Chrys and Arc fall asleep first. It’s almost like her thoughts—chaotic though they both might agree they are—help him block out the rest.
We should be sleeping too, but Risk watches me andIcan’t read his thoughts, so I ask, “What is it?”
“Did you ever see this happening?”
“No.” But he already knew that. “Did you?”
He shakes his head. “I dreamed… but it always felt impossible.”
Nothing feels impossible anymore.
Chrys murmurs and rolls into my arms. She’s not awake. Her mumbled words are nonsense, and I let the sound drag me under.
When I wake, it’s early morning. Risk is behind me, Chrys still lies in my arms, and Kissu has taken Arc’s spot.
He’ll be back soon.
It’s a constant I’ll simply have to accept… even if I wish he could let this obsession go.
CHAPTER
TWENTY
CHRYS
I’m notsure we can call what we fall into a ‘routine,’ but the days follow a sort of pattern.
We wake up, eventually drag ourselves out of bed, make plans, wind up back in bed, manage to eat at random intervals, cuddle, and sometimes we evenenactthe morning’s plans.
Shock slowly accepts that Arc is going to circle the Zone once a day no matter what.
Despite all of my concerns, it does get easier to do more than fuck.
Three days ago, I would not have thought it possible that we’d be sitting around the living room fire, touching but not crawling all over each other.
Arc smiles. Because we might not be doing it right now, but I’malwaysthinking about it.
So are we.
I hold myself so still, listening, trying to tell if what I heard was real or just a figment.
Setting his tablet aside, Arc turns to me, hands clasped elbows on knees, watching my face.
A dozen thoughts zing around my head like I’m a human pinball machine, but I think they’re all mine.
“Trying again?” Shock asks from the other side of the couch, lying across Risk’s lap in an odd mirror of the way Kissu lies across mine.
They’d mentioned that some of the other women had seemingly picked up parts of their mate’s mutations. And Arc was certain I’d heard his thoughts while we were in bed… “I got nothing.”
When I think I might, they’re just whispers and when I try… Well, even if I could hear their thoughts, my own drown them out.
Kissu fusses and Arc immediately looks down at my feet. “Where are your socks?”
“In the other room.” I haven’t felt as cold lately, but I thinkthat’sbecause I’ve had plenty of exercise to keep my blood flowing.
He looks at me like he wants to scold me but then Kissu slides down to the floor, wrapping himself around them instead.
“He’s just informed me that he will keep you warm even if you’re not paying enough attention to do it yourself.”
