Archive of Our Own

I trudged back to my apartment after another long day at the LCBI office. My feet ached as I kicked my shoes off and headed straight for the couch, collapsing with a weary sigh.

It had been one case after another all week, multiple interrogations, and a million other time-limited tasks that needed to be completed. Ever since the election, it seemed like instead of helping the issues in Linkon, things were just getting worse. Riots had spilled over from the Southern District into the North, and despite the new mayor’s promise to take action, the only people who had been working overtime were the Enforcers, all of us left to clean up the mess from the increased Praedator activity.

And now that everyone knew I was immune to the Praedator virus, the bureau chief was putting me in charge of the majority of our violent Praedator prisoners since I wouldn’t be such a liability. At least it was still better than being on Ever’s hit list, though I knew that was still a looming possibility, especially as things escalated.

Lying back more comfortably, I scrolled idly through my phone, looking through texts that needed to be answered before tomorrow.

Once that was done, I finally closed my eyes and wondered if eating dinner was worth losing even an extra hour of sleep that night.

My phone rang before I had the chance to make that decision. I almost didn’t pick it up, but if it was another emergency I couldn’t really ignore it.

“Yeah?” I asked rather grumpily as I answered the call.

“I need a favor.”

I sat up, instantly alert as I heard the familiar voice on the other line. “Sylus?”

I hadn’t seen Sylus since right after the election. I figured he was busy with NightStrix business. I hadn’t asked for details about what he had done during the election even though I knew he had rigged it to hell and back to make sure that Ever wasn’t allowed to keep their puppet in office—and I couldn’t say that I disapproved of that. That being said, the less I knew, the better for both of us. Though I had been worried about him with the continued silence.

“Yes, it’s me,” he said, voice a little rough. “Can you do it?”

“I don’t even know what this favor is?” I demanded.

A huff of half annoyance, half amusement sounded on the other end of the line. “It’s nothing you haven’t done for me a million times in the past. I need you to run a package.”

“Why can’t you do it?”

“Because I have too many tails. So, do any of my reliable men.” I heard the muffled sound of gunfire on the other end and frowned even deeper.

“Sylus, where are you?”

“Don’t worry about that,” he said, too calm. The same voice he’d used when he woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me we had to leave because someone was after him again—or me. I could hear the sound of a gun magazine being expelled and another clicked into place, picturing him doing it one-handed. “Luke and Kieran will meet you behind the bar on 28^th. I trust you know where that is?”

“Of course, but what is this—”

“I knew I could count on you, sweetie.”

He ended the call as another gunshot was cut off. I swore, half wanting to call him back, but knowing that I shouldn’t if he was in a tight spot.

I quickly changed out of my Enforcer uniform, lacing up my heavy boots and slinging a leather jacket on over my tank top to hide my holster before heading out on my motorcycle.

I probably should have pressed Sylus more about what this ‘errand’ entailed, but old habits die hard. And I knew he had called me because he could rely on me. And despite the fact that we were technically working on opposite sides now, I trusted Sylus to at least do bad things to bad people. Most of the time he was after the same culprits the LCBI was, we just had different ways to go about it.

I got to the bar and parked out back. I saw Sylus’s right-hand men climb out of the inconspicuous car parked on the side of the road a little ways down, their masked faces and dark outfits identical.

“Hey, boys,” I greeted the twins.

“Miss Enforcer, good to see you again,” Kieran said with a nod. “Boss said you would take this for us—we have too many eyes on us.”

I took the small package he handed to me, and looked it over briefly. “Where is it going?”

Luke handed me a slip of paper. “Boss’s instructions.”

“Thanks,” I replied, giving them a look. “Where is Sylus, anyway?”

“Cleaning up,” Luke said vaguely.

“Ever?”

They shifted silently, but didn’t confirm or deny.

“Right,” I muttered. “Well, tell him to call me when he’s done. I want to keep up to date.” I tucked the package into my inner coat pocket. “And you two be safe as well.”

I remounted my motorcycle as the twins saluted and headed back to their car. I sat on my bike and opened the note to read under a flickering streetlamp.

It was just an address written in Sylus’s bold scrawl but I recognized it instantly.

“Sylus, what are you having me do?” I muttered as I put my helmet back on.

I almost wanted to look into the package to see what it was, but decided that it was probably best to stay as innocent as possible in this case. I was at least confident it wasn’t a bomb, but sometimes the less showy displays were more explosive.

I drove through the mostly deserted streets. Even the Northern District had been quiet after sundown recently due to increased Praedator activity. Only a few Enforcers and Police officers even bothered to patrol during the night since we were all stretched so thin these days, so chances were, if you got attacked, no one would be around to help you.

As the row of large, fancy homes came into view, I slowed down and parked outside the address listed. I’d never been there personally, but I’d seen it on the news a couple times during the election. It belonged to the previous mayor, the one who we now knew without a doubt had been in Ever’s pocket. I was also pretty sure that Ever had been the cause of all the recent disruption, considering Sylus had made sure his opponent won. Ever was determined to get their puppet back into office by making him look as bad as they could, but they had truly underestimated their opponent.

However, if they somehow managed to kill our new Mayor or completely ruin his public reputation, then things would only likely escalate further.

I didn’t want Ever in control of Linkon anymore. So, whatever Sylus was planning, I was willing to go along with it. Despite my better judgement.

I parked my bike in front of the house and strode up the drive before simply depositing the package through the mail slot. If there were security cameras to catch me, then I would just look like any other currier.

I headed back to my bike and drove off. It was already after midnight and I was ready to get some sleep and forget about Sylus’s covert missions until tomorrow.

I rounded a corner to head back in the direction of my apartment and saw a roadblock ahead of me, the glow of fire throwing sparks into the night as several Praedators moved from an already burning car to another that they had caught in their trap.

I was already off my bike, reaching for my gun, when they wrenched open the door, hauling the screaming passengers out.

“LCBI, release them!” I shouted, leveling my gun at the Praedators.

One whipped around, and the other sneered and bared his fangs to bite the victim’s neck.

I shot the Praedator in the shoulder and he jerked back, dropping the intended victim.

I rushed forward, kicking him away and slid across the hood of the car to tackle the other Praedator who was wrestling with the passenger for the door.

“Go!” I shouted to the intended victims.

The driver scrambled back up and got into the car, slamming the door before reversing with a screech of tires.

I raised my gun again, when I was tackled from behind; the Praedator I had shot pulled me down hard.

