Chapter 6
By the time I got back from Violet’s shop, it was already early afternoon. I couldn’t wait to show Forrest what I had picked up for him. I was sure he would be happy to wear clothes that fit him. When I entered the cottage, I was greeted by an excited Astra.
“Hi, sweet baby girl. I hope you behaved yourself while I was gone,” I said as I rubbed her chin.
I found Forrest sitting on the sofa, still reading his romance novel. Nocturna was curled up beside him.
Forrest turned his head toward me. “They are both great at keeping me company. I think Nocturna has taken a bit of a liking to me. She won’t let me out of her sight,” he said just as Nocturna got up and sauntered out the open door behind me.
“Nocturna isn’t much of a snuggler, so consider yourself extremely lucky.”
Astra quickly followed her sister out as I shut the front door.
“Here. I got you some clothes from the village tailor. They should be the proper size for you.”
Forrest got up from the sofa and put down his book. “That was awfully sweet of you. I wish I had something to give to you as thanks.”
“Please, don’t worry about it. It’s thanks enough for me to see you walking around in something that isn’t showing off your, um …” I gestured vaguely toward his lower half.
Forrest laughed, grabbing the pile of wrapped clothes from me. He gave me a quick peck on the cheek before taking them to his bedroom.
I stood there, touching my cheek while staring after him as he made his way down the hallway. A smile slowly spread on my lips, and a tingly warmth flowed through my body. That was an unexpected but lovely surprise. I guessed those romance novels had started to rub off on him.
We still had a few hours before Violet made her way over to discuss more serious matters, and a nagging in my gut told me I wasn’t going to have this kind of free time for much longer. I might as well take advantage of it now and spend the rest of my day relaxing.
After lugging several basins of hot water to the tub, I grabbed my romance novel and slid into the skin-prickling, honey-and-vanilla-scented, oily water.
I sighed as I started reading—I was getting to the juicy part.
The vampire and the werewolf had a temporary truce to fight a common enemy.
Along their journey to face this foe, they had to stay at an inn, and there was only one room left, with a single bed.
The forced proximity and sharing of past experiences created an unlikely bond between them.
They were now fighting unexpected base urges, and they were losing the battle.
His breath was hot against her lips. His body was a fierce fire compared to her cold, undead skin.
Her fangs grazed his lips, and she bit down just enough to make him gasp.
A growl rumbled deep within his chest, and his mouth crashed into hers.
Their kiss was all heat, hunger, teeth, and tongues.
His hands were everywhere, gripping her hips, sliding up her bare thighs, fingers digging in like he needed to anchor himself.
She moaned and pulled him closer. Clothes were shredded and forgotten.
She dragged her nails down his spine, and he bucked against her, pressing her harder into the wall.
“You’re mine,” he growled, voice raw, possessive.
“Then take me, wolf,” she commanded.
The scene went on for a few more pages—their lovemaking intensifying.
By the time I finished that chapter, I was thoroughly turned on.
I dropped the book onto the floor and slowly started to tease a nipple with one hand and satiate the throbbing between my legs with the other.
I pinched and pulled on my nipple, and a small gasp escaped me.
Suddenly thoughts of Forrest entered my head as I made gentle circles around my clit with my fingers.
I imagined him back here in this room, standing beside the tub, completely nude, holding his enormous cock, showing me how well he could pleasure himself.
I rubbed my clit with more urgency, the tension building within my core.
Satisfied moans were slipping out of me, but I was too lost in myself to notice.
My fingers penetrated my sex, as I used my other hand to hold on to the side of the tub.
I was so close; I could feel my release coming.
My thrusts increased as I thought of all the ways I wanted to ride that monster cock of his.
Could I even handle such a thing? I wanted to find out in the worst way.
And then, my release found me. My body shuddered, and a small, satisfied cry escaped my lips.
I was lying in the water, catching my breath, when there was a sudden knock at the door.
