Page 18 of Fever

“Yeah.” A small desk tucked into a far corner is likely mine. I start moving toward it, but Sotay bends, lifts me, and throws me over his shoulder. He crosses the room in a few strides and spanks my ass before putting me in the chair behind the small desk.

I laugh.

His eyes lift at the corners. “I am super sweet. The sweetest. I am so sweet, I’m practically a walking candy cane. Lickable, no?”

I laugh some more, but boy, the memories of exactly how lickable his candy cane is flood my mind. “Yes, Alpha.”

Chapter 8

Sotay

I jolt out of bed and stand, armor up, ready for battle. My heart pounds, and I bare my teeth, a growl ripping out of my chest. Horrible dream.

“Wow,” comes from the far corner.

I blink and scan my surroundings. Leah types on the computer, sitting at Anna’s desk, and I’m still in Raven’s office. “What the hell happened?”

“Um, not much. You dropped me off and sat on the couch. Slept.” She snaps her fingers. “Just like that. I have to tell you, you snore like nobody’s business. If I had tech, I would have taped it so you could hear.”

I scrub my face, trying to regain my senses. I hate remembering my dreams. This was a vivid one of me running across water, stepping over floating bodies both human and Regha, that will haunt me for some time. The Great Serpent is trying to tell me something, but I can’t make out what, other than the fact the enemy has indeed come to us. There’s a yacht on the loose filled with abominations. We don’t know if it’s the only one. Not even Telean tech works under prolonged Silence and a malfunctioning gate that’s scrambling their scanners. In a way, we invited the enemy. Now we have to deal with them.

I approach the windows and lean on the throne, wondering when one or one hundred yachts will appear on the horizon ready to strike. We know why they sail, then disappear. To create panic among the people. The perimeter has been closed off for months now. Nobody leaves the city unless they’ve got permission. Times are tough, and they’ll only get worse. “What time is it?” I ask.

“Eight forty.”

“Have you had dinner yet?”

When Leah doesn’t answer, I give her a pointed look. My patience wearing thin, I’m in a foul mood. Though thrilled the king has honored me by appointing me to command of people in Raven’s absence, I can’t help but feel he passed me the torch at a time when everything could collapse. But Anna’s pregnancy complications and Raven’s tension during the few last days isn’t something we can ignore. The king knows Raven worries and can’t concentrate. Raven knows as well. We all know Raven can’t function if he worries about his Omega.

From her desk, Leah picks up a cup of inder, eyes wide. “No dinner. Just this.”

I chuckle. “You’ve been drinking inder all day?”

“There’s a bottomless pit of it in the break room.”

“Inder is stronger than coffee. It isn’t meant for all-day consumption.”

“Oops. You hungry?”

“Ravenous.” For more than food.

Leah stands. “I’ll get us something from the kitchen.”

“Everything’s closed.”

“Not the fridge, I’m sure.”

“You gonna cook for me, Leah?”

She shrugs. “The way I figure it, if I make it bad enough, maybe you’ll choke and die.”

“Aww.” I hit my chest. “You’re really warming up to me.”

“Melting, baby.” She leaves the office, and I turn back to the sea, then tap my com unit. Even when we don’t have tech, Dreikx gets our line working. Except tonight. Because such is my fucking day. The line is static. I take the com out of my ear and drop it on the desk, then hit the bathroom to freshen up.

When I come out, Leah still isn’t there. I tap the desk, wondering if I should go after her. Seconds tick by, and I’m getting antsy. She may have bailed on me again like she did this morning. Fuck it. If I’m going to be an obsessive asshole, then I might as well go all the way. Really overdo it and follow her everywhere. Resolved, I cross the office in two strides just as the stair exit door opens. Quickly, I sit back down behind the desk and pretend to have just noticed the sound of her footsteps.

Carrying a large tray in her hands, she stops in the middle of the office. “Where do you want it?”

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