Page 16

Finn

After our shower together, Levi asked me to spend the night, and I agreed.

Tonight felt precious, and I didn't think I could be away from Levi.

My basilisk side seemed to be in agreement with me for once.

I was used to having to tamp him down or shut him up because we were so different, but when it came to Levi, we seemed to be on the same page.

I just couldn't figure out if it was because my basilisk side calmed down around Levi, or if I was crazier.

I pulled on the t-shirt Levi had given me earlier, then texted Dad I wouldn't be home tonight. Putting my phone on silent, I set it on the nightstand before he could reply. Knowing Dad, he would've said something that would embarrass me.

"Okay?" Levi asked, and I turned to him with a smile, then snuggled closer until there was barely any space between us .

"I'm better than okay," I assured him, and he smiled, then leaned back to turn off the lights before wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me close.

Sighing softly, I slid my arm around his middle and tucked my head under his chin. My legs hung off the bed in that position, but I didn't mind. I liked being tucked in against him. It made me feel safe. I was pretty sure I'd slept like this with him before, back when he'd been the taller one.

"Good night, Gin," Levi murmured, and I pulled back to smile at him.

"You haven't called me that since the day at the grocery store."

"We've been getting to know each other all over, and I wasn't sure I could."

"I like it," I assured him, and he gave me a relieved smile.

I wasn't sure why he'd worried I wouldn't be okay with it, but it was sweet.

He was the only one who'd ever given me a nickname—my name was short enough no one felt the need to find an alternate—and I would've loved it simply because of that.

"All right, then, Gin. We should sleep. Tomorrow, we can have breakfast in bed, and then spend the day together, if you're up for it. We can invite Penny, Amelia, and the twins, too and just hang out."

"That sounds wonderful," I said, and he gave me a squeeze, then tucked my head back under his chin. His fingers sifted through my hair in a calming motion, and I found my eyes sliding shut.

I blinked my eyes open, unsure how long I'd been asleep. Sitting upright, I glanced down at Levi, who was out like a light. Smiling down at him, I went to lay back down, then frowned as I noticed how hard the surface under us was. What the hell?

I looked around, but it was too dark to see much. What was wrong with my eyesight? I should be able to see better than this.

Turning back to Levi, I placed a hand on his arm, and his eyes snapped open, startling the crap out of me.

"Levi?" I whispered, and his eyes met mine. He blinked, and then his skin started turning gray. What? No, no, no...this couldn't be happening.

A second later, he was stone, and I jerked my hand away, shaking my head repeatedly. He'd said he could change back. Why wasn't he?

I watched, waiting for him to use his earth magic to become skin and bones again, but there was nothing.

Nothing until...I sucked in a breath as two cracks appeared on his wrists, then started spilling dark liquid all over the blanket we lay on.

I couldn't tell what color the liquid was, but the stench of blood was unmistakable.

"No, no, no," I mumbled as I scrambled to cover his wrists with the blankets, to somehow stop the bleeding. But just as I got a grip on his wrists, two new cracks appeared on his forearms and started spilling blood.

Why was this happening? We were supposed to be safe. This wasn't right. This wasn't real. It couldn't be.

The blood stopped, and I exhaled loudly. Was it done? Were we safe?

Levi's body shuddered, and my breath caught in my chest as I waited for him to change. Instead, he shuddered harder, and then broke apart into a million little rocks.

No!

I shot up in bed, my heart thundering in my chest as my ears rang. I could hear growls, and low murmurs. They were coming—they were coming for us!

Turning around, I spotted Levi, fast asleep. He was completely vulnerable. I had to get us to safety, somewhere they wouldn't get us.

"Levi!" I hissed, shaking his arm, and he grumbled unintelligibly. I covered his mouth before he could say anything and alert them to our presence. "Shhh! They'll hear you."

Levi's eyes opened, and his brows furrowed as he peered at me. "Finn?" he mumbled through my hand, and I shook my head as I slid off the bed, then grabbed his hand and pulled him toward me.

"Come on. We have to hide."

Levi was probably still a little foggy from sleep, because it took him a few moments to catch up, but then he followed me off the bed. I spotted his closet and pulled him toward it .

Opening the door, I scanned the bottom space. It was full of blankets and sheets, and a good place to disappear. We'd be safe there.

"Get in. Quickly, before they get here."

Levi stared at me for a moment before doing as I'd asked, and I followed him in before closing the door behind us. It was a tight fit, but it was safe. We were safe.

I wrapped my arms around Levi and breathed him in, comforting myself with his scent.

We were safe. We were safe .

Levi

I wasn't sure what'd just happened, but I was worried.

