“Wait, you might have just seen it wrong,” JP says, calming down the group. “Do you mind if I take a look? Yes, I can read minds, but sometimes if the memory is strong enough I can see those as well.” I give him a death glare. “You’ve been through some kind of trauma, and that could possibly distort some things,” he adds, which has me softening to his offer. I was gonna have to stab a bitch if he thought I didn’t know my plants.
He steps even closer, his arms extended like he wants to hold me. “First, I want a quick hug. Plus, contact can help while doing this.” He smiles when I reach for him and welcome his hug. I don’t notice anything except that his hold is tight for a few minutes before he lets me go with a look of wonder.
“What?” I ask, curious as to what he saw.
A slow smile forms on his lips. “Girl, you have a rocking body. Damn,” he drawls. I feel a blush cover me as I realize he saw the moment I took off my clothes and looked down at my body.
I shout ‘Pervert!’ in my head, directing it to JP, and he just laughs.
“Hey, no fair. Share with the group,” Moni whines.
“It’s as she said. Lilith told her it was a potion to help her with clarity and calmness so she can break the bindings,” he tells the group as he gives me a pitying look.
“Why would Lilith tell you that if it’s not true?” Ryker asks, as looks are exchanged around the room.
It seems no one has the answer, and it also seems I have a few questions of my own for the she-demon of hell. Looking back at Levi, I finally take notice of his outfit!
Oh, baby Jesus! He’s not wearing his jacket, and his sleeves are rolled up, showing off those sexy forearms.
“Where’s your jacket and phone?” I ask, looking around for it, trying to keep my mind off his arms.
I’ve never seen him without either one of them. I honestly think he sleeps with his phone as a teddy and his suits are his PJs. Oh, maybe he has silk suit pajamas, with a tie and everything. Suitjamas. They’re real, look it up.
I’m seriously debating asking him if he needs to be checked out though. And I don’t mean the checking out I’m currently doing with his sculpted chest under his tight shirt. This person standing in front of me just isn’t the Levi I know.
That brings a real smile to his face that reaches his eyes, and he laughs. “I figured you are worth more of my time than my phone and jacket.” And that right there is why I still get butterflies around this man. “Are you sure that you’re okay?” He asks, changing places with JP.
I give him my most sincere smile and reassure him with a nod. Looking into my eyes for a few minutes, I can tell he’s checking to see if I’m lying. Content with what he finds there, he kisses my hands and pulls away.
“I don’t know what happened during that ritual, but I’ll find out,” he says as he steps away. I watch as he grabs his jacket off the back of a chair and walks out of sight. A part of me is disappointed that he’s already leaving since I just woke up, but another part hopes the time away gets the answers I desperately want.
Ryker stands awkwardly at the end of the bed. So, of course, I open my trap and say the first thing that pops out. “What, scared to move ST? Afraid I’m gonna bite?” I tease, and he smirks. There’s my Ryker. “I promise I don’t bite… unless you want me to.” I get a little shiver as heat flares in his eyes.
“Doll, you couldn’t handle me even if I came with instructions,” he retorts, throwing my words back at me. I fucking lose it. I laugh so hard tears start streaming down my cheeks. Wiping them away as I collect myself, I look up to see him wink and smile at me before leaving the bay I’m in.
Done waiting, Zeke shuffles up next to me from behind everyone, and my heart shatters at his appearance. His hair is a mess, his complexion ashen like he’s been sick, and his eyes are bloodshot as I realize he’s crying. I watch the tears drip off his chin as he makes his way to me, and I swear I would do anything to make his pain go away.
Sitting on the bed, I notice how his arms are shaking as he reaches to pull me into his frame. Grabbing him tightly, I whisper into his neck, “Shhh, Zeke. I’m okay. I promise.” I inhale and take in his peppermint smell, and he shudders in my arms.
“I didn’t know that,” his voice croaks out, like it hadn’t been used in hours. “I had no idea what was going on until Moni told Lynx to move. Your body was burning up, shaking, and you were even bleeding from your eyes, Rez,” he pulls back just enough to meet my gaze. “I thought I lost you.”
Heartbroken for him that he witnessed that, I reach up and feel his stubble along his jaw before bringing his lips to mine. It’s a tentative, sweet kiss, like he’s scared to hurt me. I’m all for the sweet kisses, but that’s not what he needs. He needs to know that I’m here, I’m fine, and he needs to get his shit together. Yes, I’ll accept him for who he is, but this is not the Zeke I love.
OMG. Did I just think the L-word?
Oh, shit. I mean—Ah, fuck it.
I increase the pressure with our kiss, and he responds immediately, opening his mouth for me to explore. When I run my tongue over his incisors, cutting myself, I don’t stop my ministrations. Zeke runs his tongue over the cut and sucks, which feels amazing. His fingers tangle in my curls as he deepens the kiss, and I start to wrap my arms around his neck when he growls and yanks himself from me.
He hops off the bed, eyes wide in fear, and wipes his mouth where some blood is on his lip.
“Sorry,” he says, running his hands through his messy red hair, still looking around in worry. “I haven’t eaten in a while.”
Some of his features make sense, knowing that now. Looking to the others to see if they can help him, I find we are by ourselves. The others must have left to give us our privacy, yet I hear some kind of weird grunting down the hall. I go to open my mouth to ask why he hasn’t eaten when the curtain flutters and Lynx jumps between us.
‘Omg, Rez. Your neighbor a few bays down the hall is getting frogged by a troll,’he informs me, shaking his head. Stepping over my limbs, he makes himself at home and lays down on my lap.‘I was watching until the slime made an appearance.’
‘Um.’
