Two very guilty-looking men argued over how to care for me. Edwin was all for sweeping me up in his arms and laying me down in bed, covered as I was in sweat and mud, so he could feed me some of his blood. I shot him down before he finished his sentence. His blood turned me on. Now I realised how knackered I was, I wasn’t sure I’d survive getting a hard-on. I certainly didn’t want to sleep in filthy sheets either. Trace suggested hydrating me with some magical fuckery which would give me enough energy to move. I liked his idea much better. Edwin hovered like an anxious mother hen while Trace compiled my drink, holding me upright with scant regard to his clothes.
I sipped at the glass of dubious-looking, plum-coloured liquid Trace brought out to me. This time, the taste reminded me of sherbet, but I was too tired to voice my thoughts. As I drank, Trace asked if he could channel some of his energy to me by touch.
I shrugged. “Do your worst. I think I’m dead. I’ll come back as a zombie. They don’t mind getting dirty, do they?” I giggled, but I couldn’t stop trembling. I worked out I’d forgotten to eat since the toast I’d had when I woke up.That explains a lot.
He placed his hands on my shoulders and said a few words in a language I’d never heard before. Low and steady, he repeated them a few times like a mantra. I kept my eyes closed, sipping at the weird concoction in my hands, and felt my trembles slow, then stop. I didn’t feel as good as after he’d helped my hangover, but not far off. At least I was pretty sure I’d be able to drag my arse to bed without losing too much of my dignity.
When I’d drained the drink, I opened my eyes to see Edwin watching me intently. “Are you any better? I can still carry you?—”
“No you fucking can’t,” I snapped, standing up quickly. “Edwin, I’m a grown man. Just because youcancarry me doesn’t mean you should.” He drooped like I’d kneed him in the bollocks, but I couldn’t take it back. I tried to soften the blow. “Look, you take my well-being very seriously and I’m grateful, but I’m just knackered. I’m not sick or anything.” I turned to Trace. “Will you help me back to Bluebell please? Just in case I go arse over tit.”
Ignoring Edwin’s hurt expression even though I could feel it like twin knives stinging my shoulder blades, I weaved around the raised beds to the front door with Trace by my side. I stopped on the step and swung to face him. “Thank you for the drink. It was weird but it did the trick.” I sighed. “I’ve really hurt him, haven’t I?” Edwin was on his knees with his back to us, separating clumps of flowers whose roots were too tangled to replant according to Trace.
His answering sigh was all the confirmation I needed. “He’ll get over it. He’s too in love with you to stay mad for long.”
“He’s not in love with me!” I squeaked.
Trace reached out to remove something from my hair. “Spider,” he grinned, setting it down carefully before straightening back up. “Of course he’s in love with you, which is why he’s so overbearingly protective. He’s terrified you’ll break, and because you’re human, well, mostly human, he won’t be able to fix you. Now,” he did a slow, deliberate down-and-up of me, which sparked a surprised flicker of desire in the pit of my belly, “you need a shower. Then I recommend making yourself a simple sandwich before taking a well-earned nap. You’re a really hard worker, James. Tonight has been a pleasure. Will you text or call Eddie if you need any help? If I can promise him that, I might persuade him to stay out here and give you some space.”
I promised, reluctantly. As soon as the door was closed, I stripped off down to my skin, fed the washing machine,and stumbled to the shower. I sat on the tray with my legs crossed, allowing the water to pummel my aching body until my fingertips went pruney. I crawled upright for long enough to mop the worst of the water from my skin and hair, then towelled off and fetched clean underwear. I attacked my hair with a brush so it didn’t dry standing on end, then dug about in the odds and ends drawer for something to tie it up with. A thick elastic band did the trick, although it took me three attempts to gather all the ends in.
“Hmm.” I eyed myself in the small mirror. “You look like a pineapple.” I rearranged it once more. “Okay, that’s better.” After a lifetime of sharing my living quarters with strangers, it was freeing to wander about with my ears showing. I peered more closely at my reflection. “They’re…okay, I suppose. You could be an extra in a Lord of the Rings film. Except your ears are nicer, I think.” That was new for me, seeing my ears in a positive light. Maybe meeting Isher had been good for me. “Take that, Legolas.” I mimed shooting an arrow at an invisible foe, before my rumbling stomach sent me to the kitchen. I scarfed down a hasty peanut butter sandwich as well as a glass of orange juice, then without even stopping to brush my teeth, flopped into bed and passed out.
