The Warlock's Kiss

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The Warlock's Kiss Page 7

by Tiffany Roberts


  Was that because she knew her time was limited?

  Merrick wanted to reach for her, wanted to comfort her, but even if she wanted that—which was unlikely—he wasn’t sure of what to say or do.

  Danny’s mouth opened wide, and he released a loud, prolonged yawn.

  Adalynn glanced at her brother, then down to her own plate, which was nearly clear. She seemed surprised, as though she’d not realized how much she’d eaten as she talked.

  Her eyes rose to meet Merrick’s. “Thank you. For the food, and for letting us stay the night. We can find our way back to the…parlor? And I promise we won’t break anything on the way.”

  If they were going to stay, that was the easiest arrangement; it kept them in a centralized location with little they could damage, and they’d be close to the front door when he kicked them out in the morning. But Adalynn still looked so worn, so tired, so weak. He couldn’t make her sleep on the couch—the cushions were firm, the armrests were hard, and the pillows were overstuffed and lumpy. It was a fine room for sitting with company, if one were inclined to do so, but it wasn’t adequate for comfortable sleep.

  “I’ll show the two of you up to a bedroom,” Merrick found himself saying after a few moments.

  Adalynn’s eyes widened. “A room?”

  “You mean, we get to sleep in an actual bed?” Danny asked.

  Merrick flattened his hands atop the table and pushed himself to his feet. “Yes. A room. With a bed. That is implied by the term bedroom, is it not?”

  Adalynn’s confusion didn’t ease. “But I thought—”

  “I am attempting to be a good host,” Merrick said. “For tonight, you are my guests, and the recipients of my good will.” He stepped to the side of the table and extended a hand, palm up, for Adalynn to take. His skin hummed in anticipation of her touch. “Will you accept, or do I have to be a condescending prick before you take my offer into consideration?”

  She blushed again, looking contrite, but lifted her hand and placed it in his. “Well, you kind of were being one.”

  A thrill arced up his arm, raising gooseflesh over his skin. He barely suppressed a shudder. The sensation continued down to a place low in his belly, where it sparked a flame. “Were?”

  She smiled at him, one side of her mouth rising a little higher than the other. Her dark eyes, even in the dim light, were warm and filled with good humor. “I think your social skills are improving already.”

  “I suppose I’d better ensure I kick you out promptly at dawn, then,” he replied, feeling his own lips curl into a small smile, “before your behavior influences me any further.”

  “Are you flirting with my sister?” Danny asked from beside Merrick.

  Adalynn whipped her head toward her brother and quickly pulled her hand out of Merrick’s. “Danny!”

  Merrick curled his fingers into a loose fist—as though that could assuage his sudden sense of emptiness—and dropped his hand to his side. “Daniel, are you familiar with the saying children should be seen, not heard?”

  “Nope. Are you familiar with the saying dude, don’t be a dick?”

  Adalynn pressed her lips into a tight line and covered her face with her hand. “Danny…”

  “What? Isn’t dick and prick the same thing? You called him a prick before!”

  “So, young master Daniel will be sleeping in the front yard tonight?” Merrick asked.

  “Oh, come on! Why is it okay for her to say that stuff but not me?” Danny demanded. “It is because you’re flirting, isn’t it?”

  Struggling to suppress his irritation, Merrick cleared his throat. He didn’t have to answer to anyone, especially an adolescent human—though it didn’t help that, were he to be honest with himself, he had to admit the boy was correct. “Shall I show you to a room?”

  “Please,” Adalynn replied, “before he says something else and I make him sleep outside.”

  Chapter Four

  Adalynn lay in bed staring at the dark ceiling, wide awake despite her fatigue. Sleep tugged at her consciousness, but there was a strange energy flowing through her that kept her from closing her eyes and succumbing to her weariness.

  It was frustrating. She had a roof over her head, good food in her stomach, and she felt genuinely safe; not once since the Sundering had she had all three of those things simultaneously. And yet she couldn’t rest.

