Page 66 of Ravaged Devotion

Ryker shrugged but otherwise doesn’t answer.

Which was foreboding.

“I hate it when you’re quiet,” Rue confessed. Three years apart had changed them both in ways he’d yet to fully figure out. The Ryker he was used to was loud and aggressive, without fail. But the man he’d been since Rue’s return was more contemplative, with steely resolve.

Unpredictable in a different sort of way that made Rue more nervous than usual.

“If you’re still tired, come over here.” Ryker had moved to the other side of the check-in station. “You can sleep under this.”

There was a cleared-out space beneath it and already a blanket spread out over the floor.

“Uriel probably,” Ryker answered before Rue could ask about who’d made it. “He’s a light sleeper. Would have woken at the slightest sound.”

He wanted to stay up, but the next yawn escaped him, and after another pointed look from Ryker, Rue gave in. The blanket wasn’t thick enough for the floor to be comfortable, but tucked under the counter, with the solid back to lean against, it felt secure at least.

Ryker took off his sweatshirt, balled it up, and then crouched down, motioning for Rue to lift his head.

“Thanks.” The makeshift pillow smelled like the Black Hart, and it took all of Rue’s willpower not to openly inhale the scent.

At least, not until Ryker was standing again and couldn’t catch him in the act.

“Sleep,” the Black Hart instructed. “I’m not going anywhere.”

His eyelids slipped closed, and Rue really must have dozed off, because everything felt out of sorts when he opened them again.

Dreams plagued his memories, and for a long moment, he was still in the rose garden, listening to the sound of Ryker’s harsh breathing, the feel of his warm hands dancing down his sides.

He came out of it slowly, his head muddled, and his vision cloudy. Groggily, he lifted, frowning when he realized Ryker wasn’t standing in front of him anymore, or anywhere on this side of the counter.

He stumbled a little as he pulled himself out from his hiding place, needing to grab onto the opposite counter to haul himself onto his feet. His mind started to clear, focus returning, and he opened his mouth when he twisted around and spotted Ryker over by the front door. Before he could actually call out to him, however, Ryker signaled him to be quiet.

Rue frowned, worry finally catching up with him.

Something was wrong.

He’d just taken a step around the counter when he heard it. Maybe the sound had woken him, maybe not, but it was certainly the reason Ryker was staring so intensely at the barricaded entrance.

“Ryk,” Uriel’s voice, a somewhat frantic whisper, came from the other side of the locked door.

From outside.

“Shit, man,” he sounded out of breath, his worry palpable, “let me in. I know you’re there. Open up. Those things are getting closer.”

Rue made his way over to Ryker’s side, but before he could go for the door, Ryker pulled him back. “That’s—”

“Not Uriel,” Ryker spoke quietly, clearly trying not to tip whatever was out there off.

Rue frowned.

“Ryk,” Uriel hissed. Something hit against the wood, sounding like a palm. “Come on! They’re coming!” He was still whispering, but the fear in his tone was growing.

“How can you be sure?” Rue asked.

“Ellery and Uriel are sharing a room,” Ryker explained to him. “They didn’t tell anyone but me. If Uriel wasn’t there earlier, Ellery would have come back down looking. And if he woke up and tried to leave, Ell would have heard him and stopped him.”

There was no reason Rue could think of for Uriel to have snuck outside on his own anyway.

“It sounds just like him.” He thought back to how the creature had mimicked Esti’s mom earlier, then the hidden meaning behind Ryker’s statement fully hit him. “Wait. You said no one knows Ellery and Uriel are roommates.”