Page 106 of Wicked Flavors

They walked away as Dr. Monday began to remove the gag and blindfold of one of the survivors. Piki’s tiny legs somehow managed to keep up with them. Ambrosius could feel Gwen glancing over her shoulder, feeling a nervous energy inside of her.

“Mrs. Han!” Gwen called, darting from his side.

Ambrosius wanted to curse.

An elderly Korean woman looked in her direction. She looked frightened and exhausted, and perhaps horrified by Gwen’s appearance.

“Thank you for that day,” Gwen said. “For telling me about the Maddie doll and the antique store. It changed my life in more ways than you can imagine.”

Mrs. Han stared back at Gwen in confusion.

“I’m sorry, honey, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never told you about any antique store.”

Gwen frowned, but Ambrosius knew better. He could tell by the way Dr. Monday tensed, could see the way something shimmered beneath the surface of his skin.

Still, Ambrosius would never thank a shape shifting fae for bringing Gwen into his life. In fact, he refused.

It was four in the morning by the time they made it back to Gwen’s apartment. His warlock was practically dead weight, pressing against the wall to keep herself upright as Ambrosius shut the door behind them. Piki immediately took off to explore the apartment.

“Is it time for the ritual sex now?” Gwen sleepily inquired.

Ambrosius laughed.

“No, my bittersweet. That was a joke, and even if it wasn’t, you’re much too exhausted to be having sex right now,” Ambrosius ushered Gwen toward the bathroom.

The spider colony had diminished in numbers. Most likely, their spiritual existence had burned up during Gwen’s antics. Though, Ambrosius spotted a few that lingered as his spectral hands ran a bath. He peeled Gwen from her ruined dress—a pity, given how lovely she had looked in it. Ambrosius would have to rebuild the gown later.

He eased Gwen into the bath, spectral hands keeping her drowsy head above the water as Ambrosius cleaned the blood and dead flesh away. Her body had healed remarkably well, though Ambrosius could see the way her soul was struggling under the weight of all she had gone through.

With Gwen thoroughly cleaned of the horrors of the night, Ambrosius carefully pulled her from the bath. He methodically dried her, making sure every drop of water was erased from her skin before wrapping her in a robe he found at the back of her closet. It was much softer than any of the sleeping shirts she wore in the past.

Piki had also vanished, most likely from Gwen’s weakening state. Sustaining her little pet took energy thatshe simply no longer had. But if she so wished it, the little beast would be there when she woke up.

“I’m proud of you, my bittersweet,” Ambrosius praised as he laid her onto the bed. “I couldn’t have asked for a more devoted warlock.”

“Thank you,” Gwen murmured. “It was easy…”

“Oh, I’msure,” Ambrosius smiled.

“M’serious … it was easy … ‘cause I love you…”

Love.

It was a word that Ambrosius still couldn’t actualize. It was as abstract and unnatural to him as demons were to humans. If Ambrosius could compare it to anything, he imagined it was a lot like madness. Something that crept into his being without his notice, and that despite his best efforts, could not be stopped. A cosmic entity as unknown to him as the thing in the ether. A thing that made him wild, irrational, and starving.

All for her.

Ambrosius wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to say the words, as they didn’t make sense to him. It felt heavy in his mouth, like a ball of lead that burned his tongue. He thought about saying it as he brushed Gwen’s hair from her temple, but she needed rest. She’d most likely sleep for days, and he would be long gone by then.

He let go of her hair, shifting to push away when Gwen’s fingers locked around the strap of his harness.

“Don’t go…” she whispered. “Not until you have to…”

Ambrosius may not have been ready to offer her love—at least not in the way she wanted it—but he could at least offer her this. The demon settled beside her, pulling Gwen as close to his ribs as he could. She curled into him,taking his hands to hold close to her chest as she pressed her spine into him.

“Is this all right?” he asked. “To just … hold you like this?”

Gwen sighed. “Of course … all I ever wanted was to keep you. I know I can’t, not really, but I’d rather take what time I can with you.”

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