Page 29 of Gray

Simon gave me an incredulous look. “What happened to the cute little Gray who was nothing but sweet to me?”

“Hey, I’m still cuteandsweet.”

“Uh-huh.” He cringed as he focused back on the movie.

I laughed again and reclined more in my chair. I was due for a nap, but I didn’t want to miss Simon’s reaction to the next part. The chainsaw dude was about to cut through the floor and slice off a girl’s foot.

“Sleep,”Sloth whispered.

“No,”I internally whined.“Just five more minutes. Please.”

I sensed rather than heard the answering sigh from my sin. An acceptance of my compromise. My eyelids got heavy, but I was able to stay awake long enough to hear Simon shout and accidentally spill his bowl of popcorn.

Smiling, I fell asleep.

When I woke, a dark screen greeted me, the movie long since over. A blanket was tucked around me, and I was alone in the theater. Yawning, I sat up and scooted out of the recliner, bringing the blanket with me as I padded down the short hallway and out of the auditorium.

“Hey, Smalls,” Raiden greeted me as I entered the kitchen. “You want a snack?”

“No, thanks. Where is everyone?”

“Galen’s patrolling. Simon’s in his room reading. The others are around here somewhere.” Raiden shrugged and checked the pot on the stove. Looked like he was cooking ramen.

I went to investigate. Call me nosy but whatever. I liked to know where my brothers were—if they were okay. Kyo and Castor were in Japan, so the house was quieter than usual. I hated it.

Voices filtered down the corridor from Alastair’s study.

“Yes. That’s what he saw. I told him to come home and bring the hunter with him.”

“Why bring him here?” Bellamy asked.

“I didn’t see another option,” Alastair responded.

“Who’s bringing who?” I asked, waddling through the open door into the study. The fireplace was lit, and I curled up on the rug in front of it, loving the warmth on my skin.

Before either of them could answer me, I sensed it. The tingly feeling that filled my chest when Mason was nearby. I shot up and rushed over to the window, peering out into the dark night. My breath fogged up the glass, and I wiped it away.

Galen landed in the grass and tucked his wings back into his shoulder blades, holding someone in his arms. A familiar someone. My hand squeezed into a fist. I threw off the blanket around my shoulders and opened the glass door that led from Alastair’s study to a small garden, and I burst outside, running toward them.

“What happened?” I asked.

Galen shifted an unconscious Mason around with an annoyed expression. “He’s not hurt. I only put him to sleep.”

“Why?

“We’ll speak inside.”

That strange ache surged through me again. I grabbed Galen’s bicep as he tried to pass me. “No, you’ll tell me now.”

Galen regarded me, curious.

Being so assertive wasn’t my thing. I was a “go with the flow” type of guy. More submissive. Mainly because I lacked energy for much more than that. So to be gripping Galen’s arm and preventing him from leaving my side until he told me what I wanted to know was… different.

He seemed to agree by his stunned expression.

“Both of you in my study now,” Alastair said from behind me. “Bring the human.”

Galen walked past me, and I kept pace at his side, my gaze on Mason. I didn’t see any wounds on him. If he wasn’t hurt, why was he at the mansion?