Blood Binding, page 5
“I don’t think I can afford to feed you.”
He chuckled. “I have had many years to build up enough funds to feed myself, and the modern era provides many such opportunities. Money flows just as easily now. You will never have to worry about feeding me.” He paused. “Though, if you are making all of those pastries yourself, I might engage in some elaborate begging.”
“I am making those pastries. Though it means I need to be in bed by nine. I have to get up to head to the shop at five.”
He paused. “Every day?”
“Every weekday.”
“That won’t do.”
She shrugged. “That’s the way it is.”
“Do you have staff that can do mornings?”
“I do. And sometimes, I call them in. Why?”
He tilted his head. “How much warning do they require?”
“Usually eight hours or so. My regulars know the difference, but they also like that I take time off work.” She looked at her wine glass and wondered when it had been refilled. “Today is not that day.”
He laughed. “Noted.”
She sighed, and then the server arrived with desserts to select.
She looked at the orange and white parfait and looked at the server. “Tell Tanya that it’s appreciated.”
The server nodded and discretely vanished.
“What do you have?”
She looked over at the chocolate sculpture with painted roses and mousse and then back at her own.
“Orange creamsicle parfait.” She shoved the first spoonful into her mouth. It was bright, sweet, and creamy. Yay!
He looked at it longingly. “May I try it?”
She nodded and was going to hand him the spoon when he cupped her head, and she was treated to another soul-scorching kiss. His tongue swirled against hers and then slowed, slowly withdrawing.
“That was the best thing I have ever tasted.”
Atty swallowed. “It’s a regular thing that I don’t make myself.”
He smiled slowly. “Oh, I wasn’t referring to the dessert, but that was nice, too.”
“Cassian.” She exhaled it slowly.
He leaned closer. “Yes?”
“We need to discuss the lease for the coffee shop.”
He grinned. “You can have it as long as you like. The fee is a load of pastries and a carafe of coffee in the morning and sandwiches and coffee in the afternoon.” He tapped her nose. “Delivered by you if you are at work.”
“And if I am not?”
“Then they should call up first to see if I am in my office. If I am not, it is likely that I am with you.”
She blushed. “This is just a first date.”
He laughed. “You really think so? If it is, it is the first of thousands.”
Atty swallowed and focused on her parfait. “You seem really sure of that.”
“I am. Very.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Have you ever looked for something so hard that you thought you would never find it? You go back to where it should be over and over again, and then one day, far away from where you expected to see it... there it is.” He nodded and started working his way through his dessert. “Even if you had forgotten what you thought it would look like, you know it the moment you see it.”
She sighed. “Four-leaf clover. I was crazy for them when I was a kid, and then one day, I was sitting in a clover field, and they were all four-leaf clovers. Then my family won the lottery. Then the Keepers came shopping for me. They knew what they were looking for as well.”
“Keepers. They collect and train witches.” He kept eating.
“You don’t say. That explains a lot.” She snorted as she finished her dessert.
“You are not a witch though.”
She grinned. “Not in the classical sense. Just like Biitha isn’t a proper sorcerer. Sometimes, close counts.”
“How would you describe your skill set?”
“Energy and probability manipulation.” She smiled. “When I can use it, it lets me use gestures to control what I could see, how I could see it, and what was possible.”
“You talk to the moon.”
Atty smiled. “She has always been very kind to me.”
She set the tall crystal vessel aside and smiled. Her tummy was happy.
“So, you are classified as a witch. Interesting. If I ask you now, will you tell me what your name was?”
She sipped at her wine and looked at him with wide eyes. “If I do, will you let them take me?”
“Never, Athena. You are mine.”
“Oh, good. The name you are looking for is Sara Blessing. That is what the Keepers named me. It was both modest and prophetic, just what they were looking for. Athena Will is my birth name.”
He took out his phone and searched for her alias. “Engaged to marry. Disappeared from the wedding. A reward was offered but never collected.”
“That’s it? I thought with the spectacle that I created, there would be more reports.”
“Heir to the wolf throne?”
“Yeah. Cheating bastard. We were engaged from the moment we met, but he played the field discreetly the entire time. The only reason I flipped out was because it was on my actual wedding day with my best friend and maid of honour that I caught him. Of course, they didn’t know that.”
Cassian kept flipping through articles. “So, you demand fidelity. Good to know.”
Atty looked at him. “Only if you commit. We can just have fun, but that runs its course in about nine months. We also can’t turn one into the other.”
“Oh, I am more than willing to commit to you. No games on my side. I want to wrap you around me from dawn to dusk.” He turned his head to make eye contact.
She had known that would be his answer, but she wasn’t expecting it anyway. “Are you currently... practicing with anyone?”
“No. You?”
“No. Just dancing.”
His eyes were warm. “I have seen you dance. It is not that distant from... practicing.”
Atty blushed. “The magic rides me hard, and this is a way for it to exert itself.”
“I would like to give it another outlet.”
