Sentries Box Set

Chapter 6

Todd came to with the sun glaring in his eyes, a herd of bison thundering through his head, and the memory of Nick screaming for him morphing into another equally frightening sound.

Groaning, he rolled onto his back and pushed off the ground. He remembered being hit in the head a second time. That blow must have rendered him unconscious.

“Nick?” he croaked out. Todd wiped dried sweat and tears from his face and pulled his knees up far enough to grab the knife strapped to his calf. He staggered to his feet, stumbled across the few feet separating him and Nick, and dropped at Nick’s side. “Oh God, Nicky. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He slipped his knife through the bindings holding Nick’s closest arm and yanked up, slicing through. “They’re animals.” Nick slumped to one side, hanging by the arm still tied to the wagon wheel.

Having been fed nearly an entire bottle of moonshine whisky, Nick was out cold and doing exactly what Todd feared he’d do. He was vomiting. Todd slashed through the other bindings and pulled Nick into his arms and draped the young man over his knees, tipped sideways, making sure Nick’s airway was clear. The choking and gagging subsided, to be replaced by shivering and tiny noises coming from Nick’s throat that let Todd know he was in pure, raw pain. Nick’s body finally stopped shuddering and retching but he was giving off more heat than he should’ve been.

Leaning back on his knees, Todd wiped Nick’s face on his sleeve. They were alone. All the wagons except Todd’s were gone. When Nick’s breathing evened to normal, Todd took his hand and inspected the brands on his wrist.

The marks on each of Nick’s wrists were small, letters no more than half an inch long. TR. Todd’s initials, the traditional marks of ownership. He had no idea what had been rubbed into the raw, burnt skin but it would make the marks black when they healed. Todd took off his shirt and used the sleeve to wipe the wounds on Nick’s wrists as clean as possible. Blood, vomit, and dirt mixed with whatever the darkening substance was, smearing down Nick’s arms, no matter how hard Todd tried to get them clean. Even unconscious, Nick winced and trembled away.

“Shh…easy…shh.” Todd knew Nick probably wasn’t registering what he said, but Nick did calm when he laid one palm against the middle of Nick’s chest. “I’m sorry, buddy. I have to do this. I’m sorry.” Todd didn’t care how his voice cracked or his hands shook.

He looked at the brand on Nick’s chest. It was circular and a good three inches in diameter. An intricate pattern of rays from a central circle with a five-point pentagram overlaying a mariner’s star in the center was burned into Nick’s flesh. It was raw, and already red streaks of infection were beginning to spiderweb out from the branding point. This one wasn’t a traditional mark of ownership. It was something only sentries wore.

It was their badge, protection and identified them to the world as sentries. Todd’s had been tattooed onto his chest when he was twelve and already had years of training. It’d hurt like crazy and Todd still had a vivid memory of struggling to keep from crying. Branding had to be worse.

Barely dabbing at the larger brand caused Nick’s body to stiffen and arch away from Todd’s legs.

“Okay, okay.” Todd shoved his panic away. “I’ll get you help. You’ll be okay.”

Nick had just come to him after all the years of waiting. Todd hadn’t even begun to know Nick yet, and he sure wasn’t going to lose the young man now. Not like this. Not so soon. Most slaves wouldn’t be exposed to this treatment and would have their wrist brands applied with more care. They were after all valuable for their skills, education, and their upbringing didn’t come cheap. Not all became family members, and there were those who were treated unkindly, but they were rarely purposely killed by their owners.

Like sentry children being tattooed, branding sentry slaves in this manner was a sort of passage. Only the strong, those tough enough to take the pain, survive the abuse to their bodies and the fear invoked, were good enough to be entered into the ranks of sentries. No matter what talent they possessed or the cost of their upbringing, if they couldn’t pass this test they died, because no person who wasn’t a sentry wore this mark and lived to tell the tale.

Todd sat Nick up, then stood, hoisting Nick with him. Balancing the younger man against him, Todd staggered around their wagon and managed to get Nick into the back. After wrapping him in the warm blankets, Todd propped him on his side in case he started to vomit again. He hated leaving Nick alone in the back, but he had to drive, and there was no other way.

