My voice trails off as I zip around the room trying to find a pair of leggings—I don’t want to meet my godchild in booty shorts. I pull on a pair without caring that my full ass is on display for a brief second with Tobias watching. The only thing I give a shit about is making it back to the tour bus.
I knew hanging out at my hotel all day was a bad idea.
But fuck did I enjoy every second of it.
“Should we teleport? Call for an Uber?” I ask as I hunt for my shoes. I want to get there asap; waiting even fifteen minutes for a ride will be agonizing.
“An Uber is ideal,” Tobias explains calmly, watching me frantically bustle around the room. “Using our magic always comes with the danger of attracting hellbeasts.”
I slam to a halt, an icy chill shooting through my system as I recall the creature from the alley.
“Joseline, I promise she’s okay.” Tobias’ words barely cut through my panic. “Sebastian and Emrys are taking care of her, and the twins have gone to collect more energy. Taking a few extra minutes isn’t a big deal.”
I exhale a shaky breath, fighting through my panic to find logic. Riding is definitely a safer option, even though Tobias clearly didn’t care when he teleported us here the first time.
Best not to risk our luck again.
“Uber it is then,” I mutter, grabbing my phone and punching the details into the app with shaking fingers.
I slip on my flats and run a brush through my hair, throwing it into the messiest bun I’ve ever made. Then, I whip around to see Tobias on his feet, my duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Silently, I run through a mental checklist, making sure I haven’t forgotten anything.
“Okay, let’s go,” I urge, turning to head for the door.
Tobias grabs me by the wrist and spins me around, dragging me into his chest. He hasn’t put his mask on yet, and my eyes immediately catch on his lips. I catch my breath before dragging my gaze up to his golden eyes.
“Everything is going to be alright,” he assures me. “We’ll make sure of it, okay?”
I nod nervously, my heart slamming in my throat.Without warning, he leans down to press his lips against mine, and I sigh into his mouth. It’s a quick, sincere kiss that makes my knees go weak. When he pulls back, my lips ache for more.
He steps away to pull his mask on, leading the way out of my room toward the elevator. We ride down without a word, and I’m all but bouncing on the balls of my feet when we reach the lobby. I can hardly contain my excitement—or my nerves.
As we wait on the sidewalk for our ride, Tobias slips his hand into mine without a word and squeezes it reassuringly. Once again, I’m shocked by how content I am with his presence. How much he calms me, soothing my anxiety like a balm, but I refuse to let myself think about it.
When we pull up outside the event center, I can’t scramble out of the Uber quickly enough. I nearly leave Tobias in the dust, but he hurries along behind me. I appreciate his haste.
I don’t think I can wait another minute to make it to the tour bus.
However, when we finally reach the glossy black bus, Tobias stops abruptly, eyeing the door uncertainly.
“Are you coming?” I laugh, pausing a beat before reaching for the handle.
He shakes his head slowly. “Nah, I’m good.”
I don’t know if he’s doing it out of respect, or if he’s just terrified of birth in general, but I snort a laugh and hold out my hand for the duffel bag.
“What are you gonna do, stand watch?” I cock a brow at him.
“Someone’s got to.” His eyes shift toward the bus and then back to me. “I’ll be here if you need anything.”
My cheeks warm at the offer, but before I can open my mouth and say something to ruin the moment, I whip around and head for the door. Grabbing the handle, I brace myself for whatever I’m about to find inside. Tobias said nothing was wrong, but I can’t help but imagine Niki’s nearly lifeless form lying in the bed for days on end.
Will she still be semi-unconscious?
Will she have the strength she needs to birth a baby?
Or will we have to resort to drastic measures to get the baby out?
Swallowing hard, I take a deep breath before letting myself inside.
