by Nicole Hall
Dru stalked out of the bathroom and slammed around in the kitchen searching for a snack. She pulled the milk out then wrinkled her nose at the sour scent. She and Oren were terrible at grocery shopping. Looked like she’d be having canned soup again.
While the soup heated up, Dru considered and discarded several options for finding more information on Hollis’ intentions. Nothing she came up with would work unless she travelled back to Vethr.
The microwave beeped, and Dru burned her fingers moving the bowl to the table. Vethr couldn’t be an option until she figured out how to move around there without letting Hollis know she’d arrived. As the gatekeeper of the dryad magic, the queen became damn near omnipotent inside their realm. Maybe they could come up with a distraction and just hope Hollis didn’t notice her wayward daughter returning to the fold.
Dru snorted and nearly inhaled some broth. They needed a plan, not a wish list. Since Oren decided to disappear for days on end digging for more information, she expected him to come home with something useful. The twinge in her chest called her a liar, and Dru rolled her eyes. Fine. She hoped he came home and groveled a bit, then had his wicked way with her, then provided chocolate offerings, then shared his useful information. Mostly in that order.
The big bed wasn’t the same without him, though she appreciated the space for her long legs. As promised, she hadn’t left the apartment or ordered take-out, but Dru could only handle so much time trapped indoors.
She eyed the door and wondered if there was a way to use the bond to summon Oren the way Hollis summoned her. Not exactly the same, since Hollis’ summons weren’t voluntary, but perhaps a poke or nudge to hurry Oren along.
A knock on the door while she stared at it made her jump and chomp down on her inner cheek. She poked the sore spot with her tongue as she got up to check the peep hole. Samantha stood on the other side with a big tote bag over one shoulder.
Dru hesitated with her hand on the lock. Don’t open the door… If this was a shapeshifter of some sort who’d managed to perfect Samantha’s form in an attempt to kill her, she was going to be super pissed before she died.
She flipped the lock and swung the door open before her inner voice, which sounded distressingly like Oren now, could change her mind again. Samantha breezed past her without so much as a hello and dumped the bag on the couch with a grunt.
Dru closed and locked the door after her. “Please come in.”
Samantha kicked off her heels and sighed. “That’s better.”
“Make yourself at home. Why don’t you—ow.” Dru held her hand against her stinging cheek, willing the pain to subside again.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“I bit my cheek when you knocked.”
Samantha eyed the bowl. “How do you bite yourself eating soup?”
Dru tried to talk without aggravating her wound. “There’s chunks of potato in it.”
“Well there’s your first mistake. Soup isn’t meant to be chewed.”
“It is if it’s chunky.”
“Consume at your own risk. Lucky for you, I brought something better.” She dug into the tote and pulled out a plastic takeout container from Dru’s favorite burger joint.
Saliva pooled in her mouth as the scent of grilled meat drifted toward her. The soup had been adequate, until it tried to take her out, but the burger in Samantha’s hands was a gift from the gods. Her fabulous roommate set the container on the table with a smile.
“After your last pitiful text message, I couldn’t let you wallow here in food prison any longer.”
Dru yanked the plastic toward her and popped it open to reveal a perfect burger and a side of steak fries. “Remind me to bestow sexual favors at your request.”
Samantha chuckled and sat down at the table. “I’d wager Oren has dibs on all your sexual favors. I’ll accept gratitude instead.”
Dru took a big bite of the burger and moaned, screw the sore cheek. Samantha smiled, but Dru cocked her head as she chewed and swallowed. “Where’s yours?”
“I already ate.”
She shrugged and downed the rest of the burger in record time, then leaned back with a happy belly. “I love you. It’s official.”
“I’m glad. How are you doing here all by yourself?”
Dru ran a hand through her hair then winced. She’d forgotten about her greasy fingers. “Fine.”
Samantha raised a brow and waited. Dru had been sending her update texts all week, so the woman probably knew more about the dryad issues than anyone other than Oren.
“Ugh. Not fine. I’m getting a surprising amount of work done, but I’m so bored and restless. I can’t work on finding my sister or finding ways to circumvent Hollis’ dastardly plan—which is still only hypothetical at the moment. And that doesn’t factor in the bond thing with Oren. Every time he touches me—”
Samantha held up a hand. “I don’t need detailed descriptions. A lack of forward movement can be frustrating, but I’m proud of you for finally bringing in help. It takes a lot of courage to open yourself enough to someone to let them take some of your burden.”
“That’s the problem. I don’t want Oren to take my burden. It could kill him. Kill. Dead. No longer of the Earth.” She cocked her head. “I guess that last one is already accurate. Anyway, you know how I feel about being told what to do, and this bond with Oren is basically one big order from the universe.”
“So your response is to…what? Give it the finger and drop the one person who may be able to help you with Hollis?”
Dru sighed. “No. Obviously, no, or I wouldn’t be sitting here pining for another burger in his apartment.”
“Is the burger all you’re pining for?” Samantha got up to dig through her tote again, and Dru groaned at the ceiling.
“No. You’re so annoying.”
“I thought you loved me?”
