“I don’t know,” I whimper, swiping at the remaining errant tears. An involuntary shudder works its way through my body as I attempt to explain what happened. The guys listen without interruption, concern etched on all of their faces.
“Maybe it was just a nightmare,” Coop says, trying to reassure me. “You’ve been under a lot of stress.”
“We all know that’s not what that was,” I reply, shivering again.
“I blame that asshole Zorc.” Maddox grinds his teeth. “Making you tap into dark emotions while training was only inviting trouble.”
“Do you think it was the dream realm again?” Beck asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know. The times Arantu summoned me to the dream realm it looked nothing like that.”
“He must be trying to reach out to you again,” Coop surmises.
I shake my head. “I don’t think it was him. Why not show himself? Especially if he wanted to scare me? The last time he appeared to me, he appeared as himself.”
“And all you saw was a pair of red eyes?” Beck inquires.
I nod, and trembles consume me again. Maddox pulls me firmly into his embrace, and I wrap myself around him like a koala. “But there were others there. I could sense them. Hear them. Feel them even if I couldn’t see them.”
“I don’t know what it was, but we’ll find out,” Beck says with conviction, leaning forward to kiss my cheek. “For now, I think you should put it out of your mind and try to sleep.”
“I’m scared to sleep,” I whisper. “What if it happens again?”
“We’re here,” Coop says, prying me out of Maddox’s arms. “If it’s okay with you, we’d all like to sleep in your bed. We’ll keep you safe.” They have obviously already discussed this, and there’s no way I’m turning them down. Sleeping cocooned between three of my loves is the only chance I have of possibly falling back asleep.
We settle in the bed side by side with Beck at my rear, Coop directly in front of me, and Maddox behind him. Beck spoons me from behind, and Coop drapes his arms on my waist, while I lace my fingers through Maddox’s behind Coop’s back. They offer more reassurances, urging me to sleep, and I try. For them.
I close my eyes, pretending to sleep as, one by one, my protectors drift into unconsciousness. The steady rhythm of Coop’s heart under my ear usually lulls me to sleep, but my mind and body are on high alert, and nothing I do shuts them down. An hour later, I’m still awake, listening to Maddox’s soft snores and the slight hitching of Beck’s breath as he sleeps.
With skilled precision Jason Bourne would be proud of, I manage to extricate myself from my three guys without waking them. I pull on sweats and a hoodie and slip my feet into sneakers, heading out of the room. I know Dane isn’t here, because I can’t sense him close, but I know he’s not too far away either. Using the bond to locate him, I leave our chambers, invoking superspeed as I race to the observation deck.
Dane looks up, without any surprise on his face, as I arrive. “I was going to come back when I felt your alarm, but I knew my brothers had it covered,” he explains as I take a seat beside him in front of the large window that offers breathtaking views of the Valley of the Queens.
“Maddox told me what happened,” he adds, carefully examining my face. “Are you okay?”
“No,” I whisper truthfully. “I’m scared to go to sleep.” He stares at me, without saying anything, and it’s as if he’s worming his way under my skin and uncovering every hidden truth.
Tension, thick and all-consuming, settles between us.
Not that that’s anything new.
“Yeah. I know,” he admits after a few beats, and I wonder what nightmares keep him awake at night.
I badly want to rest my head on his shoulder and snuggle into his side, to draw comfort from him and comfort him in return, but I don’t move a muscle, because I know that’s not what he wants. “Is this where you come every night?”
He nods. “I like it here. I like looking at the tombs and the pyramids, imagining what it must’ve been like in ancient Egyptian times,” he admits, startling me.
“I’ve always wanted to visit Egypt. It’s always fascinated me. How ironic that we’re here, but we might as well be back in Iowa for all I’ll get to see of it,” I reply.
He whips his head to the side. “Says who?”
I arch a brow. “When do we have time to sightsee?”
The hint of a smile graces his mouth as he stands. “You can’t sleep. I can’t sleep.” Tentatively, he holds out his hand. “Seems like now is the perfect time.”
