Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Whoever decorated this flat loved floral wallpaper. Honestly, I didn’t hate it, the energy of this home possessing a lot of charm and porcelain ornaments.
“Bloom in a blooming flat.”
Okay, that joke didn’t work.
I found bedding in the master bedroom’s white wardrobe and made the king-size bed with the red-and-white rose patterned sheets and covers, then gave myself an inspection in the mirror on the wardrobe door.
What a difference an apocalypse makes. I looked exhausted, my hair a scraggly red mess, bags under my eyes, and a hardness to my features. The usual sun-kissed glow in my fair complexion had dulled.
Dangerous living would do that.
Gone were the days of cocktails and skimpy swimwear at the beach flirting, with guys. No more three-day working weeks for me. Every day was a job to get through, and then some. Soft Orion had flown the nest.
At least my cheekbones were sharp. I liked that.
After finding some human gossip magazine stuffed into the living room bookshelf, I settled on the pale-yellow sofa to have a flick through the pages.
After a few salacious celebrity stories I put it down, unable to focus on anything other than this big change in my life.
I’d finally found shelter, survivors, an extra reason to keep going.
If they dropped me, decided I wasn’t good enough for this tower, I’d break.
I couldn’t take losing it, even after only a few hours.
By the stars, I would latch onto this opportunity until I found my way home.
Sadness threatened to drag me into its arms. I rejected the assbug, siding with joy. Because this was as close to a joyful situation as Earth had to offer.
“Anyone home?” James called from the front door.
I went to greet him and Cate. She carried an axe, him a pile of clothes, towels, and a wash bag.
“We come bearing awesomeness,” James declared, his cap now yellow.
“I can see that.”
James held up his pile of goodies. “Outdoor outfit, indoor outfit. Not much, but they should fit.”
“Thanks so much.”
“We’ve organized a bonding evening in the recreation flat. We have gin to cheers your arrival, though we can’t get pickled.”
“Shame. And I’ll have to avoid earthly spirits. They don’t really agree with my insides.”
“They don’t?”
“Mostly. It’s not worth the drama. Trust me.”
“Being drunk is dangerous in an apocalyptic landscape anyway,” Cate added.
“True that, my love. Anyway, it begins at seven. See you there. It’s not optional. Beta’s orders.”
“Yes, sir.”
He gave me a thumbs up.
Cate held out the axe for me. “This is steel, a trustworthy beast. I forged her on my twenty-first birthday as a present to myself. But I never use it so she’s yours, as long as you give her a good time.”
“Interesting words, my love.”
Cate jabbed her hubby in the ribs.
I took the axe, the blade bigger than my previous. She had a good weight and balance, and her wooden handle was nice to hold.
“Are you sure?” I asked. “She really is great.”
“I’m sure. Poor thing was gathering dust.”
“I’m so honored.”
Her smiles were cooler than James’s. “Erm, okay. You don’t have to be.”
Crap. I’d made her uncomfortable. “Thanks, Cate.”
“You’re welcome.”
I put the axe on the pine dining table; my flat the same open-plan layout as the married couple’s.
“Enjoy your shower and gifts,” James put the rest of the stuff on the table.
“The water’s on?” I practically shrieked.
Cate recoiled from my volume.
James performed a dramatic bow. “’Tis time to partake in the water of heatedness.”
Cate grimaced. “Oh, God.”
I didn’t help, jumping up and down, clapping.
James loved my enthusiasm, taking me by the hands. Before I knew it, we were twirling around in a circle.
Cate left the flat.
“Come spin with us, my heart!” James cried.
Nope.
We stopped, panting, giggling.
“That felt good,” I said.
“It did, my friend.” He ruffled my hair. “I can cut that for you if you like? I’m a trained barber.”
“That would be amazing. Thanks.”
“Tomorrow I’ll make some time to tidy you up.”
His radiant energy was infectious. He was like the big brother I never had combined with the ultimate best friend.
Why wasn’t he the alpha? Maybe they had to be grumpy as a prerequisite.
“I’d better find my wife. Until later.” James bowed and left.
As soon he disappeared, I practically tore my clothes off, zipping into the bathroom with a towel, got into the shower cubicle, fired it up, and was close to tears as the hot water washed away so much grime.
Using the bottle of minty combination hair and body wash, I scrubbed every inch of my body furiously until my skin tingled with a touch of pain.
Good. That meant full cleanliness.
Being mindful of the limited resources, I finished after five minutes and dried off, wrapping the towel around my waist, a ball of minty happiness as I strutted back to the living room.
Not expecting the alpha to be standing in my doorway.
I yelped, jumping back on instinct like a startled cat, barely saving the towel in time.
