––––––––
Liam winced and sucked a breath through his teeth. “That burns,” he informed me.
“Sorry, sorry,” I muttered, swabbing his skin with antiseptic. It fizzed and bubbled. I hoped that meant it was killing germs and bacteria and other bad things that had crawled under Liam’s skin since he was stabbed.
My hair hung damp and heavy down my back. When Liam had gotten out of the shower, he’d insisted that I wash up as well. Actually, he’d called it “scrubbing for surgery”. I’d ignored his antics. Now I was wearing yet another stranger’s clothes. They were far too big and hung off of me at odd angles. Liam’s weren’t much better, though at least he’d found sweat pants. I’d thrown our dirty clothes into the washing machine and set it to Heavy Cycle. The blood and dirt would stain, but the clothes would fit.
I finished swabbing his wound and covered it with a hefty amount of antibiotic cream. I topped it all with a large piece of gauze held on with medical tape.
“Good as new,” I declared. Liam caught my hand and brought it to his lips.
“Thank you.”
I blushed and cleared my throat. Gah! Why did he make me so nervous? Do you love him? Demitri had asked. I looked at our hands. Liam hadn’t let go. “Why didn’t you tell me there’s a bounty on my head?”
Liam stilled. “It wasn’t imperative that you know.”
“You didn’t—you weren’t...” I fought the urge to clear my throat again. It was suddenly dry and scratchy. “You weren’t trying to collect it...were you?”
Liam lifted my chin with his free hand. Sitting on the counter, he was eye level with me. His blue eyes met mine. “No.” His lowered his mouth, brushing against my lips. He smelled like toothpaste and antibacterial soap. My eyes fluttered shut and I gave in to the pressure of his lips on mine, our joined hands cradled between us.
Sighing, I leaned against him. “Why didn’t you shift sooner? I was scared.”
He stiffened and it took him a long time to answer. When he did, his voice was full of regret. “Nevin took the rock you shifted with and your backpack. He shifted and I had to chase him. We ran into another Nevin and I had to choose between shifting to you and getting the bag back.” He pressed his palm against my face. “I hope you understand why I chose you.”
My throat thickened with tears and I swallowed them back. I would not cry. Not now. I missed my mom, I missed Lena and Drake. I missed my old life. But somewhere between home and here, I’d come to terms with the fact that I’d likely never see it again. Maybe it was when I learned about the army, or the bounty, or the possibility of the universe collapsing. Maybe it was when I watched my mom die in that other reality. Maybe I’d known it all along. Losing my one ticket home just solidified it.
“Gavyn—I’m sorry. I promise I’ll get it back.”
I shook my head. “It’s okay. I’m just glad you’re here.”
Liam smiled, but it was sad. “You know I meant it when I said you’d see your mom again, right?”
I sniffed and nodded. I believed he meant it, but that didn’t mean it would happen. The washer thumped away in the other room.
“Come on.” Liam swung me into his arms as if I weighed nothing more than a large pillow. I pressed my face into the delicious muscles of his chest. “You must be exhausted.” He carried me into the hallway and to the master bedroom. “Let’s get some sleep.”
Still holding me in one arm, he used the other to pull back the comforter and sheets on the king-size bed. He set me down and then crawled across to the other side. Liam eased between the sheets and pulled me against him. The skin on his chest was warm and firm. My head sank into the pillow and my eyes closed automatically. Liam tangled one of his legs with mine. It should have been uncomfortable, but it felt like two puzzle pieces connecting. He cocooned the blankets around us.
“You can sleep now. The only monster you have to worry about is already in bed with you,” Liam joked, letting desire color his words.
“Stop trying to have sex with me,” I whispered, barely finding my voice to form the words. Butterflies tickled my stomach. Apparently they didn’t require energy or thought because I didn’t have either left.
“I’ll stop,” his breath tickled my ear, “for tonight.”
I lost consciousness.
***
Warmth washed over me, starting at my neck and flowing down my shoulder, over my arm and onto my chest. It tickled its way across my stomach and underneath my shirt. It grew hotter and hotter, a slow burn that couldn’t be stopped.
“Gavyn,” Liam whispered.
His callused palm flattened against my stomach. My bare stomach.
Oh my God.
I wasn’t dreaming.
Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod.
My eyes popped open. I squealed in a very not-sexy manner. Liam’s face was inches from mine. Behind him I could see the pale brown wall of the master bedroom we’d slept in. A framed picture of a Burmese cat stood on the nightstand.
“Mornin’, Princess,” Liam drawled.
He ran his palm over my hip.
Oh. My. God.
I really wasn’t dreaming. Liam’s hand was actually under my shirt. As in touching my skin. As in (eek!) moving higher. His fingers danced on my ribs.
“Liam,” I gasped as they reached my breast.
“Hmm?” One side of his mouth quirked. My heart slammed in my chest and I couldn’t get enough air down my throat. It wasn’t panic that quickened my pulse; it was something else altogether. I opened my mouth and took a deep breath. It was meant to be calming but made me dizzy instead. Or maybe that was Liam’s hand. Under. My. Shirt. Kneading my skin.
Touching me.
His warm fingers paused on my chest and he lowered his mouth to mine. My eyes stayed open, huge and disbelieving, as his tongue flicked across my lips. I clutched the fabric of his sweatpants blindly. I think I meant to push him away. Instead I yanked him closer to me.
Encouraged, Liam lifted my shirt higher. Cool air caressed my belly. I was so hot that it should’ve sizzled on contact. Liam kissed my navel; he traced my freckles with his tongue. He rose over me. “Gavyn...” My name whispered from his lips.
