Page 71 of The Biting Bargain

"Let me do that for you," I murmur as I wrap her in the towel and gently pat her dry, every single part of her wonderfully scented skin, her silky hair, her shoulders, the soft spot at the base of her throat — everything.

In the end we are both dry and I wrap her in my bathrobe. It's black, of course, like everything else in my life, and I lift her back up in my arms.

"I can walk on my own," she murmurs, her face cuddled against my chest.

She's asleep before we reach the bed.

I tuck her in, pull the comforter over her shoulders. Muttering softly, she reaches out for me. And before I know it, I slip under the covers as well and wrap her in my arms. The warmth of her small body against my chest is better than anything I've felt before.

I stare into the darkness of my bedroom as she sighs softly and drifts deeper into sleep.

What the hell am I supposed to do?

ChapterThirty-Two

Polly

Aidan's eyesnearly pop out as he stares at his laptop.

"Actually, that's quite impossible," he stutters, typing at breakneck speed. Vincent stands next to him, glowering at the illuminated screen while I knead my hands and try to vanish into the fluffy couch I perch on.

We're back in Vincent's steampunk-era medical facility, after what felt like eighteen hours of dead-like sleep. Again, Aidan has drawn blood from me, and this time, he's also examined Vincent. And what his computer spits out seems to defy all laws of physics, magic and other arcane regularities.

"Are you sure your magic is completely dormant, Ms. Bukowski?" Aidan peers out from behind his screen.

I just nod.

"Hmm..."Tap, tap, tap.

Vincent bestows a dark gaze on me that seems to go straight to my soul. My throat tightens and my heartbeat speeds up as I remember what happened last night.

What we did in the dungeon.

And how much I enjoyed it.

How messed up can a person be? Being attacked in a dungeon? Fucked by a literal monster? There's something inherently wrong with me, if I enjoy stuff like that, isn't there?

And yet a tender spot in my chest aches when I think about how he took care of me afterwards.

Though that was only due to his guilty conscience, I’m pretty sure. He was probably only worried he had damaged his toy. That is the only reason he carried me to bed in his arms and tenderly wrapped me in the duvet.

I wish I could break it to him that he didn't have to beat himself up over it. It’s fine. I'm fine. I've honestly never been as fine as I am right now. Okay, I’m sore in places I didn’t know could be sore, and muscles hurt that I didn’t even know I own.

But somewhere deep inside my heart, I’m glowing.

I’ve seen a side of him no one has ever seen or ever will. And twisted as that side might be, it feels like holding a tiny little treasure in my hands.

"Well, it actually looks like your curse is back in check, sir."

Aidan stops typing, stands up and casts an uncertain glance at Vincent. Who frowns.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Well, you two had intercourse during a full moon night," Aidan goes on, turning to his laptop and continuing to type as my cheeks flame with heat. "Apparently, this has triggered another cross-reaction with Ms. Bukowski's hibernating magical abilities."

I catch Vincent's gaze. It's as dark as night, triggering a not-unpleasant tug between my legs. I clench my thighs and look down at my knees.

"Of course, I need to countercheck the results, which will take a few days," Aiden bubbles on, "but by the looks of things, you won’t be shifting anymore, sir. At least not involuntarily."

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