Page 181 of Gates of Tartarus

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We linger long enough that, when we finally return to the cottage, dinner has arrived and is set up on the table. There is a strained tension between the three men whom we left behind, but it dissipates over British beer and cottage pie. Maddox is quieter than usual, which is saying something, and he keeps shooting speculative looks my way. Gemma already ate and is asleep, the time difference knocking her out, so it’s just the guys and myself. It should be awkward, but by the time we’re all singing Happy Birthday to an adorably embarrassed Hideo, things seem almost right.

After dinner and cake, it’s late enough that I collapse into bed, shivering as the fire dies and the cold seeps in. Jonah pokes his head in to say “goodnight” and grins when I fling back the covers.

“Get in!” I say, shaking. “I’m freezing! My feet are ice blocks!”

Laughing, he crawls in beside me and wraps his arms around me. “I’ll warm you up, don’t worry!” he replies, voice full of promise, but I bury my head in his chest, pulling my shoulders tight together.

“It’s too late, and I’m too tired. But will you stay with me?” I ask, tone hopeful, and I can feel the exuberance in his response even before he replies.

“Of cours... holyshit, Kai!” he yelps suddenly. “Christ in heaven, your feet are fucking icebergs! What the hell is wrong with your circulation?”

Seconds later, Walker knocks softly on the door. “You okay?” he asks, concern lacing his words. “I heard Jonah… What?” he says suspiciously as I dissolve into giggles.

“Her feet arefreezing!” Jonah replies defensively. Walker raises a disbelieving eyebrow, and Jonah jerks his head to indicate the other side of the bed. “Youfucking try it!”

Twisting his mouth to one side, Walker hesitates. “You sure man? This is your time…” and Jonah shakes his head.

“Thanks, bro, but it’s a straight-to-sleep night. So pile in if you want.” Before the words are even out of his mouth, Walker takes a flying leap, like a kid getting into bed, and flops down on my other side, causing the poor old bed to groan perilously.

“Okay, let’s see what the... holy hell, woman! What the actual fuck?”

“Itoldyou!” Jonah says mutinously. “It’s inhuman. How does an actual person get that cold?”

Closing my eyes, I hush them both. “No talky-talky,” I mumble tiredly. “Just warmy-warmy.” I sense more than see the look the two guys exchange, and then Walker wraps a massive arm around me, pulling my back into him tightly, while Jonah pillows my head on his arm and kisses my forehead.

“Okay, Kai. Go to sleep. We’ve got you.”

Walker kisses my shoulder as I wriggle into a comfortable position. “Christ, woman. Stop wiggling or there’s no sleep for anyone tonight!’

Grinning against Jonah’s skin, I give my butt an extra shake, and he slaps it sharply, once.

“To be continued…” he promises, laughing, and I drift to sleep, the low sounds of Jonah’s and Walker’s laughter pulling me into happy dreams.

Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries

Thursday, 13 December – Maela

Elizabeth calls this morning. I put her off yesterday, and now she wants to discuss training and orientation, meetings, agendas, security protocols, my new office, even business cards. My official title is going to be ‘Development and Resource Allocation Consultant’, which sounds suitably vague and wooly enough to cover my real role of ‘lab rat’. Still, it’s better than ‘Psychic to Kronos’, although I’ve no doubt that that’s what lies in my future if Kailani and I can’t figure something out and pronto.

I’m exhausted after our phone call. The effort of trying to pretend that everything’s great and that I’m looking forward to joining Gaia is draining, and I honestly don’t know how I’m going to keep up the pretense come January. I’d like nothing better than to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over my head, but Kavi’s insistent that we keep up our yoga practice, so I’ve dragged myself up to the lounge to wait for him. I heard his mobile ring when I went to knock on his door, so I’m guessing he’ll be a few minutes: his mother is a chatterer. I yawn as I scroll through YouTube channels, finally settling on a selection of comforting vintage hits and letting my mind drift off. Kailani won’t have any problems, I think. She exudes competence. The way she handled the men the other day, when we re-joined the meeting, was nothing short of miraculous. You could practically see all of them stand to attention if her nose so much as twitched. And if things do get physical, she’ll undoubtedly be able just to kick-box her way out. I hadn’t missed how toned her muscles were when she was trying on dresses yesterday. I’m pretty sure Seef mentioned something about her doing martial arts. I suck in my stomach, consideringly, and give an experimental prod. Not too bad. I wonder… I mean, it’s probably just a saying, but… I bet Kailani could…

I sense rather than see Kavi at the door. It’s been several minutes, and I’m absorbed in my task, teeth lightly biting my lower lip. “Do I want to know?” I hear.

I don’t look up. “I’m conducting an experiment,” I say decorously.Life is just a bowl of cherries, Rudy Vallée sings in the background, and I have another go.

“Into?” Kavi comes and squats companionably beside me, one dark lock sliding over his forehead, arms resting loosely on his thighs. I can smell warm male heat and spice.

“I want to see if it’s true.” I try again, and “Merde!I don’t think it’s going to work. Here, you try.”

“It?” Kavi looks at the coin I’ve handed him.

“You know: can you really bounce a quarter off your arse if you’re fit enough. It’s ten pence instead of a quarter, and I couldn’t get a good angle on my butt so I’ve been trying on my stomach, but the principle’s the same. You’re so muscle-y, I bet it will work. Go on – try,” I encourage him.

Kavi looks from me to the coin and back again. “You have officially lost the plot,” he tells me kindly.

I stick my tongue out at him. “O ye of teeny tiny faith. Here, lie down, and I’ll do it for you.” Kavi rolls his eyes and raises his arm above his head, clenching his fist. “You are not going to throw coins at me.”

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