“Bad dreams?” Apollo asks. I look up to find his eyes locked with mine, gold swirling around his pupils. He’s close, his heavy arm draped around my shoulders, locking me against his hard body. A shiver of consciousness races through me.
I nod, sitting up. Was I really napping against his shoulder? And he just let me? Wetness teases the corner of my mouth, and I wipe a hand there, eying his shoulder. “Fuck. I drooled on you.”
Apollo shoots a glance at the wet spot on his shirt, then shrugs. “It’s okay, mate. I find you stunning too.” He finishes up with a grin. The fucker.
I sink my teeth onto my lower lip to keep myself from smiling. He looks like he’s got an ego big enough to fit his body. He doesn’t need me reminding him of how yummy he is. I make a point of sliding away from him and closer to the door, even if his bulky frame doesn’t leave me much space.
“Welcome back,” Donatello teases, shooting me one of his pantie-melting smiles. His blond hair flows to his shoulders as he turns his attention back to the road. I lean forward, peering through the window, not recognizing the place.
“How long was I out?” I ask, shooting a glance between the two.
Apollo releases a deep sigh. “Two hours. And I was forced to listen to the vampire screeching like a banshee.”
Donatello snorts. “First, I was singing, not screeching. Second, is that jealousy?”
“You wish.”
“Oh, my God, I’m going back to sleep.” I chuckle, slamming the heels of my hands into my eyes. These two! They will drive me mad, and not in a good way. “Tell me more about your plan, Donatello. You mentioned knowing a mage in Hiram?”
“Yes. She owes me, so I’m asking the favor back. She’ll analyze your sign-slash-tattoo-slash-seal. Let’s see if she can give us any proper insight.” He lifts a shoulder in a shrug. “Perhaps she can find out why your powers were sealed.”
I nod, fighting a yawn. “Damn, I’ve been exhausted. Sorry, I left you talking by yourself.”
“Pretty sure he understands,” Apollo chimes in, and I stare at him with a raised brow, already expecting an insult toward Donatello. “Hearing him speak is pretty boring.”
“I think you’re exhausted because of the magic,” Donatello says, ignoring Apollo. “From what I heard, it bursts free the first time, and it consumes a hefty amount of energy. Magic — and take what I say with a grain of salt because I’m a vampire — consumes energy. Nothing is free. When you’re a beginner, you have to learn to control how much energy you use. Otherwise, you’ll be left drained.”
“For someone who says they don’t know much, you know an awful lot.” Apollo leans forward, frowning.
Donatello merely shrugs. “You pick things up throughout the years.”
“Interesting. Precisely something that might be useful right now.” Apollo squints at Donatello, and there’s obvious recrimination on his face. He’s pointing fingers, saying Donatello is driving me into a trap. Luckily, there’s an easy way to solve that doubt.
“Donatello,” I call, and the vampire turns his attention to me, his lips tugging into a smile. “Are you taking us to a trap?”
“No,bella.”
“There. He’s telling the truth.” I lean back against the window, nodding once at Apollo. “I can tell it. I’ve always been able to tell it.”
Apollo leans back, too, muscled arm in the back of the seat, looking oh-so-sexy. “Yeah? I have a way of telling people are lying too.”
“You do?” My brows shoot up. Maybe it’s a thing? A characteristic?
Apollo nods and reaches out a hand. He waits patiently for me to put my hand in his. The same jolt races between us, and now I’m getting used to it. His rough palm skates against my skin, rising bumps along my arm until his fingers close around my wrist. I look so pale and fragile next to him. Breakable. His fingertips press into my pulse, and his gaze lifts to meet mine. Gold shines in the depths, and his breathing changes. We’re just sitting next to each other. There’s no reason for me to think he’s aroused by touching me, right?
“Tell me about yesterday, Cassandra,” he murmurs, a caress of a voice, velvety against my ears. His bright eyes lock me in place, hypnotize me. “What happened between you and the Chosen One?”
I open my mouth, and the words pour out of it. At first, it’s mostly because I feel pressed by Apollo. But then, the feeling washes off, and I keep going, telling him every part of it. He nods me on, and the gold in his eyes disappears, but his hand still holds mine.
“You’re telling the truth,” he points out moments after I reach the present in my speech. “No spikes in your pulse. And my nose is good enough to scent it.”
“I have no reason to lie.” I pull my hand from his and immediately regret it. The lack of his warmth leaves me cold. “You’re up-to-date. Are you helping me now?”
Apollo releases a sharp breath between his teeth, moving his phone between his fingers. “You have me in a tight spot, mate. I’ll have to think this through. I won’t give you away. You don’t need to worry about that.”
I nod at him, but I’m not sure about his words. Though I feel the honesty in them, Apollo can still change his mind. I press my back to the leather seat, watching the two men sharing the car with me.
Things are happening so fast. I never thought I’d see myself depending on others, but I don’t quite mind now that I do. I need help to get through this. To understand who I truly am.