Page 31 of Reap the Night
Intimacyin the past had always been fleeting moments. Pleasure taken without emotional connection. I’d never lain in a man’s arms after…never been held reverently or looked at with tenderness.
Kaster gave me all those things. He even made cocoa, which we drank while sitting in bed.
It was perfect.
How was the dinner with Ezekiel?Kaster asked.
It was okay.
That’s what your text said.But I doubt that any interaction with Ezekiel is ever simply ‘okay.’
He didn’t know about the curse, about any of it, so he couldn’t possibly comprehend the extent of my turmoil when it came to the vampire king, and if I had anything to do with it, there wouldbeno more confusion.
Ezekiel would be nothing more than my charge. He’d be a duty and no more, and in time he’d fall in love with Ariella and she with him, and all would be perfect.
Orina?
I’m sorry. I spaced out.
He reached over to wipe the corner of my mouth.Chocolate.
I licked my lips, and he tracked the movement before dropping his gaze.
“What?”
Nothing.He took my now empty mug off me and stood.You’re tired. You should get some sleep. I’ll be right back.
Had I upset him by being so short about the dinner with Ezekiel?
He returned a few moments later, and we climbed into bed, lying face to face.
God he was beautiful. His sharp features were softened by moonlight, his eyelids at half-mast and lips swollen from my kisses.Ezekiel is my job, and I don’t like bringing my work home with me.
Home?
I smiled because yes, I’d said that.Yeah, home. If you’ll still have me.This would be good. The best way to show Ezekiel that I’d moved on.
He had feelings for me.
It didn’t matter.
It could never matter. It was an illusion that could never be real, but what I had with Kaster was true. It worked. We worked.
I kissed him and nuzzled close.I’ll bring some stuff over next week. I won’t be moving in fully but splitting my time between the chapter house and here if that’s all right.
I needed to be on hand for my team and the Old Town patrols we sometimes had to run for the Old Town Sangualex office. It was rare, because crime in Old Town was rare. It was noble house territory after all.
I’d like that.He stroked my back.I like this.
I closed my eyes and relaxed against him, soothed by his fingers in my hair and his breath coasting across my brow.
Oh, before I forget,he said. A thought occurred to me about your missing persons. Have you considered that maybe the fae king of Brimswood Park is lying?
Okay, now I was awake.Crush?
Yes. You say all the signatures stop by the park. He says it’s to do with the wards on the place, but what if he’s lying?
He’s not. I can tell when someone is lying to me. Besides, fae don’t lie.
