If particles could blush, I knew mine were doing that.So, about that… I did have a hall pass for Rumple, right?
“Too late to ask permission now, Scrap.” Ry’s tone was filled with acceptance and humor, and something else. A hint of… I concentrated on what I’d noted. Then narrowed my focus even more.
What the actual forklift?Their energies were woven together in a very recognizable way. The same exact way that…Holy fudge, you guys hooked up without me there? You’re merging right now?I sent a wave of mostly pretend disappointment.I mean, of course you have infinite hall passes for each other, but tell me you’re at least taking some video.
“We didn’t merge, sweet soul,” Mikhail laughed. Well, Mikhail/Righteous laughed. Their voices were still combined, like a perfect harmony. “Righteous saved me with a bond mark, next to your own.”
I didn’t want to know how bad Mikhail had been for Righteous to try something like that.
Well, never mind. Righteous stuck a part of himself into you without my permission, so we’re even. I tried to send an image of me with wide, innocent eyes.Did it hurt when he put it in, Growly?
A low snarl was almost masked by the tenor voice saying, “I didn’t say it—she did! Don’t come after me.” There was a sensation of lightness and excitement, fun and freedom, like two kids running after each other, playing tag.
My heart fluttered. They were both still alive and well enough to joke and run around? From the lethargy and nagging pain I’d been experiencing, I’d assumed they were much worse off than that. I guessed it could be a miracle.
I tried to circle back to how this conversation was possible.You didn’t answer my question. How did you find me here, wherever this is?
“We were resting, and then we saw your light. Scrap, your glow was leaving a trail of fire all across the universe. Or at least, this dream one. We’re so proud of you, Feather. You’re going to save them all. Save us.”
We fell silent, and the space wheeled around us, invisible stars shooting past.I miss you both so much. Promise me you’llbe okay until I get back.I waited, then sent with more force when no one replied,Promise me?
But there was no answer, and I floated for a long while, waiting. Longing.
And wondering if the hint of desperation I’d heard in their assertion that I would save everyone—savethem—had been my imagination.
Whispers wokeme from a deep sleep. I’d been having my dream about the seven hot yoga instructors who were helping me achieve new levels of flexibility with the proper application of their hands, tongues, and egg custard, only the egg custard kept changing to yogurt, and I was yelling for Gavriel to stop ruining everything, when I realized… I was actually yelling that.
“Oops,” I said, my eyes snapping open.
Rumple and Gav were sitting on a sofa, side by side, smirking. Well, Rumple was. Gavriel was making his grumpy face. “I don’t ruineverything,” he muttered almost too quietly to hear.
For a moment, I just gaped at them. They were a study in contrasts. Where Rumple was deep gray, with textured skin, dark hair, and galaxy eyes, Gavriel had gold hair and skin, golden wings, and blue and gold depths in his gaze. Both of them had honed physiques and long limbs.
They’d pulled sheets around their waists, and I pouted internally. To do a real side-by-side comparison, I’d have to get them naked.
I opened my mouth to inform them what I needed to do—for science!—but Rumple stopped me by tossing a grape in betweenmy lips. “Eat, little imp,” he ordered. “You used a lot of energy converting all that smut into glitter.”
I blinked when he pointed to a large white sack that bulged on all sides. A white sack made of— “You used one of my sacred sheets to clean up the glitter?” I yelled. “I needed that sheet! I’m taking those back with us to the Celestial Realm. Now where are we going to find another top sheet, Rumple, hm? You planning to make a pit stop at the laundry on our way to the gate?” They both looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “What? The linens there are unbelievably crappy.”
Gavriel threw a cheese cube at me which bounced off my nose. “We’d better keep feeding her; she’s obviously lost some part of her brain.”
Rumple hissed. “No mentioning lobotomies in front of her,” he whispered. “She has trauma.”
I blew him a kiss, then peered down at my lady parts. “You should have trauma too, Bitsy,” I cooed, gently patting my silver curls. “That was a lot of sausage to handle. I’m so proud of you.”
“What the…” One of Rumple’s eyes was twitching.
“It’s positive self-talk,” I explained. “I had a therapist on Earth who expressed how important it was to tell yourself when you were amazing.” I lifted up one breast, peering at the nipple. This was the one that had Righteous’s feather draped around it. “You got a little scraped up, didn’t you, Esther? Still, you did fudging fabulous, I mean that.”
“She’s named her nipples?” Gavriel asked quietly.
Rumple sighed deeply. “Doesn’t surprise me. I’m just disappointed at the names.”
I sneered at him. “Everybody tells me how bad my names are. Well, see if I let you suck on Esther again.” I chewed at my lip, thinking. “I should probably check with Ry before I let anybody else touch it, anyway. He might feel everything. It’s his feather and all. And consent is key.”
Now they were both staring at me like I was an alien. Time to change the subject.
“Okay, we’ve had some sexytimes, and Rumple’s naked under that sheet, and you guys swept while I napped, which makes you both very good boys indeed.” I paused, examining their faces. Nope. Neither one reacted. No praise kinks here. “So, what we need to do now is plan our escape from Sanctuary.”
