The AlphaSeed gives me another sideways glance. Which Seth mirrors, then lifts his chin and gives the air a little sniff before looking back to Roarke. Both of them look agitated by me. Like I smell bad.
Which I probably do, because I’m wearing Eydis’ clothes. Well, that explains a few things. Doesn’t change my mind, though. Just to check, I run my palms down the stomach of my shirt. Soft and warm and clean and perfectly cut. I like wearing the guys’ clothes, I really do, but I also like wearing these.
Killian is standing closest to me, and his nostrils flare for just an instant before he sets his gaze on me, but it’s Roarke who starts talking, “If we undo Seth’s potion, we will put Logan’s firmly in place. Shade’s bubble will morph into walls for all of us. None of us will be able to reach each other. Which includes our tetrad abilities.”
“Pentad,” Pax rumbles.
“Right. Kitten, we need to work out if Logan’s potion is what’s blocking any remnant of a Seed you might have. It’s short-circuiting some of our magic – it could be doing that to you too.”
“That’s an easy one. There was nothing Saber about me before I met you guys. Mortal from sunrise to sunset.”
Killian makes an agreeing sound.
“See, Killian knows,” I say.
A small smile sneaks onto the always-cranky Darkness guys lips, that he wipes away as he rubs at his nose. I get it, I smell, but this is becoming entertaining.
“Could she be accessing you the same way I do?” Seth asks.
My eyes go wide, images of Seth doing all the things I want to do with Roarke flashing before my mind. ‘You think your brother’s hot too?’ is about to tumble off my lips, but Killian cuts me off with a sudden explosive laugh. Full, loud, and happy-as-bralls.
The world chuckin’ stops. I’m lost for words. All of us are just staring at the big, grumpy man.
“You,” Killian says, waving a hand towards me, but needing another breath to get himself under control before continuing. “Funny.”
That’s it. He doesn’t add why.
Each one of my guys turns towards me for the answers.
Chuck no. I smile at Seth and deliberately choose to keep this one to myself. Which involves deliberately changing the subject, “What do you mean, accessing?”
“Wait, what was that about?” Pax insists.
“Yes, Vexy, what was that about?” Seth asks, his best impression of being Alluring in his tone, but his brow is creased in a promise of mischief.
“I don’t understand what you mean by access?” I repeat, my lips struggling to pull into a neutral line.
Relax my cheeks. Relax my cheeks. I can stop myself from smiling if I relax my cheeks.
“Explain,” Pax says, raising his voice a little.
Damn, Mr. Must-be-in-control just entered the room. I shrug. “Ask Killian. I didn’t do anything.”
“Relax, brother,” Seth says. “I’m pretty sure it was a joke at my expense.”
Pax pulls his gaze from me, the intense depths of his presence shifting back to Roarke, and a cold shiver settles over my skin.
“Keep going,” Pax says.
Roarke scrunches his nose against a whiff of possibly me, then snaps another piece of kindling in half.
“Right,” he begins, but that’s about all I hear before Killian steps up next to the couch, leaning on one elbow and stealing all my attention.
“I like your kind of funny,” he mutters.
“Shhh,” I hiss. “Commander Pax is pissed off.”
“Only because you stink.”
“I know. I bet you a week’s worth of doing the dishes that Roarke works it out first,” I whisper.
“Pax,” is all Killian says, nodding at the man who currently has his back to us as he listens to what Roarke has to say.
“In our, ah, group, all four of us can use Killian’s strength,” Roarke continues, ignoring the little side conversation I’m having with Killian. “My speed. Pax’s smell, and his blasts if we’re together. Seth’s… what do you bring to this group, Seth?”
Killian grunt-chuckles.
“Wait, so I’m only strong because of him?” Seth asks, pointing at Killian. He doesn’t wait for confirmation though. “There’s your answer, Vexy. No, not all Sabers have metal-crushing strength, just Killian and people who have lived with him for too long.”
“When did I ask that?”
“When I freed your law-breaking ass from the stocks,” he says, giving me just enough time to pull an ‘oh’ face before continuing. “I make you smile – that’s my contribution to the group. Just admit it. You’re all sour old ladies without me.”
Roarke lifts the collar of his shirt up over his nose, then his brow furrows with realization. “Kitten, I’m sorry, but you really do stink.”
“I win,” I exclaim.
Killian rumbles, and Seth has a surprised-confused crease on his brow.
“Win what?” Pax asks.
“I’ve been watching you all pull faces,” I say, twisting to look Killian in the eye.
“We don’t pull faces,” Roarke mutters. “I think we should stick to her wearing our clothes. That was working fine.”
“Nope,” I announce. “My clothes, my decision. I like these.”
Which is mostly true, I leave out the fact that I also like claiming their clothes, but surely they don’t want some girl ruining everything they own. Because the reality is, if I wear it, then they can pretty much say goodbye to it.
Pax’s eyes glow, and maybe he’s about to say something – I don’t know, because I get in first.
“Did you want to take them off me?”
Correction, my mouth gets in first.
Oh, chuck.
Not what I wanted to say – at all.
“That’s okay,” Seth says, jumping over the back of the couch. “I can deal with the scent thing.”
“Wow, no, no. Back up,” I shout, pushing myself away from the couch.
But I’m too slow and only manage to push myself into Seth’s chest, where he wraps his arms around me and locks me in place.
He wraps his arms around me in a big, exaggerated movement. Like a kid trying to smother their favorite teddy to death – well, a kid who’s very aware that his favorite teddy
