Page 21 of Miles's Pact
Me: Hey, sorry about the late-night text. Do you have any contacts in Tacoma? I need some info about a 21 year old case. It's for my mate. Again, sorry about texting you so late.
I hit send, but I didn't expect an instant reply, not unless he was working the night shift.
While Nash was human, he knew about supes—he might be related to one; all I knew was that he called Vo, a gargoyle in our clan, 'uncle'—and he was the person we contacted when we needed any assistance from law enforcement. He'd helped out the clan so many times that he was a member now in all the ways that mattered. I'd met him at one of the clan gatherings, and he'd given me his number then, and told me to call him if I ever needed his help. I hadn't thought I'd take him up on it so soon.
Once I was sure he wouldn't be responding tonight, I put my phone away, and closed my eyes, determined to make myself sleep for the few hours remaining in the night.
Duckie
It was hard to get my mind to settle, though Miles had helped get rid of the terror that haunted me after every nightmare. He'd been so sweet, and I'd found it easy to tell him about that night.
But now sleep was eluding me, and I was getting tired of staring at the wall.
A faint shuffle pulled my attention to the door, and I tilted my head as I watched the owl slip into the room.
Mateo?I asked, sensing it was him even though it was too dark to tell what color his beak was.
Hey, Duckie. I heard you shuffling around, thought I could keep you company until you fall asleep. Unless you'd rather be alone?he asked, hovering inside the door.
I'd like some company, I admitted, and he hopped in place before flying onto the bed.
Moving closer, he snuggled into my side, then started grooming me.Is this weird?
It feels nice. While I'd spent a lot of time around other birds, they could sense I wasn't like them, and while they never tried to kick me out of the flock, they'd always kept their distance.
We were silent for a while, and the gentle scratching and tugging of Mateo's beak started lulling me toward sleep, and before I knew it, I'd drifted off.
I stirred, snuggling closer to the smaller, warm body beside me. I didn't want to get up. I needed about ten more hours of sleep before I'd feel ready to face the world, but I didn't think I'd be getting it.
A rush of fondness hit me through the bond, and it took me a moment to realize it was coming from Miles.
Peering through squinted eyes, I found him standing in the doorway, a soft smile on his face as he watched us.
"Morning, Duckie," he murmured when he caught me watching him, and I opened my eyes wider, taking him in.
He was still dressed in his sleep clothes, though I could see them in the daylight. His t-shirt was worn, the pattern faded, and his sweatpants hung low on his hips, making him appear soft and ruffled.
Over the years, there'd been a few men who'd caught my eye, but I could never do anything about it. None of them had been quite as captivating as Miles, and none of them had made me want to try, to find a way to shift without having a panic attack so I could touch him, skin on skin, lips on lips.
Duckieeee, Mateo whined as he stirred, and I glanced over at him as he untucked his face from beneath his wings.Stop assaulting me with your lustful feelings for my brother.
Embarrassment hit me square in the face. If he could tell what I was feeling,so could Miles.
Careful, and trying not to be obvious, I snuck a glance at Miles, and found him watching me with a tiny smirk on his face. He winked at me, making me feel even more flustered, then glanced at Mateo, releasing me from his hold.
"Come on, brat. Time to wake up if you want some pancakes."
Pancakes seemed to be the key word because Mateo hopped upright, then flew out of the room with a distractedByeee.
Miles and I stared at each other for another moment before he nodded to himself and straightened up. "I'll see you downstairs."
I nodded, and he slipped out of the room as I flew down and made my way to the bathroom.
Once I'd taken care of business and gotten my heart back under control, I flew downstairs, landing outside the kitchen and then making my way inside.
I nodded at April, who was perched on a stand that looked like it was made from a real tree trunk and branches, and she chirped back at me. I guessed the two empty branches were for the twins, and wondered if their dads had any pictures of all three of them sitting there.
"Good morning, Duckie," Gus greeted as he flipped a pancake. He was quite a good cook for a vampire, and it was one of the things that told me how much he loved his family.
