Grim Echoes

Chapter 26 - Will

Maeve fell asleep in Will's arms. Once again, his plan was to wait until she passed out and get away. She had serious problems understanding personal space. Why was she so trusting? They'd only met days ago, and she now had some concept of what they were, what they did. She didn't like what happened during the werewolf mission; she wanted to leave.

He'd been so cold to her after he'd hurt her. Tried to keep her away from him. How could she feel safe with him? She'd wanted in his arms again. Talked to Ander, covered in blood and guts like it was perfectly fucking normal. When only yesterday she'd asked Ander to change his shirt, of course, that was cause she felt responsible for the fleabag. Will was used to Ander cutting things up into smaller pieces so they could get rid of bodies easier but normal people? No, they stayed in their safe houses or apartments and acted like their world didn't exist.

Once she'd known that it wasn't Ander's blood all over him, she didn't ask or care where it came from. Also didn't seem to give a crap about them having weapons on them all the time. Ander pulled his blade several times. She didn't really react like other girls had. When he'd reflexively reached for his Taurus Judge, she smiled at him. Fucking smiled. Maybe she was bat shit crazy and only seemed normal.

He'd dated a few girls like that, they'd been great in bed but not worth the trouble to keep dating them. Too much drama. Maybe she'd lied and somehow had thrown Ander off and was some kinda fucked up monster they hadn't encountered before. That was more likely. But Ander had an uncanny bullshit detector, even if someone could throw him off temporarily, wouldn't last.

Maeve murmured in her sleep and wiggled against him. He sucked in his breath. Why did he stupidly think he wasn't gonna have the same reaction as he'd had on the road? He thought he'd reacted like that because of the weird psychic mind thing she'd done.

Claim her. You have marked her as ours, the guttural voice in his head commanded again.

She moved again and pressed into him with a sigh. He clenched his jaw. She was asleep and didn't know, but damn, it was distracting. He remembered the taste of her skin when his lips touched her neck, how soft her flesh was beneath his fingertips and her moan filled with need. His arm tightened around her to stop her movement. The scent of her hair filled his nostrils, cloves and leaves in the fall. His head spun. Without thinking, his hand strayed to her hips and pulled her against him. He buried his face in her hair and fell asleep.