  Danny snored softly beside her. He’d conked out as soon as his head hit the pillow. She could admit she was jealous of that, but she was glad to know he was safe and resting soundly. She was glad Merrick was allowing them to stay, even if it was only for one night.

  Merrick.

  She couldn’t stop thinking about the man, couldn’t stop thinking about how it’d felt when they’d touched. Dealing with him had been like riding a roller coaster that was so rusted and worn it could collapse at any moment; she wasn’t sure how to feel about him. The first impression he’d made—while justified—certainly hadn’t helped anything. He was a mystery. One moment he’d wanted them gone, and the next, he’d wanted them to stay. He’d thrown a fit about them eating his food only to offer them fresh produce a few minutes later. She had a feeling he would’ve given them more if they’d asked.

  But even if her emotions concerning him were jumbled and confused, she couldn’t deny that looking at him and touching him had roused something powerful in her.

  Desire.

  Adalynn lifted her hand off the bed and looked at her palm. They’d exchanged such a simple touch, yet it had evoked a sensation so thrilling that it still lingered on her skin. And her denial didn’t change the fact—he had been flirting with her. There’d been heat in his eyes as he looked upon her, a teasing twist to his lips.

  Maybe he’s not as bad as he makes himself out to be.

  Sighing, she closed her eyes, attempted to push those thoughts away, and willed sleep to come.

  It didn’t.

  She turned onto her side, facing Danny.

  Come on. Sleep!

  She released a heavy, frustrated breath. When she inhaled, she caught a whiff of body odor—and she knew it wasn’t just Danny’s.

  Thankfully, that helped turn her thoughts away from Merrick. She focused on how odd it was to be lying on a comfortable bed with clean, soft bedding, on how restrictive her clothing felt, on how filthy and stinky she was. All of that tumbled through her mind in an endless loop, each thought gaining strength every time it came around again.

  She and Danny were likely staining Merrick’s sheets with dirt and sweat.

  When her next breath renewed her awareness of the smell, Adalynn tossed the covers off and quietly slipped out of the bed. She glanced back at her brother; he slept undisturbed.

  Why had this not bothered her before?

  Because it didn’t matter. We were always on the road, in a car, on the run, too preoccupied or too terrified to notice or care about personal hygiene. Now, we’re in a fancy home, lying in a fancy bed, with fancy, clean sheets, and it all belongs to a sexy—

  No, Addy! Not supposed to be thinking about him right now!

  But it was hard not to; the house itself reminded her of Merrick. It was old, out of its time—and even though he didn’t look older than thirty-five or forty, she somehow had the same sense about him.

  Everything here was so amazing, and in impossibly good condition. Hell, there was running water in this house. Nowhere else they’d stopped had had running water thanks to the lack of electricity. She and Danny had been taking water from rivers and streams over the last few weeks, filtering and boiling it as thoroughly as possible.

  Running water.

  She straightened. Merrick had shown them a bathroom down the hall and had said they were free to use it as necessary—so long as they cleaned up after themselves. And there’d been a tub in there, one of those old-fashioned, claw-footed tubs. Even if the water was cold, it would feel good to finally be clean. A dip and a quick scrub down in a stream wasn’t the same.

  Anti
cipation thrummed in her.

  She looked at Danny. He’d been a magnet for dirt even before the Sundering, and probably needed a bath even more than she did, but she didn’t have the heart to wake him. The bed was likely soiled by now, anyway. He’d just have to bathe before they left in the morning. She’d make sure of it.

  Adalynn picked up her pack, made her way across the room, and slipped into the hallway, closing the door softly behind her. She paused; everything was silent except for the occasional creaking bough and gust of wind from outside—but this wasn’t the sort of oppressive silence so common beyond these walls, wasn’t the silence of a dead world. This was almost…comforting.

  Without bothering to take out her flashlight—her eyes had adjusted adequately to the darkness—she walked to the bathroom. Once she was inside, she set her bag down and crouched beside it, unzipping a small pouch in front. Merrick had said there were candles in most rooms, so she assumed there was at least one in here.

