Page 59 of Golden Eagle

Her smile was dazzling, then. “You guys.”

Nik growled.

“You guys, that’s fantastic!”

Sasha felt a happy warmth stain his cheeks, and leaned against Nikita’s side, so they were pressed flush at shoulders, ribs, and hips. “Thank you.”

“I mean it.” She focused on Nik, then, smile softening. “Nik, I really mean it. I’m so happy for you two. It’s about time. You don’t have to be nervous.”

“I’m not nervous.”

“You’re shaking.”

He was, little chills that vibrated into Sasha.

“Did you think we didn’t know?” she asked, even gentler. “Nik, honey, we could always tell” – Nik tensed, and she seemed to know, cutting off with a little breath. “You deserve to be happy,” she said, finally.

“I keep telling him,” Sasha said.

“Okay, that’s…that’s enough,” Nikita said, with a little wave from both hands. At another time, even just a week ago, Sasha thought he would have turned away from them. But today, he stood beneath the steady weight of Sasha’s hand, and looked down at the ground instead, evading both their gazes. “We need to focus.”

Trina looked like she wanted to say more.

Sasha gave her an apologetic glance.

“We need to find Gustav, then,” Trina said, back to business.

A beat passed. Two. Then Nik took one last breath and lifted his head, expression composed again. “Yeah,” he agreed, with all his usual cynicism and intent. “We’ll go to Colette, see if she can help with a spell. Find him.” He gave her a pointed look. “You said you wanted to know why he did it.”

“Ideally? And in a broad sense? Yeah, I do. This town’s going extra crazy lately with this supernatural shit – no offense – and I’d love an explanation.” Her darted glance to Sasha told him she already suspected the reason: the war everyone from Dracula to Robin Hood seemed so bound to fight. “But if the Alexei fiasco taught us anything, it’s that arresting and questioning a vampire isn’t a reasonable thing. So. You catch him, find out what you can without getting hurt, and then do what you gotta do.”

“How outside the law of you,” Nikita said, trace of a smile gracing his lips. He needed to smile more; he was so handsome when he did.

“I’m a cop, not a saint,” she said, smirking in a way completely reminiscent of him.

“Speaking of. Where’s Lanny?” Nik asked, relaxing another fraction. He reached out to brace a hand on the rail. “I’m assuming that’s why you called this morning?”

Now it was Trina’s turn to get cagey. She shrugged. “It’s alright.”

“Nuh-uh. What’d that idiot do?” Nik pressed.

Sasha turned his head, so he could whisper, “Don’t pester her,” right in his ear.

“She pestered us,” Nik whispered back, turning his own head, so their cheeks pressed together, briefly, and sent a delightful thrill through Sasha’s veins.

When they turned back to Trina, together, she’d cocked a single brow, and was smirking at them.

“Don’t be smug,” Nik said, sourly.

“Don’t be adorable,” she shot back.

Sasha had to laugh.

Nik rolled his eyes; but his shoulder pressed warm and firm into Sasha’s.

Sasha felt giddy. He wanted to throw his head back and howl, a joyful, full moon cry of celebration. Nikita was being prickly, because he was prickly about everything; because emotions were vulnerabilities in his mind, and he didn’t like looking vulnerable in front of anyone – in front of anyone who wasn’t Sasha. But he wasn’t denying; wasn’t pretending things were the same; wasn’t pulling away from Sasha’s arm against his own, and Sasha could be endlessly patient with any amount of prickliness, so long as this was real, and Nikita returned his love.

“We’ll find Gustav,” Nikita said, firmly. “Leave that part to us. You can try to keep your human police from getting into something they can’t handle.”

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