“I can love you and be annoyed with you at the same time. The more I get to know Oren, the more I like him, and that freaks me out. Once I found out about my magical heritage, I assumed I’d never get the chance to be in a committed relationship with someone. Too dangerous when Hollis could use them against me. And then boom, magically committed all at once.” Dru chewed on her bottom lip. “It seems stupid to just accept that we’re meant for each other. How am I supposed to know if my feelings are real or if they’re caused by the bond? What if his are only because of the bond? I’m not sure it’s worth the risk. There. I said it.”
Samantha paused with her hands buried in the bag. “Refusing to take a risk on a relationship because the bond may have been predetermined is the same as accepting it. Either way, the perceived lack of free will is making your choice for you.”
Dru opened her mouth to argue, then shut it again. Samantha had a way of drilling down into the heart of the problem and making it sound simple. “I hate when you use logic against me.”
Samantha smiled and pulled another take-out container from her bag. “Someone has to.”
Tears pricked Dru’s eyes as Samantha set a second burger in front of her. “Point taken. I’ll try to stop overthinking the situation. Right after I stuff myself silly.”
Samantha laughed and leaned against the couch. “There’s the Dru I know and love. New topic. Have you heard from Nick lately?”
Dru stopped chewing, then swallowed hard. “Not since Bri’s house. Why?”
She shrugged. “He hasn’t been at the row house. Granted, I’ve been quite busy at work, so I haven’t spent much time there, but I thought I’d meet up with him at least once since he’s back in town and supposedly living in my second bedroom.”
“You haven’t seen him at all? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“I assumed it was his normal pattern. You have to admit, since you convinced him to move in, he’s been flaky as hell. Not that I’m complaining. His money cleared, so if he wants to pay for a room to store his stuff, I’m fine with that. Especially since you’re shacking up with Oren here.” She threw in an eyeb
row waggle that looked ridiculous on her patrician features. “Don’t worry about it. We’re probably just missing each other. I’m sure he’ll be making a mess in the kitchen when I get home.”
Dru frowned as she finished off the second burger. “Probably not, actually. He’s always been super neat. Now that I think about it, he might be the perfect roommate for you.”
“Nonsense. Neatness is no substitution for a good heart.”
Dru snorted. “Okay, now I know you’re up to something. Neatness is your number one rule. Speaking of keeping secrets, what’s the deal with your magic?”
Samantha smiled and lifted a small clutch out of the tote bag. “That’s my cue to leave.”
“Hey! You said you’d tell me about it later. This is later.”
“Not later enough.” She moved toward the door, leaving the bigger bag on the couch.
Dru hopped up from the table and darted between Samantha and the door. “Did you just come to drop off hamburgers and inconvenient advice?”
“No, I brought you some more clothes and a few things from around the row house. Like I said, your last text message sounded desperate, and I didn’t want you tempted to take chances.”
“I know it may not seem like it, but I’m taking the threat to my life very seriously. That said, please stay for a while? I’ll only bug you a little bit about your secret magic powers.” Dru had no problem begging. The longer Samantha stayed, the less she had to think about her feelings for Oren and how they kept popping up at the worst times.
Samantha gave her a quick hug, then stepped around her to open the door. “Don’t worry. You won’t be alone much longer.”
Dru propped her hands on her hips. “How do you know that?”
She tapped her temple. “Secret magic powers.”
The door closed behind her, and Dru’s shoulders slumped. Considering she didn’t plan to go anywhere, Samantha’s vague message of reassurance must mean Oren would be back soon. The only other option involved the inept murderer-wannabe finding a way past Jeff, but Dru had a feeling Seth’s wards would stop any attempts to enter the apartment. She felt safe inside. Chinese food notwithstanding.
Dru eyed Samantha’s offering on the couch and gave in to curiosity. The tote bag smelled like her burgers, and Dru inhaled deeply with a satisfied sigh. Samantha must be psychic. Or a good roommate. Definitely a magnificent friend. The bag contained the promised clothes along with several candles from her room, a sketch pad she’d been looking for, and her favorite coffee mug with the watercolor trees that said ‘artist at work’. Her mom had gotten that mug for her when she’d scored her first major art job.
Night had fallen while Samantha had watched her eat, so Dru placed the candles around the living room, lit them, and turned off the overhead lights. She curled up on the couch and watched the lights of the city twinkle as the pink glow on the horizon faded.
Dru strongly believed in confronting fears head-on, but she’d been avoiding the Oren-bond situation since the incredible flight above the forest. Avoiding the man hadn’t been hard since he’d been mostly gone since then. Avoiding her feelings proved more complicated.
She worried about him, and she missed him when he wasn’t around. The bond gave her snippets of information and carried some sense of him back to her, but all that achieved was to bring his absence into sharper contrast. The frustration made her bitchier than usual, but since she’d been shunning other people, it didn’t matter.
What the hell was she supposed to do with a beautiful man who insisted on pushing past all of her barriers? She swatted at her hair, annoyed that she hadn’t taken the time to put it up. Annoyed at a lot of things. At least her cheek didn’t hurt anymore where she’d bitten it. The super healing really came in handy. No complaints there.