My head slammed into the ground and I was thankful I was still wearing my helmet otherwise I probably would have been out instantly. The impact still rattled through my skull and I dazedly saw the flash of a knife as the Praedator grabbed me.

I rolled away as the blade descended but hissed as it sliced across my lower back. I brought my gun up, getting off a wild shot before the other Praedator grabbed my arms in a bruising grip and yanked them over my head, forcing me flat against the concrete.

The Praedator with the knife licked my blood from his blade as he sat on my legs so I couldn’t struggle.

“Let’s see the color of your insides, little Enforcer.”

There was a bang and his head exploded, covering my helmet in a spray of red.

I flinched to the side instinctively as the other Praedator was also taken out.

The first one had collapsed onto me, but the heavy weight was soon yanked away as if it were nothing.

“I thought you didn’t need me to hold your hand anymore.”

I looked up through the gore on my visor to see Sylus standing over me, blood smeared across his cheek and leather jacket.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

He smirked as he reached down to retrieve my gun before offering a hand to help me up. I ignored it and stood, snatching my gun from him.

“Was on my way home when I saw a kitten in trouble.”

I grunted, holstering my gun again, but winced as I tried to take a step, the cut on my back throbbing.

Sylus took my shoulder and turned me around, peeling my shirt up to look at it. I shivered, though whether it was from the exposure to the air or the brush of his skin against mine, I wasn’t sure.

“I’ll take you home.”

“That’s not necessary…” I tried, but he was already herding me toward his own motorcycle that he’d parked by mine.

“But my bike!”

“I’ll have Luke and Kieran pick it up. It will be back at your place by morning.”

I was too tired to protest and my head still hurt so I was honestly grateful to not have to drive.

I got on the bike behind him and wrapped my arms around Sylus’s waist as he started the bike with a low throaty rumble. I couldn’t hear his breath hitch, but I felt him tense as my hand found a wet spot on his side.

“Sylus, you’re hurt,” I protested.

“It’s nothing,” he said, kicking the clutch and forcing me to tighten my grip as he sped through the deserted streets, ignoring all the speed limits.

I leaned against his back, setting my palm gently over the blood-soaked rip in his shirt, remembering all the times he’d come back hurt from jobs. It had taken years for him to agree to let me help tend his wounds before he would collapse on the couch in whatever safehouse we were staying in and finally give in to his exhaustion. Despite the fact that Sylus had never sugar-coated the life we lived back then, the true depravity even humans were capable of, he had always been hesitant to show me his own weaknesses, playing off even serious wounds as nothing so I wouldn’t worry. It was the same logic that had kept him from telling me he had been turned into a Praedator until long after I thought he was dead. It still annoyed me, but he was getting better about it. Better about letting me in.

Sylus parked outside my apartment building and I slid off the bike, taking the helmet off and cringing at the thought of having to wash it.

Sylus chuckled and took it from me, setting it on his bike seat. “I’ll take care of it.”

He took my elbow and led me inside. I leaned tiredly against the wall in the elevator as we got to my floor and dug the keys out of my pocket.

“You can shower if you want,” I told him.

“No, I’m just here to tend your wound,” he said.

I narrowed my eyes at him as I stepped inside, throwing my keys onto the table by the door. “Only if I get to see yours.”

“Ari…”

“Fair’s fair.”

I grabbed his jacket and dragged him toward the couch before I shoved him down. He collapsed onto the couch with a grunt, brows knitting together indignantly. I ignored him and went to grab my first aid kit, quickly washing the Praedator blood off of me.

I slid my jacket off and threw it into the tub. I would have to clean it later. My holsters and gun were tossed onto the coffee table as I came back out and was glad to see Sylus still sitting where I’d left him, watching me with a sort of fond amusement.

“I’ll heal perfectly fine…ahh.”

I knelt in front of him and unceremoniously yanked his shirt up to reveal the long gash under his ribs. His abs clenched and his hands fisted against the couch as I probed it, checking the depth and making sure there wasn’t anything stuck in it.

“You never did have the best bedside manner,” he grunted.

I ignored him and reached for a pack of gauze, soaking it with antiseptic before pressing it to the wound.

Sylus hissed and I grabbed his hip to steady him.

“So, what were you doing tonight?” I asked casually as I patted the wound clean.

Sylus exhaled slowly. “Ah, I see; so, this is an interrogation?”

I looked up at him with narrowed eyes. “Can’t tell me?”

“I thought you didn’t want to know.” He grunted as I pressed harder, huffing a laugh. “Interesting techniques, Miss Enforcer—I could really use a practiced torturer like you on my payroll.”

I tossed the dirty gauze onto the floor and took out a tube of cream and fresh gauze. “I know you’re still going after Ever.”

He huffed. “Luke and Kieran have big mouths.”

“They didn’t have to say anything.” I slathered the antibacterial cream over the gauze and placed it over the wound. I grabbed the medical tape and started to tape it into place. “I just…want you to be safe, Sylus.”

“You’re worried about me?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I demanded, glowering up at him.

My expression softened though as I saw how tired he looked, dark circles under his eyes, a slight bruise on his jaw. I finished taping the gauze in place and gently rolled his shirt back down.

Sylus sighed and leaned forward, his hand landing over mine. “Your concern is endearing, but you should know by now that it’s neither necessary nor will it change anything I do.” He smirked. “However, if it makes you feel any better, I will come see my little torturer nurse to put me back together when all is said and done.”

I glowered at him. “I’d rather you tell me to begin with so I’m not forced to resort to interrogation.”

He chuckled, and a tired, fond look appeared on his face. “Well, I can’t say I’m entirely against your…methods.”

It was only then I realized that I was literally kneeling between his legs and my face heated just a little. I pulled my hand out of his and cleared my throat.

“Make sure to change the bandages,” I muttered as I stood up too quickly.

My head spun and the wound on my back pulled, causing me to stagger.

Sylus caught me by the hips and my hands landed on his shoulders. When my vision cleared I was looking into his garnet eyes that had softened to a worried gaze.

“Your turn, sweetie,” he said gently.

I sighed and sank down onto the couch as Sylus turned to me, taking my chin in his hand.

“Look at me,” he murmured.

I blinked and met his eyes again as he tilted my head to either side.

“No concussion,” he concluded.

“That’s good at least,” I muttered.

He smiled and tapped the couch as he shifted onto the edge of it. “Lay down on your stomach.”

