Page 94 of Sharpen Your Claws

William settled their foreheads together. His eyes were always intoxicating, tempting Nicholas the moment they met and held him captive ever since. “Whatever the future may hold, we will face it together. Youaretroublesome, but you are my trouble.”

They shared an elated smile. Then Nicholas held him close and watched their companions burn whatever may have remained of Fearworn, if anything. He dared to believe there wasn’t, that they had gotten rid of the bastard for good that time and they could go on living their lives.

Our lives,he thought with such burning hope, his eyes watered. He always imagined his life to be short and meaningless or drawn out and dreadful. He never believed he would be missed should he die or change entirely. There would be no family to mourn his loss, no friends to laugh about him as they told tales, nothing at all. But as he cuddled with William, listened to Henry ask Arden a thousand questions, and watched Evera smirk over Charmaine’s nervous responses, he realized that his life had changed entirely.

There would be a family to mourn his loss, friends to laugh about him as they told tales, and a love that made him want to fight to be there. He was not the dog on his father’s leash, destined to be nothing more. He had friends and a family; he dared to think.

“What are you smiling about?” William nudged him, his smile sweet as ever.

“Nothing troublesome,” he answered. “Quite the opposite, in fact. I’ve realized something extraordinary.” He smiled and his eyes felt watery, though he refused to let that water fall.

“We need to discuss how to tell my family about us.”

“What is there to discuss? I can kiss you in front of them.” And he did so there, planting a kiss on William’s smiling lips. “That is more than enough.”

“Absolutely not. They need to get to know you.” William smiled like he was delighted by the notion, regardless.

“I love you. Is that not all they need to know?”

William huffed. “Of course not. You’ll be part of the family now.”

Family,he came to love that word.

“They need to learn about you, as I have learned. You’ve won over Henry already, so he will be of some help, but you need to get closer to everyone, especially my mother. She will worry.” William cast his gaze aside where he gnawed on his bottom lip.

Nicholas kissed him to make him stop and because he wanted to. “I will win her over with my many charms.”

William had the audacity to roll his eyes. “What charms do you speak of?”

“Do not dare to ask when you know the answers.”

William trudged into dangerous territory by kissing his neck.

“You are tempting me to take you here on the dirty floor,” he said against William’s smiling mouth.

“We’ve done that before and I’ve discovered I much prefer a bed, although,” William took his bottom lip between his teeth and released. “I’m not opposed to using my mouth.”

Nicholas would have undressed him then and there if William hadn’t stood and offered his hand. However, the playful look to his eyes promised Nicholas that once they had the opportunity, they’d have time for themselves.

With William’s help, he eased himself onto shaking legs. Fearworn took more than expected, resulting in him using William as a personal crutch.

“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I would like to get out of here,” Arden declared.

“I would feel safer if we put distance between us and this lake,” said Henry.

Everyone looked worse for wear. Though the fae would heal quickly, the mortals direly needed rest, even those who had William’s aid.

“There should be an abandoned hag’s lair nearby that we can rest in,” Evera claimed.

“Good enough for me. Lead the way.” Arden gestured toward the exit.

A handful of mortals couldn’t walk. Arden used his vines to create a cart that he and Evera pulled. Complaining the entire time, of course, more so Arden than Evera. Nicholas couldn’t walk a straight line without William. Henry and Charmaine took the rear, keeping their eyes opened for trouble.

They made it to the abandoned lair in less than two hours. By then, the sun began its descent. Dusk light broke through the trees where Evera tore roots from a hatch leading underground. The earth above formed a series of mounds that wouldn’t warn of a lair beneath.

Abandoned or not, the lair had a foul smell and far too many bones dangled from the ceiling to let the mortals rest entirely at ease. Charmaine made a fire. The wounded patients huddled around the warmth where William carefully inspected each of them. His energy drained further after each patient, though his smile never faltered. The patients thanked him profusely, a younger boy crying hysterically against William’s chest after the reality of what happened hit them.

Relief washed over Nicholas because he didn’t mind. He didn’t care if the boy hugged William. In fact, he smiled along with William as he helped each patient until a little color returned to their once dull eyes.

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