Teeth »ᴄɵᴍᴘᴌᴇтᴇ«

THIRTY-TWO

THIRTY-TWO

To say that I was surprised to find out that Rowan's actual blade was Taylor, was an understatement, although, it did explain why Rowan had been so put at ease from the start with my friends. They said that they weren't sure when or if to tell me the truth since blades were typically possessive over their shields, and since I could shift into a cat that could eat them – not that I would – they were worried about my reaction. If I was honest, I was glad that Rowan had an actual blade. It made me feel less awkward with Zane. Now that I thought about it, Zane must have known since part way through the week, he'd eventually stopped giving Rowan the evil eye. How unobservant was I?

Crawling into the single bed that we'd pushed together to make a double in Zane's room as Lucas was staying with Archie, I snuggled into the covers waiting for Zane to finish his business in the bathroom and join me. I didn't really feel when the mattress dipped as they were singles next to each other, but I did feel Zane's warm hand caress my skin as he looped his arm around my waist, pulling me flush against him.

"I don't want you to get hurt," Zane's voice was quiet, like he didn't really want to say anything in the silence.

"I'm the best chance for Sierra's survival," I replied, turning to face him.

"Why don't you just ask the headmaster to pay the Claw-Cutter's to get Sierra out."

"One, I don't trust them. Two, I have a bad feeling we're going to need Rowan to get her out."

Zane sighed. "Yeah, I have that feeling too."

After a few moments of silence, I reached up and touched his face. "Zane?"

Cat blue eyes lowered to look at me. "Umm?"

"I..." the words froze on my tongue. Panic speared through me. What if he didn't say them back? I know he said them before, but since then? Okay, a lot had gone on, but still... Did I jump and hope that he still felt the same way? "...like you."

I almost winced at the sight of curiosity flared into excitement before it diminished into disappointment. "I love you, Val."

I tensed. Even though I hadn't said love, he still did? "Even after everything?"

I watched as he nodded. "Even after everything. Sure, I was pissed when I found out that he'd... uh, you know, which ended up binding him to our bond, and I'm sure you only forgave him because of the bond." I rubbed my hand over his chest to try and sooth the anger from his tense body. "But yeah, Val, even after everything, I still love you. And I will for eternity, just like I'll wait for you to say it back for eternity."

Moving to snuggle into his side, nestling in the crook of his arm, head on his chest, I sighed away the panic and worry. "I love you too, Zane."

I heard his breath catch at my quiet words. His arms tightened around me in response. A feather light touch of lips touched my head as he sighed, almost, in relief.

"Sorry for being so difficult at the start."

He chuckled. "I'm not. Then, I was sure that my shield would fall at my feet, but then I got you, and you did the complete opposite. You fought me, even when I tried to get close."

"Since then?" I asked curiously.

"Since? Waiting for you made everything better, it allowed me to understand the deeper meaning of the bond that blade and shield share. It made me realise that I would do anything. I've never felt happier since you let me bond with you. Yeah, we've had some tests from hell, sometimes, I surprised that the strain of those tests didn't break us apart... they almost did. I didn't realise until I walked into the bathroom that it hadn't only been you pulling away, I had too. I was jealous of having to share a bond with you with Rowan, and while I understand that he is still apart of us, he's Taylor's shield now."

I shook my head. "You always had me, even when Rowan was with us more than he is with Taylor, Rowan has my only my cat while you have both."

"You're cat?"

"My cat is me, yet it isn't..." I pushed how it felt mentally to Zane, his eyes widened in understanding.

"Wow."

I chuckled at his expression of awe.

"That's how it feels?" Zane asked.

I nodded. "You should feel how it feels to shift."

Zane grinned. "Maybe I will tomorrow."

I grinned back. "Maybe you will," I replied with my lips a breath away from his before they touched.

Zane didn't hold back, but then he froze. I spoke before he could, knowing he was thinking of what had happened to me when I'd been with the Tri-Moons. "They knocked me out with a drug, I don't remember anything. I knocked out before, and didn't wait until they'd already moved me into the van."

"Van?" Zane shook his head before nodding, pulling my lips back to his.

Deepening the kiss, Zane's tongue probed gently, and I gladly gave him entrance.

   

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