15. Shane
CHAPTER 15
SHANE
Ellis looked like shit.
I know, I know, he looked pretty good for someone who’d been kidnapped and had his blood sucked. Before we’d gotten in the car, Simon had spit into his palm and rubbed his saliva all over Ellis’ neck wounds. Which was gross, but he said it would promote healing.
My emotions were seesawing back and forth between relief that we’d found him, rage at what had been done to him, and worry about how he would react to the trauma when he woke up.
My hands shook as I carded my fingers through his hair, which had been in beautiful coils this morning but was now a dirty, disheveled mess. We were in the third row of seats, and his head was in my lap. His glasses were missing, and his normally pristine clothes were covered in dirt and blood. He had a few scratches on his arms and legs, probably from being carried through the forest, but his neck was a mess of half-healed bites.
Apparently, unlike in the movies, vampires didn’t make two neat puncture wounds and suck the blood out through those. No, the wounds on Ellis looked like they’d used their fangs to bite through his skin, leaving ragged cuts about an inch and a half long. There were four cuts, so the two vampires had each fed twice.
Simon had told us that the person’s magic was what sustained vampires, and drinking blood was how they accessed it. Which explained why Ellis’ magic was almost completely gone. He’d need a lot of time to build it back up.
All I wanted right then was to take Ellis, Manny, and Pia back home to Houston where Rory, me, and Ms. Jackson could keep them safe, feed them, and let them heal. I shook my head when I realized I’d automatically included Rory in our odd little family unit. My jealousy over Ellis’ attraction to him seemed petty now.
Rory had reported that Pia’s mom’s ghost had gone to check on her, and Manny was awake. Rory’s relief had come through our connection loud and clear, which had startled me so much I’d automatically focused on it. Unlike when I’d looked at it earlier, Rory and my connection was solid now. Strong. Not as strong as a bond, but it wouldn’t wither away if we were apart from each other.
That was a good thing, especially if Rory and Ellis ended up bonding. I wanted to bond with Ellis as well, and Rory and I would need open communication and a firm friendship to make a relationship like that work.
Rory was still driving. He must be exhausted, but he’d turned down Simon’s offer to replace him at the wheel.
I hadn’t had time to wrap my head around the fact that my granny was one of the ghosts he’d been talking to. Knowing her, she’d stuck around on Earth to make sure I’d be okay. Trying to tell her I’d be fine and she’d earned her rest would be pointless .
Simon, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, was quizzing Ms. Jackson on their food preferences. They’d already turned their nose up at hamburgers, because of course those were meat-based. “Um, how about Sonic? They have mozzarella sticks, and you can get tater tots with cheese on top.”
Rory perked up. “Get them one of those soft serve ice cream things with the chocolate pieces mixed in.”
I asked for some chicken tenders for me and Ellis, who would hopefully wake up soon. Rory added a strawberry milkshake, and I teared up at his thoughtfulness. Fuck, I was a mess.
In the end Simon ordered enough food that we’d have some left over for Pia and Manny, plus any of the dryads who were still awake when we got back. We put the milkshakes in the cooler for later, except Simon held Ms. Jackson’s out to them right away. “See? It’s got the Oreos you liked earlier, plus soft serve ice cream. It’s like, um, frozen milk.” He placed the cup, lid and straw removed, in the cupholder between the second-row seats.
Ms. Jackson, who had decided to make the journey home in their panther form, sniffed the cup, then tentatively stuck their tongue into it. Their eyes widened and they made a sort of grunting Mmmm sound. Then they opened their mouth and dug their tongue down into the milkshake.
“Slowly!” I called out. “The cold can cause a nasty headache if you eat it too fast.”
They licked their whiskers and gave me a disappointed look, complete with milk mustache. I grinned for the first time in what felt like hours.
“One day soon you’ll have to learn table manners. That’ll be the worst. ”
They snorted and went back to their ice cream treat.
Ellis’ hand landed on mine where it rested on his chest. I gasped as his eyes opened. “Hey. How, uh, how are you feeling?” I tried for an upbeat tone, but I wasn’t terribly successful.
He blinked, then squinted. “Shane? What happened? Where are we?” He struggled to sit up.
“Okay, here, take it easy. You’ve been through a lot today. We’re in Rory’s car.”
I helped him sit upright in the middle seat. He rubbed his eyes, and I pulled a water bottle out of the cooler for him and uncapped it. “Here.”
