Rosette

Bambi

I had the kitchen prepare three meals—one for me, Ela, and Victoria. Today was going to be a long day of research.

If Ela managed to procure the restricted files, we’d have some serious material to pore over, and provisions were a necessity.

I retrieved the wrapped-up meals from the chef, and as I carried them precariously in my arms, I nearly bumped into Ekon, who was exiting his office.

“What’s that smell? Chicken?” he asked, sniffing the air. “Smells like enough to feed a small army.”

“No army, just my book club,” I replied, setting the containers on a nearby table.

Ekon grimaced at the mention of my club.

“I don’t like how much time you’re spending away from me. We initially agreed to one day a week.”

It was true that “one day” had ballooned out into several days, which was now almost every day. I was testing my limits with Ekon, but now that there was a ticking clock, I couldn’t waste any more time.

I really did want to spend my day with Ekon, but right now, the investigation was the only thing on my mind.

“Are you trying to avoid me? After what happened on our…date? Did I push things too far?”

My face burned with embarrassment, and I turned away, even though he couldn’t see me.

I had to admit that I’d initially used the investigation to push my feelings out of my mind, but now I was doing this ~for~ Ekon—for my mate.

I wanted to get closer to him, but all these secrets, all this sadness about the past was keeping us apart.

If I had to be a little distant now, it would only bring us closer together after I found Devina and made her give Ekon his sight back.

“It’s not you. I…I just need somewhere to unwind. Reading relaxes me, and discussing the material keeps my mind sharp.”

His grimace remained. He wasn’t buying it.

“Maybe I should make more of an effort to be involved in your interests. Maybe I should attend one of these book club meetings…”

“NO!” I immediately covered my mouth. “Uh, I mean, I don’t want to bother you with my silly club.”

He looked even more unconvinced now.

“What are you reading in this club that’s so interesting that you have to discuss it daily?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

~Dammit, we aren’t reading anything at all!~

~I can’t say The Werewolf Chronicles…~

~He’d never let me leave the house again.~

~How do I even respond?~

~What’s a book that he would have no interest in?~

“It’s called ~Tranquility~!” I blurted out, thinking of the first book that came to my mind. “Just a romance novel about an alpha and his mate. Probably much too girly for your tastes.”

“I’m an alpha. And I have a mate. Seems like I might relate,” he responded.

Why did he have to be so damn difficult today?

If he asked me any more questions, I’d be caught in my lies for sure.

I hadn’t read ~Tranquility~ in ages, and I was already a bad liar.

I walked over to him and placed my hand on his chest, seductively.

“That’s true…you are an alpha. A big, ~strong~ alpha.”

He leaned in and whispered into my ear, “What kinds of things does the alpha do to his mate in this book?”

I was trying to distract Ekon, but I found myself getting flustered.

“Um…all kinds of things, like…”

“Dirty things? Does this book have sexual content?” He said it in a fake kind of reproachful tone that let me know he hoped the answer was “yes.”

“Filthy,” I replied brazenly, my lips hovering across from his.

I began to feel the same heat in my body that I’d felt on our date. Even though my head was telling me I wasn’t ready, my body was telling me the opposite.

I grabbed him by the collar and pressed my lips against his. He pulled me into his office, kicking the door shut as we collapsed onto his leather sofa.

This wasn’t where I’d expected things to go, but at least it had changed the subject.

Our kisses were just as impassioned as the last time, and I was surprised by how quickly I fell back into the rhythm.

It felt natural, the way our bodies were intertwined on the couch. It felt as though this was the way we were always supposed to be.

I felt something else too…something protruding from Ekon’s pants. He was just as turned on as I was.

The problem was I wanted to turn it off, but I didn’t know how. Instead, I just kissed him even more deeply.

His hand slid up my thigh as I wrapped my legs around his waist.

“Ekon, wait…” I moaned softly.

But as he pressed against me, I didn’t want to wait. I wanted him now.

