Page 41 of Crossing Between

Several hours later, I heard a knock at the door. Kenji had gone to take a shower, leaving me curled up on the couch with a mug of tea and my thoughts. The strange reaction my magic had to Ryan still troubled me, but I pushed it aside as I went to answer.

Elias and Varon stood on my porch, Varon holding up a massive bag of Chinese takeout containers that made my stomach growl instantly.

"We come bearing gifts," Varon's usual stoic expression softened by the slight upturn at the corner of his mouth. "Figured you might be hungry."

"Starving, actually," I stepped back to let them in, feeling a flutter in my chest at the sight of them both. The red string of fate that Kenji had shown me seemed to hum between us, invisible but undeniably present now that I knew about it.

Elias followed behind, his gray eyes scanning me from head to toe as if checking for injuries. "You look better," he brushed a strand of hair from my face.

The simple touch sent electricity racing down my spine, and I had to resist the urge to lean into his hand. "I feel better. More myself."

Kenji emerged from the bathroom, hair damp and wearing only a pair of sweatpants that hung dangerously low on his hips. "I smell food," he grinned, water droplets still clinging to his broad shoulders.

"Put a shirt on, you heathen," Varon grumbled, though his eyes lingered appreciatively on Kenji's muscled torso.

"Why? Am I distracting you?" Kenji winked, grabbing plates from my kitchen cabinets with the familiarity of someone who'd been in my home for years rather than days.

We settled around my small coffee table, boxes of food spread between us. For a while, we ate in comfortable silence, the normalcy of sharing a meal together a balm to my frayed nerves. It felt right, the four of us together like this, even with the shadow of the Essencefeaster hanging over us.

"So," Varon broke the silence, his chopsticks paused midair. "Kenji tells me your brother was acting strange."

And just like that, the peaceful bubble burst."Yeah," I pushed a piece of broccoli around my plate. "He was different. Too polished, too perfect. And my magic," I stopped, unsure how to explain the visceral reaction I'd had.

"Your magic what?" Elias prompted gently.

"It recoiled from him," I admitted, the words tasting bitter. "Like he was something wrong. Something my power recognized as a threat."

The three men exchanged glances, a silent communication passing between them.

"Has that ever happened before?" Varon's voice was carefully neutral.

I shook my head. "Never. My magic has never reacted to Ryan like that. He's my brother." I looked up, meeting their eyes one by one. "I'm scared. What if...what if something's happened to him?"

Elias reached out, his hand covering mine. "We'll figure it out. If something's wrong with Ryan, we'll help him."

"And if it's not Ryan anymore?" The question I'd been dreading slipped out before I could stop it.

A heavy silence fell over the room. None of them wanted to voice what we were all thinking. That the Essencefeaster might have taken my brother like he'd taken the infected people.

"Then we'll deal with that too," Varon's tone leaving no room for doubt. "But we need more information before we jump to conclusions."

Elias nodded in agreement. "Quilith should be back in two days. They might have insights we don't."

"Two days feels like forever," I whispered, staring down at my half-eaten food.

"Hey," Elias squeezed my hand. "We're right here with you. You're not alone in this."

Their support warmed me, but couldn't completely banish the cold fear that had settled in my stomach. If the Essencefeaster had somehow taken Ryan, how would we get him back? And what would be left of my brother when we did?

After dinner, Kenji cleared away the containers while Elias and Varon discussed the latest updates on the case in low voices.

"The cleanup at the station is almost complete," Varon was saying. "Most of the infected have been quarantined and are recovering, though they don't remember anything."

"And the ones who didn't make it?" I dreaded the answer.

Varon's expression darkened. "Twenty-three casualties. Twelve civilians, eleven officers."

My heart sank. Twenty-three people dead because of a demon that was apparently after me. The weight of that responsibility pressed down on my shoulders like a physical burden.

"It's not your fault," Elias poked me in the cheek, as if reading my thoughts. "None of this is."

"Isn't it, though?" I wrapped my arms around myself. "If I wasn't a Soulbinder..."

"Then the Essencefeaster would still be killing people," Varon cut me off. "But we wouldn't have anyone who could stop it."

His words were meant to comfort, but they only highlighted the enormity of what I was facing. I was supposed to stop an ancient demon that had once caused the Black Plague? Me, who until a few weeks ago thought I was just a necromancer trying to keep a low profile?

"What if I can't?" The question slipped out, small and afraid.

"You can," Kenji returned from the kitchen. "And you won't be doing it alone."

He held up a deck of cards, his signature grin back in place. "Now, who's up for a game? I think we could all use a distraction."

"What did you have in mind?" Elias's one eyebrow raised skeptically.

"Go Fish," Kenji declared with complete seriousness.

I couldn't help the burst of laughter that escaped me. "Go Fish? Seriously? That's a kids' game."

