Instantly, my gaze narrowed on Zander. The bastard had his dark hair tied back with a leather band, and he was wearing dark clothes that looked expensive. He offered me a searing gaze before his emotions shuttered again. Weird. Very weird… But I couldn’t lie. That had been hot.
“Little lamb,” Draven wrapped his arms around me as I looked up at the massive angel. My fingers ran up his chest as he let out a low rumble, his nose dipping to brush against mine.
I mumbled, “I love your touch.” I was really fucking glad that he was touching me without as much fear as before.
His throat produced a low, possessive noise as he wrapped me up further, making everything around me simply full of Draven. My eyes closed as he ran his fingers up and down my back gently. My smile grew when I remembered a surprise I had for him, one I’d forgotten about until the movers had brought everything over. But before I could convince him to come inside with me, Maggie was walking out of the guest house.
“Are we ready?! I am so excited!” My eyes narrowed on Maggie as my lips tilted up.
I had grown up with Maggie, and I had always known her as a bit of a wild child. As a little kid, she’d always had messy hair and dirty clothes from playing outside all day. She had obviously grown up while I was gone and picked up some modern fashion accents, but today she looked like she was especially trying.
As a lion shifter, she was naturally on the lean side, and today she was wearing this adorable witch costume that was a dress with combat boots and a cute hat, her curly blonde hair underneath. I arched a brow, noticing her makeup, and call me crazy, but I didn’t think she was doing this for pack members. Interesting.
Draven looked down at me, his voice rough as he asked, “What is Hallo-ween?”
My lips pulled up. “So there is a really cool pagan history to it, but around here it means everyone dressing up in costumes of ‘scary’ creatures and eating a lot of candy.”
“Why do humans do this?” he frowned, making my smile grow. I wasn’t positive what it was about his frustration and the oddness he found in human culture that I found so adorable.
“It’s fun,” I promised as he searched my expression and nodded before intertwining our hands tighter.
As we walked towards the front of the house, I realized that we were actually closer to the community center than before. My chest clenched as I realized we were missing one person. I turned to find Zander relaxing further into his seat, clearly not planning to come with. Draven, as if knowing, released my hand, and I looked to Dean.
It was always odd to me how everything could be communicated with one look when you were close to someone. I saw frustration, acceptance, and heat in Dean’s gaze before I flashed him a smile and walked towards Zander. I had to at least invite him.
I know, this wasn’t like me at all. I didn’t usually give a fuck, and for all intents and purposes, I should hate this bastard. The immortal motherfucker had put me in a bad situation that fucked me up in the head for a bit. Yet, and maybe it was the fact that we were both sirens, but I felt like I understood Zander. I understood that he hadn’t purposefully put me in that situation.
I could see that same haunted effect that I used to carry, sometimes still did. I knew he knew exactly what it was like to be lonely, just how Draven knew what it was like to suffer at the hands of abuse. I guess I just felt like I understood the guy, and I couldn’t justify leaving him here while we went off to have fun. Even if he had watched me get fucked less than an hour ago.
You know, this working relationship seemed to be getting more complicated by the moment.
My smile grew slightly, though, as I realized I was rebounding faster. That had to be a good sign when it came to healing, right? Maybe it meant that I was doing something right.
“Zander,” I called out as his eyes flashed to me. His body was tense, and I know this sounded crazy, but the man almost seemed hesitant around me. I felt like he fluctuated between the cocky bastard from when I first met him to this.
“Lorcan,” he greeted back.
I sighed and narrowed my eyes. “Come on, you’re coming with us.”
“I don’t know if that’s the best idea,” he stated softly with a knowing look.
I sat in a chair next to him and pinned him with my gaze. “We are going to have to work together. I know this isn’t the most normal of working relationships, especially since you watched me get screwed six ways to Sunday...”
“Please don’t,” he groaned, drawing his hands down his face as he seemed to tense.
I smirked. “Come on, you can’t sit here alone all night.”
Zander searched my face and nodded, standing up as I walked next to him towards the front of the house. My siren narrowed her eyes at his as I walked right back into the arms of my angel, feeling like a really good person, if we were being honest. Zander’s siren was watching mine with interest, and it was making me twitchy as fuck. Draven’s magic tightened around me possessively.
“Everything okay, little lamb?” Draven rumbled as we began walking. I nodded and leaned down to adjust my sneaker… or tried to.
“Draven!” I squeaked as I was swept up literally into the air. Draven had me wrapped in his arms as he floated through the warm skies, Dean growling from below.
“Don’t fucking drop her!” Adriel snarled as Draven flipped us so that he was on his back smiling cockily, my body laid out on top of his. I could hear pride members commenting on us, but I was way too comfortable to care.
“What was that?” I demanded with a small giggle.
“Your shoes posed a threat to your safety. Flying is much better,” he replied with a charming smile. I shook my head, laughing again.
“You never answered,” he spoke softly after a minute. Black sparkles covered my arms with each flap of his wings. I ran my fingers through his hair as he watched me with unabashed heat, his purple eyes searching my face. I could feel his angel wrapping around me tightly, and my siren pulled her usual shit by shoving forward just slightly.
“Little siren,” he warned softly.
“What?” I purred, amused as he flipped us and floated down behind the community center. I let out a soft laugh as he pressed me against the brick wall behind us. The sky was painted in purples and oranges that somehow only made Draven look that much more beautiful.
"You know what." He ran a thumb across my lips. "Right now is not the time to play with me. You smell like goddamn sex, and I'm already on edge after you were knocked out for so long."
It was true, he had wrapped himself around me last night, and I was honestly surprised that he had let me out of his sight today. I spoke softly, running my hand against his neck. "I'm here now, though.”
"I don't like that bastard," he rumbled, pressing his forehead to mine after holding me closer for a minute.
"Zander?"
"I don't like how he looks at you," he admitted.
"I saw it, Draven... I saw what is coming for us. I will not lose you guys. I refuse to have that be an option," I mumbled, feeling slightly embarrassed at my blunt words.
His eyes heated on my face as his wings snapped in. I moaned against his lips as he pressed me against the wall fully, one hand wrapping around the back of my neck and the other gripping my hip in a hard hold. A shiver rolled over me as he pulled back, leaving me flushed.