I did as he said, hugging one of the couch pillows under my cheek. His hands were gentle as he rolled my shirt up, fingers grazing across the sensitive skin around the wound. Goosebumps crawled up my spine and over my belly, but were soon replaced by a warmer tingling as he hummed.

“It’s a clean cut. Not too deep.”

He reached for the medical supplies and I buried my face in the pillow to hide my flush as he started to clean the wound. I squirmed at the sting and he sighed, his other hand wrapping around my hip to hold me still.

“It will only take a couple minutes. Be good.”

I grunted, but his calloused fingers were warm curled against my lower belly and I actually tried to focus more on the pain than anything else I was feeling.

Soon though, the exhaustion was starting to win out over everything and I felt my eyes slipping shut as Sylus continued.

He finally finished, efficient, yet gentle, taping a bandage in place before pulling back.

I started to blink my eyes open as I felt the weight of a blanket settle over top of me.

“Remember to change your bandages,” he said, a fond smile in his voice.

I grunted and made to sit up before Sylus’s hand pressed against my shoulder, keeping me down.

“Rest.

I shut my eyes again with a weary sigh, giving in, too tired to continue any kind of interrogation for the night.

The last thing I felt was Sylus’s hand stroking my hair before I fell asleep.

~~~~~~~

Sylus wasn’t there when I woke up the next morning—not that I had expected him to be, but I was still aware of the loss of his presence.

I sat up groggily, body protesting, stretching out my sore muscles.

My leather jacket and helmet had been cleaned and sat on the coffee table beside my keys—Luke and Kieran must have brought my bike back as promised. I got up to make coffee and took a quick shower while it was brewing.

I checked my wound and put on a new bandage, hoping Sylus had done the same. I knew in reality that Praedators healed quicker and weren’t as susceptible to infections but that didn’t give him the right to ignore his health. He’d never been good with taking care of himself properly.

I was just making toast to go with my coffee when my phone rang. I sighed and went back to the living room to pick it up, seeing it was one of the other Enforcers on my team.

“Yeah?” I answered tiredly, taking a sip of my coffee.

“You need to come in as soon as possible,” my colleague’s voice was serious.

“What happened?”

“The previous mayor shot himself this morning.”

I nearly choked on my coffee, setting the cup down and forcing air into my lungs. “You’re sure?”

“The investigation is still ongoing. You should head directly over there.”

“Right. See you there, then.”

I ended the call and instantly called Sylus. The phone rang and rang until I got the voicemail. I swore.

“Sylus, call me back when you can.”

I punched the button to end the call and shoved the phone into my pocket, grabbing my overcoat and holster as I headed out the door.

The scene at the old mayor’s house was grisly but pretty straight forward. The maid had found him that morning in his office, the gun still in his hand. CSI had already taken over the area, marking any potential clues.

“Is there any evidence as to why he did it?” I asked.

One of the other Enforcers shook her head. “No. He didn’t even leave a note.”

I frowned. “And we’re sure he did it himself?”

The medical examiner looked up at me and nodded definitively. “We’re pretty positive. There’re no signs of foul play.”

I tapped my chin, trying to keep my agitation at bay.

My phone suddenly rang and I pulled it out of my pocket.

I glanced down and saw Sylus’s name on the caller ID. “I have to get this,” I said to the other Enforcers before heading out the front door.

I answered the call, hearing Sylus’s voice instantly on the other end. “I take it you heard the news?”

I lowered my voice, making sure there was no one within hearing distance. “What the hell was in that package last night?”

“Easy, sweetie, it wasn’t anything dangerous. Just some…incriminating evidence.”

“The man is dead, Sylus.”

“He had the choice of what to do with the information I sent. And it seems he chose the coward’s way out. If he had refused my terms and I had made the information public, Ever would have done away with him quietly anyway. I guess he decided to take the initiative.”

“You blackmailed him,” I realized.

“You sound surprised.”

I sighed. “Not really, just…what the hell did you have on him? I knew he was dirty but…”

He chuckled. “Oh, it had nothing to do with working for Ever. It was career ruining stuff—perhaps in retrospect a little too much considering his reaction, but it’s no loss in my opinion. Ever, however, has lost their pawn, and it will take them a while to groom another for office. I’ll see the city wiped clean of them before that time comes.”

“Are you ever going to let me in on this plan of yours?”

“That depends,” Sylus said, a little smugly. “Are you ever going to take me up on my offer to join my side?”

“You really think now is the time?”

“You’re the one who asked. I don’t share my plans with people outside my circle of operation.”

I growled. “Fine. Keep your secrets, I need to get back to work.”

“Careful, Ari,” he said, voice serious again. “Ever is regrouping and they will make a move soon. Since you’re a high priority target now, you need to keep that in mind. Even I don’t know how they’ll come at you.”

I shut my eyes briefly. “I know. You be careful too. We might have to bring you in for questioning again.”

He chuckled. “I look forward to it.”

I ended the call and headed back inside, watching CSI do their work.

When we had done all we could at the crime scene, we headed back to the LCBI offices for a day of briefings and meetings to decide where we would go from there with the investigation.

The rest of the week was much the same, mostly hauling in anyone who might have any information that could have led to the previous mayor’s death, or potentially more targets among the local government. All the interrogations came up with little to no information and just made me even more exhausted.

I knew that if Sylus was behind this, no information would be found. I just wished he would tell me his plan so I would at least know what to expect in the coming weeks or months. It would be me and my colleagues doing all the clean-up work, after all.

I wasn’t even surprised to see him being brought in via police escort—it wasn’t the first time the leader of NightStrix had been brought in, and thankfully, the LCBI was still out of the loop about Sylus moonlighting as the infamous Praedator assassin Tartarus.

The chief called me into the interrogation room and I headed there with my files, remaining professional as I opened the door and faced Sylus who was handcuffed to the table.

He smiled. “Ah, we meet again, Miss Enforcer Celest,” he said casually as if we were just getting coffee.

I slapped the files down on the table, remaining on my feet.

“What do you know about the previous mayor’s death?” I asked him.

He raised an eyebrow, glancing briefly toward the two-way mirror before he met my eyes, settling more comfortably in his chair.

“I heard about it on the news,” he said. “Tragic.”

“Mm, very,” I muttered and flipped through the files. “You were very supportive of his opponent in this last election. You made several huge donations to his campaign.”

Sylus smirked. “Yes, and my candidate won, so why would I have reason to kill off his deposed opponent?”

I shrugged. “I’m sure a powerful man like you could find a reason. Especially if there was blackmail involved. You deal in that kind of information, don’t you?”

“Here and there,” he said, bored. “But let me ask you this, Miss Enforcer—why would I blackmail him now after the election?”

I tapped my fingers on the desk. “A fair point.”

I straightened up and glanced toward the mirror.