"Exactly," Kenji winked. "Simple, fun, and impossible to overthink. Perfect for taking our minds off demonic possession and apocalyptic plagues."

When he put it that way, how could I argue?

"I'm in," I was feeling some of the tension leave my shoulders.

"Fine," Varon sighed, though a hint of amusement flickered in his eyes. "But if anyone mentions this at the station, I'll deny it ever happened."

For the next hour, we played cards like we didn't have a care in the world.

Kenji told outrageous stories from his centuries of life, making me laugh until my sides hurt.

Elias, surprisingly competitive, accused Kenji of cheating at least a dozen times.

And Varon, despite his initial reluctance, got so into the game that he actually shouted in triumph when he completed a set.

I watched them, these three powerful supernatural beings, playing a children's card game in my living room, and felt a surge of affection so strong it nearly took my breath away.

I caught Elias using his tentacles to peek at Kenji's cards and called him out immediately.

"Elias!" I gasped in mock outrage. "Are you cheating?"

He had the grace to look sheepish, his tentacles quickly retracting. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Liar," Kenji laughed, swatting at him playfully. "I knew something fishy was going on!"

"Technically, krakens aren't fish," Elias pointed out with a smirk.

"Technically, you're a cheater," I countered, trying to keep a straight face and failing miserably.

Varon shook his head, but I could see the smile he was trying to hide. "Children. I'm surrounded by children."

As the night wore on, the game gradually wound down. Elias yawned, stretching his arms above his head. "I should probably head out. Early shift tomorrow." He headed toward the door after kissing my cheek and I could feel them flush.

Varon paused, turned to me. "Zoey, could I speak with you for a moment? Alone?"

Curious, I followed him onto the porch, the cool night air raising goosebumps on my arms. Varon closed the door behind us, ensuring our privacy.

"What's up?" I wrapped my arms around myself against the chill.

Varon's expression was unreadable in the dim porch light. "I wanted to check on you. After everything that's happened, how are you really?"

The genuine concern in his voice caught me off guard. I was so used to his stoic, commanding presence that these glimpses of tenderness always threw me.

"I'm," I started to say 'fine' automatically, but stopped myself. "I'm scared," I admitted instead. "About Ryan, about the Essencefeaster, about what all this means for me. For us."

Varon stepped closer, his tall frame blocking the wind. "Fear is natural. It keeps us alert, keeps us alive."

"Is that vampire wisdom?" I teased gently.

A small smile tugged at his lips. "Something like that." He reached out, his cool fingers brushing my cheek. "But know this, whatever happens, I will protect you. We all will."

The intensity in his eyes made my heart race. I leaned into his touch, craving the connection. "I know."

For a moment, we stood there in silence, the weight of unspoken words hanging between us. Then Varon leaned down, his lips brushing mine in a kiss so gentle it made my chest ache. It was different from our passionate encounter before. It was tender, almost reverent.

When he pulled back, his expression had softened. "Get some rest. I'll check in tomorrow."

With that, he turned and joined Elias, who was waiting by the car. I watched them go, my fingers touching my lips where I could still feel the pressure of his kiss.

When I went back inside, Kenji was tidying up the cards, a knowing smirk on his face. "So, the vampire's got it bad, huh?"

I felt my cheeks warm. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't," he chuckled, setting the deck aside. "Just like you don't know what's going on with you and Elias. Or you and me."

I sat beside him on the couch, suddenly feeling shy. "It's complicated."

"It doesn't have to be," Kenji's voice gentler than I expected. "The red string connects all four of us. We're meant to be together, in whatever way feels right."

"All four of us?" I raised an eyebrow. "Including you and Elias? And Varon?"

Kenji's grin turned wicked. "Oh, especially us three. We've got history."

"History?" My imagination immediately conjured images that made my face flush hot. "What kind of history?"

"The kind I'd be happy to tell you about," he winked, "but Varon asked to speak with you alone first."

I blinked in confusion. "He just did. On the porch."

Kenji shook his head. "Not that. He wants to talk to you tomorrow. Vampire stuff, I think."

"Oh." I wasn't sure what to make of that. "Okay."

We sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the events of the day catching up to me. A yawn escaped before I could stifle it.

"Bedtime for the human," Kenji teased, standing and offering me his hand. "Come on, I'll tuck you in."

I let him lead me to the bedroom, too tired to protest. As I crawled under the covers, Kenji hesitated by the door.

"I'll be on the couch if you need anything," he seemed reluctant.

"Stay," I patted the space beside me. "Please? I don't want to be alone tonight."

His expression softened. "You sure?"

"Positive."

He slid in beside me, his large frame dwarfing my bed. I curled against him, my head resting on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. His arm wrapped around me, warm and secure.

"Kenji?" I murmured, already half asleep.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you. For being here. For the date. For everything."

I felt him press a kiss to the top of my head. "Always, Zoey. Always."