“I told you not to call me that.”

“Was there a reason why you felt it necessary to turn into Storm out of the X-Men?”

“Oh shut your noise.” She looked up at Antonio then. “Many casualties?”

He smiled. “Not as many as what I would have expected, given how outnumbered we were. It seemed that Rupert’s legion suffered the worst. Although I think things would be very different if you hadn’t…turned into Storm, as Jared so aptly put it.”

“It was so cool,” said Harvey with a wide smile. I shot him a scowl.

She turned to the squad and smiled, her eyes flicking to each one of them. “I don’t mind saying I’m proud of you lot.” They each grinned. “But if you let it get to your heads and rods reappear up your backsides it’ll be storm time again, alright?”

They each chuckled but nodded.

“If you think we’d risk your wrath you’re crazy,” said Damien.

Jared? It was Evan, anxious.

“Evan’s awake,” I told her. “I stashed him out of sight further into the rainforest when I found him unconscious.”

Alora dashed forward. “Can you take me to him? Please?”

I nodded then stood upright, Sam still in my arms. “See all you guys later.”

“Put me down.” She kicked her legs until I planted her on her feet, an arm around her waist, waiting while she steadied herself before grabbing Alora’s hand. In under a second we were stood before Evan who stopped in his anxious pacing and quickly locked his arms around Alora who, to my surprise, eagerly returned the embrace.

I looked at Sam. “That was fast work for Evan.” She only smiled. Then her smile wobbled a little and she suddenly seemed nervous. “What is it?”

She cleared her throat but when she opened her mouth she didn’t say anything, as if she wasn’t sure she should say whatever it was. I encouraged her with a look. “When I Merged with you…it meant I could access – I wasn’t snooping, it’s just part of the Merging – your thoughts and memories and…feelings.”

I knew where this was going. I’d suspected that the process would allow her to do that.

After a second, she murmured in disbelief, “You love me. Or at least you think you do.”

I smiled. “I know I do.” I wrapped my arms around her. “And you love me.” Her eyes widened; clearly she hadn’t known that I’d had the same access to her mind as she had to mine. “If you sensed I love you then you must’ve also sensed that I meant it when I said I was claiming you as mine. And no, I’m not asking, and the reason I’m not asking is because the answer ‘no’ is unacceptable. I want the Binding Ceremony – everything.”

A wicked, crooked smile formed on her face. “If I do say no…will you strap me to the bed for longer than a month?”

My smile mirrored hers. “You’ll leave me no choice but to have to. And then, of course, I’ll have to spank your ass, bite your ni**les, and tease your clit with my tongue until you change your mind.”

“Then the answer is definitely a resounding no.”

“Note that I’ll also be giving it to you up the -”

“Bro, we can hear you over here,” whined Evan. “Those are visuals I could live without.”

I sighed while Sam giggled. “Come on, time to go to my apartment and get started on that spanking.”

The second we arrived at my apartment she smirked. “You’ll have to catch me first.”

And then the insane bitch turned back into Houdini.