Chapter 9

Ipractically forced Mulan and Conn to stay the night. Mulan looked so fragile against my bed covers that I needed to do something to ease her pain so I could ease my own. Loaning them my room was all I could think to do.

Going to Mulan’s house for the night was out of the question.

None of her family emerged from their rooms to even ask about her. For that reason alone, I wasn’t about to leave her in the same house with those cold-hearted people.

Conn would be with her but I didn’t want him distracted.

I thought about camping out on one of the couches in the library but didn’t see Henry taking that well.

Sleeping in the foyer was out for the same reason, even though that would have been the smartest decision. I could have kept an eye on Ezra’s statue and seen anyone coming down the stairs. Zenos had made me paranoid with his teasing warnings about Ezra working on freeing himself. He nearly had me reconsidering Ben’s offer of an armed guard.

The obvious choice for me was to sleep with Rasmus tonight. It would have accomplished everything to spend the night with him. Lying next to him would erase the unwelcome memories of the dragon mage”s attempt to seduce me.

The repentant guardian had already promised to help me if Mulan’s family started any trouble. That potential was yet another warning Zenos had dropped on top of my other concerns, yet refused to explain.

Goddess only knew everything was pointing me in the guardian’s direction. Even if he didn’t welcome me with open arms after all the fussing we’d done, we both knew I belonged with him and not out here sitting in my greenhouse.

But my pride wouldn’t let me ask him. Even if my brain was broadcasting my resistance to every guest I had, I couldn’t go to the guardian and beg him to sleep with me. Not in my own house.

My eyes were closed when a large male presence filled the greenhouse doorway. I reluctantly opened my eyes and found Rasmus staring at me. He leaned, hands in his pockets, against the door opening that was barely tall enough to allow him to enter without ducking.

My tired sigh filled up the rest of the space. “This is turning out to be a shitty vacation for us both, isn’t it?”

To my utter surprise, the guardian laughed at my poor joke.

His smile was warm. “Maybe you should have taken a trip instead of staying home. I hear that works out better.”

My lips twisted into a smirk. “Well, I do like going to the beach. Maybe I’ll do that next time I take some time off. Staycations obviously don’t work out for me.”

Rasmus came inside the little building and sat down beside me. “Are you still angry at me?” he asked.

I turned my head to look at him. “Yes, but I’m nearly to where I can’t remember why I was so mad to begin with. It turns out that holding a grudge takes a lot of effort. I’m way too busy with my problem guests for that sort of thing.”

When Rasmus laughed again, I could do nothing but stare at him in shock. “Do you genuinely think I’m funny? Or are ya playing nice to suck up to me?”

Shaking his head at my question, the guardian stood. “Once you get over being mad and decide we’re okay again, you know where to find me.”

“Wait,” I said before he cleared the door. “I think I’m over it.”

“No, you’re not,” Rasmus said with another chuckle, but he still returned to my side. Grinning, he scooped her up in his arms. “Did you ever read Gone with the Wind?”

I shook my head. “No, but I saw the movie. I thought it was brilliant of Scarlet to make a fancy dress out of her curtains. Ya have to admire that kind of inventiveness in a person.”

“Must you be so practical? I was talking about her romantic relationship with the hero of the story.”

I giggled as Rasmus carried me out of the greenhouse. “It’s a long walk to the house, Rasmus. Are ya intending to carry me up all those stairs too?”

“Yes. Rhett Butler has nothing over on me,” he said with a smile.

I giggled and lifted a hand to his jaw. “Ya’ll be too tired to seduce me when we get to the top.”

“No, I won’t be, but I will still restrain myself. My new room is not as private as your suite.”

I sighed in understanding against his shoulder. We liked our alone time and being completely alone. “At least yer room doesn’t have an injured Wu Shaman recovering in it.”

“We’ll have to content ourselves with pretending things are back to normal between us for a few hours—even if they’re not. I’m desperate to repair our relationship. How about you?”

“I admit I have missed ya a little.”

“Only a little?” he asked.

