He grimaced. “It doesn’t have to be. I mean, I’m the lead now...I could always just order you to sleep in the same bed as me.”

“Oh, that’s romantic.”

Alex half laughed, half groaned, dropping his head down onto her shoulder. He felt her stroke his hair. “Yeah, you’re right,” he said finally. “Dad had the same rule. He didn’t care what people did, but...” He raised his head and smiled ruefully. “Maybe we could find a broom closet somewhere.”

“It’s amazing; this conversation just keeps on getting more and more romantic.”

“So...that’s a no to the broom closet, then.”

“It is a definite, emphatic no to the broom closet.”

Alex smiled. “You know I’m only kidding, don’t you?” He found her hand; linked his fingers tightly through hers. “Willow, when it happens, I want it to be just...incredible for you. For both of us. Totally perfect.”

“I know,” she said, her eyes soft. “We’ll find a way soon. Let’s get used to being here first, okay? Then we can start sneaking around and checking out broom closets.” She sighed. “I’m really going to miss sleeping with you, though,” she said, running her hand up his arm. “I mean, just – talking to you. Being held by you.”

Alex could hear Kara returning with their clothes. “Yeah, I know,” he said, giving her another quick kiss. “Me, too.”

And he thought wryly that was probably one of the biggest understatements of his life.

Chapter Seven

“RAZIEL!” THE FEMALE VOICE WAS low, urgent. A hand lightly slapped his cheek, and then the other one. “You must wake up. Hurry, we haven’t much time!”

The touch was angelic; the voice wasn’t any that he’d been hearing since lying here in bed – and how long had that been? A day? A week? With terrible, sudden clarity, what he’d sensed while unconscious came roaring back, and Raziel’s eyes flew open. When he saw who was at his bedside, he struggled upright, his head still swimming.

“Charmeine,” he said.

She was sitting on the side of his bed, wearing grey trousers and a black angora sweater that bared one shoulder, her long white-blonde hair falling in a shining stream. Raziel regarded her, pleasure mixing with sharp suspicion. He and Charmeine had had a thing once and were now friends of a sort, though Charmeine was too much like him for comfort sometimes. They’d kept in touch sporadically these last two years, but he hadn’t known that she’d planned to come across with the Second Wave. Given the Council’s sudden appearance as well, it wasn’t particularly reassuring to find her here now, perched on his bed.