Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

IZZY

" T here you are, sunshine." Archer gazes at me with emotion swirling in his aquamarine eyes. "I'm happy staying here and telling you jokes for as long as you need. For our date, I planned to take you to my favorite arcade, but we can do whatever you want to. If you want to go get ice cream, watch a movie, be dropped off at home for alone time, I'll make it happen."

My eyes burn with unshed tears for a different reason this time. Archer's offer is crazy thoughtful. He's putting what I need ahead of what he wanted to do. "Is the arcade in Hawthorne Grove?" I whisper past the lump in my throat.

Archer winces slightly. "No. It's not. I can try to find one here if you want?"

I shake my head at him. "I want to get out of Hawthorne Grove for a little while. I fucking hate this town."

"Oh, thank God. Hawthorne Grove is fucking awful. I'd do anything you want, but I'm glad you wanna split." Archer's face is twisted in distaste, and I can't help the giggle that slips out. He's not wrong about how much Hawthorne Grove sucks ass. When he hears my quiet laugh, Archer's face splits into a smile so wide, a dimple I never noticed before appears.

"I want to go to the arcade, if that's okay." I'm not sure he still wants to take me, but I don't want to let Tyler ruin my only date with Archer.

"That's good with me. Are we taking demon eyes over here with us? He's welcome if you want him." I snort at Archer's nickname for Levi.

Archer's question makes me realize I'm still sitting on Levi. I kind of forgot about him for a moment with all of Archer's jokes. My cheeks burn slightly from using him as basically a pillow and a tissue. I peer up at Levi through my lashes. He looks down at me with a soft smile on his face. Now that Tyler's gone, his eyes are back to their usual black with a small red ring.

"I'm happy to go with you or stay behind. It's up to you. If you want me to come with you, I can also hang back and let you and Archer have your one-on-one time." Levi has continued to play with my hair this whole time. I don't ever want him to stop running his fingers through the strands, but I know I need to get up eventually.

Honestly, I need both of them right now. I'd love to see Luca, Cain, and Bishop, too, but there's no way I'm dragging that many people on Archer's date.

I don't want to examine why, exactly, I have the urge to see my other mates. Surely, I haven't forgotten the ending I knew from the very beginning. None of my mates are mine to keep. I'm just borrowing them for a heartbeat in time. Only, my heart doesn't understand that. It's already starting to sync with theirs, leaving me wondering how it'll remember how to beat once they're gone.

"You sure that's okay with you?" I bite my bottom lip nervously, feeling bad for hijacking the date.

"Yep. Demon eyes can open one of his freaky-ass portals for us too. Then I can show you how much fun it is to lose at bumper cars and Skee-Ball." Archer waggles his eyebrows at me, and I crack another smile.

"You think you can beat me at arcade games, sunny boy?" Unlike his nickname for me, calling Archer sunny isn't ironic. He's like sunshine after a lifetime of darkness. You can't help but stretch toward him to bask in his uplifting personality.

"Ooh, I get a nickname too. I can't wait to rub this in Cain's face."

"I already gave Cain a nickname. Sorry to ruin your fun." I shrug apologetically, not wanting to let the happy wolf down.

"What's Cain's nickname?" Archer tilts his head in curiosity as he regards me.

"Quiet boy."

"What nickname did you give demon eyes?"

"Screech owl or demon boy." Levi chuckles at his nicknames. I can feel the sound rumbling in his chest, since I'm still pressed against him. I should probably get off him, but I'm just so comfortable in his arms.

Archer laughs. "All solid choices, sunshine. You ready to blow this joint?" He waits for my nod before standing up and offering me his hand. I grab it, and he hauls me to my feet with surprising ease. The only problem is that standing over Levi puts my crotch right in his face. I scramble back and almost fall over when I try to get away. Archer's grip on my hand and Levi's almost burning hands on my thighs stop me from falling on my ass.

Once I'm steadied and no longer over Levi, Archer asks, "You coming, demon eyes?"

