Page 94 of The Book Reader
“He can be, I have some control over him… he is me after all.” He grins. “But he’s never been topside before. If he was… then yes, he would be dangerous.”
“Can I meet him properly?” I ask, but Gaelan starts to shake his head.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea… not after everything that happened.”
“What happened, Gaelan?” I then roll out of the rest and stand up, annoyed that with everything that’s happened, he still wants to coddle me. “I was safe inyourarms, fast asleep inyourcastle—that has wards, Hell-horses and hounds, might I add. Wewere surrounded by a lake that can kill anyone who crosses it, and I still managed to get out.” Tears fall from my eyes again in frustration. I know I shouldn’t be taking this out on him.
“I was a shimmer away from being in Macy’s palace.” I pull in a shaky breath. “They attacked me, Gaelan. I tried to fight so hard… I tried and it didn’t work. And now I havetheseon my wrists”—I hold up the hands showing him the cuffs again— “If I fall asleep tonight and end up sleepwalking or if someone comes for me, I’m even more helpless than I was before. I can’t use any of my spells.” I hug my arms around my waist. “I’m scared to go to sleep, Gaelan, and I’m so tired.” Gaelan climbs off the nest and comes to stand in front of me.
“Will Trelor make you feel safer?” I can see how much it hurts him to ask that question.
I shake my head and reach up to touch his cheek. “You make me feel safe. I just want something to take my mind off… all these thoughts. Let me meet the other you.”
Gaelan leans into my hand, then turns slightly to kiss the palm, his eyes flashing bright blue, as he steps back from me, his eyes never leaving mine.
Bones crack as he shifts his head to the side. I watch in amazement as he grows in height. Gaelan is tall, but Trelor must be over seven feet in height. His skin shifts into a light blue with black, almost tribal markings all over. His muscles grow larger and more defined. His face changes shape slightly; he loses that handsome look, turning into something more devastating, something out of this world. His chest is bare, and his lower half has Gaelan’s now-ripped sweatpants on. He turns ever so slightly, and I see that he has a tail, with a fluffy black tip and enormous black wings attached to his back. Stepping back, I lift my eyes to his face to find him staring at me, his eyes studying me like he’s ready to pounce, his chest heaving with his breath.
“Trelor?” My voice is gentle.
He licks his lips slowly and steps closer to me, his tail lifting into the air, moving quickly to wrap around my waist, pulling me tightly into him. He lowers his head and breathes across my neck, inhaling me. He growls as he says, “Mine!”
I go to take a step back; his tail tightens around me, holding me in place and making me gasp. Looking up into his eyes, I smile softly.
“Ari-Rose, like nest? I built for you.” He questions me, then flicks his eyes over to the nest that Gaelan and I were lying on. I nod my head a little. He seems so proud of what he’s done. “Ari-Rose does not like?”
“I love it, Trelor. I’ve just never slept in a nest before.” I admit.
He grins, then releases his hold on me and walks over to the nest, sniffing the air. He growls, the sound sending a shiver over my body. Both in fear and excitement. “Tiny daemon was here. Gaelan was in a nest?”
“We both were.”
His head jerks toward me, his face the perfect mix of danger and lust. “I don’t share nest with tiny daemon, just Trelor and Ari-Rose.” With that, he moves over to the window and jumps out.
“Trelor?” I scream as I rush over, but he’s gone before I can see which way he went.
Folding my arms around myself, I finally take in the room. The walls are painted black, the floor is made of stone, and there is no carpet or rug on the ground. To the left is the massive pile of leaves, feathers, and sticks that Trelor called a nest. There’s no TV, but there’s a bookshelf and weapons on the right side. I walk over to the shelf and notice a photo of Trelor with a woman wrapped in his tail; she has amber colored eyes.
“That Lauren-Rose.” I jump at hearing Trelor’s voice and turn to see him holding a pile of leaves and some kind of blanket.He walks over to the nest and starts ripping out the side where Gaelan was, replacing it with new leaves, and then adds a new blanket. “I forgot, mate gets cold.” He turns to me, his eyes flickering between me and the nest and then back again.
“It looks comfortable.” I smile and walk over to him.
“Ari-Rose does not like?”
He goes to leave again, but I place my hand on his chest to stop him. “I love it.” I walk over and climb in—it’s a lot more comfortable than I thought it would be. Trelor just stares at me, his jaw ticking.
“Trelor? Is everything okay?”
“Ari-Rose does not fear me. I do not hurt you. Never.” His eyes soften for a moment, letting me see a side to him that I’m betting no one else does. I get the same feelings I do with Gaelan, the one that settles over my heart, making me fall for this daemon even though I don’t know him, just like with Gaelan.
I reach my hand out. “Will you lie with me?”
His chest heaves up and down with each breath, his eyes traveling over my body and making me shiver with lust. He inhales, and a growl leaves his lips as his eyes come to settle on mine. He climbs into the nest and wraps his tail around me, pulling me closer to him.
“Ari-Rose sleeps. Trelor keeps watch better than a tiny daemon.” His eyes flash darker as he wraps his arms around me and lowers his head to breathe me in again. “Ari-Rose smells so good.”
I smile, and I can feel my body relaxing against his. “What do I smell like?”
He growls. “Roses. Need.”