Sylus watched me. “You’re wasting both of our time, Miss Enforcer.”

“Do you have a better tip for me, then?”

He smiled. “What will you give me for it if I do?”

“Depending on what you’re offering I’m sure we could strike some kind of deal.”

“I’ll think about it,” he said with an enigmatic smile.

I watched him for a long moment before I left the room and found the chief in the room next door, watching the interrogation. “He doesn’t have anything.”

The chief nodded reluctantly. “It was worth a try. Best let him go then, Celest.”

I sighed and nodded before heading back into the interrogation room, pulling out my handcuff keys. “You’re free to go, Mr. Sylus.”

“Much appreciated.”

I unlocked his wrists, noticing a bandage wrapped around his arm, mostly hidden by his sleeve. I paused, briefly running my thumb over it as he sighed.

“I’m all right, sweetie,” he said softly.

I shook myself and freed him, stepping back so he could stand up.

“A pleasure as always, Miss Enforcer.”

His hand touched mine as he passed me and I felt him press something into my palm. I quickly tucked it into my pocket as I escorted him out of the building.

Sylus’s effects were returned to him, and he slung his coat over his shoulders before heading out of the building. I could see Luke and Kieran waiting for him with the car. I snorted. He really hadn’t expected to be here long.

I headed to the restroom so I could look at what he had given me.

There’s going to be a riot tomorrow night. Make sure everyone is occupied. If everything goes well, I’ll see you after.

“Shit,” I muttered as I ripped up the note and flushed it down the toilet.

I hurried outside to see if Sylus had left and swore again as I realize he was long gone. I instantly called him but he refused to pick up.

I sent a text instead.

You better not be doing something stupid.

I didn’t get a reply. Worry gnawed at me as I wondered what the hell Sylus could be planning. Whatever it was, his plan had to be a lot further in the works than I had assumed and that pissed me off.

“I thought we had agreed to share intel, Sylus,” I muttered under my breath. “But here you go running off again to do things by yourself.”

I wanted to go to the NightStrix base and demand he explain, but as angry as I was, I could understand his reasoning. He had always preferred working missions alone, and after becoming a Praedator that had only become more of a habit. He was afraid of losing control, I knew that. He hated that being a Praedator meant he couldn’t always control himself like he had in the past. I knew why he didn’t want me around, and yet, he had also been the one to trust me with locking him up should he go into a frenzy.

And we both knew I was the only one who could help him.

At the end of the day, I would rather be there for him. Whether that meant finding a way to calm him down, or stopping him if that wasn’t an option. In this case, I assumed he was more afraid of Ever getting their hands on me than of what he might accidently do should he go into a frenzy.

I continued to try getting into contact, but I heard nothing from Sylus for the rest of the day, nor the next. When I got into work that morning, I went directly to the chief and explained that I had gotten a tip from an informant about the riot, likely incited further by the previous mayor’s unexpected demise. Tensions hadn’t been higher than they were now, and I knew things were going to come to a head, one way or another, that night.

An unease settled in my stomach along with…longing? I found myself wanting to see Sylus. If he was truly going off on a stupidly dangerous mission that night then I would have liked to see him. Maybe…just maybe it would finally give me the courage to say some of the things I had left unsaid for far too long.

I couldn’t help but think of that night we went to the drive-in movie, and I had given him the feather from the crow we had rescued together. The knowing look in his eye as he had accepted it.

“Do you know what it means when a bird gives you a feather?”

But I couldn’t think of that now. The entire force was on high alert, the LCBI chief meeting with the chief of police to discuss what needed to be done. Every Enforcer was on standby in the city by late afternoon, waiting for all hell to break loose.

It felt like the calm before the storm. I should have had enough practice waiting, considering all the times I had waited for Sylus to return home in the old days, not knowing if he was okay until the moment he walked through the door. I hated it. I hated it more than I ever had.

But I was soon unable to concern myself with Sylus’s safety. We heard over the comms that a fire had been started on the eastern side of the city. While most of our forces were heading over there, two more were started in the opposite direction. Fights began breaking out in the streets, Praedators attacked anyone who happened to be out, rioters and civilians alike, even before night fully fell.

We kept hoping it would die down as we made arrests and killed Praedators and stopped individual riots, but as soon as one group was stopped, another broke out in a different part of the city.

It wasn’t until after midnight that I realized that all of them were in a circle around the northern part of the city which had gone mostly untouched.

The northern part of the city where Ever headquarters was stationed.

“Shit. Sylus…”

There was nothing I could do though. I couldn’t abandon my post, not when another wave of Praedators were flooding the streets.

And then, just when everything was at its worst, an explosion ripped through the city.

Everyone stopped, Enforcers, rioters, and Praedators alike, staring toward the north where the glow of flames stretched into the night sky.

I stood there, staring. He had done it. He had actually done it.

News flew over the comms, requesting Enforcers for backup near the area to get any civilians out of there.

“I’ll go,” I told one of the other Enforcers working with me, already on the way back to my car as I confirmed my position over the comms.

I drove as quickly as I could toward the north, seeing the burning wreckage of Ever’s entire existence ahead of me. A deep satisfaction settled in my chest before I started directing civilians to safety and making sure any injured were seen by the overworked paramedics. The entire time I had my eye out for Sylus, but didn’t see him. I hoped he was okay.

It was a long night, but after the explosion, things died down and the streets were finally empty again. The chief told most of us to go home and rest before assessing the damage tomorrow.

It was only then that I was able to look at my phone and felt my heart in my throat as I saw a voicemail from Sylus that I had missed.

I shakily brought it to my ear, listening.

The sound of labored breathing could be heard on the other end and I went pale.

“I need you,” Sylus said, voice ending on a growl. “Bring—ugh—bring backup. You might need it.”

The voicemail cut out abruptly and I was already racing back to my car. I didn’t have to confirm where he was, I already knew.

This wouldn’t be the first time I saw him in full frenzy. I glanced down at the faint scar on the inside of my wrist from the last time, stomach twisting. Sylus had sounded bad. I didn’t want to know how long ago he had called, but I needed to get to him. I was the only one who could help him. I just hoped he wasn’t already too far gone.

Three Months Earlier

Sylus leaned on me heavily, his head ducked away from the sunlight as I unlocked the door to the motel room. I could hear his breathing growing more labored as he fought desperately to control the frenzy welling up inside of him.

We’d gotten unlucky during an investigation. Some cans of aerosolized frenzy enhancer had exploded and Sylus had been unable to escape them in time.

I could feel his body temperature rising, his heart pounding so loud and fast I could feel it pulsing through his veins. I knew he didn’t have much longer and I needed to lock him down quick.