"Yes. I'm not a demon, wolf." Levi stands up and brushes off the back of his black jeans. He's wearing a red long-sleeve tee today. His outfit matches his eyes. It's strangely adorable.

"Sure, you're not." Archer gives me a conspiratorial wink, so I know he's just messing with Levi. He doesn't know that Levi's not a mage, though. Levi never did tell me what he is. That's a problem for another time because I'm at my limit of dealing with shit today.

Levi shakes his head and opens his fire-ringed portal. "Ready to go?"

"How do you know where we're going? I haven't told you the name of the arcade." Archer eyes Levi and his black hole portal suspiciously. If I didn't already know Levi's abilities were definitely not normal, I'd probably be skeptical too.

"I know because of my non-demonic powers, wolf. It's the Power Play Arcade in Lockwood, isn't it?" Levi raises one black brow at Archer, daring him to disagree.

Archer turns wide eyes to Levi. He opens and closes his mouth a few times, trying to figure out what to say. "It is. Holy fuck. That's some creepy-ass shit right there, demon eyes."

I also turn to Levi and see him fighting a grin. "Why do I have the feeling you like fucking with people, demon boy?"

Levi's eyes dance with mirth, and he gives me a shrug. "If you're done with your dramatics, wolf, shall we go to the arcade?"

Archer sputters at being called dramatic, but he can't help his smile at the banter. Without another backward glance, Archer walks into the portal and disappears.

"Why are your portals different than normal, screech owl?"

"That's a conversation better had when we're not at school, little raven." He offers me his hand, and I take it. We walk through the portal together. Only, this time, I don't feel like I'm falling. I don't feel the normal sticky air surrounding and coating me, either. Instead, I just feel like I'm walking in the hallway. It's only the bright, flashing lights and games galore that let me know we're no longer at school.

Before I can ask Levi about that wild portal experience, Archer snags my free hand and pulls me along after him. He animatedly talks to me about the music playing and every game we pass until we reach the bumper cars. Even Levi joins us. I laugh so hard while we're in the bumper cars that it feels like I'm going to puke and cry at the same time.

The crazy laughter doesn't end for the entire time we're at the arcade. Archer delights in showing me his favorite games, playing laser tag, and racing go-karts. He's happy to include Levi. Laughing and playing silly arcade games and gorging myself on junk food for hours straight with two of my mates heals something in me I never thought would be whole again.

Before I know it, the arcade closes, and we're kicked out. I don't how we managed to spend so much time just goofing around, but I enjoyed the time not thinking about everything that happened earlier. I know it's all going to hit me when I'm alone in my room, trying—and failing—to fall asleep.

Maybe Bishop will let me sleep over tonight. I've spent the night with him every time Mason and Richard tried something. Bishop wrapping me up in his protective embrace all night allows me to sleep without being bombarded by the memories. I'm sure Bishop has noticed that I cry myself to sleep every time I sleep over, but he never pushes me to talk about it. Bishop always knows exactly what I need even before I do.

"Is it okay if we head to Bishop's place?" I ask Levi as he prepares to open a portal to take me home. He gives me a questioning look. "I don't think I can sleep alone tonight."

Levi's eyes soften in understanding. "I can do that, little raven." When he opens the portal, he reaches out his hand for me. I grab his with one hand and Archer's with the other. Hopefully, Archer won't feel like he's tumbling from the top of a roller coaster if he holds on to me while I hold on to Levi.

We step out of the portal in front of a three-story, red-brick building. The bottom floor houses several small businesses, like a candle shop, a specialty grocer, and a boutique. Bishop converted the top two floors to apartments. Although there are four lofts available, Bishop is the only one who lives there. He doesn't need the income from renting the other spaces, so Bishop would rather have the peace and quiet of living alone.

I guide Archer and Levi around the back to the stairs that lead up to the second floor. Once we're at the top, I knock on Bishop's door.