I sighed and rolled my eyes as the house door opened for him without a single chant or spell leaving his lips. How much was he restraining his magick to lessen my wariness of his guardian powers?

He started up the stairs with me and I realized he wasn’t even breathing hard. I stared at him until he stopped ascending the stairs to stare back.

Then he abruptly started walking again. “It’s not that I restrain my powers so much as I choose not to use them. I conserve my power just as you conserve yours. I know you like candles by hand even though you could light them with a chant.”

“Ya’re reading my mind again, Rasmus.”

“I’m not reading it. Your mind is shouting at me. I’m simply not shutting out your thoughts. You really need to get the dragon mage to show you how to shield them if that bothers you so much. Henry said that was the point of his visit. He also suggested we give you space and pretend not to hear you.”

I dreaded having to deal with Zenos after the vibrator incident but knew there was no choice. I desperately needed to learn to shield my thoughts, especially from the handsome, sexy bastard carrying me up the stairs to his bed. Rhett Butler, my Irish ass. Sure he made it look good, but I would bet good money Humphrey Bogart got winded doing that movie stunt. The actor was no bodybuilder and Olivia de Haviland was no lightweight.

“Zenos is wicked. He knows secrets about Mulan’s family that he won’t share. The bastard is keeping them from me just to watch me squirm.”

“The dragon is a powerful immortal. I can see why his attention would flatter you. If you chose him for a lover, I would understand.”

That answered my question about whether or not Rasmus knew Zenos had been flirting with me. But he should have also realized I turned him down flat.

I stared at Rasmus as we entered his room. “Wouldn’t ya mind if I let Zenos seduce me?”

The guardian nodded in the dark of the hallway. “Yes, I would mind because I don’t want to share you. It’s the most selfish I’ve ever allowed myself to be about anything. And it’s not only because you taught me what it’s truly like to live as a human. I’m grateful for those experiences but my unwillingness to share you is more complex. I want all your affection and exclusive rights to share your body.”

His whispered declarations were probably the most romantic thing any male had ever said to me. That I had taught the guardian anything was news but I didn’t interrupt his speech to tell him so. Nor did I ask Rasmus what he meant. I wanted to do both but feared ruining his mood. I didn’t want to go full Scarlet O’Hara on him and fight what we had.

So I told him the truth. “Zenos isn’t the only powerful male in this house. And ya’re not even yer fully powerful self. Many women in this world would value you as a lover, Rasmus. Many would choose ya over Zenos like I did.”

“None of those imaginary women are like you, Aran. I know that because I looked for centuries for someone worth being human with. There is only one you.”

This was why Zenos hadn’t stood a chance with me. No other male did. My heart only had room for one and it had made its choice.

“Is yer bedroom nice?” I asked.

“Look for yourself.”

His bedroom door quietly opened on its own as he carried me inside. It closed behind us and locked just as quietly.

His power, even in human form, was like a djinn’s or an angel’s. There were no chants and no discernible spell casting. Rasmus controlled his magick with nothing more than his thoughts.

“Henry has a nice touch when it comes to furnishings. He’s done a great job with my sitting room.”

“Looks aren’t everything,” Rasmus said. “If we wanted to use my bed for anything other than sleeping, we would need a much bigger one.”

“Let’s reserve my bed for that pleasure,” I whispered.

His grin was sexy and full of intent. “I’m going to make you keep that promise, even if you get mad at me again.”

My sigh of longing informed us both of how I felt about sleeping with him. Rasmus didn’t need to read my lusty thoughts to know. I’m sure it was written on my face as I stared at him.

The guardian set me on my feet beside his bed and removed everything I wore. Then I felt him press my naked body down on his cool cotton sheets that smelled like the body wash he used.

I scooted to the middle of the bed to make room for him. His bare body sliding along mine felt like coming home.

The adult in me knew sharing a bed wouldn’t solve our real issues. Tonight, I didn’t care about them at all. It was enough to have my hope restored.

The next morningI reluctantly left a naked and still sleeping Rasmus sprawled across his bed.

