I stiffened a little at the contact. He loosened his hold but didn’t let go. “I can’t stay long... I have things to do.”
“You’re not going anywhere, even if I have to bribe you with sexual favours.”
I couldn’t help but smile at that. “I don’t want your sexual favours,” I informed him.
“I never said they were my sexual favours.” He reached up and began to rub the tension out of the back of my neck.
I moaned softly, “Maybe I could stay a little while.”
“Yeah you can.” He sounded smug but he had really good hands and I actually found myself relaxing.
I heard the door opened and there was a soft growled a heartbeat before new hands caught me. Avon wrapped one hand around the back of my neck as he lightly brushed his lips over mine.
I relaxed even more and leant against him. His other hand cupped my cheek. “Little one,” he breathed, his gaze intent on my face.
I balled up my fist in his shirt and met his gaze. His eyes were warm and affectionate but there was also hurt there. “I’m sorry,” I said softly.
He shook his head, “Don’t you dare.” His lips brushed mine and this time I parted my lips, encouraging him to deepen the kiss. He pulled me tightly against him as his mouth explored mine. “I’ve missed you,” he murmured, pulling back.
I buried my face against his neck but said nothing.
“What are you doing here?” he asked quietly.
I blinked, “I- I wanted to see you,” I said, sounding uncertain even to my own ears.
“Come upstairs.” He took my hand and led me to another small living area. This one had a carpet, a couple of sofas and a bed against the back wall.
He pulled me down onto the sofa and rubbed his hand up and down my arm. “I know you’ve been through alot and I know you needed space but I want you with me.” He kissed my neck.
I bit my lip.
“Talk to me, love,” he implored as he nuzzled my cheek.
“I want to be with you but I can’t be around other people right now and I won’t take you away from your mother. She needs you.”
“I need you,” he said with complete certainty.
I closed my eyes. “I’m still not okay. I don’t know how long it will be until I am okay.”
“How can I make it easier for you?”
I rubbed my forearm. Ever since I’d got back I didn’t feel comfortable in my own skin. “I don’t know, Avon.” I wrapped both my arms around his arm and folded my legs beneath me.
“It’s alright, love. How did you get here?”
“Anthony dropped me off, I think Grant put him up to it.”
He smiled, “It wouldn’t surprise me.”
I nodded. “They mean well but I’m obligated to be mad at them for interfering with my life.”
He chuckled, “That’s okay. Grant keeps making fun of the fact I got a job so he’s on my shit list too.”
I smiled and glanced curiously up at him. “You got a job?”
“Yeah, I’ve got people to support now, I thought I should try out the whole ‘adult’ thing.”
His skeptical tone made my smile widen a little. “How’s that working out for you?”
“It sucks. There’s no noble purpose, I just cook food.”
I grinned, he said it with such dismay. “Well, it’s very responsible of you.”
“Really, you like that in a guy?” he asked curiously.
“I don’t dislike the idea of you in a kitchen while I’m out kicking ass,” I teased.
He laughed, “I even have a bank account, where they send my wage, I get three percent interest and I’ve got an overdraft, whatever that it.”
“Wow, that’s hot,” I said with mock seriousness.
“I even have to pay taxes.”
I fanned myself with a hand. “Slow down there, bad boy.”
He chuckled, “I may have to keep up the mundane human thing seen as you like it so much.”
“You do that.” I yawned.
“Tired, love?”
I glanced at him, feeling entirely unsure of myself despite our easy flirting. “I want to go home.”
“Okay,” he said softly. “I’ll take you.” He squeezed my hand before wrapping an arm around my waist and leading me back downstairs.
I paused when we were outside and he held open the car door for me. Then I leant to kiss him gently, “Thank you.”
“Anytime, little one.” He kissed my forehead before pulling back.
When we pulled away outside of the warehouse I thought of something. “Not my flat, the house,” I said softly.
He nodded and pulled out his phone, opening a gps ap. “Why don’t you type in the address?”
Chapter Twentythree
The sky was beginning to darken when we pulled up outside the house and no lights were on inside. We stepped out and suddenly the large empty house seemed intimidating. I took his hand before heading inside.
We passed a large cherry blossom tree on the way to the door. I kept possession of his hand as I took him inside to the living room. “This is home?” he asked curiously, glancing around.
“Sometimes.” I sat down on the sofa and began to unlace my boots.
He sat beside me and I leant against his chest after kicking off my boots. He wrapped an arm loosely around my waist. “It’s nice, I’m surprised it’s not bigger though.”
