I pressed my hand to my mouth in an attempt to stifle a yawn. “No. I should check in with my parents, and see what happened to the Telliers. Did you sleep at all?” I twisted in his arms so I could look back at him.
“Nope.” He smiled—briefly flashing his fang teeth at me, and his eyes were bright again instead of glassy like when he’d first emerged from the metal coffin. But there was still a tightness to him that I couldn’t pinpoint the source of.
The last few days had to have been traumatic, no matter how much he’s been through in his long life. It’s expected that he isn’t fully back. Sarge’s suggestion of a vacation is probably a good one.
“I didn’t want to sleep. I just wanted to sit here with you.” Considine scooped me closer to him, and he kissed me on the neck, immediately ratcheting my heartbeat up.
An alarmed chirp escaped me, which made Considine chuckle, but when I leaned back into his chest, I realized that the pit of anxiety that had been occupying my gut since he had been taken was finally gone.
Considine is safe. My family actually likes him, and my squad is safe.
“Are you alright?” Considine asked.
“I’m wonderful,” I said, resting my cheek on his shoulder.
Considine picked up my hand and raised it to his lips, kissing it.
I blushed—especially when a couple of slayers hooted at us—but I couldn’t even pretend to find enough professionalism in myself to pull away from him.
Sunshine, however, didn’t have that problem. “Hey. Gross, PDA-inclined couple: do either of you know the first and lastname of a famous Hong-Kong American martial artist and actor? First name starts with a B.”
Considine shifted, tucking the blanket tighter around me. “Why do you even try those human puzzles if you do not know the answers to them?”
“Because it’s good for your brain to practice things you’re not skilled at, and because it’s a very efficient way to annoy old vampires who overestimate their powers and get themselves captured.” Sunshine finally looked up and scowled.
I had the good sense to look contrite. Considine did not.
“Still angry that we went in after the oracle, are you?” Considine asked.
“Yes,” Sunshine said. “You two got dragged last night. You didn’t need to punctuate everything with breaking and entering a sentient, magical House!”
“In our defense we didn’t really break in,” I said. “The House sort of let us just…barge around.”
Sunshine tossed her crossword book aside. “Barge around? Is that how you describe liberating a captive oracle who’d been kidnapped and held against her will?”
“Yes,” Considine said. “Because the more vague the terms we use to describe what we’ve done, the more wiggle room that will give us in the future when we interpret our commands.”
“That is very enlightening to hear.” The sound of Sarge’s musical voice had me peeling my head off Considine’s chest.
Sarge tucked his hands behind his back as he strolled through the assembly hall, eyeing the pricey equipment my family was packing up.
“Sir.” I automatically tried to stand when he approached us, but my legs were so tired, they only twitched when I tried to move.
“Stay seated, Blood,” Sarge ordered. “I’m not here in any official capacity, I’m just going to give you a brief update.Captain Reese implied the two of you had a higher likelihood of taking a vacation if you found out what happened with the Telliers than if I said nothing.”
Sunshine leaned precariously on her stool and tapped Orrin’s shoulder. The fae noble sat up abruptly, his expression as bland as always. The only hint that he’d been sleeping were the creases in his clothes. He blinked a few times. “Sir.”
Sarge waved to Orrin, then lowered himself to the ground with a grunt. He rubbed his eyes as he stretched his legs out in front of him, looking younger due to the casual sitting position.
It’s been a long night for everyone in the squad.
“The Telliers?” Considine prompted.
“Ahh, yes. It appears they’ve been rejected by the House,” Sarge said.
“What does that mean?” Orrin asked.
“It means there is no longer a House Tellier,” Sarge said. “It has destroyed anything with the Tellier crest on it.”
