I liked it too. Before too long, it was really dark outside, and the heaviness that meant I was tired settled on my shoulders. I rubbed my eyes. Although Ace and Caesar were debating their characters, quietly, a glance showed me Griffin’s eyes were closed, his head leaning against the bed behind him.
I rose, which caught the other’s attention. Rowan touched my leg when I passed him, and I bent down next to Griffin.
“Hey.” I stroked his cheek. “Time for bed.”
He lifted his eyes slowly. My bet was that he’d really been asleep and not just dozing. “Forgive me?”
“For what?” I shook my head. “Falling asleep? Don’t be silly. Time for bed for all of us, I think.”
I had to go to school alone. Which was fine, but they had things to study, and clearly, it was late for all of us.
He sort of pulled himself up and stumbled toward the bed. Griffin face planted down on it, still fully dressed, even wearing his shoes.
Rowan groaned and rose next to me. “He gets up hours earlier than the rest of us most days to run. It hits him sometimes, the hours we keep.”
I managed to get his shoes off him without rousing him. He gripped on to his pillow and rolled onto his stomach.
“It’s a terrible phrase, considering things, but he sleeps like the dead.” Tanner walked over to me. “He’ll sleep until morning now.”
I nodded. “Is it okay that he’s still in his clothes?”
“Yeah, he won’t care.” Rowan ran a hand through his hair. “Let’s all get ready for bed. Unless you guys want to keep playing.”
I grabbed the bag Caesar brought for me with my clothes and headed toward the bathroom. “Okay if I go in first?”
“Have at it.” Tanner threw himself down on his bed. “Do you suppose I should skip brushing my teeth? I mean…who cares if I get cavities now?”
“Well.” I scrunched up my nose. “That is sort of disgusting.”
He grinned at me. “Yeah, I know. I’m still going to brush my teeth. Can you imagine a vampire in the dentist’s chair?”
I listened to their conversation through the door as I shut it. Their conversation became background noise to my getting dressed. I grabbed my shorts and a different tank top from the night before. I braided my hair after I washed my face, and finally, I brushed my teeth, smiling at Tanner’s stupid question.
I opened the door.
“No, I think it’s a good idea.” Rowan shook his head, talking to Tanner. “And I need to think about it. Griffin barely brought it up, but I have to think about the whole thing. Even the logistics of it.”
“Hey.” Caesar walked right up to me. He took my hand. “Can I stay with you again tonight? Would that be okay? I think we both slept really well, but if you want your own space, then…”
“I’d like that.” It sounded awesome. I’d gotten an actual full night of sleep really easily next to Caesar.
Ace walked over, stroking a hand down my arm. “It’s a big bed. Can I get in the other side?”
“You can.” It should feel overwhelming, but I knew that I’d like being pressed between them. Especially on a night like tonight. My shoulders sagged. The day was getting to me.Vampires. Death. My future in upheaval. What would happen if I just vanished?Would their father really exert the effort to find me?
The questions I’d been putting off in my mind reared to life in my head. They could both sleep next to me. I was going to sit up and obsess.
The room fell silent, and I looked around. They were all staring at me in that moment. My cheeks heated up. “Something on my face?”
“More like your legs are a mile long in those shorts.” Ace grinned. “None of the rest of them will say it, but there it is.”
I swatted at his arm. “Stop it. They’re just shorts.” Although I sort of loved the description. People didn’t look at me like that. Most of the time, it was like I was invisible.
Rowan put his arm around me. “That bed okay? Or do you like the other side of the room better?”
“I’m not picky. That bed will be fine.” It was actually in the center, by the window, and next to Rowan’s bed. Griffin would be next to him. Tanner on the other side of me, with Caesar and Ace sharing with me, leaving two beds pretty much across the room empty.
They all started grabbing their stuff, and I climbed into the bed we’d just designated as mine. “Is this okay? That I’m here?”