Forced Bonds (The Bonds That Tie, #4)(87)

Oli



I wake up the next morning with more than just the happy feeling of the afterglow. Every muscle on my body is tight, and there's an ache in my thighs from clenching so hard, over and over and over again, that I think I'm going to need to start stretching out after sex if it's going to be like that all of the time now.

There's quiet snores and deep breathing around me as the four of my Bonded who slept here last night all stay asleep, worn out enough that even Gryphon, my early riser, is still here.

I wiggle carefully down to the end of the bed until I can get out without disturbing anyone, tiptoeing quietly to the bathroom and taking a quick shower. North had cleaned me up before tucking me in, but there’s still a feeling of relief at washing away the sweat and residue of our night.

I throw on a pair of old leggings and one of Nox’s jumpers, the only one of my Bonded that had opted out of the sexfest. I'm not surprised at all, but there’s still an ache in my chest for him. I know it’s my bond being pissy at not getting to have him as well.

The jumper is one that he had left behind for me, part of his agreement with North to supply me clothing on the regular if he was not willing to spend more time with me, and even though that should be an insult, I still find it just a little bit endearing. The more time I spend around him, the more that I see through the things that he is doing. Being cruel and unkind to someone for no reason is one thing, but lashing out because of trauma is another, and my own experiences mean that I have a lot more understanding of that than most people. My bond still feels particularly bloodthirsty about whatever the nightmare had been, and I know that there's a good chance that someday we’ll be hunting down some monster for my Bonded.

My bond and I both agree on that fully.

No one harms my Bonded and lives.

I creep out of the bathroom and grab my phone to light the way out to the kitchen. My stomach is both empty and settled now that my bond has finished her meal of the Trigger’s soul, and I’m desperate for some food. I know that North will be furious at me for not waking him up so that he can be the one to feed me. Hisquirk about keeping his Bonded fed and happy was a delightful surprise to me.

Except they’re all sleeping so soundly that I can't bear to wake them up, so he’ll have to just get over it.

I get out to the kitchen and rummage around in the fridge until I find everything I need to make an omelet and toast. I make the toast first so I can eat it while I'm frying up the omelet, and I'm so hungry that I seriously consider making a fruit salad afterwards as well.

I'm so hyper fixated on eating that it takes me a second to notice that I'm no longer alone in the kitchen.

I curse my bond for not warning me anymore about my Bonded, and then curse it all over again when I realize that Nox is now sitting at the dining table, a coffee in one hand and one of the ancient texts from the Hail Mary in the other.

So much for a peaceful breakfast.

He doesn't say a word to me, just sits there and studies the words in front of him, the ones that speak of the lives that we've lived together many times before.

“Do you… want some breakfast?” I say hesitantly, and he shakes his head.

“The coffee is enough.”

I know that he's spoken civilly and even nicely to my bond before, but I think it is the first time he's ever uttered words in my direction that weren’t laced with acid.

I don't push my luck though. I flip the omelet out onto a plate and dig into it with a fork, still standing at the kitchen counter because there is no way that I'm leaving the kitchen without the fruit salad.

I might even make some more toast.

“Have you found anything in there? I've read the texts that you've sent through so far, and I couldn't spot anything that you hadn't already highlighted.” I cringe as soon as the words are out of my mouth, waiting for the rebuttal from him.

But he just takes a sip from his coffee cup and places it back down on the table, the picture of a sedate professor. “Your bond isn't crazy for calling itself a god. They are gods. I don't know where they've come from, or anything else about them, but the things that they can do and their genetics… they are higher beings than are found anywhere else.”

Jesus Christ.

I shove some more of the eggs into my mouth, chewing happily on the mixture as I try to think of something not irritating to reply back to him.

He speaks before I have to. “Unser is being tortured. They've taken him back to Davies. Adella called last night, I spoke to her. She can feel what they're doing to him, even though he is trying to block her out.”

My stomach drops and I pick up the plate of eggs to walk over to sit at the dining room table with him. I don't think I'm going to be able to stomach much more food if this is the way the conversation is going to go, and I try not to mourn the fruit salad too much.

“Is there any indication of which camp they took him to? We're gonna have to go after him.”

Nox flips the page, his eyes still roaming over the words as he reads and holds a conversation at the same time. That’s a skill that I desperately wish that I had. I imagine studying would be so much easier that way.

“North called in all of the TacTeams before we came back last night. There's going to be a meeting with all of the leaders today, and we'll decide if we will go, and who will be in the teams.”