“Yeah,” I sigh. “Home sounds perfect.”
CHAPTER 28
VALEN
Dusk has setby the time Ava ambles out of the bedroom. Her hair sticks up adorably on the side of her head and there’s an imprint of the pillowcase on the side of her cheek. Pom Pom rushes over to greet her with a wagging tail.
After we got back and she had a good cry, she took a shower and climbed back into bed.
“Hi, buddy,” she coos and scratches behind his ear the way he loves. The dog melts under her touch and sprawls out on the floor with his little feet splayed behind him. “I can’t believe I was out for that long.” She stands and rubs her eyes, stifling a yawn.
“You needed the rest.” I unfold my long legs to walk over to her. Feeling bold, I wrap my hands around her hips and pull her to me so our pelvises meet. “You look better.” I wait for her to close the distance, and when she lays her head on my chest, I relax. Stroking her head, I run my fingers through her pink strands.
Ava lets out a loud sigh and kisses my chest. “I feel better. That really took it out of me. I’m sorry. I should’ve handled that better.”
“You handle things as you need to. There is no better or worse. There is just what is right for you.”
“Thanks, Valen,” she whispers, rubbing at her cheek.
Instrumental music plays on the TV from where I put it on for background noise. I find silence unnerves me after everything.
Snaking a hand around her back, I sway to the music. She giggles but doesn’t fight me. Our bodies meld together, and we lose ourselves in the music. She looks up at me with an emotion I don’t dare give a name to for fear of being wrong.
It’s times like this where I thank the universe for the twisted path it put me on. Many times, when I was beaten and broken in captivity, I wondered what it was all for. How could something so heinous lead to anything worth living for? Now that very thing stands before me, and she’s a small pink-haired witch.
“Crap, I forgot I texted Celine before I passed out,” Ava groans when her phone vibrates against us. “She deserves to know.”
Pulling away, Ava slides out her phone, and the screen light illuminates her face. I instantly miss her warmth and long to pull her back into my arms where she belongs. Her fingers fly over the invisible keyboard with precision, then she tosses it onto the couch with a sigh.
“I must look like death warmed over. I’m going to freshen up and run over to Celine’s.” She makes her way to her room, and I follow, leaning against the doorframe.
“I will join you.”
Ava pulls a fresh T-shirt over her head and deposits the wrinkled one in her laundry basket. “Youwill?”
Shifting uncomfortably, I admit, “I need to talk to Zavier.”
“You need to talk to Zavier?” she says, face scrunching in disbelief. “You’re willingly subjecting yourself to Zavier?” Ava repeats in a baffled tone when I nod my confirmation. Walking over, she teeters on her tiptoes so she can press the back of her hand against my forehead. “Are you feeling, okay?”
I brush her hand aside and roll my eyes. “Quite well, I assure you. It’s a vampire thing I need to ask about.” I clear my throat and realize I picked the habit up from Ava. Humans have many quirks that aren’t natural to vampires, but the more time you spend around them, the harder it becomes not to mimic certain things. Besides, it helps with blending in. Helps us seem human and not otherworldly.
Ava nods, not seeming fully convinced about my reasoning. But she goes about her tasks without asking me further questions on the matter.
I wait in the living room for her to get ready and throw Pom Pom’s ball, which he retrieves and brings back. Tiny tail wagging like crazy, he assumes play stance and waits for me to throw once more. This time, the ball rolls over to Ava’s feet.
She bends down to give Pom Pom love. “Do you want to come, cutie? You can hang out with your bestie.”
She scoops up the wiggly dog and we head next door.
The door swings open before Ava can knock, and Zavier stands there with a shit-eating grin, sliding his arms across his chest.
“Jesus.” She rears back, her hair ruffling from the wind he created when he sprinted to open the door. “I hate when you guys do that quick as a flash running thing,” she mutters and slides past him. She puts Pom Pom down, and the little dog immediately takes off after Midnight, who sits on the living room couch. Midnight hisses and ducks into the bedroom, unhappy with the new arrival.
“Still not friends?” Celine ambles over, arms crossed with a smirk on her face. “Doesn’t seem like doggy-kitty playdates are working,” she says pointedly to Zavier with an amused tilt of her lips.
“I’m working on it,” he defends with a foot stomp like a defiant child. “Midnight has class, and Pom Pom is …” Zav trails off, and I bristle.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I level him with a look. “Finish your sentence. My child is what?”