Reality shifted and clicked. Liam seemed to sense it at the same moment I did. He lifted his head and his eyes locked with mine. An unruly strand of blond hair fell across his forehead. Neither of us spoke. Liam’s expression was so vulnerable that it broke my heart. He licked his lips but his gaze didn’t falter.
“What are we doing here, Liam?” The words were the barest whisper.
“I’m not sure,” he said. It should have sounded cocky the way everything that came from his mouth did. Instead it was somewhere between hopeful and terrified.
“You seemed to know a few seconds ago,” I said, gentling the words with a brush of my hand. I smoothed the hair from his face, letting my palm linger on his stubbled cheek.
Liam swallowed and leaned into my touch. “Gavyn, I—”
A loud knocking echoed through the house, followed by, “Gavyn!”
Lena.
“Fucking hell,” Liam cursed. Rolling over, he pulled me against him, holding my face against his chest with his hands. His heart pounded awfully fast.
“Liam! Gavyn!” She knocked again, hard enough to rattle the walls.
“Son of a bitch.” Liam released me and clambered to stand.
“Daughter,” I corrected, standing too.
Liam grinned. It was lopsided. He tilted his head and I couldn’t help but smile at him. “We could pretend the army got us,” he suggested.
My smile widened.
“GAVYN!”
“Fucking shit-headed bitch,” Liam growled.
“Your vocabulary is appalling,” I informed him, following him from the bedroom. He trudged through the halls to the front door. He wrenched it open, revealing Lena, fist raised, ready to pound on the door again. Her mouth rounded into an O.
“You are fucking interrupting.” He slammed the door in her surprised face.
Stifling a giggle, I kissed Liam’s cheek. “Don’t be cranky. What if she’s here to tell us the army is slaughtering everybody?”
Liam lifted one shoulder in decided indifference.
I opened the door again. Lena still stood there, mouth hanging open. I grinned at her; I couldn’t help it. “Yes?” I propped my hip on the doorframe as Liam’s hand rode low on my waist. I pretended not to notice the way it lit my skin on fire. We had an audience, after all, and I was perfectly aware of the insinuations of my actions.
Lena shut her mouth and opened it again. I anticipated her stuttering—she had the exact same look as Lena at home had when I explained how babies were made when we were seven. “Y-you and h-h-him.” She shook her head and her normal mean face replaced the shocked one. “We’re ready to go. No sign of the army. You might want to comb your just-effed hair.” She pointed to it and, whirling, stomped away. “Hurry up,” she called over her shoulder.
I snorted and ran my fingers through my hair. Turning to Liam I asked, “Do I look just-effed?” I was riding high on a tide of giddy emotion.
Liam tilted his head, considering. “I don’t see it. You might’ve just been sleeping. Maybe I should rip your shirt.” He grabbed the bottom of it and I danced out of his reach.
“Liam!”
He chuckled and caught me easily. “Get used to it, Princess. You’re not getting rid of me again.”
When Liam and I finally wandered to Mrs. Publey’s house, Gavyn, Demitri, and Lena were waiting on the porch. They looked dangerous, with Lena and Demitri wearing black leather again. Gavyn had twisted her curls into a heavy French braid. I tried not to be jealous that she could do this on her own. Liam had been nice enough to pull mine into a ponytail. Lena put a restless hand on her hip and glared at me. All three of them were loaded with weapons.
Liam whistled through his teeth. “That’s a lot of firearms.”
“Here.” Gavyn handed me a small shiny gray gun. “This is for you.” Her voice was hoarse, like she’d spent all night screaming. She still looked tired, but I suspected we all did.
I turned the weapon gingerly in my hands. It was lighter than I expected. “Tell me this is a plasma gun.”
“It’s a plasma gun.”
“Awesome.”
Liam took the gun from me and engaged the safety. “How about I carry this for you?”
I rolled my eyes and snatched it back. “How about I handle it myself?”
“Look,” Lena interjected. “As cute as the two of you are, we need to leave. In case you forgot, there’s an army coming after us. You guys spent so much time fucking around this morning and holding us back.”
“Lena,” Demitri cautioned.
“What?” she exploded. “You didn’t see how they looked when they answered the door. Clearly they aren’t concerned with anyone but themselves. I knew you should’ve killed her when you had the chance,” she tossed at Gavyn.
“Lena!” Gavyn and Demitri said in unison. Liam glowered at her. Gah! Didn’t she ever just shut up? She was jealous, I decided.
A weighted silence settled over us while everyone glared at Lena. “Whatever,” she sneered, finally snapping her mouth shut. She continued to shoot hate my way. At least Demitri looked better today. He’d washed off the grime and there was just a small cut and bruise on his forehead. He smiled, but it was far from lighting up his face.
“Are you finished?” he asked Lena. She waved her arm dismissively.
Gavyn lifted her head, giving me a full view of the bruises on her neck. She looked like, well, like she’d been strangled. “Ready?” She handed Liam the vials from the warehouse. “So which ones of these do we need to shift?”
I opened my mouth to tell her none of them, we just had to all be touching Liam, but he interrupted me. He took the offered vials and read each one of them again. Then he did something that shocked us all. He smashed each vial on the cement of the porch. They imploded, making tiny dark wet marks amongst the shattered glass.
“Hey!” Lena gasped. Even Demitri took a threatening step forward. Liam wasn’t intimidated. He stood his ground and I automatically put myself in front of him. He easily swept me aside. Liam’s mouth pulled tight.
“The blue one is a tracker, but you already know that.” He met Demitri’s gaze. “The yellow is a neurotoxin that alters your brain chemistry, making you susceptible to the Pershings’ influence. The green one is the shifting molecules, but it also contains a tracker.” He stared them down. “Didn’t any of you realize that you live in a reality loyal to the Pershings?”