Chapter 25
Twenty-Five
Nikodemus
Gaia, I was tired. No, not just tired, I was worn thinner than a slip of cheap paper.
Regardless of my exhaustion, I’d finally finished deconstructing the damage Bailor did to Martha Phillip’s charm.
Back to its original pale blue, the aquamarine charm was clear as I held it up to the light.
Now its activated state would do as it was originally meant.
The charm should track down the pain pathways propagating Martha’s migraine and end them.
But was it too little, too late? The brain was a wonderous and fragile organ.
I had no idea what damage had been done while the charm was active in its tainted form.
Could the damage be truly reversed? Would Martha wake and be able to go back to her previous life?
The unknowns plagued me. There was no worse feeling than being able to do nothing but stand by and wait.
Patience was not in my wheelhouse. I was a warlock.
Our very nature made it difficult for us to accept things as they were.
Leaning back, I scrubbed my hands down my face before reaching for an apparently absent phone. Now that I was more aware of my surroundings, I realized my phone wasn’t the only missing piece. Hikaru was gone as well.
Too tired to use magic to find Hikaru, I decided to go about locating the kitsune the old-fashioned way. Standing, my joints creaked and popped with their displeasure. Cracking my back was agony and bliss all rolled into one odd sensation.
Weariness pulled at my arms and legs as I made my way out of my workspace and into the rest of the house. Voices drew me to the front door, delicious aromas hitting my nose soon after and pulling me closer.
“Thank you!” Hikaru said a little too loudly, making me flinch. The numerous bags clustered around his ankles caused my eyebrow to twitch.
“How much food did you order?”
Hikaru jumped and fisted the shirt over his heart. “Niki! You shouldn’t sneak up on others like that.” Bending over, Hikaru grabbed half the bags. “Be a dear and get the rest.” Hikaru blew me an air kiss as he jostled the four bags in his arms, pleasantly humming the entire time.
“Don’t think I didn’t notice your lack of answer.” I ignored Hikaru’s scoff and bent over to pick up the remaining three bags. I wasn’t certain about the contents of Hikaru’s bags, but mine were filled with different sized take-out containers, not the groceries I expected.
When I entered the kitchen, numerous similar containers were set out on the counter. “What will it be, Niki? There are four different types of soup—chicken and noodle, broccoli and cheddar, potato, and vegetable. Five different types of bread—French, rye, sourdough, and—”
“How much food did you get?” I asked again.
Hikaru just waved me off. “Enough for a couple of days. I wasn’t sure how long you were going to be and it’s cheaper to get it all in one delivery instead of two or three.” Hikaru beamed. “See, I’m being frugal!”
The kitsune was being no such thing. “I’m too tired to deal with this nonsense.”
“Sit down before you fall down.” Hikaru shuffled me toward a barstool and began shoving different containers toward me. “I’ll get you some water.”
Resigned to my fate and with my stomach growling its agreement with Hikaru’s actions, I pulled a container of potato soup my way.
Popping open the lid I groaned at the scents hitting my nose.
Gaia this smells good. It tasted even better than it smelled.
I’d inhaled half the container by the time I remembered why I’d gone searching for Hikaru in the first place. “Where’s my phone?”
“To your left.” Hikaru motioned that direction without turning to look at me. He was too busy unpacking the restaurant he’d ordered delivered to our home.
My stomach demanded I eat more but my brain overruled my baser needs.
I needed to contact Belle and let her know I’d finished fixing her sister’s charm.
I called Martha’s number, irritated that I hadn’t thought to ask Belle for her contact information.
My call immediately went to voice mail. Frustrated, I left my message and asked Belle to please contact me at her earliest convenience.
I was desperate for information regarding Martha’s condition.
If I didn’t hear back soon, I’d ask Hikaru to duck in and check on Martha for me.
Phone in hand, I got a look at the recent calling history and frowned. “Why did Cilla call so many times? And Erasmus? I missed a call from my son?” I started to pull Erasmus’s information up when Hikaru’s hand landed on mine, pulling my phone away and setting it on the counter.
“I’ve taken care of it,” he cryptically answered making my stomach dip and dive with anxiety.
“What, exactly, does that mean?”
