Page 13 of Bound By Dance and Desire

“You bringing a Fae warrior home? Thought you was smarter than that, girl. No offense intended,” she added, eyeing Andrei, an odd weight to the latter term.

“None taken,” he said with a bland, charming smile he aimed at Mrs. Carter. “It's normally wise advice.”

“Normally, you say?”

He shrugged, lowering his gaze before slanting it towards me. “Some of us aren't afforded the opportunity to follow wise advice.”

She gave me a pointed look, thin brows rising, clearly communicating her skepticism of my sanity.

“It's not like that,” I said, wondering if I was lying. It was probably exactly like that. Andrei hadn't followed me all the way from downtown for tea. Not that we would be having anything but tea. “He's a friend. He made Larry leave me alone.”

“Huh. Did he now? That shit eater.”

“Mrs. Carter.”

“What? The Lords don't make humans overseers because the humans are nice. You keep your head screwed on your shoulders, you hear me? Won't be dancing nowhere but on a Fae cock if you get caught up with the likes of them Lords. Present company excluded,of course.”

I smiled weakly. She allowed us to excuse ourselves and I opened my apartment door, gesturing Andrei inside because if I didn't, he would walk in anyway.

Andrei entered, stopped in the middle of the room and turned to me, watching as I closed the door and dropped my duffel bag.

He gave the studio a swift, all encompassing look, doubtless noting the sparse, worn furniture, pale plaster walls and lack of personal mementos other than a few clusters of inexpensive scented candles. I tried to see my temporary home through his eyes. The home of someone poor, but neat—mostly because of the lack of possessions.

He fixed me with one of those intent stares. “I can't have you dancing on the streets anymore, Hasannah. It isn't safe for you.”

“Who are you to give me orders?” I kept my voice quiet so he knew it was a question and not a challenge.

“You know,” he drifted closer, “whatI am, if not who. But if you don't know, I’d be happy to discuss that with you as well.”

“I have to busk,” I said, evading his outstretched hand. “Or I don't eat.”

He lowered it to his side, eyes glinting. “That’s no longer your responsibility.”

“Eating is no longer my responsibility?” I shook my head and recalled my manners, heading towards the kitchenette. We'd also been given a fairly extensive brief on hospitality etiquette as well.

“I wasn't expecting company. But I have—” I opened the half size ice box and peered in, as if its contents had magically sprouted something fit to serve a guest. “. . .hope, and plenty of thoughts and prayers.”

Andrei moved behind me, sliding hands around my hips. I froze as he lowered his head, pressing a kiss on my temple. He touched me as if he owned me and was certain of his claim,but was reluctant to scare me with that possessiveness. As if he forced himself to remember that I met him two hours ago.

“I appreciate the offer of hospitality,” he said, amusement in his tone, “but I'm more concerned with whether or not you've eaten today.”

I opened my mouth to lie, shut it, considering the wisdom of that action.

He sighed. “I see. Doesn't my—doesn't the High Lord provide the company applicants with a stipend?”

Wasn't he sweet? Though what he wanted from me wasn’t so sweet. “It mostly goes towards bribes.”

The tall body at my back stiffened. “What?” Once again his voice flashed from soft to steel.

“We all pay into a pot and Larry uses it to bribe the Coal District warriors to leave us alone. Or else we'd be asked to. . .serve.”

And wouldn’t that be hell in more ways than one.

His fingers tightened as he pulled me more firmly against him, almost curving his body around mine.

“That is not sanctioned.” His voice was the cold snap of breaking bone. “No one gave them authority to extractservicefrom the mortals peripherally under Lord Issahelle's protection.”

I shifted my feet, unconsciously seeking a more comfortable position since being wrapped in the arms of a strange Fae warrior who followed me home wasn't the definition of comfortable.

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