When The Grave Calls (The Veil Diaries #9) - B.L. Brunnemer Page 0,14
the foyer and towards my bedroom.
“Ally?”
Asher’s voice had me turning in the long hall.
He finished wiping his hands on his apron. “Are you alright?”
I nodded. “Just tired.”
He eyed me. “Are you going to bed?”
I nodded. “My lesson wasn’t easy tonight. I’m wiped.”
His brow drew together. “Zeke and Ethan switched date nights.”
It took several heartbeats as I sifted through the fog that was in my brain. Crap. I had a date tonight. Hell, most nights now. It shouldn’t have surprised me that Asher knew about the switch. Ever since he’d come back he’d been hearing things he didn’t want to. Though … “They switched?”
Asher nodded.
The only reason to switch was if something was wrong with one of them. “Shit. Where is he?”
His eyes went above my head.
I looked straight up.
Zeke was behind me, leaning forward and looking down at me with a frown. “You look like shit.”
“Sweet talker,” I muttered as I dropped my head again.
He stepped around me. “Go take a bath and you’ll feel better.”
I nodded and started down the hall with him.
“She hasn’t eaten a snack yet,” Asher called.
“After her bath,” Zeke promised for me.
As we got closer to my bedroom door, his hand moved to my lower back. I leaned against him a little, needing the connection.
His hand moved to my waist and took some of my weight. “What happened?”
“I raised an old zombie,” I muttered as we stopped at my door. He opened it and half carried me inside as we headed straight for the bathroom.
He set me down on the edge of the tub and dropped to a squat. Those blue eyes met mine, searching. “Are you okay to take a bath?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I just need to eat something and I’ll be full of energy again.” Luckily, the guys knew my post-raising needs well already.
I watched as Zeke reached around me, getting the bath water ready, the scent of leather and engine grease filling my senses. “Here, get in and I’ll bring you some food.” All I could muster was a nod in response as the feeling of being home filled me completely. Before I could reach down and get my shoes, Zeke was already undoing them and pulling them off. His hands hesitated at my sweater hem. Without thinking about it, I reached up to pull it off.
His hands stopped me. “Baby, I’m right here.”
I met his eyes. “I didn’t even think about it.”
He swallowed hard.
“Does it bother you?” I asked softly.
He shook his head slightly. “Does it bother you?”
“No.”
He let go of my hands. I pulled the dark green sweater up and off my head. To show him the black cami I was wearing underneath.
He let out a breath of relief.
I snickered.
“That wasn’t funny,” he said.
“It was a little funny,” I teased.
He bit back a grin as he took my sweater and headed for the door. “Get in the tub, I’ll get you some leftovers.”
“Thanks.” He closed the door behind him before I finished undressing. Hot water and bubbles covered me to my shoulders. I sank into the warmth and laid my head back.
Everything just took a step back for a moment, as if to give me breathing room. School, work, the guys. The hot water eased my tense shoulders, relaxed my mind. Baths were magical, never let anyone tell you differently.
I was half asleep when there was a knock on the door. “Hmm?”
The door opened. Zeke came in, frowning. “You fell asleep.”
I shook my head, sitting up a little more but staying covered by the bubbles. “No, not at all. I’m super awake.”
“You’re so full of shit.” He came in and handed me a bowl of food. “Here, eat so you don’t drown.”
I blinked hard several times before actually taking the bowl. “You might want to have a seat then. I don’t know how much awake I have left.”
He ran his hand through his hair as he surveyed the bathroom. He finally settled on the edge of the tub with his back to me.
“Why are you looking that way?” I asked before popping some noodles into my mouth.
He sighed. “So I can’t see into the tub.”
I half grinned. “I’m that distracting, huh?”
“I’m trying to be respectful here,” he said in the soft voice he used with me sometimes. “You’re tired and I don’t want you regretting anything.”
“Okay, I’ll stop teasing.” I twirled my fork in the noodles. “So, why did you and Ethan switch nights?”
His shoulders grew tense. “I … I haven’t been sleeping.”