He staggered inside, still leaning on my shoulder, as I hurriedly shoved the door open.

The room was musty and dirty, but it didn’t really matter at the moment. We just needed a place for Sylus to ride this out.

I heard the rattle of my handcuffs as Sylus stole them from my belt, lurching away from me.

“Hey! What are you doing?”

He locked one cuff around the metal frame of the dirty bed and the other around one wrist, sitting down heavily against the dented and peeling side table.

“You think those are actually going to hold you?” I asked. The cuffs were designed for Praedators, but they weren’t foolproof, especially not for an SSS-Class Praedator going into a frenzy.

He let out a wry chuckle. “I doubt it, which is why you need to leave. Now.”

I was already shutting the curtains fully, leaving only the bedside lamp on to light the room. “I’m not leaving you here alone. If you break out, that’s on me. I’m the Enforcer and on top of that, currently your supervisor while you’re cooperating with the LCBI. If you hurt an innocent that will go on my record.”

“And what if I hurt you?”

“You won’t.”

“Ari—”

“I’m not leaving, Sylus,” I said firmly, pulling a chair over and sitting in it, facing him as I crossed my arms over my chest.

He growled, doubling over as he fought against the drug that was currently trying to take over his system. “You have no idea what I’m like when I go into a frenzy,” he gritted out, his voice holding an animalistic growl. “All I want is blood. And you…” His eyes came up, fixating on the cut on my lower arm, a growl rumbling in his throat. “You’re bleeding. You smell…delectable.” He licked his lips, his breathing ragged as he obviously fought for control.

I pressed my lips together, fighting the shiver that ran down my spine. “I can call for suppressants,” I told him, pulling out my phone.

“Don’t,” he growled. “Your colleagues won’t exactly take kindly to finding out your NightStrix contact is actually an SSS-Class Praedator, will they?”

I sighed, knowing he was right. The moment they figured out that Sylus was actually Tartarus I knew he would be locked up and probably killed. No more VIP treatment for Mr. Sylus. “You’re right,” I admitted tiredly.

He didn’t say anything, simply slumped back into the corner between the bed and the side table. I watched, chewing my lip.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Leave.”

I firmly shook my head. “I already said I’m not doing that.”

He growled again, yanking against the cuff. The bed frame creaked worryingly but I still didn’t budge.

“You should stop fighting it,” I told him, watching him clench his jaw enough to make his teeth creak.

“I can’t,” he gritted out. “Not with you—”

I stepped forward and crouched in front of him boldly. His eyes met mine desperately.

“Ari…”

“Sylus, I trust you.”

“I don’t,” he said raggedly and there was vulnerability in his eyes, briefly overshadowing the frenzy light. “I…ugh…please…sweetie. It’s…it’s too much with you so close.” He turned away, squeezing his eyes shut, shuddering. “You have no idea…what you’re doing to me right now.”

I pressed my lips together, but nodded. I stood up, planning to get something to cover my wound, when he reached out and grabbed me with his free hand.

I gasped as his fingers dug into the cut on my arm. I tried to wrench my arm away, but his grip was twice as strong as usual.

“Sylus, let go,” I demanded.

He chuckled and licked his lips, all of my Sylus instantly seemed to disappear as the frenzy took over.

“Let you go? I don’t think so, little bird,” his voice was a growling purr, eyes flashing with predatory light. “Miss Special Enforcer is going to be the prey now.”

I grabbed my gun and pressed it to his head as he smirked up at me.

“Don’t make me shoot, Sylus,” I said firmly, bringing my foot up to push against his chest, keeping the distance between us.

“Oh? You think you actually have the guts to pull the trigger?” His frenzied eyes lit with excitement as he drew me even closer. “Go ahead, little bird. Put a bullet between my eyes. Put me out of my misery.”

The last few words ended on a growl and I clenched my jaw, shifting the gun to shoot just above his head, the bullet lodging in the wall.

He froze, several strands of hair falling to the ground and I used his surprise to shove him off, pulling my arm free.

Sylus snarled and wrenched at the cuffs again, the chain straining dangerously.

“That’s right, run away, little Enforcer. Leave the beast to his suffering.”

My heart clenched slightly at his words. I knew he wasn’t in his right mind right now, but it still hurt to think of just leaving him like this.

“Just let it work its way out,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm, though I was sure the cuffs wouldn’t hold him that long. I needed to do something—maybe I could find his activator? I assumed he had one, though he had never told me where it was.

He chuckled and I looked up at him again, seeing him wiggling his fingers at me. They were coated in red and I realized my arm was bleeding freely again.

“Let’s see how sweet you taste, my dear Enforcer,” he said.

“Sylus don’t!” I snapped, knowing that would only make things worse. I dashed across the room again to grab his wrist.

But he licked at the blood before I could stop him. I swore, catching the peculiar look that came over his face. His eyelids fluttered and he let out a shuddering breath.

“Sylus?” I asked, pausing, cautious.

His eyes lit with frenzied fever again and he chuckled darkly. “Oh, you taste better than I expected.”

He yanked at the cuffs and they finally gave, the chain snapping.

“Shit,” I gasped, staggering back as I snatched up my gun again, heart in my throat.

He was on me before I could make the decision to shoot, tackling me onto the bed, pinning me down.

I struggled, getting in a couple hits, but he knew all my moves—he had taught them to me.

My gun clattered to the floor and he grabbed hold of my wrist, bringing my bleeding arm to his lips.

He inhaled deeply, a shuddering growl escaping him. I shivered as his hot tongue found my wound.

“Sylus…don’t do this,” I said softly.

He smirked, practically nuzzling my wrist as his eyes met mine. “You’re the one who refused to run away, little bird. What do you expect when you dangle yourself in front of the beast like such a delicious morsel?”

I gasped as his teeth sank into my arm, reaching up to grab a fistful of his hair, trying to pull him away.

“Sylus! Stop it!”

He growled and started sucking on my wound, groaning in content. I felt the pull of blood loss, and blinked slightly. My fingers loosened in his hair as I took a shuddering breath, my cheeks flushed. I began to pant, feeling a warm, tingling sensation creep through my limbs and core—maybe it was just the blood loss, but…

Sylus suddenly pulled away, exhaling sharply. I glanced up, waiting for him to tear out my throat but I saw an odd look on his face instead as he stared at my wound.

He blinked and looked down at me, eyes slightly less frenzied.

I stared at him in confusion. Was my blood actually…helping?

“Ariadne…” he croaked before pulling back, lowering himself onto one elbow as his breathing became slightly uneven. He released my arm, fingers shuddering.

I scrambled into a sitting position, holding my bleeding arm to my chest. “Sylus…? Are you…?”

He looked up at me with a dazed blink, pupils dilated, but the frenzy was gone from them. He licked his lips almost lazily, slumping back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.

I leaned over him, carefully cupping his cheek, shaking him slightly. “Sylus.”

He took a deep breath and finally met my eyes again, looking just as surprised as I felt.

“Sorry, sweetie,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean…”

