Page 25 of Guiding Desire

“Tall, dark, and hot over there is Vinnie,” Coldis went on, pointing at the third Guardian.

This one had longer hair caught in a tight black braid, sepia-colored skin, and uncomfortably piercing ice-blue eyes. He didn’t say anything but gave a curt nod.

“Why are we having a meeting, Col?” Senlas said from the kitchen.

“I wanted to bring my bathing suit, but Col wouldn’t let me,” Taros said. “You don’t mind, Sen, right?”

Col let go of Orrey’s hand, and instead of rounding the couch, he simply climbed over the back and stood on tiptoes so he could get properly into Taros’s face. “I told you, you’re here for work.” He pointed. “Why don’t you start by grabbing the first box.”

Taros rolled his eyes, but turned on his heel and headed back to the apartment’s front entrance. Vinnie followed.

“Also you.”

“What? I’m making coffee,” Senlas said.

Coldis pointed at Orrey, who flinched. “Why’s he not sure where his room is, huh? Why’s his stuff not moved in yet? Why do you keep it outside? What the fuck, Senny.”

“I, ah—“ Orrey started.

“Nope, I’d stay out of that if I were you,” Karmine said, then leaned over the back of the couch and whispered, “There’s a splatter zone when these two get into it. Don’t wanna be caught in that.”

Orrey watched as Senlas pinched the bridge of his nose. “I made the decision that seeing everything he owns in the living space, wrapped in boxes, would upset my Conduit. And for your information, I was just clearing out his guest room. Fuck, the former guest room.”

Coldis crossed his arms and lowered his head as if getting ready for confrontation. “Did you make sure that’s the room he wants? Did you show him the others? You have nothing but space up here. Did it occur to you to let Orrey pick before you did?”

Senlas didn’t say anything, but his jaw dropped. He then turned to Orrey, looked at him as if only now really seeing him.

“I prefer having snacks on hand when watching them,” Karmine said.

“I heard that, and I’ll remember it the next time you come to me for emergency channeling,” Coldis said.

Karmine scratched the back of his head and mouthed to Orrey,Splatter zone.

“Kitten,” Senlas said. He was coming over to Orrey, and once there, bent his head so they could almost look into each other’s eyes with ease if it hadn’t been for the burn patch on Orrey’s neck. “I’m really sorry about that.”

Someone whistled. Taros and Vinnie had made it back into the apartment, each carrying three boxes stacked atop each other.

“Kitten?” Taros asked, his grin half-hidden by a box.

“Not to you,” Senlas said.

“I have no issue with that room. It’s perfectly fine.”

“If I were you, beautiful, I’d move into the pool level,” Taros said.

“No, no,” Orrey said. He was starting to sweat. When had Senlas come this close to him? Orrey took a step back. “That room I slept in is nice. I like the view.”

“What room?” Vinnie asked.

Coldis sighed. “First on the right. Karmine, get to work.”

“Yeah, yeah. Let me guess, you’re overseeing?”

“And having coffee while I do it,” a grinning Coldis said, helping himself to a drink back in the kitchen.

“Shouldn’t I… I mean, those’re my things.” Orrey pointed at the boxes in the Guardians’ arms.

Coldis tsked. “We’ll have them unpacked faster this way. Something a certain telekinetically inclined Guardian could have done even faster still. I’ll make sure they break nothing.”