King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

378

Adrik

When I woke the following morning, Sephie was curled up next to me under the covers. I pulled her back against me, but she didn’t move. Finally. Instead of trying to wake her up, I kissed the back of her shoulder and got out of bed as quietly as I could. I was worried that she would start to shake once I left, so I stayed close. Luckily, she was wearing pants for once as she was cold last night when we went to bed, so I could move her to one of the guys if needed.

I took the quickest shower possible and got dressed. I didn’t hear her talking, but when I walked back to the bed, I could see her shaking. It wasn’t bad yet, but she was just starting to mumble as well. A quick text to Andrei and I scooped her up, carrying her to the couch.

It didn’t take long for Andrei to come upstairs. He stretched out on the couch, happy he could sleep a little longer too. “I’m so happy she finally did this. I’m so f**king tired,” he said.

I raised my eyebrow at him as 1 laid her next to him. “More so than usual?” Lasked.

He nodded his head. “Feels like I got run over by a bus. It started after we were at the hotel. I haven’t recovered yet.”

That made sense. “New level for you. It always makes her extra tired. Same thing happened to Misha. The only one I haven’t seen it affect yet is Ivan,” I said. As soon as Sephie was lying next to Andrei, her body started to relax and she curled up next to him. She hugged his arm as he tucked the blanket in around her. It was, in short, adorable. Even if I was jealous that he got to stay with her and not me. “She’s likely going to sleep until noon, so take advantage of it. I’ll keep everyone as quiet as possible,” I said. Andrei just nodded his head, looking grateful.

I motioned for the other guys to be quiet when they walked in. Aleksei and Vitaliy walked out of their rooms at the same time. No one had seen Andrei on the couch with Sephie yet.

“Sephie finally lost her battle with sleeping in. She’s on the couch with Andrei. I tried to leave her in bed, but she was shaking and starting to mumble by the time I got ready. He’s experiencing new level fatigue anyway. It works out for both of them,” I said.

“You let her

little sister,” Misha said, a look

than she looks at the rest of us. She loves us, but she

even more. Since she and Ivan were taken, she hasn’t been able to sleep without someone next to her. It brings her nightmares back if she’s alone. Her body reacts sometimes violently. We noticed it early on that I could stop it, but they’re able to keep it from starting if she’s next to them. And

as I have, Vitaliy. Some wounds stay fresh for a very

new happens to her. She’s had a few new things happen recently. We’re all surprised she lasted this long without sleeping in,” Stephen said.

new things?” Vitaliy

your two guys. That’s never happened before. I also think she’s

“How?”

Panama. That level was barely registering on her meter. She can deal with in sane levels of anger and outwardly. she looks completely calm. She learned she can push her anger to them that day at the

emotions are that strong, so when she feels fear. it’s to the same in sane, inhuman levels, but she can’t control it. Instead of having to deal with that, she was trying to keep her anger levels high enough it would override everything else. Andrei figured out what she was doing and learned he can push his anger back to her. When he did, it fed into mine as well.” Ivan said. “The few times I’ve felt her anger at high levels, I’ve never been that angry without

yours to

is a part of us and ours is

“How?”

She called me her sword and Ivan her shield. She said my anger was beside her, moving through her, waiting for direction. Ivan’s is directed outward from her, away from her, more like a barrier. Like a

him that,” Vitaliy said,

me and Andrei as well,” Misha said. “She said Andrei’s is calm and controlled, but deadly.