Page 20

ANGELL

I knew I needed to talk more with Cambry about everything. We had time now. Seemingly all the time in the world.

We slept a long time. I woke first and got out of bed, traipsing across the room with my shirt still open.

I used the bathroom, then walked downstairs.

Before I got to the bottom, I saw Niro on the living room couch, large form splayed out on his back.

He looked like a fallen king. Handsome and commanding even asleep.

I tiptoed to the couch and stared down at him. Just then, he opened his fathomless eyes.

I jumped back.

He held up his hand. “Angell.”

I took his hand, came all the way around the couch and sat beside him. He took me into his arms.

“Everything okay?”

I nodded.

“You surprised me?”

I shrugged.

“I see your bruises extend further.” He lightly touched my chest. “That hurt?”

I wanted to hiss, but not from pain. I shook my head.

“Good. I didn’t mean to fall asleep. What time is it?”

I shook my head again, watching as he searched against the couch back for his phone. He finally came up with it. It lit up with the time. 2:19 p.m. We’d certainly slept a long time.

He patted me on the back with his arm that encircled me. “Well, that means we’ve got deliveries on the porch.”

I raised my eyebrows.

“I did a little shopping before the whole household apparently fell into a deep sleep.”

The way he said it was like a fairy tale. I shivered.

“Cold?”

I used my hand this time. “No.”

“Is Cambry still asleep?”

“Yes.” I felt the bond open and seemed to go right with Niro as his mind moved along the strand that connected him, and us, to Cambry.

It was like bumping into a nest of fluffy clouds.

Cambry smelled like orange blossoms. He was made up of spirals of color.

He rested peacefully. He, too, was healing. From everything that had happened.

I loved his light. His force. His giving nature that had allowed him to befriend me even though he didn’t know my language. He was all the beauty and strength my tangled, outcast self wanted to be.

Niro held back. He was wary of Cambry.

Why?

He doesn’t yet trust me.

He will. But I had seen the scar on Cambry, in his eyes and through the bond. The scar made by the bond crashing down around him.

He’ll understand. Give him more than a few hours.

In truth, that was all it had been. A couple days since the mating, and only a few hours spent truly together.

I will, Niro’s thoughts were powerful in the bond, but non-threatening. If this had been a real fairy tale, he’d be the giant trying to figure out why and how two little Pans from the other side of the mountain had shot arrows into his heart.

That’s a very vivid image.

Through the bond, our laughter rang out. Cambry woke.

Back on the couch, Niro sat up and I slid into his lap.

“Go upstairs, please, and tell him I have deliveries for you both.”

Reluctantly, I got up and ran upstairs as Niro headed for the front porch.

I jumped on Cambry just as he sat up, the cover falling away. I signed rapidly. “We have gifts. Come downstairs.”

He rubbed his eyes. “How long did we sleep? I felt you in my mind.”

“Um, it’s probably about 2:30 right now.”

“You feeling okay?” Cambry asked.

“Yes.”

“Okay. Let’s go see what’s arrived.”