Page 20 of Cookbooks and Demons

“Oh hell,” Rafferty moaned in his throat. Helena kept her eyes on him the whole time, and she smiled for real as his face turned to pure bliss. As soon as she swallowed, he sat back, his eyes still closed in ecstatic bliss. “Apple, raspberries, blackberries, but not too sweet. Almost savory and that paired with the creamy brie… you’re right. It’sperfect.”

She prepared another one.

Just before she brought it to her mouth, he peeked open his eyes. “What are you doing?”he asked.

“That was payment for summoning you. Now this one is your gift,” she said and set the cheese and jam cracker in her mouth.

He looked like he would protest again, but she set her jaw and arched an eyebrow at him. His lips thinned, but he obeyed, leaning forward again so they could repeat the process. This time the moan was even greater and his fingers came up to claspher face.

“Ugh, it’s too much! It’s too much!” He leaned back and those same fingers went to his mouth as if the food could not be contained there. It struck Helena as sad as she chewed, now tasting it since he had stopped pulling the memory from her. Tasting it was one thing, but…

“Do you actually have to eat at all?” she asked, setting up the crackers for another round.

His chest heaved from the sensations he felt, and he dropped his hand there as if it could help contain his emotions. “We don’t eat on the other side, but we feel hungry nonetheless.”

“But you can eat here?” she asked, chewing up one of her snacks for herself this time.

His eyes finally opened, and he watched her hungrily. “Yes, Icaneat. It just meansnothing.”

“Hmm,” she said and picked up two of the prepared crackers now, holding one out to him. “Let’s try something. We both eat these at the same time while you pull the memory, okay?”

He only hesitated a moment, taking the cracker from her and looking at it as if he couldn’t trust it. She set hers to her lips and waited. He yielded to her pressure and copied her action. Together, they slid the food into their mouths and then leaned forwardto touch.

This time it was different.

Helena’s whole world exploded into a symphony of flavor and taste. It felt strange and exhilarating. She had heard of people describing fine dining experiences as if they had been better than sex. Was this what they had been referring to? She whimpered a little as he moaned. His forehead pressed into hers, but it also felt like they had gone past the physical bounds of their bones to merge together. Such a thing seemed like something that should scare her, but she didn’t resist, and it gave back as much as she offered. At last, they had to swallow, and she was aware of him gently pulling away.

Breathless, she opened her eyes, surprised that she had actually closed them. The being sitting before her stared back at her in wonder.

“What… what was that?” she asked.

He touched his tongue with his fingers. “I…tastedthat,” he said, mystified. Tears beaded on the edges of his eyes. “Thank you,” he whispered, voice wavering as the rush of emotion overwhelmed him. “Thank you.”

Tears responded in her own eyes as she smiled. “You’re very welcome, Rafferty. I’m glad I could do thisfor you.”

He couldn’t respond to that, other than to cry some more, and she moved to wrap her arms around him. His face planted in the crook of her shoulder, and he sobbed for a long, long time.

Chapter 12

At Least He Made MeBreakfast

Helena woke up in her bed with no sure memory of how she got there. She lay under her warm covers, feeling like if she just stayed still enough, she’d go back to sleep and right back into the delicious dream she had been inhabiting.

Her bladder had other plans. “Oh hell,” she muttered and dragged herself out of bed. Just as she crossed her hall to go toward her bathroom, however, she heard aclinking in her kitchen. She froze in place, her heart beating rapid-fire tattoos. Someone was inher house!

There were moreclinks and the sound of frying.

Someone was cooking?

Helena held still, desperately trying to remember. Did she bring someone home last night?

She had!

The memory of the previous night rose from the depths of her sleepy brain. Cautiously, she crept down her short hall to peek into her kitchen. Just as she pressed the door free from the jamb, it jumped open. Rafferty, still looking like a human, stood on the other side.

“Good morning!” he said formally, bowing his head once to her.

“Hi,” she returned lamely, feeling terribly awkward, especially in the face of his good humor.

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