Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 34989 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34989 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Nolan trailed after him, desperate to clean up this new mess. “Nothing is going on. No one else is here. It’s just me, and I’m running behind on my latest book. I’ve got a deadline, Sky, and I can’t afford to miss it, especially after all the money I’ve shelled out on Owen.”
Sky narrowed his eyes on him as he walked past him in the hall, heading to the living room. He plopped down on the center cushion of the couch with a bounce and folded his arms over his chest, giving him a very implacable glare. Nolan stood over him and a thought slapped him hard. Sky wasn’t wearing one of his beautiful vests today. He was in a bulky navy-blue sweater with dragonflies covering it. Each one was a unique kaleidoscope of colors, and it made Nolan want to smile. His witch was always full of colors.
But Sky wasn’t his witch. Couldn’t be his witch. Or Christoph would hurt him.
He shook his head hard to clear it. Maybe it would be a good idea if he packed up his computer and a bag of clothes. He’d do the same thing he did with Owen—buy a ticket on the first flight heading out of Hartford. He could figure out the rest after he put a couple of thousand miles between himself and the vampires.
“Nolan, please, tell me what’s going on. Let me help you.” The wicked little witch had switched tactics now that he was in the house and was going with a gentle touch to wear Nolan down. Like that was going to work.
Fuck, it probably was.
He was so fucking tired, and he didn’t know what to do next. How the hell did someone get free of a vampire?
“You look exhausted. More exhausted than you were when we were trying to find your brother. You’re pale and the circles under your eyes are so dark,” Sky continued, and Nolan turned away from him, pacing to the other side of the room. It was better if Sky didn’t see any more than that. A cold, clammy sweat broke out across his skin and he clenched his hands into fists to keep them from shaking.
“Who’s that man?”
“He’s none of your business,” Nolan snapped, refusing to turn and face Sky.
“Every time I mention him, you get more anxious and defensive. Grammy seems to think that he’s a vampire, but I know he can’t be a vampire because of the wards I put on your house. My wards are damn good, Nolan. There’s no way I’d take a risk with your safety. I double-and-triple-checked them. No vampire could come in here unless…”
Sky’s voice drifted off and Nolan tried so fucking hard to not flinch.
“Nolan, please. Even if he’s not a vampire, but a normal fucking guy, let me help you. I can be helpful or scary for normal old criminals, too.”
He cracked. His chest had become earth that had gone far too long without a drop of water. It split open, exposing all his feelings of pain, frustration, and humiliation.
“I fucked up, Sky,” he choked out.
Suddenly, a set of arms wrapped around him from behind, squeezing him so tight Nolan almost thought the necromancer could pull the two fragmented sides together. Sky pressed his face into Nolan’s back, right between his shoulder blades. He kissed him through his thick hoodie, and the suffocating pain receded enough for him to take a breath.
“Everything can be fixed,” Sky stated, his voice slightly muffled by the hoodie.
“No—”
“It can,” Sky interrupted, his tone immovable. “It might not always be fixed how we want it to be, but things can always be fixed.”
Nolan allowed Sky to pull him over to the sofa. They sat together, the witch keeping an arm on his waist, holding him close, while Nolan rested his elbows on his knees and dropped his face into his hands.
“I don’t want to bother you with this, too. It’s bad enough you got pulled into that bullshit my brother stirred up, but now I…fuck…all this time, I thought I had my shit together but I’m no different from Owen. Just another fucking idiot.”
Sky’s hand squeezed his waist. “Don’t talk like that! You’re not like your brother. Owen had no problem putting his own flesh and blood in danger. You would never do that!”
Nolan’s head jerked up, and he glared at Sky. “Which is all the more reason for you to leave right this second! I told you to stay away!”
Despite shouting right in his face, Sky didn’t flinch. No, the crazy necromancer actually smiled at him. A big dopey grin. He even sighed. “Grammy said you were trying to protect me, and she was right. You are the sweetest man.”
“Sky, I’m serious.”
“I know, but you’re so hot when you’re angry and protective.”
Nolan clapped his hands loudly in front of Sky’s face, getting him to at least blink away the dreamy look in his green eyes. “Focus! Scary people who could kill you. That’s what I’m talking about.”