He stopped every hour or so and coaxed water into Nick. On the one hand, he was worried because Nick didn’t wake up much and did little more than mumble. On the other, he was grateful. The main road, an ancient one left from before the volcanic eruption was wider and smoother than the dirt road they traveled along now and allowed easier travel. Until they reached it, their progress was slower and anything but smooth. Had Nick been completely awake, Todd was sure the bouncing and jostling would have caused unbearable pain.

By the time they reached New Colorado City, dark was just skimming across the horizon. Nick had become restless, tossing and moaning with every turn of the wagon.

After bypassing his apartment building, Todd continued a few miles more to the home of a doctor, who’d treated him and other sentries in the past. Todd stopped the wagon in front of the doctor’s house and grabbed the larger branding iron. He was through the gate and bounding up the steps in less than a minute.

“Be home, be home,” he chanted as he pounded against the door. Next to it hung a sign reading “Warren Oberon, MD.”

The sound of footsteps and the face of Oberon in the door nearly made Todd collapse with relief.

“Ruger, what—” The man jerked away when Todd shoved his foot against the door and shook the iron in his face.

“They used this. They branded him with this! They held him down and forced a kid that had nothing but water to drink his entire life to drink half a bottle of their moonshine, and then they tied him down and used this on him!” Todd shook the branding iron again.

Blanching, Oberon’s eyes shifted from Todd’s face to the branding iron. “I’m sorry, but, Todd, you know I can’t treat a slave.”

“You have two slaves!”

“Isn’t it the same pattern as your tattoo? I thought you all had to wear it.”

“It’s the same symbol, but you were there when I was tattooed. This wasn’t branded into my skin with a hot iron! You gave me antibiotics. Nobody burned it into me!” Todd was shouting. He probably looked dangerous and irrational, and he didn’t care. “Nobody tied me to a wagon wheel and held me down while I was tattooed.”

“Todd,” Oberon said quietly, “you know I cannot treat a slave.”

Seeing one of Oberon’s slaves a few feet inside the door, Todd barked at her. “Sasha!”

The girl scurried to them and dropped to her knees at Oberon’s heels, hands folded in her lap, eyes down. “Sir?”

“How old are you?” Todd snapped.

“Twenty-four, sir.”

Shaking the branding iron at Oberon, Todd said, “Nick just turned twenty-two! Only last week I heard you say Sasha was a child, and Nick’s younger. What if someone did this to her?”

Leaning away from Todd, Oberon yanked the iron from his grasp. “I’m sorry. I understand how you feel, I do, but he’s not someone I can treat.”

“Yeah, not someone? What about those precious show dogs of yours? They’re not people. What if someone put one of these to them? How about that? Nick is a sentry, same as me.”

The color dropped from Oberon’s face. “Get in here!” He closed his fingers around Todd’s arm. “And stop shouting.” He nudged Sasha’s leg with his toe. She scooted back to allow them inside the entryway, and Oberon closed the door. “Does he have a fever?”

Todd gulped in short, harsh breaths. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure he does. We were half a day away. I got him back here as fast as I could.”

Oberon wiped one hand over his mouth and set the branding iron in a corner near the door. “Sasha, you’ll go with Mr. Ruger and help him care for his slave. He’s been burned.”

“Me?” She looked up, clearly shocked.

Waving at her to stand up, Oberon said, “Yes, Sasha, you. I can’t. You know what to do, what medications to use and how to use them. You treat people every day; it’s no different than if I were there. Now, go gather what you’ll need.” He turned back to Todd. “I have midnight rounds at the hospital; that’s a bit more than three hours. I’ll need her for that and will pick her up on my way.” He turned back to Sasha. “If you have treatment questions, we’ll discuss them then.”

“Thank you.” Todd laid one shaking hand on Oberon’s.

A few minutes later, Sasha reappeared carrying a large tote bag. Oberon did a quick double check of her supplies, reassured them both Sasha could handle this, and sent them out the door. Sasha climbed into the back of the wagon with Nick, and Todd set the horses in motion, heading back to his apartment.

Todd was glad for Sasha’s help getting Nick into the supply elevator. They were crowded together and his arms felt like noodles after operating the pulley system to get them up the three floors in record time to the apartment they’d share. It was damn easier than carrying Nick up three flights of stairs. While Sasha prepared to treat Nick, Todd stripped him down to his boxer shorts and got the damaged skin where he’d been branded, and then the rest of him, properly cleaned. He caught a glimpse of Sasha watching as he patted Nick’s arms and chest dry. Lastly, he removed Nick’s collar and placed it on the kitchen table. It wouldn’t be needed until they ventured out into the city.

