Page 52 of The Demon's Discovery
I tightened my arms around her, my mist doing the same and curling around her protectively. She snuggled further into me, and I pressed a kiss into her hair. “What did you see?” she asked. At my confused silence, she added, “In my memories?”
“Not what we hoped for.”
“Oh.” Disappointment was profound in the single syllable. “Does it change? Like if we were to try again, would you see something new?”
“Yes, probably. But it’s unpredictable. I could sample your blood fifty times and never get what we’re looking for. Or I could have seen it the first try. There’s no way to request what I’m shown or sift through what’s there. I’m presented with what I’m presented with.”
She yawned. “That’s okay. We’ll try again. It might not matter anyway, right? If Magnus’s daughter can help?”
“Perhaps. Go to sleep, Greta. We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Everything is clearer in the daylight.”
Her breathing slowed into an even, deep cadence and I found myself relaxing as well, falling into some of the deepest, most peaceful rest I’d had in a very long time.
An insistent tappingroused me from my deep sleep.
I cracked one eye open and found the large black bird perched outside my window, head tilted as he searched with his one good eye for Greta. The object of our mutual affection was curled on her side next to me, hands fisted near her chest, wild curls splayed over the pillow. The scent of her was everywhere, on my skin, in my sheets. It stirred everything inside me that was protective, possessive. I’d spent most of my time earth-side avoiding such entanglements, but with her… everything was different.
Greta stirred as the raven tapped on the glass again, more insistently this time. “I don’t have any treats for you this morning, bird,” she grumbled, and while I hated that he’d woken her, I was glad to get my first opportunity to see her all sleep rumpled as she stirred.
“Shall I tell him?” I asked, leaning over to kiss her temple.
“Mm. He probably won’t believe you. He’s quite pushy. If I don’t have anything in my room for him, I try to take something out to leave in the courtyard for him to find after breakfast.”
“Well, I see why he’s so insistent. You’ve spoiled him,” I joked, sliding out from between the sheets and tugging on some pants.
“He was like this when I got here,” she laughed.
Now that I was good and awake, the pressing issues we had to discuss were pressing at my awareness with ferocity. Not the least of which was explaining to her that I was feeling the sensations of a mate bond.
I regretted having gotten carried away before telling her everything, worried that she might not be pleased with such anomission on my part. But I wouldn’t change a single thing that happened between us. I felt calm, truly at peace, for the first time in ages. I was selfish, perhaps, but unrepentant where she was concerned.
“Greta, we need—” I was interrupted by a new knocking, what I could only assume was a meaty fist on the outside of my door.
“Demon, you awake? Grace is serving breakfast, and I have news.”
“I’m awake, stone man. What news?” I glanced at Greta with regret, her eyes were wide as she sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest.
“Ophelia has agreed to meet.”
“Indeed? When?”
“This afternoon. Come downstairs, we can discuss it face-to-face instead of me speaking to a blasted door.”
“Alright. I’ll be down in a moment. Shall I retrieve Greta? This concerns her as well.” I winked at her, getting an eye roll in response as she threw back the sheets and pulled on her pants. I watched without shame, sad that she was covering up all that glorious skin. I ached to get my hands on it all over again.
“Yes, that’s a good idea. Hurry up, would you?”
“I’m not one of your soldiers, quit ordering me around. I’ll be down momentarily.” He snorted, his heavy footsteps moved away from the door and Greta sagged, a breath filtering out from between her lips. “You have nothing to be ashamed of, Dragonfly.”
“I know,” she sighed, pulling on the shirt I’d given her, which she’d had to search for since she’d flung it across the room after removing it. “But I’ve never had an uncle to disappoint, and I feel like I’m sneaking around behind his back right now.”
“You kind of are,” I teased. She tilted her head, eyes narrowed. Before she could move away, I gathered her in for a proper kiss.
“I’ll meet you downstairs,” she said once we separated. “I want to clean up first.”
“Alright. But Greta, there’s something else I need to speak to you about.”
“Will it take long?” she asked.
