I’d shifted her in her sleep and then wrapped her in my wing and it had settled her, comforted her.
Lazriel had of course been distressed by her pain, so I’d also stroked him with my left wing until he’d fallen back asleep.
Sylas had been immersed in a deep sleep, utterly exhausted. Without his magic, he was akin to human state currently so things were hitting him harder, especially the physicality of battle. This had actually been the first night he hadn’t bolted awake in a sweat then left the bed for a while, believing I hadn’t noticed. I knew it was because his compartmentalizationregarding his trauma, specifically Glasswake Massacre, along with his mother and sister’s murders, had fallen now that he could no longer invoke his magic in order to hold it at bay.
The delectable sensation of fingers stroking the length of my chest, over my pectorals and down to my abdominals, had my eyes snapping open.
Back and forth it went.
As soothing as it was arousing.
I turned to my left to see Lazriel’s hooded gaze fixed on me.
“Morning,wild one.”
He smirked, continuing to tease me. “Cas.” His gaze flicked to Velra. “How is she? Can you feel?”
I nodded and reached out through the Soul Brand carefully. “She is well. Awash in tranquility and contentment.”
“Good,” Lazriel breathed with sweet relief. “Really good.”
I brushed my wings along his cheek. “She will see her way through this. She will be well.”
“Yeah. I know she will. She’s strong. Really strong. But she just shouldn’t have to, you know?”
“Yes. I wholeheartedly agree,” I told him, stroking his wolf claw pendant. “We will end this. Soon. It won’t drag on. I swear it to you.”
“If wishes were horses, beggars would ride,” Sylas’ rough, sleep-infused voice sounded, just as he turned on his side to face us.
“Sylas—” I started.
“Stop,” Lazriel cut in. “It’s the start of a brand-new day. The four of us are together for the first time in too long. Let’s enjoy it and toss all this bullshit off to the side. Just for a little fucking while.” He looked between Sylas and me. “All right?”
“As you wish,” I told him, hearing the need in his voice.
I also didn’t want Velra waking up to hear us talking about it all either. She needed a reprieve, even if it could only currently be a brief one.
Not to mention, Sylas very clearly required the same reprieve.
“Sylas?” Lazriel questioned.
I watched him eyeing Lazriel, his hand slipping beneath the covers.
Then Lazriel jerked and let out a startled sound.
“Why are you naked under here? You went to sleep with your boxers on.”
“I haven’t had your special herbs with me, so my temperature has been all over the place again. Burning hot and freezing cold. With me also trying to meld the vampire and wolf better, it’s kind of made it worse. So, yeah, the naked thing has been happening again.”
“I see.”
“The herbs are in the kitchen,” I informed Lazriel.
“Thanks. Good to know.” He smiled. “Always looking out for me, huh, Cas?”
“They’ll take a couple of days to settle back in your system, though,” Sylas warned.
“Do you need to feed?” I asked Lazriel. “Would that assist?”
