Chapter 14 The Blade And The Artist Find Their Home
The Blade And The Artist Find Their Home
RAFE
Talia returned to the sprawling mansion where my primary and Simba live, but she headed straight for the guest room she claimed for us.
She wasn’t ready to chat with anyone but me, so I said goodbye to them both, loping down the long hallway to the room I’d previously shared with Taurus.
When I arrived, she was standing in the middle of it with a sad look on her face that I couldn’t understand.
After all, everything up to my woman stabbing herself went exactly how she arranged it.
“We need our own space.”
Frowning, I looked at the determined expression she now wore and said, “There are a fuckton of guest rooms. We can switch to one if you want, or go back to my place.”
“No. While I’m fond of the place where we first mated, I’ve never felt comfortable in that house. It’s got too much baggage.”
I didn’t disagree, but I wasn’t sure exactly what the hell she wanted me to do about the cat and me having a past. We weren’t going to up and move our entire family plus the outlying areas to make her feel less shitty about us being normal folks with exes.
The damn place took years to customize as it was.
“We’re moving into the guest house.”
That made me confused because I didn’t even realize this place had a fucking guest house. It’s massive as it is and has more rooms than either of our mates could ever use. “I suppose we could do that…”
She grabbed my hand and dragged me over to the balcony, pointing out over the gardens to a small cottage that I supposed was built for staff. I doubted Taurus would allow staff here, so it made little sense, but it looked like a nice little place we could probably inhabit.
“We can move our stuff there tomorrow from the other houses. It will be just ours.”
A closed-off space where no other family members, likely including our other mates, will go.
“That’s fine with me, I guess. The cat spends more time here than at home, so I doubt our other family members will mind. If that’s what makes you happy, let’s do it.”
I probably should have seen the red flags that came along with this sudden plan, especially after the dust-up, but my wife was smiling again.
It didn’t occur to me to worry about it, so I didn’t.
I was a bit na?ve and too worn out to question it more, so I let her lead me to bed in that spare room, hoping this would be the thing that helped her find peace.
And that ended all discussion of the stabbing or even the rest of the problems from the previous days.
It was several days later before we got everything moved in.
I stayed with Talia in our new little home, putting together the house while she was off working during the day, and when she showed up at night, everything went as well as before the drama began.
I actually believed that we were making good progress together, and I’m sure our mates were re-connecting just as solidly.
That’s what we need for the damn party we can’t get out of, so I had little to complain about.
The little ‘cottage’ we took over is right nice.
It’s not a far walk up the path through the gardens to the main house, and since the cat has been filling the garden as if it’s going to be a wonder of the world someday, it has privacy.
I wasn’t sure if my wife would mind, but I’ve had Hex in twice to work through making it a home.
He’s been having a good time planning the schemes for each room and working on all the creature comforts with me.
Today, I finished setting up the kitchen, and though neither of us cooks, I feel good about how quaint it is. I got sweaty as shit and dirty, though, so I headed for the shower well before time for her to get back from work.
When I come out of the bathroom, she’s leaning against the wall waiting for me. In her hand is a brand-new thigh blade, and she’s spinning it without looking. I sense she’s trying to work through the feel and heft of the new weapon, practicing so she knows it like she knows her palm.
“Afternoon, wife. Did you get a new toy?” I drop the towel in the bin and head over to our bed to sprawl out.
It’s big and comfy, but much smaller than I’ve ever slept in since I left the Company.
I didn’t mention it, though, because I’ve decided this is her bubble—a refuge from all the things she hasn’t dealt with.
I don’t want to ruin that by sticking my foot in my mouth.
She gives me a nod, her expression guilty.
“After Del—after she... well, you know. I couldn’t even look at Precious anymore.
” Flipping the blade, she lets it fly at the bedpost where it thuds in—about a millimeter off-center.
Her growl makes me smile, and I watch her stalk over and yank it out, flipping it again.
“I have to get used to this one, though, so I named it Baby. I used to be able to castrate a housefly at fifty paces. Now I’m afraid I’d behead the fly and half of his family. My aim is off.”