I dug my claws into his back, aching for him to press even harder. These clothes were just getting in the way. I wanted him to rip them off of me.

~Not here, not now. This isn’t the right time.~

My mind was fighting with my body, and I knew it was right. I needed to cool down.

I suddenly pulled away from Ekon and sat back, holding my hand up.

“We need to stop. I…I can’t do this right now,” I said, panting.

He looked frustrated, and I understood why, but he needed to respect my wishes.

“You came on to me!” he said defiantly.

“I know, I’m just…late for book club,” I mumbled.

I needed to stay focused on the investigation. That was all that mattered right now.

“This isn’t about the book club, Bambi. I was a fucking general and war strategist. You think I don’t know when you’re lying?” he growled. “Why don’t you want me there?”

“Because I need a place for myself. I need a place where I can have some privacy. To be a girl and talk about things with other girls,” I yelled back.

“What things do you talk about with them that you can’t discuss with your mate? Nothing between us should be private,” he said, getting even more angry.

Now I was getting mad.

Nothing between us should be private?

“That’s a laugh,” I retorted. “You keep so many secrets from me, Ekon. You could fill every book in the library with the amount of secrets you keep.”

“That’s different. I keep things from you for your own safety.”

“Well, there are some things that I can’t talk about with you either!”

This conversation was going south, and I was dangerously close to backing myself into a corner. I had to choose my words carefully.

“Like what?” he growled.

“Like sex,” I retorted, causing him to shut up immediately. “And relationships, insecurities, everything.”

“You…you talk about us? To them?” he stammered.

“Sometimes. Or Victoria talks about Beta Ryland. Or Ela talks about her relationship issues. Girls need the viewpoints of other girls. That’s just the way it is.”

Ekon’s face suddenly scrunched up, and he looked annoyed.

“What sexual advice do you have to contribute? We aren’t even having it.”

I was beginning to lose patience. “Oh, so you think I don’t have any experience? I’m just a naïve little virgin? Is that it?”

I ~was~ a virgin, but that was beside the point.

“You’ve…you’ve slept with other men?”

“Truthfully, no, but if I had, you’d have no right to be angry. It’s not as though you haven’t had other lovers.”

He looked relieved, but he knew he was walking a thin line. “You’re my mate. Of course I’d be jealous if another man touched you. It may be irrational, but I want you all to myself. I want to be the one to hold you, to please you, to protect you. I want to be yours in a way that no other man has been or ever will be.”

I blushed, my heart beating faster with each breath.

“I…I think I want that too,” I responded. “But please, just give me more time to figure everything out.”

It wasn’t a lie.

I meant it.

But there was something else that needed to be sorted first, and I couldn’t let my feelings get in the way.

***

Ela slammed a massive book on the table, sending a cloud of dust into the air. It was so old that it looked like the only thing holding it together was magic, and given the nature of the book…it probably was.

“~The Great Book of Witches~,” Ela announced proudly. “You girls have no idea what I went through in order to get this. Half a dozen security checks and twice that many lies, but a Luna’s signature will get you just about anything.”

“Glad to be of service.” I laughed. “So, how does this thing work?”

“It updates itself through magic,” Ela explained. “Every time a new witch is born, it’s recorded here. Even excommunicated witches are still listed.”

“So that means Devina has to be in there,” Victoria said, excited. “Open it, open it!”

As I scanned the index with my finger, I found Devina. A crown of thorns appeared next to her name.

“What does this symbol mean?”

“It’s the symbol of her coven,” Ela replied. “Every coven has a different one.”

I flipped to Devina’s entry, but there was no photo or illustration of her. There was hardly any information at all, just a date of birth and the name of her mother.

DEVINA ESTONIA CABOT

DOB: JUNE 12, 1978

MOTHER: ROSETTE VIVIAN CABOT

“Rosette,” I said aloud, something terrible dawning on me.

“Her mother?” Victoria asked.

“Yes,” I said softly, not quite believing the words about to come out of my mouth. “And Ekon’s too.”