Page 5 of Bonding Beasts (Bonding: The Ultimate Guide #3)

Ben takes me directly to bed, drops me on the mattress, and then crawls up to join me. He wraps his arms around me in his customary position and gets comfortable, breathing softly against my cheek.

I know he’s not ready for sleep yet because he doesn’t have his mouth wrapped around some portion of my anatomy. The things I’ve gotten used to astound me sometimes.

Tonight was a lot, in a month of a lot, in a few years of a lot. I’d like to have things slow down long enough for me to process everything, but that doesn’t seem like it’ll happen any time soon.

TGT Agents and Delegates have been corrupted by an unknown source for who knows how long.

Kimi can find me anywhere I go. I already knew that, but it's still creepy and depressing.

I’m no closer to finding any of the missing people.

My only possible allies want to use me for their own purposes like everyone I’ve ever known. Except for Ben, maybe?

I turn my head slightly to look at him. His eyes are closed to fake being asleep. As if that would fool me. I want to call him on it, but I think he’s doing it for me to have some quiet time.

I wonder if he’s going to leave at some point tonight. I don’t think he realizes that he’s the only thing keeping the nightmares away, and when he leaves, they don’t let me go. I don’t have his presence with me to keep the terror away .

I don’t want to tell him because it makes me feel too vulnerable. It’s a weakness that could be used against me and -

“You’re thinking too loud,” he whispers, and his lip curls up on one side in a smile.

“Sorry,” I whisper back, lips twitching to suppress my smile. “Is this better?”

We sit silently for about thirty seconds before he sighs and props himself on the elbow of the arm I’m lying on.

“Now you’re just shouting at me, Bees. Tone it down. I’m trying to sleep.”

I close my eyes and pretend to snore, enjoying this little bit of fun with him.

He laughs aloud and nuzzles my cheek, planting a kiss there before burying his face in my neck and pulling me closer.

After a little bit, I hesitantly ask, “Hey, Ben?”

“Hmm,” he mumbles into my skin. The vibration causes goosebumps to erupt down my arm and a flutter in my stomach that I try to stomp out as quickly as it comes.

“What do you want from me?” I tense as I ask, staring at the dark ceiling blindly.

I feel his eyelashes brush my neck as his eyes snap open. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” I trail off, trying to put my thoughts together to at least be coherent.

“You don’t have any ailments for me to fix.

I do nothing around your house except cook things you can’t eat.

If I weren’t here, you wouldn’t have Agents camped out on your lawn.

So, I guess I want to know why I’m still here. ”

He’s slowly drawn back from my neck to look into my eyes, but I refuse to meet his gaze. My palms start sweating as I contemplate why he might want me here, none of them good.

“Those Agents came here because of me. To arrest me. The stragglers have their own issues, so they aren’t as much of a concern.

If you hadn’t been here, I probably would have been arrested for eating the demon and half-blood instead, so it’s a moot point.

No, I’m not sick or dying, but who cares?

You cook things you like, and I’ll never complain about watching you eat and get full after the things we’ve gone through. ”

“Then why?” I interrupt and glare at him. “What is it you get out of this?”

He looks baffled at my questions as he stares back. “You. Your company. I know you don’t believe me, but I enjoy you. You’re funny and have a way of handling people I’ve never witnessed.”

“Why am I not surprised that you’ve never witnessed people talking things out,” I roll my eyes and entirely blame Scilla for that travesty.

“Bees, in this world, there is no talking things out. It’s eat or be eaten.”

I look back at him and frown. That isn’t how it should be, but he’s right.

“Besides, I don’t think coming to a peaceful resolution is normally handled with sarcasm, insults, and rage quitting,” he laughs softly.

“How would you know,” I grumble back with a pout.

“Touché,” he returns. “Where is this coming from? What’s going on in that head of yours?”

“The usual. A complete catastrophe with random one-liners I feel like I should have said to be a real bitch about stuff.”

“Of course,” he lies back down.

“I feel stuck.”

“How?” His body tenses as he awaits my response.

“I just want to find these people, and I can’t even do that. I’m not a detective, and I have no idea what I’m doing. Do you think I should let the agents do it now that they’re better?”

“No,” he replies firmly. “They don’t care about that, Bees. They only care about what affects them .”

“Yeah,” I agree with a sigh of disappointment.

