Alive // bxb

Chapter 17

Liam's POV:

Milo could be very clingy, as I'd learned.

It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, really. I adored that side of him, which I knew only came out when he felt safe, enveloped in my embrace. However, it did make leaving his house significantly more difficult- even leaving his side for a moment would cause him to whine and look at me with betrayal in his gaze.

I was pondering the pros and cons of trying to wriggle my way out of the way we were sitting- myself sitting normally on his couch, him with his legs over my lap, his arms embracing me as he tucked his head into the crevice between my head and neck- to go get a glass of water when he woke up.

Oh, did I not mention that he was asleep? Yeah, I had also learned that he was a very light sleeper and would wake up if Bubbles brushed his foot with her feathers. Because that didn't complicate things at all.

"Where are you going?" he asked in a groggy voice, reaching up to rub his eye so that he could guilt-trip me with his gaze alone. I sighed.

"I was just going to go get a glass of water," I replied, moving his legs off of mine. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"No," he sighed as I stood, wrapping the blanket that had been around us tighter onto himself like a burrito. I passed him a small smile and bent to kiss his forehead lightly, which he grumbled at, pulling Bubbles up next to him as he picked up the book he'd been reading earlier. I left the room with a soft smile on my face.

He reminded me of a baby koala.

Small, cuddly, but with long claws he wouldn't hesitate to turn on you.

Well, Milo didn't really have literal claws, but the way he'd withhold his affection was pretty similar, so I made the comparison anyway.

I grabbed a plastic glass from the cupboard and turned to the sink to fill it. My throat was dry so I gulped down the liquid the moment the glass was full. When I had finished the cup, I filled it up again, taking more time with the second dose of water.

Liam, a voice called in my head, the unexpectedness of it causing me to nearly sputter out the water. It was just my father calling through the pack link, so I shouldn't have been that jumpy- I guess it was my quiet afternoon with Milo that had kind of made me unnecessarily unexpecting of the link.

What? I shot back after a moment, taking another sip of my water.

You know the vampires that killed Milo's family?

I retook my seat next to Milo, frowning deeply. I didn't know they were vampires, but yeah?

"Who're you talking to?" Milo asked quietly, poking my cheek.

"My dad," I whispered in response, getting a nod of understanding before my mate turned back to his book.

What would you say to some revenge?

I'm listening? I replied carefully.

Eva has been tracking their movements for a few months using motion-tracking devices and other shit. Don't ask, I didn't so I couldn't tell you. The coven seems to go between seven hideouts around the state, one of which we're assuming is their lair because they spend the most time there. But, if her calculations are correct, they should be in the one closest to us right now through two days from now.

And you want to go kill some of the parasites, yeah? I asked, beginning to smile at the idea.

If you're up for it.