Zara moving around next door had woken me but her presence hadn’t stopped me from lusting for him. However, the coziness of his normal-sized bedroom made me realize the vulnerability of our being together within Zara’s hearing.

I left before my willpower gave out.

It was a matter of trust. The only people I didn’t care about hearing me with Rasmus were Conn and Mulan. Zenos, Zara, Dylan, and Mulan’s family were basically all strangers. Dylan might have been the one other exception but I still didn’t want him using my sex life against me in the future. He could be a terrible tease as well.

I passed Henry’s people coming up the stairs with loaded breakfast trays for Mulan’s family. I smiled and said good morning to them as I headed down to my quarters.

I knocked on my bedroom door and entered when Conn called out in greeting. Inside, I found the two of them eating their breakfast. Mulan had a bed tray. Conn had fetched the little side table from the sitting room for himself.

“Good morning,” I said to them with a smile. “I’ll only be a minute. I came to find some fresh clothes. Are ya feeling better today, Mulan?”

Mulan nodded. “I must speak to parents soon.”

I waved her concerns away. “Henry and Gale got them settled in just fine yesterday. Zenos could talk to them enough to get their cooperation. I would give them another hour or two because I passed their breakfast being delivered on my way down. I hear Henry made them a common room on the second floor where they all could eat together. He and Gayle have the whole second floor set up like a regular bed-and-breakfast place. I may need to install an elevator if we keep entertaining this many guests all at once.”

Conn grinned as he shook his head. “I can’t believe you want to install an elevator to spare Henry’s people from carrying food trays up the stairs.”

“Why not? They shouldn’t have to walk all those trays up and down. One of those small elevators would be a big help to them. They’re not my servants, Conn. They’re like business partners.”

Conn spread his hands. “You always amaze me, Aran.”

“Thanks. I amaze myself too,” I replied, and then laughed at my bragging. “Someone needs to tell my daughter how amazing I am. Fiona sure as heck doesn’t believe me.”

I bent and opened a storage tub to search for clean clothing.

“So, where did you end up sleeping last night?” Conn asked.

“I slept upstairs, of course. Why do ya care where I slept?” Focused on sorting out my underwear, I didn”t bother to lift my gaze.

“You’re in a strangely good mood for someone who slept in a strange bed last night and who hasn’t had her coffee yet.”

“If ya’re trying to rile me this morning, it won’t work. I slept very well. The only bad part of my day will be dealing with a dragon mage who believes he’s a gift to women of every species. He’s a worse flirt than ya used to be before Mulan tamed ya.”

Conn’s grin when I looked his way was wide.

“Oh, stop smirking,” I ordered. “I don’t have time for yer nonsense. Nothing happened.”

Mulan giggled around a bite of food. “She lies. Something good happened.”

“No, it didn’t,” I insisted. “And ya have no right to point fingers at anyone. Ya should be ashamed of yerself, Mulan. Ya turned yer powerful shaman staff into a sex toy.”

Mulan giggled. “People take wallets and keys but no one steals love toys. They will empty purses and leave love toys behind,” she said while pointing at Conn. “He gave me idea.”

“Of course, he did,” I said, glaring at a snickering Conn. My high demon familiar looked quite proud that Mulan had credited him for her misdeeds.

I stood with my clothes in my arms and stared at their smiling faces for a moment. It made me happy to see them happy. Mulan had not been happy in a long while. If I told them the shaman staff had talked to me, they would stop laughing. Plus, I would have to explain way more than I felt like explaining this morning.

Not to mention all the questions I now had. Questions like... how did Mulan make her staff and how did she make the others she told me she’d made? Was she a closet necromancer of the magickals powering it? Or was there a spell that searched the world for the wandering souls of magickals who weren’t currently powering artifacts?

Part of me didn’t even want to know the answers. The part that wanted to know could just shut up this morning. Any discussion about talking artifacts needed to wait.

Unable to think of anything else safe to say before I had coffee, I headed to the bathroom to dress for the day. There was a carafe of liquid black heaven waiting in the dining room and it had my name on it.