Chapter 26 Aurora
Aurora
It’s late. Or maybe it’s early. A cool shadow tendril strokes my cheek, pressing against my jaw, already sensing the shift in my breath.
When I shiver beneath the covers, smooth, high-thread-count sheets caress my body.
Of course, Ezra tucked me into bed when I passed out from exhaustion.
My sweet, shadow-wrapped Grim.
“Ezra?” I murmur sleepily, my smile growing as his voice wraps around me. Something dark and familiar strokes the back of my hand just before it loops around my finger, then retreats.
“Good morning, little lupine. I’m sorry to wake you, but I did not want to disappear and cause you to worry,” Ezra says softly, running his hands through my hair.
“Why are you disappearing?” I ask, suddenly wide awake.
He’s leaving?
When Ezra leans away from the bed, I notice he’s fully dressed and has his messenger bag slung over his shoulder.
“I have to handle this mess between my sibling and the vampires,” he growls. “I won’t be gone long. Just a few days. Louie should be awake soon, and I know she’ll want your undivided attention. Will you be okay?”
Ezra presses a soft, lingering kiss to my lips before slipping something cool and metallic into my palm.
My phone! Oh, shit … Eve … my dad … work!
“I can see by your gaping mouth that you forgot about your little device. It’s good to know that I rank higher than a cellular phone,” Ezra says with a chuckle.
“Oh, my gosh!” I groan, my stomach swooping like I missed a step.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!
I fall back into Ezra’s soft bed and pull the duvet over my head.
“What am I going to tell Eve? How am I going to explain the bruises on my neck? Where I’ve been? I don’t even want to turn it on.”
“I already turned it on, Aurora. Your friend is quite persistent. She even called my cell phone a few times, but alas, I was otherwise engaged.”
Ezra leans over, pulls the duvet down, and then cocks his head, once again making me think of his strange canine form. If he chose that breed to blend in, he chose wrong. I’ve never seen a dog so tall, lithe, and angular in my life.
“I would opt for a version of the truth if I were you. Jameson attacked you. The local handsome yet creepy bookshop owner just happened to be walking by and saved you. You’ve been asleep until this morning. Does that sound like an acceptable story?”
“Creepy?”
Shit, he probably heard Eve call him that earlier this week at The Cardinal.
Well, she wasn’t totally wrong.
“It’s okay, darling. I’m aware of what people think of me. I make humans uncomfortable, and for good reason, don’t you think?”
Ezra slowly leans into me, his lips brushing softly against mine as his tongue urges my mouth open. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pull him close, kissing him hard, silently willing him to stay just a bit longer. Eventually, Ezra pulls away and plants a gentle kiss on the tip of my nose.
“I also programmed my house number, the bookshop’s, and my cell into your phone.”
Ezra emphasizes the last part of his sentence with a snarl and an eye roll.
He’s so cute when he’s grumpy.
“I will bring the damned thing with me. You are free to call or send a message, but please don’t worry if I don’t respond. I need to travel quietly, and any underborne with exceptional hearing can pick those fucking things up, even when set to silent.”
“I didn’t know you had a cell phone,” I say with a smile … until I look at my phone and the 57 missed calls and insane number of text messages waiting for me.
Shit.
Ezra must read the anguish in my face because he clears his throat to get my attention. I meet his gaze and immediately regret it.
Goddamn it, he’s gorgeous.
When Ezra chuckles, my heart flutters in a way I promised myself it never would. Especially over a man. And now this cocky asshole’s chuckle is one of my favorite sounds.
“I get lost in you, too, my little lupine,” Ezra says, understanding the reason for my intense, dreamy stare.
“I urge you to stay here, Aurora. Louie is not awake yet, but she should be later today. Do not let her out until she’s calm and rational.
She can hear you through the door. Also, the Disciples likely know where you live and, as far as I know, are not aware of my existence, so you should be quite safe here.
I went to your home this morning and packed everything I thought you might need, including the snacks I found in your kitchen. ”
I blink as my heart knocks around in my chest.
He went to my house? Packed my things?
He’s … taking care of me?
“There is no human food here, for obvious reasons. Thane told me about something called Uber Eats? And Instacart? I don’t know, something on your phone.
If you’re hungry, I’ve left my credit card information for your use.
Please get what you need, but do not open the door for anyone you don’t know.
Thane assured me they can leave your order on the porch.
