Текст книги "Berries and Greed"

Автор книги: Lily Mayne

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Текущая страница: 8 (всего у книги 33 страниц)

Chapter Fourteen

Beryl

Greid hadn’t been lying, he really did enjoy his food.

He devoured two burgers and a portion of hot, salty fries in the time it took me to eat mine. Then he dug into the side of hot wings he’d ordered, and I tried not to stare as he crunched down on the bones after picking off all the meat.

After finishing my huge, squashed burger dripping with cheese and topped with crispy bacon—which was, without exaggeration, the best thing I’d ever eaten—I managed a few fries before giving Greid the rest. He stuffed them into his mouth, bloodshot eyes glued to the TV.

I groaned as I leaned forward to set my empty container down on the coffee table. “I don’t think I’ve ever eaten that much beef in my life.”

“Mmm. S’good, right?” Greid mumbled around a mouthful before picking up his giant cup of soda to wash it down.

My teeth ached as I took a sip of my own. It was wincingly sweet and fizzy, but delicious. I had no idea how I’d react to the caffeine and sugar loaded into it. Hopefully the pound of beef in my stomach would soak it all up.

My belly strained against the front of my pants as I sank back into the couch. If I’d known Greid any better, I would’ve popped the button to give myself some more breathing room. Despite suspecting that the bubbles were probably bloating me even more, I kept sipping my soda as I watched the Smiths bickering about whether to go over to the Aktonars and ask why they were digging a load of holes in their backyard.

“Why are they digging the holes?” I asked Greid.

“Huh?” He set down his own containers, then fished another joint out of his tin and dragged one of the blankets over his head and shoulders to wear it as a cloak. “Oh. Just a tunnel network for the kids to play in. Like a human jungle gym, but underground.”

I nodded, glancing over at him with a tiny smile. He’d relaxed considerably over the course of the evening, and it was nice—and kind of sweet—to see him cocooned in a pile of blankets with a lazy, contented look on his face as he exhaled a stream of sweet smoke.

The room grew a little hazy, but I could still see the TV and I liked the smell of it, so I didn’t mind. We were about four episodes deep into Our Neighbours the Humans now, and the silly plotlines and overexaggerated acting from the cast made me laugh. Greid pointed things out to me sometimes, but we mostly stayed quiet, especially after the food arrived.

After a few more minutes of watching, Greid stubbed out the end of his joint and stretched. “Okay, time for dessert.”

I stared at the two Styrofoam containers sitting side by side on the coffee table with mild horror. “I don’t know if I can eat any more.”

Greid shrugged, leaning forward to grab the plastic fork and spoon that had been delivered with the food. He flipped open the lid of his, revealing an enormous waffle topped with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, crumbled cookies and rainbow sprinkles.

“You can put yours in the fridge for later if you want,” he said, already cutting off a chunk.

I watched avidly as he opened his mouth wide—wide wide, those smile lines splitting open so he could fit the huge spoonful inside. He let out a contented sound as he chewed.

“Okay, it does look good,” I relented. Greid picked up my container and handed it over with a grin.

We went quiet again as we devoured our waffles, and by the time I passed Greid the rest of mine, I felt too tired and full to move. Greid didn’t look at all interested in going anywhere either, tossing his empty container aside and pulling the blanket closer beneath his chin so only his dark, sharp face peeked out from the fabric.

I couldn’t stop smiling as I glanced over at him repeatedly. This was probably a completely typical evening for him, but it was surreal for me. Surreal in the best way. And he just looked so… well, high, but totally content and relaxed, with a full belly and one of his favourite shows on the TV. And someone here to enjoy it with him.

This was a good first night in the real world, I decided, feeling my knee brush against his through our mounds of blankets.

A really good first night.

By the time we finished season one of Our Neighbours the Humans, I was falling asleep despite all the sugar and caffeine I’d consumed. As Greid paused before season two could start, I glanced up at the wall clock and balked at the time—3 a.m. We’d had strict sleeping schedules at the compound, having to be in our rooms by ten and in bed by midnight at the latest, and up the next morning for breakfast at seven.

I’d never stayed up this late in my life, which felt kind of juvenile. I was thirty-five, for fuck’s sake, not a little kid. I should’ve done all this stuff already. Eating junk and bingeing TV and staying up all night.

A flash of anger at myself made me pull the blanket off my lap. “I should probably go to bed.”

“Oh, yeah. Sure.” Greid moved slowly, turning off the TV and shifting the mound of blankets covering him back onto the couch.