“Thanks.” He took a swig. “Uh, Ms. Jackson?” They nodded at him. “Right, and, Rory, is that you driving? I can’t see much in the dark, especially without my glasses. Does somebody have them?”
“Glad you’re awake, Ellis,” Rory replied.
“And this is Simon.” I pointed over the back of the seat.
Simon twisted around and waved at Ellis. “Good to see you’re feeling better.”
“Uh, thanks?” Ellis turned to me and frowned. “What happened? Do you know where my glasses are?” He patted the seat around him.
Fuck. “Um, remember the picnic with the dryads?”
He took another sip of water. Ms. Jackson handed me one of the bags of food, and I pulled out a container of chicken tenders.
Ellis didn’t take the one I held out to him. “I remember we left the cemetery. Did I hit my head or something?” Without his glasses, he seemed young and vulnerable.
I met Rory’s gaze in the rear-view mirror. “Uh, something like that. Look, you’re probably starving. Why don’t you eat and then we’ll tell you what happened?”
Ellis rubbed his chest with his free hand. “Shane... what—where’s our bond? Where are my connections to the Wonders? I can’t feel my District! I can’t feel you!” His breath started coming faster, and he was stiff with tension.
Shit. I wrapped him in my arms. “I’ve still got all your connections. The vampires grabbed you. Remember what the ghosts told Rory about the vampires cutting Thomas Baird’s connections when they took him?”
He sucked in a breath, then he slapped his free hand to his neck. He shoved his water bottle at me, putting his other hand on his throat as well. A sob tore from him. “They took me? They fed from me?”
“Yeah, but we got you back, baby. It’s okay. You’re okay.”
He shuddered. “How long did they have me?”
“Only a few hours. Rory’s ghost friends kept track of you, and we followed. Simon over there, he’s the friendly vampire who helped Cal and Greg a few weeks ago. He killed the ones who took you, and four more of the ones this afternoon as well.”
“I don’t remember any of it.” His voice was high and thready. I hoped he wasn’t going into shock.
Shit, what was I supposed to say? It’s probably for the best was the truth, but that wouldn’t make Ellis feel any better.
Simon turned around in his seat again. “I’d guess you were out cold the entire time they had you, Ellis. All they would’ve had to do was look you in the eyes, and you would’ve gone unconscious. The loss of your memory right before it happened is just a side effect. If you like, I can see if I can help you get it back.”
Ellis thought this over. “Thanks. I’ll think about it.” He leaned into me and put his head on my shoulder. “I miss our bond so much, Shane. Even though it was kind of broken, it was ours.”
“I know, baby.” I kissed his head. This close, I could smell the blood that had dried on his neck. “Me too.”
“Where are we going? Can we go home? I want to go home.”
I hugged him tighter. “We have to go back to the dryads’ compound. Pia and Manny are there, and we all need to sleep. We’ll go home tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay.”
We got back to the dryad’s compound around midnight. I’d texted Clementine when we’d started on our way back, so I’d expected her or Levi to be waiting up for us. Instead everyone was awake.
Seven dryads milled about on the front porch of the main house. When Rory parked the SUV, they came over and helped us unload. Somebody took the unused shotgun and the axes off to be cleaned. Two people grabbed the cooler and Sonic bags to take to the kitchen. Multiple people checked with Simon to see if he needed to feed. He asked them to come back in the morning, and they said they would.
Pia ran outside and first hugged Ms. Jackson then Rory. She looked through the rear passenger door at me and Ellis and gave me a big smile. “Clementine said Ellis will be okay, so tomorrow before we leave, we can make new connections with him, right?”
I smiled back. “Right.” I didn’t comment on her assumption she wouldn’t be staying here. She belonged with Rory, Ellis, and me.
Plenty of time to figure out all the logistics later.
Ellis, who’d fallen asleep after eating some chicken and tater tots, didn’t stir during all the commotion.
Rory nudged Pia out of the way. “Need help getting Ellis out?”
“Please.” I imagined Rory and me in the future, working together to take care of Ellis and make him happy. It could work.
He pulled the lever to tilt the seat in front of me forward, then he took hold of Ellis’ shoulders and pulled him through the door. Levi was there to help hold Ellis’ feet until I got out of the car, but I quickly took him back. I wasn’t ready to let him out of my sight, much less out of touching range.