She was worried about that. She was next to the one person who could set the magic free, and it was starting to swell and coil inside her. It wanted out into the world again, and it could feel its other half. This was going to be a dangerous association. Courtship. Whatever it was.
Bound by social strictures, she asked, “So, you aren’t appalled at my other outlets?”
“I am glad you have practiced with a variety of species of extranaturals. It means that you have an adaptive curiosity that will serve us well. Our coming together is nothing if not unique.”
She smiled. “So, we are going to get an actual contract out and onto paper?”
“Ah, it is digital. Here you go.”
She heard her tiny purse ding. She opened the clasp and pried her phone out of her purse.
“You either need a larger purse or a smaller phone.” He grinned.
“Rose and Lily have a very fixed idea of how I need to look on a date. Pretty or slutty are their only settings.”
He grinned. “I have seen both, but I prefer the clothing I will suggest for you.”
The bill came, and he swiped the card over the pay unit.
Yelos came out and smiled. “Was everything satisfactory?”
Cassian nodded. “It was an excellent distraction for a first date.”
The chef frowned. “Distraction?”
“Yes, it is awkward and distracting to have her beside me and not under me.”
Yelos smiled. “She has that effect.”
“Hey, I am right here.”
Cassian turned toward her, and she regretted making herself known. “Yes, you are.”
She felt her magic pushing at him, and he let it take control. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him for a kiss that was so deep she thought he was unhooking her bra from the inside.
She could smell her own heat and moaned as she went limp in his grasp. He slowly eased the kiss and whispered, “Open your eyes, Athena.”
She opened her eyes, and they were both glowing. Their hands, bodies, and skin were glowing.
“Holy shit,” Yelos muttered.
She turned to look at him, and their glow reflected off his skin.
“I withdraw everything I have ever said about me being the right one for you.”
Cassian smiled. “Thank you, chef, but I am going to see my lady to her door... and walk away.”
She wedged her phone back into her purse as the glow faded. She looked to Cassian. “So, a delightful meal, good company. Time to get some rest.”
Yelos snorted. “Still getting to work at five?”
She nodded. “Yes. I don’t foresee that changing anytime soon.”
Cassian took her hand and eased her out of the booth. “I am working on it.”
Yelos laughed. “Good luck. Lady Will, good evening.”
She made a face. “Have a nice night, Yelos. Thanks for not doing anything weird to the food.”
Cassian murmured, “That was never an issue.”
Yelos grinned. “I would never have risked my arms.”
Atty was pulled against her dinner companion and looked up. “How much did I have to drink?”
Cassian chuckled. “You have had about four glasses. The staff here are very good at refills.”
“Well, it was nice wine.”
Yelos snorted. “For that price, it should be.”
She looked at him and blinked. “Oh.”
She turned and looked at Cassian. “Are you going to take this out of my hide?”
“No, mate. I will provide you with what you need whenever you need it.” He lifted her hand to his lips.
She snorted. “I need an outdoor area for my coffee shop.”
He laughed. “We will see. That is a want and not a need, so it is up for negotiation.”
“Oh dear. I am not a good negotiator.”
They made their way to the front of the restaurant, past all of the other diners. He whispered, “I am very good at it; I will teach you.”
His car pulled up, and he tucked her inside and followed her. They were away in moments, and she sat in the seat feeling warm and comfy.
“Athena, what is your address?”
She blinked and rattled it out. Cassian pushed a button and repeated the address to Rekkin. They turned toward her home, and Cassian put his arm around her. He whispered a suggestion to her, and she looked at him.
“I am not going to have sex with you.”
He chuckled. “I believe the term is first and second base. I swear to have you up and at work for the beginning of your duties.”
“Up and out of your place and to mine by five in the morning?”
He grinned. “Absolutely. We just need to stop at yours to grab a change of clothes.”
“Oh. Right. For work.”
He laughed. “I am serious.”
“Uh-huh. Where is your place?”
“Close to downtown.”
“Right. In the gargoyle neighbourhood.” She nodded.
“They are my people. They were born of my stone during one of the ancient waves. More have appeared over the centuries, but my initial flight is still together.” He shrugged. “Well, their descendants are.”
“So, you have seen a few societies rise and fall?”
“One or two. Maidens were sacrificed to me regularly.” He chuckled.
“Oh, sorry. That ship has sailed.”
“Maiden used just to mean young woman. The modern virgin connotation occurred as language evolved.” He chuckled. “Virginity was the purview of the young. Engagements were long to make sure that the woman marrying a wealthy man wasn’t pregnant.”
“Oh. Okay. Well, that isn’t an issue.” She laughed.
“Why not?”
“I am sterile.”
“Did your fiancé know that?”
“I wouldn’t have been sterile with my mate, but I never took that chance. Oh, and he wouldn’t have been sterile with me, but that is a tale for another day.”
“Wait. Your mate was sterile?”
“Yup. He needed me to have an heir with power. That was what the seer kept saying anyway. I have heard that he has just had a child, so I am guessing the seer was wrong.”
