Oh.I thought of the beautiful garden he’d taken me to and the sound of the sirens all singing in unison. It was clear it bothered him, but I didn’t know what to say, so I grabbed the blade from my target and placed the knives back on the weapons shelf. Leaving Darian and Asher in the common room, I used the washroom and dressed in one of Kade’s shirts.
When I was back in the common room, Asher entered the washroom after me. Ready for sleep, I stopped, hesitating in front of Kade’s room. For the whole night, Darian and Asher had stayed near me in the common room, the pair of them a constant comforting presence. Over the years, I’d become accustomed to being alone, but going into Kade’s empty room seemed unappealing right then.
Kade doesn’t have to be your only ally.Darian’s words from nights before floated through my head. The siren had proved he was more than just a monster. He’d saved me from the outlier, and something had shifted between us. I knew I could use another ally.I was also finding myself becoming way too comfortable with the wolf shifter by my side. I needed to create some distance between us.
Before I let myself consider what I was doing, I turned to Darian. He’d used the washroom before me, and water still dripped from his silver hair as he stood there with bare feet and a goblet of wine in his hands. I had to wonder at the fact that no matter how much the siren drank, he never seemed too affected. Was that a monster thing?
“I—” I swallowed, suddenly feeling like an idiot. “Did you say you had a couch I could use?”
A seductive smile lifted Darian’s lips, brightening his gorgeous face, and I sucked in a breath. “For sleeping,” I added quickly, almost tripping over my own words. “I just, Kade’s not here yet, and I thought…” I trailed off as amusement lit Darian’s eyes.
“Never mind,” I said and turned back toward Kade’s door. I heard Darian move behind me, and when I peered back at him, he was at his room, holding the door open for me.
“You’re always welcome,” he said, and despite his mischievous smile, he seemed genuine.
Seeing him standing there holding his door open made the whole situation feel like a trap, but before I could back out, his expression sobered, becoming more serious. “I meant it when I said we could be allies,” he said earnestly, and I felt myself being drawn toward him.
It’s just a room, nothing more.Would it really matter if I slept on his couch? “Fine,” I said. I could be the siren’s ally. Steeling myself, I strode over to him and into his room.
Darian’s room was a similar size to Kade’s, but while Kade’s had a practical desk along with the wardrobe, Darian’s had a luxurious couch stretched along the wall, topped with two fine embroidered cushions.
A large four-poster bed sat to the right, and a wide full-length mirror with an intricate metal frame hung on the opposite wall. I glanced at Darian’s bed with its beautiful satin covers and six downy pillows. The bed was even bigger than Kade’s, and I had to wonder why the hell the monster needed such a spacious place to sleep.
Because it’s not just for sleeping in.Heat flared deep in my belly at the thought of what Darian did in that bed. Asher had said they liked to visit the city together, and I could only imagine what they did while they were there.
“Admit it. It’s nicer than Kade’s,” Darian drawled from where he was standing in the doorway, his hip resting against the frame and his crystal-blue eyes watching me.
“I wouldn’t say that,” I responded. “Bigger isn’t always better.”
A wicked smile stretched across Darian’s face then, and the sight of it made my heart stutter. He gestured with his head toward the bed. “You’ll never know unless you try it, lovely.”
I almost choked on my own laughter at his insinuation, but my lady parts didn’t seem to get the joke because desire wound my body tighter. It didn’t help that Darian was close enough now that I could smell his scents of sea salt and patchouli. Scents that made my core clench with need.
“Take the bed,” he said as he sensed my discomfort. “I’ll take the couch.”
I peered at the couch with a frown. It was long but wouldn’t be a comfortable fit for someone as tall as Darian to sleep on. “You saved my life. I’m not going to kick you out of your own bed.”
I remembered how Darian’s hands had grabbed me before he’d thrown me from the outlier’s mouth. There had been a moment when I’d thought the siren had died saving me, and a gaping hole had opened in my chest. I didn’t want to think about what that implied and how my feelings for the monster had grown.
Now that we were alone, I wanted to bury my hands in his silver hair and press my body against his. I wanted to touch him and remind myself he was still alive.
I knew it was the bond making me feel that way, but the feelings felt so damn real.
“What do you suggest then?” he asked curiously.
I didn’t look at him as I said, “If you can keep your hands to yourself, I think this bed is big enough for both of us.”
There was a beat of silence, and when I peered over at him, his eyes were sparkling in the dim blue light. “I can handle that. But if you change your mind…”
“I’ll let you know,” I finished awkwardly, and his smile grew wider.
Trying to ignore the rapid pounding of my heart and cursing myself for even attempting to stay in Darian’s room, I pulled back the sheets on the left side of the bed and slid in. I’d become used to sleeping on the left side when I was with Kade, so Darian would have to deal.Fuck, why did I think this was a good idea?
Iawoketothescents of sandalwood, coffee, sea salt, and patchouli around me, and the intoxicating smells made my head spin and my mouth water. A warm body lay beside me, and I beamed up at Kade’s sleeping face.So much for staying in Darian’s room to create distance between us.
I wondered when the wolf shifter had joined me. The last thing I remembered was shifting restlessly and thinking that I’d never be able to fall asleep.Had I really passed out right after that?
I was further into the bed than I remembered being, and Kade had taken up his position on the left, closest to the edge of the mattress. Without thinking, I ran a hand up his bare chest, enjoying the feel of his hard muscles under my fingers. Just the thought of being apart from him had left a gnawing ache inside me, and as dangerous as it was, I was glad he was there.