I cut him off, checking his vitals before wrapping my wound with a handkerchief. “It’s…it’s all right. I’m fine.” I hoped he was still too out of it to notice the blush still burning on my cheeks. I cleared my throat as I tried to make sense of what had happened.

“My blood…it seems to have an interesting effect.”

“So it would seem.” Sylus murmured, allowing his eyes to slide shut.

I didn’t know whether it was my immunity that caused my blood to be a suppressant rather than something that heightened frenzy in Praedators, but it had been a lucky discovery. Sylus had been grateful, tenderly caring for my wound once he recovered and placing a gentle kiss against my palm that had sent a new burst of warm fuzziness through my belly and dizziness that had nothing to do with blood loss.

I only hoped it hadn’t been a fluke because I was sure that Sylus would need my help now more than ever.

I pulled up at the NightStrix base and ran inside, instantly taking the elevator up to Sylus’s penthouse.

I threw the door open, ready for anything.

The room was dimly lit, the only light source a lamp that had been knocked off a table, casting dramatic shadows on the large birdcage that sat in the center of the room.

I felt my stomach clench at the sight, remembering when Sylus had first showed it to me, basically making me promise to lock him up there if he ever went into a frenzy.

He had made it there himself tonight, the door mechanism latched securely from the outside, but the man within…

“Sylus?” I asked cautiously as I took a careful step further into the room.

He slumped against the bars, chest heaving on labored breaths. He tilted his head toward me, shifting so that he gripped the bars, a low, desperate growl escaping him. He’d managed to put a muzzle on himself, but apparently hadn’t had time to lock himself down with the manacles.

“The…suppressants…” he groaned, body shuddering.

I glanced down at the floor of the cage, seeing several syringes lying there.

“They’re not working?” I asked.

He growled again and shook his head. “It’s…too strong.” His hand gripped the cage bars until his knuckles turned white. “It’s still…got its claws in me...hhngg.”

His back arched against the bars, eyes squeezing shut.

I moved closer, still cautious. “Let me help you.”

He took a shuddering breath, biting back a groan. “You came alone. Foolish.”

I pressed my lips together. “Sylus, you know I can stop this, just let me—”

He let out a desperate sound, half growl, half whimper, like a wolf in pain. “Just…make sure I can’t get out. I’ll ride it out, sweetie, I—agh!”

He slammed his hands into the bars and his eyes met mine, wild, as he bared his sharp teeth at me. “Come closer.”

I eyed him warily, knowing how dangerous this was. I had to lock him down, make sure he didn’t hurt anyone, or himself, until I was able to calm the frenzy down. I knew he was having an incredibly hard time controlling himself at the moment, and my presence likely only made it worse right now, but I also knew I was the only one who could help him and I couldn’t stand to see him suffering like this anymore.

I stepped up to the door and opened the cage, stepping inside.

He lifted his head, writhing against the bars as his eyes grazed over me like needy claws. I took him in. The outfit of leather and chains he wore plainly showed the wounds that covered his body. My stomach turned, clearly imagining the fight he had put up against his enemies.

I bent to pick up a chain on the floor that had a manacle attached to it.

Sylus watched with derision, chuckling. “What? You gonna chain me up like a bad dog?” he sneered.

“Yeah,” I said firmly. “I am. Are you going to be a good boy and cooperate or am I going to have to use force?”

Sylus laughed, the sound like gravel under tires, as he started to climb to his feet.

I lunged and snapped the manacle around his wrist, wrapping the chain around my hand as I looked for a place to secure it.

“Oh? Got me on a leash now? I see how it is.”

He lunged at me and I quickly hooked the chain around one of the bars before ducking out of his grasp and stepping to the other side of the cage. The fingers of his free hand grazed me but he couldn’t quite reach. Sylus growled and tugged the chain.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner,” I said as I bent to pick up the other manacle. “The riots got out of hand. But I guess they did their work. You got everyone out of the way.”

Sylus chuckled again. “You’re sorry? If you’re really sorry you’ll come closer, my little bird. Let me get a taste of you.”

“In a minute,” I told him. “I’ll let you have what you need, but you need to calm down first.”

I stepped forward slowly, waiting, watching his nostrils flare slightly on a huff.

When he made his next move, I ducked in and grabbed his wrist. Before I could lock his other hand down though, he yanked, pulling me off balance. He was on his feet again in a second, pressing me against the bars, grabbing the chain I held and running it through his fingers.

“You think I can’t just take what I want?” he whispered, leaning in close. His teeth grazing my ear, breath hot.

I felt my breath catch, heat rushing through my body, terror and…other feelings…swiftly taking charge. The chain pressed against my throat as he pinned me fully with the weight of his body. The bars dug into my back and I could feel the satisfied growl rumble through his chest as I fought for breath.

I found my faculties again though, and drew my gun with my free hand.

I’m sorry, Sylus, I apologized silently before I shot him in the hip.

Sylus cried out and staggered back. I manacled his other hand and kicked his feet out from under him, bringing him down and straddling his hips.

He gritted his teeth, bucking under me, but I held firm, applying pressure to the fresh bullet wound with my knee as I grabbed his throat with my free hand, forcing his head back in a submissive gesture.

“I’m trying to help you,” I snapped firmly. “You called me to help you, Sylus. So, let me do it.”

He gave a shuddering growl, eyes rolling slightly, teeth bared.

“I know you need my blood,” I coaxed him, already loosening my collar, unbuttoning my shirt enough to expose my throat. I saw Sylus’s pupils dilate, his gaze focused on my pulse. It was practically throbbing with my erratic heartbeat.

“Tempting me…you should know better,” he said, hoarsely, his throat bobbing against my palm.

I grabbed the leather strap across his chest and pulled him upright. “I’m not tempting, I’m offering.”

He took a shuddering breath. “I don’t know if I…can control myself…”

“You did before,” I insisted. “I trust you.”

He groaned, shutting his eyes briefly as he collapsed back against the bars again. He grabbed my hand that still held the gun and brought it up to press against his chest firmly.

“Sylus,” I started.

He ground his teeth. “Keep it here.” He growled. “Just…in case.”

I wrenched my wrist from his grasp and threw the gun across the cage. Sylus watched in horror, before his eyes returned to me as I raised my arm to my mouth.

“We’re doing this my way this time,” I told him and bit into my wrist over the scar he had left before until I tasted the salty tang of my own blood seeping into my mouth.

He watched, rapt, lips parted as his breath stilled—it was like he was just waiting to pounce.

I didn’t give myself time to think about what I was doing. As soon as I pulled my wrist away I leaned in and kissed him.

Sylus froze on a sharp inhale, but soon the rattle of chains scraped across the floor of the cage and his hands found my waist, hauling me onto his lap. His tongue slid across my lips before delving deeper, seeking every drop of blood that remained. His sharp teeth caught my tongue, but I bit into his lip hard enough to make him hiss.

He pulled away with a shudder, eyes slightly hazy, the need and desire plain in his expression as he fought against the base instincts of the frenzy, licking his own blood from his lower lip. His hands tightened around my waist, digging in enough to bruise.

