Page 19 of Secondhand Garagyre

Iwhimper as my mind considers the possibilities of where else that tongue could be applied to, but the secondImake a soundLaithogpulls back, my welfare still foremost in his mind.

“Paisley, you are well?” he demands.

“Yes,Laithog.I’mfine.Ipromise,”Irespond with a smile, ignoring the way my torn lip pulls.

“Asmuch asIwould enjoy continuing our current activity,Ido not think you are quite up to bed play yet.Youare still recovering and, also, do not yet know me.”

Ihate that he’s right.It’sbeen a long time sinceI’vebeen attracted to someone, and even longer sinceI’veslept with anyone.Notto mentionI’veonly known him a few hours…and he’s not human.

Hisnext words pull me from my internal reverie and make my smile grow even bigger. “Perhaps…Icould build the fire we discussed, and you could fetch one of your favorite books to read to me before you retire for the evening.Itis not that late yet.”

He’s…almost adorable.It’sas if he’s bashful about asking me to read to him after the heaviness from earlier. “Ithink that is a wonderful idea.Weshould enjoy our evening together.Weare both alive, full, and safe.Thingsto be thankful for.”

“Forlonger thanIcare to admit to you,Idid not count those things as blessings, butIassure,Ido now.Goand fetch us a story, andIwill start a fire for us.First,Ibeg of you.Pleasetell me your creepy little beast did not watch us the entire time we were embracing…?”

Laughterbubbles up andIlet out a snort at his horrified tone beforeIcan stop myself.Glancingto the side,Ican seeMerryandPippinsitting…and staring.

Theydo like to stare.

Witha disgusted huff,Laithogstands, making me squeak in alarm since he takes me with him.Hislarge hands support my ample weight as he eases me to my feet, sliding me down the length of his body untilI’mstanding before him, my front pressed to his.Craningmy neck,Ilook up at him, finally realizing just how large he truly is.Thetop of my head comes to what would be a collarbone on a human.Addin his horns, and wings,Laithogis one truly intimidating figure.

“Bah, enough with your sly seduction female.I’vea fire to build and a tale to hear, off with you!” he playfully scolds with a light tap to my right butt cheek before he strides to the back door, glamouring himself as he goes.

Rubbingmy butt,Ican’t help the goofy grin that pulls at my lips asIgo to the library to “fetch a tale.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

LAITHOG

Itislate and the moon is high in the sky.ThefireIbuilt earlier is naught but glowing coals within the depths of the hearth.Ineed to hurry ifIam to charge the box of crystals still tucked away in the library.MyPaisleyis fast asleep, safe in the warm embrace of her bed.Thankfullyshe took bothdogs(the proper name of the disfigured beings she keeps as pets) to bed with her.Itwould take far longer than one evening for me to become accustomed to creatures such as those.

Theremainder of our evening passed without any more excitement.Paisleyread to me from a book entitledTheHobbitby a human male from decades ago by the name ofJ.R.R.Tolkien.Myattention was ensnared from the first sentence.I’veadded this evening’s activities to the growing list of happy momentsI’veexperienced since waking fully.

AfterPaisleyretired for the night,Iset about warding her home.Ittook precedence over charging the crystals.Sheis under more of a threat thanIpreviously thought, so it is paramount that her home be protected against all that would do her harm, be it mental, emotional, or physical.

Iam not taking any chances.

Iam out of practice.Wardingboth entrances and all the windows took me longer than it should have, but my magick is strong.Icould find no weak links in any of the wards.Aslong asIlived, these wards would hold since they were tied to my magick and thus my lifeforce.

Satisfiedwith my wards,Isilently stride to the back of the house.Enteringthe library,Igo directly to the cabinet, open the door, grab the wooden box, and walk back out of the library, passing a closed door to my left on my way back through the house.Justas my body is parallel to the closed door, the box in my hands pulsates.

That’sodd.

Pausing,Imove the box closer to the door and am rewarded with another pulsation from the boxIhold.Interesting, there must be something in the hidden room that resonates with the crystalsIhold.Reachingout with my tail,Itest the lever.

Locked.

Lookingback over my shoulder,Icheck to make surePaisleyis not watching my invasion of her privacy asIuse my magick to pick the lock on the door, pushing it open with my tail afterIhear the soft snick of the lock mechanism releasing.InsideIfind a flat work table set against the far wall, and multiple glass top boxesfullof trinkets.Onessimilar to the piecesPaisleywear.Thegleam of silver and black catch my eye in the case to my right.

Stridingover the case,I’mfilled with disbelief at whatIfind.

Surelythe gods meant for me to find this!

There, in a bed of soft looking purple material lies a heavy silver cuff with large pieces of obsidian and turquoise embedded into the silver.Boldetchings cover the silver complimenting the stones set within the cool, gleaming ore.

Thisis a protection amulet.

One, that if the gods permit it, can be charged under the light of a full moon, such as tonight, thus granting the wearer protection from its greatest weakness.Mineis the fiery ball suspended in the sky during the day walker’s dominion.

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