Page 71 of Those That Are Lost
“Why does he stay in Scotia?” I ask, helping Henry with the undersheet whilst Ty starts helping by changing the pillowcases.
“I’m not going to divulge his whole story—that’s his to tell—but he has to stay hidden from his family for obvious reasons, and they reside south of here in Enbourg. I know he was turned near Carnio and understandably doesn’t want to stay there. The capital offers him the best chance of anonymity with the amount of pure fae running round, even though the vampires here hate him, and would probably kill him given half a chance.”
“He did lead squadrons in the fighting against us. Only the Gods know how many of us he killled.” Ty’s roughtreatment of the pillows leave no guessing at his opinion on the Fae in the other room.
“He’s a victim of the war, Ty, as much as I was. He was just on the other side.”
“You’re too soft. You were human,” Ty grouches.
“And? Doesn’t mean I didn’t kill the enemy in battle. I have no idea how many fae, demi-Fae, and humans I ended the lives of during those battles. Antares is barely older than us, he grew up during the height of the propaganda, with a fascist father and no other education. Yes, he caused multiple deaths but he refused his father over Carnio. It’s well documented how he led his battalion in a rebellion of sorts. It’s debated that the lack of his squadron’s presence is the reason some vampires escaped the carnage there. And by disobeying orders, and not being where he was supposed to be, he got captured and turned.”
“And you think that means he should be forgiven?”
“No, but there were victims on both sides. Should he be condemned for his circumstances?”
“Henry… I don’t know.”
“That’s good enough for now. Just withhold judgement until you know him a little more. What are you thinking, Rory?”
“I don’t know either.”
“Sleep on it. I’ll kick Antares out to go get blood and I’ve got some work to do. There'll be no one in the apartment apart from me and I’ll keep watch. Sleep, and if you decide you don’t want him around, I’ll kick him out properly.”
“Okay,” Ty tells his friend as we finish the bedding. Henry scoops up the used sheets and heads out the door, leaving us alone.
I want nothing more than to collapse onto the bed but the pull of the shower I can see through the ensuite door is strong enough I head over to it as I start removing clothes. I eye theclean stack of towels on the built-in shelving beside the mirror and the line of products lining the shower floor.
Ty joins me and we wash in silence, only a few sentences passing through our silent form of communication. Ty washes my hair and I scrub us both with an expensive floral scented body wash as delicious hot water sprays down from the overhead rainfall shower. It cleans our bodies and heats me through. The exhaustion from the travelling hits in full force and I can barely keep my eyes open as Ty switches off the power and wraps my body in a giant towel and my hair in a separate smaller one. Looking down, I notice my tattooed arm and realise my glamour disappeared at some point.
‘It dropped as soon as Henry left,’Ty reassures me, gently drying my skin and wrapping me into his body.
As soon as we’re dry, he’s pulling me into the bedroom once more and tucking me into the bed. Shadows fill the floor as he pulls the blind over the window.
They coat every available space, including the foot of the bed. A few press up against the door to the main room and darken, looking almost solid.
‘Antares has left but they’ll protect us whilst we sleep,’Ty tells me as he slips in behind, curling around my body as I ball myself up on my side. He wriggles to me until my head is nestled into his shoulder and our legs are entwined.
It doesn’t take long for sleep to pull me under.
CHAPTER 30
TY
“Okay, enough! What the fuck is going on with you two?” Henry spins from his desk, hands spread wide at Red and me.
We share perplexed looks. She’s sitting across my lap, we’re both nestled up on one end of the sofa facing him. I’m scrolling on our phone in one hand with the other wrapped around Red’s back and gently stroking her ribs as she jots notes on a pad I stole from Henry yesterday.
“What do you mean?” I ask, quirking a brow.
“I don’t get it,” Henry replies, exacerbated. “I wasn’t going to get involved but I just don’t get it. You’re never more than a breath apart from one another, your scents are practically combined so I know you’re fucking almost constantly, and yet you’ve not talked to one another in two days. What’s going on? Who pissed who off?”
Red’s hand comes to her mouth as she stifles a laugh. Her cheeks pinken in a delicious blush, no doubt from the scent comment.
‘Should we tell him?’she asks silently.
‘I’m surprised he lasted this long,’I respond to her, beforeagreeing. “We’re telepathic.” I deadpan at my best friend, like he should’ve found it obvious.
Henry’s eyes grow huge and his hands drop in surprise.