Hikaru huffed. “It means what it means. I. Took. Care. Of. It.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “And what did you take care of?”
Hands on hips, Hikaru finally turned his body and attention toward me. Eyes narrowed and tails flicking behind him, it was obvious how irritated he was. “You’re not going to eat more until I tell you, are you?”
I pushed my container away for effect. “No. Now, what’s happened?”
“So stubborn.” Hikaru’s tone was more fond than exasperated.
Plopping down beside me, Hikaru started with, “Now, don’t get upset, but…
” That was never a good way to start a conversation and by the time Hikaru finished relaying what happened with Cilla and that he’d spoken with Erasmus to check up on him, I was a turbulent mixture of rage, worry, and gratefulness.
It was an odd emotional cocktail that didn’t exactly sit well.
“Erasmus is fine?”
“Last I spoke with him, your son hasn’t noticed anything concerning on his end.”
I swallowed hard. “And Cilla? She’s truly all right?”
Hikaru tilted his hand back and forth. “Physically, she’s fine. Emotionally…I wouldn’t exactly say fine, but she’s stable and tougher than most squirrel shifters I’ve met.”
I nodded in agreement. “Cilla’s been very loyal.”
Hikaru tilted his head. “She is, but its more than that. Cilla truly cares about you.” The grin stretching his lips was a little frightful.
“Good thing her caring is more familial than romantic.” Sliding off his stool, Hikaru found his way to my lap and wrapped his arms around my neck.
His clawed fingertips gently scraped across my scalp.
“You’ve been working a really long time, Niki.
” Sucking his bottom lip into his mouth, Hikaru’s teeth dug into that soft surface, tugging it suggestively.
“I’m feeling a bit…neglected.” His lips found their way to my neck, soft kisses peppering my skin and pulling a groan from deep within my chest.
“This is what’s going to happen next, Niki.
You’re going to eat, even if I have to force-feed you.
Then you’re going to take a shower. Hmm…
maybe we’ll even shower together. Then we’re climbing into bed and you’re going to make sure I don’t feel neglected any longer.
” Perched on my thigh, Hikaru rubbed his thickened cock against my leg.
“Now, is there any part of that plan that you do not understand?”
“No. I believe it is clear.” My hands had a way of finding themselves gripping Hikaru’s firm ass. Now was no different.
“Excellent.” Erotically sliding off me, Hikaru made certain I felt the firmness of his cock all the way down my thigh as he removed himself. “Now, am I going to have to feed you, or can you do it on your own?”
Swatting his hand away, I pulled the container of soup forward and dug back in. Hikaru shoved a piece of French bread my direction before leaning down and whispering, “Good boy,” in my ear.
Gaia, the things this kitsune did to me.
True to his word, Hikaru made sure I’d eaten my fill.
We didn’t wind up showering together, but he was waiting in bed when I exited, a lone, fluffy towel wrapped around my waist. I should have taken the time to shave, but Hikaru liked my scruff and I wasn’t sure I could stay awake long enough to shave and pleasure Hikaru.
As tempting as my kitsune was, my body was exhausted.
Deconstructing the damage Bailor did to Martha’s charm had taken more energy than I’d imagined, and I’d imagined a lot.
Restoring the charm to its original purpose had zapped what little strength I had left.
The food Hikaru had made me eat would go a long way to restoring me.
Time and rest would do the remainder. But first, I had a kitsune to please.
The thought was far from a hardship. I wanted to please him.
Pleasuring Hikaru settled something deep inside me.
It was that empty space every warlock had, the aching emptiness that could only be filled by finding our one and only.
When I’d first met Hikaru, I knew he was something special. What I hadn’t know was how special.
I wanted to claim him. That desire increased daily.
Hikaru was mine and I wanted the world to know.
It was a primal, uncivilized need. It was a need I’d once thought beneath me.
I was content in my life. I was a well-respected warlock who’d mastered his craft.
I had a son who loved me and I adored in return.
I had a successful business and a few close and loyal companions.
It was a good life. My work was meaningful and I obtained satisfaction from this.
I had not imagined there was something missing.
I’d been wrong. Terribly, foolishly, arrogantly wrong.