Chapter 5

Chapter

Five

S aul followed behind Maeve, utterly charmed by her sheer love for plants. She had lost all fear of him, instead chattering away about every single herb, plant or whatever caught her fancy, talking about what it could be used for and the care of it. She darted from plant to plant, exclaiming over varieties found here, and he figured he’d scored major mate points with this date.

“Saul, look at this. It’s Devil’s Thimbleberry. My mom’s notebook mentions this as a key ingredient in an all-purpose antidote for poisons, but it’s insanely difficult to get or grow. She tried, but could never get it to survive.”

“That’s because you need to manage the PH of the soil correctly, Miss Whisper,” a crotchety male spoke from somewhere behind them.

Saul turned to see Cornelius Digby several feet away, peering around the corner of a tree. He wore a brown tweed suit, worn in several places, wire-framed spectacles, and an explorer’s hat to cover his balding head. He was watching them apprehensively, but clearly his need to impart his wisdom overcame his nerves around new people.

Saul stayed still so he wouldn’t spook the older man. “Maeve, this is Cornelius Digby, the owner of this place.”

She stared at him, aghast. “He’s not the owner. He’s so much more. Caretaker, curator, genius. Saul, he’s so much more than an owner.”

A nervous laugh burst out of Cornelius. “I like her.”

Saul grinned. “So do I.”

Cornelius peered around the corner, not coming much closer. “You have to plant the right things around the Thimbleberry too. Coakum, Milkweed, Wintercress, Garget. They keep the mantids away and enrich the soil.”

She stroked the leaves of the whatever plant it was. “It’s so healthy. I’ve only ever seen pictures in books. Saul, this is the best antidote for all poisons, especially for shifters. It doesn’t mess with their unique body chemistry. You should know about this herb. It might help cleanse you of the love potion!”

Saul shrugged. “Never heard of it. And I don’t need to be cleansed or whatever. The love potion has no effect on me.”

Cornelius stepped out onto the path, straightening to about five foot nothing. “A love potion? Bah. Love potions don’t create love. A true potions master would know that. All it can do is reveal what already exists. In the case of a bear shifter, a true mate can be revealed.”

Maeve ducked her head, touching the berries of the weird little plant. “But love potions can cloud judgment and make someone act in a way they would not normally act.”

Cornelius scoffed. “Bah, it only acts on what’s inside the person. You should know that, Miss Whisper, being an accomplished potions master yourself.”

Maeve looked startled, her face burning. “You’re thinking of my mother. She was brilliant with plants, herbs, and potions. I’m nothing like her.”

Cornelius gave her an odd look. “I taught your mother at the academy. She was one of the few students I could tolerate. A bright and nimble mind. I was sorry to hear of her passing. If you recognized Thimbleberry and its uses, then you know more than most potions masters.” He gestured to the area, warming to his subject. “I created this special spot just for the Thimbleberry. In the winter, I create a dome over it with special conditions to keep it dormant and safe, like it would be in Hungary, where it originated.”

She sighed and let her hand fall away. “Thank you. My mother was brilliant. I spent many days with her in her greenhouse. She would have loved your gardens. They’re beautiful. Thank you for letting us spend time here.”

He glanced at Saul and scurried around him, clearly intimidated by his size, even though he knew him. “Have you seen the Eytelia?”

Maeve’s lips formed a perfect O, and her eyes widened. Cornelius gestured to her and hurried along a side path with Maeve on his heels. Saul sighed and followed. Maybe this wasn’t the best date idea after all, especially if he lost Maeve to an elderly honey badger shifter.

Two hours passed before Maeve and Cornelius surfaced. Saul had scoped out a nice place to eat, and hadn’t exactly expected Cornelius, the hermit, the recluse, the man who professed to hate all people, to join them. But apparently Maeve had charmed him, too. Cornelius sat on the corner of the red plaid blanket and ate almost all the honey cakes and remaining baklava that Saul had hidden just for them. Damn that honey badger.

Though Maeve was glowing and completely forgetting to be quiet or shy. She even leaned closer to Saul, her thigh pressing against his and her hand resting on his leg. On second thought, if talking with Cornelius and giving the honey badger his food made Maeve this happy, well, he could live with it.

Okay, maybe not. Cornelius reached for the last piece of baklava and Saul growled. Cornelius hissed. “It’s for Maeve.”

Cornelius jerked his hand back. “Anything for Maeve.”