“Aurelia, is everything all right in there?” Forrest asked, worry in his tone. “Do you need my help?”
He had no idea how desperately I needed his help.
Flustered by the interruption, I said the first thing that came to my mind. “Apologies, Forrest. I’m all right. I just got to an interesting part in my book. That’s all.”
I immediately cringed as the words left my mouth. I had always been a terrible liar, but I never imagined that I’d betray myself in this way so marvellously.
“Ah, I see. All right. I’ll leave you to it.”
I could hear Forrest laughing on the other side of the door.
How was I supposed to get out of this room and face him after that? Please, someone, come kill me now.
*
After the bathroom incident, I spent the rest of my day sitting in the living room, reading my book in awkward silence.
Forrest, on the other hand, had been taking great pleasure in my pain, laughing at me anytime I accidentally made eye contact with him.
When I’d initially come out of the washroom, he’d tried to stop me in the hallway to talk about the book and what I had read that was so interesting. The humiliation was indescribable.
Darkness had just settled over the village.
The sky was covered by rain clouds, hiding the stars from sight.
With the cloud cover came an ominous foreboding that I couldn’t shake.
Violet would be here anytime now to discuss a plan for assisting Fiona.
I was looking forward to having her over, if only to give me a slight reprieve from the mortifying embarrassment I had been enduring all day.
The evening started off quite busy, as far as my work was concerned.
Villagers began venturing out toward the Nightwood one by one, just as the sun set.
Concealed by hooded cloaks and the darkening night, they risked coming to see me for all manner of things: mundane cold remedies, arnica salves, and peppermint tincture.
Many of the people who came to see me were women, and it wasn’t a stretch of the imagination to say that their nights were made once they all laid eyes on Forrest in his new clothing and stylish hat.
Once a few of the women had gotten over their nerves in seeking my help, they began to proposition Forrest. He graciously and politely declined each one over the course of the evening.
It was obvious that he was having a good time, and I was happy for him.
I also had this weird jealousy whenever he flirted with the women, but I was ignoring that, because it was none of my business.
Forrest was a free fae, and he could do as he pleased.
Finally Violet made her way over. I decided now was a good time to shut down shop for the night. I locked the front door and closed the shutters, hoping anyone coming by to visit would get the hint and go away.
“Wow, Aurelia. You weren’t kidding. He really is a big guy,” Violet exclaimed as she walked in the front door.
Any hope I’d had of being relieved of my earlier embarrassment quickly evaporated. Forrest laughed and offered to hang up her cloak.
“Where did you find him again?” she asked.
“Out back in the woods,” Forrest quickly replied. “Took me down just like a tree.”
My head turned on a swivel toward him, my eyes narrowing while I took in his mischievous grin. So he has jokes now? Wonderful.
Violet thought it was quite funny as well, judging by her laughter.
“All right, let’s get this going.” I gestured toward the sofa, inviting Violet to sit down. “So, what is your sister’s daily routine like? Does she have time to herself to take care of this?”
“Fiona has no time for herself at all. When she isn’t looking after their seven children, she’s cooking or cleaning.
That husband of hers has such a firm grip on her daily routine.
She is chained to her home and family. She doesn’t go anywhere without the asshole knowing.
He’s definitely going to pose an issue, more so than he already does. ”
“Do you visit Fiona often? Do you go over to each other’s home at all?” I asked.
“I avoid their home, because I am not welcome there. Anytime I ask to visit her, she has to run it by him, and he makes sure he’s present the entire time.
Fiona does not come to my home. I’m an unmarried woman who prefers the company of other women.
I am not to be trusted around his precious little wife, lest my ‘lecherous ways’ influence her at all.
” The contempt Violet held for her brother-in-law flowed from her unfettered.
“I wasn’t aware that the Children of the Celestial Mothers had adverse feelings regarding relationships between two women or two men.
Is this new?” The Cult of Children were many awful things, but as far as I knew, they didn’t care who anyone loved, just as long as it included the Celestial Mothers.