Page 13 of Bear Protector
She placed her hand on her heart and narrowed her eyes. “And you scared me to death. You know what you need, woman? Bells around your damned neck! How do you ever get around so bloody quietly?”
“It’s probably magic.”
“No doubt you were a frigging stealth walker in your former life.”
“Goodness, you and Coco with all this profanity today. Is something going around?”
“If it is, it’s not contagious, or you would have caught it already, Kiera.”
Kiera grinned. “What are you working on today?”
Reena returned her attention to her work for a second, setting several beakers filled with clear and murky green liquids aside before turning to face Kiera again. She laughed. “Nothing near as exciting as your meeting with Commander Oslo. How did it go?”
Kiera looked around the room, craning her neck to see if anyone was in the adjoining laboratory. “Are we alone?”
She took Kiera’s hand. “We are, but let us go to the one room in this freaking place where the walls do not have ears.”
Kiera pointed back at the lab as Reena pulled her to leave. “But your work…it looks rather interesting.”
“You don’t need to play this silly game, Kiera,” Reena retorted as they walked arm in arm down the long corridor. “You are not even remotely interested in what I’m working on right now. Admit it…you came by to talk. I can see it in your eyes. There’s a lot going up there.”
They stopped at a narrow door beside the kitchen door. “I am just really confused…about so many things.”
Reena opened the door and they entered the greenhouse. No one could eavesdrop here, thanks to the byproduct of a protection spell that she had put around the room every fall to keep the space warm. “Tell me what happened, and do not leave out a single detail. I need to know everything.”
“Honestly, Commander Oslo surprised me. Yes, he was rude and arrogant, but there was so much more to him.” Kiera leaned on an empty wooden counter and folded her arms, looking out in the distance beyond the glass wall, drifting off to her thoughts again.
Reena nodded knowingly. “So you are crazy about him. Is that it?”
“I don’t know…perhaps? I cannot believe you would encourage me!”
“Lighten up. No one says you have to marry the man. There’s nothing wrong with a little harmless flirtation. A sprinkling of diversion. I mean, we have all been so diligent around here, me in the lab, you with your head buried in books, scrolls and ancient grimoires, and everyone else has been rushing around as we prepare for winter. You have a chance to look into the light for a little while. It is something to be excited about. Go on. Live. Breathe. Get a bit of time between the sheets with a tall, dark and handsome animal before your time comes.” She grinned. “Meow, my friend.”
Kiera bit her lip, failing miserably at stifling down a giggle as her friend sat on a wooden bar stool and leaned toward her.
“Now that you know what Ireallythink, tell me, what was he like?”
“Oh hell. Why not.” She gripped Reena’s hands. “The man is a dream! I don’t believe I’ve ever felt what I did for anyone else…ever.”
“Not that you’ve had the chance, with the Chancellor expecting you and the rest of the Chosen to remain chaste.”
“Are you going to go off on another rant about the Chancellor, or will you let me tell you everything like you asked?”
“You know what I mean, Kiera, but okay. Forget the Chancellor and his ridiculous rules. Tell me about the Commander.”
“Are you sure?”
Reena gripped Kiera’s shoulders dramatically. “Yes! I need to know!” she joked, eyes wide and eyebrows raised high on her forehead. “Seriously, hun. You can tell me anything, but maybe skip to the juicy bits, just in case anyone comes looking for me.”
“Well, nothing happened. I just found him so…captivating. He has this power, an energy I have never seen in anyone. I could barely take my eyes off him, even when I wanted to smack him across the face for being so rude and annoying.”
“How did you feel? All fluttery inside? Or were sparks flying?”
Kiera nodded, her eyes wide. “Both. And… I am so glad he left when he did, or I might have said yes to anything he wanted.”
“Damn, girl. You’re such a scandalous whore,” she teased. She cleared her throat and shouted out, “I can see it now! Hear ye, hear ye. Now announcing Kiera, the region’s Chosen witch, virgin-whore and newest shifter fraternizer!”
Kiera doubled over, utterly overcome by laughter. “I kind of like the sounds of virgin-whore, Reena. It rolls off the tongue with ease.”
