Page 83 of Changeling
Sebastian and I stand side by side on the dirt road, the forest at our backs, his hand still firmly in mine, staring at the little wooden house. It’s painted white, although much of the paint has flaked away to reveal the wooden planks beneath. Everything is in need of repairs not just the fence but the well, the floor, the roof, the barn, hell, probably the chimney too.
He leans in close. “A house?”
A nervous jitter tickles my chest and throat. What if he doesn’t like it? What if this was a mistake?
“It’s very nice,” he says politely, confusion lacing his tone.Niceis being generous.
Right, I ought to explain. “It’s been abandoned nearly a generation. When the owners died, their children were all living in Pest. The farm hadn’t been operational for another ten years before that. They sold it to me for a fair price, and I mean to fix it up.”
Next to me, Sebastian begins to laugh, and I don’t know why. My anxiety ratchets higher. “What’s funny?”
“I’m sorry. I love it, Dominus. Truly I do.” He holds on to my arm and squeezes. “But it’s hilarious. I’ve spent our time apart pouring over every book I could get my hands on, studying spells, curses, magic, taking lessons, and practicing until I fell into bed already asleep, all to free you from the Kingdom of Hungary. Meanwhile, you’ve been buying the most lovely of homes right here outside of Pest. You must admit it’s a little bit funny.” He steps in front of me, grabs my collar, and yanks me down for a kiss. “It’s perfect.”
A sigh of relief passes from my mouth to his. I draw back. “Camel spit, you had me worried. I thought you didn’t like it.”
“Of course I like it! I love it!” His grin says it’s true. “Take me inside. I want the whole tour.”
“It’ll be a very short tour.”
“Is there a bedroom?”
“Two of them.”
He winks. “One will do.”
Saucy little imp. “It’s unfurnished. I haven’t even started the repairs. The house won’t be remotely livable until summer at the earliest.”
Sebastian’s running ahead. “The floor is all we need for what I’ve got in mind.”
I tromp to catch up. Sounds good to me. But… “Sebastian, it’s freezing!”
“Not if I have anything to say about it.”
We pound up the front steps. Miraculously, they don’t crumble beneath our feet. The foundation, at least, is solid. He throws open the door, and we cross over the threshold together. I’m holding my breath.
“Oh, it’s wonderful!” He stops in the center of the den and spins. “So many windows. And this fireplace. I can imagine us here all cozy and warm next winter solstice. Show me the rest.”
“Well, there isn’t much more to it. A kitchen through there, and those doors are bedrooms. The outhouse is in the back, not far.”
Sebastian’s footsteps echo in the empty home as he peers into each room, the grin never leaving his face. When he turns to me, eyes sparkling, he opens his arms and beckons me closer. I’m drawn to him by an invisible force that always tethers us together.
“This is incredible. Is this what you want? To live here together. I’m not misunderstanding?” he asks.
I nod, but inside, joy is bubbling that he seems agreeable. “Yes. There’s a lot I don’t know. I may always need The Twig or something like it for the demon to have its fill. I don’t know of any incubi in committed relationships with only one other person, but that’s what I want most. Only you.”
He strokes my cheeks. His fingers trail down to my neck, then clasp my shoulders. “I’ll never begrudge you a meal from anywhere you choose to seek it, my love. Please don’t worry about that.”
It’s hard not to. Just the idea of feeding off anyone else is upsetting. “Thank you for understanding. We’ll have to learn together.”
“I look forward to it.” A smirk. “I say we begin now.”
“We’ll freeze!”
“We won’t. Give me a moment.” He steps back and raises his palms the way Remigius does.
I wait patiently, with questions dancing on my tongue, but I don’t want to interrupt him. At first, nothing happens, but then the air is warming. Winter’s chill leaves my cheeks for the sunshiny embrace of a hot summer’s afternoon. Amazing.
A blanket appears from nowhere and spreads itself upon the floor next to us. Apparently, he’s learned that trick too. And a remarkable one at that.
