Elias dropped his shoulder as he shrugged, his grin spreading wider across his face, revealing his fangs.
Before Osiris could protest, Elias stepped back, closing the door in front of him.
Sex.
I asked Eleanor for sex.
15
OSIRIS
Osiris paced outside his home, squeezing his hands together as he walked back and forth.
No wonder she was so cross.
But then again, why did she offer it in the first place? Had she wanted that? Or was she insinuating that I would yearn for such a thing in lieu of money? Why would humans call it something it was not? Though from what Elias said, it was pleasurable. Still, pleasure is such a broad term.
Osiris sighed, stopping in front of his door.
He needed to apologize, preferably without being impaled in the process. He needed to explain properly to her that he truly did not have those intentions, nor would he ever.
Not ever?
Osiris stilled as the image of her pink features played in his mind. That is why her color changed? Why her scent had become sweeter? She had been thinking ofthat? Would she look pink like that if he—no, no! Shaking his head free of thoughts of what she might look like, or how her scent might blossom.
This was wrong. Thinking ofthatwas wrong.
He needed to apologize.
Osiris shook out his hands, releasing a breath as he stepped forward, grabbing the door handle.
Cautiously, he pushed open the door, but was relieved to find he was not met with the sounds of items being thrown or weapons being brandished. Risking another step, he moved deeper into his home.
“Eleanor?” he called out softly, “if you are willing, I would like to speak.”
Silence filled the cottage. If it were not for the smell of vanilla drowning every inch of his home, he would have thought she was gone.
“What do you want?” she finally answered.
Osiris followed the sound of her voice until he was standing behind the imaginary line Eleanor had drawn in the cottage.
Eleanor slowly sat up on the bed. Keeping her cold gaze on him, she picked up the poker which was resting on top of the side table, and moved it to her lap.
His flames dimmed. He couldn’t blame her, especially now that he knew what it was that he had offered her.
“I would like to apologize,” he said, the words coming out strained.
Her brows furrowed as she narrowed her eyes at him, but she did not speak.
“It seems that I have offended you,” he continued, clasping his hands in front of him, “I did not know that when I asked for pleasure or—or, sought to give you pleasure, that I was asking forthat.”
Eleanor held his gaze still, not revealing any signs of what she might be thinking.
“I do not want anything from you, Eleanor. I swear it. It is my fault you are here. I will take responsibility and ensure your safety. And I will still give you a horse, so you needn’t worry.”
“You really didn’t mean it?” she asked carefully.
Osiris nodded his head. “I swear it. I have no intentions of causing you any sort of distress of discomfort. I am truly sorry.”
