Page 28 of Winterfall Destiny

"Good."

"Not yet." Our gazes lock. If Tobias thinks I'll never have a physical relationship with Andrei again now that he's different, the guy's crazy.

"Yeah, well, let's channel Andrei into taking down Gabriella," puts in Ash hastily. "Take advantage of his daywalking and really hunt her down. They both have the First's blood. He'll find Gabriella."

The door from the conservatory to the garden slides open, and Andrei steps into the room. I turn from Tobias and unintentionally startle at his changed appearance and energy.

"Did you know that I can hear the rabbits moving in the woods?" he says.

"Um. Right," says Ash.

"Far into the woods." He pushes his tongue against a canine. "The change in my senses will annoy the hell out of me until it becomes my new normal." He's now fixated on Tobias and my stomach flips. This isn't Andrei sharing interesting facts about local wildlife. "Although, hearing people talk about me, now that I've keener senses? That's something I'll appreciate." His strange eyes harden. "Although I don't appreciate what you're implying."

"Andrei." I take his hand. "We haven't said anything that I wouldn't say to your face later."

"Mmm hmm." He looks at the sandwich on the plate, takes hold and shoves half in his mouth, staring at Tobias as he chews. Andrei wipes crumbs from his mouth with the back of his hand. "I don't want blood, but I'm also not hungry."

"Point taken, Andrei," he says.

"Or tired," he adds.

"You did sleep for a week," quips Ash.

"Ha ha. Look, I told Maeve that I heard everything you guys said to me in that room, and it fucking hurts that the people who love me as part of a family now don't trust me."

"Would you?" asks Ash. "A hundred percent trust one of us who'd been through the same?"

Andrei drags hair from his face. "Yeah, I understand why you're wary. I just wouldn't make the person feel excluded so that they chose not to ask for help if something felt... off."

"I apologise." Tobias places a hand on Andrei's shoulder and squeezes.

"What do you most want to do now that you can walk in the day?" I ask, desperate to focus on the positive inside all this. "Where do you want to go?"

For a moment, Andrei's eyes glaze as if he's elsewhere. Then he smiles at me. "I want to watch the sunrise."

13

MAEVE

I'm exhausted from a day that feels twice as long as any other recently. Days have dragged on while waiting for things to change with Andrei, but now I need sleep to recharge and make plans. And gather the energy to get up at a silly hour to do what Andrei wants—not that I begrudge this for a moment.

Voices murmur from in the house below as I drift to sleep. I left the guys talking, and filling Andrei in on what we plan to do next, discussing everything that happened when he was 'away'.

Sitting with and keeping an eye on Andrei.

His heart still sounds in my ears as if the First were here, another concern I constantly push from my head. Hearing the First within Andrei remind me it might return. And if the creature does, what will it do next?

I drift off into a thankfully dreamless sleep—I've had too many nightmares recently. As cool air hits my skin, I startle, convinced I've only slept a few minutes. I grumble and reach for the sheet that covered me a few moments ago, and the overhead light switches on, causing me to squint.

A distinctive mint scent follows the person leaning over me. "Wake up!" says Andrei, a giddy excitement edging his voice.

Groaning, I hold an arm across my eyes, my body complaining, but this is a huge step for Andrei. I sit and yawn. "Already?" I mumble.

"Come with me." He holds a hand out, beckoning with his fingers.

"Where are we going?" I ask cautiously. "Do I need to change?"

"Hmm." He studies my short pyjamas, darts a look around, then grabs my blue blanket from the bed. "No. I'll take this."

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