“He wasn’t kidding, was he?” Abuti exclaimed when they finally crossed the threshold. “This bathroom is huge!”
Fortunately, the toilet was the nearest fixture, closely followed by a bidet, a whirlpool-style tub, and a double-sink vanity that seemed to go on forever. Everything, including the walls, was covered in gleaming dark-blue tile. The most significant feature was the space on either side of the toilet—easily enough room to accommodate her two assistants.
“You ladies arrived just in time,” Sula said after several ecstatic moments. “I don’t think I could’ve lasted another second.”
“No problem,” Abuti said. “If this is as bad as it gets, we’re all good.”
Sula nodded toward the shower stall that had to be at least three meters from her current position. “Is that a sonic shower?”
“Let me check,” Qinta said. After a brief inspection, she returned. “Looks like it can do both. There’s even enough room for the three of us.”
Sula wasn’t too keen on taking a shower with the two girls, although being Norludian, Abuti didn’t wear clothing anyway. As shower companions went, she was probably the best choice.
Aside from Aidan, of course. If her upbringing hadn’t left such a deep imprint of modesty on her personality, she might’ve welcomed a shower with him—although seeing him without a shirt was breathtaking enough. She would probably faint if she ever saw him completely naked.
She reminded herself that getting undressed wasn’t a requirement for a sonic shower. In fact, a few minutes of the treatment would clean even the filthiest clothing, which was a definite advantage given her current status. “I’d like to try the sonic shower next. Aidan actually said I smelled too good, but I can hardly wait to feel clean again.”
“That’s probably because he’s getting off on your scent,” Abuti said with a knowing chuckle. “At least you’re Terran. We Norludians don’t smell good to Zetithians at all.” This last bit was said with more than a trace of regret.
“Give it up, Abuti,” Qinta snapped. “That hunky blond is not going to fall for a Norludian, no matter what you smell like.”
Abuti groaned. “I know. But he is so totally hot!”
Any woman with a pulse would have agreed wholeheartedly. However, if Sula was going to be dealing with these two girls for several weeks, the very last thing she wanted was for them to tease her about Aidan. Perhaps her recent bereavement would protect her from their taunts.
“I’m sure he’s very handsome,” Sula conceded, keeping her tone as nonchalant as possible. “But so was Raj. We’d been together for over a year when he died.”
“How sad,” Qinta said. “You must miss him very much.”
“I sure do,” Sula said wistfully. “He was the love of my life. He died about a year ago.” Sighing, she added, “Seems like yesterday.”
To her surprise, the Norludian girl snorted with laughter. “After hanging around with Aidan for a week or two, that year is gonna seem more like six.”
Even though Abuti was probably right, Sula remained firm in her denial. Unfortunately, she knew enough about Zetithians to know that they responded quite well to Terran females. One whiff of her “desire” would give him an erection. If that ever happened, she would make it clear that an eager body didn’t necessarily guarantee a willing mind.
Besides, Aidan was probably used to fending off overzealous women, perhaps even those he passed on the street. If the orphanage truly was in the brothel district, the barrage of sex pheromones in the air would require him to pass by any number of artificially stimulated women on his way to work.
“What about the pheromones in the brothel district?” she asked. “Are you sure they aren’t the cause of your attraction to him?”
Abuti shook her head. “Aidan doesn’t need any help making girls fall for him. He does that all by himself. Besides, Onca had the ‘advertising’ turned off in the area around the orphanage a long time ago. He actually considered selling the building and moving the orphanage somewhere else, but it’s such an awesome place, none of us who live there wanted him to do it. It’s like living in a forest instead of a city.”
“I’d like to see it sometime,” Sula said. Sometime when it would be safe for her to venture out. For now, remaining within the walls of Aidan’s house—however grandiose it might be—seemed the best choice. “But right now, if you ladies will help me up, I’m dying for that shower.”