I turn to my side to face him for the first time since we’ve been sleeping beside each other. He smiles and lets his forehead rest against mine.

“Are you going to leave tonight?”

He starts in surprise. “How did you… no, I’m not leaving tonight.”

“Ok,” I give a tired sigh of relief. “Don’t swallow my face?”

He laughs at my mumbled request and whispers, “Salt House tomorrow. Get some sleep.”

* * *

I wake from the nightmare as Ben consumes it. I’m suddenly aware of the male in front of me snoring directly in my face.

Mistakes were made on this positioning.

I carefully extract myself from under his arm and prepare for the day. When I leave the bathroom, Ben is face down on my pillow, mumbling to himself, so I leave him to it.

My new clothes don’t feel right on me yet. They don’t feel like enough protection. At least the pants have pockets, and I stuff some buttons and my phone inside. There’s something to be said about having full-sized pockets. Then I strap on my trusty dagger.

In the kitchen, I pull out some of the eggs Ben had delivered yesterday while I was zoning out in the spare bedroom. I make some scrambled eggs with toast while I sing and dance, really getting into it since Ben is still asleep.

Oh, he bought me jelly too. What a sweetheart.

I could make steaks for dinner. He’d love that.

I finish scrambling the eggs and making a mess with the shredded cheese and salsa that has shown up in the fridge without my knowledge. This mystery also reeks of Ben.

Despite the fact that I can see Mitri’s car parked in front of the gate my mood is good. I don’t see anyone inside it. Probably a concern but I’ll put it off until later. I can’t find it in me to care right now. Denial is my best friend.

The skillet sizzles as everything cooks and I belt out lyrics like a rock star to my spatula. The toast pops up from the suspiciously new toaster. I plate everything and grab utensils.

I turn to sit down and almost drop everything in horrified shock.

Mitri sits at the head of the table, watching me fumble my plate in the hopes that I don’t lose all the food I just made.Some egg slides off, and I lose a piece of toast before I regain my equilibrium.

“Damn it, Mitri!” I yell.I notice Ben is standing at the other end of the table, glaring at the immortal intently.I never heard him come in, either.

“Do you have to be creepy today?” I whine as I stare at the egg on the floor. “I thought that stopped years ago!”

Mitri focuses on Ben with a tilt of his head.

They stare at each other menacingly while I set my plate down on the table and go back to clean up the mess on the floor and mourn my lost toast. Ben even bought me my favorite jelly for this.

It was all ruined because a psychopath decided to statue the night away at the table .

When I turn back, they’re still in a stare-off.I’m not waiting for it to finish. What’s left of my eggs will get cold.

I sit in my usual spot facing the open space with the floor-to-ceiling windows to see the little bit of sunlight peeking over the horizon.I'll never get tired of the pretty shades of pink and blue because I can actually experience them.

I glance between the two threatening presences. The staring contest is still in full effect. I roll my eyes and start eating.

Somewhere halfway through my eggs and a few bites of toast, they come to some silent understanding and nod to each other.Ben wanders off to either go back to sleep or start getting ready for the day, and Mitri faces me again.

“Is that a guy thing?” I cover my mouth as I ask because talking with my mouth full is just gross.

Why am I so comfortable with an obvious threat in my vicinity? I really have lost it.

He raises an eyebrow in question.

“Just glaring and then deciding you’re best friends afterward.”

“We have no issues at this time,” Mitri explains, which surprises me.I didn’t expect him to answer.“Hence, we may coexist.”

“Hence,” I mutter and cover my laugh with a cough.

His brow lowers, and his eyes squint a little.

“Come on, fossil.I give you permission to scoff when I say yeet , okay?”

His brows lower further, “What does this word mean?”

“No idea,” I shrug with a grin.“It’s something the kids say nowadays. I’ll look it up later.”

“Then I have no concern of it,” he dismisses .

“Hm,” I finish the rest of my food before turning to him.He hasn’t stopped watching me, and it’s creeping me out.

“First of all, don’t watch me eat. It’s just awkward and…

I don’t know, just don’t do it, okay? Normal people don’t do that.

I think. Gross. Changing the subject. What do you want?

I thought my usefulness ran out. Unless you’re here to shoot me?

If that’s the case, your service for letting me enjoy what was left of my last meal. ”

He slowly shakes his head, “You speak too much.”

I was rambling, something I’m having problems with now. But…

“You want the silent treatment?You got it, buddy.”