“I’d have likely done the same if I’d not been crippled,” Nessie stated with a sigh.“Alas, I only have my natural-born affinity for water.”
“And mind control,” I added.
“Barely.That was a Tiamat trait.”
“Are you sure that was her?”I frowned.“She didn’t have fire breath.”
Both Alistair and Nessie stared at me.
Leading me to add, “She could only do what your body was capable of.The mind thing?That was all you.”
“Oh.Well.I’m not sure how I feel about that.Playing with people’s heads isn’t very nice.I should know, speaking from experience.”Nessie shook her noggin.
“Agreed, but on a more positive note, you could protect yourself from tourists.”
“I already do that by staying inside during the day.”
“Which means you don’t get to see the sun.But with this ability, you could come out and enjoy some rays and, if any humans are watching, simply give them a nudge of forgetfulness,” I suggested.
“It would be nice to feel the heat of the sun on my face again.”Nessie turned to Alistair.“I like her.She’s clever, but not in a bad way.I hope you’ll bring her back for a visit.”
“I’m sure Davina would like that.Are you taking off now?”
“Yes.I’m feeling a need to cleanse my home.”Nessie made a moue of distaste.“A nice flood should do it, although it will ruin all my electronics.Oliver?”
“I’ll put in an order in the morning to replace them.”The lawyer sighed.
“Thank you.Now if you don’t mind, this has been a most trying day,” Nessie stated as she sank below the loch’s surface, a seal waving a fin before diving in her wake.
“As if I didn’t have enough things to do,” Oliver grumbled.“Since I’m no longer needed, I’ll be heading home.I trust I’ll see you both back there shortly?”
“Yes, and I will be raiding your liquor cabinet for a drink.”Alistair stated.
“Maybe two,” I agreed.“Thank you, Oliver,” I added.
“Bah.”The ornery lawyer stalked off, and Alistair sighed.
“Perhaps I should not have assumed anything.”He glanced at me.“I’d understand if you’d had enough of my presence, seeing as how I’m the reason you almost died a few times tonight.”
“Oh, shut up already.Yes, it was a bit frightening.”I cleared my throat.“Make that a lot.But in better news, we rid the world of Tiamat’s threat and freed Nessie.Not to mention, there won’t be many Red Caps terrorizing good folk for a while.And Malone, the troublemaker behind everything, is gone.Seems to me we’ve lots to celebrate.Although maybe before we hit the bed, we could shower first.”Because I reeked.
“As my professor commands.”
He drove faster than the speed limit, meaning, in short order, I was naked and explaining why I had a gold coin in my bra, before I was whisked into a shower and suddenly having the best sex of my life.
ChapterTwenty
The soap slidover Davina’s body, leaving a trail of suds that fascinated.Everything about my professor intrigued.From the way she never stopped questioning to her bravery in the face of terrible odds to the way she treated me like a man, not a monster or a thing of curiosity.Desired me.A good thing, since I was enthralled by her.
My relief at her safety led me to worshipping every inch of her body with my hands.Tongue.Body.I reveled in the silky feel of her skin.The way she panted and uttered sweet, soft sounds of pleasure.When she reached that pinnacle of pleasure and crested, bringing me along with her, I experienced a satisfaction like none other.
It only occurred to me as our bodies cooled that the difference in how I felt was because I made love to Davina.Probably the first time I could say that about the sexual act.I cared for her, hence why almost losing her just about destroyed me.This tiny human, whom I’d known for mere days, had somehow managed to become the most important thing in the world.I’d give up everything for her.Because I loved her.Truly loved her, an emotion more powerful even than the fake affection Tiamat forced me to feel.
It led to me not only wanting to be intimate with her in the flesh, but also wanting her as part of my life, hence why, when we woke the next day, I said, “Would you like a companion as you seek out the treasures for your novel?”
She laughed.“I don’t know if I should go looking for more.While I did find the Jacobite Gold, the path there ended up being much more dangerous than expected.”
“I’d be there to protect you.”