“Gotcha,” Abuti said, sounding far more cheerful than the situation warranted.
With the girls’ help, Sula limped into the shower stall. Any other time, she might’ve stopped to admire the crystalline fixtures and the large prism in the ceiling that directed sunlight throughout the room. For the moment, however, the only thing she wanted was to get herself clean enough that Aidan wouldn’t pick up any scent from her at all, much less the scent of her desire—an involuntary response that would undoubtedly betray her at some point.
Hopefully not today.
* * *
Aidan watched Sula hobble off with her two aides, feeling more than a twinge of regret. This new arrangement was for the best, and he was okay with it, if only having Sula depend on him for her every need hadn’t appealed to him on such a visceral level. He longed to be responsible for her—for her health, safety, happiness, and everything that commitment entailed.
A nudge from Rashe made his rather slack jaw snap shut.
“Chill, dude,” Rashe advised. “Those two will take good care of her.”
“I know. I can’t help being a little”—he managed to stop himself before saying jealous—“concerned.”
“Don’t be. I’ll make a few calls and pick up the things they suggested. Maybe a better splint too.”
“Yeah. That one is kinda makeshift.”
“I’m sure I’ll be able to find something. All you need to do is get dinner on the table. They’ll appreciate that more than anything.”
As though in support of Rashe’s suggestion, Aidan’s stomach let out a loud growl.
“See what I mean?” Rashe patted his shoulder. “First things first. You know the drill.”
Aidan nodded. He knew exactly what Rashe meant. Anytime a new kid showed up at the orphanage, getting a decent meal was always first and foremost in their mind. No doubt in Rashe’s eyes, Sula was just another orphan.
Except she wasn’t an orphan. She was an adult, and she was in danger. Not knowing where the danger was coming from made protecting her that much harder. He’d gotten the distinct impression that even she wasn’t sure of the source. She might have suspicions, though, which was something he hoped to wheedle out of her eventually. To do that, he had to gain her trust, which meant letting her keep her secrets for a while. She might see things differently in a day or two. Might even let Giklor heal her leg.
Nah. Probably not.
After Rashe left, Aidan returned to the kitchen and picked up where he left off, increasing the amounts to accommodate the new arrivals. In one day, he’d gone from a rather solitary existence to being one of four people living under the same roof. He still wasn’t clear on how he should behave toward them. Granted, he’d at least met Abuti and Qinta before, but Sula was a total stranger. Should he treat them like friends, long-lost relatives, or merely lodgers?
In the end, he realized none of that mattered, because either way, they still needed to be fed.
And he would do that to the very best of his ability.
* * *
“Not exactly like my mother used to make,” Sula remarked when she’d finished her dinner. “But very good.”
“Your mother made stuff like that?” Abuti asked. The Norludian girl had been the first to clean her plate, and the Treslanti came in a close second.
Sula shot Aidan a quizzical look before returning her gaze to Abuti. “Guess he didn’t tell you where I was from.”
“He didn’t tell us anything about you,” Abuti declared. “We don’t even know your name.”
“If you don’t want us to know, we’re okay with that, but we can be trusted.” Qinta’s eyes touched briefly on Aidan before reconnecting with Sula’s. “With your secret, anyway.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Aidan demanded. “I don’t have any secrets.”
“The hell you don’t.” Qinta’s tone was deceptively calm. “You’re a walking, talking enigma.”
Aidan gave an innocent shrug. “What you see is what you get.”
Following a withering glance at Aidan, Qinta said to Sula, “Don’t believe a word of it. There’s a whole lot more to him than meets the eye.”
Sula apparently knew more about her host than the two girls. However, she was good at keeping secrets herself. “You mean beyond being an extremely kind gentleman who is also a damn fine cook?”
“Oh, yeah,” Qinta drawled. “There’s whole a lot more going on in that head of his than he lets on. Don’t let those blond good looks fool you into thinking he’s nothing but a pretty face.”
