6. Chapter 6

Chapter six

Sammy

A groan escapes me before I've even opened my eyes. Motherfucker. This is a bitch of a hangover.

"Are you okay?"

The male voice has me yelping and scrambling up to a sitting position. Blue's beautiful ocean eyes are staring at me. He is sitting calmly by my bed. My heart rate starts to slow.

"Yeah, just a hangover," I confirm as my gaze falls on the painkillers and a glass of water on my bedside table. "Oh my god, you are such a sweetie," I gush while diving for the pills.

As I swallow them and gulp down the water, my gaze roves around my room. My now very clean room. I swear it is practically sparkling.

"You did this?" I ask.

He nods solemnly.

"Thank you," I say.

My heartbeat is picking up again. Is he pissed off at the mess? Did he tidy because he is about to kick me out and give this lovely room to someone else?

Vague memories swirl from last night. Blue reassuring me I could stay. Me crying all over him.

My mouth drops open in horror. "Oh my god. I'm so sorry about last night! What did I do? No! Don't tell me! I don't want to know!"

Blue gives me a strange look, and I don't blame him at all. That was a mouthful. And I'm always too much. For everyone. And I never learn.

And I'm awful when I'm drunk. A complete nightmare. Any kind of dramatic and over the top shit could have happened.

"It's okay," he says, but I can't tell what he is really thinking.

And now I'm struggling to tear my eyes away from his naked chest. He is only wearing sweatpants and his body is amazing. Like a swimmer's, which makes perfect sense. Since he is a siren and all.

A familiar, strange dichotomy swirls through me. I'm jealous of his body, because I want to look that good. And I am also attracted to him. I want to lick that gorgeous body all over.

I shudder and pull my attention away. The very last thing Blue needs is me perving on him. He has been lovely to me and this is how I repay him? I'm such an idiot. It is very clear that Blue is sex repulsed, or whatever the correct term is. Ogling him is a repulsive thing for me to do.

Our gazes lock. I still can't read him, but I swear I can see something like suspicion rippling through his blue eyes. I wince and look away.

"It's okay," he repeats.

I sigh and the sadness in the sound surprises me. I was a drunken asshole and Blue stayed the night to keep an eye on me. And he tidied up. He is such a wonderful person. I'm really going to have to fight to stop my needy ass from latching onto him. Show me a bit of kindness and I'm anybody's. It's pathetic.

"Thanks for babysitting me," I mumble. And then I realize. "Shit, have you been up all night?"

Evil sunlight is blaring around the drawn curtains. I think it's mid-morning but I can't face looking for my phone to check.

A smile tugs on the corner of his lips. "It's fine. I don't need much sleep."

Because he isn't human. That should probably bother me more than it does, which is not at all. Which is even more evidence of just how screwed up and crazy I am. Friends with a siren? Sure why not, bring it on. Adopted by a half-demon and his full demon boyfriend, who you saw eat people? Wonderful, no problem at all. I've always wanted a family.

A dry chuckle bubbles out of me.

A concerned look flows over Blue's face and I flash him a smile to reassure him that I haven't completely lost my mind. Not yet, anyway.

"Thanks for looking after me," I say again.

Blue gives me a shy smile that melts my heart. How is anyone just so incredibly sweet?

Just then, the sound of a van door sliding open rings out. It sounds like it is really close to my window, on the other side of the curtains. It's definitely on the driveway at least.

Boots crunch on gravel, and masculine voices call out. Workmen is my guess. Red mentioned something about a drain needing replacing. I wish they wouldn't be so fucking loud. Each sound is lancing through my brain. I really hope the painkillers kick in soon.

Blue looks awfully pale. His face has drained of all color. His eyes are huge and full of terror.

Shit. Is he having a flashback or something? I scramble out of bed but hover uselessly in front of him. His eyes look unseeing. Will my touch be a comfort or a fright? I don't want to make things worse.

"Blue?" I ask softly.

Quick as a flash, he moves. Before I've had a chance to blink, he's gone from the chair by my bed, to the far corner of the room. He is curled up into a small ball and is whimpering softly.

"Hey, it's okay," I say. "It's just workmen. They aren't going to hurt you."

Blue doesn't respond. I'm not sure if he has even heard me. Should I get the healer? Jade? Any of the others that I can find because they know him better than I do and he'll feel safer with them?

"I'll… I'll go get someone," I say as I tie my robe around myself.

"No!" he wails. "Don't leave me!"

His head is tucked firmly into his knees, but his plea still rings out clear and frantic. Desperate. Full of anguish.

I freeze. "Okay, sweetie. I won't leave."

What the fuck do I do now? I don't know how to look after people. It's usually me who needs help. I'm the headcase. The fuck up. But I can't be that right now. Blue needs me. I have to get my shit together.

How do I make Blue feel better? He is lost in his panic. He thinks these men are here to take him away or something.

Or use him. A bitter taste floods my mouth. Blue was a sex slave. Used and abused. Given out as entertainment and never allowed to say no. No wonder strange men scare the shit out of him.

Rage prickles at my skin. Fury burns. Inspiration strikes. I dive under my bed and grab my trusty baseball bat. Then I stand in front of Blue. I'm so freaking glad my baseball bat was not tidied away. It's my comfort weapon. And now it's going to comfort someone else.

"Sweetie, look at me, please?" I beg.

Blue eyes peek out. They are glowing slightly but it doesn't scare me at all. I twirl my baseball bat expertly.

"I've got you," I promise. "I'm going to stand between you and the door and if any motherfucker tries to come in, they are going to lose their kneecaps."

I give Blue my best unhinged and bloodthirsty grin. His eyes widen, but his shoulders relax. I swing my bat again. He relaxes even more and my grin widens.

I mean every word of my promise to him. Blue is a sweetheart and I hate that he has been hurt. Hate it with a passion that burns. I've spent my life on the wrong side of the tracks and I know how to fight. I'm too scrawny to be truly great at it. But I've knocked skulls before and I'm happy to do it again. Especially for Blue. People can treat me like shit, but not my friends. Never my friends.

"What a pair we are, hey?" I say.

He just stares at me, but that's fine. I wasn't expecting any reply or reaction. He looked after me last night. Now it's my turn. I turn my back to Blue so I can face the door like I promised.

"I think we are going to be very good friends," I say, and a warm feeling bubbles through me.

Friends. I like the sound of that.

Blue and Sammy. Best friends forever.