25
TRACE
Edwinand I worked until the approach of daylight sent him indoors with an apology on his lips. I kissed him and thanked him for his efforts, which he attempted to shrug off as nothing. However, because of him and James I’d now be able to bringallmy herbs over and be confident they would thrive. I grabbed a snack and kept working, pushing myself to concentrate until every last flower was repositioned and I’d swept up as well as my flagging energy would allow. I’d have to bring another sack of compost in the trailer to feed the empty raised beds, but the good news was I was going through it so fast, I doubted there’d be much left behind when my eviction day came around. Shame my familiar wasn’t a simian of some sort or perhaps I could have bribed him to fling any remainders at Filey’s smug face.
I didn’t like to disturb the other two, so when I was clean and fed, I considered driving back to Essex. However, seeing as I’d been awake for twenty-four hours by this point, I decided instead to force myself to relax for a while before getting some sleep. I compiled a plate of treats for Terrance. I’d been so busy, I’d barely spoken to him for forty-eight hours. I opened my folding garden chair and set it on the triangle of lawn I’d reserved as my personal garden, setting the plate on the grassbeside me. He arrived before I’d had two mouthfuls of the fruit cider I’d found in the fridge. I’d have to thank James and Edwin for being so thoughtful about the homely touches they’d added to my new abode.
“Drinking at breakfast time?” Terrance appraised me as he tackled a heap of blueberries with glee.
“Oh hush, you judgey bastard. I’m allowed. I worked my nuts off all night, as you’d have noticed if you’d stuck around. Besides, I’m celebrating.” I explained about my new herb garden. Terrance listened, then said with his usual directness, “Edwin is decent.”
“I know,” I agreed around a yawn. “He really is. James too. He worked right through without stopping for food, the little fool.” I felt guilty I’d not thought to insist he took a break. Terrance picked up on my guilt immediately.
“He is an adult. You are not responsible for the foolish ways of others, my friend.”
“Tell that to my conscience,” I groused. I sighed and stretched, wincing as my joints reminded me that I had been pushing my body so as not to appear weak in front of a vampire. “I need to sleep, but I also have to get back. Every day I spend packing up or moving is a day I’m not available to work, so I’m losing money. I just want this to be over.”
“Drink, then sleep. I will wake you.” I eyed him until he added, “At an hour you deem appropriate, not the one I would choose.”
“Deal.” I drained the cider, enjoying its refreshing slide down my parched throat. “What would I do without you, Terrance?”
He didn’t deign to answer, but later, he came and perched on the end of my new bed, tucking his head under his wing as I burrowed under the sensual delight of brand new bedding. His silent pledge to be by my side was louder than any words.
“I can definitely dothis for you. The photos you sent were very clear, so I didn’t expect there’d be any problems. And,” he smirked, “I’m pretty persuasive when I need to be. I’d suggest waiting until after nightfall for the ones nearest the road to avoid any issues with passing traffic, but it shouldn’t take too long.” Marlowe Reed, the Council’s senior mage, sat down at my kitchen table at my instigation, nodding gratefully when I offered him a mug of tea.
I pushed a tin of biscuits over to him. “Help yourself.” I took the other seat and exhaled a huge sigh of relief. “You don’t know how grateful I am. I thought I’d have to leave most of them behind.”
“What changed?” Marlowe eagerly took a plain biscuit and dunked it carefully. I wondered if he’d eaten or whether I should offer him a proper meal.
“Edwin. He’s given me the whole of his front garden to use for my herbs. It’s made a world of difference.” It would take a lot of work to coax my biggest trees to weather the storm of a move mid-season, but I wasn’t your average gardener and the tricks I had up my sleeve would ensure they settled quickly. Knowing I now had the help of a mage to move them out of their established sites was a huge bonus — he could literally persuade them to free their roots from the earth. “Of course, I shouldn’t really have pruned them right back before the move but…” I shrugged.
“But you will persuade them to fruit anyway?” he suggested.
“Yep.” I thought back to the last time I’d seen Marlowe and how strained he’d looked. Unsurprising, considering he’d been looking after a battered and bruised James while the vampireshad been scouring Leeds city centre to capture and eliminate his torturer. Now the creases around his eyes stemmed from smiling, not worry.
