Chapter 22Alex woke up first. He always woke up first, feeling the morning light call to him more effectively than any alarm. This morning, however, was special, and the dappled light was the harbinger of a day like no other. He rolled onto his back and turned to see Xander, quietly snoring into the pillows, his long brown form relaxed, as if he’d simply melted into the bed. Xander could sleep through anything, but he could also stay up for twenty-four hours if he had to with no signs of stress.
A little squawk from the monitor had Alex on full alert. That was followed by some quiet babbling. Alex slipped out of bed, pulled on a T-shirt and boxers, and padded into the hall, pushing open the door and peeking around it. At even this tiny movement, one-year-old Ann turned her head in his dir