Saul handed Maeve the last piece with a flourish. “For you, mouse.”

Cornelius watched them for a few moments, then scrambled to his feet. “I need to go. I have to deadhead some of my plants. Enjoy your picnic.”

He disappeared rather quickly for an old man. Maeve turned and glared at Saul. “Did you chase him away?”

He shrugged. “How would I have done that?”

“You growled at him. I know how I feel when you do that to me.”

“Mouse, he’s a honey badger. He has long-ass claws that could disembowel me.”

She narrowed her gaze. “Not in grizzly form.”

He smiled smugly. “No, not in grizzly form. I’m pretty awesome. Now, try this baklava that got us into this amazing place.”

He broke off a piece and placed it in her mouth. She closed her lips over it and moaned. “Oh my goddess, Saul. This is amazing. Thank you for lunch. Did you make all of this?”

He nodded, pleased to provide for his mate. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. So your mother knew old Digby? Did you know that?”

She frowned, nibbling the corner of her thumb. “No, mom rarely saw anyone outside of the house, that I remember. My father never really liked anyone in the house, no visitors or anything to disturb his work. We spent most of our time in the gardens or greenhouse.”

His heart ached for the loneliness he heard in her voice. “Your dad didn’t spend a lot of time with you?”

A sad smile crossed her face, and she picked at threads in the blanket. “He was always busy with his studies. But it was fine. Mom spent a lot of time with me.”

He popped a grape to cover the growl he felt bubbling up inside of him. What kind of father ignored his mate and child? “What does your father study?”

“He’s an alchemist,” she stated matter-of-factly. “He is searching for an elixir to extend life and prevent disease and death.”

Saul felt a little guilty now. The man was grieving the loss of his mate. He understood that, though alchemy was considered a crackpot science by most in the magical community. “Ahhh, I understand. It’s hard to be trying to bring someone back.”

She shot him a quizzical look. “Not really. He married my mom, hoping her knowledge of herbs and plants could help him. It didn’t quite work out that way. And when I didn’t show the magical promise my mom had, well, he was disappointed, to say the least.”

Everything she said was so matter-of-fact, without emotion, like she accepted it. But he was angry on her behalf. What kind of male marries someone for their knowledge, has a child, ignores both because they’re no longer useful?

His anger must have showed on his face because she laid a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay. Really. Great Aunt Geillis came to live with us a few months after mom died. She seems like a scary woman, but she has a heart of gold.”

“So that’s who the old lady was. She’s very protective of you.”

A fond smile crossed her face. “She’s fierce. She gave up her own life to take care of me. She said she had a bear lover once. I wonder who he was.”

Saul grinned. “No way she would have left him. We’re the best.”

Maeve grinned impishly. “Oh really? I haven’t seen much evidence of that yet.”

He rolled to all fours and quickly caged her on the blanket, settling over her gently. “Oh really? Then I’m not doing a good job letting you know my intentions, Maeve Whisper.”

She stared up at him, her eyes wide, her pupils blown so her blue eyes looked almost black. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips and his eyes fixed on it. “You didn’t call me mouse.”

“Because I’ve already caught you. You’re mine, Maeve Whisper.”

She sucked in a shuddering breath, her breasts brushing his chest. “Am I?”

He lowered his head and brushed her lips with his, tasting the sweet honey and unique flavor of Maeve. She opened under his kiss, her tongue tentatively sweeping out to meet his, tangling with him, teasing him. He shuddered, his bear roaring in triumph. Mate ! He deepened the kiss, taking over, pouring all of his emotions into it, willing her to feel him.

Maeve moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck, tangling her fingers in his hair and tugging him closer. The bite of pain from her fingers electrified him, sending heat straight to his groin, and he growled into her mouth.

She pulled away. “I love how that feels. When you growl, it vibrates throughout your body and into mine.”

Challenge accepted. “I can do so much more than that.”

His eyes gleamed, and he lowered his head again, but his cell phone rang. He groaned, dropping his head against her forehead. “Hold that thought.”

He rolled off her and grabbed his phone. Sacha was wondering where he was. Crap. He was in charge of the family dinner that night. He looked at Maeve, who was packing up the remaining food from the picnic, and a brilliant idea occurred to him, though it could either chase her away for good or endear her further to him. Either way, he needed to know how she’d react.

“How would you like to join my family for dinner?”