That must have been when Anima recruited him.

Now we hoped to find out what else his employers were planning and where Justin was being held. But hours passed and Benjamin never woke up, even when prodded.

Too tired to wait any longer, among other things, I strode out of the dungeon.

Cole shadowed me.

“Can we not do this tonight?” I asked, ready to beg.

“Sorry, Ali-gator. We can. We will.”

Stubborn boy.

He stopped me at the top of the stairs, fingers deep in my hair so that I had to meet his fiery gaze. “You’re upset, I’m upset, so, let’s hash this out. It’s not good to go to bed this way. It’ll just be worse in the morning.”

I tried to look away. He increased the pressure, keeping my attention on him. I sighed. “Okay. Fine. We’ll go to my room. But I want it noted that you’re acting like the girl, getting all talky-feely and crap.”

Far from shamed, he said, “Noted.” He wound his arm around my shoulders, tucking me against him. A protective stance, an intractable hold.

I’d have to fight to get free. But honestly, the action was both sexy and...majorly sexy.

Cole reached for the knob on my door and frowned. Giggles seeped from the crack at the bottom. “Expecting company?”

“No.” I stepped inside to find Kat and Reeve sitting on my bed.

They spotted me and leaped to their feet.

“Ali!” Kat ran over and hugged me. Her grip was weaker than it had been the past few days, and I cursed her disease. “Reeve and I are locking horns over a joke. I say it’s wonderful, and she says it’s lame. We need a final ruling.”

That, I could do. “Let’s hear it.”

“What did the zombie say during a wrestling match?”

Um... “What?”

“Do you want a piece of me?” she said and burst into laughter.

Cole snorted.

“See!” Kat stuck her tongue out at Reeve. “Even the stick-in-the-mud likes it.”

The verdict? “I think it’s wonderful and lame.”

“I’ll take that as a victory.” She wagged a finger in Cole’s face. “By the way, this is a girls-only slumber party. Boys are not invited. You’ve got to go.”

He stood his ground. “Actually, you’ve got to go. Ali and I are going to talk.”

“Cole,” she said, batting her lashes at him. “I’m seconds away from bringing your penis into this conversation. Are you sure you want to stick around for that?”

He sighed. “You’re about to threaten it, aren’t you?”

A new round of laughter from the girls.

“Threaten?” Kat shook her head. “No, darling Cole. Remove? Yes.”

Reeve walked over and gave him a little push into the hall. “You can talk to your Ali-gator tomorrow, King Cole. Tonight it’s besties before testes, and if you don’t hit the bricks, I will literally rip off those testes and feed them to you.”

“I’m sure Bronx would love to hear you’ve contemplated putting your hands on my junk,” he said, digging in his heels. “I’m staying and keeping my private property. Ali likes me intact.”

I shrugged. Honestly, what could I really say? Truer words had never been spoken.

“Recognize a losing battle, Cole,” Kat said. “It’s been a rough couple of days, and we need a break. Let us have this one night. We’ll be generous and let you have our girl tomorrow. Maybe.” And then she shut the door in his face.

I expected him to burst back in, but he didn’t. I almost laughed as I crawled to the middle of the bed. I’d gotten my reprieve after all.

“I figured you guys would be with Frosty and Bronx,” I said.

I spotted a large envelope on my nightstand. The pictures! I hurriedly stuffed the envelope in the top drawer, not wanting to look at the supposed evidence with anyone else around. I wasn’t sure how I’d react.

“Frosty is already addicted to me.” Kat flipped her hair over her shoulder. “If I spend any more time with him, he’ll become a babbling idiot. And really, I like to keep him craving more. Besides, I wasn’t lying to Cole. I need a one-night stand with you to just...I don’t know, breathe. To be normal kids.”

Yeah. That sounded all kinds of awesome.

Reeve threw herself beside me, the mattress bouncing us both. “I wish I could say the same about Bronx. He’s in a mood. A horrible, terrible mood, and I don’t know what to do about him. He’s distant. He’s snippy. Do you think he wants to break up with me?”

“Of course not.” Bronx wasn’t the love-’em-and-leave-’em type. He was the she’s-mine-and-that’s-that type. “But you have to remember, he just lost four of his friends. In one night.” And then he’d watched me explode them only a few hours ago. Oh, glory. The memory would forever haunt me. “Another one is still missing. Bronx is grieving.”

“I’m sure he’s also worried about keeping you safe,” Kat said, claiming a spot at the edge of the bed and crisscrossing her legs. “I know Frosty gets a little crazy when we’re under attack. And let’s face it. The danger level has never been higher.”

“I know, but still!” Reeve beat her fists into the pillows. “I just wish Bronx would talk to me about this stuff, you know? We’re a couple. We’re supposed to help each other. And I want to help him, I do, but he won’t even give me the opportunity.”