She blushed and looked away, but Todd saw the small smile on her face anyway. When he stood, moving so she could apply medication, she got her first good look at the brand on Nick’s chest. She flinched and jerked one hand to her mouth to cover a gasp, she stepped back. “I’m sorry, sir…I—”

“It’s okay. That was pretty much how I reacted, too.”

Sasha gave Nick two injections, explaining that one was for the infection and one would ease the pain. She gave Todd a small jar of greasy, unpleasant-smelling cream. “This needs to be put on morning and night. Clean the wound first, and put a new dressing on each time. It should be better in a week or so.” Then she handed Todd a beer-bottle-sized container.

“What’s this?”

“One of the tutors in my village was a horrible drunkard.” She pointed to the bottle in Todd’s hand. “That’s for the hangover.”

Todd burst out laughing, feeling for the first time Nick’s wounds would heal, that he would wake up and be okay. This certainly wasn’t how Todd had imagined their first night home would be.

Sasha took a long, slow look around the apartment. No doubt she noticed the small room Todd had prepared for Nick’s things. She confirmed it when she asked, “You did this for him?” Her gaze jumped from the room to the table in the small kitchen, where Todd had set out plates and utensils before leaving for his trip to Nick’s village.

Todd nodded.

Sasha seemed quite impressed. Glancing down at Nick, now sleeping fairly well in the middle of Todd’s large bed, she whispered, “He’s very lucky you’re his master.” She turned away, looking embarrassed. “There are still a couple of hours before my master will be here. Would you like me to bring your things up from your wagon and see to its storage and your horses’ care?”

“No, Sasha. Hell no. That stuff is too heavy for you. It’ll wait.”

“Sir, if you leave it there all night, you’re liable to not have it in the morning.” She pulled a chair closer to the bed. “I can sit here with him if you’d like? He should sleep for most of the night.”

Todd knew she was right. He couldn’t leave the wagon unattended on the street all night. Even if he didn’t care much about his things, Nick’s were in there, and it was all Nick had in the world. It wasn’t much, but Todd had seen how carefully the books, weapons, and other things he’d sent Nick over the years had been packed. They obviously meant a great deal to Nick.

“Thank you” he said.

He hated leaving Nick alone in the strange place, but he didn’t have much choice. It only took him two trips to haul his and Nick’s things up to the apartment. He stopped at a small store along the way to the livery to pick up some food and supplies for them for the next few days. The livery was only two blocks from his building, so taking the wagon and horses there and getting everything settled in and back to his apartment didn’t take much time.

Shortly before midnight, he took Sasha down to the apartment lobby and waited with her until Dr. Oberon arrived to pick her up. He thanked both of them profusely.

Even though it was midnight, and many hours since Todd had woken to the sound of Nick trying to vomit drown in his own throat, he was too wound up to sleep. Pacing about the small apartment, Todd busied himself with unpacking his gear and putting things away. Next he turned to Nick’s trunk and bags. Not knowing exactly how Nick would want the books arranged, Todd shoved them onto the shelves in the room he’d prepared. That done, he went about unpacking Nick’s few articles of clothing, making a mental list of what Nick would need. After carefully folding each item, he placed them in the tall dresser opposite the shelves. Nick’s collar was stored in its box and set on top of the dresser.

Twice, Nick became restless, acting as if he were trying to move away from some unseen attacker, mumbling and sobbing softly. Both times Todd was able to calm him with some quiet words and less-than-steady hands, stroking softly over his arms and chest, brushing his unruly bangs away and smoothing his hair.

It was nearly 03:00 a.m. when Todd finally felt the pull of sleep. He shed all clothes, other than his thin undershirt and boxers, and climbed into the bed with Nick, gathered the young man close, and wrapped the thick comforter around them both. Horror and tension from the trip bled out of him, leaving him feeling drained. Nick would be in pain for a few days, but he’d heal. It was fortunate, Todd decided, that neither his father nor any of his friends were anywhere to be seen. They’d most likely taken from him something he’d waited for, wanted for so long, and had been working to keep.

Todd fell asleep, wondering how he’d ever get Nick to trust him now and hoping that sweet smile might be given to him again someday.

