thoughts while my eyes are still closed and tiredness slowly laps away. My ears wake up faster than the rest of me, but the weight of the experience still delays me for several moments as I sort through my thoughts until I finally realize I can hear whispering. I stay perfectly still as I wake up all the way, automatically latching on to the quiet voices.
My eyes adjust immediately, fully accustomed to the dimness of the dungeon with only the low burning fire to light things up. I flick my gaze over to Toreon’s cell, and I see him sitting at the entrance, far away from his usual shadowed corner. My heart hammers in my chest for a moment when I see that he’s not alone.
For a second, I think it’s Morax sitting beside him on the other side of the bars. But that irrational thought is gone almost as soon as it appears, because that huge winged mass could only be one demon.
Vudu.
Instead of galloping, my heart stops racing, and it flips at the sight of the two of them together, side by side as they sit in the dark. I don’t really know what it means that Vudu is Toreon’s sworn protector, but just by seeing them right now, I’d say that it looks a lot more like friendship.
I don’t want to interrupt, and I really shouldn’t eavesdrop, but I can’t help it. They’re too fascinating not to hang on their every word. I wonder if this is normal—if Vudu often sneaks in here while we’re sleeping so he can talk to Toreon in private.
From where I’m lying, I have a good view of both of them. I take advantage of the edge of my wing blocking me and very carefully peek behind me. But Medley is fast asleep, huddled up with her wings splayed out beneath her.
Settling back to face forward again, I’m relieved to find that the guys didn’t notice my clandestine movement at all. I’m careful to stay still so that the two of them don’t see that I’m creeping on them and ruin their visit. Or my intel gathering session.
“I’ll try to bring you more food,” Vudu murmurs.
I see Toreon shake his head. “I’m fine.”
Even with the fire burning behind him, I can see Vudu frown. “You’re not fucking fine,” he grumbles. “None of this is fine, Toreon. Each day that I can’t get you out of here…”
Toreon looks over at him with a wry smile. “Are you pouting because you can’t be my hero, V?” he jokes.
His attempt at humor doesn’t hit its mark with Vudu. That probably shouldn’t be surprising, since the guy has armored plating for skin. He probably has it on his sense of duty too.
Toreon sighs, his amusement fading away. “I’m trying, V. The last thing I want is to die and take you out with me.”
Red eyes flash. “If you die, I don’t deserve to live.”
The vehemence of Vudu’s loyalty both shocks me and makes my chest tighten.
Vudu’s bat-like wings twitch behind him, and he runs a frustrated palm down his face. His hand is big, just like the rest of him. He could probably grip my waist with both hands, and his fingers would touch. As soon as that thought pops in my head, I see his rough gray flesh over my soft pale skin in sensual contrast, but that picture quickly snowballs into him lifting me up and down over him in a very non-innocent kind of way, and I find myself swallowing hard.
Whoa, where did that come from?
I lift my gaze back to his face, noting the worry creasing either side of his red eyes, and the frown marring his strong, masculine features. I bounce from him to Toreon, secretly reveling in the fact that I can lie here on my feathers, watching them without having to hold back. Sure, it’s a little stalkerish, but I don’t get a lot of opportunities to openly look at Toreon, since he’s always tucking into the shadowed corner of his cage, and I only had that one chance to see Vudu.
I’m so curious about them. About their lives, about what makes them tick. Maybe it’s weird, but I feel a strange bond with Toreon. We’re both stuck down here, have both endured and survived Morax. It creates an unusual connection.
My empty stomach gurgles unhappily, but I have no choice but to ignore it. I steer my thoughts to more mundane things that don’t center around being hungry, or