Page 79 of Cry of the Firebird

"I know, but it doesn't mean he's wrong. I don't want to have to worry about lighting on fire every time I go to bed. I have enough trouble sleeping as it is," Anya replied, her hands tangling in his.

"It was out of your control, Anya. You can't blame yourself for it. Katya's friends might be able to tell you what in the dream triggered a physical response to you. It wasn't a normal nightmare. It doesn't mean you're going to react the same way every time."

"We don't know that, Trajan. It could be like this from now on. Like I needed to be more of a freak."

"You're in good company then. I can suck the life force out of any living thing. Cerise has to drink dead blood to survive. Yvan shares his body with a mythical bird. Katya has so many skeletons in her closet, I can just about hear them dancing, and don't even get me started on Izrayl's kinks," Trajan said.

Anya was laughing before she could stop herself. "You make a good point, but I still need to sleep."

"I can watch over you tonight. I don't need to sleep much."

Anya turned to look up at him. "You'll stay with me?"

"If you don't mind. It will be a lot more comfortable than sleeping in this bathtub."

That's debatable. The thought of Trajan having a sleepover made her body and imagination light itself on fire in a whole new way. He helped her out of the tub and led her back into the bedroom. Miraculously, none of her bedding had been scorched in her inferno, and she said as much to Trajan as she climbed in.

"Try and worry about the properties of magical fire tomorrow, Anya," he said, tucking her in. He made to sit down on the chair next to the bed, but she grabbed his hand, tugging him back to her. His eyes shone red and back to autumn gold.

"Are you sure?" he asked. They had talked about his fear of accidentally feeding on her if he let his guard down, but she wanted him close.

"Trajan, if you're not worried about me setting you on fire, then I'm not worried about falling asleep beside you," Anya replied and moved over, giving him space.

"Practice," Trajan said, and tingles swept down her spine. He took off his glasses and placed them on the bedside table before climbing in beside her.

"What if I really did go to the Land of the Dead?" Anya asked, her voice small. Trajan moved closer to her and placed his armaround her waist. She curled into him, putting her head on his chest.

"I've been to the Land of the Dead, and what you described was very far from it." His lips pressed against her hair. "We will work it out in the morning. Close your eyes and try to relax."

Trajan watched Anya sleep,a frown forming on his face. They were going to need more help than just Katya's friends. Shamans were all well and good, but they needed warriors. He had planned on reaching out to Hamish, but he couldn't wait any longer. Katya's encounter with the Darkness was enough to have Trajan thinking about more security. It would only be a matter of time before Vasilli and Ladislav tracked them down, and he wanted to be ready for them.

Leaving Anya sleeping in the next room, Trajan scrolled through his phone for last known numbers. Hamish liked to travel and was never in one place or had the same number for long.

"Burnt Downs Station," a woman's curt voice answered.

"Hello. I was wondering if Hamish Hudson would be available."

"You a copper?"

"I assure you, madam, I'm not the police. I'm one of Hamish's acquaintances."

"Sorry. You sound like a copper. Look, Hamish ain't in. He's out mustering and isn't due back to the station for another three days."

"Could you please tell him Trajan rang and that I need him to come to Paris? I'm calling in the debt he owes me."

"I need him to bring the cattle in first, then you can have him. Not for too long, mind you, because he works hard, unlike some of the other good for nothing bastards out here."

"Of course. Just tell him it's urgent and if he needs money to call me."

"No worries. I'll let him know." The phone went dead, and Trajan sighed. At least he knew where Hamish was. Now all he could do was wait.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Katya would've liked to drink the day away on a soft couch, but the inactivity of the past few days had finally gotten to her. She had spent most of the morning going through all of her contacts that she had had for the Twins over the years, trying to find a number that was still connected. Anya's fire-starting antics meant she had to come up with a way to find the boys and soon.

She had no luck with the numbers she had and was contemplating trying to mind link with Aleksandra to see if she could reach out to them by magical means. Katya needed to be calm to do that, and she was agitated from sitting still.

She was used to hunting every day, not lounging about in luxury while she had healed, so she hit the treadmill in the gym downstairs.

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