Page 22 of Wicked Love
“Or I shall remain convinced that it was the pleasure of the body that has stolen away your power,” Zelda said formally.
I stared at her for a moment, and then my eye caught the dirt. The same dirt that Jasper had been brushing off his feet when he came back from the bathroom. Goddess save me, I hope he didn’t think anything other than I’m a crap housekeeper. I did not need him nosing around. Not when he was already asking about my mom.
And he thought she might be alive! I shook my head. I supposed the library had to take in all reports, but this one was such a whopper.
“What?” asked Zelda.
“Let’s go check the laundry shed,” I said, picking her up. “Jasper stepped in some of the dirt we left. Might as well get rid of it.” Together with my friend the skull, I went into the shed, and Zelda used a dusting spell to get the last of the grave dirt out. Then she and I went back into the house. I poured a cup of coffee, adding in cream.
“You should sleep,chéri,” Zelda said.
“I know, but I’m all wound up.”
“Nothing that you do tonight will make a difference. The man we disagree over is not going to return—”
“How do you know?” I asked.
She made a noise that sounded like a snort.
“All right, whatever.” I got up, tucking her under my arm, and went back to my room. I put the coffee on the nightstand, and went to my office to find Zelda’s reliquary.
“Bring me into your room,” she said.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to be in here on my own. I’ve had quite enough alone time,” Zelda said.
“Fine.” I put her skull back in, and carried the whole thing to my room. She went on the chest on the other side of my bed.
I got into bed, and finished my coffee. Caffeine notwithstanding, as I sat in bed going over the evening. I kept moving back and forth between the idea that my mom was alive, and the amazing sex I’d had with Jasper. It was literally the best sex ever. I mean, ever. He was thoughtful, but in control and I found that I liked it.
Normally, I hated anyone attempting to direct or control me. So much of my life had been directed by things I hadn’t done, and people who weren’t me. But with Jasper—something about him made me feel safe to let him be in control.
Just thinking about it made my panties wet again. I rubbed my legs together, wishing he was here for round two.
I hoped he’d call.
I hoped we’d covered our tracks with the bodies well enough.
I hoped my mom was alive.
Well, two out of three wouldn’t be so bad, would it? I set the now-empty cup on the nightstand and turned out the light.
“Night, Zelda.”
“Goodnight, Melasina,” she said.
“Thanks for your help today.”
“It was my pleasure.”
We both were silent, and I felt myself drifting off to sleep.
I wasn’t awake, and I wasn’t asleep, but I was… aware. I was in a hallway. Creamy walls, dark wood, and paintings lined the walls. I could hear footsteps ahead of me, and I followed. We moved down, and I recognized where we were.
The crypts.
Runes both carved and burned, covered the thick wooden doors. A man in front of me held out his hand. After a long moment, the heavy wooden doors opened.
