Itty Bitty WW Preview

[‘Cause I promise I’m still writing this]

Piers hadn’t woken up next to another person for more than half a century. The last time was when Marnie was still young, and had crawled into his bed when she had a bad dream, asking for the oldest comfort even the not-quite-human know of. Since then, there were few who slept on his schedule, and among them, none that he would allow close enough to begin with.

But now, as wakefulness greeted him, he realised that Raihan was still in the bed beside him. That was unusual; before, Raihan got up, went to dinner, and had experienced hours of the day before Piers could rise. Now, a great warm arm wrapped itself around his chest like the root of a massive tree, anchoring him to the sheets and keeping him tucked against Raihan’s body as though he himself was a comfort.

Even stranger—Raihan was still asleep.

Piers took the opportunity to turn his head, slowly, with care not to wake him. What sleep Raihan got was usually fraught and fitful, the nightmares he had no older brother to chase away for him. Yet as the evening lights of the city began to glow across the ceiling, his face was slack and comfortable. At peace. Piers found himself fascinated by this and turned onto his side, taking in the thickness of Raihan’s brow, the proud line of his nose, the softer curves of his lips. Wickedly handsome, for sure, but below that surface was something gentler than he’d expected. He got the sensation somehow that like this Raihan was innocent and youthful, even though he’d lived ages Piers couldn’t comprehend. It was the boyishness that curved along his cheeks and smoothed any wrinkles between his brows, that made him seem almost delicate.

A far stretch from the dragon who could rend and tear, but Piers felt as though somehow, in some way, he was reaching through the murky depths of what had happened to Raihan, and finding what he had been to begin with. Slowly, painfully, that old Raihan was surfacing, and like a statue sunk deep into mud, even with cracks and fragments missing he would be beautiful once the muck could be cleared away.

Piers sighed. He wasn’t sure why he was so hellbent on helping this man, but dammit, he was.

For one, Raihan didn’t seem to view him with…pity. That word tasted bitter even in his thoughts, but it was true. Sad, but true. Those around him regarded him with pity—kind pity, loving pity, but pity nonetheless. Like a bird with a broken wing, or a three-legged puppy. The poor little half-vampire, scared of his own shadow, unable to be either of the things he was promised to be. Not his mother, nor his father. Not what was lost, and not what could be gained. He couldn’t fault them for seeing him that way, but at the same time, he hadn’t realised what a burden it was until Raihan came and lifted it.

Reaching out, he placed his palm against the side of Raihan’s face, just to feel the heat of his skin and the faint thudding of his heart. Raihan treated him in a way he’d never been treated before, but he didn’t pity him.

Raihan’s eyes flashed open, and for a second, Piers could see him uncomprehending. Afraid. Hopeful. The question of what did they really do to you? burned on his lips, but he swallowed it as Raihan’s gaze steadied and melted into something playful and familiar.

“Like what you see? You know you’re always welcome to look your fill,” he teased, and Piers exaggerated a groan as he flopped back onto his pillows.

“Nah, I just decided I oughta get a good look at your face when it’s not ten miles above me,” he shot back, provoking a laugh gone hoarse with sleep. The sound of it warmed a deep place inside him, and he realised with a jolt that not only had he spent the day in bed with a sexy dragon, said sexy dragon was now laughing at his jokes.