Page 32 of Love the Way You Lion
He grumbles a bit but returns the kiss with equal passion. “Only you get away with saying that. Anyone else would... well, they’d be history.”
“Even Rafe? He’d look all hot and bothered.” I tease.
His eyes narrow mischievously. “To sleep with you, woman—no one else matters. I was speaking for the goddess. It’s been a good night despite a shitty day, and we’ve got plans to shape tomorrow.”
A soft yawn escapes me as I curl up contentedly against him. “Okay, baby.” My sigh mingles with sleep, the moment wrapping us in calm intimacy.
“Sleep, my love,” he whispers gently, his voice like a promise. “Everything will look better in the morning.”
I smirk defiantly as I murmur, “Now you jinxed it.”
The Cat Takes A Walk
Minx-
I hate to—no. Bloody hell.
Talia forgot we booked a gig. I’m not happy. Bonus is, neither is she. She’s right fond of being with your mate. We can’t wiggle out of this bloody job, and it makes me need to murder someone.
Luckily for me, that is my job.
We’ll be back to you both late this evening, so if you let Sampson know, Talia would be much obliged.
Gotta get moving on this if we ever want to get home.
~Taurus (aka theHunka of Burning Clone)
Iwrinkle my nose, grumpy beyond words that he won’t be home until late.
Dammit.
The room around me feels suddenly too quiet, the dim lighting casting long shadows across the furniture. It’s one of those silences that creeps into the bones, making you feel as though the world itself has paused, holding its breath. My sigh echoes softly as I turn to Aradia, her eyes glinting with curiosity and a hint of mischief. “Well, love, it looks like we’re on our own for the evening. Should we go home and check on the party prep since it’s coming in the next week, or should we go find the lazy bones or…”
A shrill tone breaks the silence, and I glance at the Caller ID on the phone.Fucking Sari.
I am not going over there to get lambasted again and I am not taking part in this harebrained horseshit they have planned. The thought fills me with resentment, and I stalk into the closet, my peaceful mood shattered. The closet is cramped and filled with the scent of leather and old wood, a sanctuary now tainted by frustration. I’ve been following her blog, where despite her protests, she seems to go on half-baked quests from a Tolkien novel to be worthy and blah-blah-blah with her coven of cu-next-Tuesdays.
In this moment of frustration, I remember the times when Sari’s antics were amusing, even entertaining. Those were the days when her impulsive nature led us on adventures that often ended in laughter and the sharing of stories over cups of warm tea. But now, it seems, she has taken a turn for the erratic, her quests becoming more like follies, dragging others into her whirlpool of absurdity. It makes me want to heave and kill things and then heave again.
Being preggo sucks, if youweren’t clear on that.
The hormones swirl within me, a storm of emotions that I’m not quite used to navigating. My mind flickers back to a time when I could handle such annoyances with grace, but now, everything feels magnified, intensified.
Aradia rumbles a deep, resonant growl, feeling my anger through our bond, and I nod at her. “Alright, sugar, let’s go find some bad people and make them wish they weren’t. I’m getting hungry.” There’s a comfort in knowing she understands, a shared consciousness that allows us to move as one, our intentions aligned.
As we prepare to leave, the memories of past escapades with Taurus and Talia flood my mind. Nights spent under the stars, sharing stories, and planning futures that seemed so certain. Now, with Taurus away on business, the world feels a shade darker. But there’s something freeing about the night, a promise of adventure and the unknown. Laying my hand on her head, I close my eyes, feeling the familiar warmth of our connection as we disapparate, searching for trouble in all the right places. The world blurs around us, the air crackling with energy as we slip into the shadows, ready to embrace the night.
Here we go…
The city unfoldsbeneath us like a tapestry of lights and whispers, a place teeming with secrets and stories waiting to be uncovered. We wander through the alleys and hidden corners, each step guided by an unspoken understanding. The streets are alive with the hum of night, the distant laughter of revelers mingling with the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. It’s a world that never truly sleeps, and tonight, it feels like our playground.
Leaving The Rift for a little while probably isn’t the worst thing in the world for me—perspective is good.
Our first stop is a small, dimly lit bar tucked away in a forgotten corner of the city. The kind of place where time seems to stand still, where the ghosts of stories of the past linger in the air. As we step inside, the air is thick with the scent of smoke and old whiskey, a comforting embrace that wraps around us like an old friend. The patrons glance up, their faces reflecting a mix of curiosity and wariness, but Aradia isn’t visible to them, so they don’t freak out. I nod to the bartender, a grizzled old man with a twinkle in his eye, and settle into a corner booth.
It’s probably not a great plan to come to a location so close to my actual home town, but occasionally, I feel the need to return to my roots. As long as I stay far away from the Hollow, it shouldn’t be a problem. Clea won’t find me simply because I show up in my former state, right?
The conversations around us ebb and flow, a symphony of voices that create a tapestry of human experience. We listen, picking up threads of stories, tales of heartbreak and hope, of dreams lost and found. It’s in these moments that I find a sense of peace, a reminder that we’re all just trying to find our way in this chaotic world. The bartender slides a drink my way—a concoction of ginger and lime that smells good—and I sip it slowly, savoring the sharp tang on my tongue.