My eyes light up. Because I want to explore the sights but more so because I want to spend time with Dane. I know he’s probably only offering because I’m freaked out, but I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
I take his hand, and warmth travels up my arm from the contact. Little broken pieces inside me meld together as he cautiously pulls me into his arms. I rest my head on his chest and close my eyes, absorbing his smell and the feel of his ripped body against mine, memorizing every second as he teleports us outside. His abs are rock hard under his shirt, and I snuggle into him, allowing his body heat to curl around me, wishing I could glue myself to him so he can’t ever let me go.
The only sign we’re on the move is the gentle breeze lifting strands of my hair. I’m still such a chicken shit when it comes to teleporting, which would be funny if it wasn’t so serious.
“We’re here,” he whispers in my ear, releasing me as soon as I open my eyes, and I immediately miss his touch. Pushing the deep ache in my chest aside, I spin around as I survey the inside of the museum with awestruck eyes.
We wander side by side through the exhibition, my smile growing wider with each passing moment. “What is this?” I ask, marveling at the wooden boat that has been painstakingly carved.
“It’s a reconstruction of a solar boat buried with one of the pharaohs,” he explains.
From there, we move into some of the tombs, and my eyes are out on stilts as I drink in the ornate drawings decorating the walls that depict every aspect of ancient Egyptian life. Scenes show farmers in the fields, fishermen out at sea, religious ceremonies, and burial processions.
“You can’t read those, can you?” Dane quips, uncharacteristically, as we pass walls full of ancient script.
I lean in closer, inspecting the etchings, but I’ve no clue what any of them mean. “Unfortunately, my language skills don’t extend to ancient Egyptian, which is kind of disappointing,” I babble, “considering what we know of the alien connection with the pharaohs.” I frown. “We mustn’t have influenced their linguistic heritage in the same way we influenced their structural one, which is a pity. It would be cool if I understood it.” I peer at the inscription on the wall again, as Dane shoots me an amused grin. “What?”
“You’re a closet nerd.”
I pout, jabbing my finger in his face. “Just because this stuff fascinates me doesn’t make me a nerd. I’m interested in history.” I brush past him. “Maybe I should’ve come here with Beck. He’d appreciate this.”
“Don’t get your panties in a bunch. I’m just teasing.”
“Hmm.” I tap a finger off my chin. “Is that what that was? Wonders will never cease.” I roll my eyes, but the mood is relaxed as we wander into the tomb of Ramses the Sixth.
There’s a variety of corridors with different chambers, and the drawings are exquisite. A lot of them depict the pharaoh, and others show gods and spirits and constellations.
We drift in and out of other tombs in companionable silence except for those occasions where I gasp or shriek in awe and Dane fights amusement.
It’s surreal to be here, in the dead of night, in the empty old corridors and chambers, and it’s just as well Dane is with me to stop me from freaking out. My mind runs overtime, imagining ghosts of pharaohs past coming for me, recognizing us for who we are and seeking vengeance for the wrongs they perceive our ancestors bestowed on them.
“We need to go,”
Dane says, as a loud yawn escapes my mouth. “It’s daytime, and some of the staff may show up soon.”
“I didn’t realize we’d been here that long.” I step forward, peering up at him. “Thank you for bringing me here. It was awesome.”
He nods, offering me a small smile. “Good.” He takes hold of my elbow and pulls me into his chest. “Close your eyes,” he whispers, sending chills tiptoeing up my spine, but at least these are the delicious kind.
He teleports us back to the hallway outside our chambers, and we’re in time to join the others for breakfast.
“Hey.” Coop steps up to me as Dane releases me. “You doing okay?” I glance at Dane, and we share a look. “Yeah, I’m good.” Coop reels me into his arms, enveloping me in a warm hug. “We missed you when we woke up,” he admits, brushing hair back off my face.
“I’m sorry if I worried you.”
