Page 37 of The Mating Fire
His housekeeper, Jallu, already had orders to serve them a sumptuous meal tonight. Initially, Jared had planned a sweet seduction, intended at discovering what turned Harper on and discover more about this intriguing woman.
Then he blew it by making her cry.
Idiot. Did you have to tell her she caused her parents to die?
What the fuck is wrong with me?
He flew down to the village and landed. A bored alpaca turned its long neck and regarded him, and then returned to chewing its meal. Its tan and white baby scampered over to Jared. He petted its head and then headed for the nearest house.
No mudbrick here. Jallu’s family lived in a simple, but sturdy concrete home with bright gold walls and colorful hand-woven textiles covering the furniture. They even had electricity, and a simple LED bulb hung above the living area.
More out of not wanting to scare them than politeness, he knocked on the door. A young woman answered. The baby sleeping in a textile sling she wore over one shoulder awakened and began to fuss. Her wide gaze roved over Jared’s incubus demon form, and she squeaked, retreating inside the small living area.
An elderly woman with strong features, a roadmap of wrinkles on her careworn face, came out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel.
Unafraid, she bowed before Jared. The younger woman peered at Jared as he strode over to the crying infant. He tickled the baby, who cooed at him, and the mother relaxed.
A little.
“My lord Jared. I am honored.” Jallu gestured to a bowl on the wooden kitchen table. “May I serve you some quinoa? We were about to eat.”
He spoke in theQuechuadialect used by all the villagers. “I need you at the castle tonight to prepare a sumptuous meal for my lady guest only. I shall not be joining her. Serve the meal in her room. Be certain the meal contains a good amount of beef.”
Jallu bowed her head. “Yes sire.”
When she raised her head, he frowned. For a moment she seemed familiar, as if the elderly visage were a mask and another woman lurked beneath it.
Although he had no time to investigate, he hated deceit. Jared rumbled in a deep voice intended to stir fear.
“Jallu, I pay you a good wage to cook and clean for me once a week, more than all the men working in the village earn annually. I ask fidelity in return. Do not lie to me.”
Walls trembled, pottery on the kitchen table rattled with his thunderous voice. The young mother holding her baby squeaked and ran into another room. Jallu simply nodded.
Head bent once more, Jallu mumbled. “I would never intend to deceive you, my lord. It will be done as you request.”
Gazing around the room, he assessed their condition. Though quinoa was a typical dish for the villagers, he knew meat was better and much more expensive. Jared turned, conjured several large bills of currency from his vast bank account and turning, handed them to Jallu.
“For the mother and baby, to keep up their strength and medical visits. Let me know if you need more.”
She took the money from him, and again, he saw a glimpse of something in her dark eyes. Approval?
Didn’t matter. He had a wizard to find and question.
Jared headed for the door. Outside, he spread his wings and flew to a mountaintop he knew Xavier liked to frequent for meditation and reflection.
As he flew there, he reflected on his quandary. He needed answers on how Harper’s parents had died, answers he wanted to give her. This warred with the solitary part of him that balked at anyone getting close to him.
Close to him and the monster he became every night at midnight.
All these decades he’d spent alone in his castle, he didn’t need a woman by his side. A soul mate.
Not even to save his sorry ass.
To her surprise,instead of dining with Jared that dinner, a woman dressed as a French maid delivered a tray to her room. Harper hid her disappointment. She wanted to drum Jared with questions about her past, and why her parents had died.
How she had played such a devastating role in their deaths.
The servant bringing her meal was pale and lovely, with dark hair twisted into a bun in the back, long legs and a perfect figure.
