Page 70 of Exquisite Monster

A small, cool breeze whispered up my body and across my lips. “Sleep, Princess. For now, we are safe. I promise.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

________

KATALENA

The sun hung low on the horizon when I opened my eyes. Warm wind off the sea blew through the open windows, teasing my skin. And I was tangled with Zovai.

One leg covered mine, an arm slung around me to keep me close. My hand stretched across the blanket, held by Endre. All three of them were still asleep. It still clung to me, threatening to pull me back down, and I let it.

I had slept while I was underground, but now I could admit that sleep had been fitful at best, waking at every sound that echoed through the caves. The only thing I could allow myself to focus on was getting them back.

They cradled me as I sank back down beneath comforting waves of sleep.

Moonlight illuminated the room and nothing more.

I feltbetter.

True, deep sleep healed many things. Not everything, but there was almost nothing that was not better on the other side of a good night’s sleep.

Endre and Sirrus still slept, but I felt Zovai was awake. Slowly, I turned over to face him.

Hello, he said.

“Hello,” I whispered back. “I wish I could speak to you with my mind. I don’t want to wake them.”

You won’t. One hand rose and brushed my hair back off my face, stroking it all the way over my head and down my spine.May I kiss you, mate?

I nodded.

He didn’t crash his mouth to mine or move fast. At first, he just stared at me, his hand cradling the back of my head. The dim moonlight barely showed me his face, but I felt the intensity of his gaze.

Slowly, he lowered his mouth to mine, kissing me softly. We both shuddered. Ifelthow much he was holding back, but it wasn’t a hardship, because he also wanted to savor this. Take it slow and enjoy every second.

I twisted my arms up around his neck, pulling him closer. Theluxury of being able to touch him wasn’t lost on me. He broke the kiss, keeping our faces close. “Forgive me, Lena.”

“Why?”

He took a slow breath, hands shaking where he held me. “I know we didn’t have a choice once we were at the celebration, but we should have known better. We should have left the city with you right then and put you out of reach. We should have protected you.”

“You tried.”

“Not enough.”

I slid my hands behind his back and held him. Felt his breath. He was here and mine and I couldn’t wait anymore. “I have to know what happened,” I said. “And so do you. I want us to be with each other and heal and figure this out, but I don’t think any of us will be able to without knowing everything.”

“You’re right.”

A humorless laugh. “I wish I wasn’t.”

Zovai looked toward my other mates, and they woke quickly, turning for the invisible enemy. That alone told me more than they could ever say. Their minds still believed they were in danger, and none of us knew how long it would last.

“It’s time,” Zovai said. No other words were needed to understand what he meant.

I pushed up and Zovai moved, allowing me to sit back against the wall next to the bed. Sirrus came to sit next to me, and Endre’s fingers grazed my ankle. They all touched me, and I needed it as much as they did.

Endre passed me a blanket. I hadn’t realized how chilly the air was. Along with the things we were about to talk about, I was cold. “How do we do this?”