I collected more blood on my fingers and painted it over his lips as his eyes fluttered shut.

“It’s okay, Sylus,” I said softly as he licked the blood away greedily, sucking on my fingers, his restraint obvious. “It’s okay.”

I slid my hand behind his head as he let out a pained moan, hauling me only closer to his burning body. I carefully unhooked the muzzle, my heart pounding the whole time as I let it fall to the floor, fighting every bit of training I had ever been given at the LCBI.

I leaned in. “Let me help you,” I whispered in his ear.

He let out a shuddering breath and buried his face in my neck.

I gasped as I felt his teeth sink in. For a brief moment, I thought about how stupid this was as I felt my own hot blood drip down my neck. But then a not entirely unpleasant heat filled me and I forgot everything else as I closed my eyes and let Sylus drink.

He removed his teeth and sucked the blood from my veins, mouth burning against my sensitive skin. I couldn’t stop the whimper from escaping as I held onto him tightly, the sensation both disturbing and, admittedly, rather sensual. I was nothing more than prey trapped by the predator. I could only trust that Sylus would know when to stop.

I began to feel faint and pressed wordlessly against Sylus’s chest, but he was already pulling back, his body a lot heavier now. He stopped drinking, nuzzling my neck, licking almost gently across the bitemark as if in apology as he gave a shuddering exhale, wrapping me in his arms.

“Ari,” he whispered.

I lay against his chest, one hand softly petting his wild hair as he came down from the frenzy. As I could feel his body temperature and heartbeat slowly return to normal I finally pulled back, feeling heavy and a little woozy from the blood loss. I cupped Sylus’s face in my hands and he looked up at me with remorseful eyes.

“You always know exactly what I need,” he whispered. “How am I… so lucky?”

He slumped back, unconscious, or near enough.

I reached out to unlock the manacles, rubbing my thumb across the bruising on his wrists.

I stood shakily, my hand going to my neck where blood still trickled a little from the puncture marks in the meat of my shoulder.

I shifted Sylus down onto his side and left him as he was for the moment, unable to move him myself. I staggered out of the cage, legs shaking and headed toward his bathroom.

The florescent lights flared bright, hurting my eyes as I finally caught sight of myself in the mirror.

The bruising on my neck was obvious, though Sylus had been gentler than I had expected. I felt another flush wash over me as I stared at the mark of his teeth, but I shook myself and tugged my bloody shirt off. I cleaned the wound there as well as the one on my wrist and taped some gauze over them.

My clothes were filthy from working through the riots all day and I simply stole one of Sylus’s sweaters. It was big enough to be a dress on me and I rolled the sleeves up comfortably, before heading back out to the room with the first aid kit.

I went back into the cage and knelt beside Sylus, first doing my best to extricate the top part of his outfit before I started to inspect and clean his wounds, wincing as I cleaned and bandaged the wound from my own bullet in his hip.

He stirred grunting slightly, his brows furrowing in discomfort as he finally blinked his eyes open again, staring at me blearily.

“Hey,” I greeted with a small smile. “How are you feeling?”

He exhaled slowly. “Still coming down. But… I have my head.”

I nodded, pulling back. “Do you think you can make it to the bed?”

Sylus sighed wearily, but nodded.

I helped him to his feet. He shook like a newborn calf, leaning on me heavily.

But even though I wasn’t in the best shape myself, I managed to get him out of the cage and across the room.

Sylus fell onto his bed with a sharp exhale. With difficulty, I helped remove his bloodstained leather pants, trying not to let him see my blush, then treated the rest of his wounds.

I finished bandaging the wound on his hip, wrapping gauze around his waist to keep the padding in place.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, fingers grazing apologetically over his side.

He chuckled tiredly. “You did what you had to, sweetie. I’m not upset about that. I’m sorry I lost myself.”

I shook my head. “It’s not your fault. It’s over now, anyway.”

He caught my hand as I finished tucking in the bandage. His thumb rubbed across my knuckles contemplatively, before he looked up at me as if he wanted to say something but wasn’t sure how to.

I felt my own words catch in my throat for the moment as Sylus rubbed his thumb across the bandage around my wrist. I thought he was going to say something finally but he simply sighed and released my hand.

I turned away to clean up the first aid supplies, the silence between us awkward.

“How is your neck?” he finally asked.

I turned back around and the loose collar of his sweater chose that moment to fall over my shoulder, exposing the bandage fully. His eyes locked on the bare skin and I tugged it back up a little, looking away again. “It’s fine.” I flashed a small smile.

He pushed himself up on an elbow and caught my chin gently in his fingers, tilting my head to one side as he peeled the bandage up to inspect the wound before taping it back down, seeming to be satisfied.

“Thank you…for coming,” he said sincerely, his fingers tracing gently over the bandage before they grazed my collarbone, making me shiver. “I hate hurting you like this, but…”

I shook my head and captured his hand again, threading our fingers together. It felt right, comfortable. “Sylus, if I have the ability to help, then I’m going to do it, whether you like it or not.”

He smirked a little. “Of course. I shouldn’t have expected any less from such a dedicated Special Enforcer. I’m just sorry you had to see me like that.”

I smiled gently at him. “I didn’t mind so much.” A little flush warmed my cheeks and I started to get up to put the first aid kit back into the bathroom when Sylus stopped me.

“Ariadne.”

I turned to look at him, seeing an incredibly vulnerable look in his eyes. I remained frozen as he huffed and leaned in.

His lips pressed against mine, soft, and warm. This kiss was not needy or hungry, it was full of a sweet longing. I shifted slightly and parted my lips as our breath mingled. His hands went to my hips again, smoothing the oversized sweater over the bruises he’d left there, before he pulled me down on top of him.

I gasped but went willingly, meeting his lips again the second we parted.

I finally pulled back, hands on his shoulders, both of us flushed as our eyes met.

“I love you too,” he said.

I furrowed my brow a little. “But I never—”

He smirked. “Oh? So you still claim not to know what it means to give someone a feather?”

I flushed harder. “I—I just thought you should have it…for…for helping the crow…”

But I couldn’t play innocent forever. After all, when I had given it to him, I didn’t quite understand why it had felt like such a big thing. I think deep down I had known that it would be significant, tentatively hoping that he might see it as more than just a simple keepsake…

“It’s all right, I understand why my little bird gave it to me,” Sylus said with a soft smile. “Some people are meant to be bound together by the strings of fate. I think that the fact that you are the only person who can effectively tame the beast inside me…well, what more could I ask for?”

I smiled and brushed his hair out of his face. “I suppose when you put it that way…”

He rolled over onto his side, still holding me close to him, a sound almost like a purr rumbling in his chest. “I suppose I could get used to you being my tamer, Miss Enforcer.”

I cuddled up to his chest, feeling his weight relax against me so we were comfortably pressed together, limbs tangled. “It seems I have little choice in the matter.”

