Page 23 of God Touched

"And why would I do that? Trouble is good to get into," Aisling replied, shooting Imogen a wink.

"Imogen gets into more than most, and I don't like that Arawan is too interested in her."

Imogen snorted. "He's only interested in me paying off my debt to him."

"Stop lying to yourself, Gen."

"You can't make me," Imogen replied and stuck her tongue out at him. Aisling roared with laughter. Imogen choked hers down when Arawan appeared in the kitchen doorway.

"Ah, we have to go, Kian. Love you!" Imogen said and hung up quickly. She didn't know why she felt like she had been caught out.

Aisling rallied, giving Arawan a short bow. "My lord."

"Sorceress. What did you find on the borders?" he asked, his eyes not looking away from Imogen. She tried to ignore the stare and his heady dragon blood smell that was twice as strong because he wasn't covered in horde creature.

Arawan wore loose-fitting black pants and a black shirt that crossed over his chest diagonally. Not exactly PJs, but definitely relaxed. It made Imogen feel a little bit less self-conscious about her clothes.

Aisling looked between them curiously before she quickly replied, "The wards were definitely tampered with. One whole section had been removed and patched with another. I couldn't get a read off the magic like I hoped; it was done too well. It felt similar to yours like they had copied it somehow so not to alert you."

Arawan crossed his arms. "So an above average magic-user. Did you see any signs of more creatures?"

"There were three sets of tracks in the mud, so hopefully, that was all of them. The warriors are still checking the grounds. I can build something subtle into the warding tomorrow that will alert us to anyone touching them," Aisling replied.

"That would be helpful. We can do that in the morning, and I can see this remaking for myself," Arawan said. He looked back at Imogen. "You can join us."

Imogen saluted him. "Yes, boss."

Aisling's eyes went wide at her sarcastic tone. "I'll be going to rest so I am prepared for tomorrow's magic. Goodnight, my lord. Imogen." She backed out of the room quickly and disappeared. Traitor.

Arawan leaned against the far end of the table. His eyes glanced down at what remained of her sandwiches and red wine dinner.

"Why have you cooked for yourself?" he asked.

"Why wouldn't I? There was no one around, and food isn't going to magically make itself."

Arawan's frown was instantaneous. "I gave orders that you were to be taken care of."

"Shades don't need to eat even though they can here. They probably didn't even think of it. It's fine," Imogen replied. She washed up her plate and poured herself a nightcap. She needed sleep after that day that wouldn't end.

Arawan was staring at her tits again. She waved a hand in front of them.

"Hey, eyes up here," she snapped.

"Loki. You…pay homage to him?" he asked, frowning. Okay, sonotlooking at her tits specifically.

"Loki is awesome. I think the fandom pays a homage to him by extension," she said. It wasn't the right thing to say. Arawan's whole demeanor shifted. The shadows in the kitchen darkened.

"I'm surprised there is any god that you like with how disrespectful you are to me," he said, stepping closer to her.

Woah, he is fully pissed.

"He's not the real Loki," Imogen tried to explain. "He's a character in modern stories about him. Not the actual Norse God."

Arawan's temper shifted into confusion. Then he stuck his finger in the hole in the shoulder of her shirt and stroked her skin. "Why are all your clothes damaged?"

"It's called having a grunge chic aesthetic. Hey, stop that. You're going to make it bigger," she said when his finger wiggled against her. She battered his hand away, and his confusion turned into amusement.

"Are you attached to this clothing?" he asked sternly.

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