“I would ask you to stay inside the house, but I know that won’t be possible. You are your own person, and I’m not in the habit of dictating what others should do. Unless they ask me to,” he says with a wink and a wicked grin.
“I must insist, however, that you have either Eve or Thane pick you up and drop you off if you want to go somewhere. They are the only people I trust with you right now, little vixen.”
Ezra’s breath tickles my skin as he showers each shoulder with a flurry of soft kisses, followed by a gentle nuzzle of his nose along my neck.
It’s going to be a long couple of days.
“You’ve really thought of everything, Ezra. Thank you …”
I trail off as I stare at my phone lying on the bed beside me.
“What is it, Aurora? Did I upset you by going into your home without your permission? You were sleeping so soundly. You didn’t have a nightmare all night, and I didn’t want to disturb you.
You seemed quite tired. I can stay if you’d like, at least for a few days.
I am, however, eager to get this over with so I can focus on you. ”
He takes both of my hands in his, then kisses each finger individually while staring at me with those beautiful grey eyes.
“What? No, I’m not upset with you. It’s just … you keep saying you’re a monster, right? That you’re not good. But you treated me better in the past forty-eight hours than any human male ever has. Except for my dad, obviously.
“You saved my life, and when you realized what you did in my home was wrong, you changed your behavior so I’d feel comfortable, even though it’s confusing, and sometimes painful, for you.
“And now, when you’re about to leave, you’re not just disappearing with some cryptic, confusing note and leaving me in a panic.
Instead, you wake me, tell me exactly what’s going on, pack my things, make sure I have a way to eat, and understand that you can’t lock me up in your house. Ezra, you’re not a monster.”
I shift my eyes away from the god staring at me to the ceiling, willing myself not to cry. Because somehow the human-devouring creature who saved my life thinks he’s a monster, and the human murderer and rapist thought he was a hero.
I mean, how fucked is that?
Ezra wipes away the rogue tears that fall down my face with his thumb and smiles. His shadows follow behind, mimicking his soft touch.
“You know as well as I do, Aurora, that this chivalrous behavior is not normal for me. It’s all because of you.
Please know that I will never intentionally harm you.
I will always be open and honest with you, and I will always listen to your wishes and concerns.
No one will ever hurt you again, little lupine. You’re safe with me.”
Those churning grey eyes study mine, looking for a reaction. But I can’t find the words, so I just smile like a jackass.
My ancient Grim hums in approval, smirks like the cover model of some smutty novel called Taken by the Void and crashes his mouth to mine like he wants to prove the title accurate.
Fuck, is this love?
No. It’s too soon.
Sharing a connection with someone doesn’t mean love, but I can’t deny that there’s something beautiful blooming between us.
Ezra breaks our kiss with a grumpy grunt. His fingers twitch against my cheek, unwilling to let go.
“Hm, leaving you may be more difficult than I thought.”
With a quick kiss on his cheek, I slip from the bed, allowing the soft sheets to cascade down my naked body. Ezra growls in appreciation as I make a show of walking into his huge walk-in closet. There’s a plush navy robe hanging there, just begging to be worn.
As I turn to leave, Ezra suddenly appears in the closet doorway. He wraps his arms around me and playfully nips at my neck as I melt into him.
“Seriously, get going,” I groan. “The sooner you leave, the sooner you can come back to me.”
My shoulders slump when he walks away, but the minute he reaches the bedroom door, he dissolves in a flash of dark shadows, then appears right in front of me. He grabs my hips and pulls me flush against him.
I really fucking loved being on my knees for him last night. But fear kept him from taking control. The thought of potentially hurting me scared the shit out of him.
I could feel his body vibrating with restraint while he clenched his fists so tightly I thought his fingers might break.
Ezra oozes power and dominance, but last night I held the power, and I’m not sure he knew how to reconcile his nature with, well, me.
Thankfully, he got over it because between him and his shadows, I was a sloppy, overstimulated mess.
He nips along my ear, then whispers, “Be a good girl while I’m gone, little lupine.”
Just two words. That’s all it takes.
I swear to God, my entire body reacts, heat slamming into me so fast I barely process it. And judging by the wicked gleam in Ezra’s eyes? The smug bastard knows exactly what he’s doing.
Okay, shadow man. Game on.
“I promise I’ll behave while you’re away. And the minute you get back, I’ll be your good girl, Ezra,” I moan into his ear as I wrap my hand around him through his pants. “I’ll be so fucking good.”