Page 17 of The Hellhound's Mate
Saph shrugged. “I don’t know. Over the years, it’s been all sorts who can with nothing that seems to tie them together.”
“Speaking of togetherness,” she said with a smirk, “are the two of you…”
Saph looked at me, and I leaned in to kiss him.
Vera gave a whoop and shook her fists in the air. “As the kids say, I totally ship you two.”
I laughed as Saph frowned. “Ship us where?”
“She means that our relationship inspires her romantically. If we were in a book, she would devour the pages.”
“And if it was a series of wicked paintings…” she said slyly.
Saph chuckled. “We talked about that just this morning.”
“Oh, excellent! I’ll take four to start. Varying degrees of eroticism. Make one absolutely filthy.”
Saph cocked his head at me, and I blushed.
“With your permission,” I said and had to clear my throat. “Vera would like more paintings of the two people I’ve already done.”
“The lovers,” he said.
I nodded, my face flaming hot.
“I’ll pose for you any time you wish,” he rumbled with a grin that showed off one of his fangs.
“Gracious!” Vera exclaimed as she fanned herself.
I laughed in embarrassment even though I was also thrilled that Saph was onboard and Vera was excited. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d painted a lover, or even myself with one, but that I could paint a representation of us and no one would know it was real made it even more wicked.
Chef Yamuna came to get us for lunch. Vera and I both praised the hearty menu of poached lobster with seasonal root vegetables and a butternut squash purée. Yamuna thanked us and went to clean up while we ate, letting Saph join us without causing any suspicion.
We talked and laughed, Vera getting progressively more uninhibited with her thoughts until she finally said, “I do believe I’m going to partner with the adorable little company making monster dildos down the street from the gallery.”
“Oh goddess, Vera.” My blush renewed itself, though I wondered if it had ever faded to begin with.
“Their front window is a colorful plethora of deviance, and I think it would be absolutely inspiring to have options available to those who don’t manage to win a painting from the evening.” She eyed Saph up and down, grinning like a mad woman.
“No,” he said, “I won’t pose for that.”
She threw her head back and laughed, but I had a feeling she wasn’t anywhere near done designing the naughtiest gallery show the world had ever seen.
CHAPTER
TEN
That afternoon,I took my sketchpad into the mausoleum. Saph wasn’t around, but I didn’t go outside to get there, so I wasn’t worried about ghouls. The tunnel was still terrifying even with a flashlight, but I made it through. I was so inspired to explore a more erotic theme that I couldn’t resist getting my filthiest ideas down on paper in this austere and sacred place.
There was nothing quite like drawing dicks in the light of a holy stained glass window. I kept snickering at myself.
And getting hard.
I was five sketches in and lost in shading the current one with more detail than was strictly necessary when a low growl had me gasping as I looked up. Saph slipped through the partially open door, a snarl on his lips, and me in his sights.
“I could smell your desire from half a mile away.”
I gulped, turned on even more by the fact that the real thing was in front of me now. “Oh?”