“You didn’t. We knew you were with Dane. I’m sorry you couldn’t sleep. You should’ve woken us.” I guess Dane must have been conversing with him while we were doing the tourist thing.
“There’s no point in everyone losing sleep.”
“I hope you’re hungry,” Maddox says, gesturing at the veritable feast adorning the dining table.
“I’m starving. Thank you.” I slip out of Coop’s arms and straight into Maddox’s. I squeeze him tight, allowing myself a moment to realize how fucking lucky I am to be loved by these amazing guys. Time and time again, they go out of their way to look after me, and I never want to take it for granted.
“What are the plans for today?” Beck asks, and I lift my head, smiling in his direction. He pats the seat beside him, and I shuck out of Maddox’s embrace and plop down in the chair.
I circle my arms around Beck’s neck, kissing him briefly. “I’m sorry if I ruined your happy buzz last night.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Nothing could detract from what we shared. I was concerned for you is all.”
“I’m concerned for me,” I admit, easing out of his arms.
“We’re not going to let anything happen to you,” he says out loud, and my gaze bounces around the room, noticing that Dane is gone. My heart plummets as I realize that nothing has changed. He’s going to continue to keep his distance. Replace the wall between us as if we didn’t share an amazing night together.
The fact we did only serves to highlight how badly I need to be close to him.
And how scared I am that I’ll never get to experience it.
CHAPTER 13
“If you don’t need us, then I’m going to return to Eaton Lake,” I tell Glennev a couple hours later when we’re all in the conference room. “I need to locate the capsule I traveled to Earth in. I have to find the key to unlock my memories and the intel my parents confided in me. I have an idea, but I need to speak to a couple of people.”
Plus, it’s Sunday, and Mom and Aunt May have already begged us to come home for dinner. Right now, I need some familiarity, so I figure I can kill two birds with one stone.
“Do what you need to do, but ensure you take the protection detail with you.”
“Of course. We’ll catch up later.”
I update the guys as we walk to the teleportation hub. We could just teleport from here, but using the hub conserves the guys’ energy, so it’s safer to use the facility whenever we can. “The farm is massive, and it’s going to take ages to find the spot where my father buried the travel pod,” I explain as we walk through a set of double doors. “We can’t do it by ourselves, so we’ll need help. No one is to react to this,” I implore, drilling Coop and Dane with a warning look. “But I’m going to ask Daniel and Jensen to help.”
“That’s a smart plan,” Dane says, surprising me. “They are on the ground, have easy access, and it won’t draw unnecessary attention.”
“I’m glad you agree,” I say, grinning as we round the bend toward the hub, “because I already asked them to meet us at the farmhouse.”
“Victoria. Come give your momma a big hug,” Mom says, standing in the doorway of the house like an angelic vision. I fall into her outstretched arms, hugging her tightly as the familiar scent of home wafts through the air, and a sense of calmness fills me up.
“Come in, boys,” Aunt May says, ushering the guys in behind me and closing the door. Although, the weather is milder this time of year, there’s a little bite in the breeze today. “Jensen and Daniel are already here,” she confirms. “They are waiting for you in the living room.”
“Go ahead. I’ll follow,” I project into their collective minds. “I want to talk to Mom for a bit.” I’m not ready to let her go yet, and I also want to seek her advice. “And behave,” I tag on the end. “I’m talking to you, Coop.”
He feigns hurt as his emotion hurtles through our bond. “I’ll be on my best behavior. Scout’s honor. You can trust me.”
I’ll believe it when I see it.
“Come into the kitchen, honey,” Mom says, releasing me from her embrace but taking my hand firmly in hers. “Are you eating? Sleeping? Getting enough rest?”
“I’m okay, Mom,” I lie, as she palms my face.
“You look tired.” She brushes the shadows clinging to the skin under my eyes.
“I had a bit of a bad night, but it’s not a regular thing. I’ve been sleeping much better since I was reunited with the guys.”
