Every part of me is feeling stronger and less wasted as Taurus works. I know it won’t be long until I’m able to speak. I never thought I’d ache for the day I could yap my trap more, but here it is.
“How does she look?” Taurus asks.
Quietly, Rafe responds, “She’s getting color in her face. I might have seen a foot move.” I feel his gaze on my face. I know he’s holding my hand, and he’s trying not to squeeze hard.
Taurus refilled everything I needed, but he left their lines connected as a temporary insurance. I feel a piece of them all inside me—the people I love—making my heart swell. It’s different from anything I’ve ever felt before. I concentrate hard, trying to kick the afghan off me as my body temperature rises as I heal. Rafe’s presence is calming and soft, making me sigh a little.
When I move my legs more Taurus pulls their lines away. It leaves emptiness, making me wonder what it would be like to be that connected all the time. Is that what it feels like for him with the cat? If so, I know why she has no fear and has every confidence in him.
The feeling is all-consuming.
“I think we might have done it. Who wants the honor of waking the woman? I need to tell you, though; she’s not much of a morning person. She’s all chipper and shit; it’s enough to make a bloke heave. True morning people know mornings are for sleeping in with loved ones,” Taurus says, chuckling a little under his breath.
Her laugh is forced; I can tell by the sound, but she says, “Why not invoke the fairy tale over there?”
“There’s a bloody fairy tale about something like this? It boggles the mind.”
“Imeantany bloody fairy tale where the prince kisses the lady and she wakes up.”
Hearing her gripe almost makes me smile. If she stops sounding like she’s ready to throw in the towel, it must be better, right?
My husband shifts a little. He has not said a word since Taurus finished healing me. “I suppose I’m the closest one, then.”
Something about this entire exchange bothers me, and I can’t put my finger on it, but they’re being noisy, so it’s time to wake myself up. I open my eyes and blink, murmuring low, “Am I missing a party?”
“Bloody hell, I was too late. Sleeping Beauty’s awake.” Taurus gives me a fond grin, relief shining in his eyes.
“I guess that ruins the fairy tale,” the kitty says, tossing the end of her drink down. I hear skittering feet and turn my head, trying to see what she’s doing.
Holy fuck, I can’t see a goddamn thing. Oh, Christ, I can’t let them know.
“I missed a group kiss? Shit,” I say, hoping to inject a little levity. I thought people would be a lot happier when I woke up. Not like jumping for joy, but I figured more than this.
“How’re you feeling now, love?” asks Taurus, his brow furrowing.
Shit, he suspects something. I can’t let him find out, or this thing will never end. I have to work this out on my own.
This is my fault for messing with powers I did not understand. They’ve all done enough to fix my massive error in judgment. I swing my head towards the sound of his voice and give him a shy smile. “Better than I was, thanks to you. Mikhail’s going to slip a disc when I tell him what you did. He’ll be so proud.” He discounts my words and slips into my emotions to check on me, and I have to tap dance around the invasion.
“Well, better than you were, at least, so that’s good.”
The terror twins have been quiet so far, and I fear that does not bode well. My husband is laconic, but his mate is not. I worry that they’re internalizing everything, while they make sure I’m okay. I don’t think I can stop that, but I’d like a little downtime before the ugly comes crashing down on us all. I reach up to run a hand through Rafe’s long locks and he leans into it, still silent.
Taurus leans down and kisses my lips. He smiles at me and murmurs into my mind, his voice low.~ You’ve gotta talk to... ~
I give my primary a sad, knowing smile that says I know.
~Do it soon, love, alright? ~I feel the shift in his demeanor, and I don’t know where he’s looking.
“Please tell me you weren’t thinking about packs in relation to my woman or I’ll be pissed.”
The cat sighs again, like she’s ready to chuck it all in. “Actually, what you heard while eavesdropping on our conversation was the term ‘pard’, not pack. Leopards move in pards and that’s about as close as I get. He used a word he shouldn’t have. No need for righteous indignation. Everyone is raw.”
“You have that right, love. What was with the ‘I told you so’ jibe? I heard that, too, because I’m hearing all of it. I think it’s the shielding bit we did. It’ll go away once she’s on her own again, but I’m a bloody strong mind speaker in my own right, so I’m picking up both of you without trying. What’re you teasing Sampson about?”
She stops, and I bet she’s looking at him in shock. I feel the air around all of us get thick like it’s pushing on my skin. There’s no way that they can’t feel it, and her silence is eerie. She’s severing the ties, and she doesn’t want us to know. She wants neither of us tapping into what’s going on inside of her, particularly what she’s saying to Rafe.
“Nosy. That’s for me to know and you to find out, I’m sure.”