* * * *

Nick shuddered into consciousness. That slight movement alone started a dull throbbing radiating out from his chest and wrists to swirl through his entire body. He’d known he’d have to be branded with his master’s mark of ownership, and he understood why. Collars and piercings—even tattoos—could be removed, but a brand was there forever.

He’d had no idea whisky would be forced down his throat and he’d be tied down, that the entire process would be so brutal. Nick had heard Todd trying to shout through his gag, watched him struggling to get loose. Nick saw the tears in Todd’s eyes and how they dripped down his cheeks. He knew Todd had nothing to do with the way the brands were applied. Most importantly, Nick saw it in the horror and anger in Todd’s face.

There was the vague memory, more like a feeling of being moved, of Todd’s voice and hands instilling calm where there was panic and of being washed and soothed.

Pounding in Nick’s skull and a churning of his stomach joined the pain. Moving his head as little as possible, Nick took a look at his surroundings. No longer was he tied to a wagon. There was no foul-breathed man groping him and forcing the liquid down his throat, liquid that viciously burned a path to his stomach.

He was in a bed, tucked snugly against Todd, his heartbeat next to Nick’s ear and heavy blankets covering them. Across his shoulders and over his waist was the warm, comforting weight of muscular arms. One of Todd’s legs was slung over Nick’s.

Shifting carefully so he didn’t wake Todd, Nick saw that the apartment had a ceiling fan and electric lights. Only the village elders and the rooms reserved for guests where Nick grew up had the solar panels needed for electricity.

The apartment was mostly one large space divided by archways. Along one wall was the bed. To the side was a smaller room with shelves and a couch, and next to that was a small bathroom. The opposite side of the space was a lounge area with a small bar, two large chairs, an overstuffed couch, and a small kitchen. Nick saw the table was ready, with two sets of everything needed for a meal.

Nick’s eyes were drawn to the length of wall running from the lounge to the bedroom area. Hanging there in a wooden frame was a drawing Nick had done when he was about sixteen. It was what Nick imagined the landscape around New Colorado City might have looked like before the volcano erupted. Nick wasn’t much of an artist, and it was hardly a good drawing. He remembered sending it to Todd, because if he didn’t, the tutors would have destroyed it, and for some reason at that time Nick wanted someone besides him to see it.

Nick had never imagined Todd had paid much attention to it, let alone put it in a frame and hung it in his home.

Todd moved, and some sleepy noise rumbled from deep in his chest, giving Nick a sudden and unexpected feeling of security. Inhaling deeply a few times, Todd shifted more, one hand moving to Nick’s head, stroking across his hair. “Nicky? You awake?”

Nick nodded, surprised when a feeling of overwhelming shyness washed over him. That first morning waking up next to Todd was different. Todd had been fully clothed and had been lying on top of Nick’s blankets. This morning, Nick realized they were both nearly naked. There was nothing between him and Todd other than some very thin layers of material. Nick felt every movement of the hard, muscular chest he rested against. He had been taught many things, but not how to interact with others. He had no idea what he should do.

After pushing back until he was sitting up, Todd moved Nick back and looked him over. “Nick, I’m sorry. I didn’t want it to be done that way. There’re better ways, medications that can be used ahead of time. I told them. They said…” Todd’s words choked off. “I’m sorry.”

“I heard you and your father right before they…before. You were arguing about me.”

“Yeah, we were.”

“It hurts.”

Todd slid away from him and out of the bed. “I have to clean those twice a day, put this stuff on and change the dressings.” Words tumbled out of Todd’s mouth. At the same time he snatched a jar from the table beside the bed and held it up. He perched on the edge of the bed. “Are you thirsty? Hungry?”

“May I use the bathroom?”

“Oh…gah…I’m sorry.”

Nick took the hand Todd offered and eased to a sitting position, swinging his legs around so he could set his feet on the ground. “I could feel your emotions while they…You were angry and horrified and scared.” He looked away for a few seconds. “Like me. None of it was your fault and you couldn’t stop them.”

Todd’s shoulders relaxed, and Nick could see the tension leave Todd’s face.

Nick’s stomach picked that moment to revolt. The change in position caught up with his head. The room tilted and spun a slow, lazy path around him, making everything inside him suddenly and rather forcefully want out and want out now.