Rory and I got him up the steps and into the house. Manny waited in the living room, paler than usual but with his grin undimmed. He didn’t glow with magic quite as brightly as he’d done right after Ms. Jackson had healed him earlier. Maybe it would just fade completely with time. After giving Rory a quick side hug, Manny patted him on the back. “We’re putting you three in the room next to mine. It has the biggest bed.” Then he turned to Pia. “I heard there’re tater tots in the kitchen. Wanna go get some?”
Pia cheered and grabbed his hand.
I stared after them, then I looked at Rory. “Um.... ”
He jerked his head in the direction of the bedrooms. “It’s up to you, but I’m good with it if you are. Let’s get him settled and then we can talk about it.”
Internally I shrugged. Might as well start out as we meant to go on.
Levi brought Ellis’ overnight bag in from the SUV. God, it seemed like a lifetime ago when we’d packed up this morning. He led Rory and me into the bedroom we’d been assigned and set the bag down on a chair near the door. He pulled the comforter and top sheet off the king-sized bed so we could lay Ellis down. “Y’all let me know what you need. I’ll be in the living room for a while.”
We thanked him, and Rory set to untying Ellis’ shoes. I pulled his shirt over his head. Rory put Ellis’ shoes, socks tucked inside, on the floor of the closet. He helped me pull Ellis’ shorts off, leaving him in just his boxers.
“I wish we could get him into the shower,” I said as I pulled the top sheet over him.
Rory neatly folded the comforter at the foot of the bed. He picked up Ellis’ dirty clothes, folded them, and placed them on top of his shoes on the floor of the closet.
I got a washcloth from the bathroom and dampened it, then I ran it over as much of Ellis’ skin as I could, paying careful attention to his neck. He didn’t rouse.
Rory pulled Ellis’ other clothes out of his bag. “I don’t see any spare glasses.” He began to put the clothes on hangers in the closet.
“That’s okay. We’re going to his place tomorrow.” I paused with Ellis’ hand in mine and the washcloth against the inside of his elbow. “I mean, are you good to go with us? Do you need to get back for work or anything? ”
He looked down at Ellis’ shirt. “Nah. I called in sick for the rest of the week.” He carefully hung the shirt on a hanger.
“Um, we’ll probably be leaving in the morning. You don’t need to hang stuff up.” I dried Ellis’ skin with another cloth.
He shrugged. “It’s something to do.” When Ellis’ bag was empty, Rory placed it next to his dirty clothes on the floor of the closet. Then he walked over to the bedside table and turned on the small lamp before flicking off the overhead light. “That’s better. He’ll still be able to see if he wakes up, but it’s not so bright. Hmmm .”
He went over to his backpack and rummaged through it before pulling out a light blue button-down. He went back over to the bedside table and draped the shirt over the lamp. The light dimmed even more, and the blue material gave everything a soft, almost romantic vibe. Rory nodded to himself. “Better.”
He walked around the room, moving the armchairs slightly so they were equally spaced below the window. Then he straightened the pictures on the walls—bland landscapes I doubted Ellis would’ve looked twice at.
Was Rory... nesting ? The thought speared my heart with an unexpected pain. Of course he and Ellis were mates. Otherwise Ellis wouldn’t have been attracted to him right after he and I had bonded. I knew this. I wanted this for Ellis. I wanted Rory for Ellis.
But, even if they were mates, Ellis and I could be mates too. We’d proved one Wonder could connect with more than one District Monitor, so there was no reason Ellis couldn’t bond separately with both Rory and me. I’d thought myself not capable of polyamory, but it’d been a knee-jerk reaction when I’d been jealous of Ellis wanting Rory. I’d never really considered the possibility before, but now... I couldn’t think of an objection to trying it. Ellis would have Rory, and I would have Ellis.
That’s what I wanted.
But I looked at Rory, that gorgeous man trying to make the sterile guest room as comfortable for Ellis as he could, and jealousy slammed back into my gut. Only this time I was jealous that Rory didn’t want me .
It was stupid to be so emotional about this. I was just exhausted. I barely knew Rory, and it was Ellis I should be focusing on.
But my throat was tight with tears as I took the washcloths back to the bathroom. I shut the door and ran the water so Rory wouldn’t hear me crying.
