Page 23 of A Bloodline Redeemed

“There’s something more to it, though, isn’t there?”I prompted, squeezing River’s hand where it rested on my stomach beneath the bubbles.Zhong reached out and turned off the tap so the tub didn’t overflow while we chatted.

River tensed behind me, but he made himself spit it out.Our shifter wasn’t a coward.And he seemed to pride himself on being forthright whenever possible.“Among my people, if you sleep with someone then immediately go wash away all traces of them… well, it simply means there is no bond between you.That it was just sex and nothing more.Which isn’t wrong.It’s fine to enjoy casual sex.It’s only… I thought perhaps we might have… more?But I’m sorry.It was foolish of me to assume that.”

Oh.

Zhong’s expression mirrored the little tug I felt in my chest.“So just to be perfectly clear,” I said softly.“You were upset because you thought I was rushing in here to wash off because I wanted to get rid of your scent.Because that would mean I don’t feel anything for you?And that would mean what we just shared was just for funzies and no other reason?”

River shrugged.“Essentially, yes.I shouldn’t be so sensitive.”

I turned around as much as I could so I could give him a stern look.“You’re not too sensitive.But youaresurrounded by a bunch of non-shifters.”I reached out a wet hand to lay my fingers along his jaw.“River.I really like you.I suspect Zhong does too.”

I shot a glance Zhong’s way, and he nodded emphatically.“I do.”

“We weren’t trying to snub you,” I continued.“I just didn’t want to drip all over the bed.It’s a problem generally, but when Zhong is involved… well,” I waved at the faintly blushing gargoyle.“You’ve seen the size of him.Things get messy.”

The shapeshifter laughed then, some of his playfulness returning.“You do have trulymassiveballs, Zhong.Logically it would follow…”

I elbowed River.“Don’t tease him or he’ll never share the wealth again.”

Zhong ran a hand over his face, then covered his crotch with a towel.“Allthataside,” he said dryly.“River, Andy and I would never treat someone we respect as if they were just an amusement.”

I arched a brow at the gargoyle.“Oh, I think you more thanrespecthim.”

He narrowed his yellow eyes at me.“Master, please.”

River laughed.“What you are both saying is that I was hurt for no reason.I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.I suppose… well, I suppose I just want so badly to be one of you, that it made me react without thinking.”

Oh, my heart.I knew there was chemistry, and friendship, and mutual attraction between us.This was definitely more than a casual fuck.But… was he saying he wanted tostay?To be part of this strange… whatever the hell it was, with the rest of us?

“Well,” I said, turning back to grab the bottle of shampoo that rested on a nearby shelf.“It’s a good thing you want to be like the rest of the weirdos around here,” I informed him airily, even though I wanted to smile so hard it hurt.“Since you’re already one of us whether you like it or not.”I held out the bottle.“Now, someone shampoo my hair.Then we can get out of the tub and roll in River’s bed, or whatever, and get nice and smelly.”

Chapter 14

Ambrose

Ashiverofemotiontickledat the edge of my awareness, but I smiled softly to myself and ignored it.It wasn’t the sort of energy I devoured.If I had to guess, I’d say the absolutely unappetizing (but lovely) bursts of excitement and euphoria I sensed were coming from Andy and River.It was about time someone welcomed that sexy cat into our family the right way.

And I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Zhong was with them.The gargoyle had been poorly disguising his little crush for weeks now.

I dismissed that fun thought and focused on the tantalizing, and much more appetizing, energetic “aroma” that called to me from elsewhere in the mansion.

I reached the door to the courtyard and saw that Dyre and Elijah were still out there practicing something to do with their linked magics.I paused near the threshold, sinking into the shadows so I wouldn’t be seen as I spied on my chillingly gorgeous redheaded lover and his handsome angel.My first impulse had been to assume the darkness calling to my boogeyman nature was coming from Dyre—or more accurately, Sunny.But no.My necromancer was relaxed and at ease, a rare smile gracing his features as he shook his head at something Elijah said.

Ah, they were perfect for each other.And they needed this time alone to get comfortable with the new bond between them.I had no interest in interfering.Though I did linger long enough to watch them both become distracted and forget about whatever spell they were working on long enough to share a sweet kiss.

Be still my little black heart.

Still smiling, I left the sweet scene behind and wandered deeper into the mansion.My happiness turned slightly bittersweet as I thought how much Hasumi would have enjoyed seeing Dyre and Elijah together, laughing and happy as the two of them rarely ever were.The water elemental had wanted nothing more than for all of us here to feel loved and accepted.Hasumi had been plotting about turning us all into a family from nearly day one.

I found Niamh and Hibiscus in one of the lesser-used parlors, where Bis had set up his own gaudy little nest of a bedroom.His “collections” decorated every spare shelf and horizontal surface.There was a shelf of various sized pinecones.One containing a bunch of rocks that called to him for whatever reason.Dried flowers.Little paper hats Zhong had folded for him during stretches of extreme boredom.A set of small antlers that had once belonged to Niamh (and how she had surprised us all when they fell off and new ones grew in!) A pile of old jewelry he’d found here and there throughout the Lovell place.The little rodent person collected anything and everything that caught his fancy.

It sounded like he and Niamh were currently discussing their plans to convince Andy to let Bis carry weapons and accompany us if we ever went back into the other realms to help the resistance.All the gods and goddesses help them when they brought that idea to our witch.But they seemed content, so I left them to it.

Trailing my finger along the banister of the small back servants’ stair, I sighed.In truth, I think I’d known all along the source of the fear, sadness, and despair that shivered over my awareness like a tempting lover’s caress, like a feast for the hunger inside me.I had just hoped it would fade so I wouldn’t feel so compelled to help.

I might be a scary looking nightmare made of shadows, who fed off terror and bad dreams, but evenIhad things that scared me.

I closed my eyes and felt the delicious pull of dejection and crawling anxiety.No, it wasn’t fading.If anything, it was getting stronger, calling to me, demanding that I go find it andfeast.

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