Clapping one hand to his mouth, he couldn’t stop the odd burp from escaping. Todd’s eyes widened for a second.

“Oh s**t, I should have known this was…c’mon.”

Nick wasn’t quite keeping up with everything, it happened so fast. Todd closed the distance between them and looped one powerful arm around Nick’s waist, levering him up, and propelled him toward the bathroom. Nick dropped in front of the toilet just in time to empty the very meager contents of his stomach. The heaving didn’t stop until nothing but thin, yellowish strands oozed from his mouth. The acid burned his throat, making him gag even more. “I’m…I’m so-so-orry.”

“Shh. Don’t. It’s not your fault.” Todd rested one hand at the base of Nick’s neck, fingers massaging gently. “You’ll feel better in a day or two.” He picked up a bottle from the bedside and held it out to Nick. “Hangover cure, or so I’m told. You might want to sip it.”

He helped Nick to one of the cushioned chairs in the lounge. “I’d better get those”—Todd waved at the bandages—”Changed. We’ll get some food into you, and you’ll feel way better.” He yanked open a drawer in a dresser near his bed and pulled out another thick, soft shirt and pants made of the same material. “Here, you can put these on after I clean your wounds. Tomorrow or the next day, we’ll head out and get you more clothes, but these will work for now.” Todd was moving around the apartment, talking fast and looking shy and awkward and scared all at once. “I haven’t lived here long. It was just assigned to me, not even a month before your birthday—”

“You know when my birthday is?” Nick looked up, startled.

Todd stopped and gazed down at him, head c****d to one side. He grinned sheepishly. “Of course I know when your birthday is. It’s the day I came to get you, take you away from that place.”

Todd knelt in front of Nick and carefully unwound the bandages around Nick’s wrists, then peeled away the one on his chest.

“Not looking so bad now. These were a mess before. I don’t mind telling you, I was worried. Normally when we’re out working, if we’re hurt we patch each other up, but this was beyond me. I didn’t want to take any chances.”

The entire time Todd talked, he used a cotton ball to gently dab something against the wounds. It stung for a few seconds until Todd took the jar of cream and carefully spread some of it over Nick’s skin.

Wrinkling his nose, Nick said, “Ewwww…that’s sort of nasty.”

“Yeah.” Todd laughed. “But it’s only for a week. And this will make them not hurt as much.”

Nick sniffed the contents of the bottle he still held then took a sip. “It’s not bad and does make me feel better.”

Todd stood up and studied Nick for a moment. One hand settled lightly on Nick’s shoulder then Todd moved it away and he rubbed the back of his neck a few times before letting both hands drop to his sides. “I know you probably don’t feel like it, but you need something in your stomach, and water or juice if you want. I bought some juice last night when I took the wagon to the livery.”

While Nick stepped into the pants, Todd watched him curiously. When Nick pulled the sweatshirt over his head, his hair frizzed out for a few seconds before coming to rest, messier than it had been Todd chuckled softly.

Tugging on Nick’s sleeve for him to follow, Todd crossed the apartment to the small room near his bed.

“I…um…your stuff is in here. I didn’t know how you’d want it put away, so I figured you could arrange it how you liked it, your books and all. The couch is one of those that opens up into a bed. I know it’s not much bigger than a closet. Okay—it was a closet; I changed it into this. I thought you’d feel better having your own area until…” Todd’s voice trailed off.

Nick stood in the doorway to the small space, taking it all in. It was nothing more than a set of heavy wooden shelves, a tall, narrow dresser, and a couch. Nick could see that once the couch was opened to a bed there wouldn’t be much room. The entire room wasn’t any bigger than the one he’d grown up in, but this one was different. The wood had been sanded and stained to a soft glow. The couch had several plump pillows. A few blankets were folded on one end, and, even without touching them, Nick saw they weren’t thin and scratchy but thick and soft.

Eyes wide, Nick simply stood there with his mouth open, staring into the room. No one had ever done something like this for him. His brain couldn’t form the words to begin to express what he felt.

“I thought once you…we…it’d be nice to have a place to work…Nicky?”

“This is for me? It’s mine?” Nick didn’t mean for the words to just blurt out that way.

Todd sighed and laughed, short and soft. “Yes, Nick, it’s for you. I made it for you.” Todd took Nick’s arm and turned him so he was facing Todd.

