“Eh,” she retorts flippantly, finishing off her water. “I’ve slept in worse places. I think it was just all of the excitement today; I couldn’t seem to wind down.”
Biting my tongue, I shove down the thousand questions that I want to ask her. “You can take my bed, and I’ll take the couch tonight.”
Her eyes widen in surprise. “You’re already putting yourself out on my account. Seriously, I’m good with the couch.” There’s a moment where she pauses and I can watch the gears turning in her head. “Wait, do you have roommates? This house is pretty big for just one person.”
“Nah, just me. It’s a four bedroom, but not like I was about to go buy extra beds to stock them when I didn’t have to. I just use them for various things like gaming, bookshelves, and such. Never really understood my grandma’s obsession with keeping a spare room prepped for potential company, but I regret not valuing the lesson now.”
Running a hand through my hair, I cut off my ramble before I say something stupid. Honestly, I’m not that close to anyone from my old life and the thought of keeping an empty room for the sole purpose of someone sleeping over seems weird and a waste of space. Or worse, encourages people to overstay their welcome and next thing you know, they won’t fucking leave. But that will just give her the wrong impression, because this is a completely different situation.
“We should probably try to get a nap in before work then.” She gets to her feet and throws her bag over her shoulder. “Bathroom?”
Gesturing down the hall, she thanks me and heads off while I clean up the kitchen. She emerges in some baggy clothes, and I get the faint scent of ‘shifter’ off of them like Dave claimed, now that I’m actively looking for it. I never used to notice it, but after living amongst them for over a year, certain habits get adopted. To any of them, the scent would be positively overwhelming if even I’m able to pick up on it, and here, that’s a blessing. It gives her a safeguard, people around here assuming she’s under someone’s protection and not a stray mage come to cause trouble. But if that’s the case, she should have somewhere to stay, so why was she alone?
Dave is probably right and she really is running. Boyfriend that was abusing her, maybe?
Most shifters are content being left alone and are genuinely decent people, but there are no absolutes in this world. There are assholes no matter what you’re born as, and there are plenty of people that abuse their strength for a small sense of power in a world that insists on robbing them of it left and right. It’s not a far cry to imagine some bastard would exploit someone’s desperation, exchange their protection for favors.
Stop. You’re jumping to conclusions with no facts to base them off of. Don’t do this to yourself or you won’t sleep for a week, or worse, do something incredibly stupid.
“Sorry about the mess.” Shaking my head as if it will physically expel the train of thought, I gesture down the hall. She waits for me to lead the way, keeping me in her line of sight. “Bedroom’s through here.” Stepping inside, I kick a few things on the ground out of the way, grabbing some clothes and tossing them in a pile in the corner. “Make yourself at home. I still need to hit the store, so it’s slim pickings, but you’re welcome to help yourself to whatever.”
Heading over to the closet, I snatch a spare comforter and pillow down from the top shelf, tucking them under my arm. “How soon before we have to leave do you want me to wake you up?”
She blinks, caught off guard, but I’m not sure why. “Normally I’d jump at the chance for a hot shower, but I’m so damn tired, I’m inclined to say ‘fuck it’. Give me ten minutes before we need to be walking out the door?”
Nodding, I head back towards the living room, pausing with my hand around the handle. “Open or closed? I don’t want you to worry that I’m locking you in here or something, but figured you’d sleep better with it shut.”
A grateful smile reaches all the way to her bright, blue eyes. “Closed, please. Already checked when walking in that the lock was on the inside.”
“Wake me up if you need something,” I offer and she rolls her eyes.
“Seriously, Ian, I’m good. Stop stressing out so much.”
Nodding, I give her a rueful smile. “Sorry, not used to company.”
Crossing the room, she puts a hand on the door. “Thank you. I can’t imagine starving to death in the next two hours though, but if something comes up, I’ll come wreck your nap to tend to my needs, deal?”
My nostrils flare, her words putting thoughts in my head that I have no business entertaining. “Deal. Sleep well, Crackles.”
Six
Esmerelda
“Hungry?” Ian frowns, eyes flicking between me and the road, but ultimately, it’s too icy to risk more than a quick glance.
Pulling my hand away from my aching stomach, I wave him off. Sure, I couldalwaysgo for food, but I’m not about to have him thinking I’m just some mooch. He’s already done more than enough and I don’t want to abuse his kindness. Besides, for once it isn’t hunger pains. Hauling all of those bags yesterday has just left the muscles around my wound sore. It’s relatively healed, already scarring over, but still tender.
“Nah, I’m just a wimp that isn’t used to that much lifting.”
He relaxes, nodding. “Sure as shit feel you on that one. Who would’ve thought a bakery ended up being so much of a damn workout?”
We park outside of Happy Endings and climb out of the car. Tossing my backpack over my shoulder, Ian’s eyes flick to it and away, lips pressing into a thin line. There are a few people already here getting things started and it dawns on me that they were so sweet as to let mesleep inand not start until three a.m.
Dear lord, these people aren’t human.
I mean, besides Rin, they obviously aren’t, but that’s beside the point. Who the hell would subject themselves to this on the daily?
Not sure what I’m supposed to be doing since there’s no truck to unload and the store isn’t open yet, I figure it’ll mostly be getting it prepped to open. So hopping in where someone needs help and loading up the cases, making sure everything’s stocked up out there. Setting my backpack down, I grab an apron and hat, getting situated.