~~~~~~~

I slept like the dead, and so did Sylus, both of us worn out after the previous night’s events.

When I woke it was to his warm comfortable embrace, one of his arms tucked around me, heavy.

I hated the thought of waking him, but he still seemed to be fast asleep so I kissed his cheek gently and slipped out of his grasp. I grabbed my phone before padding out onto the balcony to call the office.

The morning light was a calming glow over the wreckage of the city. From the top of Sylus’s penthouse I could see the distant burned remains of the Ever headquarters. Though aside from that, the city seemed quiet.

I scrolled through the news feed first, seeing multiple headlines saying that this seemed to finally be the end of Ever. Apparently, in addition to Sylus destroying their HQ the night before, early that morning tons of documents had been leaked, confirming that they had been responsible for the Praedator outbreak, and subsequently the riots that had been an attempt to get the newly appointed mayor out of office before he had even started his term. Needless to say, public opinion of Ever was at an all-time low.

There had already been a press-conference with the mayor that morning as he talked about the next steps Linkon would take to make the city a safer place and getting into contact with researchers who would be able to actually work on a potential antidote for the virus.

It seemed like things really were looking up, and the simple idea of being free of Ever’s shadow felt like a huge weight off my chest.

I called the LCBI office and all of the information I had received was confirmed by the chief. A little selfishly, I had informed him that I had been injured the night before and wouldn’t be able to come in. He didn’t even ask for a doctor’s note, simply told me good work and to get some rest for the next couple days while I worked on my reports. I would take it.

I ended the call and headed back inside to see Sylus stirring, his hand wandering across the sheets, frowning as he hit the cold spot I had been lying in.

“Good morning,” I said, standing by the bed, feeling a little self-conscious.

Sylus’s eyes opened and he sat up, cringing at the light from the half open balcony window. The blankets slid down to pool around his waist and I flushed slightly seeing the full expanse of his muscular, tattooed torso lit perfectly by the light of the morning sun.

He grunted and rubbed at his eyes. “I thought you had left, sweetie.”

I shook my head, holding up my phone. “No. I just had to call into the office. I apparently have been granted the next couple days off.”

“Oh?” Sylus raised an eyebrow, brushing his hair back.

I nodded. “It seems you were successful. Ever is done. The information that was leaked has made sure the public will never trust them again. It looks like things are finally looking up.”

He seemed satisfied but I leaned over and punched him in the shoulder. He grunted.

“You should have told me, Sylus.”

He sighed, leaning back against the pillows again. “They were living in your shadow, sweetie. I was literally out there every day making sure they didn’t get their hands on you.”

I was silent, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Any involvement would have only put you further into their path. I barely got out,” Sylus added.

I finally nodded after a long moment. “I get it. But from now on…” I met his eyes. “I want to be equal partners.”

“Oh?” Sylus said with interest. “Does that mean you’re finally accepting my invitation to join NightStrix?”

“No, not quite that far,” I said, my lips quirking up. “But, I want you to continue to cooperate as an informant for the LCBI, and I will aid you with any missions you need my help with—as long as they are not blatantly illegal.”

He chuckled reaching out to pull me closer to him. “A quid-pro-quo, I see. And what else does this partnership entail, Miss Enforcer?”

“We can discuss…other benefits,” I teased.

“Hmm.” He hummed and finally succeeded in pulling me down into his arms again. “Well, in that case, I suggest the first benefit is keeping me company while I recover. It’s only fair since you seem to have already decided one of these extra benefits is stealing my clothes.”

I flushed a little with a smirk. “I suppose I’ll accept that as a trade-off.”

“Good.” He pulled the blanket up over us again, making a tent over our heads to block out the sunlight. “Though I can’t say I’m mad—the sweater looks very good on you, sweetie.”

I grinned and snuggled up to him in our dark little blanket cave. The heat from the sun warmed the bed, lulling us back to sleep.

Neither of us could say what the future held in store, but I knew one thing for certain, and that was that Sylus and I would face it together.