>Fair point.
>>Commercial break is over. I’m going to order that pizza. Talk to you soon.
About the time we finished our goodbyes, I had a bee in my bonnet to check on Asa.
Those stupidly excessive, ridiculously delicious cupcakes had struck a guilty chord in me.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed, a twitch in my calves propelling me forward, and I flung my cell on top of the covers. When I gripped the doorknob, I jerked back as a powerful vibration filled my palm.
The wards held strong, I would have known the instant that changed, so whatever was out there…
Asa.
A bone-deep certainty filled me as I opened the door slowly to reveal the daemon curled up on the floor. It hadn’t been a growl I felt, but deep snores that rattled through his chest like wet purrs.
He had come to me for comfort when I didn’t go to him, but he had left the door as a barrier between us to respect my privacy. Poor guy must have been exhausted to conk out so fast after Clay left.
Standing there, I felt six inches tall. No. Less. Three inches. Maybe two. One started to feel like a stretch.
“Hey.” I crouched beside him and placed my hand on his shoulder. “How are you feeling?”
“Rue,” he mumbled, his lids fluttering open. “Good.”
Smoothing a thumb across his fever-hot skin, I asked, “Do you want me to walk you back to your room?”
“No.” He nestled against the planks. “Stay here.”
His answer didn’t surprise me one whit. “Can I talk to Asa?”
“Sleeping.” He yawned. “Healing.”
Cold iron targeted the fae side of Asa, so it made sense the daemon half of him would be less affected.
“Come on.” I hooked a hand under his arm. “I’m not leaving you out here all day.”
“Tired.” He curled tighter. “Sleep now.”
“You’ll sleep as soon as I get you in my bed.” I tugged on his arm. “I’ll throw my back out moving you.”
Grunting through his teeth, proving he was feeling the hurt too, he rose to his full height.
“You can take my spot.” I led him into my room and shoved him onto the bed. “I don’t sleep much.”
“Hurts,” he murmured, snuggling down with his face in my pillow. “Rue make better.”
“You’re still in pain?” I sat on the edge of the mattress. “Want me to get Colby? We can—”
“No.” He fixed his burnt-crimson stare on me. “Rue.” He curled around me. “Rue make better.”
Tears pricked the backs of my eyes as what he meant sank in. Just being here, with him, made it better.
“Let me get my…” I attempted to rise, but he yanked me down again. “Can I get my book, please?”
“Rue come back?” He studied me. “Not trick?”
“The book is right there.” I pointed it out to him. “How about you hand it over instead?”
The daemon palmed it with ease and brought it to his face. “Bearly His Mate?”