I didn’t believe him. I only trusted Seth and Teddy. Everyone else could take their promises and shove them up their asses.
Don’s lips quirked. “I shall keep my promises to myself, then.”
God. It was so convenient I didn’t have to speak. He heard my silent threats.
His hand slowly stretched toward me, and I tensed, containing a whimper. I fisted my hands around the sheets. I was a fucking coward. Scared of a damn hand. Pathetic. Still, I trembled when memories began to surface. I tried to shove them down, but they kept rising like the tide.
A low hum reverberated in the back of Don’s throat. I didn’t recognize the melody, but it was soothing. My fingers released their stranglehold, and my shoulders loosened. His voice deepened pleasingly as he started to sing without words, following the tune.
He cupped my cheek, the smooth scales of his palm warm against me. I whimpered, wanting to pull away, though hating myself for it.
“I have you, Vince. You are safe,” he said, his luminous green eyes on mine. “No one will ever hurt you again. You will never be touched against your will ever again.”
Don couldn’t promise that.
He smiled; it was the slightest quirk of his lips, but I liked it. He said, “I can and will.”
Gentle, warm waves crashed over me like the sea. I groaned. Calm. I felt inexplicably peaceful. Don continued to hold my face as he stared into my eyes. A weight started to pull me away.
“What are you doing?” I asked, my voice slurring.
“Giving you my peace.” His scales had an unusual sheen to them, and his breath had turned harsh.
“I’m hurting you.”
“No, Vince. Sleep,” he said; his voice had taken on a cadence that was oddly soothing. “Just sleep like you want. I have you. I will keep you safe.”
A gentle roll of sincerity washed over me. He meant it. I closed my eyes as my fingers found his. “Thank you.”
“Just sleep.”
Warmth laced with music drew me away.
I kept my hand on Vince’s cheek and pushed peace into him. In exchange, I took his fear, his pain, his nightmares, and his worry. I swallowed, fighting the unease. Sweat gathered on my scales as I struggled to remain in control. I’d never done this with someone I was so strongly connected to, except for my brothers, and even then, it had hurt. Badly.
Pulling my hand away, I continued to breathe through the unease while I monitored his sleep. Part of me wanted to curl up beside him and guard his sleep the rest of the night, but thatwasn’t acceptable. Vince didn’t want me to touch him aside from helping him, and I wouldn’t betray his trust. Enough people had done that—I was fairly certain.
But he might wake up again from another nightmare. I couldn’t keep them away indefinitely, even if I did take up residence in his room, which wasn’t an option. This was a bandage, not a cure. I wished I possessed the ability to remove the nightmares permanently, but they stemmed from his trauma.
I brushed his short black hair away from his forehead, then jerked back. No. Vince hadn’t consented to that. My misstep had gone unnoticed, though. He lay on his stomach, mouth open and light snores escaping his lips.
“Sleep well, Vince,” I whispered.
I hoped his sleep would remain undisturbed, and that he wouldn’t wake again, but only time would tell.
I slipped out of his quarters and stopped. Zoltilvoxfyn leaned against the opposite wall. His scales were the same pure black as mine, though his mottled skin was silver and white, and while we had the same green eyes, straight noses, and strong jaws, my features were far rougher than his and I was far taller and broader.
“Bloom,” I said.
“Have you taken the human as a lover? Already?”
“No. You know as well as I do where his affections lie. Why are you here?”
“I felt your terror. It woke me up. NAID said you were here.”
I paused. “I won’t say what happened besides the fact it wasn’t my terror and I was assisting him.”
“I see.” Zoltilvoxfyn flicked his white hair over his shoulder and moved in step with me, his tail grabbing mine for a second before flicking away. “Are you well?”
