Page 38 of The Rowan
“Good. We want you to feel comfortable here,” he murmurs. “Also, Reyna is downstairs. Do you want me to escort her up?”
Frowning, I wonder what she could want, but I doubt it’s anything I want the rest of the club staff to overhear. “Yes, please send her up. I need to dry my hair and get dressed.”
He nods, then strides closer to me, backing me into the door. “Before I leave, I need to clear up this little misunderstanding between us.”
“Misunderstanding?” I ask, frowning.
He sweeps an icy finger down my cheek, causing me to shiver. “You always have my attention. Whether you’re working, training with Valerian and Astor, bending back the finger of an incubus who’s clearly overstepped his bounds, threatening Amelie, or manipulating Caro, I see you.” Theron picks up my hand. “When you’re not in sight, I wonder what you’re doing, and sometimes I worry. When I organize my day, I make sure it includes an excuse to see you. Attention? I wouldn’t worry about something so mundane. You captured my attention the first night you came here.” He strokes a hand over my head, then shifts me to the side of the door. I blink, and he’s gone.
I guess that’s what happens when you push an arrogant Fae’s buttons. I smile, determined to do it more often. He needs to let loose. I groan as I picture all that control flying out the window, and let’s just say I desperately want it.
With a sigh, I run my hand over my hair and realize it’s dry. Theron must have dried it when he had me up against the door. I quickly dress, finishing just as another knock sounds on the door.
When I open the door this time, Reyna stands on the other side. I step back and leave the door open. While I don’t consider us enemies, we’re not friends, either.
“Hello, Reyna. This is a surprise. How’s Santiago doing after last night’s battle?” I ask, motioning for her to step into the room.
She scans the room, eyes trailing from my grimoire on the desk to the weapons on the wall. “He’s sore, but with a few potions, he’s healing fast. I’m surprised to see you up, though. Based on the description he gave me of your wounds, I expected you to be down for a week, at least.” Suspicion rings in her voice. “He sent me here to check on you. See if you had enough potions.”
“Hmm…Astor makes remarkable potions,” I answer vaguely. “And thank you for checking on me. I’m actually on my way out to meet Cassandra. You’re welcome to come.”
She snorts. “No, an afternoon shopping with Cassandra and her posse is at the top of my never fucking ever list, but thanks. I’ll let my father know how well you’re doing.” Reyna pauses. “Word of advice? Cassandra is worse than Caro. At least Caro cares about the good of the coven. Cassandra? She only cares about Cassandra. Don’t trust her.”
* * *
Before I meet with Cassandra,I stop by Astor’s room. When I don’t find him there, I text Theron, who keeps tabs on all of us. Theron gives me directions to Astor’s lab, and orders me to remind Astor that he needs to eat and sleep. Apparently, he spends a lot of time in the lab experimenting with spells and potions. Who knew my favorite warlock was a magical nerd? Of course, he’s the only warlock I know, but it’s kind of sexy when I think about it.
The door is open when I get to the lab, and I find Astor pouring liquid from one beaker to the other. Standing silently in the doorway, I watch him. His face is serious and full of concentration as he carefully mixes the two liquids. Once the left beaker is full, he swirls the liquid, turning it from lime green to a stunning purple. He sets the full beaker on the stand in front of him and places the empty beaker in a nearby sink.
“Wow, the sexy incubus is actually a bona fide nerd,” I tease, walking quietly into the room. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. Your reputation would only benefit, and you have a big enough head already.”
Startled, Astor whips around and grabs my hand. “Gorgeous!” He lifts it to place a kiss on the inside of my wrist. “So, you think nerds are sexy, huh? Should I put on a pair of glasses and a white coat? We could role play. You know, I could be the mad scientist and you could be my research assistant. We could experiment together.”
I laugh loudly at his antics. “Hmm…as tempting as that sounds, I need to be somewhere in twenty minutes. I came here to ask you for a favor,” I tell him. Though, I am tempted to stay and play with this Astor. Who knew Astor could shed the intensely sexual incubus role for this more playful and nerdier one?
His smile dims with my response. “What can I do for you?”
“When we were at Amelie’s house, I noticed you had a truth rune tattooed on your arm. Is this something you could tattoo on me?” I bite my lip, waiting for his response.
His eyes are serious as he weighs my request. “I could, but I wouldn’t do that to you. Speaking from experience, it’s the most brutal rune on my body. People lie all the time. Little lies, big lies. Feeling the rune flare every time someone lies shreds any faith you have in them. It’s like dying from a thousand paper cuts. But when the lie comes from the closest of friends or lovers, it cuts to the bone, shattering your love for them. If I had to do it all over again, knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t do it. I can’t grant this favor. I’m sorry, gorgeous.” His eyes beseech me to understand the cruelty of my request.
I can’t help it, I hug him tightly. “I understand. I only wanted to use it as an advantage on my enemies, not as a weapon for my friends and family. Whether I’m using it on them or they’re inadvertently using it on me, I refuse to sacrifice those relationships.” I sweep his auburn hair back from his face. “And now that I know how you feel about the rune, I’ll try to make sure I lie to you every day.”
“Why would you lie to me?”
I smirk. “Because you like a little pain. Don’t worry. They’ll be little white lies. Small, tiny stings designed to make your blood sing.”
His eyes light up in delight. “Hmm, kinky. I like it. Now kiss me before you leave.”
I tease him with a kiss on the corner of his mouth. “Make sure you eat and drink something today. See you later, my mad scientist.”
* * *
“My mother tellsme you’re completing the final two bloodline tests on the same day and holding your placement ceremony immediately afterwards,” Cassandra remarks. Tilting her head to the side, she considers me.
My face blank, I blandly reply, “Really? Nobody’s mentioned it to me.”
“My mother is impatient to find out your bloodlines so she can finish tracing your lineage back to your parents,” she informs me. “I’m not sure why she’s waiting. The Martinez family has withheld bloodline six from the coven for years. And I doubt you’re a descendant of the Lee family, like me.”
