Page 20 of The Stone Survival
CHAPTER 10
It didn’t take long to move my stuff into Levi’s room or to find new lastonflex outfits for Serath. By the time we were done, my stomach was rumbling.
“We should get some food,” Serath said, fluffing the pillows on the bed. “Maybe find some ice cream, seeing as you didn’t get any earlier.”
There was something undeniably sexy about a mammoth of a gargoyle making a bed. And something even sexier about a male who wasn’t threatened by other males. The way he’d comforted me. Understood my needs…That was sexy as hell.
He arched a brow. “Unless maybe you want to go back to bed.”
I ran my gaze over his body, tight and toned in his lastonflex shirt. His dark hair was pinned back now, and I itched to pull out the tie and run my fingers through the silky locks. I wanted to climb him like a tree and devour his mouth, never coming up for air, because now I knew what his skin felt like against mine when it was slick with perspiration, hot and eager, caging me in as he thrust deep. And that orgasm… “Yes, we should totally go back to bed.” My tone was husky, breathless and wanton, butmy stomach growled in protest, ruining the moment, and Serath laughed.
“Fuel first.” He snagged me around the waist and tugged me to his chest and kissed me. “I’ve missed the pastries at Stone Comfort.”
Tension gripped my shoulders. “You want to go out?”
“We can’t stay locked in the tower forever.”
No, we couldn’t. We’d have to face everyone at some point. Let them stare, whisper about the sigma who was taken and altered but saved by his mate bond. Yes, best to get it over with.
I kissed his jaw. “I guess you can’t play bait if we keep you hidden.”
“Exactly.” His smile was strained, and my stomach dipped.
“Are you all right? I mean…you know you can talk to me about anything, right?”
“I know, and I’m fine. I’m here with you. Safe. What happens next will be on my terms.”
But I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was hiding something. No. Not hiding, at least not intentionally, but maybe suppressing or ignoring. But then, how could I ever presume to understand what he’d gone through? He said he didn’t recall much, and maybe he didn’t, not consciously, but the subconscious mind was a separate issue.
Would those memories surface eventually? If they did, then how would they affect him? It didn’t matter. I’d be here to help him through them, regardless.
We foundOrix in the kitchen nursing a mug of coffee and chatting to Yarrow. The witch was dressed in black jeans anda black long-sleeved, button-down shirt that was covered in cat hairs, which he was absently picking off.
They both stood by the island with Taz curled on the floor between them.
“Hey.” Yarrow’s gaze flicked between Serath and me. “It’s good to have you back. Both of you.”
“Yarrow was returning Taz,” Orix said. “Taz somehow found a way out of the tower while we were gone last night.”
“And into the main building,” Yarrow chuckled. “I found him meowing outside the tutors’ quarters.”
“We left Taz with Yarrow when we took Willowman into the rims,” Orix explained to Serath. “They obviously bonded.”
“I think Flora’s his favorite,” Yarrow said. “Oh, while I’m here, Cam, you might be interested to know that Melanie seems to have stabilized.”
My pulse leapt. “Have you spoken to her?”
“I’ve tried, but she refuses to engage. Maybe you’d like to come see her?”
“Yes, I’ll pop over later, if that’s okay.” I needed time to formulate what I’d say to her and compose myself, now that I knew who she was to me. Was it safe to tell her? I hadn’t made up my mind on that.
“I have classes this afternoon, but Flora can let you in,” Yarrow said. He chewed on his cheeks for a moment. “This is probably a little intrusive, but I have to ask: What happened out there? Whatreallyhappened? I mean, we all received the official announcement an hour ago, but it didn’t tell us much of anything.”
Beside me, Serath tensed. “There’s nothing more to tell.”
“But you were taken.” Yarrow frowned. “The graynites took you.”
“I’m aware,” Serath said dryly.