My skin flushed with bashful, itchy heat. “What are you doing?”
“The door was left open. I did call your name.”
I clutched my towel and my throat. “You scared the crap out of me.”
The corners of his mouth twitched like before. Did he find this funny? “I apologize.”
“Give a guy some privacy.”
“Of course. I have those keys for you.”
“Great. Thank you.” I blew out a long breath, relaxed state ruined. “Pixie balls!”
“Pixie balls?”
“It’s just an expression.”
A pixie’s balls were proportionately the biggest balls in the universe as far as I knew. And sparkly. Big sacs of glitter and hair swinging from much smaller bodies. And they could give Miko a run for his money in the grumpy stakes.
My modesty might be covered, but my top half remained exposed. Goosebumps broke out across my skin, the cool breeze pouring in from the window firming up my nipples.
And Miko’s eyes were unnerving, though they remained fixed to my face, not roaming my body.
I kind of wanted them to.
“I… I…” Another thing was in danger of firming up. “Can I get dressed in private, please?”
Miko hung the keys on a hook beside the door and left without another word, closing the door behind him.
Come back…
Did he often sneak into the flats for his own amusement? Technically, he didn’t sneak in. He waited at the door—the door I forgot to close. So, he wasn’t a creep getting off on making almost naked fae almost drop their towels.
I sat down at the dining table, running a hand through my wet hair, the stirring between my legs still fluttering.
What if the towel had fallen? Would his eyes have moved down my body? Would he have suddenly rushed me, thrown me down on the floor to have his wicked wolfy way with me?
Yes, in the pornographic version of this tale. But not in reality. Miko gave zero indication of wanting to spend much time in my company, let alone inside me.
I glared at the bump in my towel. “Forget about it.”
Resisting the urge to pleasure myself in the bathroom, I inspected the pile of fresh clothes.
Two pairs of underwear, socks, and two different outfits.
One a combination of navy jeans, a black jumper, and a hooded gray coat that came to my knees.
The other, blue sweatpants and a gray jumper.
I tried everything on, and though they had a musty smell about them, they were clean and fit well.
The outdoor outfit looked pretty cool, better than my previous number of coat and tatty, well, everything.
Slipping the sweatpants and jumper on, I went to find Trev.
The troll and I ate a dinner of instant noodles and crackers just after six, alone together in the mess flat seeing as the wolves were busy with other things. We cooked the noodles on a gas-powered camping stove, using a jar of water provided.
The rest of the water filled our glasses to wash our meal down with.
Ovens and microwaves were out—they used too much energy. There was an air-fryer, though.
“That’s the first hot food I’ve eaten in months,” Trev said, patting his stomach.
I finished the last bit of my food. “Who knew instant noodles and dry crackers would ever hit the spot like this?”
“I feel like a king.”
“No more cardboard energy bars for me.”
“I hated those before the apocalypse.”
Wendy bleeped in my pocket. Whoops. I forgot to turn the sound off after playing with her in my new flat.
“Sorry.” I fished her from my pocket.
“What’s that?”
“Trev, this is Wendy. Wendy, Trev.”
“Is that a Tamagotchi?”
“I guess so.”
“Can I have look?”
“Sure.” I held her out by her gold chain, placing her in his big palm.
“She’s cute.”
Oh, stars. What if he squeezed her too hard? I went to take her back, a balloon of anxiety in my chest.
“How often do you need to change her batteries?” Trev didn’t close his hand or so much as move to touch her. He held her as if she were a fragile quail’s egg.
I scratched my neck, ready to pluck her free. “I don’t have to. I carry them around with me just in case, but she’s everlasting, apparently.”
His violet forehead creased. “For real?”
“Yes. I wish I knew why.”
“Magic?”
“I don’t know.”
He scrutinized her, tilting his head from side to side. “Weird.”
Wendy bleeped.
The troll’s eyes wondered. “Oh, shite. I think I offended her.”
I chuckled. “Sometimes I think she reacts to things.”
“She might.”
“A nice thought.”
“Yeah, mate. It is.” He offered her back to me, letting her slide out of his palm into mine.
“She’s been a comfort,” I said, telling him the story of when I’d found her.
“I love it. And I love that I met you. This has been a fucked-up day, but also a great one.”
A pleasant warmth pooled in my belly, and not because of the food. “I think things could be good here.”
“Yeah. Maybe they will be, mate.”
“But don’t get too settled?”
“I didn’t wanna be the jaded voice.”
“There must be a dash of the jaded for balance.”
“I’m sick of being jaded.”
“Me too.”
Trev took a sip of water. “So, what do you think of the pack?”
“They all seem really nice.”
“And the alpha?”