Grimacing, I shrug as I watch. “She didn’t mean for that complete mess to happen the way it did. Who the fuck expects a weapon to get consecrated by a bloody archbishop nowadays? It’s not the Crusades.”
“I know. Hell, I didn’t know that Arturo was having them blessed when he made them.
I told him to knock it off with my orders because I don’t want them hurting any of us.
It seemed prudent given how much blood we all share.
” She shakes her head and murmurs, “I’m good with what happened until I think about her blood on my blade and the scar. It should have left me with a scar.”
“Some scars aren’t on the outside, love. I think you know that.”
I sure as hell do, and so does the cat, but right now, this conversation is about Talia.
“Yeah, I do.” She sighs and raises an eyebrow. “You smell good, long hair. That woman sure knows how to mix a potion to fit what appeals to people. She could sell those damned products and make a small fortune.”
I grin. “She dropped off a new batch this morning before breezing out on some mission. I think she said Russia. She clarified that whatever she put in here would make you happy.”
Talia ignores what I said about my primary, stalking over to the bed with a naughty grin. “Big yeah on liking it. You smell tasty as hell, baby. I bet when your skin heats, it will make you downright edible.”
She will not address this any further; that much is clear.
“Why don’t you come and find out?” I say as I give her a lazy smile that I don’t quite feel.
I’ll never say ‘no’ to getting naked with my wife, and if I keep thinking about how she’s glancing over the work that needs to be done, I’ll be downright gloomy.
Best to let this move to another topic where neither of us has to think so much.
The blade flies across the room, this time hitting the knob on the post dead center. “Challenge accepted.”
Holding her close after a few rounds of very flexible sex, I sigh.
This is more bloody like it. Content and calm, soft and warm—none of that painful emotional shit.
We need this kind of time, and maybe that was why everything went to shit earlier in the week.
The ‘massage incident’ happened before we had time to get ourselves settled; she might be right.
Lying here together, it feels a lot like it did after the first night we were together.
~I love you. ~ I murmur.
I meant what I said about working hard to make sure I say things out loud so she truly understands how I feel about her.
It’s different from my usual style of showing someone that I love them through actions, but from what I’ve seen in movies, compromise is the best way to keep a relationship on the right path.
Talia said she needed words, and I’m going to give them to her as often as I can.
She grins, looking up at me from my chest. “I love you too, husband. You’re my world.”
“This was a bloody brilliant way to spend an evening.”
“Definitely no complaints here.”
Smiling, I tilt my head. “I missed you, you know. I know you were only with her for a day or two, but I did.”
Oddly, a pinkish tint crawls up her neck to her face. “You did? I always miss you, but I didn’t think...”
I swat her rear. “I did. Why wouldn’t I?”
Laughing, she shrugs. “I always hope you do; it’s that much more special when...” She stops and wrinkles her nose.
“When I say it out loud?”
She looks mortified, but she nods. “Yeah.”
Suddenly, a wave of magic strikes me, and I fall back, panting. Everything in my body tightens, and I look over at my mate with yellow eyes.
She hisses through her fangs. “What the fuck...is going on?”
Another wave hits me, and I growl, shaking my head as I try to push back the primal. “The only guess is... the woman’s back... from Russia.”
Her lips curve up, and she slithers closer, looking down at me. “I like thissss family thing—family is excellent.”
My arms tighten around her, and I give her a fangy grin. “No complaints here.”
As she crawls back on top of me with hungry eyes, I hold on to her hips tightly until she slides down my cock.
The feeling of whatever the hell our primaries are doing in the main house pushes us to fuck hard and fast, rocking and panting until the crest of orgasms crashes into us simultaneously.
I bury my fangs in the side of her neck, and she rakes hers over the spot she marked me before, and we drink until our bodies stop moving.
Languid pleasure seeps in as we come down from the quick and intense high of sharing through the bonds, and my eyes slip closed.
Maybe this will all work out fine, and I’m just overthinking it.