Wow.I grasped his biceps.No, not the biceps… too enticing.
I shifted to his upper arms and firmed up my grip, needing him to hear me, especially when his attention kept darting to Winter in his upset.
“You did it out of protection. Out of love, if we’re getting technical. And not just you clearly actually loving Win—even though it’s probably too early for you to admit it even to yourself—but love for him as a person independent of your own feelings being pushed on that. The purity of that without expectations and wants on your end, I guess is what I’m trying to say. It’s also clearly a reaction to him taking off before and it scaring the shit out of you when you couldn’t find him when he was in such a state.” I tilted my head, my lips quirking. “Also, don’t forget that Win is a territorial fucker too. He’s even admitted that it can cross into obsession. Hell, I’ve been on the receiving end of it, remember? So, yeah, he’ll get it.”
Vaxan stared at me for several long moments as I just held him there, thinking he was trying to absorb what I’d said, let go of all that worry and guilt about this.
But when he finally spoke, I realized it was more than that.
“I’m duly impressed.”
“Impressed?”
“That was deep insight.” He smiled. “And deep care.”
I lifted a shoulder. “Well, you know I’ve been working on it.”
He winked, then abruptly stilled, his serpentine eyes coming to the forefront for a couple of seconds. “We should head back downstairs. They’re starting to wonder why you’ve been gone for so long just for an apparent quick trip to the bathroom.”
Yeah, they didn’t want anybody in Win’s space when he woke up, because of the nature of the kidnapping and Ruxnoth’s violating intentions. Win needed time to carefully get the lay of the land and acclimate before he was inundated with us crowding him and asking questions and all that.
“Can you do your smooth manipulating of things to the outcome and behavior you want when we head down there? So we can retreat to the guestroom just the three of us and finally talk with Evira about whatever went down for her in the Dracoryn Realm?”
“Manipulating is a rather harsh way of framing it.”
“Vax.”
He rolled his eyes. “Fine. I will ease things in that direction. Does that suffice?”
“I’m sure it will.”
“That’s the first time you’ve done that.”
“Done what?”
“Shortened my name. Called meVax.”
“Yeah, you liked that?”
“I’ve become fond of it since Winter began using it.”
“I did consider going with my other thing—'my insanely intoxicating, mouthwatering snake prince’.But I figured now wasn’t exactly the time for it.”
“Well, the fact you recognized that is admirable. Although, to be clear, I did enjoy it when you uttered it during our breakfast in the Cafeteria the other day—and when you were on your knees for me a couple of nights ago as the four of us were awash in some filthy carnality.”
“Good to know.”
“Indeed.”
Intensity flared before he blinked, then averted his eyes when their serpentine form came to the surface once again. I patted his shoulders and stepped back.
And then we both stole one more glance at Win and walked out of the room.
As Vaxan quietly closed the door, I whispered, “Evira hasn’t said a thing about it, Vax. Something must’ve happened. Yeah, I know she was summoned, so it was bad from that alone. But Imean something big must’ve gone down, right? She’s been more withdrawn too. I figured at first it was her being back here when the last and only time she stepped foot in this place was when she and Win fucked two years back. And I thought it might’ve also had something to do with her feeling super awkward about the whole family knowing Torvek attacked Winter recently because of all that. But she settled into the dinner and she was talking with everyone without any signs of that. She’s been off, though, something only we’d really notice as we’ve gotten to know her well. That usual awesomely brazen and excitedly open personality of hers has been stifled.”
“I know. And I agree, something significant must have transpired during her return to the Dracoryn Realm. We’ll see to her, see to whatever it is. And we’ll do so together as a unit.” He beamed out at me. “All will be well.”
The way he said it, with so much conviction, and so much belief in our foursome, in what we shared being strong enough to weather all this coming at it… it was more than comfort.
