Page 44 of Demon Shock

“She was gluing the bite. It felt…good.”

Zach snorted, and Will elbowed him.

“She stopped and was going to leave. I grabbed her hand. I didn’t mean to. It just…” I sighed. “She fell on me. Her hand landed on my cock. It was warm and soft and?—“

“We get the picture,” Bram said.

“So it was a misfire?” Zach asked. “That’s why it was all over?”

I nodded. “Ghua said that Eden gets very angry when it gets in her hair. That’s why I carried her to the shower right away. Ava didn’t seem angry, though. Do you think she liked it?”

Zach slammed his head down onto his arm on the table. The dishes rattled. His shoulders shook.

Uan and Thallirin were very patient males.

“I know it’s tempting to toss him out the door,” Bram said, seeming to hear my thoughts. “But remember how much Nancy loves him and how much Uan loves Nancy. Brenna and Thallirin too.”

“Personally, I think Uan and Thallirin would understand a light tossing,” Will said. “But back to the point. No, I don’t think Ava actuallylikedit. I think she just understands it was an accident. If it happens a second time, I think she’ll be a lot less forgiving.”

I exhaled heavily, nodded, and took the bowl of stew Will offered me.

“It could have been worse,” Bram said. “She’s still talking to you, at least. Keep talking, and try not to bring up or even think about what happened. You don’t want to scare her away.”

With their warnings repeating in my mind, I went to join Ava. She looked up at my approach and smiled before glancing behind me.

“Don’t they want to eat in here?”

I shook my head and sat down next to her.

“Do you think we’ll reach one of your communities tomorrow?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Zach told me about them. Three big neighborhoods, each surrounded by a wall made out of cars. Enough room for everyone. A lot of the humans share homes, but the fey tend not to. Do you have your own house?”

“Not yet.”

“Oh.” I heard the disappointment in her voice.

“I gave my home to Etri and Fallor.”

“That’s nice of you, but where do you live?”

“I stay with them when I return, but mostly, I go out and look for survivors like some of my other brothers do, so I don’t need a home yet.”

“Zach said that, after I meet with June, Mya, and Andie, I’ll be assigned a house. It’s a little intimidating to think that I might be assigned a house to live in with strangers. Do you think Zach, Will, or Bram have room in their houses?”

I looked down at my stew to hide how much I didn’t want her to want to live with anyone else but me.

“Gyrik?”

“Sorry, Ava,” Zach said, entering the room and sitting heavily on the couch. “Our housing assignments have already been set. But don’t worry. I have a feeling you’re going to be assigned somewhere nice in Unity. It’s the newest, and there are still plenty of open houses there.”

“The one with the greenhouses and fields?”

“Yep. Your grandpa’s seed books will be put to good use there. And if you hate gardening?—”

“I don’t,” she said quickly.

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