“Okay, enough of this,” Layne said, taking my hand and pulling me out of the courtyard and into the elevator.
I expected her to hit the third floor but instead she pressed the basement. My hand instinctively went to my side to make sure I had my blade.
Even though it was away from my mates, I didn’t protest. I wasn’t ready to face anyone else. Instead, I followed Layne as she led me to the boiler room.
“Do the demons not come down here?” I questioned. She shook her head and pointed to a ward on the wall.
“I asked that demon of yours if he could ward it for us and he did. I’ll be honest, I was a bit shocked. But we needed a place away from the chaos,” she said.
She truly had made it her nest. I knew she was in some capacity but now she’d fully converted it. Two beds were pushed together to create a queen size bed in one corner. It was piledhigh with extra blankets and pillows. Nothing fancy, but they were hers.
I made a mental note to take her with me when I went to the nesting store. If we ever got the chance. My chest ached at the thought and I rubbed my chest as I glanced around.
White sheets were tacked to the walls to add the cozy feel. One was down the middle, separating her nest from the rest of the living space.
Random old furniture was spread out, including a desk and bookshelf. A stack of boxes rested in the corner full of her things. It felt like they were moving down here.
A boiler room wouldn’t be my first choice, but it made sense for Crew.
“While moving some things down here, I managed to snag us a little treat. Do you want to partake?”
She went to a stack of boxes and pulled out a bottle of liquor. I never drank whiskey but now seemed like as good a time as any to start.
Somehow Layne figured out what I needed was an escape and I took it happily. She was a good friend. We could relate to each other on more than one account. We were both omegas who never got to be omegas. We also had our mental health that made us the misfits of the human world. Now that we were thrust into this crazy Helheim chaos, we were misfits there, too.
And that was alright.
“Do you want to talk about it?” she finally asked. I shook my head and she laughed. “Good, because I really didn’t want to talk about it either. I’m not really good with words and friendship. But I’m here for you still,” she said, awkwardly bumping her shoulder into mine as she screwed off the lid and took a large gulp.
She handed it over and I followed suit, sputtering and choking as the warm liquid made its way down my throat.
We passed it back and forth in silence until half the bottle was gone. My mind was blessedly quiet now as warmth filled me. A tingling buzzed along my skin and my mind felt like I was floating.
Layne shifted to face me, face eager. “So, what’s it like to fuck a demon?”
Any other time I might have laughed at her question, but I was drunk enough I just let out a small giggle and answered.
“Well, demons have tails and they can use them,” I started, describing every detail of how Monty used his. “And even more, Monty has shadows he controls and sometimes he fucks me with them. Let’s just say that I have some amazing sex. Oh! Did you know that Drake’s cock is pierced?!” I rambled out my explanation and she was dying laughing next to me as I overshared.
“Dang, ask and you shall receive, I guess,” she sang out. “That was an even better explanation than I expected.”
“So, how are things with you and Crew?” I asked to change the subject before she could ask about Kol’s dick.
She smiled sadly. “Good. He’s just not happy here with everything going on, and I can’t blame him. The demons are fucking terrifying, but I don’t want to be anywhere else.”
“I can understand that,” I agreed. “Dark Haven digs its claws into you. It’s home in its twisted, fucked-up way.”
“Exactly,” she agreed, tipping the bottle toward me in appreciation before taking another long pull.
“I feel stupid and selfish for saying it, but I can’t stop thinking about Stravos. He still checks in on me.” She smiled sadly. “He’s my mate and wants me like I want him, but I’m so worried I’ll push Crew away if I give in.”
“I guess Crew isn’t for sharing?” I guessed.
She shrugged. “We haven’t even discussed it. He’s been shutting down on me a lot lately. I’m not sure what to do about it. He’ll come around.” Her face said she wasn’t so sure of that.
“He will,” I agreed, taking a drink and handing it back.
She drank and blinked her eyes to ward off the tears. For two omegas refusing to talk, things were getting deep.