “It was just you slipping away.”
“Whatever you’re feeling is valid, Skye.” I promised, kissing her temple. “I watched you kill a bunch of people and I didn’t bat an eye. All I cared about was whether or not you’d be okay. But killing people is hard on the soul.”
“Even bad people,” she said.
“Even bad people.” I repeated. “But something tells me you already know that.”
We were quiet for a few minutes, the water rushing over us while the statement hung in the air.
