Chapter 10
Zaos
“Are you sure you’re okay with me going?” I asked Hugo for the millionth time.
He laughed and shooed me toward the door. “Yes, Zay, of course I am. You need to study. Go. It’s fine. Jett and Ward are coming over, and we’re gonna cook on the grill. They’ll still be here when you get back, so you won’t even miss our little cookout, okay?”
He’d assured me of this no less than twenty times. He was going to end up punching me if I asked him again.
Hugo scowled at me. “I would never punch you.”
“For fuck’s sake. I know that. It was just a figure of speech.”
“That isn’t a figure of speech.”
“It’s not?”
Hugo rolled his eyes and tugged on my hand. I easily moved into him, letting him pull me into a tight hug. After a few seconds of breathing each other in, he whispered, “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.”
“I would never ever, ever hurt you.”
“I know that. It was a stupid thought, but I know you’d never do anything like that.” Honestly, he couldn’t punch anyone. Ever.
“Hey.” He released me as he protested. “I could punch someone.”
I raised a brow. “You really think so?”
He opened his mouth as if to argue, thought about it, and snapped his mouth shut with a frowning scowl.
It made me laugh, and I couldn’t help but pull him back into me so I could kiss his temple. “It’s not a bad thing.”
He huffed but didn’t reply.
We stayed that way for another minute, but Hugo whispered, “You’re gonna be late if you don’t leave now.”
I let out a sigh, tilted his chin up, and kissed his lips, slow and soft. “You’re not leaving the wards, right?”
He rolled his eyes, but there was a smile there too. “No, I’m not leaving the wards. Promise.”
“You’ll tell me if something comes up and you need to—”
“Babe, you’re in my head. You’ll know before I leave, but I’m not going anywhere tonight, okay?”
I blew out a breath. “Yeah… yeah, sorry. You’re right. I’m being overprotective again.”
He snorted. “You’re always overprotective. I don’t hate it.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” He kissed me, a hard peck on my lips that made me grin. “Now get outta here before your friend freaks out about being there by herself.”
After one more lingering kiss, I grabbed my bag and headed out the door. When I started the car, I looked at the door, surprised to see Hugo standing there, watching me with a sweet grin on his face. He waved, so I waved back, then pulled out of the driveway.
It only took a few minutes to get to the coffee shop since it was near the school, so I made it inside with two minutes to spare.
Usually, I’d get there at least ten minutes early so I could make sure we had a table large enough for everyone, but stealing some extra kisses from my viramore was worth it.
Two other students—Dean and Rovra—were already there and had snagged a table in the back, so I joined them.
“Hey, Zaos.” Dean smiled up at me. “It’s good to see ya, man.”
I fist-bumped him. “Good to see you too.” I sent Rovra a smile. “You too, Rov.”
She grinned back. “It’s been a while since you joined us.”
I nodded. “Well, I’ve been a little busy with my viramore.”
Both of them froze, and then Rovra let out a huge grin, the biggest I’d ever seen on her, and said, “Holy shit, really? That’s amazing! Congratulations.”
My chest warmed with her kindness and excitement. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, man, that’s awesome.” Dean wasn’t as obvious about it, but I could tell he was happy for me too.
“Thanks.”
Dean leaned in. “So… give us the deets.”
I chuckled at his excitement at getting some new gossip, then went with it and talked about Hugo for a solid five minutes before other people started trickling in.
When Beatrix arrived, I moved my bag off the chair I’d saved beside me, and she let out a relieved sigh as she sat down and whispered, “Thank you.”
“No problem.” I turned to the table. “Everyone, this is Beatrix. Beatrix, this is Dean, Rovra, Joey, Sidney, Judah, and Lilac.”
Beatrix gave a shy wave. “Hi. Thank you, guys, for letting me come.”
“Of course,” Lilac said, smiling. “You’re always welcome to join us.”
Beatrix grabbed onto my arm, giving a squeeze, and I decided to take that as a thank you. Her hand lingered there for a minute before I feigned needing something out of my bag and was able to pull away.
“You okay?” Hugo’s voice in my head didn’t surprise me. He’d clearly picked up on my unease.
“Yeah. Just Beatrix being all… um… I mean, she just grabbed my forearm, but it was weird.”
“Need me to come punch her for you?”
That made me bark out a laugh by accident, and everyone at the table stopped talking to stare at me. “Shit, now everyone thinks I’m crazy ‘cause you made me laugh.”
I could hear Hugo’s chuckle in my head.
Ignoring him for a second, I said, “Sorry, my viramore’s being, uh, goofy.”
Everyone grinned at that, and Rovra picked the conversation back up, shooting me a little conspiratorial wink.
After a few minutes, we dove into studying with Rovra leading the group like she always did, and Beatrix seemed more engrossed with her work than with me… thank the Mother of All.
By the time I made it home, I was starving and very ready for whatever grilled thing my viramore and our friends had made tonight.
I was even more ready for Hugo cuddles.
I opened the front door and stopped short when Hugo was standing right inside the door.
“Hey,” I said, relief making my shoulders lose all their tension.
Before I knew what was happening, Hugo launched himself into my arms. I only had half a second to realize what he was doing so I could brace myself and catch him.
I hugged him tight to me, and he wrapped his arms and legs around me, so I rubbed his back.
“Everything alright?”
“Mhm. Just missed you.”
Warmth as strong as the sun filled me, and I felt my incubus side stir and even reach out toward him.
I was so happy that I let it. “I missed you too.” I kissed his hair—the only thing I could reach.
“Might wanna let me step into the house next time so we don’t risk falling down the porch steps, though. ”
He laughed and tightened his hold on me. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. This is my favorite greeting ever.”
He snorted and held onto me for a minute longer before he slid back to the floor, pecked my lips, took my hand, and led me toward the back door. I dropped my bag onto the kitchen island as we passed by, pulled my incubus magic back so I didn’t offend anyone, and followed my lovely viramore outside.
Jett and Ward were sitting at our table on the deck, so I said, “Hey, guys! How’re you doing?”
Jett smiled at me. “Hey, Zay! Did Hugo tell you about the new person at work? They’re super cute and kind”—Ward scowled at his viramore calling someone else cute—“and I think they have a crush on Quinn.”
Hugo jerked back. “What? They do?”
Jett stared at my viramore for a long moment, then rolled his eyes. “Oh my god, you are so blind to love.”
“I am not.”
“Uh-huh.”
Jett went on to explain all the cute things this Arzu person did all week, and Ward and I exchanged a look.
He shook his head at me, sighed, then reached over and picked Jett up out of his seat.
Jett only looked startled for a beat before he wrapped his arms around Ward’s neck and kept on talking without missing a beat.
That guy could talk. Dang.
Since everyone had to work the next day, our friends didn’t stay too late, so as soon as they were gone, I pulled Hugo into a cuddle on the couch.
“You okay?” he asked me quietly, his fingers brushing through my hair.
I sent him a smile, then nuzzled his neck, speaking into his skin. “Yeah, I just need some Hugo cuddle time.”
He chuckled quietly and tucked himself farther against me. “I could use some Zay cuddles too. It’s the only way I’ll make it through tomorrow without you.”
For one moment, I thought he was making fun of me, but then I realized he was actually being totally serious, and my heart melted. So sweet.
I kissed his neck and settled in, happy to simply breathe him in for the next little while.