“He is rather pretty, isn’t he?” Warmth flooded her body as Sula took another sip of her wine. Her leg still ached like the devil, but at the moment, she didn’t care. Knowing she might end up spilling the beans, she’d been hesitant to drink any alcohol. Aidan hadn’t insisted; the wine had simply been in the glass beside her plate when she came to the table. In a way, she was glad he’d provided it. She hadn’t been this relaxed in a very long time. Still, she needed to guard her tongue. “I can’t say I’ve detected any secrecy. I’m the one with the secrets.”
“We know you have secrets,” Abuti said. “We just can’t figure out why he does.”
“I’m guessing it has something to do with his Mordrial blood,” Qinta said. “I’ve met his sister and his mother. They all have the same aura. Like they know things that nobody else does.”
Sula studied the man in question for a long moment. She knew he could control the wind and had visions. What other talents was he hiding? And why? Whatever it was didn’t strike her as being sinister. She prided herself on her ability to spot deception, yet she’d wound up in such a horrible mess. Perhaps she didn’t know what she was talking about after all. Or maybe it was only the wine…
She took another sip of the sweet, potent vintage, feeling its effect in several places. Her head swam slightly, and somewhere down deep in her core, an ache began.
Oh no. Not now.
Numbness tingled her face. “Didn’t you say there was cake?”
“Of course.” Aidan pushed his chair away and rose from the table. “Lemon spice cake. I found the recipe online a while back. The kids love it. Seems odd, though. Lemons don’t usually appeal to younger palates.” He smiled at her in the most peculiar fashion. His face seemed to ripple as she looked at him.
“I may have had too much to drink,” she blurted out. “I need some cake to counteract the wine.”
“Cake counteracts wine? Never heard that one before,” Qinta said. “I’ll have to remember that.”
Aidan chuckled. “Have you ever actually tasted wine?”
“Nope,” Qinta admitted. “Couldn’t afford it when I was on the street, and I’m too young to get it legally.”
“Probably just as well,” Abuti said. “You might disappear, and we’d never find you again.”
“Very true.”
Sula was watching the Treslanti as she faded into the woodwork behind her. “That is so cool. I’ve studied Treslantis, but I’ve never actually seen one of you do that before. I can still see your eyes, though.”
“Yeah. That’s the only thing we can’t seem to mask,” Qinta said as she slowly became visible again. She turned to Aidan so quickly, it was a wonder her head remained attached. “That’s my claim to fame. What’s your secret, Aidan?”
The barest hint of a smile lifted the corner of his mouth, partially revealing a fang. “I already told you. I don’t have any secrets.”
“I think he needs more wine,” Abuti whispered to her friend.
“Being drunk won’t make me tell you something about myself that isn’t true,” he insisted.
“Suit yourself,” Abuti said. “We know you’re hiding something.”
“And we’ll get it out of you eventually,” Qinta added.
Aidan’s gaze darted from one girl to the other. “Is that why you volunteered for this job?”
Qinta shook her head. “Haven’t we already established that we’re only here for the food?”
“Not sure I’d believe that,” Sula advised. “They seem to have their own hidden agendas.”
“Aidan’s terrific cooking being one of many.” Abuti giggled. “That and getting to gaze at him over the dinner table.”
Aidan turned to Sula. “Did you give them any wine? I know I didn’t, but it sure seems like they’re both a bit tipsy.”
In Sula’s opinion, she was the only tipsy person present. Aidan showed no effects whatsoever, and his wineglass was no less empty than her own. Better metabolism, she surmised. Something about the larger muscle mass being able to handle the alcohol content better. At least she thought that was what the difference was.
Another wave of heat gripped her body, triggering the need to fan herself.
“What’s the matter—whatever your name is?” Qinta asked. “Aidan isn’t getting you all hot and bothered, is he?”
Chapter 9
“Strange men never make me hot and bothered,” Sula insisted. “It’s probably the wine. And if you must call me something, call me Sula. It isn’t my real name, but it’ll do.”
