Daughter of Nyx (Book Three)

Chapter Twelve

The unfamiliar sound of the alarm was a shock to the system and Chevonne jerked up, searching through bleary eyes for the machine that was shrieking at her. At them. Elliot opened his eyes and she winced before jumping from the bed. Waking him wasn't on her list of things to do, even though she knew he wouldn't complain.

Smacking the snooze button to kill the noise, she fumbled with it until she was able to turn it off.

She looked back over her shoulder at Elliot's chuckle.

"It's okay, love. I could have turned it down, but you have a habit of sneaking off during the day and I wanted to be able to tell you goodbye and threaten you into being careful." He sat up and stood.

"From you, that's sweet," she said and took a deep breath as he walked toward her. Her going weak at the knees at his nudity wasn't on her list either.

His smile was wicked and she would have given much to get back into bed with him and lose herself.

"Behave," she whispered, almost prayed as he took her hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles.

"I was trying to be sweet."

"No, you are trying to get me to stay here with you and get behind me, Satan, I have things I need to do. I'm getting my phone and starting the process of getting the things I need to possibly buy a house."

He took her shoulders and turned her, arms wrapping around her waist and he was flush against her back. "I'm never been called Satan before, but if you want me behind you, I'm happy to oblige." His lips trailed over her shoulder and much to her dismay, she couldn't hide the shuddery breath she released.

"I hate you," she said, leaning her head back against his shoulder and he laughed.

"I actually believed you when you said that." He let her go and she turned to face him. "For about thirty minutes, I thought that not only did I kill anything, but I pushed you to the opposite side of the meter."

She put her hand over his heart. "What I thought, as I said that, was 'Hate is easy to do. It requires no effort. But love takes everything.' I still loved you then, you idiot."

"Still a well-deserved insult."

"You aren't the only one. I could have gone about things so much differently myself. Perhaps not have taken a jog in a snowstorm. Maybe listened more."

"What is life but lessons?" he said and she laughed, remembering when she said those words.

"How are you so wise."

"I have a really old soul," he said, raising an eyebrow and she shook her head.

"Okay, well, it's bed-time for the elderly. We young'uns have places to go and people to see."

"Can I ever win with you?"

"Perhaps if you keep practicing." She patted his chest and he covered her hand.

"Seriously, Chevonne. I know you are going to be with Draven tonight. I know—"

She held her hand up to his lips. "Don't. Please."

He smiled and pulled her hand away. "Maybe you should listen more. I trust that you know what you are doing. I will worry, because...it's him. But, I also know that there are things between the two of you. I see the looks. All I want to say is be careful. And you will be in room nine twenty-eight. It's an inside room. No windows, so no one wants it. It's a room that I use sometimes. The reservation is under your name and you have it for two nights, because of the checkout time. Everything is on me, so, please, don't worry."