Dru let her head fall back and tried to relax, but an image of Oren in her garden sans shirt tormented her. She stared at the dark ceiling and let the image come. Remembering the feel of his sleek muscles. Heat built in her belly, and she absently wished Oren would hurry his ass up.
As if answering her request, a noise outside the locked door drew her attention. The lock turned, and the door swung open to reveal Oren standing in a pool of light from the hallway. He came inside, relocking the door behind him, then paused. His eyes moved from the candles to the couch and met hers in the dim light. Dru’s pulse sped.
“Quite the welcome.”
Dru shrugged. “You were gone a long time.”
He rolled his shoulders and dropped his pack. “The trods remain fickle, as always. You seem to have figured out I was on my way back though.” He returned his attention to her and raised a brow. “Unless this set-up is for someone else?”
Dru rolled her eyes. “Yes. I had many suitors while you were gone. I’m a one-woman bordello. If you could just scoot on into your room before the next one gets here, that would be great.”
The sarcasm slipped right off him, probably for the best since she didn’t actually want him to go to his room. Not alone anyway. She hadn’t intended to create a quiet, romantic atmosphere, but that’s what Oren had encountered upon his return. Her first reaction when presented with the punch of relief at having him home was to use sarcasm to push him away again. If he left on his own, she could blame him, and her commitment issues would be resolved.
Oren shook his head with a small smile. “I missed you.”
Damn him and his disarming…everything. Dru wanted to run to him and welcome him home—not an urge she’d ever had before, not even with Nick—but fear kept her pinned to the couch. This wasn’t home. They were playing house in Seth’s apartment because some asshole couldn’t figure out how to properly execute a murder scenario. Not to mention, they had until her birthday to figure out a way to keep Ljos from inadvertently killing them both.
That kind of pressure would make any relationship seem life-altering. Dru’s body heated under his steady stare, and the ebb and flow of emotions through the bond made her excuses seem small and petty. The fear and sense of manipulation pissed her off, but only because it clouded her thoughts and made it hard for her to see the situation clearly for herself.
Oren waited for her response, the epitome of patience, and Dru suddenly tired of all the struggle. She fought against anything that pushed her, no matter the direction, and the end result didn’t always get her what she wanted. In this case, she wanted Oren. Every part of her wanted him.
Samantha’s annoying logic had unlocked something in her that she’d been resisting all week. Maybe all her life. Permission to love.
Oren’s smile widened as if he could read her mind, more likely he felt her capitulation through the bond. Dru may have been willing to hope for a future beyond servitude to Ljos, but that didn’t mean she was going to make it easy for Oren.
Dru stretched, finally beginning to relax. “Did you find what you were looking for?”
“Yes. Keris answered my questions about the mate bond and threw in some extra information that will probably become important.”
She frowned. “Are we really calling it the mate bond? It sounds so corny and animalistic.”
Oren leveled a dark look at her as he moved closer. “After being apart for several days, don’t you feel animalistic?” He crouched in front of her and traced her jaw with a finger. “I know you feel the urge to get as close as possible.”
His simple touch scorched her insides and left her panting. In the end, choosing him was easy. “Then what are you waiting for?”
Instead of joining her on the couch as she’d hoped, Oren shifted back and straightened. Oh no. Dru wasn’t about to jump into the deep end with him then have him swim away on her. She stood to face him and pulled her tank top over her head, swinging it around her finger once and tossing it in the direction of the hallway. Her shorts, bra, and undies followed suit.
Oren didn’t move during her impromptu strip tease, but his eyes became progressively darker. She cocked a hip and quirked an eyebrow at his fully dressed state. �
�You want to talk about urges or do something about them?”
He reached back and yanked his shirt off, letting it drop on the floor in front of him. “I had no intention of only talking. Don’t your rules have something terrible to say about ignoring urges?”
Dru licked her suddenly dry lips. “Probably, but I have other things on my mind at the moment.” She opened herself to their bond and let him have the full brunt of her chaotic feelings. The way she’d missed him, in bed and out, and the way she’d cursed his name when she couldn’t do as she pleased. Finally, the way she secretly reveled in the knowledge that Oren was hers and hers alone.
Oren’s breath hitched, and she sensed a rush of possessiveness streak through him. The darkness surrounding them only gave Dru glimpses of Oren’s body. The tattoo had moved again, with the dragon curled around his ribs. Her gaze drifted over him as he tossed the last of his clothes behind him. Her heartbeat jumped in an erratic rhythm when the bond carried the force of his need to her.
Once completely naked, he stalked forward. Dru took one step back, then stood her ground. She’d started this, and she’d gladly finish it. Her chin came up as he approached, and a predatory smile crossed his face.
His hand circled her wrist, then spun her around so she faced the window. Oren’s arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her against him in one smooth movement that brought her onto her toes. Dru braced her free hand on the glass and arched into him. He growled low, running an open-mouthed kiss across her shoulder and up her neck.
“I love the way you taste right here.” His breath tickled her ear.
Anticipation threw goosebumps across Dru’s skin as she tilted her head to give him better access. He reached the mark, sucked hard, and Dru couldn’t help pushing back against him as her whole body clenched. Her eyes closed, and she moaned at the heat pulsing through her.
