Page 180 of Fangs
She laughed. “Alright, I’m gonna go do a little bit of work, and then I’ll see you in a couple hours.”
Mist gave Tuck a little wave as she left. He returned it, looking amused. I took a deep breath and went back to working on my inventory. The sunshine poured in through the window Wolf installed, warming my skin.
As though I’d conjured him with my thoughts, the door opened, and Wolf and the rest of his crew entered. Wolf approached, his lips pressed firmly together, and handed me my breakfast.
“Why didn’t you notice your arm hurting?” he asked in a strange, flat voice.
I blinked, startled enough to be honest. “I’m used to hurting.”
He stared at me for several breaths, his expression closed, but his eyes raging with emotion. Then he turned and stalked back out of the clinic. I stood holding my food, staring at the door, and hating the uncertainty coursing through me.
“He’s trying,” Scar murmured as she passed by to go to the sink.
I turned to see the rest of the crew watching me, and my heart tripped over itself. I dropped my eyes and unwrapped my breakfast.
“How’s your back feeling?” asked Sable.
I kept my eyes on my food but paused to think about it. It still ached, but it was duller now. “Little better.”
“Good.” Sable sounded pleased. “You can keep that salve.”
I inhaled my food so I could get back to work. Scar and Lee went outside. Sable asked to help, so I gave him the job of making more tinctures to soothe a cough while I started cleaning the inside of the cabinet that housed my tools. Kai helped Sable with the tinctures, and Tuck sat in a chair and started oiling one of his guns. After we all worked in silence for a while, my tense shoulders dropped back down, and I stopped twitching whenever one of them made an unexpected noise. A few patients came in with minor injuries. I rarely had super busy days now that the hold population was smaller. Time passed quickly, and soon Mist was striding through the door again.
“You ready?” she asked with a grin.
When we stepped outside, Wolf, Scar, and Lee looked up from their seats on the porch.
“Where are you goin’?” Wolf asked.
“Out.” I inwardly winced as the word came out curt, and Wolf’s eyes narrowed.
“We’re gettin’ some drinks at Hydro,” Mist clarified.
Wolf’s expression didn’t lighten, and I had to remind myself I wasnotasking for his permission. I was an adult, and I could make my own decisions.
“Be back later,” I said as breezily as I could manage, catching Mist’s elbow and tugging her down the steps.
“Ember—” Wolf started to growl but cut off with a grunt as someone elbowed him in the ribs.
I kept going, my ears straining for any sound behind us, but when I finally glanced back, they were still sitting on the porch. I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.
“Your brother seems like… a lot,” Mist said.
“That’s ’cause he is,” I muttered.
“Makes sense that he’s protective, though,” Mist added, and I glanced at her in confusion. “Since someone’s been attacking you?” She raised an eyebrow.
I blew out an annoyed breath. “Yeah, I guess.”
Mist laughed lightly. “Well, c’mon, we’re gonna go have fun for a couple hours, and we’re not gonna think about brothers, exes, blood, or dungeons.”
“What about shit cookies?” I cut my eyes sideways with a smirk.
She playfully shoved me. “Don’t get me started giggling again.”
Hydro felt different in a nice way. A mix of people sat inside, and the low murmur of conversation filled the room. Some of Nemo’s guards were present, but the clientele wasn’t primarily guards like before. Everything looked clean and bright.
Mist and I sat at the bar, and the drinking began. It was soon clear that Mist was drinking to forget just as much as I was. She made a game of it, and after a couple drinks, I realized I was havingfun.My body felt loose and relaxed, laughter flowing and grinning so hard my cheeks hurt.