He scrubbed his face, his ears fluttering as he tried to untangle the strands of long black hair caught up in his little spikes. Not really knowing why, I reached out and carefully picked them out for him. His drowsy yellow eyes met mine for a second before he looked away, and I pulled my hand back.

“So, yeah. Bedtime for me.” I chuckled tiredly. “I feel like an old woman.”

“Nah. I sleep in late so I tend to stay up late too. My pattern is fucked.” Greid heaved himself off the couch and stretched out all his long limbs like a cat, jaw cracking open impossibly wide around a yawn.

His sweater rode up a little, showing me the lower curve of a slightly rounded belly and a line of green descending from his navel into his jeans. Almost like a happy trail, but not one made of hair.

I jerked my gaze away when my skin grew warm, standing up after him and smoothing down my wrinkled shirt. After helping Greid blow out all the candles, we went into the hallway. He’d lit all the candles out here when he answered the door to get our food, so soft, warm light glowed over the dark walls and up the twisting staircase.

It felt oddly intimate in a way that made my breath catch, especially as Greid followed me instead of immediately retreating into his bedroom. I realised why when he asked, “Do you want some water for bed?”

“Oh.” I stopped at the foot of the stairs. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. The burger and fries were really salty.”

Now that I was up, my bladder was shrieking in protest from the gallon of soda I’d drunk over the course of the evening. I followed Greid into the kitchen and politely thanked him when he filled a glass with water and handed it to me.

“Oh, hold on,” Greid said as we went back into the hall. “I have something for you.”

I watched as he ambled over to the console table by the front door and pulled open its long drawer. Retrieving a big brown envelope, he carried it over and held it out.

“The old man gave me this.” His lip curled with disdain as he glanced at it. “He told me what was in it. I haven’t opened it. Obviously.”

It was my medical record. I slowly took it from him, seeing that it was still tightly sealed. Abruptly, my eyes got a little hot, so I kept my head bent. Now I really wanted to hug him, but I refrained. We weren’t there yet, but I was confident we’d get there eventually.

Honestly, he already felt like a friend. I hadn’t ever had a true friend in my life—one who actually knew me. And even though Greid technically didn’t know me yet, it… felt like he did.

Maybe I just didn’t have enough of a personality to be a deep well of humanity to discover. Maybe I was as beige as the house I’d spent most of my life in. That was kind of depressing to consider.

“Thanks, Greid,” I said, my voice thick.

“Sure.” He shifted a little, half in shadows in the dim candlelight, then huffed. “Look, I know you’re a grown adult, but I just wanted to… Um, it might be weird for you to sleep in a new room and with, you know, city noise outside. So I just wanted to say that if you get freaked or can’t sleep, come and knock for me. Or go and watch TV in the living room or whatever. It won’t disturb me. But I’ll be happy to keep you company, Beryl. Whatever the time.”

God, he was so fucking nice. He was a total sweetheart, and I was hit with an overwhelming wave of gratitude toward him. Clutching my water and the big envelope so I didn’t throw myself at him in a hug, I nodded.

“Thank you.” Lifting my head to give him a smile, I said, “You’re a sweet guy, Greid.”

His ears fluttered wildly. “Shut up,” he grumbled, which made me laugh. “Well, um, goodnight, Beryl,” he said shyly. “I hope tonight was—Sorry if it was really boring.”

“It wasn’t. It was perfect. Thank you for dinner.”

“That’s okay,” he mumbled, ducking his head as he turned to walk to his bedroom door. “Night.”

“Goodnight, Greid.” I didn’t move until he’d closed his bedroom door, then I blew out all the candles in the front hall before making my way up the stairs, extinguishing each one in the wall sconces as I went.

I noticed he’d lit them all the way up to the third floor for me, which made me smile. And made my chest get a little tight. After feeling for the door handle, I opened my bedroom door and was met with the soft warmth spilling from the lamp I’d turned on earlier. The room looked even cosier at night. Shadows filled the corners, but I didn’t mind it.

After setting the glass on the bedside table and shoving the envelope in a drawer, I hurried to the bathroom to pee. As I brushed my teeth, I wandered back into the bedroom to draw the curtains, then stripped off my clothes and stuffed them in the empty laundry hamper.

By the time I was climbing into bed with clean pyjamas on, I could barely keep my eyes open. The sheets were cold at first, but the fabric warmed up quickly as I settled under the thick comforter. My gut tightened when hints of Greid’s scent drifted into my nose. Whatever laundry products he used smelled really good, and nothing like the smell of all our sheets and clothes in the compound.