  She took out her lighter, stood up, and flicked it on. It didn’t take long to find a candle; there were at least a dozen scattered around the room—at the sink, on a high shelf, in a small cut-out nook, and along the windowsill. It was like something out of a movie.

  The perfect romantic bathroom.

  Adalynn could just imagine the glow those candles would emit, could imagine sinking down into that clawfoot tub with it full of steaming, hot water and a mountain of bubbles.

  But those luxuries were gone. Perhaps, one day, things would get back to that…though it wouldn’t be in her lifetime.

  She wasn’t about to complain—even if she didn’t have the hot water and bubbles, she had running water and candles. She didn’t have to overindulge to appreciate what was available.

  She lit two candles—one on the sink counter, the other on the windowsill near the tub. After putting her lighter away, she plugged the tub and turned the left knob all the way up. Water blasted from the faucet.

  As the bathtub filled, Adalynn undressed, pausing once her shirt was off to give the garment a narrow-eyed, disgusted sneer. It was stained with dirt and sweat. She couldn’t suppress a groan when she lifted it to her nose and sniffed; it stank. She couldn’t begin to guess at the thoughts that must’ve run through Merrick’s head when he’d first seen Adalynn and Danny—when he’d smelled them.

  Maybe he was being polite. She doubted he would’ve have held his tongue otherwise.

  She’d just have to wash her clothes after her bath and hang them up overnight. Danny’s wouldn’t have time to dry, but at least she could clean them in the morning.

  She tossed her shirt onto the floor beside the tub. Unbuttoning her jeans, she hooked her thumbs beneath the waistband and shoved her pants and underwear down, tossing them atop her shirt. Her bra followed. Finally, she reached up, pulled the hair tie from her ponytail, and slipped it over her wrist. She shook her hair out; it felt dirty, greasy, and tangled.

  It’ll be so nice to feel clean again.

  Dropping her arms to her sides, Adalynn stepped closer to the tub and braced herself for the shock of cold.

  Best to just get in the water fast and get it over with. Just like we used to do a when we went swimming.

  Taking a deep breath, she stepped in quickly and dropped down into the water—only to scream and leap back out, stumbling and slamming against the wall, knocking over a couple candles and toppling a low shelf in the process.

  Panting, limbs shaking, she stared at the tub in shock as a stinging pain—made worse because it was so unexpected—swept over her flesh and radiated through her body.

  The water was hot.

  * * *

  Merrick curled his fingers in his hair, tugging on the thick strands. He sat leaning forward, elbows on the desk, staring down at the book lying open before him—a latter translation of ancient documents pertaining to beasts lurking within mankind. About monsters dormant in human blood, their essences diluted over millennia of interbreeding. If there was useful information in the text, it was currently lost on him.

  He’d reread the last paragraph half a dozen times without retaining anything. His mind kept shifting toward Adalynn. At first those shifts had occurred between pages, then between paragraphs, then in the space between each sentence. Now it seemed that after each individual word, he thought of her.

  He couldn’t shake the knowledge that she was in a bedroom just down the hall from his study—that information was lodged in the back of his mind, producing a soft but ceaseless hum that served as a constant reminder. His palm still tingled with the residual energy of her touch, and flashes of her smile danced through his mind’s eye unbidden.

  “It will be for the best when she departs on the morrow,” he muttered, but hearing those words aloud didn’t lend him the resolve he’d hoped they would. Instead, they produced a sinking feeling in his gut.

  Exactly who would benefit from her departure? Certainly not Adalynn or Daniel; they’d be returning to a horrifying new world that had been transformed by the resurgence of true magic, a world in which humanity—who’d for so long been the Earth’s apex predator—had suddenly become prey.

  Certainly, it would restore the quiet in Merrick’s home, but had they really disturbed it that much to begin with? Despite Danny’s tendency to chatter endlessly, there was something heartening about hearing warm, friendly voices in these halls.

