Queen of the Underworld | Book 3

• fifty •

I nodded in agreement. "Okay." I slipped off his lap and took my usual place on my side of the bed closest to the window.

He lay down next to me, his arm pulling me close to his body. I smiled as I placed my head on his shoulder and legs around one of his. He kissed the top of my head as he sighed deeply. "Mehnit is very fast, you know. She's almost impossible to keep up with."

I giggled, running my finger down the bridge of his nose as I watched him. "Sleep, Julian."

He closed his eyes sighing deeply, his arm held me close.

I traced the outline of the tattoos I could see on his chest under his shirt. Was this how we would spend our evenings? Wrapped around each other?

All we had to do was survive the fight.

"Julian," I whispered. "Do you think we'll be able to do it? Beat her? So we can make our lives together?"

I looked up at him and smiled. He was already asleep, breathing quietly as he drifted.

I sighed softly and cuddled closer to him.

I couldn't fall asleep again.

•••••••••••••

"Okay," Leah started. Her blue eyes were full of encouragement. "It's just a flick of the wrist. Ready?"

I looked at the task ahead of me and nodded.

"Okay, go!"

I moved the pan in my hand upwards. The pancake flew through the air then flipped and landed perfectly on the hot pan.

Or at least, that's what I wanted it to do. Instead, it barely left the pan an inch.

I pouted.

"Um," Leah squeaked. "It was a nice try!"

Damien snorted into his coffee cup. "Has anyone told you your upper body strength is seriously lacking?"

"Oh," I pouted, moving my free hair out of my face. "Shut up, you."

Kymra and Oren laughed from where they sat at the table. Kymra had a esr view of the yard from the table. She said she wasn't worried but I could see her occasionally glance up towards them. She nibbled on her small breakfast of eggs, bacon and fresh fruit but she didnt seem to have much of an appetite.

Oren, on the other hand, ate ravenously despite having a full dinner and first breakfast. He hunched over his plate as he shoveled more eggs in. With his fit figure, I wondered where it all went. He either worked out a lot or knew some faerie magic that the women of Beverly Hills would pay a lot of money for.

Damien was lounged in the kitchen, leaning his long form against the kitchen cabinets. His hair was tousled across his violet eyes. He looked more care-free than he had in ages.

Despite having almost the entire Underworld in her home, Leah didn't seem to mind. Her dark hair was up in a small bun despite her short hair. Flour and pancake decorated her cheeks coupled with her freckles. She looked so at ease in the kitchen. I wondered if she noticed Damien's stolen glances as she cooked everyone breakfast.

"Careful now, Damien. She can still kick our asses."

I smiled at Julian's compliment and when I looked in his direction, my heart skipped a beat. It was still weird to see him in regular clothes. He would never blend in with Jean's and a t-shirt. He was too good looking. The Metallica t-shirt sleeves were tight over his thick arms. The dark stubble he had in the morning was gone from his cleanly shaven face.