Chapter 11 #2
Oliver snorted. “A good thing you’re generous or, with your attitude, I’d tell you to fuck off.”
“You tell me to fuck off every time we talk,” Alistair said dryly.
I glanced between the two men. “With the way you two bicker, I have to wonder why you became a steward and agreed to work for him.”
“Because, like Astaria, the bastard saved my life.” Oliver glanced at Alistair. “Did you tell her?”
“That you are wulver, yes, but nothing else.”
Oliver pursed his lips. “The curse took me in my early twenties over a century ago.”
“Wait, you’re over a hundred?”
“One of the few benefits to my condition. I live longer than a regular human. The infection happened after a night of carousing. I was staggering home when I was attacked. Would have died if Alistair hadn’t stepped in and dispatched the wulver ripping me apart.
In the beginning, as I dealt with my new reality, there were times I wished he’d let me bleed out.
It’s not an easy thing to go from being a regular man to someone who becomes a monster when he loses control of his emotions.
But Alistair wouldn’t let me run off howling into the woods. ”
“What can I say? I always wanted a dog.” A deadpan reply that had Oliver snickering.
“One that tried biting your dragon ass every time I changed to no avail.” Oliver’s lips twisted. “Stupidly tough dragon scales.”
“Since Oliver needed purpose, I introduced him to Vance, my dragon steward for that period. He taught Oliver everything there is to know about my kind. During that time, I also had him educated at a university that he might have a degree in something useful. The evolving world no longer bartered in gold coins and goods anymore but rather relied on banks and paper notes, although whoever thought to make wealth something that burned to ash wasn’t thinking if you ask me. ”
“Because of this bastard, I stopped being depressed.”
“And eventually ceased biting me!” Alistair offered a rare grin.
“I’m still tempted, but growing new teeth isn’t pleasant.”
“Ah, that’s a sweet story about how you became friends.” I clapped my hands, and both men shouted, “Like fuck!”
Adorable. They could deny the bromance all they wanted, but they obviously cared for each other even if they liked to toss barbs.
“I take it the dragon-steward thing is why you started working for Nessie too,” I stated.
“Actually, he did that as a favor to me. Nessie almost drowned the first steward that tried to visit her. And tried to do the same to the second.” Alistair grimaced.
“Despite hating her sister, Nessie ended up angry at the stewards for organizing Tiamat’s demise.
It took her almost being killed by some monster hunters looking to bag her as a prize before she listened to reason. ”
“When you say listened to reason…”
“Alistair yelled at her,” Oliver replied.
A claim that once more curved Alistair’s lips, making him much too handsome. “I may have loudly pointed out that she could either wallow in her loch until someone succeeded in taking her head as a trophy or she could allow the stewards to provide protection.”
“A job that would be easier if she’d stop showing herself on purpose,” Oliver complained. “Nessie doesn’t need to surface, as she can breathe the water.”
“No one wants to live in eternal murk, though,” I interjected. “I can see why she’d want to sometimes pop out for a peek.”
“Murk? Ha. Nessie has a grand palace at the bottom of the loch with every amenity you could imagine. I would know since I arranged the purchase, delivery, and installation of everything in it. A task made harder of late since those who go down with the goods aren’t allowed to return.
” Oliver’s lips turned down. “I no longer hire nice people to do that job.”
I bit my lip before blurting out, “Are you saying if she invites me into her home, I won’t be allowed to leave?”
“Had you gone alone, most likely,” Alistair grimly confirmed. “But you’ll be with me.”
I felt better knowing he planned to keep me safe.
“What time are we heading to her loch?” I asked.
“Given the number of tourists who visit the loch daily, we’ll head over early evening after the area closes to the public,” Alistair stated.
“Not ‘til tomorrow night? That’s so far away,” I lamented.
“Not really, because you’ll likely be sleeping for most of the wait,” Alistair stated, just as a gigantic yawn had my jaw unhinging.
“I am a little tired.” But whether or not I’d be able to rest given my simmering excitement remained to be seen.
“Do you need me to guide you to the guest suite?” Oliver offered.
I shook my head. “I remember where it is. It’s the door beside the painting of the loch at sunset.”
“Correct. Goodnight, Davina.”
“Night, Ollie. Night, Alistair.”
I headed to the bedroom with its king-sized bed, plush sheets and pillows. All of them stiff and new. Oliver must not entertain often.
With everything that happened that day, and all I learned, I expected to find it difficult to sleep.
However, I dropped off into a dream where I flew, not gripped in a claw but with my legs astride, holding on to a bridle as Alistair flapped his wings in a clear blue sky.
The wind brushed past my face, warm and moist.
Hunh.
The dream evaporated as I woke, but rather than open my eyes, I lay still.
As a huff of hot air brushed the skin of my face, I tried to not stiffen, jerk, or scream.
Something was in the room with me, but not a Red Cap, as I didn’t smell anything putrid.
Actually, the scent I inhaled through my nose reminded me of a dog.
Oliver didn’t have a dog, though.
But he was a werewolf.
Just as I had the thought, I opened my eyes to see glowing yellow eyes, but even more scary than that? The jaw that opened wide, showing off big and pointed teeth.
I did what any self-respecting person would when confronted by a wulver in the bedroom.
I screamed!