Page 56 of Guardian of Shadows

“You mean scare the crap out of her?” Lilly chided.

“Well, yes, but—”

“No buts. Let’s save the portalling for another day. We need to go so that Elle can get some rest. It’s late, and she’s had a traumatic day.”

Anthony appreciated Lilly’s thoughtfulness. Being Goyles, they didn’t require much sleep. He needed to remember that his mate did, especially after all she’d been through. He had periodically checked Elle’s mood through the bond, and she had been upbeat. He assumed that was from being around all her siblings. Their group returned inside, and when Tabitha offered to do the dishes, Elle waved her off.

“I’ve got this.”

“No, really. I don’t mind. Like Lilly said, you’ve had a long day.”

“Trust her, Tabby. She’s got it. Since there are no leftovers, do your thing, Sweetheart.”

Elle waved her arms in the air, and the kitchen was immaculate.”

Tabitha gasped. “Borrowing Nekoma’s words, what is this sorcery?”

Elle winked at her. “Not sorcery. Fae magic.”

The Dubois family left soon after, and Tabitha offered to either show Nekoma to one of the guest rooms or keep him company so that Anthony could take Elle to bed. After making sure the fae was okay with hanging out with Tabby and their parents, Anthony did exactly that. It was going on one in the morning, and he was ready for some alone time with his mate. After saying their goodnights, Anthony led Elle to their bedroom and closed the door.

Standing just inside the room, Elle looked around. He stepped close, hugging her from behind. “I want to take you shopping so you can buy things you like for the house.”

“I don’t need things, Tony.”

“It’s not about needing them, Sweetheart. It’s about having things that call to you. Things that make the house feel like yours. This is your home now, and I want it to reflect you and your personality. We need to shop for clothes too.”

Elle turned and slid her hands up his chest, clasping her hands behind his neck. “Okay.”

“Yeah?” Anthony rubbed his nose against hers before pressing a kiss to the edge of her mouth.

“Yeah.” Elle angled her head so that their lips aligned. Anthony dropped his hands to her ass and lifted. Elle wrapped her long legs around him, and he walked her to the bed, where he placed her on her feet. He wanted to rip her clothes off and make love to her, but instead, he pulled the covers down first. Then he slowly undressed her, admiring each part of her body he unwrapped. He’d noticed in Norway that her underwear was basic. Anthony wondered if that was because it was cheaper or if she didn’t like lacy garments. He planned to buy her sexy lingerie either way. If she didn’t like wearing it, he would know through their bond.

Once they were both naked, he directed her to the bed. Anthony covered her with his larger body and slid his cock into her wetness. He kissed his mate to drown out her moans and words of encouragement while taking her slowly. Sex before Elle had been good, sometimes great. He loved the physicality of it. What he had been missing was the intimacy. It amazed Anthony how connected they were in body and spirit.

He didn’t make her wait to find her release since she needed to sleep. Anthony ignored his beast’s request to bite her again because when that happened, his mate flew apart loudly. He wouldn’t embarrass her with his family in the house.

After cleaning her with a warm washcloth, Anthony lay down and pulled Elle close. He needed to ask about birth control, something he should have done before claiming her in Norway. Anthony wanted kids but not this soon into their relationship. He wanted to have a few years together, only the two of them. With his job, he wouldn’t be able to spend as much time with Elle as he would like, so Anthony wanted to be selfish with what time they would have together without adding a baby to the mix.

He opened his mouth to broach the subject, but Elle’s breathing had already slowed. His poor, sweet fae. Anthony thanked the gods for sparing their lives and for Nekoma being able to remove the sigil. He didn’t know if Elle would thank her goddess since she refused to intervene. It was odd that Queen Zarina was the daughter of the goddess and could actually call on her mother and physically see her. At least that’s how it sounded when they’d discussed the issue in Norway. Anthony didn’t put a lot of thought into his gods and where they resided, but he wholeheartedly believed in them and gave them his gratitude for having such an amazing life. And now that he had Elle? His life was even better.

