Page 35 of Thorns from the Fall

“Where do you suggest we take him?” Nico asks. “If anyone knows that he belongs to you, then…” he trails off.

“Firstly, he’s not my belonging even if I know what you mean. Can we just take him to the penthouse?”

“Do you plan on fucking him?” Nico asks, head tilted. His expression screams innocence, but the gleam in his brown eyes makes me wonder if he can see right through me. While Roman exists, I doubt there can be anyone else for me. His gaze drops from mine as he looks back down at Hale in his lap. “I’m honestly surprised he hasn’t attacked either of you yet.”

“Gwyn, what’s he talking about?” Sasha asks.

“Well, after Ascending, he’s going to just want to fuck and feed and feed and fuck on an endless cycle. Anyone who might stop him from doing that or anyone who poses a threat, well, he’ll want to attack them. You heard him growl at me a minute ago.”

Nico huffs a laugh, tip of his tongue passing over his lower lip. He’s looking at Sasha when he speaks. “If a sexual relationship already exists, though, it’s not as big of a threat. In fact, that would be ideal because then I don’t have to have anything to do with it. He probably won’t kill you. Sasha, do you mind?” Nico asks, and I only blink at him from where I stand behind my sister.

I expect her to shout at him or call him names or something, but all she does is bow her head.

“Sash?”

When she doesn’t say anything, I can’t help but look at Hale’s quickly reddening cheeks. Slowly, he pulls Nico’s arm away from his mouth.

“Come on, Gwyn. You know I’m bisexual,” he says.

“You fucked my sister?” I ask, confused. “I know you’re bi, but in like the ‘wow, I’m unfortunately more attracted to men despite also being attracted to women’ kind of way. You haven’t slept with a woman since college!”

I’m well aware that it’s not any of my business, but the fact neither of them has told me about it stings. Just how long have I been the odd man out?

Hale adjusts in Nico’s arm. I can’t be angry about something so fucking inconsequential when my best friend sits up, strong and alive and giving me that imperious look like I’m an idiot and he’s about to tell me exactly the reason why he thinks so. I wish I could hug him without fear of him attacking me.

“Pussy is like…a buffet,” he says, breezy and effortless. Nico snorts, and Hale shoots him a contemptuous glance. “I can go to the buffet almost any time I want. There is always food for me at the buffet, and the…workers, they… Hmm, that doesn’t work for this analogy. Whatever. What I’m saying is, I’m kind and attractive, I treat women decently, and I’m securein my sexuality. The…food at the buffet loves that. The lettuce practically jumps onto my plate.”

“Hale, if you don’t stop comparing me to the fucking salad bar, I swear to god,” my sister says, and a laugh bursts out of me. The first real laugh I’ve had in so long, it almost turns into a cough.

“The buffet has everything I could ever need, and it’s generally pretty decent. But it’s not sustainable. Usually I prefer something home cooked or perhaps a steak dinner,” he says, and then with a shrug, he bites into Nico’s wrist once more.

“It was a one-time thing. It’s not..we don’t—I mean, I will, if Hale needs me to?—”

Hale shakes his head, waving a flippant hand at her, before nestling more comfortably into Nico’s arms.

“Margot did just fine when she Ascended. She fucked half the coven. So yes, let us take him back to the compound. Fine. But someone else is going to have to drive,” Nico says.

He looks pointedly downward, and I see Hale’s hand massaging him over his pants.

I bite my lip, remembering Margot driving me and Roman to the greystone, the woman having to listen while Roman fingered me in the backseat to keep me from attacking her and going crazy. I’d been insatiable. A part of me rejoices with the knowledge that I couldn’t help it. That the desire and obsession I’d had with Roman was just a natural product of an Ascension.

But a smaller, quieter part, is devastated that that’s all it is. All it could ever be.

Everything has fallen apart. Using Remy as leverage to keep Roman in check while I find Agnarr doesn’t work when Hale is at Nico’s beck and call. Protecting my family has gone to shit. The only thing I still have is my vengeance, but was it worth it? My parents are still dead, and now my friend has signed up for a life he never fucking wanted.

I’d thought to ease the silent ache of grief and loneliness in my retribution.

So why is it louder than ever before?

14

ROMAN

The wardson the dingy property near Garfield Park are fading in and out. The building is there, then it’s not, then it’s there, then it’s not. I wait to go up the steps and walk up the path because I don’t trust that I won’t get torn in half by them or stuck inside. I’m sitting at the CTA bus bench half a block away, watching, when Margot pulls up. She doesn’t hesitate as she pulls into the driveway, and I can still see her car even when the building disappears and is replaced with an empty lot.

It’s unsettling.

Margot gets out and looks around, spotting me quickly. She waves me over, and I unfold my body from the bench. I’m sore as fuck because of the bullet still lodged beneath bone, and I know I’m going to have to handle it sooner rather than later. But the idea of having Margot dig it out is not my favorite, so I soldier on.

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