“I’m glad to hear it. I worry about you so much. You have so much responsibility on your shoulders, and I know you’re blaming yourself for this situation with that nasty general, but it’s not your fault.”
I prop my butt against the edge of the table, sighing. “It’s hard to believe that, but there’s nothing I can do to change what’s already happened, so I’m focused on trying to divert an all-out war instead.”
“What else is on your mind?” she asks, tucking my hair behind my ears like she used to do when I was little.
I thrust my shields out beyond my body, cocooning both of us in an invisible bubble. I did this the first time on Xzanthar, with no knowledge of how I made it happen, but I summoned the shields at will the other day by visualizing them growing larger and larger until they were outside of my mind and projected from my body, and it worked.
I’ve no clue if this blocks the guys from hearing, especially Coop with his superhearing ability, but I’ve got to try as I don’t want them privy to this conversation. “I’m concerned about Dane. He went through some horrible stuff when he was imprisoned, and now, he’s pretending like nothing has happened, and he keeps pushing me away when all I want to do is help.”
“You can’t help someone if they don’t to be helped,” she says, while pouring boiling water from the kettle into two cups.
“So, what do I do?”
“Ask him what he needs from you and oblige,” she suggests as she makes tea.
“But I’ve already done that, and he says he’s fine,” I harrumph, my shoulders naturally slumping.
“Did you ask, or did you tell him?” she inquires, handing me a cup.
I stick my nose into the steam, inhaling the minty smell, and a pang of longing sucker punches me in the gut. I love being back here. Love all the reminders of the person I used to be, but it’s also sad, because I’ll never be that girl again, and right now, for purely selfish reasons, I wish I could go back.
But I can’t, and I need to bring my A game, so I shove all melancholy thoughts aside, focusing on the conversation. I sip the peppermint tea as I consider her question, running through my previous conversations with Dane in my mind. “You’re right.” I sigh. “I didn’t ask.”
“Don’t beat yourself up, sweetheart.” She ushers me into a seat at the table, claiming the chair next to me. “It’s inclination to want to do everything to help the ones we love.”
My brows climb to my hairline at her admission. As far as my mother’s concerned, Coop is my boyfriend and the others are good friends. But her statement and her tone allude to the truth.
“I see the way you look at them, Vic
toria,” she admits. “I know you love them all.”
My mouth drops to the floor, and a smile slips over her mouth. “You know and you’re … okay with it?”
She pats my hand. “It’s your life, and there’s a lot I don’t understand about your species and your customs and cultures. As long as they treat you right, and you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”
“Wow.” Never in a million years did I think Mom would approve, but it’s like I’ve acknowledged before—she’s good with weird. A newfound level of respect washes over me. “Your continuous support means so much, Mom, and I’m relieved you’re okay with it.”
“They are nice boys, and I know they love you. I see in in their faces as well, and more power to you, honey.” A cheeky smile appears on her face. “If I was your age and I had four hot guys in love with me, I doubt I’d ever leave the house!”
“Mom!” She shrugs, and if I was the blushing type, my cheeks would be the color of ripe strawberries by now.
“I’ve learned never to take love for granted, and you should cherish every second of your time with them.”
“I do, and they love me so good, Mom. Well,” I add, shrugging, “three of them do.” I take a big gulp of my tea as a familiar lump clogs my throat.
“If Dane is hurting, he needs to learn to love himself before he can love you the way you deserve. Take your cues from him. Try to be there when he needs you, acting within the parameters he’s set, and gradually, things will get better. Be patient, and if it’s meant to be, it will happen.”
A throat clearing startles me, and my arm jerks, spilling tea on my hand. Coop darts forward, bouncing off my invisible shield and flying backward, his body slamming into the wall.
“Crap.” I drop my shields, put my cup on the table, and move to his side. “Sorry.” I offer my hand and help him up. “You okay?”
He rubs his lower back. “Fine. Are you?” He takes my hand, inspecting the spot where the tea left a little red mark.
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