Page 426 of Bitten By the Fae
With a raised brow, I followed and found myself in a modest room with a big bed, a living area, and a small kitchen. “Ah, this is where you’ve lived when not on campus, too.” I could tell because it smelled like him. Which meant he stayed here often.
He shrugged. “My grandmother is nearby. I visited enough over the years that she decided I needed my own place.” He started toward the bed but passed it on his way to a set of double doors. “I think she also foresaw my desire to share a private space with Aflora, but I really don’t want to think about what prompted that vision.”
I smirked. “We all know what prompted it.”
“Yeah, like I said, that doesn’t mean I want to think about it.” He disappeared through the doors.
I trailed behind him, pausing on the threshold as he bent over a large bathtub—that was the size of a small pool—rimmed with marble benches for seating and a stone exterior for decoration. He turned on the water, then tested it with his hand before clicking a button that increased the flow of water and stopped it from draining.
Aflora remained unconscious against me while he worked, completely oblivious to the salts and scents he added to perfect the bath.
It took nearly fifteen minutes, his work studious and meticulously planned.
When he finished, he stripped off his clothes.
Then he stepped into the water and sank down into it before turning on the soft purr of the jets. He didn’t turn off the faucet, but it changed to a more subtle flow, the drain seeming to work in tandem with the incoming water. It appeared to be cycling somehow, which made it ideal for bathing because the bath would continue to refresh itself.
Give her to me,he whispered into my mind, holding out his arms for her.
I walked over to do as he asked, mostly because it was clear he intended for me to join them. The tub could have fit Aflora and all her mates, making it ideal for whatever he had in mind.
I removed my button-down shirt, slacks, and shoes in the closet beside the bathroom. Then I returned to join Aflora and Shade in the tub.
He had her head on his shoulder, his arms around her to ensure she stayed above the water.
“There’s a comb over there,” he said softly, gesturing with his chin to some of the supplies he’d set beside the tub. I hadn’t caught all the items he’d grabbed, but noted now that they were all things meant to help cleanse and care for Aflora.
I picked up the item he’d mentioned and used it to brush through her knotted strands.
The jets kept the water warm and moving, the scents all relaxing and obviously meant for healing.
Aflora slowly came to while I drew the comb through her dark hair, her eyes going to Shade and then to me. She stretched her legs a little, then lifted her head to give me better access to her strands.
No words were spoken, just emotion as she let us take care of her.
We all knew what had happened, how Zakkai and Zeph had joined inside her. I’d detailed it to Shade while I’d watched, wanting him to know what they were doing to Aflora and how she was taking it.
He’d been concerned at first—as had I—but I’d trusted Zakkai and Zeph not to truly hurt her. And they hadn’t. If anything, they’d taken her to new heights.
It’d been strange to see Zeph with another man, but I’d felt his emotions the whole time. He hadn’t been with Zakkai out of love or desire, but out of a need to prove to Aflora that he accepted all her mates.
It’d been their way of ensuring trust within our circle.
I’d accepted that.
As had Shade.
“How are you feeling?” he asked Aflora after several minutes of soft silence.
She didn’t answer for a moment, her focus on stretching her legs and arms once more as she languidly lounged against him. “Relaxed,” she said. “Used, in a good way. Sore.”
I set the comb down and picked up some bodywash that Shade had procured. It would dissolve into the bath, but with the way the jets seemed to work, it’d cycle through and replenish with clean water.
Aflora allowed me to run the soap over her arms and along her torso, down to her legs. It wasn’t as precise as a shower, but it worked, and it gave me an excuse to check her thoroughly for bruising and any pain points.
She didn’t flinch at all, her body seeming to be utterly relaxed between us.
I sensed her reaching out to check on Zeph and Zakkai, her lips curling slightly at finding them passed out.
