The Morning After [House Party cont]

[Nox]

Nox shrugged and slide from the bed to let Lily sleep. He didn't go far as he sat down on the floor near the door there was a look of invitation for Hayden to sit as Nox leaned against the cabinet that housed the computer stuff Sage put in the office. Hayden sat down next to him, his shoulder and leg just touching Nox's. "I hate that you know me that well."

Hayden chuckled. "I spent a whole week studying you, and then followed you around the fucking world where I did nothing but watch you. I know you better than you know you."

Nox chuckled. "I bet you do. You enjoy Seven?"

Hayden rolled his eyes. "I don't kiss and tell."

"Coulda fooled me. But honestly, thanks. but I'm fine now. It wasn't the crowd that set me off. Was that there were too many people around Lily. The horde and I agree on one thing."

Hayden looked over at the bed where Lily lay, "Protect the baby. So you'll have to find a word that starts with F to add to their instincts."

"Family works."

Hayden shook his head. "You think?

"It's always protected family at least it's never balked because of it. But this is different, the horde feels the same way about the Blackthorn girls."

"I'll just nod and act like I know who that is."

Nox chuckled. "You should talk to them all. You'd understand what they've been through. And I think it would be good for them as long as you don't flirt with them."

Hayden laughed. "I can't promise that. But hey give me some credit. I don't sleep with kids."

"Neither do I. Doesn't stop the flirting though does it?"

Hayden shook his head. "You talk to him?"

Nox let out a long breath. "Not directly. He's not here, I don't know where he is. And I didn't ask Sage to find him. Though I'm sure he knows. I did the whole boom-box over the head gesture. Told him how I felt in letter and song and a fucking performance of said song. And then I got kidnapped by a fucking Siren, sliced and diced and feed to some Rougarous and then I killed the whole fucking nest brought the hold fucking house down. And then I nearly died. So yeah, no I've not spoken to Raffe. And I don't even think he wants to talk to me."

"You sure you're okay? I can stay."

Nox chuckled. "I'm good. I gotta pack. Don't follow me Hayden. It's not Atharim and I don't want them to know."

Hayden nodded. "You want me to lie to my cousin?"

"Consider it doctor patient confidentiality."

"I'm not a doctor, and I'm certainly not yours." Hayden chuckled. "Though I wouldn't mind playing doctor again."

Nox grinned. "Maybe when I get back, but please, don't tell them. You dont know where I went other than the US. That's all you know. And since they didn't send you you didn't follow me."

Hayden sighed. "Fine." He shoulder checked Nox before standing up. "If you are good, and you don't need me I'm gonna jet. You can call me -- anytime." Nox's wallet beeped and Hayden's contact popped up on the screen. "Anytime."

Nox looked up at Hayden and wondered why he was being nice. He was just a mark.

Hayden gave Nox a grin "I'll look in on those kids for you and talk with em. You just don't die."

"Don't plan on it." Nox watched Hayden leave and close the door behind him. It was quiet again -- and lonely. Nox crawled over to the edge of the bed and laid his head on it and watched Lily until he drifted off into his nightmarish sleep.