“Ow! Fuck!” Greyson’s smile quickly turned into a snarl as he grabbed his nose and cursed in a language Maddy didn’t understand. He could smell blood burst and dribble down his face. The scent of strawberries and spice washed over him, clouding his thoughts for a moment.

  He wobbled and was steadying himself without the help of Greyson when something black and glossy reached for him. He blinked and noticed it was Taiyo’s hand. Greyson was closer and quicker in pulling him closer to his broad chest. The whole scene couldn’t have lasted more than a few seconds, far too quick for his tired body to protest.

  Taiyo reeled back, his large frame barricading the front entrance, his piercing blue eyes burning holes into Greyson as he said, “State your purpose.”

  The words nearly came out as a growl and Maddy stiffened at the sound. Greyson’s arm around him tightened. He spoke before Greyson could, “He’s just dropping me off.”

  Taiyo’s gaze briefly drifted toward him, scanned his body then went straight back to glaring at Greyson. He crossed his arms and said coldly, “Thanks for dropping him off, you can go now.”

  Maddy winced. He wasn’t quite sure why Taiyo was being so cold to Greyson, but it was his home after all and if he didn’t want any other guests that was his right. He motioned to the door, but Greyson’s fingers remained firm on his side. He said, “As you can see, we’ve had a bit of a rough night. I’d like to make sure he gets into bed alright.”

  “Do you not think he’s safe here?” Taiyo spoke as if it were a challenge.

  “Now that’s not a fair question to ask.” Greyson’s lipped curled.

  Confusion clouded Maddy's features. This was quickly becoming a conversation with double meanings and one he wasn’t privy to. His suspicions were confirmed when Taiyo refused to budge from the door and Greyson clicked his tongue before switching languages. It was the same accent as the one he cursed in earlier, but Maddy hadn’t a clue what he was saying.

  Taiyo did. His words were short and seemingly to the point in English, but his accent was softer and warmer, like he’d grown up speaking it, and the way his shoulders seemed to drop slightly gave Maddy the impression he almost missed speaking the language.

  It was like watching chess. He didn’t know the rules and he certainly couldn’t figure out who was winning. His bite mark ached as his head turned between both men, growing frustrated the more they spoke. The more they excluded him. Dee would have definitely said something about it, but he wasn’t her.

  There was another long pause from Taiyo and then he finally turned toward Maddy and asked in English, “Are you alright with him coming inside?”

  Stolen novel; please report.

  He looked over at Greyson thoughtfully. Blood was smeared across his face, but any sign of bruising or swelling was already on the mend. His lips curled into a smirk filled with all the smugness in the world as his silver eyes caught in the moonlight, shining like stars about to explode.

  He told himself it was because he still had too many questions to let him go. He wanted a full detailed account of what both of them said and as a result of being excluded, he was allowed to ask anything he wanted. He told himself that was the reason, but somehow if he said his thoughts out loud he doubted the other two would believe him.

  Instead, he gave Taiyo a simple nod and the blue-eyed Stranger in front of him shifted just enough to let them pass. His eyes lingered on his arm an extra beat just to double check it was a normal limb and nothing more.

  “Would you two care to explain what you said outside?” Maddy asked slipping off his sneakers at the front door. He noted Greyson kept his boots still on.

  “Shower first, and then we’ll talk,” Taiyo ordered with a scrunched-up expression. He shut the door behind him and made his way toward the kitchen, wetting a tea towel and throwing it at Greyson.

  Maddy didn’t protest as he picked out fresh clothes from his bag by the couch and started making his way up the stairs, while Greyson was making himself comfortable, leaning against the back of the couch, wiping his face and speaking to Taiyo in that foreign language.

  It was language. He thought as he climbed the rest of the stairs. It had to be. He’d partially heard Dr. Tarkirk speak it just before casting a rather hefty spell on him. He’d seen it too, sneaking in the attic of Dee’s home, with her by his side, looking at old grimoires. He opened the bathroom door and slowly began to strip, his aching muscles protesting and begging for rest. It only occurred to him now that he recognized the language and the short memory of the attic, yet another example that the spell he was bound to be no more than a loose thread on a coat, an eyesore with the ability to completely unravel him if he pulled at it wrong.

  He turned on the shower and stared at the mirror while he waited for the water to heat. Blood and dirt clung to his skin and hair, making him look like a dog who had too much fun in a mud pile. The steam wrapped around his bare shoulders and forced a shiver out of him, but he refused to tear his gaze from his reflection, at his green eyes. They were brighter and fuller, like a pair of plants that had been wilting, only to be doused in water and given a second life. He leaned in closer until his nose nearly touched the glass.

  Under the grime, he was surprised to see how flushed his skin was. Was this because he had Greyson’s blood or because Greyson bit him? The bite mark on his neck was nothing more than two rough pink dots. He touched it, warm, like a stove just safe enough to touch.

  His gaze lingered on his neck for only a few more seconds before his eyes caught his attention once more. There was a gentle tug from the noose. He didn’t want to tug back, but maybe he could still speak to it. Tentatively, he said, “Hello?”

  Nothing happened.

  He frowned. He hoped the voice in his head wasn't a hallucination brought on by fear. He let steam fog up the glass and didn’t bother wiping it away, turning to jump into the shower, taking his time as the hot water flowed down his back. He bit back the pain and wiped off most of the grime and blood.

  It couldn’t have been more than twenty minutes when the front door slammed open and shut.

  And then the shouting began.