Page 43 of Primal Mirror

“No. I’m changeling. If you’re implying what I think you’re implying about the teacher, then our sentence is death at the claws of the alpha. No mercy. No forgiveness. Not for violating the trust of the smallest and most vulnerable of us all.”

Auden’s shoulders softened.

His jaw yet a brutal line, Remi’s eyes went to her empty glass. “How about it?” He nodded at the cooler. “You want to try the food I brought?”

Her stomach rumbled right on cue.

“I think your cub is saying yes.” His grin creased his cheeks, eased up the grim line of his jaw.

Her stomach flipped.

She was still struggling with the reaction when he opened the lid to show her the goods within, his eyes bright with a feline wildness.

Right then, she understood what humans and changelings meant when they said a person’s smile reached their eyes. It was a warmth that couldn’t be faked, a sense that this being was glowing from the inside out.

“Auden?”

Flushing, she jerked her gaze away from his face and to the cooler.

Remi didn’t rush her as she stared down at two items she recognized as muffins from seeing them on the comm, a swirling pastry that might’ve been a cinnamon roll, and what looked like a croissant. Then there was a sealed packet of cookies, a clear container of mixed berries, and a block of chocolate.

“I wasn’t sure how into food you were, so I kept it simple. The cinnamon roll is probably the one with the strongest flavor.”

Hungry in a way she hadn’t ever been before her pregnancy, Auden felt as if she could devour it all, but limited herself to trying the croissant for now. It was still warm. What she’d assumed was a cooler, she realized, was actually a carrier designed to keep food at the temperature it was when put inside.

Having placed her empty glass on the ground, she now took a large bite of the croissant…and made a startled sound as flakes of pastry drifted down around her. It was no doubt all over her face, too.

But she didn’t care.

“This is delicious.” Forgetting every bit of manners she’d ever been taught, she took several more bites in quick succession…then looked sadly at her empty hand.

Instead of laughing at her, Remi creased his cheeks again with a smile she could almost believe held affection. “I’ll bring more croissants next time.”

Next time.

A galloping horse inside her chest, she decided to try the cinnamon roll despite his warning that it was the strongest tasting. A single bite and she moaned before licking up the frosting around her mouth.

“You should have some water to wash that down,” Remi said, his voice sounding strangled.

She waved him toward her cabin.

He hesitated. “I’ll have to touch your things.”

“Glass is on the sink. Keep your shoes on. Tap is motion activated.” Then she took another bite of the most delicious item she’d ever tasted. “And I like your imprint. It’s like an enormous comforting purr that wraps around me.” The words spilled out in a haze of sugar and cinnamon.

Chapter 18

Abstract: An argument in favor of why Psychometry should be moved in the Psy power charts to sit next to Foresight and the subcategory of Backsight. F-Psy see the future, while those with backsight see the past. Ps-Psy also see the past—the only difference is that their visions of the past are anchored to an object.

—Psychometry and Its Placement on Psy Power Charts by Faith NightStar and Tanique Gray, paper submitted to the Académie de la classification des Psi run under the aegis of the Ruling Coalition, June 2083

REMI FORCED HIMSELF to look away from the woman who was so lusciously enjoying food that he’d brought her—and who’d just murmured that he was like a “comforting purr.”

Not the kind of thing he’d ever thought he’d want to hear from a beautiful woman, but yeah, it was a good feeling to know that she felt safe with him. Safe enough to tell him that, and to allow him into her haven.

Woman was food drugged so he should probably take the entire thing with a grain of salt, but damn if he didn’t want to actually purr. She took another bite, moaned. His cock threatened to react. You’d have thought he was a wolf or a bear with the feral depth of his response. Courtship via food wasn’t a cat thing.

Not that he was courting her.

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