  He growled deep in his throat. No good could come from sheltering humans. What would they bring but more of their kind? Their numbers always multiplied eventually, more of them always came, and when they banded together, they tended to be at their worst. Regardless of the immense increase in magical power from which he’d benefitted since the Sundering, Merrick was under no illusion—he was far from invulnerable. Humans had killed powerful witches and warlocks throughout history, and they would do so again.

  He did not intend to become the latest name on a long list of victims.

  But from what Merrick had witnessed thus far, Adalynn and Danny weren’t like that. They were just trying to survive. Just trying to get by. Merrick was undoubtedly drawn to Adalynn, but even Danny had admirable traits—even if those traits were wallowing in a mire of youthful disrespect and rambunctiousness.

  The humans needed to leave.

  Merrick wanted them to stay.

  A scream—high and feminine—sounded from down the hall, followed by the sound of several objects clattering to the floor.

  Adalynn.

  Merrick shoved himself away from the desk, darted out of his study, and raced toward the source of the scream, heart pounding. He stopped outside the bathroom. Candlelight flickered from within, visible through the gap at the bottom of the door. Images of blood staining the tile floor and dripping down the sides of the tub flashed through his mind. Humans were such fragile creatures, especially when they were ill.

  He grasped the doorknob, turned it, and entered the room. His eyes immediately fell upon Adalynn.

  She stood with her back pressed against the wall and arms spread, her fingers splayed and curled like claws as though they could somehow dig into the wall and support her weight. Her chest heaved with her panting breaths, and her skin, completely exposed from head to toe, glistened with moisture in the candlelight. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders. Merrick’s gaze dipped down her body, taking in her bare breasts, which were tipped with pink nipples, her flat stomach, and the small patch of dark hair between her legs.

  His cock throbbed, hardening rapidly within the confines of his trousers. Her body was the same as her face—the faint lines of ribs at her sides and the slight pronouncement of her hip bones spoke of a woman who was underfed, though now he couldn’t be sure if it was due to scarcity of food, her illness, or a combination of both. Still, she was stunning, and the near-overwhelming urge to close the distance between them and run his hands over her skin roared to life within Merrick.

  Adalynn swung her gaze to his. Her eyes widened, and recognition lit within them before she screamed
again, crossed her arms over her nakedness, and dove for the pile of clothes on the floor. She snatched up her pants first, tossed them aside, and grabbed her shirt instead, holding it up to shield her body.

  “What are you doing?” she demanded.

  “Making sure you were all right. You screamed like you were attacked by something.” His eyes dipped, and the fire in his belly flowed into his veins as his gaze trailed down her supple thighs. The skin of both her legs was reddened, as though she’d spent too much time in the sun, but that didn’t reduce their appeal.

  She clutched the shirt tighter. “The water was hot.”

  “Hot water is what tends to come out when you turn the knob marked H,” he replied distractedly; he was far too occupied with running his gaze lower still. His memory was impeccable, but the brief glimpse he’d had of her bare body was simply not enough. He needed more.

  “The water isn’t supposed to be hot.”

  Adalynn was hot. Did humans still say that? He had trouble keeping up with the way their languages changed, which had seemed faster and faster with every generation.

  Merrick forced his eyes up to meet hers, but he did so slowly. Her cheeks were now flushed—with embarrassment, perhaps? Or something more?

  “Why wouldn’t it be?” he asked.

  “There’s…no electricity. Usually no running water at all, especially not hot water. But you have both.”

  “People have had means of heating and pumping water long before they learned to harness electricity.”

  Her brow furrowed. Merrick sensed that she wanted to argue, but she seemed hesitant to do so; perhaps she simply wasn’t informed enough on the subject to feel she could argue with any confidence? Modern conveniences had made life easy for humans, but they had also enabled an immense loss of knowledge—the way their ancestors had been forced to live and survive had become unnecessary information.

  Of course, he didn’t want her to argue—he’d been pumping and heating his water with magic since the power went out, and she didn’t need to know that. There were only two possible outcomes to him sharing that information with her—either she’d flee in terror, eventually rounding up more humans to destroy Merrick like the monster they’d see him as, or she’d seek to take advantage of his power to obtain her own comfort and security.

 

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