The Luna Cure

FIFTY-FIVE

Something hot and moist was blowing erratically on my cheek, an oddly patterned breathing far too close for comfort. I seemingly also just woke up, and whatever was in face needed to go.

I groggily groaned, turning my head away from the intruder. Was Dante breathing on my face?

At my movement, the weight on the bed next to me shifted, and a cold, wet, tongue licked the side of my face I had exposed to it by turning.

With a disgusted start, I squealed, sitting up in bed and resting back on my hands. At my side between Dante and I sat his adorable black dog, who grinned at me, tail wagging uncontrollably against the bed.

"After everything I did for you?" My question was thick with allegation.

Dante let out a hum of approval, opening his eyes and shooting me a devilish grin from his pillow. "What was it again? Something about me being cold for banishing man's best friend, who only wanted to sleep with his owner?"

Dante's should not be finding this funny, it was gross. "I hope he sheds uncontrollably. I hope there's fur on every—" My half-hearted wishes were silenced when Dante flipped over, his arm grabbing my hip and pulling me back down on the sheets and under him, as he silenced me with his lips.

The kiss was short, only a fragment of what I was lost in last night, but it was sweet nonetheless. Dante pulled away, leaving a foot between our faces. "Happy birthday. Also, this is the only bed in the house, so unless you suddenly like futons, fur on my bed is fur on your bed."

My stupid heart did a flip at the birthday comment, but my much more sensible brain chose to ignore it completely. "This huge house, and you don't have a guest bed?"

He raised an cool eyebrow. "I have two packhouses to host guests in. You're the only other person that's stayed here." He said the second sentence like it was a simple fact, of little importance, but to me it was so much more. I was the only other person who's had the pleasure of staying in this amazing house?

Notanyotherwomen? Notone?

I would not think of that. More importantly, I would not bask victoriously in that like I felt like doing.

Shaw whined, scooting up further in the bed to get between us. He nudged his nose into Dante's neck, which Dante quickly moved back from before Shaw's tongue darted out to lick him, too.

"You have quite a busy day today. I'm going to go make us breakfast, but at nine thirty I need to leave for the Lancaster pack house to deal with shit from yesterday and check in."

My mouth opened wide to contest this, fight for a day of nothingness, but a wide grin from Dante and a point to the dog on his bed shut me up. "You bargained away your complaining rights for that. See you downstairs."

With a groan, I shut my eyes, bringing my hands up to cover my face. I really had told him I wouldn't complain about today for him to let the dog to stay with us. And how does Shaw repay me? Licking my face. Ugh, disgusting.

Dante got out of the bed, but paused at his nightstand. "Here, I'll turn these off." He pulled the drawer open, pulled out a small remote, and with the push of a button, the endless windows and skylight lightened, revealing the bright sunlight already soaking the land. With that, he walked out of the room, which left just the dog and I on the bed.

"You screwed me, Shaw. I hope you're happy."

He answered by placing his head on my stomach, looking at me with those big brown eyes.

Okay, we were good again. I couldn't stay mad at this insanely cute dog.

The glass in the room finally cleared up, from their previous opaque black to the clear windows I had seen last night and awed at. I don't know what sort of technology could be put inside glass and block the sun like that, but it was insane. Goddess, everything was gorgeous. The forest across from me shone with renewed vigor, bright green and deep brown everywhere the eye could see. Above me, a picturesque, cloudless blue sky filled the space, with the sun sitting just above the end of the tree line I could see in front of me. Wow. The floors were covered in streams of sunlight, and some filtered in from the skylight as well, bathing me in golden rays. This was all a dream.