Finn clung to me like a barnacle, but I could hear his heartbeats slowing down. He was already falling back asleep, while I didn't feel like I'd ever be able to sleep again.

Waking up, for a few moments, I'd honestly felt like I was sixteen and back in that basement. Finn had clearly felt the same, but unlike me he hadn't realized we weren't there.

Back in that hellhole, we used to sleep in a big closet just like this, with one of us always watching the door to make sure none of those assholes messed with us while we slept. They'd usually left us alone at night anyway, but it was the only way we'd felt safe enough to be able to rest.

I hadn't felt the need to hide away in a closet in a long time, but Finn.. .

Did his dads know? Did Penny or Dean?

Back then, he'd always done his best to hide his own terror, mostly because he wanted to be strong for his siblings. I'd understood that, because I'd felt the need to do the same for him and the others.

But had he ever gotten around to dealing with his fears? I knew he'd seen a therapist for a while, but how much had that helped?

I rubbed his back as I held him close and wondered what I could do to help. Would he be offended if I suggested he seek help again? Would I damage the bond we were building by trying to talk to him about it? What was more important, our bond or his well-being? Would I have to choose?

I sighed, leaning my head against the closet wall. Things with us could never just be easy, could they?

In the morning, Finn would realize what had happened. Unless I carried him to bed now, he'd wake up in the closet with me. Would he freak out and leave? But the alternative was hiding that it ever happened, and I didn't think I could do that. I couldn't lie to Finn.

"Fuck."

Finn grumbled something, and I shushed him softly, pressing a kiss in his hair.

I wished there was someone I could talk to, but everyone I knew also knew Finn, and I couldn't talk about his problems with them without his consent .

My thoughts kept circling round and round until I exhausted myself into a light doze, waking up multiple times until sunlight finally started pouring in from the crack under the closet door.

Finn stirred almost an hour after sunrise, his arms tightening around me as he sighed happily. But then the next second he went completely still, and I knew he'd noticed we weren't in bed anymore.

He pulled away from me, but I grabbed his hand before he could make a run for it.

"Hey, it's okay," I hurried to say, and his eyes snapped to mine.

"How can you say that? I-I'm twenty-seven and hiding in the closet like a damned kid."

"Well, I'm thirty, and I'm not complaining," I murmured, and he shook his head, then dropped his gaze to his lap, leaving his hand in mine as if he didn't have the strength to pull away.

"I'm...I should go."

"Nope." I squeezed his hand, then shifted awkwardly until I could cup his cheek with my other hand. "We have plans today, remember? Breakfast in bed, then meeting up with the others if they don't have plans."

Finn didn't reply, and I sighed, then pushed the closet door open with my leg. "Come on—let's get out of here."

He climbed out of the closet without a word, and I followed after him to find him standing halfway between the closet and the bed, his hands fisted in the t-shirt he was wearing.

It was big enough to reach his mid-thighs, and if the situation were different, I would've taken a moment to admire the phenomenal view.

Instead, I walked up to him and pulled him into a tight hug. He stayed frozen, and I rubbed his back, then pressed a kiss against the side of his neck.

He shuddered, then threw his arms around me, hugging me back tightly as he tucked his face against my neck.

"I got you," I murmured softly, holding him close. "I got you, I got you."

I could feel his tears against my skin, but he didn't make a sound, which broke my heart a little more. How many times had he cried like this? Hiding his face and silently letting the tears flow. Did anyone in his family have any idea?

"I'm sorry," he choked out after a while, I pulled back, then reached up to cup his face with both hands. I wiped away his tears, then leaned up to press a soft kiss on his lips.

"You have nothing to apologize for," I murmured against his lips, and he made a sound of protest.

"I freaked out. I made you sleep in the closet, for fuck's sake."

"Wasn't the first time we did it, and I don't care if it's not the last. You're mine, Finn, which means all your pain and fears are mine to share too."

"It's not fair," he mumbled, and a few more tears fell from his eyes. I wiped them away again, then took his hands in mine and led him to sit on the edge of the bed. Joining him, I pulled him into my side, holding him close as I kissed his cheek .

"It wasn't fair that you had to take care of your baby brother and sister when you were a kid yourself.

This? This has nothing to do with being fair or unfair.

You're my mate, and if you need me, I'll always be here for you.

You don't have to deal with any of it alone if you don't want to.

All you have to do is let me in, and I'll be there for you whenever you need me. I promise."

Finn met my eyes, his glassy with tears and still sparkling so beautifully.

He gazed at me for a long moment, and I hoped he saw whatever he needed to see on my face.

Even if he said no, I wasn't going to abandon him.

I was going to do all I could to take care of him, but it would be so much easier to do if he wasn't fighting me on it.