I washed my face and got my breathing under control. My chest felt too small, and the connections were making it a little hard to breathe, but I’d be fine. Ellis and Rory were good men, smart, and going places. They’d be amazing together, and I’d be grateful to have Rory’s friendship along with Ellis’ bond.
“Hey, Shane?” Rory knocked softly on the bathroom door. “Do you want me to ask Levi or Clementine for an iron? Your shorts for tomorrow are a little... wrinkled.”
My shorts? Mine?
I yanked open the door. Rory stood there holding the cargo shorts I’d wadded up in the bottom of my duffel bag.
“For me? I mean, I don’t usually bother....”
He looked down at the shorts and his face flushed. “Yeah, it’s probably stupid. We’ll be in the car. I just thought it’d be nice for you—never mind. I’ll hang them up and maybe some of the wrinkles will fall out. ”
He started to turn away, but I grabbed his arm. “Wait.” My magic sparked out, touching his, resonating. I could feel our connection getting stronger by the second.
He glanced down at my hand, then at my face. His eyebrows scrunched up. “Have you been crying? Ellis is okay. He’ll be fine.” He put his hand on my shoulder.
“I know. It’s not that. Don’t worry about it.”
Our connection flared, blew wide open, and I felt all of Rory’s attraction and concern. His eyes were huge, and I hoped he wasn’t scared by the jumbled emotions I was sure he was getting from me.
I stepped forward and put my hand on his cheek. Damn, he was pretty. My stomach felt all fluttery, like I was in high school and the boy I liked had said he liked me back. Rory was nesting for me. For Ellis and me. Instead of the Ellis-centric triangle I’d been imagining, Rory wanted both of us. I went up on my toes and pressed a kiss to his lips.
I’d meant it to be a quick I-like-you peck, but he pulled me in, one hand holding the cargo shorts against my back, and his other hand sliding down to my hip and pressing me against him. He opened his mouth on mine, and before I knew it, we were plastered together from mouths to groins. His hand landed on my ass.
The sheets on the bed rustled. “Wait.”
Rory and I broke apart and whipped our heads toward Ellis, who was sitting up. He waved us to come closer. Oh, shit. Still, Rory kept one hand around my waist as we walked over.
But instead of being upset, Ellis gave us a smug little grin. “I didn’t mean for you to stop. I just couldn’t see you very well at that angle, especially without my glasses.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
I huffed. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired.” His smirk dropped. He pushed some of the pillows behind himself. “Come sit on the bed with me.”
I patted Rory’s stomach and pushed him lightly away. Then I toed off my shoes and crawled onto the bed.
Rory picked up my shoes and put them in the closet before draping my cargo shorts neatly on a hanger.
I leaned over to put my mouth next to Ellis’ ear. “He’s nesting.”
Ellis sucked in a breath, and he turned his head to look in my eyes. “Yeah? For both of us?”
I nodded and kissed the edge of his mouth gently. “I’m sorry I didn’t understand before.”
He leaned his head on my shoulder and watched Rory take his own shoes off. “There was a lot going on. I didn’t understand it myself.” He picked up my hand. “Do you... would you be willing to try again with the bond? One day?”
I smiled against his hair, even though he really needed a shower. “I want to. Rory, come over here.”
He shut the closet door and walked over to the other side of the bed. His expression was tentative, and his eyes flicked back and forth between me and Ellis.
“Come cuddle. The room looks great. You did a good job for us.”
Ellis nodded. “Yes, Rory. It’s perfect. I feel so relaxed and at home. But you should be on the bed with us. And I’ll be able to see you better over here. ”
He hesitated at the side of the bed. “You two are going to bond again?”
Ellis opened his mouth, but I shushed him. “Get over here. Right there, on Ellis’ other side. He needs you.”
Rory looked wary but climbed onto the bed, arranging himself so he was plastered against Ellis.
I threw my arm across Ellis’ stomach, and Rory did the same, so the three of us were cuddled close. I silently thanked Clementine and Levi for the excellent air conditioning.
“That’s the stuff.” Ellis sighed dreamily. “I can’t wait until we do this naked.”
Rory choked with laughter, and I grinned. “Rory. When you look right here....” I lifted my arm and pointed at Ellis’ torso. Ellis gasped and grabbed my and Rory’s forearms. “What do you see?”
Because what I saw was solid, strong connections between the three of us. Between me and Ellis, between Rory and Ellis, and between Rory and me. Equal in all ways.