Chapter 18

Elle had never been spoiled, but after shopping all day, she admitted to herself she could get used to it. Tony let Elle sleep until she woke on her own, and by the time she did, it was close to ten. Elle turned down breakfast, but she did inhale a cup of coffee and took an insulated mug with her to sip as they drove to a shopping area. Instead of it being just her and Tony, his parents went with them, and they included a glamoured Nekoma so he could see more of this new-to-him world. Tabitha had to return to her job, but she promised Elle they would get together soon for a girl’s only day out. When Elle asked Tony if he was okay with that, he insisted he was, telling Elle it would be good for her to get to know the females of the Clan. Elle was excited at the prospect.

Not only did Anthony buy Elle way too many clothes, he also had Nekoma choose items for himself since he only had the one tunic and pair of pants. When Tessa suggested new shoes, Nekoma declined, stating his boots were fine. Elle didn’t push him to accept more gifts. She knew how it felt to be beholden to someone.

After shopping for clothes, Gregor drove them to a restaurant called Colden’s Key, which was owned by a Gargoyle and his human mate, who happened to be one of Tony’s cousins by marriage. Another two cousins ran the location. Chelle was the head chef, while her brother, Robbie, was general manager. Both were human and had been adopted by Tony’s uncle, Sinclair. Elle would never remember all their names. Each day, she was introduced to or told about even more of them.

When Chelle found out her family was there, she came out of the kitchen and greeted them. Instead of allowing them to order, Chelle promised to fix something special for the group. It had been the best meal of Elle’s life. Nekoma had a million questions about the dishes and ingredients, and Tessa and Gregor did their best to answer them. When they couldn’t, Tessa promised to ask Chelle later.

Next, they went to a store that sold household items. Elle had bought a few things from a thrift store for her bedroom at the farmhouse. On Evyndral, the fae sewed and knitted their blankets and pillows, then bartered at the market for vegetables and herbs. The quality was excellent, but there hadn’t been a large selection, so when Elle stepped foot into the home goods store? She stopped and stared, not knowing where to start. Anthony took the decision away from her, insisting they go up and down every aisle. It helped that Tessa was there, providing humorous commentary. Nekoma was equally as enthralled. Since he had no money, Anthony offered to purchase whatever Nekoma wanted, but again, he declined, so Elle tossed a few things her brother admired into the shopping cart, stating they were for her. Fae didn’t celebrate birthdays in the same fashion as humans and Gargoyles did, but Elle figured she had at least thirty sun cycles of well-wishes to make up for where Nekoma was concerned.

When they got home, Elle showed Nekoma how to use the washing machine. She was proud of her brother for not getting overwhelmed with all the new sights and sounds as they went about their day. Then again, he had three willing Gargoyles to answer any and all questions, unlike Elle who’d had to figure everything out on her own.

As wonderful as spending so much time with Gregor and Tessa was, it had Elle missing her own father. Not a day passed that she didn’t think about Ballymar. In all the excitement, she had forgotten to ask the twins if they had seen their father since joining the royal guard. Before meeting Tony, Elle dreamed of returning to Summerland and her home there. Now she had a mate who she loved beyond measure. That didn’t mean Elle wouldn’t want to some day visit Ballymar, but her home was with Tony and his Clan. The twins had a responsibility as guardians, but now that Nekoma was in her life, he could portal her to Norway so she could visit with Yari and Trinity. Elle never had friends, but now she did. Living on Earth was turning out to be more than she could have dreamed of.

Gregor and Tessa were cooking supper while Elle, Tony, and Nekoma were watching Practical Magic at Nekoma’s request. Tony looked toward the front window and said, “We have company.” He paused the movie, and soon after, the front door opened, and two females entered. One, Elle recognized as Harlow, but the other was a stranger. She had red hair, not as bright as Tessa’s, and vibrant green eyes. Elle had no doubt she was a strong Gargoyle, but the energy emanating from Harlow was powerful. If it weren’t for her smile and kind eyes, Elle would have called forth fireballs to protect herself. What was it Tony had said she was? A Gargoyle and Gryphon hybrid?

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