Page 74 of All's Fair in Lion and War
“Thank you.” Lorelei settled into the bottom of the tub, crossing her arms and legs again.
He did something with the handles at the foot of the tub and it started to fill instead of drain out. He handed her a bar of soap and a small cloth and then a large white bottle.
“Bar is for the body. Bottle is for your hair. Unless, you need me to help?”
“No, I can manage. Thank you.”
Then he left the bathroom, closing the door softly behind himself and leaving her in silence other than the flowing water and the soft hum of the heater on the ceiling.
All she wanted was Saul.
To hear his voice.
Feel his arms around her.
His hands on her skin.
Instead she had the white walls of the tub pressing to her skin and the slowly rising bathwater.
It was warm and mostly comforting.
It was good to be clean.
And it would have to be enough for now.
26
Ava
Ava rapped on Saul’s front door and waited.
It was early morning even though it was still pitch black outside. Sunrise wouldn’t be for another three hours or so.
“How bad are they?” Connie was standing next to her impatiently tapping her foot.
The two magick-bender females were right behind her. They’d insisted on coming when they heard that Saul and his potential mate were in a bad way.
“From what Tor said, neither of them was able to stand on their own. He had to help Saul shower and get cleaned up.”
“What about the woman? What was her name?”
“Lorelei. Yeah, Liam handled that one in a different bathroom.”
“Another man washed Saul’s mate? And he’s still alive?” Dyna’s words held more than a little shock and awe.
“Yeah, Saul was pretty much incapacitated and Lorelei told him to leave it be.” Ava knocked on the door again. “Hey, it’s Ava. Open the door.”
Heavy footsteps sounded from the other side of the heavy front door. The smell was human with a whiff of whiskey and sweat.
Liam.
The big bartender blocked the doorway with his massive frame. Ava was tall, but still not as tall as him.
“What are you?”
“I’m sorry, what?” She tried to play off the question like she wasn’t shocked that he’d asked it. When had Liam figured it out? Had Saul told him? Col was going to be pissed.
“Are you a lion?”
