“And the last thing I heard before I floated off was his muttered,"love my wild one.”

“Then I whispered, “I love you, my Lahn,” and heard the swift hiss of his intake of breath. Then he buried his face in my neck and whispered back, “Loot kay hansahnalay na, my Circe.” And I love you, my Circe.”

“I whispered, “Can we kick the aunties out right now?”I saw the flash of his smug smile before he buried his face in my neck and muttered, “You’re adorable.”I wasn’t trying to be adorable. I was trying to get laid. “No, seriously.”

“I pointed my eyes straight ahead too and muttered, “I’m sure I’ll find something I can do.” I felt Frey’s eyes on me, kept mine aimed at the hall then I heard Frey sigh. “Indeed, you will and this terrifies me,” he muttered back and that was when I allowed myself to giggle.”

“We were both quiet a long time and I was about to fall back asleep in the curve of his arm with his warm body at my back when he called my name.“Laurie?”“Yes,” I muttered, my voice sleepy.“I was pissed last night.”“I know.”“You look good.”“Sorry?”“No way you can look like all the rest.”My eyes shot open.His arm curled me deeper into his body and I felt his face burrow into my hair.“You’d always shine through,” he muttered and now he sounded sleepy but I was again wide awake. “Somethin’ special,” he finished.”

“We went to the double feature last night”…“My recollection, it was a triple,” Raiden muttered.”

“Jesus Christ," he muttered to the ceiling. "All those times I sat in the office and laughed my ass off at stories of Lee, Eddie, Hank and Vance. They should have fuckin' medals.”