Page 3 of Traveling with Gentlemen
"I wish we were closer," I said, passing the binoculars to Ezra.
"It's for the best that we aren't," Mr. Tanner said.
"Mermaids are very dangerous," Amon added with a respectful nod. "And from here, you're missing the sight of their claws and fangs."
"Tails strong enough to drag a man to the bottom of the sea," Auguste said, pale eyes staring out over the water.
"I can hear them," Booker said softly. Around me, Amon, Auguste, and Mr. Tanner all hummed in unsettled agreement.
And they must not have been alone, because the imp's music had fallen into silence, and when I stretched to look around Mr. Tanner's protective frame, I found the railing of the yacht now lined with all the monsters, each one facing left, staring over the water. Listening.
"Close your eyes, little one," Mr. Tanner rasped, one arm holding me tight to his body.
I did so, and his heartbeat was steady in my ear. A hush fell over the ship, over the sea, a peaceful stillness. And then a breeze carried the mermaids' song, a painful melody, a pleading harmony. A cry for help and a promise of peace. I arched into the music and tried to push away Mr. Tanner's arm, but he held me fast.
"Watch Ezra," Auguste warned in a whisper.
"I have him," Booker said.
Their voices were pure yearning, and tears pooled in my eyes at being restrained, my heart aching. But there was comfort in Mr. Tanner's embrace too, his familiar warmth and rich scent. He reached his free hand up to tuck my head against his chest, covering my ear and breaking the spell. I sighed and sagged against him.
"We're lucky we're not closer," Mr. Tanner said, his voice rumbling against my muffled ear. I couldn't hear the answer from the others.
"Are there mermen?" I asked, probably a little too loudly with my ears plugged.
Mr. Tanner didn't pull his hand away, but I felt his laughter as a warm and cheerful vibration surrounding me.
* * *
One by one,I kissed my gentlemen goodnight. My eyelids were heavy and the sky behind me was a soft blue-gray. The rest of the ship staff would be up and at work soon, and the monsters were retiring from their night of revelry at last.
"I'm glad you're feeling better," I said to Jonathon as we paused outside of his suite door.
He hummed and stroked his faintly stubbled cheek against mine. "Tomorrow night we'll all enjoy you in my room together, if you like. The witches gave us a charm for privacy, as well as my cure."
My eyes widened at that news, and Jonathon kissed me before I could suggest we go to bed togethernowrather than later.
"Sleep, Miss Reed," Jonathon murmured, pulling away and flashing a smile at Auguste over my shoulder. "Put her to bed."
I sighed and stepped back into the circle of Auguste's arms as Jonathon closed the door. "Do you want to sneak up to the deck and watch the sunrise together?" I whispered to Auguste. It was what we'd done most mornings since Amon's gift of turning Auguste into a daywalker, and I liked our little ritual, liked watching Auguste's face light up with wonder as the sky did.
"Mm…not today," Auguste said, holding onto one hand and sliding away, leading me to our own door.
"Are you tired?" I asked, eyebrows raising.
We were still learning the effects of Amon's gift, and I tried to recall if Auguste had spent an entire day and night awake yet. He was pale now, but he was always pale, and preferred to keep out of direct sunlight when it was high in the sky.
"A bit," Auguste said, opening our door and guiding me inside. His lips curved in a calm smile and I released a nervous breath.
I was grateful to Amon for arranging me in a room with Auguste. After nearly losing him to Birsha in the underground tunnels of Rooksgrave, I still suffered from anxiety when we were separated.
"Come here, mon coeur," Auguste whispered as I closed the door.
I turned to reach him, my eyes falling shut and a long breath releasing as Auguste pulled me close. His face pressed to my throat as I arched into his arms and he groaned, breathing heavily against my pulse.
"Oh. You're hungry," I said, smiling and blinking up at the ceiling.
Auguste's arms tightened around my waist and he ground his hips against mine. He was growing hard. Hungry and aroused went hand in hand.
