Skyler's stomach lurched. An ugly knot had formed. She looked down and the mug was empty. "Thanks, Josef."
"For the chocolate or the ‘trippy little alien' compliment?"
Paul snorted. "Is that what that was? A compliment? You're never going to make it with the ladies, Josef, if you don't get better at talking to them."
"I'm not wasting my swag on my sister here," Josef nudged her foot with his. "I do just fine with the ladies."
Paul shook his head. "I was your wingman at the last little party we went to together, and I'm pretty sure you struck out once you began talking." He winked at Skyler. "They all thought he was pretty cute until he opened his mouth and began spouting some kind of number theory."
"Oh, Josef," Skyler said, covering her smile with one hand. "You didn't really, did you?"
Josef took the empty mug from her hand, glaring at Paul. "The girl was beautiful, you know, not all skinny and blond and cloned like most of them. I mean she had a real figure and her hair was dark and shiny and when she smiled, my heart sort of exploded and took my brain with it. When I short-circuit, I fall back on the numbers in my head."
"He sees in numbers," Paul said. "Can you believe that?"
Josef thrust another mug into her hand. She recognized the aroma of vegetable soup. Her stomach knotted even more. She closed her eyes, wanting to get it over with. Whether the food stayed down or not was another matter. She knew, before she slept, Josef would give her more of his healing blood. She couldn't be converted without a true blood exchange, but that didn't mean she wouldn't feel the effects.
When she opened her eyes, she was grateful that not only the soup was gone, but the mug as well. Paul handed her the water bottle again while she concentrated on keeping the food in her stomach.
"Josef is amazing," she said, meaning it. "So are you, Paul. I couldn't be any luckier. Thank you both for coming with me."
"Don't go getting all girly on us," Josef reprimanded. "The next thing you know, we'll be sitting around the fire sobbing and some Lycan will catch us and figure it would be best to put us out of our misery."
"Fine, open a patch of earth for me—take it down to where the soil is rich with minerals."
Josef looked around the forest floor. "Anywhere should be good. This is ancient land and has been regenerating for thousands of years."
He peeled back the vegetation and topsoil to expose the richness hidden beneath. Paul lifted Skyler again and gently deposited her in the two-foot-deep opening. Skyler handed him back the water bottle and turned her attention completely to the soil.