harems of women in one night.
Stephano looked stunned.
The men chuckled, a dry, unfamiliar sound. Glancing at them, Aeros realised Tabithia not only sparkled to him, she seemed to have entranced his men as easily as she drew breath. Thankfully, none of them looked at her with more than natural curiosity and long-forgotten humour, almost as if she were a younger sister. If even one of his men showed more than that, he’d have to tear some heads off.
Smirking, Stephano fingered his belt and rocked on his feet. Tall, nearly shoulder to shoulder with Aeros, the warrior could and would take a life without a thought, but looking at him, most couldn’t see beyond his too-handsome looks. The weakness had served them well in the past and had earned him the name of Narc, after the self-loving god Narcissus.
Tabithia frowned at him. “Great, that’s great.”
Kiron studied Tabithia from his position on the couch. Meeting his eyes, Aeros nodded for Kiron to introduce himself. For a woman who hadn’t wanted to meet his men, she waited politely for Kiron to sip his water before introducing himself. “Kiron,” he finally said, “but I’m afraid I’ll have to miss this trip.”
She winked at the dark warrior, making the man watch her in growing alarm as she moved closer and eyed his bandaged leg. “Well, for a price I can get that leg up and going.”
“Uh…” Kiron looked uncertainly from Aeros to Tabithia. Aeros couldn’t blame the man, he was confused as well. Kiron had once been involved with a witch, though, and by the look of his ashen expression, he’d rather not have Tabithia using magic on him now.
“Just kidding, I don’t dabble in much healing. Hunting, yep, which reminds me…?” She turned and pinned him easily with her sparkling green eyes. Stepping back from where he’d moved close enough to smell her sweet scent, she motioned to the door with her hand. “And, yeah, towering over me isn’t getting us to the plane any quicker now, is it, Sparkie?” She handed her backpack to over with a nod a queen would envy. “Thanks.”
When he didn’t speak quickly enough for her, she said, “So, let’s go, huh, Sparkie?” Her eyes met his, sizzling in what he assumed was her death-stare. She didn’t appear to notice he wasn’t intimidated. She barely reached his chest. Being worried over what she might do to him was akin to worrying over a small child harming him.
“Sparkie?” The corner of Aaron’s mouth tipped up in a smirk at the question.
Obviously, his men thought this funny. Not one of them seemed anything but humoured by the little witch. What else could they think? She was tiny, perhaps average height for a woman, but she barely came to their chests. Compared to them? She was delicately formed. Fragile.
Aeros mentally shook his head. “We have a jet ready to leave. Is this all you will bring with you? It will be many days of travel, I believe.”
Her frown deepened, marring her smooth, pale brow. Aeros wanted to brush his lips over it, still her worry with his strength.
“I have skills, you do realise that? Right? And, duh, I’m not staying with you, as in spending the nights. I’m off home at night then I’ll come back in the a.m. with doughnuts if you’re all good. If it takes days. I’m betting on less than three.”
She wasn’t staying? “No, you will stay with us, overnights and days. You may not be able to find us if you leave. Anything can happen in the field, we must be—”
Throwing her small arms up in disgust, she started pacing. Obviously leaving them each night was important to her. Just as important to him was her staying. Not merely so he could see if his feelings for her continued to grow, but because his instinct warned him to keep her close. If she left? He sensed she might not come back. Worse, he’d get less time to figure out if there was a bond between them.
His men stood watching with a mixture of amazement and amusement.
“Good grief. Do you
Stephano looked stunned.
The men chuckled, a dry, unfamiliar sound. Glancing at them, Aeros realised Tabithia not only sparkled to him, she seemed to have entranced his men as easily as she drew breath. Thankfully, none of them looked at her with more than natural curiosity and long-forgotten humour, almost as if she were a younger sister. If even one of his men showed more than that, he’d have to tear some heads off.
Smirking, Stephano fingered his belt and rocked on his feet. Tall, nearly shoulder to shoulder with Aeros, the warrior could and would take a life without a thought, but looking at him, most couldn’t see beyond his too-handsome looks. The weakness had served them well in the past and had earned him the name of Narc, after the self-loving god Narcissus.
Tabithia frowned at him. “Great, that’s great.”
Kiron studied Tabithia from his position on the couch. Meeting his eyes, Aeros nodded for Kiron to introduce himself. For a woman who hadn’t wanted to meet his men, she waited politely for Kiron to sip his water before introducing himself. “Kiron,” he finally said, “but I’m afraid I’ll have to miss this trip.”
She winked at the dark warrior, making the man watch her in growing alarm as she moved closer and eyed his bandaged leg. “Well, for a price I can get that leg up and going.”
“Uh…” Kiron looked uncertainly from Aeros to Tabithia. Aeros couldn’t blame the man, he was confused as well. Kiron had once been involved with a witch, though, and by the look of his ashen expression, he’d rather not have Tabithia using magic on him now.
“Just kidding, I don’t dabble in much healing. Hunting, yep, which reminds me…?” She turned and pinned him easily with her sparkling green eyes. Stepping back from where he’d moved close enough to smell her sweet scent, she motioned to the door with her hand. “And, yeah, towering over me isn’t getting us to the plane any quicker now, is it, Sparkie?” She handed her backpack to over with a nod a queen would envy. “Thanks.”
When he didn’t speak quickly enough for her, she said, “So, let’s go, huh, Sparkie?” Her eyes met his, sizzling in what he assumed was her death-stare. She didn’t appear to notice he wasn’t intimidated. She barely reached his chest. Being worried over what she might do to him was akin to worrying over a small child harming him.
“Sparkie?” The corner of Aaron’s mouth tipped up in a smirk at the question.
Obviously, his men thought this funny. Not one of them seemed anything but humoured by the little witch. What else could they think? She was tiny, perhaps average height for a woman, but she barely came to their chests. Compared to them? She was delicately formed. Fragile.
Aeros mentally shook his head. “We have a jet ready to leave. Is this all you will bring with you? It will be many days of travel, I believe.”
Her frown deepened, marring her smooth, pale brow. Aeros wanted to brush his lips over it, still her worry with his strength.
“I have skills, you do realise that? Right? And, duh, I’m not staying with you, as in spending the nights. I’m off home at night then I’ll come back in the a.m. with doughnuts if you’re all good. If it takes days. I’m betting on less than three.”
She wasn’t staying? “No, you will stay with us, overnights and days. You may not be able to find us if you leave. Anything can happen in the field, we must be—”
Throwing her small arms up in disgust, she started pacing. Obviously leaving them each night was important to her. Just as important to him was her staying. Not merely so he could see if his feelings for her continued to grow, but because his instinct warned him to keep her close. If she left? He sensed she might not come back. Worse, he’d get less time to figure out if there was a bond between them.
His men stood watching with a mixture of amazement and amusement.
“Good grief. Do you
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