“We didn’t all live here, Jay bought the place when he turned seventeen and I lived with him growing up.” I liked this, just sitting with him in the dim light of the living room.
“Not with your mother?”
“I was a really cute kid, Jay and his girlfriend at the time really adored me, plus mum had her hands fully with the twins.”
“I bet they were trouble as kids.”
I grinned, raising one werecat would have been a challenge for anyone, to this day I’ve no idea how she managed to keep them both from getting themselves killed. “Total hellraisers.”
He laughed and leant down to kiss my neck. “I would have bet that you were the worst of the lot.”
“I was pretty bad but I was adorable so I could get away with it,” I told him seriously.
He grinned. “Is that how you still get away with it?”
I smiled, “Absolutely. You want to watch tv with me for a while?” I picked up the remote.
“Of course, love.”
The now familiar endearment warmed me and I shifted closer to him, more grateful than I was willing to admit that I didn’t have to be alone. It wasn’t long before I fell asleep against him, completely content, and even though we were lying on a sofa I slept better than I had in weeks.
I LAUGHED SOFTLY THE following morning. “Stop it!”
“Never,” he growled playfully as he lifted me onto the counter, having caught me.
I wrapped my arms loosely around his neck as he kissed me. His hand cupped my breast gently as the other one tilted my head back. I pressed myself closer to him and he pulled my legs around his waist.
I moaned softly. Warmth filled my body as his muscles flexed beneath my touch. His hand moved down to slip beneath my shirt and I shivered as his hand shaped my curves.
The front door opened and his grip on me tightened reflexively.
Jay walked in the room, staring at his phone. A frown creased his brow and he didn’t so much as glance at us as he walked to the fridge. “You use up all the juice?” he asked as he searched the contents of the fridge.
“I think there’s some at the back.” I gently pushed Avon back, untangled myself from him and then dropped to my feet.
“Found it, thanks.” Then, having given us time to compose ourselves, he straightened and turned to us.
I gave him an uncertain smile.
He smiled back, his more genuine. “When you’re ready I’ve got a job for you.” As he walked back passed me he reached to ruffle my hair. “And tell your boy toy to put a shirt on!” he yelled from the other room.
I laughed. Avon grinned. He sighed softly and cupped my chin lightly, “I think I’ll keep the shirt off,” he murmured, sliding closer.
“You rebel.”
He laughed, “I should go,” he said reluctantly.
I sighed, “Yes, you probably should.”
“I’ll come round tomorrow and we can go out to eat or something.”
I smiled, “You’re really going all out on the whole human thing.”
“Just call me John Smith.” He kissed my neck.
I rested my hands on his chest, “Go on, before I decide to hide your shirt so you can never find it again.”
“I should go before I retaliate and steal your shirt,” he teased.
“Grant’s rubbing off on you,” I informed him.
“Not enough to make an inappropriate statement about that comment,” his said, his warm brown eyes glinting with mischief.
I grinned, “He would have a field day with that one.”
He leant down to kiss my lips softly. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he promised. “And I’ll bring your phone. I assume you left it with Grant because I keep getting texts from your number asking for nudes.” He pulled out his phone to show me.
I laughed, feeling as if a large weight had been lifted from my shoulders. “Okay.”
He kissed me once more before leaving. I waited a few moments before walking into the living room, and collapsing onto the sofa besides Jay.
“It’s been awhile since you’ve been this happy,” he said softly.
“I think I’m going to be okay,” I told him quietly.
“I know you are.”
“Tell me about the job.”
“It’s another bodyguard gig. A mage is working on a high level project and the company wants a little extra security on him while he works.”
“Sounds good, pretty easy.” If would be a little while until I’d take on anything that was high risk.
“They’re not expecting trouble, just preparing for it. Shouldn’t cause you any trouble,” he promised and I knew he wouldn’t give me more than I could handle.
“I’ll do it. I need to get back to work, my life currently has no structure I keep sleeping until noon.”
“I know because you keep falling asleep on the sofa in my living room,” he said pointedly, reaching to nudge my shoulder.
“Isn’t that why you have two of them?”
He chuckled, “I’m thinking of getting a new one for one of the spare rooms, I think I need a man cave.”
“Every bachelor needs a man cave,” I informed him.
“I think I’ll get a flat screen and a mini fridge which I can keep stocked with beers,” he said thoughtfully.
