Opening my eyes, I stared at the ceiling. I’d done this before. On purpose. I’d had a goal, to awaken Alex ahead of schedule. It was how I learned I could feed on aether that way. I hadn’t known that I could when it first happened. There was another time I should’ve done better and I hadn’t.

History was always on repeat.

Disturbed, I stepped away from the wall and walked back into the living room. Josie hadn’t moved. I knelt beside her and reached out, my fingers stopping a mere inch above her flushed cheek.

I didn’t . . . I didn’t deserve this with her.

I didn’t deserve her in general.

As I stared down at her, I had to wonder what in the fuck I was thinking. From the beginning I’d known getting close to her was a bad fucking idea. I’d done shit things in my past and was sure to keep doing shit things. No future to speak of. I wanted aether like a damn daimon, and I couldn’t be trusted.

And I had not been able to stay away from her.

I’d needed to, but I hadn’t wanted to.

Need. Want. Back by popular demand.

Drawing my hand back, I clasped the edge of the cushion. Mindful to not disturb her, I bent over and kissed her parted lips. As I drew back, there wasn’t even a flicker of an eyelash. Josie was beautiful as she slept on.

I rose and turned slowly, looking around the room. I knew what I had to do, and for once in my life, I was going to do the right thing.

Josie

When I pried my eyes open, my brain was full of fog and the webs of sleep clung firmly. It took a couple of moments for me to realize I was lying on the small couch. I felt like I’d slept for a billion years—a billion years curled up in a fetal position.

Wincing, I stretched out my legs and could hear the bones popping. I had no idea what time it was, but I figured if I’d overslept, Seth would be here, shaking me awake.

Seth.

“Oh God,” I murmured, placing my hands over my face. My cheeks felt hot as what we’d done in public did an instant replay, in vivid detail. A strangled giggle escaped me as I dropped my hands to my stomach. “Wow.”

I turned my head to the right and remembered the fries. Holy crap, I fell asleep eating fries. When had I ever fallen asleep before finishing what I was eating?

That was one hell of an orgasm.