Page 51 of The Warlock's Kiss

Chapter Nine

That morning, Adalynn woke alone. She wandered the house, calling for Danny and Merrick and receiving no answer; the place was empty. Guessing they’d gone to the garden to continue their work from the day before, she ate a quick breakfast, tugged on her mud-caked rubber boots, and headed outside to join them.

Her hunch proved correct; Merrick and Danny were tending the crops beneath an already hot morning sun.

And the moment they saw her, they insisted she return to the house.

No amount of arguing would sway them. They were adamant that Adalynn not overwork herself so soon after an attack. Danny was on the verge of tears—such a cheat!—while Merrick threatened to tie her to the bed.

Merrick’s threat might not have sounded so bad if she knew he would’ve stayed with her in that bed. But his expression and tone had told her both that he’d intended no sensual innuendo and he wasn’t afraid to fulfill the threat. He would have carried her to her bedroom, strapped her to the bedposts, and gone back to work without a second thought.

Rightfully pissed at them, Adalynn turned and stormed back toward the house. She stomped up the steps onto the back porch, kicked off her boots—taking petty satisfaction in their heavythumpsagainst the wall—and continued into the kitchen through the back door. She slammed the door behind her.

Once inside, she folded her arms across her chest and seethed.

I’m supposed to belivingright now. Not…not…not being treated like an invalid.

They’re just worried about me.

The thought diffused some of her anger. What if working in the garden yesterday had triggered her attack? Maybe it had just been time; she’d certainly felt overdue for an episode after a week of feeling so good. If Merrick had used magic to suppress her symptoms, maybe it had simply…worn off.

Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath and released it slowly.

It’s stillmychoice. I don’t want to worry them, but they need to respect that.

Adalynn opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling.

“I’ll just have to find something else to do, then,” she muttered. She swung her gaze around the kitchen. “Like clean this already spotless house.”

She washed the few dirty dishes in the sink and wiped down the dustless counters before stopping herself. It was pointless, and she was bored. It wouldn’t have surprised her if Merrick used magic to keep the house clean.

I could march back out there and tell them I’m helping and that’s that.

Shecould, but Merrick had been serious about his threat. It would only end up with hermorebored, restless, and angry.

With nothing else to do, Adalynn took a long, hot bath, and read her favorite romance book—which also happened to be the only one currently in her possession—while she soaked.

The heat and steam soothed her, and reading allowed her some semblance of an escape from her frustration, her sickness, and this broken world—but not from herdesire. She couldn’t help but think about Merrick when she came to the first sex scene. Soon, all she could focus on was the memory of his hands on her skin, of the feel of his lips against hers, of his masculine scent.

The book quickly lost its appeal; she tossed it onto the floor near her bag, closed her eyes, and slipped her hand between her thighs.

Her self-induced orgasm came swiftly, but it left her feeling unsatisfied,hollow, and lonelier than before.

After her bath, Adalynn dressed and brushed her hair, leaving it hanging freely around her shoulders. She slipped her book into her bag, which she returned to her room before wandering around the house again. She took her time examining the rooms and the objects within them, moving pictures and tugging on light fixtures to see if there were any hidden compartments or secret passages. Why wouldn’t there be? This was a big, old house; it was bound to have as many secrets as its owner, wasn’t it?

Her search turned up nothing exciting, but at least it had distracted her currently overactive imagination for a little while. She forced herself to press onward.

She paused when she reached the entrance of the ballroom; the double doors were closed today. She flung them open and stepped through. As usual, all the curtains were closed, blanketing the large chamber in thick gloom.

Time to change that.

Shutting the doors behind her, she strode across the dancefloor and went from window to window, drawing the curtains wide. With each window, more sunlight streamed inside; soon the whole ballroom was gleaming with it. Rays of sunshine struck the chandeliers’ crystals, casting countless tiny, colorful points of reflected light on the polished wood of the floor, walls, and ceiling.

Adalynn hummed softly as she moved about the room, sometimes walking, sometimes dancing.

I should teach Danny to dance.

Even if it was the end of the world, even if it wasn’t a practical skill, there was no reason not to teach him; people still needed to enjoy themselves from time to time. People still needed small, brief means of escape from the stresses of this new world.

---