Page 33 of The Mating Fire
“And kill you in the process.”
Chapter 12
After the archery lesson, Jared left her alone to get settled in her room. Harper spent the time exploring the terrain, trying to find a way out.
She walked down the hallway, but after several turns, realized she could barely find her way back to her bedroom. A GPS might have helped in this enormous structure.
Harper returned to the room, loathe to try further and end up in some hallway, or locked in a room and unable to free herself.
In the bedroom, she examined the furniture and looked for a secret entranceway. Didn’t old castles have secret passages? Well, if they did, one didn’t exist in this room.
She still couldn’t reconcile to the fact she was here, with a sexy incubus demon, and held powers of her own. Harper went outside to the terrace and peered down. Dizzying. Sucking down a breath, she flung out her hands and willed the coldfire to come forth.
Like a sputtering torch, it rippled from her fingers. Not as brilliant nor as fiery as before.
After, she felt drained. Jared was right. Having not eaten enough breakfast, Harper felt weary.
She did need refueling. Maybe being this so-called coldfire pyrokinetic required more calories. Einstein said it best – E = mc2.When the energy of a body changes, the mass of the body will change as well.
I don’t know about my mass, but my energy is definitely kaput and needs recharging.
A note slid under the door and floated in the air over to her.Lunch is served.
A map accompanied the note.Guess I won’t need a GPS after all.
Jared served lunch on a covered balcony with a splendid view of the white-capped mountaintops. Far below, she could see glimpses of rooftops through the scudding cloud bank.
With a courtly gesture, he pulled out a heavy chair for her. White linen covered the table. The table was set with elegant bone china plates, heavy silverware and a crystal vase of white and pink peonies.
Her favorites.
“I thought you might like to get outside. The castle can be imposing.”
“Thanks. The flowers are gorgeous. I adore peonies. Where did you get them?”
He gave her a steady look while filling her glass with sparkling water. “I have my ways. I wanted to make you comfortable.”
Flushed with pleasure at his thoughtfulness, she sipped the water. He removed the lid of a silver salver.
“Voila. Luncheon of the most elegant fare is served.”
Harper laughed. Upon the tray sat an assortment of sandwiches, with condiments.
Jared pointed to the food. “Turkey, tuna, ham, I have a selection of several. You need to eat meat to regain your strength.”
“I guess my vegetarian diet is on hold. And here I thought you were going to servefoie grasor some other such delicacy that would turn my stomach.”
Jared grinned. “Duck liver is not to your liking, I am certain. This is lunch, and sandwiches are typical American fare. More nutritious than the quick-served hamburger. Or to use your vernacular, fast food.”
Vernacular. A memory flickered. Darkwing1790 had used the same word. Odd choice of vocabulary, old-fashioned… it couldn’t be…
Glancing up at him, she dismissed the thought.
Harper helped herself to a turkey sandwich, slathered more mayonnaise on it and began to eat. She was famished.
He sat back in his chair, watching her eat. Dressed in his typical black, he seemed to study her like she’d studied rock specimens beneath a microscope. The scrutiny didn’t make her uneasy, for some odd reason.
He looks like a devil in disguise. A handsome devil. A dangerous one. But still…
