“We need better protections, Koko. Not just magical ones. We need to think like her, anticipate how she’ll try to hurt us next.”
“You’re right. We’ll reassess everything.”
In the background, Casimir was now threatening to make them sleep outside if Zane and Brummy didn’t “sit down and act like sentient beings for five consecutive minutes.” The fact that only one of his targets qualified as fully sentient even when sober didn’t seem to factor into his ultimatum.
“I’m not running anymore,” I said as much to myself as to Koa. “I’m done being afraid of her.”
“Damn right you are, beloved.”
“She thinks she knows us, but she doesn’t. Not really.”
Another crash from the living room, followed by Casimir’s exasperated, “Damnation! I will tranquilize both of your fang-rotted asses!”
“I’m sorry, Koko,” I said after a moment. “I was so busy being annoyed at all of you for being overprotective that I didn’t stop to think that maybe there are different kinds of strength. Different ways to fight.”
“You’re not weak. None of us think that. You were never worthless, either. Not to us.”
“Ihavebeen stubborn, though. I just want to feel useful.”
Yes, my ward was important work, but I’d been dismissing it as not enough, too eager to prove myself in the brothers’ world even when I knew I wasn’t truly ready for that. And yet…
I took a deep breath, feeling the cold knot in my stomach transform into something molten and fierce.
The memory of Brummy’s labored breathing, of Zane’s tears, of Casimir’s self-recrimination, of Koa’s quiet fury, it all swirled together inside me, crystallizing into something sharp and clear.
“She didn’t just attack Brummy, Koko. She attackedour family. And that was her biggest mistake. Instead of hurting me, she just gave me more incentive to end her.”
“Hell, yeah, baby.” A slow smile spread across his face, fierce and just a little bit dangerous. “Now you’re talking like a Cimmerian.”
#
Koa
Cas finally gave up after the third time Zane slid off the couch, landing with all the grace of a sack of cement beside Brumous. The pair had synced their snores, one rumbling deep, the other high-pitched and wheezy. A duet of intoxication. I caught Cas’ eye across the living room and nodded toward the stairs.
“Leave them. They deserve each other tonight.”
He pressed his lips together, not quite hiding his amusement as he tossed a throw blanket over Zane’s face.
“If he vomits on the new rug, I’ll make him eat it.”
I knew he wouldn’t. Not really. The only person who ever truly saw the tender side of Cas was currently washing her face upstairs, but occasionally Z and I got glimpses. Like now, as he adjusted the blanket to make sure Zane could breathe, then bent to check Brummy’s vitals one more time.
“He’s fine,” I told him. “And Seri’s waiting.”
The mention of our beloved was enough to get him moving, leaving the disaster zone of the living room behind. We climbed the stairs together, his footsteps nearly silent beside mine.
“She’s exhausted,” he said as we approached the master bedroom.
“We all are. Long damn day.”
When we reached our room, we found only the bedside lamps on and more light spilling from under Seri’s en suite bathroom door. The second we stepped inside, Cas headed for our bathroom to shower, and I stripped down to my boxers, letting my clothes stay where they fell.
I sat on the edge of our bed, letting my head hang forward as I worked the tension from my neck. I had to admit that I couldn’t wait for Seri’s period to be over. I was happy it had returned, of course. It meant her body was healing, functioning again after months of Arabesque’s abuse and magical siphoning. It meant she was healthy.
But on the other hand, I wasdyingto be inside her.
I knew we could have made love to her even with her cycle, but we’d all noticed how her emotions swung wildly, and none of us missed a single wince when the cramps hit. Plus, she didn’t really seem interested, and I couldn’t blame her. She probably would have agreed if we’d asked. She was far too eager to please, but if she wasn’t feeling it, I for one wasn’t going to insist.
