Page 104 of Inflamed By an Incubus

“Someone got laid,” she said in a sing-song voice that had him clenching his jaw and on the verge of telling her to behave because he wasn’t in the mood to be teased.

Archer was still out there. The male was a threat to his mate, one that needed to be eradicated.

The thought of the warlock coming after Evelyn was enough to have his mood souring and he couldn’t stop himself from firing off a retort aimed at Rosalind. “I’m not the only one. You two reek of sex.”

Rosalind pressed a finger to her chest, prodding the black material of her knee-length dress, and cast him a look of wide-eyed innocence. “Me? Never. I didn’t just ride my husband all night long.”

She sang the last three words, shimmying a little at the same time.

Opened her mouth to keep singing.

But Vail sighed.

Rosalind whispered, “All night.”

And cast her mate a sheepish look.

Vail rolled his violet eyes, the reaction a marked difference to how the elf prince would have responded only a few months ago, back when the two had met. Rosalind really had been working her magic on the male, smoothing off his rough and somewhat razor-sharp edges. Fenix could hardly believe the change in him and how relaxed he was now compared to how he had been. A good thing. Vail had been strung so tightly that he had been in danger of snapping.

Fenix put his new easier-going personality down to copious amounts of sex.

And a lot of love.

Rosalind bustled over to Vail and the male stooped, swept her into his arms and kissed her. Softly. Reverently. With so much love that Fenix couldn’t stop himself from glancing at Evelyn. She blushed when their gazes collided and looked away at the same time as he did.

What was it about her that had him feeling like a boy all over again, new to love and a little afraid?

Gods, his mate had a way of unravelling his strength.

He wasn’t the only one with the affliction either.

Vail cast Rosalind a soft look of longing laced with hope and a side order of fear as he eased her away from him.

The reason for the sliver of fear in his eyes became apparent when Rosalind broke away from him, coming to face Fenix and Evelyn.

“Let’s take a look at you.” She held her right hand out to Evelyn, who only stared at it.

Fenix gently placed his hand on her shoulder and gave her a look he hoped conveyed that it was all right and she could trust Rosalind. The witch wouldn’t hurt her. Evelyn glanced at him, her golden eyes lingering on his for a moment, and then she looked back at Rosalind and took her hand.

Rosalind turned towards the sandstone cottage, walked a few steps and paused near a washing line that had been strung between two apple trees that were heavy with fruit. She looked back at Vail.

“Did you want to maybe check on the orchard to see how the peaches are doing?” Her tone was soft, each word carefully spoken as she locked gazes with her mate.

Because she intended to use magic.

Fenix had witnessed how badly Vail reacted to the use of magic around him and the thought of him losing it and attacking Rosalind, or Evelyn, or even himself, had him willing the male to accept her suggestion.

Vail looked from her to the bottom of the sloping garden, where trees stood in uniform lines, luring Fenix’s gaze to the rolling fields beyond. The elf glanced back at his mate and then at the orchard again, repeated the process five times, each one completed more quickly than the last as his brow furrowed.

His violet gaze settled on his mate again and this time he shook his head.

She held her free hand out to him, her soft expression filled with love and warmth that put a sparkle in her blue eyes as her mate went to her. “Just a little magic. Maybe we could do it out here. It’s a nice morning. I could make us all some coffee and we could sit on the patio.”

Vail’s shoulders sagged as all the tension bled from him, his deep voice a rumble as he said, “I would like that.”

Rosalind released Evelyn, turned to her mate and pressed her palms to his chest. Her fingertips curled into the soft material of his black cable-knit sweater as she tiptoed, her fair eyebrows furrowing as she lifted one hand to his face and cupped his cheek.

“Perhaps you’d like to make the coffee today?” Her tone remained as soft as the breeze that played through the garden, causing the blooms that bordered the lawn to sway.

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