“They frequently are, or the child will not have power. That is also a possibility.” He was matter of fact, and they approached Atty’s apartment building.
When the car stopped, Cassian got out with her. “Wait. You are coming along?”
He grinned. “Of course. I can’t let you have a moment to change your mind.”
His hand propelled her to the security door, and she wrestled her keys from the depths of her purse. It did not take long.
She reached for the door, but it wasn’t locked. Cassian scowled. “That isn’t good.”
“It isn’t usually like that. I will call the super.” She pulled her phone out and made the call. “Larry? The front door is unlocked again.”
She could feel the laser focus of Cassian’s eyes on her and winced when she realized what she had said. “Right, well, sooner rather than later, Larry.”
Cassian walked to the elevator and pressed the button. When it opened, he stepped inside and took a photo of the inspection certificate. He then made a call to Seran, and she blushed as he ordered Seran to contact the building owners to get them here to fix the damned door.
She blushed, and when they got to the fourth floor, she stepped out and noticed that he was a little too close to the ceiling. He ducked past the ceiling light, and she quickly got her keys ready. Her door was too loose... again. It usually meant that Larry had been sniffing around her underwear drawer.
She was about to slide the key in the lock when Cassian’s hand pushed her door open. He lifted his head and scented the air. “There has been a male in here. Recently.”
He ducked a little and stepped inside, sniffing. “Collect your things.”
She eased past him, but he followed her into her bedroom, and she grabbed jeans and uniform shirts from her closet. She turned, and he had gotten a shopping bag from her kitchen and threw all her underwear into it. Bras and panties. “This is all going into the laundry.”
She blinked. “Why?”
“Because he has been rubbing his cock on your undergarments, and we don’t have time to buy you new ones before the shops close.” He tied the top of the bag.
She grimaced. “That’s disgusting.”
“And it’s making my teeth itch. What else do you need?”
“Socks. Two drawers down.”
He nodded and grabbed a few pairs of socks, tossing them to her. She put them in a duffel bag with the clothing and then twisted her lips. “I am guessing that a nightie is out of the question.”
He paused. “Which drawer?”
“Top left.”
He opened it and jerked his head to the side. “Burn them.”
She whined. “Aw. They were my favourite non-essential expense.”
He smiled. “I can find something for you to wear to bed.”
She glared at him. “Not you.”
Cassian snorted. “Spoilsport.”
“Every chance I get. Are you ready to leave?”
“Well, now that I am exceedingly creeped out in my own home. Thanks for that.” She grimaced. “Looks like I will be calling the movers again.”
“If you would like, my housekeeper could come by tomorrow and give this place a thorough going over. He can remove all scents and traces from your home.”
“That is a lot to ask of someone with a full-time job.”
He snorted. “I am easy to keep tidy. He will enjoy the challenge.”
She nodded. “Well, if I can’t bring any of my other clothing because of your delicate sensibilities.”
He grinned, and his expression changed as a key rattled in the lock.
“Miss Will? Are you in?”
Her door swung inward, and Cassian was there, his hand on the door to stop it. Atty blinked. He was fast.
Cassian smiled politely at her and then stepped outside with the bag of her underthings. There was a lot of growling, some whining, and then Cassian came back in and smiled. “Ready to go?”
She grabbed her phone charger and laptop. “Yup.”
He held his hand out to her and smiled. “Then, lock up. We won’t be returning tonight.”
Atty was pretty sure that he was trying to figure out ways to keep her with him, but business was business, and you could only screw so many hours of the day.
He slid his arm around her and down to her hip. Larry was nowhere to be seen, but then, he was a chameleon shifter. His ability to hide was astounding.
Cassian let out a low-toned growl, and the ceiling undulated as Larry scuttled to the corner.
Atty asked, “Larry, you are going to fix the front door?”
“Already done, Miss Will.”
“Stay out of my apartment, Larry. I am going to sue you if I can’t get my nighties clean.”
The growling picked up in vibration.
“Of course, Miss Will.”
The elevator opened, and they walked inside, turning to face the open doors. Larry appeared, and Atty covered her eyes. “Larry?”
“Yes, Miss Will?”
“Your cock is out.”
The doors closed, and Cassian snorted as a curl of smoke left his nostril. She stared at him and put together what she knew. Old. Masquerades as rock. Maiden sacrifice. Growling. Other extranaturals were deferential. Smoke from the nostrils. “Holy shit. You’re a dragon!”
Chapter Six
Atty’s mind reeled as they exited the elevator, and he kept her with him as he opened the security doors and got her out into the fresh air. He got her back to the car and tucked her and her bag in. He took his bag and put it in the trunk before returning to her.
Rekkin didn’t even need to be told what to do. He headed for Cassian’s home.
She was sitting quietly and staring at her hands on the duffel bag.
He stroked her hair, and there was a chuckle in his voice when he said, “Do you have questions?”
She pressed her lips together and looked at him. “I am not wearing the maiden sacrifice costume.”