Just as he’d shrewdly guessed, I had been worried that I’d panic when I was alone in a new bed with the sounds of the city drifting in through the open window. But I was too tired and full to be freaked out, and the memory of Greid’s snorting laughter and quiet voice played on a loop in my head as I drifted off to sleep.

OceanofPDF.com

Chapter Fifteen

Beryl

It took me a few seconds to work out where I was when I woke up.

My stomach still felt uncomfortably full as I rolled over and gazed blearily at the little clock on the nightstand. 7 a.m. It seemed some cult habits would be harder to break, even though I was dog-tired.

I knew I wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep, and I could hear the city already awake beyond my window. Excitement made me push back the warm covers and slide out of bed. My first proper day out of the cult. What would I do? Would I be brave enough to go wandering on my own while Greid had to work?

I took a shower in the gigantic rainfall enclosure, then stood in front of the wardrobe staring at my clothes. Just rows of pale coloured shirts and flowy pants.

You’ll be able to buy whatever you want once you have a job. I pulled some out and got dressed. Of course I couldn’t change everything at once. Some things would take time, and I wasn’t going to accept handouts from Greid to speed the process along. That wasn’t fair, and it wasn’t what I wanted.

I hadn’t washed my hair, so I gave it a quick brush before doing my skincare. Then, belly jumping with excited nerves, I left my bedroom and went downstairs. As I reached the bottom step, I heard a sound in the kitchen, so I headed that way to find a very, very tired and grumpy-looking Greid standing at the open fridge, wearing—

“Is that a tent?” I asked, staring at the huge fall of soft, dark fabric covering him all the way to his ankles. It had sleeves. And a hood, which was pulled up over his head.

Greid froze with a spoonful of yoghurt halfway to his mouth. He cleared his throat and narrowed his eyes at me. “It’s not a tent. It’s a… It’s just a blanket onesie thing.”

My mouth twitched as I took a step closer and cocked my head. “I thought onesies had legs as well. That’s just a tent. I could literally sleep comfortably under there, it’s so huge.”

Greid’s face spikes went crazy at that, and I suddenly wondered if—shit, maybe he didn’t have anything on under there. Thick white socks covered his feet, and I thought I could see a hint of grey sweat cuffs peeking out from under the tent, but…

Then I suddenly wondered, was he comfortable enough with me yet for any kind of teasing? Immediately feeling guilty, I said, “Sorry, I was just joking. It looks super comfortable. I kind of want one.”

Greid grunted and shovelled the yoghurt into his mouth, then closed the fridge and dumped the pot in the trash.

“How come you’re up?” I asked, sidling over to the butcher’s block and watching as he rummaged through a cabinet. “I thought you said you usually slept in late.”

“I didn’t want you to wake up and feel all weirded out.” He sounded so disgruntled that I couldn’t help but smile. Greid was not a morning person. “Fuck. I’ve run out of coffee.”

I perked up. “Hey, I noticed a coffee place nearby when we were driving yesterday. On the next street over. Have you been there?”

“You mean Deep Brew?” Greid shrugged, rubbing his eyes. “Yeah. It’s pretty good.”

“Maybe… Could we go there for coffee?” I picked at the edge of the butcher’s block. “Or if you have to start work, I could go and get us some.”

I had a little bit of cash from my last paycheque, and I wanted to treat Greid. The thought of going out there alone did make me kind of nervous, but I didn’t let Greid see it. He wasn’t my babysitter.

“I’m not working today, so sure. We can go.”

“How come you’re not working?”

“Finished up the last of my most recent orders the other day, and I don’t have to start the new ones yet.” He shrugged, but looked a little shy as he added, “Plus, I thought… I didn’t know if you’d want to go out and explore the city a bit today.”

God, he was so sweet. I smiled widely at him to show my appreciation. “That sounds great. Thank you. For taking the day off to keep me company. You didn’t have to.”

“Oh, it’s my problem.” He cringed. “I mean it’s my—That was, uh, a mix of it’s my pleasure and it’s no problem.”

I laughed. “Okay, well, I’m ready to go when you are.”

“Sure, just let me get dressed.” He shuffled past me in his big, soft tent and vanished.

Once I’d heard his bedroom door shut, I went back upstairs to grab some of the money tucked into the side pocket of my suitcase. After slipping it into my pants pocket, I used the bathroom and checked my hair in the mirror before opening my door.

