Blood Bonds(The Bonds That Tie #3)(50)

From the corner of my eye, I see Felix pulling a face, chewing on his lips like he’s keeping himself from butting in, and I point at him. “Don’t you even think about talking rationally about this right now, Davenport. We’re here to hate on the controlling men in our lives, not their very sound and good reasoning for it.”

He grins and shakes his head at me while Sage groans again. “I know it’s a security risk thing and nothing to do with how they see me, but why does it always have to be this way? Why can’t something, anything, be easy or normal for me?”

I stack up my homework to make more room for us to spread out on the floor, and August uses the opportunity to wedge himself more fully between Sage and I. I give him a scratch and he settles onto his belly, tucking his face into my legs as he watches the room keenly.

Brutus is on his back, fast asleep by my feet with zero cares.

Sage prods at the paperwork, drawling, “You’d think a near death experience would get us out of assignments, wouldn’t you? I doubt your Bond will allow it though. We’re going to be forced to hand shit in for him at least.”

There’s a pang in my chest as I think about Nox, a craving for him that is going to mess with my plans to sleep in with Gabe tomorrow night. I know that North said I’d been ‘tended to’ by all of them after my bond went on its killing spree, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Nox wasn’t actually on that list.

Or if he did the bare minimum possible.

Felix looks over at me again, and I raise an eyebrow at him until he says, “I can’t help but notice that there’s two creatures in here with you now.”

Sage glances over and shrugs at him. “That’s August, one of North’s creatures. We met when Oli came to grab me from The Great Fire Incident. You really think after Oli was captured and hurt he wasn’t going to add his own little spy to the mix? I’m surprised he only gave you one.”

August looks up at the sound of his name and I give him a scratch to settle him back down. Brutus wakes up and immediately asks for some love too, which he gets like the precious baby he is. “I might ask for the snake as well. My bond liked that one a lot.”

Sage fumbles with her phone a little, gulping as she nods at me. She’s clearly got a phobia but doesn’t argue with my hopes because she’s the best.

Felix does though. “You can’t complain about being stuck here and in the same breath, say you want a fucking snake following you around. Jesus Christ, Oli, that’s pushing it. Even for you.”

I giggle at the strain in his voice. “Scared of a widdle snakey? This changes everything I thought of you, Felix. Seriously. He’s cute, and he ripped some guys' arms off for me. If that isn’t the most precious thing I’ve ever seen, I don’t know what is.”

The memory floods me without warning and, though my hands shake a little at the ferocity of the moment, I don’t feel guilty for all of the death and pain. They came for innocent people. They trapped a monster instead and that’s their own stupid fault. I tried to warn them.

Where are you? What’s upsetting you?

What’s happened?

Gryphon and North speak over each other in my head, and I try not to roll my eyes at them both fussing. It still feels weird to have them in there like that, let alone having North being so… sweet.

Oleander, if you don’t answer, I’ll leave this meeting and come up there after you.

Ah, that’s much more North-like.

I had a flashback to what my bond was doing in the camp, not a big deal. Can you guys stop freaking out about me, especially while I’m safe in the mansion?

I’m careful about my tone, trying to tamp down my inner bitch so I don’t start a fight, but I need to establish some boundaries with them, and fast, or they’ll be walking all over me in no time.

My uncle was murdered in his bed. I’m not going to trust any households with your safety. Come downstairs so I can see you’re okay.

Ridiculous.

Okay, he has a point about William’s death, but I’m busy studying. So instead, I concentrate so hard I almost burst my brain wide open, but I manage to send him the image of Brutus lying over my legs and August sitting where I’m leaning against him, watching over me while I pretend I’m studying.

I’m safe with these two. Also, Sage has been known to set entire billion-year-old buildings on fire when provoked, so I’d put money on her in a fight.

Gryphon, who can also hear all of this because what is privacy, adds in, We both know she wouldn’t get the chance because your bond would deal with the danger. North is just trying to get out of his meeting. Go back to studying, Bonded.

“Are you flirting with your Bonded right now? The carpet should not have you grinning like that, it’s not interesting or funny,” Sage grumbles, and I shoot her a rueful look.

“They’re mother-henning me. Honestly, remember when we thought Bonds were bad? Bonded men are infinitely worse.”

Felix shoots me a look. “You mean we want our Bonded safe, secure, and happy at all times? Terrible. The worst. Monsters.”

Sage throws a pencil at him. “Don’t say the ‘m’ word. Brutus will eat you.”

“Now who’s flirting? Gross, keep that out of my room,” I say in an exaggerated tone, and Sage rolls her eyes at me with a grin.