Page 115 of Eternal Light

Windblown and singed around the edges, he still manages to look beautiful and…free.

Jay couldn’t say why, exactly, but the younger man is standing taller. He’s laughing at something Nix said, and when he catches Jay’s eye, he nods.

He means:I’m good.

Nix jumps on the bed; he, too, looks lighter. “Hi, Jamie.” He kisses Jay’s bare shoulder.

For the first time in over a year, he’s spent the whole day naked in bed, and despite their immediate plans, he’s surprisingly relaxed.

“Hi, baby boy. Good day?”

“Mmm. You smell good.” He means Finn, or maybe the grilled cheese.

“Gray, did Ignatius set your ass on fire?” Luca asks, bringing another platter of sandwiches so that they can eat from the middle of the bed.

Nix waits until Rowan slips into the bathroom in his wolf form and the shower finally turns on before grabbing a half and eating it in one bite.

“Nope. You should ask Rowan why I look like a magical fireman.”

Well, that doesn’t bode well at all.

Sighing, Jay puts the half of the sandwich he’d been about to eat back on the platter. He’s not sure he’s going to want a full mouth when he hears this. He prays they don’t have one more interstate incident.

Even Gideon leans against the door jamb, spatula in one hand and the pan in the other. “Just tell us.”

Nix giggles and snatches Jay’s discarded sandwich for himself. “Rowan thought he could get the jump on Aldis.”

“Another magic user?” That didn’t sound right.

“No, it’s Aldis—the phoenix. Ignatius has a phoenix friend. You know, the firebirds?”

Of course, Jay knows the magical birds. There’s the not-so-small matter of his big red tattoo. He’s about to roll his eyes and point at his chest when it hits him.

Oh, please no.

“Wasn’t he in the rafters of Ignatius’ two-story office?” Finn asks incredulously.

“Yes,” Grayson laughs. “I lost track of Ro in the gym during practice, and by the time I figured it out and we’d made it back to the office, he had shifted to get the door open and had used the stairs to get a closer look.”

The restroom door opens, revealing a naked Rowan with a towel around his neck. It’s nice to see him in his person-form.

Jay had been missing his face.

“I wasn’t going to hurt him. He was talking to me, and I just wanted a closer look.” He taps his forehead with a finger.

“So you were naked, standing in the rafters of the centuries-old Guild, talking to a magical bird,” Gideon clarifies.

“Well, yes. When you say it like that, it sounds irresponsible.”

Leo rolls his eyes. “I wonder why.”

“Listen, I was just looking. But then he started smoking.”

“A cigarette?” Luca asks.

“No, like him. He’s a fucking phoenix—just burst into flames, and holy fuck was it hot.”

Jay assumes he doesn’t mean the sexy kind.