Greid was just coming down from his workshop, and there were several parcels neatly packaged in brown paper and tied with black string cradled in his arms. But what caught my attention was the sharp three-piece suit he was wearing, just like the first day he’d appeared at the compound. My pulse fluttered.

“You look nice.” Nodding at the packages, I asked, “What’re those?”

“Some orders that need shipping. I normally get a courier to come here and collect them, but seeing as we’re going out anyway…”

I nodded. Then, against my will, my eyes drifted over to the closed door beside him. The mysterious closet door.

Greid followed my gaze and coughed awkwardly, then strode for the stairs. “Ready?”

“Yeah.” What was in that fucking closet? Was it weird? Embarrassing? Serial killer-adjacent?

Greid set down the parcels by the front door to pull on his boots while I slipped into my sandals. As he grabbed his keys and unlocked the door, I asked, “Do you always dress so nicely when you go out?”

He glanced down at his suit as he held the door open for me. “Um, yeah. I guess… it’s kind of like armour. So no one knows what a total mess I am.”

I frowned as I stepped outside into crisp autumn air and bright sunlight. “You’re not a mess at all. You have a beautiful house and a really good job. And great taste in TV,” I added with a grin, nudging his arm.

He glanced down at me as he locked the door, eyes flaring with excitement. “Yeah? You liked it?”

“I did. Last night was really fun. Can we watch it again tonight?” I asked, because I knew he’d want to but would probably be too shy to ask. Besides, I wanted to do it all again too.

“Yeah, of course,” he rushed out as we made our way down the stoop and onto the street. “Do you know what you want for dinner tonight?”

I burst out laughing, drawing the gaze of a chic demiurgus in a fancy suit striding down the other side of the street. “We haven’t even had breakfast yet and you’re already thinking about dinner.”

“Shit.” Greid stopped dead. “I should’ve offered you breakfast before we left.”

I shook my head. “I’m not hungry. Still full from dinner.”

“How can you still be full from dinner?” he asked incredulously as we started walking again. “It was hours ago.”

Chuckling, I side-eyed him. “Are demiurgus stomachs in your legs? Is that why you’re so tall, so you can fit all the food in there?”

He shot me a dry look. “That was terrible.”

Laughing, I gave his arm a weak shove and saw the frondy tips of his ears flutter against his hair, which was pulled back into a knot.

“I’ll ignore that sass this time,” I told him with mock sternness. His ears twitched again.

“So, um…” He sounded a little flustered. “Is there anywhere in particular you want to go today?”

I shrugged. “Not really. It’ll just be nice to walk around without being looked at funny because I won’t be with one or two other cult members in their all-beige outfits. Although… I should probably start concentrating on finding a job. Or at least trying to see what kind of place I’d want to work. And be able to work at. With no experience.”

Greid frowned down at me. “Beryl, you’ve been out less than a day.”

“I know, but I want to buy myself stuff. I want to contribute toward the bills and treat us to dinner. It shouldn’t all fall on you.”

“But I don’t mind—”

“I know you don’t.” I smiled up at him. “You’re already being so generous. I’m not going to take advantage of it for an easy ride. Besides”—I exhaled a hard breath—“I want to be independent. I guess I convinced myself that I was saying ‘fuck what’s expected of me, I’ll do it the way I want’ by using the cult for a comfortable life. But now that I’m away from it, it’s easier to see that the negatives hugely outweighed the positives. Sure, I had a big room and all my meals cooked for me and a comfortable place to live. But there were also the enforced bedtimes and strict diet and almost complete isolation from the outside world. I gave up a lot of freedom because I… felt safe there, I guess.”

Cheeks flushing, I glanced up at Greid. “Sorry, didn’t mean to start ranting.”

“No, I understand,” he said quietly. “Life is scary as shit. Expectations—and taxes—suck balls. And if there’s no one around to give you a gentle nudge out of your comfort zone… well, you’re not gonna do it. Most people, anyway. I’ve built a fortified wall around my comfort zone. And a moat. And I dug down deeper when Agma—my ex—tried to force me out of my comfort zone.”

I snorted, already feeling better after the hints of self-loathing that had begun to rise as I spoke. “I like your comfort zone. But if you did want a little push outside of it, maybe I could help you. I’ll build you a little bridge to get over the moat.” I grinned up at him. “We could do new things together. Not that I think you need to just for the sake of it. I think you have an awesome life already.”

Greid huffed. “I’m a recluse who spends his free time getting high and watching shitty TV.”

“So? Those things are fun, and why should you have to do more than that? If that’s what you enjoy doing, why should other people get to decide that you’re not doing enough?”

