Coming home

The heavy iron gates of Blackthorn Manor swung open with their usual mechanical precision.

Harold's calm voice greeted him before he'd even parked the aging sedan Greta had arranged for him.

"Good evening, Mr. Joey."

Joey smiled tiredly.

"Evening, Harold."

"I detect elevated cortisol levels, a higher-than-normal heart rate, and traces of reptilian blood on your boots."

"...That obvious?"

"There is also a machete sticking out of your backpack."

"...Fair."

"The mistress has been pacing for approximately forty-three minutes."

Joey's smile faded slightly.

"She knows?"

"I regret to inform you that Ms. Greta contacted her."

"...Of course she did."

"I believe the phrase Ms. Greta used was, 'Your idiot human got himself into another knife fight.'"

Joey pinched the bridge of his nose.

"...Yeah, that sounds like Greta."

---

The front door hadn't even closed behind him before Cassandra appeared.

She moved so quickly it was almost like she materialized from the shadows.

One second the foyer was empty.

The next—

she was standing directly in front of him.

Her crimson eyes swept over him from head to toe.

Checking.

Counting.

Looking for injuries.

Without saying a word, she took both of his hands in hers and turned them over, inspecting his knuckles.

Then she checked his shoulders.

His neck.

The side of his face.

Finally she looked into his eyes.

"...You're bleeding."

Joey instinctively reached for the shallow cut on his cheek.

"Oh."

"I hadn't noticed."

"I did."

Her voice was quiet.

Too quiet.

---

"I won," Joey said gently.

"I know." She responded

"Three scouts."

"I know." She said again

"And then—"

"The chamai-lion."

Joey blinked.

"Did you just say chameleon?"

"No, a chamai-lion is a very specialized assassin, and very expensive."

He scratched the back of his neck.

"Leviathan really wants you dead..."

"Greta told me everything"

Joey looked away.

"...Okay"

---

Cassandra stepped closer.

Much closer.

Close enough that Joey could feel the coolness of her skin before she even touched him.

"You should have called."

"I didn't have time."

"I handled the scouts."

"You almost died."

"I—"

"You almost died."

The words weren't angry.

They were frightened.

Joey had heard Cassandra angry.

This wasn't that.

Her voice carried something much rarer.

Fear.

---

He reached up slowly and brushed a strand of black hair behind her ear.

"I'm okay."

"I know."

She closed her eyes briefly.

"I dislike knowing how close that statement came to being false."

---

Without another word, she leaned forward and wrapped both arms around him.

Tightly.

Much tighter than usual.

For several seconds neither of them spoke.

Joey simply rested his chin lightly against the top of her head.

He could feel it through the bond.

The adrenaline she had hidden.

The panic she'd buried beneath centuries of practiced composure.

The relief flooding through her now that he was home.

"...You were scared."

Her arms tightened almost imperceptibly.

"Terrified."

---

"I've watched kingdoms fall."

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"I've survived inquisitions."

"Wars."

"Hunters."

"I have lost... everyone."

She looked up at him.

"I did not enjoy the thought of adding your name to that list."

Joey's heart ached.

Without thinking, he cupped her face gently between his hands.

"I'll do everything I can not to."

"I know."

"You trained me."

"I know."

"I listened."

"...Mostly."

A tiny smile tugged at one corner of her mouth.

"Mostly."

---

She leaned forward and kissed him.

Slowly.

Not with urgency.

Not with hunger.

Just relief.

Joey returned the kiss just as gently, his thumb brushing lightly across her cheek.

When they finally separated, there was a small fire of desire, neither of them moved very far.

"I missed you," Cassandra admitted.

"I've been gone... eight hours."

"It was an exceptionally long eight hours."

He laughed quietly.

"I guess I should stop getting attacked."

"I would appreciate that."

"I'll see what I can do."

---

A familiar voice drifted down from the second-floor balcony.

"I was wondering how long before the kissing started."

Joey looked up.

Taylor leaned against the railing wearing an oversized sweater, smiling warmly.

"I had Harold taking bets," she teased.

Harold's voice echoed through the foyer.

"I estimated thirty-one seconds."

Taylor grinned.

"I guessed under twenty."

Joey looked horrified.

"You two were timing us?"

"Scientifically observing," Harold corrected.

"There is a difference."

Cassandra sighed dramatically.

"I miss when houses did not comment on my love life."

---

Taylor made her way downstairs, smiling as she reached them.

She looked Joey over almost as thoroughly as Cassandra had.

"Greta called."

"I figured."

"She may have described you as..." Taylor tried not to laugh.

"...'A surprisingly stab-resistant golden retriever.'"

Joey groaned.

"That is going to follow me forever, isn't it?"

"Almost certainly."

Taylor stepped forward and wrapped him in a quick hug.

"I'm glad you're okay."

Joey smiled.

"So am I."

---

The three of them settled into the enormous living room as evening settled over Blackthorn Manor.

Cassandra refused to let Joey out of her sight, quietly insisting on cleaning the small cut on his cheek despite his repeated assurances that it was barely more than a scratch.

Taylor curled up beside him on the sofa, one hand resting comfortably over his.

Outside, the estate's layered defenses hummed quietly beneath the night sky.

Inside...

for the moment...

they were safe.

Joey looked from Taylor to Cassandra and couldn't help smiling.

A few months ago, he'd been eating leftover burgers alone after late shifts at Burger Chief.

Now he had two extraordinary women waiting for him to come home.

It was terrifying.

Complicated.

Dangerous.

And he wouldn't have traded it for anything.

Across the room, Cassandra noticed the smile.

"What?"

Joey looked at both of them.

"Nothing."

He squeezed Taylor's hand gently and reached over to lace his fingers with Cassandra's.

"I was just thinking..."

"What?"

"I'm home."

For a long moment, neither woman said anything.

Then Cassandra smiled—a genuine, unguarded smile that Joey still considered one of the rarest sights in the world.

"So are we."