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“Well, that was just as memorable as I’d hoped it would be.” She grinned against his skin. “Wouldn’t you agree?” She felt a glimmer of hope at the hint of a smile that touched Blair’s lips.

They were quiet for a while before Iris voiced an unpleasant thought. “Does it hurt, transforming like that?”

He hesitated. “It’s more painful to try to hold back from transforming than the change itself… Though it could always be worse. At least I didn’t inherit the fangs.” He seemed to be trying to lighten the mood. “Or the talons.”

Iris raised herself up on her elbows so she could meet his eyes. “What?”

“Those with the full condition have somewhat more monstrous features when they transform,” he admitted. “But at least they can fly.”

She shook her head, bewildered.

Blair pulled the quilt up over them and shifted to face her, the fire still crackling in the wood stove beside them. “Why aren’t you running?” he asked, tucking a curl behind her ear.

Iris smiled, her limbs suddenly heavy with exhaustion. She closed her eyes, settling deeper into the cocoon of blankets. “Because I’m not wearing any shoes.” She nuzzled her head under his chin, against the warmth of his skin. “And because I’m exactly where I want to be.”

37

The ping of a text notification on Iris’ phone broke through the haze of Blair’s sleep the following morning. He blinked blearily. Bright sunlight dappled through the branches of the elm tree above the skylight and crept through a thin break in the curtains draped over the sliding glass door.

His hair tangled on the pillow as he turned toward Iris, who reached blindly for her phone. She sat up slightly when she saw who the text was from, her eyes speeding across the screen.

“It’s Gabriel,” she said, unlocking the phone so she could write back. “He says he’s ten minutes away.”

Tossing her phone onto the quilt, Iris wrapped the throw blanket around herself and disappeared into her room. Blair gathered up his clothes and slowly got dressed. Barely a minute later, she rushed over and began stripping the bed. Arms full of sheets, she hurried to the washing machine in the hallway closet and stuffed them inside, closing the machine’s door with a sharp snap.

Blair folded the quilt, and Iris took it from him, squashing it unceremoniously onto a shelf in the closet. In a flash, she was standing by the futon again. “Help me put the back up?” she asked, and Blair complied, moving to the other side so they could fold it back into a couch.

While Iris closed herself in the bathroom, Blair sat silently on the couch. He couldn’t quite explain to himself why he was feeling so hollow. He supposed he was just terrified of what the day would bring. He knew Gabriel wouldn’t be coming home unless they’d found Anna. It might be only hours before the memory spell would wipe away all of his memories—of the woman he loved, of his new friend, of himself.

Well, he might be better off not knowing himself, he mused bitterly.

But it was more than that.

Iris stumbled back into the living room, running a comb through her hair, which was sticking out on one side. She replaced the throw pillows on the couch and tossed a blanket over the back, erasing all evidence that anything had occurred the night before. Blair understood that she had a valid reason to hurry since Gabriel’s arrival was imminent, but it was difficult to not feel a little offended as he observed her harried state.

Was Iris ashamed that they had slept together, or did she just not want Gabriel to know about it? Either possibility wasn’t great. If they were going to continue living together, Gabriel would have to find out eventually.

Blair didn’t know why he was being so ridiculous; truly, could he blame Iris if she didn’t want to be with him after what had happened? He couldn’t have one normal human experience without causing a scene. What if he had hurt her? He never would have been able to forgive himself, not if he lived a thousand years.

He’d just returned to the living room after brushing his teeth when he heard the sound of tires on the driveway. A beat later, the soft purr of the Mercedes’ engine cut off. Iris skirted to the front door, unlatched the deadbolt, and threw it open, letting in a wave of fresh air.

“Did you find her?” Iris ripped into the skin at the edge of her thumb as Gabriel stepped over the threshold. His normally dapper appearance was marred by the deep circles under his eyes, and he was missing his signature cashmere scarf. He didn’t even unbutton his coat as he closed the door behind him, locking it again.

“Yes.” His eyes met Blair’s across the room before settling back on Iris. “We should go. I’ll explain more on the way.”

“Where’s Clement?”

“He stayed in New York. We were correct in thinking that’s where she’d be.”

A thrill of panic shot through Blair as he peered around the sunlit room. His attention landed on the multicolored spines lining the shelves, the art that hung crookedly from every wall, the mismatched teacups in the kitchen hutch behind him.

He was suddenly desperate for more time.

Just one more breakfast listening to Iris and Gabriel’s playful arguments about the best jam flavors, or another lazy weekend reading on the couch while Iris’ careful hands transformed a ball of yarn into a thick, warm blanket on the rug beside him.

One more starlit night next to the wood stove, heartbeats melted into one like the pool of vanilla-scented wax in the flickering candle that had watched over them.

He almost pleaded with them to stay, had to stop himself from reaching for Iris’ hand to keep her from putting on her coat. He wanted nothing more than to stand between them and the door.