We’d turned onto the next street, which was busy with people on their way to work. No one paid any attention to us as we walked slowly, except for a few who huffed at our leisurely pace and strode pointedly past us.

After a little while, Greid said, “Agma always used to say that I should get ‘proper’ hobbies. Make myself more worldly like her. She spends her weekends hiking with friends or going to galleries or seeing boring movies that don’t have a single explosion in them.”

I wrinkled my nose, but I didn’t want to make snide comments about his ex, so I said, “And those things are great for her, but that doesn’t mean they’re great for you. Don’t let people make you feel bad for the way you live your life, Greid. If being with the cult taught me anything, it’s that as strange as some people might think your choices in life are, they’re your choices to make. Sure, I think the cult members are a little odd, but I’ve never said it to their faces, and I never would. They’re adults who made their choices. They’re happy. They don’t deserve to be shamed for that when they’re not actually hurting anyone.”

“But you said the cult is super strict. Are they actually happy?”

I shrugged. “They all genuinely seemed it. Some people like following rules and being told what to do. It makes them feel calm and well-adjusted. And some people don’t want to think beyond what that day brings them, and they find comfort when that day is going to be exactly like the one before. And the one before that. All of us were free to leave at any time. They’re not being kept there. Unless the cult starts doing something terrible, like actively trying to recruit new, young members with false promises, then… I guess they’re not harming anyone except possibly themselves.”

“Did anyone ever leave? While you were there?”

“Yeah, a few people who joined then decided it wasn’t for them. No one’s forced to give up their worldly possessions or hand over all their savings or anything when they join, so I’m hoping they were able to just go back to their normal lives.”

Greid stopped, still clutching his parcels. “Do you…” He trailed off as his face spikes twitched. “Sorry, don’t worry.”

I took a step closer so we weren’t blocking the whole path. “No, what were you going to say?”

“It might be a little cruel to ask, but… do you wish you’d left sooner? Now that you have?”

I thought about it for a second, then admitted, “I don’t know. But… I don’t think there’s much point in regretting it. It’s done now. But I am glad that I’ve left.” I smiled up at him, feeling my cheeks grow warm. “I’m… I’m glad I decided to do it with you, Greid.”

He stared down at me, yellow eyes locked with mine, until a harried-looking demiurgus in a business suit bumped into his back as he strode past. Greid glanced around sheepishly, then nodded at the building behind me. “Just going to drop these off before we get coffee.”

I turned and saw that we’d stopped outside a small post office. “Oh, sure.”

Greid held the door open for me, his long arm stretching easily above my head, and I looked around as I entered. It was kind of dull, to be honest. A bland, dim space with a display of office and postage supplies for sale, and a row of counters with bored-looking attendants behind a few of them.

We didn’t really talk as we waited in the short queue, because it was quiet in here. When we finally reached the counter and Greid started talking to the attendant, I noticed that he was a lot more reserved and quietly composed than when he spoke to me. It made my insides warm with pleasure at the thought that he maybe felt comfortable around me, or was starting to, and was his real self when we were alone.

He’d said the suit was like his armour when he went out, which I understood. I doubted there were many people in the world who acted exactly the same in public as they did in the privacy of their own home. I liked seeing both sides of him. It was like he’d let me in on a little secret.

Once he was done and the attendant had carelessly dumped the packages in a big bin behind her—which made Greid wince—we left the post office and walked a little bit further to the coffee place. DEEP BREW was written above the door in big blocky letters, and a little plaque by the window declared, “Proudly demiurgus-owned and operated”.

The line almost reached the door when we stepped inside, but I didn’t mind. It gave me time to examine every inch of the menu mounted on the wall behind the counter, as well as the big glass display case filled with pastries and other breakfast foods.

Greid stood slightly behind me as I tried to peer over tall demiurgus heads. The list of different drinks available was kind of overwhelming, and I didn’t want everyone to think I was some bumpkin if I got to the counter and just asked for “a coffee”.

“What’s your usual order?” Greid asked, ducking down a little because of all the noise. The espresso machines were loud as the baristas pumped out steam, and all the tables inside were filled with people talking or tapping away on laptops.

“Uh…” I glanced around to make sure no one was listening to us. “I’ve never had coffee.”

His yellow eyes filled with horrified sympathy, as if I’d just told him I was the victim of some heinous crime. Glancing up at the board, he ducked down a little more and stretched out a long arm to point.

“The drinks that are safe for humans are marked with a little H, see?”

