Void(94)

He observed me for a moment before speaking. “I know you want to figure out your Void, so I’m here to help. We’re both used to doing things on our own; I figured we could be alone together.”

His words caught me off guard, and I found myself swallowing a strange emotion climbing up my throat. I should have told him to leave, but I found that I didn’t want to. So instead, I changed the subject.

“Thank you for fixing up the cabin. Again.” Cheddar scurried up my leg and settled on my lap. “Why’d you do it in the first place?” Hyde was quirky and unusual, but surprisingly kind. He went out of his way to turn the feral cabin into a home, even when I barely knew him.

He walked around the room for a moment before stopping at my bed. Sitting down, he twisted to face me, a wry smile planted on his face. “Homes are curious things, don’t you think? I spent most of my life without one.”

My heart panged for him in that moment. “You were homeless?” I asked, feeling brash for wording it that way.

“I had a case of too many houses not enough homes. I grew up in the foster system. Some of the places I stayed were much like this feral cabin. Ironic the zombie king has dead parents.”

I reached out and grabbed his hand as Cheddar climbed up my comforter to settle in Hyde’s lap instead. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, not really knowing what else to say. Even though my mother wanted nothing to do with me, Coxcomb’s was still a nice enough place.

“Sorrys are just things uncomfortable people say when they have nothing else to say, don’t you think? I’m sorry for what you’ve been through. I’m sorry we rushed a bond none of us were ready for. I’m sorry this is new and scary. But I’m not sorry for knowing you, Devi, nor am I sorry for being bonded to you—whatever that means.”

I opened my mouth and closed it again, not really sure what to say. My insecurities were scratching at my surface. “You’re really not sorry? You’re really okay with being bonded to me—to the Void?”

Hyde patted my leg while answering my question with a smile. “I’ve always been different. Not really social, not really normal. I’ve always been in my own head, doing my own thing. Marching to my own beat, even if the beat was off.” He did an awkward little dance move to emphasize his point. “I never really cared enough about anyone living until you came along.” He stood up and held his hand out to me. Grabbing it, I let him pull me up. “I’m excited to be bonded to you. I want to help you. I want to figure this out with you.”

“I’ve been figuring things out on my own for so long, I’m afraid I wouldn’t know what to do with one mate, let alone four,” I replied honestly.

“Well, when in doubt, we can always fuck. The five of us seem to have perfected that,” he said cheekily before stroking my cheek.

I tilted my head back and laughed. “You’re odd, Hyde Marr.”

“The best people are.” Hyde then pulled away and started dancing again, moving his feet around the room as he gathered my boots and a sweater on the floor. “Now come on. I have a dangerous surprise for you, but I think it might help. We’ll be breaking about four hundred rules, so we can fuel your little inner risk vixen, too.”

How did he know about that? I must have had a questioning look on my face, because he quickly added, “The forest animals are a gossipy bunch, and your motorcycle is badass. Mind if we take Betty? We have a little bit of a trip ahead of us.”

I grabbed my leather jacket and put it on before tucking Cheddar safely in bed. I was morbidly attached to the rodent. “Where are we going?” I asked as we left the cabin and headed toward Betty, who looked like she’d just gotten a bath. I wondered what dead forest animal washed her last night.

“It’s more fun when you don’t know the destination,” Hyde said before rubbing his sleeve along the chrome of my bike.

“How can I drive if I don’t know where I’m going?” I countered. Talking with Hyde was like one gigantic riddle that I couldn’t quite solve.

“I was hoping I could drive. Motorcycles are exhilarating creatures, don’t you think? Like dragons.” My eyebrows shot up. There was no way in hell I was letting him drive my bike.

“Nope,” I replied before crossing my arms over my chest, inadvertently pushing my breasts up. Hyde’s silver eyes traveled the curves of my cleavage before fluttering up to meet my gaze. I felt a flash of arousal travel down my spine.

“I never got to see your mate mark. Did the shifter find it on you?” he asked, flipping the script.

“No.”

“Care for me to check you over? For research purposes, of course.”

“Uh…”

I lifted my hands, searching for the vine-like mate mark that the guys had. I’d completely forgotten about it. I squealed in shock when I saw something on my pinky finger, only to realize it was just a bit of dirt.

“Hmm. It must be hiding. Let’s see,” Hyde said, walking behind me.

I leaned over to look at my bare legs, but I couldn’t see anything there, either. Just as I was about to go inside so I could inspect myself in a mirror, I felt Hyde lift the back of my shirt, cool air hitting my skin. I straightened and spun around, tugging my shirt back down. “What are you doing?”

Hyde blinked his silver eyes at me. “I’m checking for you. Unless you have eyes on the back of your head as well?”