Page 62 of Ashes

“Wolf fights.” Luther rubs the back of his neck. “Sam was the victim.”

“Shit.” I clench my fists.

“Nova watched it. I tried to make her leave…” Luther trails off. I’ve rarely seen him like this; he has a haunted look on his face. “The whole place was a head-fuck,” he says darkly.

“Hey…” Nova’s voice makes us all look round. She’s stepped out of the car. My eyes snap to her legs. Knee-high boots with a heel. Her coat is hanging open. She runs to Tanner. He wraps his arms around her waist, beneath the coat. Kole kisses her neck. I hold back, but when Snow growls at me, I slip my hand into hers. Letting Tanner go, Nova folds herself under my chin. “Thank you.” She reaches up and kisses me. “Thank you for getting him out.”

Luther clears his throat loudly, making Nova turn around. Sam is unfolding himself gingerly from the back passenger seat. He blinks into the daylight. Dark, slightly curly hair, over six-feet tall, a lithe but toned frame hidden beneath a plain gray tee and a pair of black leather pants.

“Guys,” Nova says, taking Sam’s hand. “This is Sam.” She rubs his arm with her other hand. “Sam, this is everyone. Kole, Tanner, Mack, and…” she gestures, “Luther.”

Sam lifts his hand in a nervous wave.

“You must be exhausted.” I put my arm around him. God knows, he looks like he needs some reassurance. “Come inside.”

As Sam sits down on the couch, Nova joins him, and Luther goes straight to the kitchen to make coffee. I follow him, watching Nova from the other side of the cabin’s open-plan living space.

“I’m sorry,” Sam says, shaking his head. “I can’t quite believe this.” He reaches for Nova, like she’s the only thing tethering him to what’s real right now. “I thought I’d spend my life in that place.” He searches her face. “I thought you were dead.”

“I know.” She presses her side against his. “I thought you were too.”

“Then how did you…?”

“You’ll want some coffee before you get into that,” Tanner says lightly. “There’s alotto explain.” He moves to sit opposite Nova, puts his hands on her knees, kisses her forehead while Kole stands behind the couch and strokes his large hands over her shoulders. Sam notices, but—unlike Nico—doesn’t seem to find it strange that she’s treating them both like her boyfriend. “You’re okay, little star?” Tanner asks, rubbing her outer thigh.

“I’m okay.” She taps his forehead. “And you? Headache gone?”

“Good as new.”

When Luther walks over with a tray of coffees, we all take one. Kole moves round the couch and sits the other side of Nova. Luther and I remain standing.

Nova blows across the top of her coffee and closes her eyes, but when Sam reaches for his, he winces.

“You should let Tanner look at you,” she says, stroking his back. To Tanner, she adds, “He was in a fight last night. He’s hurt.”

“I’m fine.” Sam puts his coffee down on the table but breathes out sharply. “Really. I’ve had worse.”

Nova presses her lips together, as if his admission physically hurts her. “Tanner’s a nurse. Please, let him look.”

Tanner grins and wiggles his fingers. “I have warm hands. I’ll be gentle.”

A laugh bubbles in Sam’s chest. “All right,” he says, “thank you.”

Nova stands up and takes Sam’s hand. “We’ll go upstairs.” She nods back at us. “We won’t be long.”

Tanner follows them. When they’re gone, I sit next to Kole and take a long sip of coffee. “Okay, Luther. What else do we need to know? What the hell happened in that place?”

31

SAM

We’re in a cabin in the woods. I don’t know how far we traveled from Red Rock, but it’s quieter here. So quiet. Upstairs, Nova guides me to the bed. I sit down, and she kneels in front of me.

She puts her hands on my arms. “You’ll be okay now. You’re with us.”

I stroke the side of her face. A face I’ve seen in my dreams every night for twenty years. “I never thought I’d see you again.”

“I know.” She kisses my palm. It should probably feel strange, but it doesn’t.

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