Tangled

Unshift 299

Unshift 299

299 Ava: Lucas is Alone

Lucas watches us both, calm despite only hearing one half of our conversation.

Grabbing his hand, I give a gentle squeeze to show I'm still paying attention to his presence. "Do you know how?"

you!

Selene's idea is a tall order. It isn't like amnesia has some sort of cure.

The dhampir has an idea. We can talk to her about it.

Wow. I'd forgotten about Sister Miriam entirely. Between Lucas and now Selene's return...

My thoughts are interrupted when Selene suddenly darts out of her comfortable position to shove her nose into my chest, sniffing intensely.

Showing mild irritation, Lucas grabs her by the scuff and yanks her away. To my surprise, Selene merely slinks low in submission as her cars tilt in my direction, blue eyes hard and suspicious. What's that scent?

Slapping my hand over the new mate mark, right next to my crescent scar, I ask defensively, "What scent?"

Lucas sniffs at me. "You smell fine to me."

There's something new, she insists, pawing at my leg. What is it? What did you get into?

"I didn't get into-

The string near my magic tugs, and I pause. "Oh. Maybe it's that."

"What?" Lucas nuzzles into my neck, brushing his lips against the raw skin of my mate mark. "Is something wrong?

Selene can just sense something I almost forgot about. Sorry,

place to mention him. "I'll tell you both later." Where it's safe, I add silently to Selene, wishing Lucas could hear me. Wait. Shouldn't he be able to...? "When?" he asks, answering my question. I guess he can't hear me. I'll have to ask Vanessa. Is it because I haven't been

I'm staying, I guess. Is there another place you'd go? Do

He shakes his head.

you

tell me now,

focus on

her head

understand, because his hand squeezes mine and he

should be home soon."

shared a sleeping space before, but we haven't necessarily cohabitated. Though, there's Lisa-so I

sooner the better," I agree. "I don't like being apart. Most of our time as mates has been spent away from

have a semi-teacher now in the form of Grimoire. My magic seems stable-ish. We're all in hiding due to the new-found apocalypse. As dire and terrible as it is, maybe it'll finally afford us both a little time to deepen our bond with

The warmth of his body and the steady thrum of his heartbeat bring me

none of the frenetic desire of my last heat, content

The mark helps.

Lucas' body seems to have lost its feverish temperature

of fur against my leg. I crack open. an eye to see Selene trying to wedge herself between us, her tail wagging with hopeful enthusiasm. "Really?" I mutter, shifting

her head, and I feel a wave of indignation through our bond. I am not some common

His hand. reaches down to scratch behind Selene's ears, and her eyes

soft and tinged with affection. "Selene's the only reason I've stayed sane in

nonchalance, as if Lucas's words mean nothing

Selene's fur, marveling at the complexity of our situation. My wolf, my mate, and

howling in my head about

I bet.

each other, I say softly, meaning every word. The

thir atsella

mamarlan and his mankı malina mui haart saha Phande

Lucas

care of him,