Page 37 of Incubus with Benefits
“You’re welcome to stay with me too, Shadow.”
The cat tilted her head like she was considering my offer.
“This is actually the first time she’s asked to come in. Well, ask doesn’t quite cover it. She was clawing at the door like her life depended on it. Like they were chasing her. I’m not sure she’ll want to stay inside or go back out.” Lily walked halfway to the balcony door, then froze. “Actually, on second thought, can you open it?”
She hid behind me as I opened the door. When no phantom creatures came at her, she motioned for Shadow to step outside. But the cat looked at her with a “Are you crazy, bitch?” look, then curled up on her couch.
“I think she wants to be an indoor cat for a while,” I said.
“Yeah. At least until the memory of being chased by phantoms dissipates,” Lily agreed. “I’ll have to get a litter box for her.”
“There’s a pet store close to my place.”
Lily rubbed the back of her neck. “She’s not litter trained yet. She might have some accidents.”
“That’s alright. She’s a smart kitty. She’ll figure it out. Won’t you?”
Shadow answered by sticking her leg up and licking her crotch.
Only now did I really look around her apartment. Foil lined the table and stove, charred remnants of her spell work scattered across them. Her magic had misfired again while she was protecting her home. The foil meant she’d known it might and had put it down to protect her furniture.
That explained the hatchet she’d been clutching when I arrived. She must’ve been terrified, unable to call for help or rely on her magic, and thought she’d need to protect herself physically.
Had her magic been on the fritz since this weekend? Why hadn’t she told me?
I brushed her hair back from her face, wishing I could chase away the fear I still saw in her pretty gray eyes. “Are you still up for dinner, or would you rather head to my place? It’s safe there. We can order in. I can cancel the reservation; it’s not too late.”
She hesitated, eyes flicking toward the window like she expected those shadow things to come back. Her fingers tightened around my forearm.
I tried to lighten the mood. “You could still dress up. Wear those sexy shoes.”
I’d left the pair of heels on her table on the way in. I was about to grab them for her when I decided to poke my head into her bedroom to check her shoe collection. The sexy heels were all lined up on the wall again. My eyes landed on a shiny black patent leather pair near the top.
“On second thought. You should wear those!”
I switched the pairs, placing the ones I’d fixed on the shelf and bringing her the shiny ones.
She gave a soft laugh, relaxing just a little. “Those are sexy as hell. But I can’t actually walk in them. I’ll bring an extra pair of flats just in case. And I think it’s better if we just head to your place. That kind of ruined my appetite.”
“Then we’ll try the restaurant another time,” I said, already reaching for her overnight bag. “Trust me. Walking won’t be what you’d be doing in those, Vixen.”
She snorted, cheeks flushing pink. “You’re incorrigible.”
“I prefer enthusiastic,” I said, pressing Send on the note I’d quickly tapped out to her friends about what had happened. “And if you wore those heels, I’d be morally obligated to carryyou everywhere. Over the threshold, onto the couch, into my bed…”
Her lips twitched. “You have this very well planned, I see?”
“Extremely.”
She laughed again, and I caught the flicker of heat in her eyes. Good. That spark meant she was still in there, even after the hell she’d just been through.
We packed up her things quickly. Essentials, a few spell components, and enough clothes to last a few days, including a slinky black dress she promised to wear for me, and an extra change of shoes.
She paused at the door, looking back at her apartment like she wasn’t sure it would still be standing when she returned.
“I want to put an extra seal on the door,” she said, “so I’ll know if anyone touches it. But my magic’s been off, and I’m worried it will backfire again.”
I stepped in close, pulling her against me. “What if I help you?” I nuzzled the side of her face. “If you can use me to recharge, then you can use me to stabilize.”
