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“Protect this house from all-seeing eyes,” Mateo says, his voice deeper than usual. “A house is no longer. In its place, a thick forest of trees and animals.” The wind picks up, and the walls blur briefly. “Power doesn’t matter. The evil will not see what is true. Griffon will not enter.”

Time stops, and I look around. I don’t see the walls, but thick vegetation. Focusing on Savy, her white spell floats above their heads.

“This is my place. My domain,” she says firmly. “Only those with pure intention can enter. The evil will only see trees. We will be warned if anyone tries to trespass.”

“Enforce my will,” Mateo rumbles, tipping his head back. “Any evil that enters will be disoriented and pushed away. Protect my family and friends.” He mumbles something else, but the words are too soft to hear.

Sparks crack in the air before the walls come back into focus, and the room settles. Mateo steps back and straightens. His eyes fade slowly, and he rolls his shoulders. Savy rubs her hands on her legs and exhales.

“I forgot how powerful your magic is,” she hums.

“I don’t use it very much anymore,” he says, and turns to me. “Rest easy. It will hold.”

“Yeah, I saw the illusion briefly.”

“That’s good. If someone with your spells caught a glimpse, the magic is strong, and Griffon surely won’t be able to see the house. Especially if he’s as bad as we think.” He looks at Savy. “Your magic is beautiful as always. I’m going to go. Call me tomorrow.”

“Alright. Thanks.”

Savy leads him to the door, and the pressure in the room eases as he passes through. She sets the security and remains there, adding her protection spell. I move, helping her seal the house tight.

It’s comfortable working with her, as if we could do the same routine the rest of our lives. The thought doesn’t make me want to run. I suppose that's my sign that this is right. I couldn't leave her even if I wanted to. Aunt Adeline gave us a little useful information. Her visions of the future aren’t always clear. They can be misinterpreted and sometimes changed, depending on the choices of the people in them. Yet, I'll never doubt her skills. She has been a part of my life as long as Rome and his parents. They were at our house all the time, and they accepted me easily. Her intentions are pure, and she has never doubted the goodness she saw in me.

Savy moves upstairs, and I finish the last window. Grabbing the bag of clothes Rome brought from my place, I walk into her bedroom and drop it beside the bathroom door. Moving to the window, I continue my spell. It would be difficult for anyone to break into her house, no matter the age of the warlock. Mateo’s magic pulses through the walls, and our combined spells are powerful. Being magicked, you can never be too careful. We have existed since the beginning of time for a reason. Our circles are small, and it’s rare to share our heritage with a human.

Savy comes through the door just as I finish.

“Do you need the bathroom?”

“I can wait.” I close the curtains.

“You'd better go first,” she says, smiling. “I have a process.”

“Alright.”

I move toward the bathroom, gliding my knuckle down her arm as I pass her, and grip my bag. Shutting the door softly, I place my clothes on the sink and lean against the counter. She tempts me with every move. I want to lose myself in her sweet scent and not have to deal with anything except our bond. I’m pissed that a man we don’t know is coming for her. I don’t like not knowing who he is or when he will appear.

Standing straight, I pick a pair of shorts and quickly change. I use the toilet, wash my hands, and use my toothbrush. My process is simple. Usually, I sleep naked. I do the basics and drop on the bed, hoping for a dreamless sleep.

Placing my dirty clothes in the bag, I leave it in the corner by the hamper. As I leave the room, Savy walks out of her closet, clothes gripped in her hand. She slows as she sees me, her gaze flickering to my chest.

“Make yourself at home. I won’t take too long.” She hustles into the bathroom, and I barely suppress my chuckle.

“Do what you need to.”

Her appreciation for my body pleases me.

I’ve had a tight leash on my desire for her, just as I have on my magic. Her openness is fraying my constraint. Even though danger swirls around us, I need to be close to her. It’s only been two days, yet it seems longer. If this is how I feel now, I can’t imagine what I'll feel for her in a week, a month, and longer. I don’t think my need will ease. Unlike shifters, we don’t feel the overwhelming need to mate. They are animals, and it’s much more difficult to restrain themselves. Female shifters go into heat and must have sex to ease it. We aren’t as desperate.

Savy is a beautiful woman, and my magic draws me to her. I know she's the one for me, and it’s natural to want to be close to her. I don’t need to sleep with her to commit to our relationship, and I'll give her whatever time she needs to take that step. What I can’t do is give her space. It would be torture to leave her and sleep at my place.

I walk to the bed and pull down the covers. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, I ease to my back and stretch out. Last night, once I knew she was sleeping peacefully, I lay beside her, content to hold her hand and listen to her even breathing. Tonight I want to hold her close. We haven’t been alone much, and I’m curious about her thoughts of the last twenty-four hours. Not many couples delve so deeply into heavy topics so soon after meeting. Being soul bonds rushes the process of getting to know each other, but there is a lot we haven’t discussed. My life has been long, and there are other things I should tell her.

“Record time.”

I look toward the doorway.

Shit.