Chapter 36 Talian #2
She didn’t bring any of her own clothes when she came, considering she was unconscious and, you know, taken against her will.
So Bast and I have stuffed her closet with a variety of things, from dresses that make me hard to things like the leggings and tee she’s got on right now that also make me hard…
On second thought, maybe that’s more of a her thing than the clothes?
Some of the tension leaves her shoulders, and while she doesn't smile, I see her lip twitch up and the slightest bit of a blush color her cheeks.
“Don’t get all blushy for him, he’s not being sweet.” Aeri looks at Bast, and I don’t miss his shit-eating grin. “If he says you're in his dream, it’s definitely a wet dream.”
“I’m sure you would know all about that, huh, Bast?
” He doesn’t deny it, which is smart because it would most definitely be a lie, and I can’t help but chuckle as the tips of his ears turn red.
Her jaw drops, and Bast shakes his head, more than used to me.
“Actually, I’d prefer no clothes,” I tell them after a second of thought, her mouth hanging open, painting me a pretty picture of how I might fill it.
“Garden!” Aeri squeaks, grabbing Bast’s hand and dragging him toward the door and, by extension, me.
I step back into the hall and let her pass. I could push, make her blush some more, and leave her reeling, but there’s time for all of that later. If I have my way, we’ll have nothing but time.
Aeri moves through the castle much easier than she had a few days ago, and now she’s able to take us all the way down to the dining hall without getting lost. It doesn’t sound like much, but I still occasionally get lost with how big the castle is, so it’s impressive.
She drags Bast along with her, and he seems more than happy to let her, only moving her grip on his wrist to his hand so that he can lace his finger through hers.
Well played.
“Um, so how do we get to the garden?” she asks, seeming to finally realize she has no idea where she’s going.
“This way.” Bast steps in, tugging on her hand, and she doesn’t hesitate to fall into step with him.
Weird.
I feel like I should be jealous, but it’s actually the opposite; I’m excited.
Knowing my brother has a connection with her, too, makes me happy for him because he deserves to be happy, and I know he will do everything he can to keep her safe. It could be argued that Bast’s had her best interests in mind far longer than the rest of us—well, minus Ruin, but that’s his job.
Bast leads the way to the door off the side of the dining hall, but just before we reach it, she skids to a stop, looking at the door with wide, worried eyes.
“Aren’t the hounds out there?” I hear the panic in her voice and see the way her eyes volley around the room as if worried they will appear out of nowhere at any moment.
I look to Bast, but he shrugs. I have no idea where the hounds are, but I very rarely come across them. They have their own ‘rooms,’ if you will, in the basement. The only time I ever see them up here is when they’re with Luce.
“Lulu said we could take you out. He reinforced the wards to ensure it’s safe and everything, so I highly doubt he would have the hounds out there, Darling.”
She nods but continues to chew on her lip as she stares at the door as if she might be able to see through it if she tries hard enough. She didn’t even bat an eye at my nickname, and I thought for sure that would at least get a smile.
“I’ll ask where they are.” Bast offers before I can, and it’s probably for the best since I doubt he wants to hear from me again so soon.
“He said they are with him now.”
Aeri looks around the room, and while I can still see some of her panic, I also see a bit of hope, as if she thinks she might find him walking into the dining room at any moment.
“He’s doing something outside the castle.
” Bast’s voice is quiet, and I know he sees it too.
The way she misses him. Of course, she does; he’s her mate, and even if they haven’t had a chance to get to know each other very well yet, they’ve mated.
That’s a universal tie, a merging of souls, and right now hers is craving his.
Now I’m jealous, but not because he has this bond with her, but because he’s wasting it.
“She misses him…”
Bast’s gaze snaps to mine across the room, and I see the annoyance in his pink eyes. I know he feels it too.
Glad to know we're at least on the same page. So many stupid asses.
Kai, Asta, and Luce all with their heads stuck up their asses.
“Come on, Tesoro.” She lets Bast tug her the rest of the way to the door, only glancing back for a moment to ensure I’m still there. I won’t be going anywhere, anytime soon.