It sounded like a good idea. “Will I be allowed in your man cave?”
“Of course not. It’ll just be for me and the guys.”
I let my mouth drop open, feigning indignance. “That’s so mean and discriminatory.”
“Start paying rent and then we’ll talk.” He reached to poke me in the side.
I just smiled and leant against him, then I pinched his arm.
“YOU LOOK BETTER,” SAID Anthony as I took a seat opposite him.
“I feel better. I’m not condoning your medalling, mind you,” I warned seriously
“I try to contain my disappointment.”
He was such a smartass. “Just don’t let it happen again,” I grumbled.
He smirked, “Hey, your business is your business. I’ll leave you to it unless you disappear on me again.”
I smiled a little, “I have no intention of disappearing on anyone again. I’m okay now, not one hundred percent but okay.”
“That’s fine, just take it easy. Things like this take time.”
The waitress came over, placing coffees down in front of us, apparently he’d ordered for both of us already. I nodded and wrapped my hands around the mug, glad for something to do with my hands. “I know, it’s just not easy when you’re surrounded by people who face danger everyday and don’t bat an eyelid.”
“You’re feeling powerless?”
“Yes, it’s a hard thing to be made aware of one's mortality.”
He smiled, “Indeed. But you’re feeling better?”
I nodded. “Nothing's really changed but I’m going to take it easy for awhile, try not to let my guard down so easily. We live in a dangerous world.”
“Yes we do. You’re a good person, Kia, and I want you to remember that I’m always here if you need me,” he said sincerely.
I smiled at him, “Yes, I know that, I have a lot of friends willing to support me. I’m trying to be more open to that support.” It wasn’t easy admitting that the support was needed but if I ever want to go back to being the person I was then it was something I needed to do.
“Good. Did you watch the game last night?”
I grinned.
Epilogue
Dante sat tinkering with a small metal device. He looked to be about thirty, he was lean with unruly brown hair and thin wire framed glasses. He didn’t pay me much attention. I just sat around for a few hours, playing a game on the phone I had borrowed from Jay.
I was itching for the day to be over, feeling impatient to see Avon again. I was looking forward to having an actual date, like a regular person. I had the feeling doing something normal would help me feel more normal. Well, that was what I was hoping anyway. I just had to take things as they came, a day at a time.
“You’re a witch?” asked Dante suddenly.
“Yup.” I locked the phone and started tossing it up in the air and catching it idly. I glanced around the room again. I was having trouble keeping still. It was unprofessional, I knew, but I wasn’t expecting trouble.
“A strong witch?” he asked.
“A full blooded witch,” I confirmed, willing to sate the guys curiosity.
“I read somewhere once that full blooded witches have a Glamour,” he murmured.
I blinked, “Really? Where did you hear that and could that be true?” I asked, suddenly very interested in the mage.
“I’d be interested in finding out.”
“Me too.” Could I really have a Glamour? Did that mean I would look different, that I’d be more powerful? The chances were slim that I had one without knowing about it, plus there was a good chance I did have some human somewhere in my ancestry.
I wasn’t sure I actually wanted a Glamour but I’d never heard that it was possible for a witch to have one so the subject peaked my curiosity. “Could you grab me something from in there?” he asked, pointing over to a door.
“Sure.” I put my phone down on a table as I headed to the door, “What am I looking for?”
“You’ll know it when you see it.”
I opened the door and stepped inside. It was pitch black, I waited for my eyes to adjust and when that didn’t help I turned back to reach for the light switch. The door slammed suddenly, swallowing the few rays of light.
Shit. What the hell?
A light suddenly came on and I glanced to the side where I saw Dante, through a glass wall. “What the hell, Dante?” I demanded. What kind of stunt was he pulling?
He smiled and reached to touch his neck, “Actually, you know me as Misha.” His face transformed immediately, becoming more handsome and a little older. The new person bowed respectfully at me. “It’s lovely to see you again, dear.” He took off the glasses and tossed them aside. “And, of course, you can call me Dad.”
I screamed and slammed my fists against the glass until they were bloodied.
Note from the author
Thank you to everyone who bought and read this book, you’re awesome and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you did like it please leave a review and maybe recommend it to a friend, it you do you will have my undying loyalty. If all the stars align the next book in the Grimmer Legacy series should be published by the end of 2017, or possibly the beginning of 2018 so please make sure to check that out. Please also follow me on all my soc
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Demons & Hellholes_A Grimmer Legacy novel Page 16