I stared at the board, trying not to think about how close he was. The sweet smell of shade still clung to him. Somehow, I was already beginning to associate that scent with comfort. With freedom. My gaze shifted from the board to the little, green-tinted claw on his extended finger. It was short and slightly curved. I bet he gave amazing scalp massages with those.

When he dropped his hand, I blinked and quickly nodded. “Okay. Wait, why would some not be safe for humans?”

Greid shrugged, straightening back up and stuffing his hands in his pockets. “I dunno. The ingredients or whatever? They’re just not. I’m not a human expert.”

I snorted, turning my attention back to the board. “Okay, so lattes are the milky ones right? I could happily go a long time without drinking milk.”

“Yeah.”

The line moved, so we shifted forward. Greid moved a touch closer to me when someone edged past him with a takeout cup in their hand. I stared hard at the board, pretending I wasn’t hyper aware of him.

Why am I hyper aware of him?

“How about a mocha?” he suddenly ducked down again to ask. “It’s hot chocolate with espresso. Still milky, but really good. And not super strong.”

“Okay, that sounds nice.”

“Or you can get more than one,” he added quickly. “If you want to try others as well.”

I chuckled. “I don’t think I should go too heavy on the caffeine after a lifetime without, right?”

“Ah, yeah. Probably not. Sometimes when I have too much coffee I get palpitations. And when you have two hearts, it’s pretty distracting.”

I laughed, glancing up at him. After a second he grinned down at me—a big, slightly rabid-looking grin thanks to all his sharp teeth—before a loud voice just in front made me jump.

“Are you trying to fuck me, Gorig?” The demiurgus ahead of us in the line was holding a phone to her ear, her long fingers topped with bright-purple painted claws. “Because I thought you made it very clear that you would rather be fucking that secretary of yours.”

Whirling around with a huff, she caught my eye and rolled hers. As a furious, muffled voice came from the phone, she pulled it away from her ear and told me, “Sorry, darling. My soon-to-be-ex bastard lifemate thinks he’s entitled to my art collection in the dissolution of our matehood.”

“Oh.” I shifted awkwardly. “Uh, I’m sorry—”

“Oh no, don’t be sorry. He’s a worm. Do you hear that, Gorig? You’re a worm,” she barked down the phone, then stepped out of the line. “Go ahead of me, darling. I’m not done ripping him to shreds.”

“Um, thank you.”

I stepped forward as she moved past, but then I saw her gaze land on Greid and grow hot with appreciation. Her yellow eyes trailed down his frame slowly. For some reason, I got the urge to grab his arm and tug him to me.

But Greid was already shuffling closer until his arm bumped mine. Strangely possessive satisfaction flowed through me, and something slightly ugly made me touch his arm and nod at the food in the display, just in case he was looking back at the other demiurgus as she left.

Which—what? What was wrong with me? I’d made it very clear I wasn’t interested in anything like that, and he’d made it equally clear. I was being silly.

“Some of those look interesting,” I said, unable to think of any other reason for diverting his attention. “Are you gonna get some?”

He gave me a dry look, which made me laugh. “Just because you can skip an entire meal doesn’t mean I can—or want to. I’ll get mean if I don’t get some food in me soon.”

Choosing not to bring up the yoghurt he’d been wolfing down when I found him in the kitchen, I snorted and shook my head. “I don’t think you have a mean bone in your body, Greid.”

The last person ahead of us finally stepped to the side to wait by the counter for their drink. Before I could move, I felt Greid place a warm hand between my shoulder blades. Tingles raced from the spot, but he whipped his hand away just as fast.

He cleared his throat. “Sorry.”

When I turned to look at him, his ears were fluttering. Smiling, I said, “Casual touches are okay, remember?”

“Oh, right. Yeah.” He let out a squawk of nervous laughter, then cringed as a few heads turned in our direction. “Sorry. Um, ready to order?”

“Yes.” I stepped up to the counter and gave the waiting demiurgus barista a big smile. Yes, look, I’m just a friendly, normal human. I wasn’t in a cult that worshipped your kind as sex gods! Not me! “Hi there. Can I please have a, um…”

“Mocha,” Greid supplied quietly.

“Mocha,” I echoed to the barista.

“What size?”

“Oh! Um…” I quickly tried to scan the board for their drink sizes. The barista shifted in front of me, long fingers poised over the register screen.

“While you’re deciding, why don’t I give my order?” Greid asked. I gave him a grateful nod, stepping to the side so he could stand beside me.