Tev's Idea

“What was that ruckus about?” Marcus Teverius asked.

Me discomforting a beautiful woman. One who stared at my body like a next meal.

One I’d like her to test.

“My little ward.” Sebastian shucked his breeches again and slid back under the blanket, just as Teverius appeared in the doorway.

“Taunting her again?”

Always.

“Every opportunity that arises.” He nodded. Shifting under the coverlet to get comfortable.

It dawned on Tev that Bast was just now settling there. “Were you naked a moment ago?”

Whenever possible.

“I’m still naked.”

“Uck!” Tev tossed up his hands and moved from the doorway. “We’ve talked about this. You always prop your chamber door when you should be closing it.”

“It’s a mite stuffy.” Bast’s nose wrinkled in distaste.

“Anyone can walk by…”

“Don’t worry little brother. Someday you may be as big and strapping a lad, as I.”

“You’re appalling. Truly.”

“I’m unashamed.” Bast shrugged.

“Be nice to that woman.” Tev called into the chamber as he strode by heading for the stairs.

Why in the Hell would I do that?

“Are you taking off?” Bast leaned up to call down to him.

“Yes. I have to go work with my hounds.”

“The Demon Dogs?” Bast muttered disgustedly.

“They are no longer Demons. I have tamed them to my hand.” Tev called up from the bottom floor.

“A dog is a dog. No less demonic, no matter how tame.” Bast called.

“Not everyone favors cats.” Tev muttered, returning to Bast’s doorway and leaning against the jam.

“You’re back.”

“I forgot the treats I found for the hounds in Grier, back in my chamber. Speaking of them reminded me.”

“My ward does.”

“Does what?” Tev blinked in confusion.

“She likes cats.” Bast bragged.

“Huh…” Tev murmured thoughtfully. “Perhaps you should become one then, aye?” Tev winked at him.

What in the Devil?

“What are you getting at?” Bast leaned up. Intrigued.

Tev is nothing if not ever clever.

“If the girl has a weakness for cats and you have a weakness for she…Perhaps were you a kitty you’d have more opportunities to be close to her…”

What?

“I am a cat.” Bast blurted.

Tev sent a quick look over his shoulder. “Does she know that?”

No. Bast gave a satisfied purr in his throat as he slumped back, registering Tev’s implications.

“Your mind,” He pointed a finger. “Is a dangerous thing.”

“Well,” Tev responded, stepping back from the doorway as he said the last. “All is well and good then as long as you keep your dangerous thing,” He nodded to Bast’s coverlets. “Carefully covered whereas I will not have to look on it.”

Bast shrugged and as Tev walked away again, he called after him. “Jealousy is a frightful awful feeling, is it not?”

“I hate you!” Tev laughingly called back.

No, you don’t. He knew.

“Everyone says that…” Bast grumbled. Rubbing his back against the pillows like a slinking cat before settling in.

Bast was unable to sleep and soon heard the pad of footsteps past his chamber and down the stairs. Hearing the creak of the door under the dais he realized what it was. Elsabet.

Heading to the Flood Room. Sebastian realized he shouldn’t have been surprised she’d found it.

She’s found everything else.

The whole lower level of WaterRose had been penetrated by the waters from the moat decades ago and had taken over.

Out of curiosity, he padded downstairs and trailed her step. Catching up to her on the narrow stairs down into the Flood Room.

Steps which had once gone up to the Main Level. They were partially corroded from the water’s constant presence and had worn into a curving stairwell.

He stepped after her silently. A shadow far enough back to not disrupt her.

She reached the bottom of the step and her fingers caught the edge of a pink satin robe he’d left in her armoire. In a graceful sweep she peeled it from her shoulders and let it drop to the stairs in a shimmering pile.

Exposing the angular lines of her small back and down to her slim hips which were still curved enough to be very feminine. She dipped a toe into the water. Revealing the curved edge of an upturned breast as she moved.

He groaned inwardly. Though she was far from the manner of voluptuous woman he was attracted to, there was something about the Valkyrie that drew him. Aroused him like nothing he’d come across before.

He wanted to claim her. Possess her.

Mark her as mine. The craving was so insatiable he nearly leapt down the steps and wrapped an arm around her waist to yank her back against him so he could embed wolf canine’s in that tender place where her neck met her shoulder.

His fingers scraped quietly against the stone wall next to him as he resisted the nearly overpowering urge. To take her there on the steps.

Oblivious to his presence she eased into the green tinted water as it cast it’s green lights over the stone walls. Some light which clambered in from cracks far below sent gold fragments of sunshine into her silvery white hair. Making her luminesce like a bit of starlight down in these caves.

A bit of light I want to keep for myself. Everything about the small, strange woman made him possessive.

I’ve never felt possessive. Women had always been such about him.

I want her. I’ll have her. He vowed to himself. Turning quietly and returning upstairs. His temperature rising with every step away from the object of his desire.

Perhaps out to the lake to cool off first. He thought, pained.

He past Tev in the Bailey.

“Going somewhere, Bast?”

“Yes. To try to drown my bruised ego and freeze my torrid manhood.”

Tev grimaced. Following him toward the gate. “Well that sounds unduly pleasant. Good luck with that.”

“Indeed.” Bast grunted. Waving a finger for Demetrius to lower the gate so he could head out.