Page 188 of Gift from the Nexus

The beautiful daze her body has us in is broken right before she reaches the bathroom door as my communicator on the end table starts vibrating loudly. The noise stops her in her tracks, and she slowly turns back to face us. Her wide eyes find mine, then scan them across the others.

“Is it really her?” she asks.

Caspian rolls to his side and glances over at my communicator, then back at her with a smile. “Hit the nail right on the head, Primary.”

“Holy shit,” she cheers and jumps back on the bed. “I just fucking knew it. It came to me like a mini vision.”

I don’t stop her as she pounces on me, straddling my hips as her excitement takes hold. If she doesn’t quit all that shifting, though, she’s going to get my excitement going as well.

“Shit, sorry, I’ll stop. I’m far too sore for that.”

Smugly satisfied about that—although we’re going to have to get her a healing vial pronto—I grip her hips and pull her down on me. “So you saw her calling, huh, princess?”

“Yeah, and…Oh, never mind, can’t tell you,” she says nonchalantly, leaning down to kiss me, then heads back off to the bathroom.

Rolling my eyes, I hold my hand out for Cas to pass me my communicator and I groan when I see my mom isn’t the only one who’s called. I have a couple missed calls from my dads, a few parents from the academy, messages from my assistant, and one from Gaster checking on us, plus informing us he and Keeper are enjoying their time together.

Willow’s soft humming floating through the cracked bathroom door as she showers steals all my attention off my communicator and the room descends into tranquil silence. I’ve never in my life been so mesmerized, so hypnotized. If I focus hard enough, I swear I can feel every stroke of her hand graze across her body as she washes. The way she massages the shampoo into her scalp feels like she’s massaging mine.

It’s going to be a heady concoction of feelings while we navigate being so interconnected to one another, and I, for one, surprisingly, don’t want to rush the process. I don’t want to figure it all out right this second. I don’t want this war or our responsibilities to push us into neglecting the importance of what happened last night. Work can wait, the realm can wait. Everyone can hold their fucking horses for us, for just a minute.

It’s an approach and perspective to my responsibilities that I’ve never allowed myself to have before. The slight panic in my chest I feel over it is outweighed by the completely relax state I find myself in and I can’t muster up the effort to snap out of it. I just want to stay locked in here for the day and bathe in the afterglow of becoming one with my princess.

Is it too much to ask for?

The answer’s yes, apparently, when my communicator goes off in my hand and it’s my mom again. I’ve been lacking on my communication with her about what’s been going on and itlooks like my time’s run out. So I decline the call and send her a message, telling her I’ll call her back in a minute.

I’ll need a cup of coffee before making that call.

Letting the communicator fall to my chest, I just sit in the blissful silence with my brothers, letting the sound of Willow’s feet pattering on the bathroom floor distract me again. When she steps out the door wrapped in a towel, she shoots me a knowing smile.

“Aww, come on, just a little while longer,” Draken complains, knowing exactly what’s coming.

“Sorry, dragon, duty never stops calling for the heirs of Elementra.” I sigh, sitting up and snatching the pillow off Caspian’s face.

Time to get moving.

“Little wanderer, help me out here. We deserve a day to stay in bed and have a fuckfest.”

“Draken,” we all shout.

“You’re right, dragon, we do, but Core’s right unfortunately too.” She giggles, shooting him an encouraging wink. “But my soul’s little breakdown put off conversations that need to be had, questions that need to be asked, and I’m more mentally ready to handle that now. I know you all played interference for me yesterday with any big discussions and I appreciate that, but we can’t do it again today. We aren’t going to be given a choice to avoid this today anyway.”

“What does that mean? And what are you doing in there?” he asks as we all hear her rummaging around in her closet.

“Packing,” she calls out.

“Packing for what, princess?”

She doesn’t have to answer me as, again, my communicator starts vibrating in my hand.

Mom.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Caspian sneers. “Come in here, Primary.”

“Yes, sir,” she purrs, sauntering out of the closet in a halter top, floor-length purple sun dress that has us all groaning.

“Don’t give me those innocent eyes, you little temptress. Explain,” he demands with his arms crossed. To which she slinks her way underneath them and makes him crumble.

---