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His attraction to Ria was no longer something he could dismiss as simple curiosity. It had become impossible to ignore, growing stronger with each passing day. She challenged him in ways no one else ever had, never hesitating to call him out when he was being stubborn or acting like an arse. More than once, she’d humbled him with nothing more than a look, a sarcastic remark, or a well-placed zap of magic. Somehow, instead of irritating him, it only made him admire her more.
She refused to be intimidated by him, not by his size, not by his reputation, and certainly not by the fact that he was usually the strongest being in the room. If he deserved to be put in his place, she did it without hesitation, and he’d reached the point where he almost looked forward to it. The thought made him chuckle under his breath. If someone had told him a month ago that he’d enjoy being lectured by a witch, he would’ve assumed they’d taken one too many blows to the head.
Then there was the kissing. Gods, he couldn’t seem to get enough of it. Every kiss left him wanting another. It didn’t matter whether it lasted a heartbeat or several blissful minutes; the moment they pulled apart, he was already thinking about the next one. She fit against him as though she’d always belonged there, warm and impossibly soft beneath his hands. Even when they weren’t kissing, he found himself replaying the moments they’d shared, her smile after teasing him, the way she instinctively reached for his hand, or how she melted into his arms as though she trusted him completely.
He smiled to himself. For someone who insisted she only needed “a little power boost,” she certainly seemed to enjoy kissing just as much as he did. Without either of them intending it, their arguments had turned into teasing, the teasing into lingering glances, and those glances into stolen kisses whenever they thought no one was watching.
The kisses had only complicated things, but not in a bad way. If anything, they had made it impossible for him to pretend this was merely a physical attraction. He wanted more than stolen moments in empty hallways or quick kisses before someone interrupted them. He wanted the freedom to hold her without constantly listening for footsteps, to kiss her without worrying that Korinnae would wander around the corner or that Ria’s mother would call them back downstairs.
He had managed to keep himself in check so far, reminding himself that there would be a right time for whatever came next. Perhaps this trip would give them that chance—time away from everyone else, time to figure out what they were becoming instead of rushing headlong into it. He rubbed a hand over his muzzle and let out a groan.
Bollach.
He wasn’t some love-struck teenager who couldn’t think straight. He’d spent decades mastering discipline, whether on the training grounds or in battle. Yet every time he remembered the way she’d smiled against his lips or leaned into his embrace, that hard-earned self-control seemed just a little harder to maintain. With a determined shake of his head, he cinched the last strap on his bag and forced his thoughts elsewhere. They had a tattoo artist to find, a trip to Salem ahead of them, and more than enough unanswered questions waiting on the road.
Dwelling on Ria’s kisses wasn’t going to help him answer any of them. Even if, deep down, he knew it would be the first thing on his mind the moment they were alone again.
A peal of laughter drifted up from the first floor, pulling him from his thoughts.
Grabbing the handle of his bag, he headed downstairs, following the sound into the living room. The calf was sprawled across the rug, completely absorbed in a board game. Cerberus, still disguised as an overly fluffy Pomeranian, lounged nearby with his chin resting on his paws, occasionally letting out an enthusiastic bark whenever someone rolled the dice. Ria sat cross-legged opposite Korinnae, laughing as the girl triumphantly moved another piece around the board.
There was someone else with them. The woman looked human, or close enough. She appeared to be around Ria’s age, with warm light-brown skin and long, straight black hair draped over one shoulder. Dressed in jeans, sneakers, and a cropped sweatshirt, she looked like any other young woman from New York.
The woman looked up as he entered, and their eyes met. She assessed him just as quickly as he assessed her, which told him she possessed instincts of her own. This had to be the triplet’s cousin. The one Ria expected him to trust. The one who was supposed to look after his niece while they disappeared to a Velvet Harmony concert. He didn’t like it one bit.
Ria noticed his expression almost immediately. “You’ve got that overprotective uncle look again.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, you absolutely do.”
Korinnae looked up from the game with a grin. “Uncle Asty, you’re losing.”
He frowned. “I’m not even playing.”
“Exactly.”
“She’s not wrong,” the woman huffed.
He shifted his attention back to the stranger. “I’m still deciding.”
Ria stood and gestured toward the woman. “Asterion, this is Ligaya.”
The woman offered him a friendly smile. “Nice to meet you.”
He inclined his head, still studying her carefully. “Likewise. I—”
“Uncle Asty, you’re doing the thing again.”
He stopped and slowly shifted his gaze down to Korinnae. “The thing?”
The calf nodded with complete confidence. “The thing where you look like you’re about to fight someone, but you’re actually just thinking really hard.”
He stared at her.
Ria pressed her lips together, clearly fighting a smile. Then she gave him a look.
He narrowed his eyes at her. What?
