Chapter 83

“Didn’t join in on the boxing, Ben?” Rafe asks, grinning at him.

“Nah, didn’t feel like getting my lights punched out by the national champ,” Ben quips, gesturing towards his face, “I got too much beauty going on here to risk that.” I grin at Ben as he sinks into Jesse’s chair. Jesse gives us a wave as he heads immediately to the bathroom for a quick shower.

“How’d the workout go?” Rafe asks Luca, smiling. “You ready? Fight’s coming up.”

“Oh, I’m ready,” Luca says, pumping a couple of practice punches into the air. My eyebrows raise, because honestly he moves so fast and with such power that I can barely see his hands move when he does that. “Going to knock Atalaxia into the last century, first round.”

“I wish you would,” Rafe sighs. “Their technology, apparently, is getting advanced.”

I half listen as Rafe and Luca chat casually about the war for a few minutes before Jesse comes out of the bathroom in his towel and Luca goes in, taking advantage of our over- luxurious bathroom as he always does whenever he has a chance. The other cadet’s bathrooms are, apparently, a far cry from what we’ve got in here.

When Luca comes out a few minutes later, dressed in a pair of Jesse’s spare pajamas, he immediately flops onto the couch next to me, his eyes fluttering shut.

“You beat?” I ask quietly.

“If you’re asking if your cousin beat me,” Luca murmurs, smirking a little, “the answer is no. He is slow, like fighting a snail.

–

“False!” Jesse calls, yawning, from his bed. “I am swift, like a bunny. I just went easy on you.”

I let my hand fall to the side of Luca’s leg where Rafe can’t obviously see it, letting my fingers idly stroke the fabric of my mate’s pajamas. “I’m sure you beat him soundly, as he deserves,” I reply with a happy sigh. “But, as you realize, I’m asking if you’re tired.”

“Always,” Luca replies, yawning and glancing towards his books with a groan. “Just let me… close my eyes here for a minute or two.”

“Luca,” I groan, slapping the side of his leg a little. “You have to study too!” Of all of us, studies by far the least, which always worries me. He’s not as worried about the

Examination as Ben and I are, but he’s certainly the most at risk of failing out according to his regular coursework. noveldrama

At least, that’s what I thought until I got my Chem test back tonight. I scowl, looking over at

1. it.

“I’ll study tomorrow,” Luca murmurs, his voice light and unbothered. “You can be the smart one between us, Ari, I don’t mind.”

“It will be sad without you here next semester, Luca,” I sigh, giving his leg another slap and

eyes turning back to my own books. He just smirks and shakes his head, keeping his shut.

When bedtime rolls around a little bit later, I do my best to get up without disturbing him, heading for my nook with chemical equations rushing around in my mind. When Rafe likewise gets up and moves to shake Luca’s shoulder, I throw a hand out towards him, shaking my head.

Rafe frowns at me, silently asking why, and I step close, whispering. “He’s tired, Rafe, what’s the harm? He’ll sleep as well on the couch as in his bed.”

Rafe just shrugs, conceding the point and not really caring. Ben waves his goodbyes to us, heading out the door, as I spread my green throw over Luca, tucking it in around him so that he stays cozy warm. Then I wave my goodnights to Rafe and Jesse over my shoulder as, exhausted, I climb into bed.

I put out my lamp, noting the rest of the room going dark beyond my curtain, pulled shut tonight for a little extra privacy. Then I lay my head down, taking off my cap and unwinding my tight braid, running my fingers along my scalp and wondering if I’ll even see Luca in the dream state tonight when he’s so tired.

And though I very much want him to rest, I desperately hope that I do see him there.

friends…

Arcowe while we spend our evenings laughing companionably with him there.

The dream state is where we really light up.

I meet Luca in the dream state pretty much every night now, and, as promised, he spends our time there teaching me a great deal about myself, and my body. We haven’t gone very

far yet, sexually it’s really just a lot of kissing and petting, with Luca respecting the fact that I’m dictating the pace. But in the past week or so, especially, things have gotten… heated.

