Chapter 23 Velra #3
I grasped the sides of his jacket and pulled him to me, then planted a soft kiss on his cheek.
A chuckle escaped him. “I will cherish this, little shadow.”
“Me too.”
He pushed to his feet with some noticeable struggle because he was still weakened and he would be for several hours yet.
I tensed, thinking he was going to try to take off and disappear into the ozone for months on end again, that our kiss had pushed him right back to that and elicited another panic in him.
But then he shrugged his jacket off and neatly folded it and put it across the foot of the bed. Then he toed off his boots and socks. “I need to rest for a while, just like you advised earlier.” He eyed the chair by my desk.
“That will be really uncomfortable, Cassius. Just lie down here on my bed.”
“I… I can’t fall asleep for too long, just an hour or so. I can’t leave Ketheron alone and he’ll be home from Haven Initiative at—”
“I’ll text Nyx and have him ask Ariana or one of them to stay with him.”
“Actually, yes, that would be good. He’d also like that very much.”
I pulled the covers of my four-poster bed down. “Here. Get comfortable.”
As he went to do that, I grabbed my phone from the back pocket of my pants and sent a text.
Velra: Any way one of your foursome can stay with Ketheron tonight, or have him stay at your place?
As I waited for a response, my gaze flicked to Cassius and I jolted when I saw him taking his black tee off, baring his incredibly sculpted torso beneath.
Holy hell.
My phone pinged and I averted my gaze to take it in.
Nyx: Ari can bring him to our place once they’re done at Haven Initiative. Everything okay? Cassius staying the night with you? Something major you’ve forgotten to tell me about?
Velra: It’s complicated.
Nyx: No doubt with him in question. You okay?
Velra: All good. He’s in no state to be teleported currently, but he’ll be fine.
Nyx: Lazriel finally snapped on him?
Velra: Not in the way you think. It was an accident.
Nyx: Can’t wait to hear all the details in a couple of days when you’re finally back up at the Guardian Compound for our Crossborn meeting.
I winced. He meant it, too. He’d want to know the whole scope. It wasn’t actually him being nosey, it was him looking out for me. He was an absolute sweetheart.
And I knew he was really toning it down and holding back with his responses during this text conversation for my benefit. It was no small thing that Cassius was here and he was well aware of how monumental it actually was.
Velra: We’ll talk.
Nyx: See you soon, little sis.
I smiled, then pocketed my phone.
When I turned back to Cassius, he was settled underneath my covers over on the left side of the bed. Right on the edge.
I chuckled. “You can take up the space that you actually need.”
“What if I—”
“Accidentally brush up against me when I climb in later?” I slapped my hand to my chest with mock dramatic tension. “Shit, I’ll freak the fuck out, Cassius. I mean, I’ll scream the place down and everything, maybe even blast the room to crap with my magic—Dark Fae and Wraith combined.”
A hearty laugh burst from him.
And it was amazing.
I pounced on the bed and crawled up it, straddling him.
His eyes widened and I saw his uncertainty. Not about me this time, but about the unspoken sexuality of it, his severe inexperience there.
I slapped my hands down either side of his head. “I’m glad you’re here teaching. You know, for the record, and everything. But I don’t want you here just because you think you need to help me with my… issues. I can’t allow that.”
“I understand what you’re conveying. And, believe me, it’s not the only reason I’m here.
As much as I wished to tell myself that initially.
Our conversation has altered that and actually allowed me to admit to the real truth.
” He sucked in a breath, then told me, “I’m here for you, because I want to be around you, be close to you… to be with you.”
“Then I’m all for it.”
He slid his hand into my hair, stroking softly. “Thank you. For reacting so powerfully and benevolently to my mistakes. For helping me to see the true reality here. I’m so sorry it had to come to this. I’m so sorry that I hurt you, Velra.”
“Well, you hurt yourself just as much—if not more. And mistakes are part of learning.” I grinned. “Isn’t that Teaching 101? Something you convey to your students?”
He grinned back. “I suppose it is.”
I sat back on my haunches. “There’s only one thing left to do now to set you—and us—on this better path, isn’t there?”
“Yes. Of course.” I watched as he lifted his hand, then his white magic sparked on it for a moment. He flinched and grunted, then a huge sigh of relief escaped him.
I actually saw the wound on his throat close up a little.
“You’d been using a ton of power when you’re this weakened to hold that muting of our Soul Brand on my end in place?” I asked, incredulous.
He grimaced. “My misguided attempt to protect you when you clearly don’t need it or want it.”
“It’s okay. You’re seeing it now, that’s what matters.”
And that he was finally here and working with me.
I choked in the next second as what he’d been holding back from me rushed over me in a sudden burst of sensation.
Pain.
Regret.
Guilt.
Embarrassment at being Fallen.
Worry that he was incapable of acclimating to this new life.
The stress and fear of not being able to aid Ketheron as he’d wanted.
The grief of turning his back on me.
The jealousy of me being with Lazriel and Sylas.
His fury, then ache for what Sylas had done to him earlier.
And then… something about Lazriel. Not indignation that he’d fed on him, but… intrigue? Almost… excitement? It had titillated him, turned him on. Huh. Hadn’t seen that coming.
His gaze swept over me and then a whole lot more flared. Need, desire, concern that he wouldn’t be enough, the uncertainty of sexual inexperience… and then contentment. Relief that he’d let what he’d been holding back loose.
“Much better, huh?” I said.
“Yes,” he breathed. “Decidedly so.”
I smiled, then climbed off the bed. “Rest now. Sleep.”
“Where are you going?”
“I need to do damage control with Lazriel and Sylas, ensure they’re okay, then I’ll be back. Do not get out of that bed while I’m gone, all right? It’s vital that you rest. I’m sure you can feel it too.”
“Yes, I can,” he admitted. “You have my word, little shadow.”
“Good.”
I watched his head loll on the pillow, sleep looking like it would take him quickly.
And then I opened the door and headed out.