Page 7 of Ethereal Shifters

He doesn’t bother turning around as he pulls out a new set of clean uniform, underwear and socks. “Not when it comes to you. Feel free to go to my room—it’s on the top floor tower in section two—and look through anything you like. We share everything, Sun.” He heads to the bathroom and turns on the shower, and I’m still standing by the door, dripping seawater onto the floor. He’s looking after me. I don’t know what to make of it. “Have a warm shower, clean up, and I’ll go and get you some food. It would be good to eat after that shock.”

“You’re looking after me…” I mutter, still rooted to the spot.

He leans into me, and I breathe in his scent. “Yes. It’s what mates do. When I go flying off a cliff because I’ve been hit by some jackass, you can look after me too.”

I chuckle, my lips spreading into a grin. “Who the fuck would be strong enough to throw you off a cliff?”

He grins back at me and winks before going around me to the door. Mates look after each other. Of course, that is normal, and this is my new normal life. No murders. No fear of my Nexus murdering my mates. Normal.

It’s nice to get in the shower to clean off the smell of salt water and to warm up. I get into fresh clothes, chucking my wet clothes into the basket for the cleaners. I’m drying my hair and running a brush through it when Finnegan comes back, and I immediately smell something nice. My hair is still damp when I open the door and find Finn on my bed, with an entire cheesecake on his lap, two bottles of Pepsi Max, and a fork. Ugh, he really wants me to fall more in love with him. Am I in love with him?The thought takes me by surprise. Would I even know what love is?

“I noticed that you always go for the lemon cheesecake when they have it, but they didn’t have lemon, which really pissed me off. Instead, I managed to find raspberry.” He nods to the space next to him. I can just imagine him scaring the cooks into giving him an entire cheesecake.

“I like raspberry too.”

“I know, it’s your second favourite choice. The chocolate and caramel cheesecake is your third,” he smoothly, and confidently, replies.

“How do you know that?” I ask as I sit on the bed next to him, his knee touching mine. He puts the cheesecake in between us and hands me the fork. We’ve shared a bed together in the cell, but this feels so much more intimate when it’s my space, my bed and he is here. He’s slept in here dozens of times as his bear, but that was different. I take a bite and moan slightly at the delicious taste before handing him the fork. He is watching my face, my lips, the entire time.

“I watched you.” He shrugs like it’s nothing. “I wanted to get to know you. Even when I thought you rejected me and you hated me, I still wanted to know everything about you.”

“I never hated you,” I admit.

“I hated you,” he admits right back, and it hurts. I deserve it, but it still hurts to hear it from Finn.

“Ouch.” I pretend to stab myself in the chest and die.

He frowns. “Don’t pretend to do that again.” He puts the fork down and picks up my hand. “I hated the fact that something so perfect, beautiful, fucking stunning as you didn’t want me. I imagined a million different versions of you over the years, but nothing compared to actually seeing you. All that defiance, wrapped up in something so small and perfect.” Small? I’m a normal height; they are just all giants. “The Gods decided we should be together, and I hated you for rejecting me. I soon realised I don’t really know the difference between hate and love. Apparently, it’s all obsession, and I feel all of it for you.”

“Then…” I pause. I take another bite of cheesecake, for courage. “I need you to be honest with me. No one will tell me about Onyx, and I know he did something bad for this. No one like me gets normality without a price, and I need to know what he did. He’s my mate too, and…I feel like he’s in danger. My Nexus is worried, and she doesn’t worry about anything or anyone but herself.”

He rubs the back of his neck. “I can’t tell you. I promised him I wouldn’t, and I agree with what he did to protect you.”

“Finn, don’t… Please, I need one of you to tell me,” I admit. “How can we be normal if you’re all lying? I’ve been as honest as I can with you this time, and I want us to try for something real. I want you.” My cheeks burn. “And I don’t know much about relationships, but if Onyx is in danger and you’re not telling me…I don’t think that’s healthy.”

“Gwen, please, just…I never want to keep anything from you, but I will keep every secret in the whole fucking world if it keeps you alive and here and safe. You did the same.” I wince. I rejected them to keep them safe, and he is right. I glance at the rune, tapping it softly. “The truth is that the choice Onyx made was the only thing he could have done. I would have done it for you if he hadn’t first. You’ve been running from everything and everyone for so long, Sun. Let us show you what it is like to have a home and to be safe.”

“I’ll never be fully safe because of the Vian,” I admit. “But I appreciate what you’re all doing. It just feels wrong without Onyx.”

“I’m researching how to stop the bond with that fucking Vian prince and you.” His eyes flash and my heart leaps. Break the mating bond?

“You can’t break mating bonds from the Gods.” I wonder whether you can, whether there is something to it that terrifies me for some reason. “Finn.”

He moves to kneel at the edge of the bed, grabbing my ass and pulling me forward. “I’ll stand between you and any decision the Gods make if it puts you in danger.” My heart pauses as he runs his finger across my bottom lip, wiping away a dab of cheesecake before he puts his finger in his mouth. “The only person in existence that I care about is you. Now tell me you’re feeling better, because all I’ve wanted to do all fucking day is kiss you.”

I kiss him first, giving him the answer without the need for more talking. I need this. Him. Finn doesn’t need any encouragement, and he kisses me like he’s marking me, like his lips devour my own with every inch that they take. He pulls my body tighter against his. I can feel the hard length of him pressing against my thigh. I want to know more, and I don’twant to stop. His hand digs into my hair as he groans against my lips.

An alarm goes off that makes us both stop. I wish it didn’t. Finn looks up at the ceiling. “For fuck’s sake. I want one fucking moment alone with her.”

“What is that alarm?” I question as he arranges himself and stands up, pulling me with him.

“Something’s here. It must be Vian because that noise is the wards.” He picks up my Nex dagger that Hollis returned, and he slides it into my hand. “Stay close. I’d tell you to stay in here where it’s safe, but the Vian should be more scared of you than me at this point.”

I grin. “It’s true.”

“I fucking love that you’re not hiding how badass you are from us now.” He winks. “Now let’s go and fuck up some Vian.” He moves to the door and stops, turning to me and pulling me to him. He kisses me once, deeply, and I almost moan when he pulls back. “When we are alone next, you’re going to need to tell me if you don’t want this to go further. I’ll never hurt you again, Sun, and I’m in love with you.”

I touch his cheek. “I love you too. It’s messy between us, but I want more. Don’t hold back. I might not have any experience outside of my bonded group, but there is a reason for that. I wanted any firsts to be with you five.”

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