“Hold on a second,” Aidan said. “That’s the name you gave me.” He paused, scratching his chin. “At least I think you did. Maybe I imagined it.”
Sula peered at her wineglass, which seemed miraculously to have refilled itself. She’d never heard that Mordrials were capable of teleportation, but combine that breeding with his Zetithian ancestry and there was no telling what might result. Or perhaps he was simply a magician practiced in the sleight of hand that had fooled unsuspecting people for centuries.
“That probably is what I told you, but ‘Sula’ is actually a nickname. My real name is quite a mouthful.” Another glance at her glass proved it was empty again. Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs from it was a mistake. She pinched the bridge of her nose, hoping that would help. “Can I have some more lemonade? This wine is making me see things.”
“Absolutely,” Aidan replied. “Be right back.”
He’d barely left the room when Abuti, who was seated to her left, leaned closer and whispered, “Seeing things, huh? Like super-hot Zetithian dudes? If so, believe me, you aren’t imagining anything.”
“That isn’t what I meant.” Although Abuti was right. Aidan was all that and more. Sexy. Kind. Charming. Plus, he could freakin’ purr. As a Zetithian man, he was capable of many other delightful things, including myriad ways to make an unsuspecting woman—even one who was on her guard—do things she would undoubtedly regret.
But would she truly regret doing any of those “things” with him?
That one had her stumped. Maybe she only needed to let the wine do its thing and make her more receptive.
Wait a second. I might think he’s pretty awesome, but is he interested in me?
Surely, she hadn’t imagined everything. From the moment he’d come to her rescue, he’d been very attentive and had even accused her of smelling too good. That had to count for something.
Her overwrought nerves had barely begun to settle when Aidan returned with a tall glass of iced lemonade. “I should’ve given you this to begin with. I just thought the wine might help your leg feel better.”
“It still pains me some, although the wine does make it less…” She stared at the wineglass, trying to recall the word she was searching for,
which became more elusive by the second.
“Noticeable?” he suggested.
She frowned. “Maybe. I’m not sure.” When she looked again, the wineglass seemed to have disappeared. Had he whisked it away that quickly, or was her brain simply too sluggish to notice what he’d done? “You’re a magician, aren’t you?”
He stared at her, mouth agape. “What makes you think that?”
“I dunno,” she mumbled. “Call it a hunch.” Perhaps she could make a deal with him, trading her secrets for his. The other option was to make it impossible for him to do anything but tell her everything.
How in the world could she do that?
She wiped her lips with her napkin. “Please forgive me. My brain isn’t firing on all thrusters at the moment.” Rather than being the logical, coherent organ she knew her brain to be, that seat of reason was currently embarking on numerous erotic tangents. She blinked hard, hoping to quell her rampant imagination.
Not surprisingly, her strategy didn’t work. She found herself wishing she was capable of enough sorcery to be instantly naked and alone with him in his bed, wherever that bed might be.
He’s going to smell my desire and get the wrong idea.
She gave herself a mental slap. Wrong idea? With respect to Aidan, there was no such thing.
On the other hand, there were two other females at the table. A Norludian’s scent might not appeal to him, but a Treslanti’s might. Unless he got very close to either of them, he might not be able to pinpoint the source. Or would he? She knew enough about Zetithians to know the acuity of their senses varied among individuals, the same way each Mordrial’s powers differed in strength. Maybe he really was only a handsome face with weak senses and minimal powers.
She was about to console herself with this possibility when she recalled that the man could control the wind well enough actually to fly while carrying a passenger.
Nope. Nothing weak about his Mordrial side.
“I think it might be time to take you to bed.”
Following a long blink and a slow, deliberate turn of her head, Sula’s gaze connected with Aidan’s, proving he had been the one to speak and also that there was nothing remotely suggestive in his expression.
Mystic Page 8
