I frowned. “So, Daimonion took the body and burned it.”
“From what you’ve told me, he would have killed Rhodes if he’d been alive.”
“Probably pissed him off that he was already dead,” Kyla mused.
Nelson nodded. He gave me a long stare, then shifted his gaze to Vas. “Be careful,” he warned. “I’ll be in touch.”
We all watched Nelson walk out of the bar.
“Enough of that,” Evie said. “We did a great thing today. We need to do drinks to celebrate. Not today, though, ’cause I think we all need somerest.” She waggled her eyebrows at me then glanced at Vas. I gave her a look, and she laughed.
Kyla grinned. “Oh yeah, rest is important.”
I rolled my eyes. “Subtle, you guys. Get out of here.”
They wandered out, and Vas turned me in his arms. “So, baby, you ready to rest?”
I took his hand and led him toward the stairs. He nuzzled my ear as I unlocked my door. “Leaving you in that house was the worst thing I’ve ever had to do.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not. You’re a badass, Mere. You may not advertise it like Dani and Evie and Kyla, but you’re one of the strongest women I know. I knew you’d stay alive until I got back.”
“I had Evie with me.”
He slowly shook his head. “You would’ve stayed alive even if you were all alone. You’re a survivor, baby, and it’s hot as hell.”
I grinned at him, and he followed me into the bathroom. I glanced in the mirror and closed my eyes in mortification. My face was the color of rust, and bird feathers and pieces of something slimy were currently stuck in my hair.
Vas chuckled behind me. “I’ll help you clean up.”
“I don’t think so.”
He scowled at me like I was denying him some great pleasure, and I laughed. No way was I making Vas pick bird feathers and guts out of my braid. “Give me fifteen minutes,” I told him.
It took almost twice that since I was ducking in and out of the chilly water. When I was finally clean and wrapped in my robe, I opened the bathroom door and stared at him.
“You waited right here?”
He just smiled and pulled me into his arms.
I breathed him in. He smelled clean, masculine, a little dangerous. That scent made me ache for him.
His touch was a mere brush of fingers as he caressed my face, his expression making it clear he was still pissed about the bruise. He dropped his head, taking my mouth.
My mind went blank. The way it did every time he kissed me. He could’ve asked me for almost anything in that moment, and I would’ve given it to him. It was a good thing he didn’t know that.
I shifted restlessly beneath him and felt his lips curve.
“You’re not rushing me this time,” he declared, pulling me toward my bedroom.
That sounded like a challenge to me. As soon as the backs of my knees hit my mattress, I slipped my hand between us and pressed it against the bulge in his jeans. He tensed, cursed, and lifted his head, giving me a narrow-eyed look.
“That’s playing dirty.”
Lightness filled my chest. I laughed in delight as he pushed my robe off my shoulders and blew a raspberry against my breast. My robe dropped to the floor, and I was suddenly standing in front of him, stark naked. His eyes darkened, a muscle ticked in his jaw, and he guided me down onto my bed, shifting me with his hand until I was lying on my front. He pulled my hips up, and I gasped as his hot mouth found the wet heat of me.
“Vas…”