And I admit that I’m starting to get…curious. About more.

But even if I were curious, I’m not sure I’m bold enough to ask for it yet – or, really, prepared to deal with the consequences of that curiosity. There’s absolutely no part of me that wants to get pregnant

right now, obviously, and while Daphne has helped me with a variety of feminine products it does feel like a step beyond to ask her to start ferrying contraceptives to me.

And I mean…I don’t think I can get pregnant in the dream state but….

I mean, can I?!

I sigh, thinking it through, deciding that I really, really need to have a chat with my mom about this about all of this –

–

But I gasp, suddenly, when I feel the edge of the mattress sink on my left. I instantly spin towards the movement, my eyes wide in the darkness, but a hand covers my mouth to stifle any cry I might make and that scent-

Well, I’d know it in my sleep, wouldn’t I?

I nod, quickly, to let Luca know that I understand and he drops his hand away as he crawls onto my bed. I simultaneously sit up and make room for him, anxiously glancing beyond. him towards my curtain, which suddenly feels very flimsy, and the room beyond.

Luca! I scold, putting the word directly into his mind. What do you think you’re doing!?

They’re asleep, he replies, his mouth silent as he wraps his arms around me and pulls me close, slipping under my covers and pressing a silent kiss to my temple. They’re snoring away, I made sure of it before I moved.

I gasp then, just a tiny sound, as I realize that he planned this, only pretending to be so sleepy earlier. Then I smack him on the chest. Luca! You’re taking unnecessary risks!

Ariel, Luca replies, taking my face in his hands and pressing a soft, desperate kiss to my

–

mouth. Please. I’m dying here. The dream state is amazing but god, please, please just let me hold you in my real arms.

I relent, then, instantly half for the sad, desperate tone of his words, half because I, too, have been craving this. And so I curl up with my mate, tucking my head beneath his chin. and wrapping my arms around him, even letting my legs tangle up with his beneath the

Covers.

Instantly, I feel him relax, feel his breathing soften, sense his heartbeat slowing with the rightness of it all. I dip my head, pressing a kiss to his chest as I let my hand slide down the long length of his torso, dipping beneath the blankets and then untucking his shirt to run my fingers idly along the skin of his back. He twitches a little, ticklish, but I can feel him smile and then lean into my touch.

Wouldn’t think the national boxing champion was so ticklish, I murmur into his mind.

I’m a delightful mix of contradictions, Luca replies, his mental voice sleepy and happy. He rubs his cheek across the length of my hair, feeling the softness of it against his face, a sweet, wolfish gesture that goes right to my heart.

I sigh, nuzzling against him. I’m going to have to burn these pajamas and these sheets, I mutter to him, you’re getting your stinky scent all over me. I’m kidding, though no part

of me is actually mad to have my mate sneaking into my bed in the middle of the night.

–

Could just take those pajamas off now, Luca casually remarks, making my head fly up to glare at him. Let me get my scent all over your body instead..

I pull back a little, narrowing my eyes. We are not doing STUFF in this bed tonight, sir, I let him know, my words stern. Not with my brother and my cousin separated from us only with a bit of velvet fabric.

I know, Luca replies, sighing, even as his hand does drift down my body, lower than it’s ever gone in real life. A shiver goes through me as his broad palm moves over my ass and slides. down my thigh, pulling my leg up over him so that my knee hitches up over his hip. He presses a soft, silent kiss to my lips.

Like I said, he continues, mind–to–mind, I just want to hold you, Ariel. I’ve been sick with wanting you in my arms. It doesn’t feel right, having you by my side all the time and not being able to grab you, and kiss you, and throw you over my shoulder and carry you away

to bed-

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I laugh now, working to stifle the sound, shaking my head at him in the dark before pressing a kiss to his mouth. Go to sleep now, boy, I say, pressing my eyes shut and letting my head fall to the pillow. We’ll talk there.

My gorgeous mate nods, his own eyes drifting shut, and then – nose–to–nose asleep.

we fall