Chapter Thirteen

Merihem

He couldn’t hold back his chuckle at how adorable his blissful one was. Cinderella. Dakata would choke on his own spit at that type of reference to him. It couldn’t be Silas as it was definitely Dakata who was the one who’d run from Silas, just like the girl in the fairy tale, not the other way around.

“Where Silas and Dakata live, it’s kind of secret,” Merihem explained, not that it was exactly true. Otherwise, how would the rogue demons have kidnapped Wanda, Silas’s sister, mistaking her for Dakata’s blissful one? “There’s a special taxi driver that Silas uses to take folks to the forest,” he continued when Peni didn’t look convinced.

“Then it’s not a secret.”

Back was the adorable, confused look that made Merihem click his fingers to dress to hide his reaction. Using small amounts of his magic couldn’t be bad, could it?

He shook off the worry when it came to being a supportive mate to their little goat, who wasn’t ready for him to be naked and fully aroused. He’d gotten some of Peni’s thoughts, despite how he’d tried to keep them to himself. Scaring him was not the aim, especially when Merihem didn’t miss how relieved Peni looked at him when he had clothes on. Nakedness was not something he ever concerned himself with, in fact, Merihem preferred it. He needed to make sure to remember to wear clothes with Peni—regardless of how restrictive they felt to him—when it made his blissful one happier. Why couldn’t someone come up with a range of clothes that didn’t feel like he had any on?

“Are we going? Or I could—”

His thoughts snapped back into focus at where Peni’s opinions were about to circle back to staying home. “Nope, staying isn’t an option right now.” Despite the fact that he’d dealt with Mrs. Danials, his senses were telling him to be careful. “I’ll ring Scott, and he can call George.”

Peni didn’t look convinced, but he took Merihem’s outstretched hand and followed as Merihem retrieved his phone and called Scott. A minute later, they were waiting at the curb for the taxicab.

“So this forest, is it special?”

Merihem gave Peni a thoughtful look. “Silas is a dryad and so is his sister. They look after the forest, protect it from those silly enough not to treasure the benefits it gives to everyone.”

Peni’s smile was slow in coming, yet when it appeared fully, Merihem couldn’t look away. The sun was bright in the sky, yet it didn’t hold the same warmth as the smile Peni aimed at him. “He sounds like he does a worthwhile job.”

“He does,” Merihem agreed. There weren’t that many dryads left in the world. Humans weren’t all about understanding what evolution did to the planet.

A cab pulled to a stop and Merihem bent to look in the open window, keeping hold of Peni’s hand. “You, George?”

“Yep,” the big guy muttered around a toothpick he had between his lips. “You Merihem?”

“I am. This is my blissful one, Peni,” he announced, liking the way it sounded as he said it.

Peni made a kind of odd squealing-bleating noise as Merihem opened the door of the cab for Peni. His cheeks were a pretty pink as he slid into the cab at Merihem’s gentle nudging.

On their way seconds later, Peni looked out the window, chewing on his lower lip. Merihem focused, and though it took a minute or two, he managed to figure out what was worrying Peni the most. He wasn’t sure prying in his blissful one's thoughts was the done thing. He’d already gotten into enough trouble, so he debated how to approach the subject of what was playing on Peni’s mind.

He lounged back on the seat, trying to make himself comfortable in the cramped space. A seven-foot dude was not meant to be squished into the back of a small taxicab. His hand touched the window Peni was looking out of.

Peni glanced back at him, the lower lip still between his teeth.

He’s upset. Come on, stop dithering and fix this. I can’t because I’d be worse than a sardine crammed into a can if I came out.

His demon was clearly miffed at both him and the car. It’s not dithering. I’m thinking of the best way to approach this situation.

Before his demon could continue to give him a headache, Merihem stroked a finger over Peni’s shoulder. “I’m picking up that you’re worried about something. Is it some of the things Mrs. Danials threatened you with, by chance?”

Peni visibly sagged, and Merihem was back to wanting to kick that woman’s ass for upsetting his blissful one. “Could I go to prison?”

At the alarm running through him at such a thought, Merihem picked Peni up, grateful he was small enough not to clout his head on the roof of the cab, before he put him in his lap. The very idea of something like that happening sent his demon into a fit of rage. “What did Mrs. Danials say to make you think that?”

Peni sighed and looked at the seat he’d been sitting on, before looking at Merihem. “Sorry, I… We… I need a hug,” Merihem finished, uncaring George could hear, or if that made him sappy.

“Oh… okay.” Peni came in, his arms open and then he eyed Merihem’s wide shoulders. “Erm… I’m not sure…” he tilted his head this way and that, eyeing him in such a way, Merihem’s heart beat a little faster.

“Yes, I’ve got it now.” He reached up around Merihem’s neck and pressed his cheek to Merihem’s chest. “This work?”

The muffled question and action gave Merihem a swift thump to the center of his being. His demon made a loud sniffing noise as he blinked and wrapped his arms around Peni, careful not to squeeze too hard. “Perfect.”

They sat like that, and Merihem could not remember a time he had been more… content.

“We’re here,” muttered George around the toothpick. “Just give me a call when you’re ready to leave.”

