Mark pulled him back into his arms, and Caster offered little resistance. He did his best to snuggle into the warmth of Caster’s protection. For the first time in a long time, the prospect of sleep didn’t terrify him. As he closed his eyes, careful to maintain his connection to Caster, he reveled in the rest it would bring, knowing Caster would be here when he woke, would be here for eternity.
§
The sounds of morning reached his wolf first, and the animal howled its response, startling him awake. The urgency of sudden wakefulness dissipated into a contented sigh when Caster smiled at him.
“Good morning, beautiful.”
He couldn’t hold back his smile or the joy that was busymending a heart he’d been certain was broken forever.
“If you keep looking at me like that, we won’t leave this room any time soon.” Caster waved a hand over the space. “This is your room?”
He nodded, unwilling to look away from his handsome face.
“You brought me here?”
“Dean. He knew I couldn’t bear to be away from you, and he wasn’t about to let me out of his sight.”
Caster’s laugh increased the appeal of his face, the pieces of his heart coming together faster. “And Marcus allowed it? I would have loved to see that argument.”
The bright light of his joy dimmed only for a moment at the memory of that day. He’d almost lost him.
Caster’s hand was on his cheek before he could fall further into the despair the memory conjured. “No. Don’t go back there, hmm?”
He nodded, choosing to push that despair further back. “Marcus is so scary.”
Caster’s smile returned, and with it, his joy. “Yes. You have nothing to fear from him, though.”
“He said that his protection was mandatory.”
Caster laughed again, his joy further reassurance that he was here and this wasn’t a dream. “Yes… that does sound like Marcus.”
“Who is he to you?”
“He’s my father’s right hand. Like Kyle is to me and Julianis to Damien.” His tone signaled admiration, even love. “He was also my trainer. You’ll always be safe with him.”
Mark nodded, shifting closer to him. He trusted Caster, and if he, in turn, trusted Marcus, then he would too. Caster’s arm went around him, and the simple action almost brought tears to his eyes. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t fall to pieces, not until they’d dealt with the witch. Until their plan was complete. But she’d almost destroyed his world, again.
The almost imperceptible tightening of Caster’s arm was the only indication that he’d heard that thought. They couldn’t continue to dance around the main issue. If they were to be together, they needed to share everything, which meant he needed to face that night, stop running away from the grief the memory carried.
“Baby, you don’t have to.” Caster’s whisper spoke to that tiny part of him that was strong enough to reinforce his determination.
“I think I need to. Not just for me…” His own voice was so small, he was unsure Caster heard him.
“Look at me!”
The take-charge attitude from that command was just what he needed, but when he obeyed, the look on Caster’s face was not what he expected.
“How many times do I have to tell you that I would never use my dominance to make you do something you don’t want to?” He lowered his gaze, but Caster was not about to let him hide. “What do you mean, you need to?”
He met the compassion, not pity, in Caster’s eyes withrenewed courage. “When Riley and I came to get you in that place, there was someone there.”
Caster’s eyes widened a fraction. “Pierce. You saw him?” His entire body hardened. “What did he do to you?”
Mark shook his head. “Nothing.” He smiled through the mess of emotions he tried to contain, trying to ease the tension hardening Caster’s expression. “But I thought I recognized him.”
Caster didn’t relax, but his tight hold eased further, creating a bit of space between them. He said nothing, waiting for Mark to find his voice.
Mark wasn’t sure how the demon fit into all this, but that smile, the thin baring of sharpened teeth, had plagued his dreams since that night. Caster gasped, and he sighed. “That demon smiled, and it was like the smile I keep seeing in my nightmares. The thing that kills Zeke every time I close my eyes.”