I sank into him and looked out at Sylas now conscious and responsive, albeit very weary. For now.
It was done.
We had him.
4
~Zayn~
Soft light bathed my face as I opened my eyes.
Just slightly, before I closed them again.
A grogginess was weighing me down.
It was because I hadn’t slept well last night.
I was sure I would’ve found myself half off the bed, or even completely on the floor, if it hadn’t been for Vax and Evira boxing me in as they’d slept either side of me.
It would’ve been even worse sleeping-wise if it hadn’t been for Vax.
He’d gotten me the gray, super soft hoodie I was nestled against, its sandalwood scent infusing me and that awesomeness that was all Winter Nox. It smelled like him so strongly.
Vax had snuck back into Loxley Academy last night to get it for me from my dorm room, as Win had left one there recently, and I’d been keeping it in my closet.
Vax had used his stealth skills, along with his ability to camouflage into objects and stuff. Or against them. Or… I wasn’t exactly sure how it really worked. He’d tried to explain it to me once, but it was a whole mystical-science deal, and a rare one at that, not something taught in Academy curriculums. Somethingabout molecules zipping about and either colliding or the opposite, then also some vibrational resonance thrown in there.
Anyway, I rubbed the oval stone forlornly of the other thing he’d grabbed for me. My worry stone bracelet. I hadn’t worn it for a while, having taken it off a couple of weeks ago. I hadn’t felt like I’d needed it. But now with what’d happened… yeah, it was back with me, on me.
I shifted tighter against Evira, who was sleeping to my left on the window side. Unlike usual when it was actually all four of us and not… not with Win missing… she wasn’t sleeping in her sexy silver negligee—or naked. She’d conjured a pair of fluffy pastel-blue lounge pants and then a charcoal tank onto herself to sleep in instead.
Although it was a sign of her being distraught like me, it at least felt super cozy pressing up against her in them.
I nuzzled against her arm, soft little breaths sounding from her as she slept.
I went to throw my leg over Vax again, because I didn’t like that I couldn’t feel him against me as I had whenever I’d woken up last night. He’d had his hard, broad chest pressed tightly to my back, while I’d also been nestled against Evira, cradling her head for a bit too, needing both of them right there with me.
But as I threw my leg out, it just hit the silky black sheets over on Vax’s side. Of the massive bed. Like, it was seriously giant—at least three times the size of the one in my dorm.
I frowned and forced myself to open my eyes again, as I turned to his side.
He wasn’t there.
Disappointment and worry collided.
I slapped his pillow.No. Where are you?
“Little hellion? Beating up pillows now? If you need to throw down, you just have to ask.”
I spun back to my left at the sound of Evira’s sleepy voice. It was cute as shit.
“No. I mean—it’s—he’s not here.”
“He’s just downstairs in the living room.”
“He is?”
“Yes. I can hear him. He’s fine. A little agitated, but fine.”
