Page 15 of Ghostly Touches

“That’s a huge plate. You’re going to eat that all?” Kwil’s attention drops to the plate she’s placed next to a blender. She ignores him at first as she tips the food into the machine, adds a glass of milk to the disgusting concoction, and blends it all together. When it’s nothing but liquid, she pours it into a glass.

She picks up the plate of food and the glass of liquid breakfast and turns to us.

“It’s not for me. I already ate. This is for our friend with a tail, and this drink here is for Viktor. Since he’s alive, he still needs to eat. I figured he’d want his stomach full when he comes back to you.”

I move to stand up, but she tsks. “Eat your food, Theo. Don’t let it get cold.”

“Don’t go near the Shadebroode.” My words come out colder than I intend.

The thought of her coming in contact with any creature from the Third Realm causes my heart to race. If it acted like any of the other Shadebroodes from its home realm, it would already be dead. But one thatguardsa book and acts nearly docile? It’s the creature’s unusual behavior that saves it. For now.

“I’m going to do what I please in my own house.” Although she smiles as she says it, there’s a subtle shift in her expression. This woman doesn’t like being told what to do.

Kwil swallows a bite of food before he tells her, “That ugly creature isn’t what you think it is.”

She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and then reopens them, one of her brows popping upwards. “Just because something is ugly on the outside doesn’t make it evil or ugly on the inside.”

“It’s not safe,” he objects.

“He’sfine, and I’ll be alright. I’m just going to put this plate down in front of him so he can eat.”

The haughty tone is misdirected. If she could see Kwil’s face, I wonder if she would be less inclined to speak to him in such a manner.

“It can hurt you, Willow. I must insist you leave it alone.” I hold her gaze as those green eyes harden just a little more. Defiance. Such an annoying characteristic.

“No, he can’t. His hands are tied behind his back.”

“Itspawsandclawsare tied behind its back.” Kwil’s hand slams down on the table, surprising both me and Willow. “Nothands. It’s not a human, Willow. I don’t know how much you know about Shadebroodes—”

“I don’t know how much you know about souls, Mystery Man, but they don’t lie. That isn’t one of your monsters.”

Kwil throws up his hands in frustration before returning his attention to breakfast. Clearly, he’s left this up to me.

“Willow, leave the thing alone.” I don’t raise my voice. Usually, I don’t have to in order to get my point across. However, this isn’t a usual situation.

Willow saunters by me with one raised brow. “I’ll be careful. Now, sit your sweet ass down and eat. Don’t let me come back down here and find that plate still full.”

Sweet ass? I sputter loudly in indignation.Neverhave I been spoken to like this before. Does she not understand who we are? We’re warriors, not pieces of meat. I choke on a reply, my mouth opening and closing like a damn fish as I try to put together a coherent sentence that fully encompasses my outrage. She’s gone before I get the chance.

Kwil snickers between the last few bites of his breakfast.

Just when I think we’ve heard the last of Willow for a bit she yells back at us, “And I’ll put some clean clothes on the bed so you can change. You need to give me what you’re wearing. You all stink, and I’m doing your laundry before you leave!”

I stand there not sure what to do. Do I storm after her to give her a piece of my mind about her nickname and remind her that the Shadebroode is a monster not a pet? Or do I sit here and eat this meal that is calling my name?

My stomach growls.

“Better eat or I have a feeling you’re going to get an earful when she comes back down,” Kwil says, getting up and snagging another cinnamon roll off the baking sheet.

With a sigh, I sit back down. We wouldn’t want that, now would we?

Chapter6

WILLOW

Itry to pretend that I’m not sitting on the dryer, set to the highest setting, because I’m trying to find something close to the sensation that I felt last night while a hooded stranger fucked me until I quite literally saw stars. That would be so wrong.

So, very, very wrong.

---