Hating he had to move, Merihem decided the back of the cramped cab actually benefited him like he’d never expected. He huffed and opened the door to lift Peni out, who now wore a curious expression as he glanced about.

Merihem paid George and gave him a nod as he grinned at the wad of cash he’d given him. Out of the cab, they didn’t have to wait but a moment for Dakata to appear with Silas.

“So what disaster has befallen my business now?” Dakata asked, looking wary enough to piss Merihem off from the affront.

“Listen, it’s got nothing to do with your business. But if you wanna talk about you letting things slide. How about we talk about how your housekeeper pulling a fast one on you and using my blissful one as a slave while she suns herself in Florida?”

“What,” Dakata exclaimed loud enough to make Silas wince.

Silas came forward and held out his hand to Peni. “Hi, I’m Silas, lovely to meet you.”

“Peni,” he murmured softly, taking Silas’s hand and shaking it.

Merihem found himself not liking Peni touching anyone but him, despite the reality that Silas was indeed Dakata’s blissful one. He kept his lips tightly shut. “You can let go now,” he said a second later when that wasn’t happening.

Dakata actually had the nerve to laugh at him. “A blissful one looks good on you, my friend.”

“Oh, shut up,” Merihem muttered crossly, carefully tucking Peni into his side, not liking the light in Dakata’s eyes that suggested he was going to mess with him. “Shall we get back to why we’re here?”

“Let’s go up to the house, and I’ll make us some tea.” Silas smiled at them both, slipped his arm through Dakata’s, and led him away.

Merihem followed, ever watchful when it became obvious their size difference wouldn’t allow him to hold Peni at his side and walk. The house was small but well-equipped and Merihem remembered from his visit to the forest how it sat close to Silas’s large oak tree. The branches trailed over the upper part of the structure, connecting them.

Inside they sat, or Merihem did, and placed Peni on his lap when the couch wasn’t big enough for them both to squeeze on.

Oh, now please behave because I want none of your nonsense.

What nonsense? I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Merihem worked very hard to keep his amusement to himself at Peni and his goat’s conversation. He was pleased that Peni wasn’t upset to be sitting on his lap. That was a real win.

“I think we are going to need a bigger couch if we keep getting visitors.” Silas eyed where Peni sat, offering his blissful one a cup. “I don’t have milk, but I do have fresh honey to sweeten the tea if you like.”

“It’s fine, I don’t mind black tea.” He took the cup and offered a shy smile.

Merihem did his best not to bristle. It was hard.

“So explain what you mean about Mrs. Danials.” Dakata, as usual got right to the point.

Peni stiffened, and along came the fretting.

We’re gonna be in so much trouble.

Running a gentle, soothing hand up and down Peni’s back, Merihem explained, “Mrs. Danials hasn’t been cleaning your house, Peni has. She swanned off to Florida on vacation and gave Peni a fraction of what she was earning. Your beautifully clean home was all because of Peni. He was living in the basement because he was homeless, and she totally took advantage of his situation.” Once more, he became aggrieved on Peni’s behalf.

“I-I w-will pay it all back,” Peni croaked.

“You’ll do no such—”

“Merihem, let me handle this,” Dakata suggested—or demanded, depending on how a person looked at it. “Peni, can I call you that?”

“Of course,” he muttered.

Silas stroked a hand over Dakata’s casual sweater, smiling at him before handing him a cup. “Have a sip.”

He did as he was told, and Merihem felt the tickle of laughter in his throat when Silas came to him and gave him a cup. “Take a drink, it will help relax you.”

He was relaxed… wasn’t he?

When Dakata gave him a look he was familiar with, ‘do it or else’, he took a sip. He quirked his brow at Dakata without actually saying, ‘happy now’, once he took a gulp of the sweet tea. Which actually wasn’t half bad for a fruit thing.

“So let me sum up. Mrs. Danials took my money, then gave you a small portion of that money and got you to do her work?” At Peni’s nod, Dakata continued on, “Because you had no place to stay, you stayed in my basement with the mice, and she knew this?” Again, another nod.

Dakata swallowed the contents of his cup and rose, slamming it down on the small table close by.

Merihem knew his friend too well, so he tugged Peni closer.

Dakata swung to them and jabbed a finger at Peni. “Pay the money back?” he snarled, and Peni froze like a statue. “Not in this lifetime. Why that convincing bi—”

“Dakata,” Silas murmured gently, causing Dakata to come to a stop. Silas rose and glided barefoot to Dakata, slipping an arm around his waist. “Peni does not need anger from you.”

“Sorry.”

Merihem had never seen his friend look sheepish, and he blinked twice just to make sure he was seeing correctly.

“It’s okay, you’re angry with me.”

Dakata shook his dark head vehemently. “No, not with you. I gave that woman a pay raise because of how clean the house was over the last several months. That was your money, you earned it. She scammed me. I’ll make sure it’s you who is recompensed.”

“I… oh.” Peni sagged into Merihem’s chest, his hands clutching at Merihem’s.

He couldn’t resist and kissed the side of his forehead. “See, everything is fine. You have nothing to worry about.”