I flash her one of my panty-melting smiles, and she gives me a small one in return. I can work with that.
Thankfully, the second we step outside, it's as if all her sadness is forgotten, and I can’t blame her.
The garden is breathtaking, which is why I suggested it.
The plants are dark and deadly, with lava pools running through them the way humans have fountains and ponds, but they are lush and wild, the lava giving everything a soft glow that sets a mood.
The paths run every which way with arches that are covered in vines and fruits that I’m sure only Lucifer is brave enough to eat.
Benches and lone lanterns line the paths, and I light them with a flick of my wrist, watching some of the plants that have grown a bit wild shrink back.
Everything in this garden is dangerous, from some flowers able to dissolve you in seconds, bones and all, to the ones that actually eat you.
The greenhouse houses all the most dangerous variants, the ones that can paralyze you, make you hallucinate, or even kill you with just a smell of their sweet scent.
Bast makes sure to explain the dangers, and I make a mental note to put a spell on the greenhouse just to be safe.
“Oh, my god.”
“You’ll find he isn’t welcome here.” I can’t help but say as I move around her and head further into the garden, turning to walk backward and watch her.
She walks slowly, looking at every little detail from the flowers to the lava pond. The smile on her face tells me this was a great idea.
She and Bast stop and look at some of the plants I don’t know shit about, and I take a second to look at my notes.
Movie night
Trip to the garden
Picnic
Breakfast in bed
I cross off ‘trip to the garden’ with a smile before I flip toward the back and add poisonous flowers to her list of likes and hounds to her list of dislikes before I start to brainstorm ways to get Lucifer and her together.
Which is why I totally miss Bast leaving and Aeri coming over to me until she snatches my notebook away.
“Hey!” I attempt to snatch it back, but before I can, she’s off, running deeper into the garden, the sound of her laughter ringing back to me.
“It’s not nice to take things that aren’t yours, Darling,” I call, but even as I say it, I can’t help smiling as I take chase.
I didn’t intend for her to see my notes, but it’s not that big of a deal, and hearing her laugh like that, I can handle the embarrassment.
I hope.
“It’s not nice to keep secrets either,” she yells back with a chuckle.
She’s got me there.
I turn the corner, the same one I just saw her disappear around, only for her not to be there.
What the fuck.
I turn on the spot before I stop to listen.
Her heart pounds and her breathing is labored, but with it, I hear the slight rasp of her laughter. I creep around the back opening of the gazebo to find her crouched down, ducked low under the railing to stay out of sight.
It would be a good hiding spot if I were human, but I’m not sure she realizes just how superior my hearing is to hers.
She flips through the pages of my book, and I stop to watch her as her eyes move over one page and then another.
The smile melts off her face, and a little line forms between her brows as if she’s deep in thought.
“I’ve never done anything like this, so I thought keeping notes was a good place to start.”
She screams, dropping my notebook and pressing a hand to her chest, and gives me a dirty look that's more adorable than anything else.
“Don’t look at me like that. Any demon could hear your breathing from a mile away, maybe more. Not to mention the way your heart is racing.”
“What? You can hear that?” She sounds shocked, and that only makes the whole thing funnier.
“Oh yeah.” I take a step toward her, and her eyes flick up to meet mine. She’d fallen forward when I startled her, so she’s on her knees looking up at me through her long lashes, and what a sight she is like that. “I can hear your blood pumping, your heart beating, and every breath you take.”
Her eyes dilate as she swallows hard, but she doesn’t look away as I continue toward her; she doesn’t push to stand either.
“That’s cheating.”
I use my speed to close the distance before quickly scooping her up in my arms, bridal style. She gasps and clings to me, and fuck if I don’t love it.
“I like playing dirty.” My lips drag up the length of her ear, and I feel her shiver. Unfortunately, she doesn’t stay distracted, though.
“What’s with the notes?” She asks, trying to appear unaffected despite what I just told her about being able to hear her heartbeat, which is still beating way faster than normal.
I contemplate lying for a second before I decide against it.
“I told you I’ve never done anything like this before.”
“Anything like what?”
“Try and win someone’s heart.”