“Fine,” she conceded. “But that doesn’t mean I trust the whole,” she made quotations with her fingers, “bathing-thing.”
“Totally acceptable,” I amended.
“We’ve found Astrea’s location. We don’t know if it’s in the middle of the coven grounds or not. But after we’d gotten in touch with the other members of my coven, we’ve decided to drive there tomorrow and bring twenty of them with us. That should be plenty if we are attacked. Any more and it would seem as though we planned to take them down completely. And even though they deserve that, we can’t just do it and risk innocent witches getting hurt.”
Severin sat next to me and nodded his agreement. “I appreciate that you all want to help us.”
She waved it off like it was nothing. “Pfft, we have to protect our own. Astrea is a covenless witch. She needs our protection. You, Felix, are, too. So, we want, and need, to help you out. If you take a witch as prisoner against their will when they have done nothing wrong, then we are in our right to get them back. Even if violence is the only way.”
I bristled at that. My mom had lost her life in a coven war, I knew all too well how dangerous witches could be. I wasn’t dangerous myself, far from it actually. I just made my crystals and potions. Some acne creams and that was it. I couldn’t heal without my crystals, couldn’t fix headaches without my potions. I needed nature before I could harness my abilities, many witches didn’t. Astrea could heal if she wore her rose quartz necklace, and it never needed more than onesoak in moonlight water once a month to recharge. When I used my crystals, they needed much longer before they’d recharged fully.
“Thank you,” I said, hoping she knew just how much I meant those words.
She gave me a kind smile. “We protect our own. There’s no need for thanks. I need to organize the rest of my coven before we leave tomorrow. We will drive in five cars. Get some rest, and I meanrest. You hear me? We leave at eight in the morning, just after breakfast. Claire and Joel will stay here, and so will five from my coven. We need them to guard both the castle and the others in our absence, and if things take a turn for the worse, they can heal, too. Joel is bringing Claire her dinner now, and will bring you yours next.”
With that, she left the room.
I eyed the clock next to the door and saw time had somehow passed alarmingly fast. It was five p.m. the only reason I wasn’t dying of hunger was the tiny sandwiches Joel had made us earlier. It was an early dinner, but with my blood loss, I needed food and rest. I wasn’t about to complain about sleeping next to a certain hot vampire, and with us not being tired… Maybe some hand stuff? That had to be okay, right?
Chapter 14
Severin
“Take a bath, my heart. Then dinner should be ready and waiting for you after.”
Felix groaned, but eventually rose from the bed and stalked into the bathroom. He left the door wide open as he began undressing. I hurried over to the other side of the room, whereI would not be able to see him. My patience was wearing thin, and I was only one weak vampire. How would I be able to keep resisting him?
My greatest temptation.
My shoulders slumped with relief as soon as I heard the shower turn on. Now, I just needed a few minutes to prepare myself for whatever punishment I was sure to get when he was done. I knew teasing him after my shower was not the wisest decision. I just could not help myself. I yearned for his eyes on me. For his attention. I wanted, no,needed, to feel desired by him.
I heard Joel’s footsteps from the hall and went to accept the food. On his right hand he held out one plate with a dome over it to ensure it stayed warm, in his left he had a bottle of water. Nothing fancy, but just what my fated needed.
I thanked Joel and he told me he was bringing dessert up, too; he just couldn’t carry everything at once. Placing the plate on our coffee table, on the other side of the bedroom where a couch sat, I waited for Joel to return. A part of me had wanted to help, the other part could not even bear to think about leaving Felix.
Joel hurried up with a plate of dessert, a flask with pink lemonade and a glass. I accepted everything and thanked him. Dina had foundJoel, and herself, a room for as long as it was needed, so he would clean up the kitchen before going to sleep.
I had no idea if the cleaners would still come and go as they used to, it was, after all, Dina who took care of that. So, I simply closed the door, locking it for privacy reasons, and settled everything on the coffee table.
The shower turned off, and I braced myself for the temptation of a lifetime, but when Felix entered the room, he was wearing loose pajama pants and a white t-shirt. Still a temptation nonetheless. I was both relieved and saddened that I did not get a show like the one I had given him.
“It smells wonderful.” He groaned happily as he sat on the couch. He removed the dome and moaned as the steam and aroma of his chicken wafted upwards. “I need protein. This is perfect.”
I cleared my throat, no longer sure if I was in the clear from payback. If he kept making moaning sounds it might be worse than what I had feared with the towel. “There is dessert, too. Joel brought water, which I left on your nightstand.”
“Thank you,” he beamed, then dug into his food with eagerness. I could only watch and endure his moans.
Goddess, save me…
An eternity later, Felix wiped his mouth and sighed contently as he leaned back against the couch pillows. “That was amazing.”
I croaked, “I am glad.”
He closed his eyes and smiled. I knew then this whole show had not been an innocent act. He was playing me. I could not explain how badly I wanted more of it. Would our lives always be like this? Us teasing each other until one of us conceded? I sure hoped so. Life with Felix would never be boring. I knew that was a certainty.
“Ready for bed?” he asked, still with his eyes closed, relaxed.
I would love nothing more. “Yes.”
