Nox drives like a maniac through the quiet streets, only pausing to let children cross the road, because he sure seems happy enough to run down the workmen and early risers that we come across without a second thought. I duck my head so none of them see me grinning like a madwoman at his antics, North and Gryphon’s disapproving faces clear in my mind.
Neither of them would care if we took out a council member or two though.
Gabe calls out apologies to everyone, ever the peacekeeper. I work hard at not looking quite so joyful because, technically, I’m Nox's accomplice if he does ‘accidentally’ murder someone with the vehicle right now.
It wouldn't be classed as an accident, Nox says directly through our mind connection, and I shoot him a look.
Stop reading my mind, it's creepy even when you do it.
He takes a corner a little too quickly and my body jerks against the seatbelt, shoving me at him, but he braces at the right time, catching me and holding me in the seat perfectly as he straightens up. He answers me without missing a beat, Push me out, then. You know how to do it, so do it. You need all the practice you can get before we're facing that Gifted again.
I groan, but he's right.
I really do need all of the practice that I can get, and even though it makes my forehead break out in sweat, I do manage to shove him out of my head.
Fuck yes, I’m going to be unstoppable!
Well, more unstoppable than I already am with my crazed and monstrous bond, the ability to mess around with people’s souls, and, apparently, bring people back from the dead.
Just your regular Gifted shit.
I feel a little queasy as we pull up to the training center, and I'm not sure if it is motion sickness at his crazed driving or the efforts of getting him out of my head, but I take a second to breathe before I step out. He doesn't offer me his hand or try to help me out of the vehicle, but the way that he stands and watches me so closely is enough for me to know that if I asked for help, he would.
It's actually a small breath of fresh air to have one of my guys not falling over himself to fuss over me, though I guess Gryphon is the same way. Quietly reassuring while happy for me to do my own thing, and it occurs to me that they're all varying shades of protective in their own ways.
As we step out of the ATV together, Gabe and Atlas park behind us, jumping out in their haste to reach us. Both of them look pissed off at Nox's obnoxious driving, and Atlas mutters under his breath viciously as he gives me a once-over.
I’m not sure what wounds or bruises he could possibly expect to find, but I give him a reassuring grin nonetheless.
I don't want to admit how much fun I'm having, mostly because I don't want either of them to think that I'm laughing at their expense, but really it feels good to be on the same side as Nox, for once.
I've never necessarily thought that he had a poor judgment on things, just that he was overly antagonistic. He has always had a good head on his shoulders about anything that didn’t relate to me, and there's a reason that Gryphon and his brother trust and seek out his opinion.
He’s also a walking encyclopedia on all things Gifted and Bonds.
Atlas sidles around the ATV to get to me, throwing one last shitty look at Nox as he does, but aiming for a very gentle tone with me as he says, “Sweetness, you need to stop for a second and think about this. Maybe Gryphon doesn't want you and Draven coming here to antagonize his family. If he didn't tell you about all of the bad blood between his family and the Bonded Group, maybe there's a reason for that. Maybe he doesn't want shit to be started with his family. Just because his dad has shitty opinions doesn't mean that he needs to have his soul ripped out.”
I stop for a second to consider this.
I wasn’t really planning on killing the man, but I also don't want to embarrass my Bonded by running in there guns blazing when his dad is just kind of a dick. I look over at Gabe, but he is staring at Nox with an accusation in his eyes, as though this is all his fault.
It kind of is.
I glance at Nox, and a smirk stretches over his lips as our eyes meet. “The General said that Gabe should have been locked up for attacking Gryphon the first time that he Shifted. He also suggested that he should potentially be put down, like a rabid dog. He had a lot of opinions on what should happen in our Bonded Group.”
Nope, not going to let that sort of shit fly.
Maybe I will tear the soul out of this man.
“For fuck’s sake, Draven!” Atlas snaps as my eyes shift to black for just a second.
My bond pushes to come out to play, but I wrestle it back until my eyes are once again blue. No one really wants a bloodbath here, or the consequences of that murder, but I’m all for putting the fear of my god in this man. The things that my bond could do to him if he ever made those threats to us again… the things I could talk the Dravens’ shadow creatures into doing, all of it more horrifying than the last.
I stride forward into the Tac Training Center, Atlas cursing behind me and Gabe quick to follow us both, but I have a pretty firm hold of my temper by the time the doors slide shut behind us all. The foyer is full of people, and I search through their faces to see anyone familiar, but they are mostly Gifted that look at me with terror, which is a sign of someone who doesn’t know me very well.
Or someone who knows me a little too well.
“Jesus fucking Christ, you know better than to bring her down here!” I startle and Atlas shifts in closer to my side, but it’s only Vivian, standing there with a grumpy look on his face as he crosses his arms over his chest at us as though we are rowdy children who are disobeying orders.
“I’ve brought Gryph’s Bonded down here to meet his parents—how is that a bad thing?” Nox says with mock innocence in his voice, and again I have to bite back the grin that wants to burst over my face.
It's something else being on this side of his snark.
I open my mouth to send a snarky retort back to Vivian, when Gryphon’s voice filters into my mind, Why did Gabe just tell me that you're all here to meet my parents, and why exactly can I not hear you coming anymore?
I bite my lip and try to concentrate on what is happening around me so I don't look like a lunatic, but it's impossible when Nox answers for me, After how many months of you and North insisting on me finding common ground with Oleander, now you're going to have to face the consequences of that. I taught her how to keep you out of her head, and I let her know some truths about exactly who your father is.
I can feel North and Gryphon’s irritation at him, and that does put a dampener on my attitude a little bit.
We can go back to the house if you don't want us here, I say slowly, but I'm surprised when Atlas is the one that butts in, We're here to make sure that your father knows exactly who his son's Bonded Group is. If he thinks that Oli and the rest of us aren’t good enough for you, then he has another thing coming.
Vivian is staring at us all as though we’re insane, but Nox steps in closer to me as he sends Gryphon one last snarky message, Would you look at that? Bassinger and I agree on something.
It makes me a little bit nervous to think about how much Gryphon might be pissed off at us for showing up, but when he steps out of the meeting rooms, he only shoots a savage look at Nox before coming over to pull me into his arms. I tuck myself into his chest and let some of his strength soak into me, the hard planes of his chest just as comforting now as they were a few hours ago back in my bathroom.