Page 26

We’re all worried, and I’m not going to make it worse if no one else has had the same thoughts as me.

Wraith and Cassian are already up, crawling out of bed about an hour ago. Wraith is still working on a plan for the academy and how it’ll be run over the next few weeks. He’s worked most of it out, but there are still a few details to be ironed out. Building of new dorms will commence tomorrow, with Lucifer coming himself to help.

Cassian also still has a job to do, so he headed to Ephonia to judge the souls awaiting him and the other judges. He won’t be gone too long, but it usually takes them a few hours to get through all the souls from the previous day.

Even in sleep, Brenden clings to Audrey, and she to him.

I want to be the one to comfort her, but I have no idea what I can say to make any of this any better.

Brenden’s the only one who understands what she’s going through, and he’s too lost to do much good.

It’s so fucking frustrating. I run my hand through my platinum blond hair, gripping the ends in irritation.

Shuffling beside me has me dropping my hands and forcing a smile to my lips as Audrey rolls over to blink up at me.

“Everything okay, Donovan?” Her voice is husky with sleep, and my cock hardens with just that one sound.

Not now, asshole.

As much as I’d love to make love to my mate, she’s in no mood for that. I’ve considered trying to seduce her to make her feel something besides the despair that seems to run rampant through her, but with just one look at her vibrant green eyes, I always know it won’t work.

She’s too hurt. Too broken.

“Of course, pretty girl. Why wouldn’t everything be okay?” I wince at the sarcasm lacing my words. I’ve been doing such a good job of keeping my bitterness locked down, and now I’m just laying it all out there for her to see.

That’s not going to help her.

She frowns, reaching up to cup my cheek. “It’s okay to be frustrated, Donovan. This sucks. We all know it. I actually want to talk to all of you about an idea I have, actually.”

I hate the way she speaks now—we all do. I hate that this is happening to her.

“Wraith is in his office, working out the last of the kinks in his plan for the academy. But Cassian is in Ephonia with the other judges. I don’t know when he’ll be back.” Not knowing what else to do, I pull her into my lap and wrap my arms around her.

“It can wait.” She sighs as she lays her head on my shoulder, clinging to me just as hard as I am to her.

Brenden scoots across the bed, his hand closing around Audrey’s ankle. His eyes are still closed, and I think he’s still sleeping. It’s like he can’t help himself from reaching out to her at all times.

Audrey’s vampire mate has never been normal in the head and is more than a little obsessed with our mate—which I don’t think is a bad thing. But it’s gotten worse since Nex abandoned them.

We sit there for a few minutes in silence before she pulls back. “I need a shower. So does Brenden. Will you help me?”

“Of course.” How can I tell my mate no? Even if it means helping the vampire get clean. It’snot like it’s the first time I’ve seen him naked, nor will it be the last.

I always hoped I would get to share a mate with Wraith, so sharing isn’t a new concept for me. I just didn’t expect to have to share with others—besides Cassian. That was a happy surprise.

But I’m not interested in Brenden like that, so I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about sharing our mate. It turns out I don’t have to be sexually attracted to the man fucking my mate to be turned on. It just gets me hot seeing her fucked and being pleasured. I might prefer to take part, but I also don’t mind watching.

New kinks have been unlocked, that’s for sure.

Shaking my head, I push away thoughts of anyone fucking Audrey. If I don’t get my thoughts under control, then my dick is going to stay hard.

Audrey leans over and shakes Brenden until his eyes pop open. He gazes up at her with adoration, but his eyes quickly glaze over. Audrey’s frustration is clear in the sigh she releases as I help her get Brenden out of bed.

I know she keeps hoping that he’ll just wake up one day and be himself, but I doubt that’sgoing to happen. I’m afraid that if we don’t resolve this situation, this might be all we get from Brenden, which would break my mate’s heart even more.

Fucking Nex.

I want to hate the guy, but part of me understands why he did what he did.