my voice barely more than a whisper while everyone else in the room is essentially frozen. I get it. Each person in here is a big bad all of their own, but they’ve never seen him truly unleash the power inside of him. They can feel it as much as I can, but even that is restrained. He truly could wipe us from the Earth with barely a thought. I’ve seen it for myself. I hate that they still fear him a little deep down, because he would never hurt me, which means he’d never harm them, so I kiss him softly until he relaxes beneath my touch. “I’m really okay.”
He rests his forehead on mine, when Serafina clears her throat.
“Sorry to break this love fest up, but Amelia escaped with the witch.”
“She escaped? But you and Nevin were on her when I left.” Levi’s voice is low, but he holds me tighter. He’s beyond pissed, but he’s controlling himself.
“She had a few tricks up her sleeve, but I’m fine, thanks for asking. Nevin wasn’t so lucky, but he’s healing. He shouldn’t be far behind me,” she says, rolling her eyes.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” I tell her, because my brute sure as hell isn’t going to. I can practically feel him shaking with anger that their target escaped. While I’m disappointed, everyone I care about is alive, so I’m not upset. “And thank you for everything.”
The guys all grumble their thanks, but Serafina waves it off. “I was just doing my job.” I’ve never really understood her whole ice queen thing, sometimes she looks so sad and lonely, it’s heartbreaking, but then she’s a dick, and no one really pays attention to the fact that she’s kinda broken, but I see her and she hates it.
She moves to the corner of the room, standing like she’s on guard, while my guys shift around the room and get comfortable. Levi keeps me in his arms and sits in the spot he lifted me from. I let out a deep breath as I snuggle against him, and we all sit, watching the TV, just enjoying our time together.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“We nearly lost you again, precious.” Kain sighs as he lays me down on the bed. Usually I wouldn’t allow them to treat me like glass, but I can see the fear in every single one of them, and I don’t want them to be afraid. If that means conceding a little, and letting them look after me, even when I don’t need it, then I can do that for them.
Creek enters the room, shutting the door behind him, and drops into the chair in the corner, watching me, looking like he’s aged ten years in the last day or so. So, I got shot. Yes, I nearly died, but we also learned something new.
I’m not completely immune to all things.
Better that we know now, when there was a chance for someone to heal me, than me being so careless, and me ending up dead because I thought I was invincible. I prop myself up on the pillows, they’re both watching me, and it hits me.
The best way for them to get that I’m okay, is to show them I’m okay. I look at Creek and pat the bed beside me, motioning for him to sit with me, while Kain watches me from the end of the bed. He smiles, and I’m sure he can see my intentions written all over my face, but I don’t care. I want this. I want them. Now. Both of them.
Creek seems too tense to smile, too raw, but he stands and slowly makes his way to the bed. His steps are heavy, like he's just run cross-country with a ton of weight on his shoulders. I know I'm their priority. More than that, I'm their reason for being, the heartbeat in their existence. I know this. It's not pretentious and it's not conceited, it's simply a fact. I know this because each one of them is my lifeline. Five hearts beat inside of me, linking us on a cellular level and we wouldn't want it any other way.
At first, Creek sits beside me. His shoulders are rigid, his jaw is tight, and his eyes are shadowed with storm clouds but when I place my hand on his heart and smile, the tension ebbs just a tad. He's being strong for me or maybe for himself as well. Beneath my palm, the pounding of his heart is like