on his feet. His sleep the day before had been broken and uncomfortable. He could undoubtedly use several good hours in his own bed.
Fox’s brain was starting to slow as well. Getting on Winter’s sleep schedule would probably make things easier for both of them.
Smiling, Fox nodded, storing up his questions for a better time. Winter flashed him an awkward smile and climbed the stairs around him to his own bedroom. Fox would have preferred to crawl into Winter’s bed and cuddle him until nightfall. But instead, he settled on a glass of water, a shower, and some sleep in a surprisingly comfortable bed. The rest would just have to work itself out later.
Chapter 11
Winter woke slowly among the twisted blankets and pillows. He’d never been one to rest easily. His brothers frequently teased him that he battled his demons in his sleep. Luckily, he rarely remembered his dreams, so if that were true, he couldn’t recall any of those monsters.
At the very least, he’d finally gotten some good sleep in his own bed.
Yet, as he lay there, he realized something felt off. The feeling had nagged him that morning as he walked around the house with Fox, but he thought it was just the witch being in his personal space. He’d checked the security systems and video. The only people to infiltrate his home were Bel and his wolves. No one else came near the building.
It had to be Fox.
Lying on his back, he continued to run through a mental checklist, but he was still coming up with nothing. There were no appointments or events he needed to remember. No burning items on his to-do list.
But this feeling of something missing continued to press on his brain.
With a huff, he threw off the covers and climbed out of bed. He quickly pulled on a pair of sleep pants and a T-shirt before stepping into the hall. He poked his head into Fox’s room, but it was empty. Not that he was surprised. It was nearly seven in the evening. He had probably been up for several hours.
Silently, he padded down the stairs to find the TV on with the sound turned almost to nothing. Fox was on the couch, asleep. He was curled up in a ball with the blanket from his bed wrapped around him. His fiery red hair stuck up in every direction against a throw pillow, and his features were relaxed in his sleep.
He looked so damn young like this, as if subtle lines of tension had been wiped away. When he was awake and grinning at Winter, he couldn’t help noticing fine lines around his green eyes, as if there were some secret fear humming through him. Was he expecting Winter to attack him all while putting on a brave façade? Was all the flirting and teasing a way to mask his uncertainty or just ingratiate himself with Winter so the vampire wouldn’t kill him?
Disappointment sat heavy in his stomach. It had been nice to think that Fox might be attracted to him. But it made more sense that Fox was flirting to simply protect himself. Winter knew he wasn’t exactly friendly and kind like Bel. Definitely not sexy and carefree like Rafe. Winter bit back a sigh. It was for the best if Fox wasn’t really interested in him.
Barely resisting the urge to reach down and run his fingers through Fox’s hair, he turned toward the kitchen. He needed blood. Just a little nip to get him moving. He shouldn’t need to hunt and feed for at least another week. Preferably Fox would be gone before that happened. For now, he wanted to keep the witch where he could see him, and he was not taking him along for a hunting expedition.
And there were too many reasons why Fox would never be a donor.
Though, now that the thought was dancing through his head, what little noises would he make if Winter were to sink his fangs into his neck?
Stifling a groan, Winter grabbed a glass out of the cabinet and snagged a bag of blood from the fridge. He had no type preference. He couldn’t taste any difference between them. His brother Rafe claimed O positive was the best, but Rafe was also full of shit.
He stood in the kitchen and quickly chugged his breakfast, staring out into the living room. Apparently, he’d made enough noise that Fox was stirring. His companion sat up and stretched one arm into the air while scratching his