Daughter of Nyx (Book Four)

Chapter Seventeen

Sorry not sorry!

~~~

The next week passed in a period of calm that ate at Chevonne.

Josh took to the bonding well enough and Ilya began to stay on the property. He still wouldn't sleep in the house, preferring to stay in the mountain. It only bothered her for a moment that he might smell her blood that had soaked into the dirt, but he never spoke of it and never looked at her differently. She held to her word and had a key made for Josh so that he could come and go. He didn't know it, but Elliot had him followed for a while, just to err on the side of caution and Chevonne couldn't complain about him looking out for all of them.

She played the violin a couple of times and Draven watched her with his usual intensity.

Things were going well, so, why was she constantly on edge?

Perhaps it was the calm before the storm.

The feast was getting closer, and after that, Wyoming.

Anticipation. That was what she was going to chalk it up to. She was anxious to have it over with.

After a week, Jonathan texted her, telling her that he and Madelyn would be there the next night.

Another long breath of relief was all she was going to allow herself. Until she could brush back that flop of chestnut hair and hug her sister, she wasn't going to consider them safe. She had dropped her guard before and a truck showed her the error of her ways.

Then, it was the next night.

She hugged Madelyn to her, relishing the feel of her sister holding onto her, alive and healthy. Then, she ran her hand over his hair, smiling at the way he rolled his eyes before hugging him so tight. So tight he hurt her and yes, he was so strong. After he let her go, he smiled.

"I can't go into it yet, but I do have a story for you."

"I'm expecting it to be a good one," Chevonne said.

"You could say, it's outta this world."

"Jonathan..."

"Come on, not now. Let's get through this crazy and you'll know everything."

"I'm going to hold you to it," she said.

"I expect no less from my little sister."

Josh stuck his head in the door and Jonathan stiffened. Chevonne laid her hand on his arm.

"It's okay. He's with us."

"Chevonne, do you mind if I make a mess in your kitchen?"

She turned to him. "Josh, you live here now. Don't starve yourself for fear of using a room I can't."

"He's human?" Madelyn asked.

"Very much so."

She introduced Jonathan and Madelyn to the latest victim of her life.

"How did you meet?" Madelyn asked.

Josh glanced at Chevonne. "Right place, right time, I suppose. It's not really a long story, just one I don't think I'm qualified to tell." He looked at Madelyn. "I'm taking you're still counted among the humans?"

"Yes."

"Well, Madelyn, I'm about to make dinner. Two plates?"

"I... Well... Sure."

Chevonne laughed. Josh really was a good one and she could only pray to the Gods that nothing happened to him in Siberia.

Jonathan and Chevonne followed them to the kitchen and as she took a seat at the island, watching Josh and Madelyn fumble their way around the unknown kitchen, she couldn't stop the swell in her heart. This was what she dreamed of, standing in the decaying kitchen, so long ago. This...sense of family. The banging of pots and clattering of utensils. The warmth of the gas stove and the open bottle of wine on the island. And Josh, he brought it all together. He spoke enough to cover for Madelyn's shyness and after a while, even she was laughing at his stories of going through college and more stories about his time in the hospital.