“Nicky, this…” Todd’s arm traveled in a circle, indicating the entire apartment. “This is your home, our home. All of this is yours, too. You’re safe here. If I’m not here or unavailable, you don’t have to let anyone in here if you don’t want to. It’s the law. No one comes in unless I say so. If for some reason I can’t, then no one can force you to let them in here. If we ever get separated, I want you to come back here and lock the door until I get back. Okay?”

Nick nodded mutely. He was having a difficult time wrapping his thoughts around that fact, and then Todd hit him with even more.

“And, Nick, one other thing.” Todd reached around Nick and picked up the wooden box containing Nick’s collar. “You have…by law you know you have to wear this whenever we leave this apartment, right?”

Again all Nick could do was stand there and nod. He’d thought he’d have to wear it all the time and was surprised Todd hadn’t insisted upon that yet.

Taking a few deep breaths, Todd seemed to be struggling with what he wanted to say. His eyes broke away from Nick’s and skipped around the apartment before coming back to Nick’s face. “I don’t…you don’t…Shit. You belong to me. We both know that, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want you to want more. I’m not going to force you to have s*x with me, Nick. But I’m not going to sleep in the same bed with you either if we don’t…if I can’t…” Todd’s shoulders squared in a move Nick had already learned meant he was shoring himself up for something. He pointed at his bed. “I want a partner, Nick. A willing one. I won’t force you, but until you’re ready”—Todd pointed to the small room—”you sleep in there. If you want to sleep in my bed, you know what you have to do to be my mate, for me to be your mate. Then your collar stays on all the time, and you give yourself—we each give ourselves—completely and I’ll give you everything I am.”

Nick couldn’t do much more than stand there blinking stupidly at Todd. No one had ever made anything for him, and no one definitely ever gave him a choice in anything his entire life. When Nick’s stomach churned and growled, Todd quirked an eyebrow and snorted. Todd set the box back on the dresser and took Nick’s hand.

“Come on. I can fix that.”

Todd led Nick to the small kitchen and sat him on one of the chairs. He rubbed Nick’s shoulders a few times. Then Todd’s warm, strong fingers were gone, and he was stepping away from the table. Nick folded his hands in his lap and lowered his eyes. That’s when he saw a small box on the plate in front of him. He jumped a bit when Todd’s finger poked his shoulder.

“Drink this. It’s apple. You should like it. You like candy, and this is sweet, too.”

Daring a glance up, Nick took the glass Todd was holding out to him. “Thank you.”

Todd smiled, making his eyes twinkle and Nick’s heart flutter, his stomach dip in a good, excited way. Todd’s head tipped toward the box. “That’s for you.” He shrugged. “Not much. A little welcome-home gift.” Todd turned back to the counter opposite the table and picked up two plates.

Nick drank some of the juice before carefully setting the glass on the table. “This is good.” His hands shook, and he was acutely aware of Todd’s eyes on him as he reached for the small box and opened it. He took out the object inside and set it in his other palm, staring at it. His face broke into a smile before he even registered what he was holding. “You’re giving me this? It’s great. I love it.”

“Yeah?”

A plate with four thick chunks of toasted bread slathered with butter and jam were set in front of Nick.

Todd swung into the other chair and began talking while they ate. “You always wrote about the volcano.” He gave a quick shrug of his shoulders. “So, I was on a job closer to the caldera and there was a*****e, and they sold these things. I like bears, so I thought you might, too.”

Todd nodded at the plates. “You get toast for now. I need more. I’m hungry. You can have something else when your stomach is better.”

Nick set the small carving of a bear next to his plate. He knew he was beaming while he ate the toast. The pounding of his head was easing off, and his stomach was settling more and more with each swallow of the elixir, toast and juice. Relaxing back into his chair, Nick twisted far enough so he could see the framed drawing. “You kept that.”

Todd focused on the drawing and nodded. “I liked it. I’ll take you to the caldera. You can see it for real when you’re healed a bit more.”

An hour later, after a shower and drinking some medicine Todd had in a bottle, Nick was tired and drained. The ache of the brandings had quieted enough that they wouldn’t keep him awake. He opened the couch and stretched out. He’d put the carved bear on the shelf beside the box with his collar, where he could see them both. A few yawns and his eyelids refused to stay open.

Nick welcomed the sleep that washed over him.