Chapter Twenty-Five #2
“I think you’re more than magical,” he confessed. His breathy, raspy voice left her desperate for more. Their lips moving closer and closer thill he was brushing them together as he spoke. “My flower, you are magnificent and very, very scary.”
“Me?” she giggled. “I’m scary?”
“Terrifying.” Austin kissed her before breaking it with a groan. “I’m scared of how much I want you. I’m scared to ruin it.”
She twisted, slowly breaking the restraints that held her and put herself back onto the worktable.
He eased out of her, inch by inch, till the ache of being stuffed turned into a longing for him.
It made all her muscles relax. Her legs kicked out by her side.
Austin ducked his head, sheepishly tucking himself away.
He even went to collect her clothes. She let him pull her dress up and over her head, only to stop suddenly and check her fingers.
He sighed with relief, as he sat her palm down against her lap.
She eyed him suspiciously. Austin let out a wheeze, “I forgot your nails were still drying.”
Hyacinth turned her palms, looking at her new nails.
She didn’t even get to say a word when he jabbed a finger in the air.
Then with a flutter of limbs, he was at the opposite wall, digging through a small metal drawer.
Austin returned to her side with six little pots of paint.
He had a tiny paint brush in between his teeth as he showed off small color swatches on the underside of them.
She grabbed the green and purple pots. Austin bent at the waist to spit the brush into her other palm. “We should paint them. Havershum doesn’t think we know that he paints miniatures in the attic and stashes the paint down here, so they don’t get stolen by the ghouls.”
Hyacinth furrowed her brows. “Why does he think you don’t know?”
“Havershum is very sensitive about stuff that makes him look weak. He likes to put on this armor like he’s just this vicious, undead knight.
But we all know he spends his time not hunting little things in the house carving, painting, and building this cute replica up in the attic.
” Austin sat on the stool once more, putting the other paints aside.
He uncapped one of them and took the brush from her.
Hyacinth let him gently cover the bristles in green then drag them over the top of her nail.
“Why is he worried it will make him look weak?” Hyacinth cocked her head to the side.
“Well…” Austin trailed off as he stopped at her pinkie.
He’d paid extra attention to not get pigment on her skin.
Dragging the edge of his own fingernail across the paint pooling in the crevasses.
When he finally returned his gaze to her, it was soft.
Somber red orbs glowed against a yellow background.
“I think everyone’s worried about failing the thing they were made to do.
Havershum’s one job is to be a protector of this house, to hunt and kill anything that threatens us inside our own home. ”
“Is that why he hates Snuffles?” Hyacinth whispered, leaning closer to him. “Because he’s a fluffy threat?”
Austin chortled, “Yes.”
Hyacinth grinned, letting Austin wipe the brush off on a rag somewhere under the table. Then he proceeded to coat it in the purple color for her left hand. The words tumbled out of her mouth. “Do you know why you were made?”
“I do,” Austin murmured.
“I don’t.”
Austin glanced up, something in his gaze she couldn’t read before he spoke. “You were made to be a part of this family.”
“Why?” she pressed.
“Well, because Lord Rosemont wanted another member of the family.” Austin shrugged, his attention back on painting her fingers.
His work was meticulous and precise as he ensured every inch was painted but her skin was unmarked.
She wanted to be unbothered like him, floating in post sex bliss.
Her body was buzzing happily. And yet. It frustrated her to sit there, knowing Austin knew something she didn’t. Something he didn’t just tell her.
He’s never done that before. She wouldn’t call it lying, but it wasn’t the truth. He was hiding it from her. The reason for her creation was either painful to him or to her. It was the only outcome where she could imagine him not telling her.
Austin sat up straight as he finished her other pinkie. “There, now blow on them softly.”
She watched him, trying to ignore the festering feeling in her chest as she blew on her nails.
Why was I made? Why keep it a secret? Why can no one tell me that simple answer?
And why make me…when I’m only a burden? Hyacinth couldn’t imagine making something, finding it so poisoned with ghosts that she didn’t just replace it. Why did they keep her around.
I am dangerous. I am a poison. I am not worthy of your protection, Austin. Why do you care for me when I am a burden?
Hyacinth glanced back down to her fingers, blowing on them as softly as she could manage.
The last thing she wanted was to smudge them and cause him to repaint them.
Even though her core was warm, and her insides tingled from him, she needed to get away from Austin.
Head buzzing full of destructive thoughts, she ended up pushing herself off that slab.
Before he could turn around and return to her with that wonderful smile of his, she slunk out of the laboratory.
Hyacinth was already halfway up the steps when he called out her name.
Then she was outside the door before he could find her.
And she raced up the steps to her room, unaware of the tears streaming down her face until she was safely behind the bedroom door.