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?

something I almost

This isn't a safe 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 brought

you're discharged home." I pause. "To the place I'm staying, I guess. Is there another place

He shakes his head.

Then when they discharge you

can tell me now, Selene

Let me focus on Lucas

and rubs her head against

because his hand squeezes mine and

should be home soon."

way he stresses the word home has my stomach flip-flopping. We've shared a sleeping space before, but we haven't necessarily cohabitated. Though, there's Lisa-so

being apart. Most of our time as mates has been spent away from each other. It's high time

to the new-found apocalypse. As dire and terrible as it is, maybe it'll finally afford us both a little time to

wrap around me, pulling me close as I melt into his embrace. The warmth of his body and the steady thrum of his heartbeat bring me that clusive

of my last heat, content to just

The mark helps.

Lucas' body seems to have lost its feverish temperature as

crack open. an eye to see Selene trying to wedge herself between us, her tail wagging with hopeful enthusiasm. "Really?"

our bond. I am not

down to scratch behind Selene's ears, and her eyes close in bliss despite her attempts to maintain

be too hard on her, Lucas murmurs, his voice soft and tinged with affection. "Selene's the only reason I've stayed sane

of warmth through me, and I feel Selene's joy and pride surge through our connection. Still, she maintains her air of nonchalance, as if Lucas's words mean nothing to her. But I

the complexity of our situation.

in my head about

I bet.

each other, I say softly, meaning every word. The thought of Lucas alone

thir atsella

mamarlan and his mankı malina mui haart saha Phande uma

Lucas is

of him,