Page 53 of Christa's Obsession

Silas, like her, didn’t get to say much, but he tucked into the food, groaning in approval as he tried all the dishes covering the table.

“The food is delicious, Christa,” Silas murmured minutes later when there was a break in the conversation.

“I helped,” Wanda said, though she could admit she’d probably been more of a hindrance.

“You did indeed, my love.” Christa’s smile gave Wanda a warm feeling in the center of her chest, even when all the men looked at her.

“She’s real bossy,” Benra said in a stage whisper. “You have to learn to distract her.”

Wanda giggled, feeling included in a way she hadn’t considered was possible. “I already know how to distract her, don’t worry.”

Everyone burst out laughing when Christa blushed bright pink. “That you do.” She nudged Wanda’s full plate of food closer to her. “Now eat up, or you won’t get dessert.”

Wanda searched Christa’s expression. Wanda couldn’t quite tell if she was serious and having licked the spoon clean earlier, she spiked a crispy potato on the end of her fork. She dipped it in the peppercorn sauce and popped it into her mouth, and waved her empty fork at Christa. No one wanted to miss out on dessert, especially when it was a chocolate and cream combo.

This got more laughter from the others.

She mumbled around the potato, “I licked the spoon, I’m not daft.”

Christa placed a hand on her knee, squeezing gently, and answered Luka’s question. The sense of connection was there. The life of a dryad was a lonely existence until they found their tree. There were so few of them left in the world, andthey preferred their own company to that of other dryads. Her parents were the same. They had no time for her or Silas.

When Silas left, Wanda had felt cast adrift and quickly followed her brother because she much preferred company to being alone.

As her eyes swept around the table, the four siblings were the epitome of family. Her own weren’t the ones to give her a sense of what an actual family was like. No, that had been Silas and Dougal.

Dougal. Her heart ached at what her conversation with the king had revealed. What he must have suffered, both of them. Yet, she’d felt the burst of life, of energy in the forest and understood Asmodeus had finally chosen what he wanted over his fear.

“So Wanda, is it you I have to thank for being left to do all the work?”

Wanda’s gaze flew to Luka, the piece of meat she was in the process of swallowing caught in her throat. Coughing violently, Christa smacked her on the back, reaching for her water glass. “Here, have a drink.” She glared at Luka. “Did you have to say that!”

“Sorry.”

“So you should be,” Christa snapped back, holding the glass to Wanda’s lips despite the fact she’d reached out to take it herself.

“It’s me you should blame,” Silas said, chuckling. “It is Dakata’s business.”

“He has a choice. I could get someone else to run the business,” Dakata replied, jabbing his fork at Luka, his gaze searching Silas’s, who smiled guilelessly.

“You love it.” Benra stared Luka down. “I’ve never seen you so happy, so give it up pretending to be annoyed.”

Luka gave him a big ass grin and shoving a honey roasted carrot in his mouth.

“I’m fine.” Wanda gently nudged the glass away when Christa tried to drown her.

“It’s a good job, or someone would have gotten their demon ass kicked,” she threatened Luka, who just laughed at her.

“Children,” Dakata groaned, but his eyes held a wealth of amusement.

It never stopped. They continued on through the meal, onto dessert and clean up. They all helped, notwithstanding the moaning and complaining. By the time everyone was getting ready to leave, the sun had dipped in the sky and Wanda found herself with three additional brothers.

“Don’t leave it so long next time,” Benra murmured, kissing Christa’s cheek, before moving to do the same to Wanda.

“Not if Christa is cooking,” Luka replied, holding up the covered dish of leftovers.

More cheek kisses and finally they were gone, leaving Wanda mentally exhausted, but content.

Christa sat down on the couch and dragged Wanda down next to her. She groaned and laid her head back on the couch, closing her eyes. “Remind me again why I thought this would be a good idea? They always give me a damn headache.”

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