windowsill and slicked another bat decal to the window. The
spiders were a new touch. Marius hadn’t known they were doing that.
Brax was handing them out an open window next to him.
“Depends,” Jade said, not looking up. “Big purchase or small one? I used a lot of our play money on decorations.”
Marius watched in fascination as Jade used his yellow-and-orange wings to balance on the edge of the roof. “I figured we could get the nephilim some cookies or something. Madigan and his lovers just opened a bakery in town. Keer and I thought it would be good to get everyone out of the house for a bit.”
“Yep. We’ve got the capital for that. A dozen cookies shouldn’t run more than ten bucks, right?” Jade used one wing to push off the roof and swing onto the other side of the sill. He muttered something uncomplimentary under his breath about cheaply made spiders and was forced to restaple one.
“Should be. Finish up and get your shoes on. How long do you need?” Marius asked.
Jade shrugged. “I don’t know. Five minutes maybe.”
Marius nodded and went back up the porch and into the house. Axis met him in the foyer. He met the green eyes of his commander and felt nothing but happiness. How had he ever looked on Axis in resentment? He gave him redemption, love, a second chance at a life he’d lost.
Axis smiled at him like he was reading Marius’s mind. “I hear we’re going to get snacks.” He pointed to the grandfather clock in the entryway. It was three in the afternoon, and they had only been up three hours at most. “I think it’s a great idea. I would also like to stop by the facility and teach you to shift. It’s well past time, and I want you completely ready for the opening on Monday.”
A sudden nervousness filled Marius along with that strange feeling like he wasn’t alone in his own head anymore. That feeling grew as a separate consciousness joined his own. It felt noble, ancient, far older than Marius was, at any rate. It’s time . Marius jumped as the thought echoed through his mind. It wasn’t words exactly, more of an impression of a desire, a knowing that their time for true unity was at hand.
Marius nodded, swallowing hard. “You think it’s time?”
Axis winked. “I know it is. Your animal calls to mine. We’re part of the same group, the same family. He wants to run with us. Trust me. It’s nerve wracking now, but soon you’ll resent keeping your human form. We might want to look into some farmland in the future.”
“We just moved here,” Marius said. “I don’t want to move the nephilim so soon.”
Axis turned to the entryway closet, opened the door, and started rooting inside. “The facility will be more than adequate right now, but I’m saying that in a few years it might appeal.” He remerged a second later with a spare pair of Nikes. He tossed them to Marius. “You need to put proper shoes on. Sandals in thirty-degree weather is ridiculous.”
Marius’s eyes went down to his toes. With jeans on, the only thing visible was his bare toes. The sandals were fine. He’d been wearing the same pair for months. He reconsidered. No, not months. Almost a year now. They were comfortable. He never wore his tennis shoes if he could help it. They confined his feet and made him sweat.
“I like my sandals.” He eyed the shoes Axis extended to him. Yeah. Those so weren’t happening.
Axis looked at him strangely. “You’re rebellious about the oddest things. You yield on some tasks I give you and I think that you’re tamed, but then something will spark, set you off, and then I see the fallen angel you were before. It’s a sexy and exasperating mix.” He waved his hand in dismissal. “Fine. Wear your sandals and get frostbite.”
Marius couldn’t suppress his grin. “Don’t mind if I do, Axis. Are the rest of boys getting ready,
spiders were a new touch. Marius hadn’t known they were doing that.
Brax was handing them out an open window next to him.
“Depends,” Jade said, not looking up. “Big purchase or small one? I used a lot of our play money on decorations.”
Marius watched in fascination as Jade used his yellow-and-orange wings to balance on the edge of the roof. “I figured we could get the nephilim some cookies or something. Madigan and his lovers just opened a bakery in town. Keer and I thought it would be good to get everyone out of the house for a bit.”
“Yep. We’ve got the capital for that. A dozen cookies shouldn’t run more than ten bucks, right?” Jade used one wing to push off the roof and swing onto the other side of the sill. He muttered something uncomplimentary under his breath about cheaply made spiders and was forced to restaple one.
“Should be. Finish up and get your shoes on. How long do you need?” Marius asked.
Jade shrugged. “I don’t know. Five minutes maybe.”
Marius nodded and went back up the porch and into the house. Axis met him in the foyer. He met the green eyes of his commander and felt nothing but happiness. How had he ever looked on Axis in resentment? He gave him redemption, love, a second chance at a life he’d lost.
Axis smiled at him like he was reading Marius’s mind. “I hear we’re going to get snacks.” He pointed to the grandfather clock in the entryway. It was three in the afternoon, and they had only been up three hours at most. “I think it’s a great idea. I would also like to stop by the facility and teach you to shift. It’s well past time, and I want you completely ready for the opening on Monday.”
A sudden nervousness filled Marius along with that strange feeling like he wasn’t alone in his own head anymore. That feeling grew as a separate consciousness joined his own. It felt noble, ancient, far older than Marius was, at any rate. It’s time . Marius jumped as the thought echoed through his mind. It wasn’t words exactly, more of an impression of a desire, a knowing that their time for true unity was at hand.
Marius nodded, swallowing hard. “You think it’s time?”
Axis winked. “I know it is. Your animal calls to mine. We’re part of the same group, the same family. He wants to run with us. Trust me. It’s nerve wracking now, but soon you’ll resent keeping your human form. We might want to look into some farmland in the future.”
“We just moved here,” Marius said. “I don’t want to move the nephilim so soon.”
Axis turned to the entryway closet, opened the door, and started rooting inside. “The facility will be more than adequate right now, but I’m saying that in a few years it might appeal.” He remerged a second later with a spare pair of Nikes. He tossed them to Marius. “You need to put proper shoes on. Sandals in thirty-degree weather is ridiculous.”
Marius’s eyes went down to his toes. With jeans on, the only thing visible was his bare toes. The sandals were fine. He’d been wearing the same pair for months. He reconsidered. No, not months. Almost a year now. They were comfortable. He never wore his tennis shoes if he could help it. They confined his feet and made him sweat.
“I like my sandals.” He eyed the shoes Axis extended to him. Yeah. Those so weren’t happening.
Axis looked at him strangely. “You’re rebellious about the oddest things. You yield on some tasks I give you and I think that you’re tamed, but then something will spark, set you off, and then I see the fallen angel you were before. It’s a sexy and exasperating mix.” He waved his hand in dismissal. “Fine. Wear your sandals and get frostbite.”
Marius couldn’t suppress his grin. “Don’t mind if I do, Axis. Are the rest of boys getting ready,
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