Page 14 of Witch's Bells and Mistletoe

“Honestly, I assumed that you have a home in some far-off mountain that you’ve been impatient to return to.”

My lips twist in a wry smile. “I suppose I do have one of those, but it’s well protected in my absence and I’m in no hurry to return there.”

Especially since I created a portal directly to my hoard within a deep burrow that I carved beneath her coven house and reinforced with heavy stones and dragon fire. I don’t mention that, however, so that she isn’t aware of how fully I’ve settled with my mate. Even if she hasn’t yet accepted me, I’ve been fashioning her property in a proper space for a mated dragon and even located a deep thermal spot that would be good for a brood of nestlings should we ever get there. As much as I adore Fran and am pleased to spoil any offspring that come from her, I also cherish the idea of giving my female my fire and perhaps in another century or two having a nestling or two to care for.

Her tongue slides over her lips as she licks them, and I find myself fascinated with this as well.

“Do you consider the coven house your home as well then?”

I meet her eyes frankly, suddenly filled with the need to put the truth out there despite my fundamental desire to be cautious. “No. The coven house I consider part of my territory, but you, Katherine, are my home. You and anything connected to you is what I’m driven to protect.”

She draws in her breath in a delicate gasp. “Oh!”

I’m worried I may have pushed too far too soon because she doesn’t say anything else, but then I see the tiny smile curving her lips as she sinks back down into the water. She says nothing more of the hotel, but I know I haven’t yet won that battle. While I believe I’ve convinced Katherine to not go running straight into the thick of things, I’m also certain that she won’t hesitate to get involved and drag me in with her should the situation change.

Still, we spend an enjoyable time luxuriating in the warm waters. The attendant comes out twice more to set more herbs and resins burning before bringing some warmed towels and laying them out for us. When Katherine rises from the water I follow after her reluctantly, loathing the end of this moment. So much so that I’m watching her morosely as she picks up her clothes to take them to one of the rooms just off this main chamber. Her expression is serene as she smiles over at me, and there is something about it that is so magical that it settles warmly through me.

“I suppose you will be moving into my room then?”

My heart pounds in my chest and my mouth goes dry at those sweetly spoken words. “It is what I would prefer, if you’ve made the decision to invite me.”

Her smile hitches a little higher, making her eyes shine, and I must caution my unruly heart not to get too excited as I feel the dragon fire stir in longing for my mate.

“I believe so. Far be it for me to deprive a male from protecting his home,” she murmurs as she sweeps past.

Her scent tantalizes me, beckoning, but I’m able to resist my urge to follow her despite the fact that my gaze is caught on the delicious sway of her ass. I can’t risk getting ahead of myself. She is inviting me to her rooms but not to her bed—not yet anyway. But it is progress. I grin after her as I scoop up my own clothing and make my way to the other changing room. If I hurry, I can rub one out and find some relief before the real test of my restraint begins.

Chapter 11

KATHERINE

Excitement and anxiety twist in my belly. I can feel every minute drawn out between us as we make our way up to my room. Adeon leaves me at my door so that he can collect his things. Since he is staying with me to protect me, I’ve insisted that he check out of his room and stay with me for the remainder of our time here.

While he sees to that, I go into my room alone to wait for him, but not before he hangs clumps of mistletoe that he lifted from the lobby at my door and window. Upon closer inspection, I see they’re mixed with dried bunch of red berries either from the remaining hawthorn on the property or from some of the rowan trees I saw planted around town. A tiny bell is strewn onto each bundle so that anytime it moves even slightly, it tinkles softly. Even the smallest shift in currents of energy can cause a properly spelled bell to sing.

“Like attaching a cat bell to a fairy,” I murmur as I take one bound bundle between my hands and then proceed to breathe my enchantment over it.

The magic curls around it between my fingers and settles over the bundle, making it glow for a moment with a layer of fire before banking into an invisible mark upon it. A smile curls my lips as I hang it once more. It occurs to me that particular warding spell is one that Adeon taught me. Now that I think of it, he’s woven his presence into all aspects of my life—I just hadn’t realized to what degree. His magic, his protection, his warmth and companionship… and more.

I smile even wider as I strip off my jacket and lay it over the back of a chair. Perhaps this is the natural evolution of our relationship that we were always meant to arrive at. It feels that way.

On the other hand, it is equally possible that this is probably not my smartest decision, but Adeon makes it impossible to resist. He called me his home. It feels like something momentous has shifted between us in that moment that has broken through so many of the barriers I’ve erected between us. Even if we don’t mean or understand “home” the same way as two different species, I can’t help but to go a little melty at that. Maybe if he truly sees me that way, it is enough to keep him around even after he finds the jewel for his family.

Truth is… I don’t want him to go. I’ve been going through the motions for months, denying him and all that I want because I thought that if I kept some distance between us that it would hurt less when the time came for him to leave. I had even begun to tell myself that I hoped that he would find his jewel quickly and be gone to the point that it became my litany every time I felt frustrated with the way my resistance to him was wearing down.

Because I didn’t want to admit how much I want to accept everything that he offers. And gods know that I’m so tired of giving every little piece of myself to the coven and having nothing for myself. I am forty-five, and all I’ve ever had that was mine was my dear Fran whom I foolishly bore in an act of rebellion when I was far too young, just shy of eighteen. Afterward I tried to find an acceptable partner that I could settle for before giving up entirely and resigning myself to being alone for the last twenty years.

But I’ve at least always had my Fran and I contented myself with that knowledge even though I understood that, as my heir, she isn’t just mine alone but belongs to the coven as well. It has been a shadow over our relationships for years, something that has made us both miserable. And for what? There are plenty of young witches who would be perfectly capable of leading the coven—and who would happily embrace that role—so that my Fran could live her life happily and in peace. She might even be happier to have me in her life a little more often if there weren’t this strain between us. I could be a mother and a grandmother without the weight of our lineage and the ghost of our ancestral responsibility upon us.

The sad thing is that I’m only fully realizing my mistake now, after I’ve spent the last couple of years repeating the same mistake with Adeon. My decisions and actions have been potentially sacrificing his happiness and mine “for the good of the coven.” What’s even sadder is that if I hadn’t gone away on vacation as Fran insisted, I probably never would have had the mental, emotional, and energetic distance to recognize it. It has taken getting away from the coven for me to really reflect on this. Adeon being here has helped as well in reminding me of myself and the woman who I am and want to be outside of my duty to the Durmont coven.

Adeon is breaking me out of the prison I put myself into so that I can freely choose what my heart wants. I can only hope that it’s not too late to rectify things with Fran too.

Sighing, I drop down onto the bed and pull off my boots. Perhaps it’s a bit out of character for me to throw them carelessly in the direction of the wardrobe, but at the moment I simply don’t care how it looks. I can’t imagine Adeon caring if my boots are perfectly lined up against the wall. Reaching behind my neck, I unfasten the delicate gold chain that holds the coven medallion before setting it in the decorative bowl among my other jewelry that I brought. I remove my necklace and earrings, and these are added to the bowl too.

I hear the hall creak outside my door and smile when the light flashes and Adeon steps inside with his large duffle bag thrown over one shoulder. His eyes heat further as they land on me, and I briefly consider playfully striking a sensuous pose—and probably would have if I weren’t so uncertain of whether or not I would look completely silly if I tried it.

I swallow, suddenly painfully awkward now that we’ve arrived at this moment. We are completely alone in the room, and it all seems incredibly momentous.

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